Review: The Haunting of Maddy Clare

The Haunting of Maddy Clare
by Simone St. James

Plot Summary:

Sarah Piper's lonely, threadbare existence changes when her temporary agency sends her to assist a ghost hunter. Alistair Gellis-rich, handsome, scarred by World War I, and obsessed with ghosts- has been summoned to investigate the spirit of nineteen-year-old maid Maddy Clare, who is haunting the barn where she committed suicide. Since Maddy hated men in life, it is Sarah's task to confront her in death. Soon Sarah is caught up in a deperate struggle. For Maddy's ghost is real, she's angry, and she has powers that defy all reason. Can Sarah and Alistair's assistant, the rough, unsettling Matthew Ryder, discover who Maddy was, where she came from, and what is driving her desire for vengeance-before she destroys them all?

Expectations:

My Mom picked up this book in the library and enjoyed it, so I decided to read it also. I love a good ghost story and this one looked very interesting.

Review:

This was a very absorbing and fast-paced read - the author writes so very well for the time period and for lonely and independent Sarah Piper. Sarah’s acceptance of a temporary position with ghost-hunter Alistair occurs quickly and most of the novel is the mystery Sarah, Alistair and Matthew must solve to find out what happened to Maddy Clare and why she decided to committed suicide. Maddy’s powers are pretty creepy, and the scenes where she encounters the three ghost hunters are chilling in their intensity. The suspense builds quietly as Maddy becomes able to affect our three main characters even outside the barn.

There is a quickly put together romance between Sarah and Matthew, and though they both have haunted pasts, I thought that Sarah’s past was not explained very well in terms of how it had affected her before she came to work with Alistair. The mystery was resolved satisfactorily and I did enjoy this story which had great writing and very spooky scenes with Maddy.

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