The Ghost of Hollow House was like reading a BBC special. It had all the elements of a Victorian ghost story with a twist of Jane Austen-like humor thrown in.

I didn't read the previous books in this series, but it was easy to get caught up on the characters' past shenanigans. My favorite character was Mina, a spunky young author who knows her own mind.

My only complaint about this book was its tendency to repeat details and "clues" over and over. That got old, and I found myself skimming a lot near the middle of the book. I loved the book-within-a-book feature.

This is a good option for those who enjoy clean cozy mysteries with a paranormal twist.

Set during Victorian England. The main character, Mina Scarletti, is known for exposing scam artists and fakes of the supernatural fad that has hit the country. She is frail though, and suffers from scoliosis, and is temperamental towards the damp and cold weather. Invited by her friend, and taking along her doctor friend, they go to the country house of Hollow House, where supposedly a haunting is taking place. When her brother and a detective show up, and a man whose pride doesn't allow defeat in the supernatural beliefs, the red herrings are plentiful. Take into account two young maids and a caretaker and his wife there are plenty of possibilities for mischief. I did enjoy this book a lot, although my first in the series by this author, I wasn't too lost within the story. Do not think I want to know more about her spoiled sister and bossy mother, but assume they are prominent in other books. I few odds and ends that left me pondering, and cost a star (issues with her friend, brother, etc.) but otherwise I highly recommend this book and author.

I requested The Ghost of Hollow House from NetGalley, then realized it was the fourth in a series. I read a little of the first chapter, and decided to go back and read the previous books before reading this most recent in the series.

This is the quote from The Ghost of Hollow House that was in the first few pages and convinced me to put it aside and read the earlier books:

"Mrs. Honeyacre, the second of that name, was the former Miss Kitty Betts, aged thirty but admitting to twenty-five. She had once enjoyed a glittering careeron the popular stage as Princes Kirabampu the oriental contortionist, but had been looking for something a little more permanent. Although Kitty lacked great beauty, she more than compensated for this with her cheerful and engaging personality, coquettish charm and a remarkably supple spine."

That quote amused me, perhaps more than reasonably, and I expected the earlier books to have much the same humor. In that I was a little disappointed, but I did fall in love with Mina Scarletti, who never lets her disability determine her life. The influence of spiritualism provided another reason to continue the series.

Known as a skeptic, Mina is invited to Hollow House to determine whether or not the house is haunted. Accompanied by Nell and Dr. Hamid, Mina sets out to discover what is causing the disturbances in the Honeyacre home. Complications: her incorrigible brother Richard shows up, Nell's husband has a detective spying on her, a flood that cuts off the road into Hollow House, and the arrival of a character from a past investigation.

Having saved The Ghost of Hollow House until last, I am now caught up with the series.

NetGalley/Sapere Books
Historical Mystery/Spiritualism. May 24, 2019. Print length: 320 pages.

ghosts, illusionists, England, suspense, 19th-century *****

A friend in need of company living with her new husband in a reportedly haunted house asks a mutual friend and Mina Scarletti (ghost debunker) to join them for a weekend. Mina has a physical condition which means that she is physically frail despite her determination and good sense. But first all are stranded by the weather, then Mina's ditzy brother shows up, the next pair of guests are unwelcome and odious and unavoidable. No spoilers here! An excellent read that proves that almost anyone can be fooled by carefully crafted illusions fueled by gossip.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Sapere Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

This is the fourth book in the Mina Scarletti series but can easily be read as a stand-alone book, as I did not read the previous three books but highly enjoyed this one. It's a great historical mystery that takes place in a victorian manor in the small isolated town of Ditchling Hollow. Mina has been asked by the lady of the house to attend and help dispel that rumour of ghostly sightings and strange goings on in the manor. Mina is not your typical heroine. She suffers from scoliosis, de-bunker of ghostly things and is an adept horror writer (unbeknownst to most). The goings on at the house are eerily discovered and were quite surprising. We are then, at the end of the novel, treated to Mina's next short story.

All in all, quite enjoyable. I will most likely be reading more of this series.

Linda Stratmann’s The Ghost of Hollow House is an enthralling Victorian mystery with a smart and witty heroine. The setting is perfect, the plot is intriguing, and the characters are well-written and interesting. But, I had some trouble connecting with the characters and I wish that certain aspects of the plot were more fleshed out. This book is the fourth in the series but it works perfectly as a standalone.

