BLOG TOUR & REVIEW: The Siren and The Specter by Jonathan Janz @JonathanJanz @flametreepress @annecater
The Siren and The Specter
by Jonathan Janz
Thanks so much to Flame Tree Press and Anne Cater for this copy and my spot on the blog tour!
HAUNTED HOUSE? YES PLEASE!
Continue below to read more about the book, the author and my review.
Publisher: Flame Tree Press
Publish Date: September 6, 2018
Paperback
288 Pages
Standalone
Genres: Supernatural, Horror
When David Caine, a
celebrated skeptic of the supernatural, is invited by an old friend to spend a
month in “the most haunted house in Virginia,” he believes the case will be
like any other. But the Alexander House is different.
Built by a 1700s land baron to contain the madness and depravity of his eldest son, the house is plagued by shadows of the past and the lingering taint of bloodshed. David is haunted, as well. For twenty-two years ago, he turned away the woman he loved, and she took her life in sorrow.
And David suspects she’s followed him to the Alexander House.
Built by a 1700s land baron to contain the madness and depravity of his eldest son, the house is plagued by shadows of the past and the lingering taint of bloodshed. David is haunted, as well. For twenty-two years ago, he turned away the woman he loved, and she took her life in sorrow.
And David suspects she’s followed him to the Alexander House.
Jonathan
Janz is the author of more than a dozen novels and numerous short stories.
His
work has been championed by authors like Joe R. Lansdale, Jack Ketchum, and
Brian Keene; he has also been lauded by Publishers Weekly, the Library Journal,
and the School Library Journal.
His
novel Children of the Dark was chosen by Booklist as a Top Ten Horror Book of
the Year.
Jonathan’s
main interests are his wonderful wife and his three amazing children.
You
can sign up for his newsletter (http://jonathanjanz.us12.list-manage....),
and you can follow him on
Twitter
@JonathanJanz
My Review:
Ghost stories can be a hit or miss for me and this one was a hit! There are some typical haunted house type plots we are used to - skeptic with a torrid past is brought to a house believed to be haunted, the story behind the ghosts, isolated living where everyone seems to be a bit insane. Janz makes this a creepy fast paced read that at some moments had me turn my head while reading at the flicker of a light, or a shadow - living in NYC, this happens a lot through my windows so it's a surprise I somehow didn't end up with whiplash.
That being said, I wasn't as overly creeped out as the book continued. I enjoyed the characters - surprisingly the neighbors kept me the most fascinated - as explicitly perverse in their lifestyle. There are some crazed and disgusting sex scenes and child abuse strewn throughout this read that didn't bother me but may bother some readers. What I loved best though was the backstory on the governor and why the house and land were haunted. Janz does a great job in bringing it all together!
I need answers though on that ending! I suppose it's meant to be this way and I can appreciate what it did as I thought, while violent, the ending was a bit too clean so thanks for the dirty. 😉 I think anyone who enjoys haunted, gothic stories will enjoy this supernatural novel. I'll certainly be keeping my eye out for more from Janz.
★★★★
Huge thanks for the Blog tour support x
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