Billy O'Callaghan's writing deftly creates a rich, substantive landscape. The opening scenes made me yearn for a trip to Ireland. And at the same time, Mr. O'Callaghan sprinkled ominous crumbs into the narrative that made me wonder when the other shoe would drop.

And drop it did. The reader is taken from the rugged and idyllic Irish coastline and plunged into the supernatural realm of the underworld with little warning. What happens next is a rollercoaster ride of thrilling action. The writer creates an amazing amount of suspense and tension by merely hinting at the threat, rather than wasting time on full-blown descriptions of the supernatural. He lets the reader's imagination do most of the work and its this light touch that endeared this work to me.

I enjoyed this page turner and look forward to upcoming works by Mr. O'Callaghan.

Eerie and atmospheric, artist Maggie buys an old cottage in the Irish countryside to fix up and start her troubled life fresh in an inspiring setting, only to find a dark history and restless spirits inhabit the land.

The opening of this book drew me in. There was a compelling line in the Prologue - "Do you believe in ghosts? Because that's really where it begins, with belief. We glimpse or experience something that defies explanation and we either accept the stretch in our reality or we choose to turn our heads away....I ask only that your give yourself time and space to consider the question, and that you listen with an open mind." I may have taken this too much to heart...

This book had me at the Prologue. I wanted to hear Mike's story and to understand why he believes in ghosts. I was interested in his descriptions of art, with the light foreshadowing, and with the characters that he introduced. I could visualize the people and places described, even though I haven't been to the UK. There was such a haunting presence in this story, and it was rendered with the style of an artist. There were heavy and light brushstrokes of friendship, love, history and lore.

This book felt like Rebecca - but perhaps more so. Maybe The Dead House is what Rebecca felt like when it was first released.

I do not suggest reading this one while all alone....

Review: THE DEAD HOUSE by Billy O'Callaghan

I sped through this exciting and enlightening literary supernatural thriller in a day; I couldn't separate myself from the story. I was so engrossed in empathy with the protagonists: Michael, Maggie, Allison; and with the fulcrum character, Liz--and much later, with the child Hannah, who may be the target, or who may be another fulcrum character. {By fulcrum character, I am meaning the individual whose lever applied just at the crossroads crux situation quite literally changes the path and direction of the story.}

In no way am I about to imply derivativeness: THE DEAD HOUSE is perfect in its originality, and I believe its drama to be quintessentially Irish. Yet in certain portions (specifically Michael's return visit to the painter Maggie's cottage, her new paintings and sketches, and the way in which Maggie encapsulates her new view of "the way things really are"), I perceived somewhat of both a Lovecraftian tone, and of the rural prime madness of the countryside of Thomas Hardy' s moors. Then in the Epilogue, several elements combine to resonate for me with the subtle unendable terrors of Henry James' "Turn of The Screw." Yet again, these literary allusions are my perception, not derivation.

This is O’Callaghan’s debut novel although he is the author of several short story collections. (Personally, I don’t do short stores – too disappointed when they end as I want to keep on reading).

Narrated in the first person, we are introduced to Michael Simmons an art dealer, a somewhat shy person who has been unable to form a long-term romantic relationship. As such he compensates for this by being a bit of a workaholic, travelling hither and thither to meet with artists, galleries etc. Along the way he has formed a mentor-like professional relationship with Maggie, young, petite and vulnerable. When he discovers that she has been hospitalised after a violent attack by her boyfriend he invites her to stay with him and recuperate. From there she moved to Ireland so that she could breathe and paint. With financial assistance from Michael she buys a derelict, remote cottage which she renovates.

Eventually Michael gets to visit the cottage for a house-warming and there he meets two other women, friends of Maggie and when they introduce the Ouija board things start to happen, but not in a good way.

