Title: Haunting of Timber Manor (Memoirs of the Human Wraiths: Book One)
Author: F.E. Feeley Jr.
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (2nd Edition)
Length: 256 pages
Category: Paranormal, Mystery/Suspense
At a Glance: An interesting story but one with many POV shifts that left me confused at times.
Reviewed By: Jennifer
Blurb: While recovering from the recent loss of his parents, Daniel Donnelly receives a phone call from his estranged aunt, who turns over control of the family fortune and estate, Timber Manor. Though his father seemed guarded about the past, Daniel’s need for family and curiosity compel him to visit.
Located in a secluded area of the Northwest, Timber Manor has grown silent over the years. Her halls sit empty and a thin layer of dust adorns the sheet-covered furniture. When Daniel arrives to begin repairs, strange things happen. Nightmares haunt his dreams. Memories not his own disturb his waking hours. Alive with the tragedies of the past, Timber Manor threatens to tear Daniel apart.
Sherriff Hale Davis grew up working on the manor grounds. Seeing Daniel struggle, he vows protect the young man who captured his heart, and help him solve the mystery behind the haunting and confront the past—not only to save Daniel’s life, but to save his family, whose very souls hang in the balance.
Review: Overall, I enjoyed this story, but it took me a longer time than usual to read, and longer to adjust to the writing style. I prefer books that are written in the third person, particularly when the story is told from the perspective of multiple characters. With this novel, the story is told from several first person points of view: Danny, his aunt, and others. Many others. So many I forgot exactly how many shifts there were. While each character had a unique voice, it took me time to adjust to having more than two first person points of view, and that detracted from my enjoyment of the story.
As for the plot, I did enjoy it. After receiving a call from an aunt he’s all but forgotten existed after the death of both of his parents, Daniel returns to the family estate that his father never talked about. Of course, as soon as he arrives, strange things begin to happen, and the ghost story kicks off. I enjoyed the description of the estate, which has clearly fallen into disuse due to the lack of humans living in it. I always loved the idea of large estates, though I wonder how financially feasible it would be to own something like it today. All I could picture was something like the mansions of Newport in the middle of a forest. Beautiful, but man the upkeep…
While this is a ghost story, it is also a romance. Daniel and Hale have a sweet romance that I enjoyed reading, and it was woven in with the ghost story very well. As for the paranormal elements, they were well-written. I was honestly creeped out at times; this was not a book I could read at night, even though I live in a tiny house that is nothing like Timber Manor.
There is a bit of insta-love in this story, so if that isn’t your thing, just a forewarning on that. Given the length of the book, I was expecting something a little more drawn out, but, as I said, it was a sweet romance if a bit quick.
There are at least two more books in this series. While I did enjoy the first one, due to the writing style and the frequent first person POV shifts, I think I will have to pass on the second two. Fans of ghost stories, however, will likely enjoy The Haunting of Timber Manor, and if you don’t mine several POV shifts, then you will also like this book.
You can buy The Haunting of Timber Manor here:
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