Wednesday, April 5, 2017

The Guests on South Battery by Karen White






What They Say.....New York Times bestselling author Karen White invites you to explore the brick-walked streets of Charleston, where historic mansions house the memories of years gone by, and restless spirits refuse to fade away...

With her extended maternity leave at it's end, Melanie Trenholm is less than thrilled to leave her new husband and beautiful twins to return to work, especially when she's awoken by a phone call with no voice on the other end—and the uneasy feeling that the ghostly apparitions that have stayed silent for over a year are about to invade her life once more. 

But her return to the realty office goes better than she could have hoped, with a new client eager to sell the home she recently inherited on South Battery. Most would treasure living in one of the grandest old homes in the famous historic district of Charleston, but Jayne Smith would rather sell it as soon as possible, guaranteeing Melanie a quick commission. 

Despite her stroke of luck, Melanie can't deny that spirits—both malevolent and benign—have started to appear to her again. One is shrouded from sight, appearing whenever Jayne is near. Another arrives when an old cistern is discovered in her backyard on Tradd Street. 

Melanie knows nothing good can come from unearthing the past. But some secrets refuse to stay buried...


What I Say.....Okay, no secret that I'm a huge Karen White fan.  On Folly Beach and The Forgotten Room are two of my favorites - but the Tradd Street series routinely scares the crap out of me.  So why do I keep reading them? I have no idea, but I keep going back for more.

I like the characters, I like the scenery, and I like the stories.   But I hate the ghosts! And this one was even worse because it's a creepy doll, and a young girl ghost and her mom. I'm getting the creeps just thinking about it again.

Melanie has a mysterious stranger show up in her office when she returns to work after a year home with her twins. It seems meant to be since she is a nanny and Melanie is looking for a nanny.  Jayne moves into the house on Tradd Street with Melanie and her family.  

Suddenly everyone is experiencing creative block, including Melanie who can no longer use her ghost sensing abilities, she continues to feel like a curtain has been dropped over her third eye.  But Melanie isn't making the connection to Jayne, she is more worried about the relationship she feels is developing between her husband and the nanny - honestly, at times her jealousy seems pathological.

As the ghosts become more restless, the effects on Jayne and Melanie's life become increasingly difficult to maneuver.  Melanie has no choice but to solve the mystery before it destroys her family.

And seriously, why do I torture myself with books that make it difficult to sleep?  Every time, I say I'm never reading one of her ghost stories again, then I just fall for it all over again.

Current Goodreads Rating 4.15

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