This is in the tradition of a gothic ghost story, but that is far too simplistic. O’Callaghan has used the most beautiful, lyrical language to describe the landscape and the history. The tale resonates with the echoes of post famine Ireland and the horrors that the people endured. We are presented with a background of the beauty of Ireland in its wind-swept landscape and the horrors of that landscape shrouded in mist and howling rain and thunder, rendering the scene impenetrable and hostile.

Was I scared? No, more perturbed or concerned. Feeling Michael’s horror and growing concern for Maggie; his battle to understand what he has witnessed. What a truly beautiful soul Michael is; honest, generous and totally likeable.

One more word – Brilliant. I loved it.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.

The Dead House by Billy O'Callaghan is rather spooky ghost story that has its roots in the Irish potato famine. When Maggie, an English artist, seeks sanctuary after a brutal attack, she discovers a place in Ireland that seems made to order. A ramshackle cottage that needs a complete overhaul in a setting that speaks to every fiber of her artistic center...and perhaps, to something else.

You can read the description elsewhere, but the main characters are Mike, an art dealer in London; Maggie, an artist; and Alison, who has a gallery in Ireland. The three are tied together through friendship, and in the case of Mike and Ali, something developing into love.

The frame of the novel is similar to that of Henry James' Turn of the Screw and the book seems to be heavily influenced by James' work--in both content and style.

The pervasive sense of the sinister which James achieved is lacking, however, because O'Callaghan breaks it up with Mike's relationship with Ali, lighter episodes that relieve some of the tension.

The writing is often lyrical, but something about the logic goes awry. Turn of the Screw is ambiguous--is it a ghost story or a psychological deterioration? The first time I read it in high school, I thought it the most chilling ghost story ever. On subsequent reads over the years, I recognized the other possibility, which is equally as chilling, perhaps even more so. The sense of unease remains, the ambiguity remains, and whichever way you read it, Turn of the Screw is a frightening tale.

The Dead House is a ghost story that draws on James' work, but lacks the layers, the Freudian aura, the question of whether or not the young children, Miles and Flora, have been corrupted by evil, and the story's refusal to take a side, to guide you to one conclusion or another. Henry James left the interpretation up to the reader, but regardless of how one reads it, the experience is harrowing. O'Callaghan leaves you with a ghost story that doesn't quite end, almost as if a sequel could be possible.

The Dead House has garnered many positive reviews, but it lacked some mysterious quality that allowed me to "suspend my disbelief."

For me, The Turn of the Screw remains the epitome of an excellent ghost story regardless of how you interpret it. My second favorite is The Broken Girls by Simone St. James which combines a genuine ghost story and a mystery.

NetGalley/Skyhorse Publishing

Paranormal/Ghost Story. first published 2017; May 2018. Print length: 224 pages.

Not since reading Peter Straub’s “Ghost Story” had I encountered another book that could actually undermine my usual cool rationality and leave me vaguely worried about things that go bump in the night, but now Billy O’Callaghan’s novel “The Dead House” has done just that. Making able use of his knowledge of regional history and lore, the author has given us an artfully-written tale that is highly atmospheric and nimbly plotted. Count me in as a new fan. I’m looking forward to reading his short stories next.

Whoa! I loved this book! I'll also be sleeping with the lights on tonight. But the writing is beautiful - lyrical, poetic and lush. Billy O'Callaghan is a master of words and storytelling.

The dead house by billy o' callaghan.
Michael simmons has a story to tell. Maggie is a artist and he sells her paintings. After a bitter end to a relationship she buys a run down house in ireland. He helps her with some money as it needs some major tlc. But what happens next is a mystery. Will he find her?
A very enjoyable read. I liked the story and the characters. Little slow but I read it. I liked the ending but felt like there was more to the story. I really hope there is more to come. 4*.

I would define this book as a paranormal thriller. A young artist named Maggie moves to an isolated cottage by the sea. She is getting over a lot of turmoil and physical pain. After friends visit and they all have a seance with a ouija board strange things begin to happen and Maggie changes completely . All though this was interesting it was too short and much more like a long story than a novel. The end came too quickly and abruptly.