In 1872 Sussex, Mina Scarletti is invited to investigate strange happenings at ancient country retreat Hollow House. The new owners are experiencing ghostly phenomena and unexplained noises. The servants are afraid to spend the night in the house. There are whispers about a woman in white, mysterious deaths, and a devilish child. Is there a rational explanation for the occurrences? Or is Hollow House truly haunted? Sceptical Mina must unravel this mystery with the help of her friends, trustworthy Dr. Hamid and former conjuror’s assistant Nellie.

This is a great read with an interesting plot. Stratmann kept me hooked till the end. I couldn’t tell whether the mysterious happenings were supernatural or man-made and I really love that. I also love the inclusion of Mina’s horror story.

The atmosphere and setting are fantastic and immersive. Stratmann creates a wonderful scene with the spooky Hollow House, isolated countryside, superstitious villagers, mysterious ghostly occurrences, and a convenient natural disaster.

The characters are well-written and memorable. Mina is a smart and witty protagonist. The novel is fairly diverse: reliable and responsible Dr. Hamid is Indian and Stratmann does not shy away from Mina’s scoliosis. I also love fun and feisty Nellie! I wish there was more of her because I loved reading about her adventures as a conjuror’s assistant.

However, certain aspects of the mystery could have been more explained. I also had trouble understanding several of the characters’ intentions. Moreover, while I like the characters, I sometimes struggled to connect with them.

The Ghost of Hollow House is a well-written and interesting mystery with great characters and a fantastic setting. I had some trouble connecting with the characters and I wish parts of the mystery were better explained but I really liked this book. If you love the Victorian era, spooky settings, and interesting characters, you should definitely check this book out. I can’t wait to read more in this series!


👻👻👻👻 ghosts out of 5!

This was an interesting book. I did not realize it was part of a series, but that didn't get in the way of the story's enjoyment. I rather liked that the main character was someone unexpected by society's standards. Mina is shorter than most and twisted by scoliosis by mentally sharp as a whip and is quick with a sarcastic retort, which I think is a means of self-defence. She's a brilliant character! I rather enjoyed the time period the story was set in, and the house sounded amazing. The characters (and there was a fair handful of them) were all distinct and memorable, even Little Scrap.
The story seems to go slowly at first, but when I thought about it, the pacing was just right, given the social norms of the time.

All in all, any fan of historical mysteries will be pleased with this book. Well done to the author!

Well, we certainly have here all the components that lovers (myself included) of such country house mysteries will immediately recognise . There is the Victorian era setting, the aforementioned country house, a nearby village inhabited by the superstitious, sightings and hearings of other worldly phenomena, local legends and deep hidden secrets, an eclectic cast of characters from all sections of society and of course that great perennial, the natural event (normally a violent storm but in this case incessant rain) which cuts off all communication and means of escape thus trapping the inhabitants of the house. Against this backdrop we have making I believe her fourth outing in print the inestimable Mina Scarletti who believes in the rational and is a confirmed sceptic when it comes to all things that go bump in the night.

Now invited to Hollow House by Mr Honeyacre who since acquiring this ancient Sussex property has been tormented by ghostly happenings including sightings of ‘the woman in white’, Miss Scarletti with the assistance of her friends Dr Hamid, and Nell must investigate and determine what is at the root of the mystery. I read this over the course of two days for once started it became quite difficult to put down as the writing created an appealing mixture of unease and suspense mingled throughout with elements of humour. It was clear that much research went into creating what it would have been like to have lived in the world of 1872 where spiritualism became a popular phenomenon. A spooky fun read that will appeal and delight lovers of this genre.

Can you believe I read this book within 48hrs?! I read it,I loved it,and I will recommend it to everyone who loves paranormal books with ghosts in them.
The writing kept me engaged and sucked me in the storyline from the start. I loved this book a lot, that is why it only took me two days to read it.
I am sincerely looking forward to more books by this author!

The Ghost of Hollow House is a wonderful book with interesting characters. The book is engrossing and we'll written. I hope to read more by this author.

by cayocosta72

In Victorian England, Mina Scarletti has been invited to Hollow House, the home of Mr. Honeyacre and wife, Kitty, to investigate claims of ghosts and ghouls and things that go bump in the night. It’s so bad, that the servants won’t stay on after dark. Along with Dr. Hamid, Mina explores the claims of a ghostly woman in white. A born skeptic, Mina’s main concern is for Kitty, who appears to be sickening in front of her eyes. Readers will find it easy to engage with Mina, an intelligent, feisty heroine