When their mother gets very ill and becomes hospitalized, Tara and Kyle get sent to their grandparents that they've never met. At first everything seems fine, until things start to happen around the house and the grandparents aren't what they seem.

If you like gothic, spooky ghost stories, this is the one for you!

This book was fantastic. I had heard of Darcy Coates but didn't realize I read a book by her before I requested this one, but this book was great! I would say it was spooky, but not terrifying. The book's premise is about two children who have to go stay with their grandparents because their mom was in a car accident. This is just the beginning and the book ties in supernatural elements, and a whodunit, all together into one story. I was constantly shocked at some of the twists in this book and actually jumped once or twice. I'd love to see this as a movie because the visuals would be great, but the story stands alone. I feel like adults as well as teens would enjoy this book and the twisty turning story that the author puts together one chapter at a time. I wouldn't have guessed the ending when I started it, but now I can't stop thinking about it, and I want to read everything this author writes! I've already picked up a few other books by her because these stories are spooky and fantastic! Highly recommend this book!

3 Stars.

This was my first time reading Darcy Coates. The Folcroft Ghosts sounded really creepy and fun. Who doesn't love a good ghost story?!? Tara and Kyle end up staying with their grandparents that they've never met after their mother has an accident. They're both suspicious of the situation because their mother ran away when she was 17 and has no contact with her parents. The house is gigantic and creepy with locked rooms and strange noises. I was really hoping for more of a creepy factor and for the big reveals to have more bang.

This story contains 3 bonus short stories : Clockwork, Sub Basement, and Crypt. I would rate these stories as 3.5 stars. They were fun snippets with an ambiguous ending.

A special thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Darcy Coates for providing me with a reader copy.

The Folcroft Ghosts by Darcy Coates is the second novel I have read by Ms. Coates. This novel is filled with a sense of unease and foreboding. I think I have found my new favorite author.

The protagonist, Tara is suspicious. Why has she and her brother, Kyle, never heard much about her grandparents? Their mother lay in a coma at hospital after a heinous accident and they are sent to stay with grandparents they know nothing about. Shortly thereafter, strange occurrences happen. Kyle begins a dangerous habit of sleepwalking through the woods on the property. Tara finds two tombstones with names that do not belong to anyone in the family. Grandma shows the kids through underground bunker, where if accidentally locked in, they will suffocate slowly (unsettling). A door upstairs is locked at all times until it is not and objects are being moved without help from a living soul. Tara has even witnessed a elderly man walking hunched over outside at night in the most horrible of weather. Grandpa says its him outside late at night exercising his arthritis. Grandpa shows no indication of having the condition.

What began as a promising visit, has become frightening.and filled with dread. Tara has shared her misgivings with Kyle and both are aware that something is terribly wrong. There was a reason why their mother never really talked about her parents. There was a reason why their mother kept the children away. The more Tara attempts to find the truth, the more queer her grandparents become.

The Folcroft ghosts are stirring. Pray Tara finds the truth before anyone gets hurt.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and Darcy Coates for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Good writing, good characters, alright atmosphere. I just wish it was more... creepy? For a book with the word 'ghost' in the title, I think I just wasn't creeped out enough. I love horror and being scared by a book, but it takes a lot for something to really hit the spot. So I may just be being too picky. I'd recommend this to anybody looking for a quick read with a small creep factor.

I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Poisoned Pen Press in exchange for an honest review.

I love Darcy Coates' writing and The Folcroft Ghosts is no exception. This is the story of Tara and Kyle, two teenagers who are forced to move in with their grandparents after their mother has a car accident. They have been estranged from their grandparents and when they arrive, there are weird goings on both ghostly and not. Who or what do the kids really need to be afraid of?

The best way I can describe this book is like a slightly older version of Goosebumps, and I 100% mean that as a compliment. It has a lot of the features of a Goosebumps premise (sudden move, two siblings, weird behaviour from relatives) with the more advanced writing you would expect. I would class this as a YA horror book as it lacked some of the depth I would expect from adult horror, but that made it no less enjoyable to me. I'm always excited when I can't predict where a haunted house book will go because the premise is used so often, and I devoured this book to find out what happened next. The characters were interesting, there were some creepy moments and it definitely has a unique voice.

I had actually forgotten that three short stories follow the main story so I will talk about those briefly. I had read two of them before in other Coates' collections (the sub-basement one and the crypt one) and I like both of them a lot. I feel the basement one has much more of an atmosphere, as well as being less predictable. Both are brilliantly written though and I really do love Coates' writing style when it comes to horror. The third one, 'Clockwork', was new to me and I was totally sucked into it. Again, it was unpredictable and had such a creepy atmosphere sewn throughout. These stories were a nice surprise and a bonus to an already great book!

Overall, this is a great ghost story for a teenage audience or for people who enjoy reading YA horror. It has a lot of the elements from nostalgic horror reads but manages to have a plot that goes beyond the basic haunted house premise. I will continue to seek out more of Coates' horror stories as she always manages to deliver a good time.

Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

The Folcroft Ghosts is a rainy day delight. Two children are temporarily living with their estranged grandparents due to a family emergency. The grandparents live in a home that (to the reader) feels perpetually foggy and cold-haunting. For some reason this home prevents computers and cell phones from properly working - leaving the children cut off from the world and their friends, except for brief visits to the local outdated library. Mysterious, dark figures roam the grounds, and family lore of death and mystery is no stranger here. I loved it. I devoured this novel over many mugs of steaming tea in an attempt to keep the cold and the ghosts at bay.

This was a creepy, atmospheric book. There were some ghostly scares in the book but I would have liked more. The ending was wrapped up nicely. I will definitely read more books by Darcy Coates.
Thank you for the ARC. This was my honest review.

Though there are some delightfully eerie, spine-tingling, and shocking moments in this haunted house story, the abrupt ending and some pacing and plot issues keep it from being a horror novel to remember. Still, The Folcroft Ghosts is an enjoyable read, especially for fans of ghost stories and family dramas.

3.5 stars

I haven't been reading many spooky ghost stories in the past couple of years but I am glad I read this one because I very much enjoyed it.

It kept me entertained. The story is very well done.

I do recommend

A classic haunted house story with a delightful twist. I have only recently discovered Darcy Coates and I am completely hooked to her stuff.

I could not put this book down! I was hooked right from the start and read it in just 2 sittings. I was so intrigued by what was going on with the grandparents and whether the ghosts were real or not that I just had to keep reading! I really enjoyed the spooky parts and thought they were done really well. I also loved the ending to the story and wasn’t disappointed like I sometimes am with ghost stories!

* I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review *

This book tells the story of two children, Tara and Kyle, who go to stay with their estranged grandparents Peter and May after their mother was in an accident and is in a coma at the hospital.

This book was a real page turner. It’s been a while since I’ve been able to get so incredibly sucked into a story that I could hardly put it down, but this was one of them.

The characters were well developed with their own personalities and specific likes and hobbies which I really liked. All of the characters jumped off the page, in particular Tara and May.

This book wasn’t necessarily scary, but it did have its creepy moments. The pace was quick and light and you felt the need to be constantly flipping pages to see what would happen.

There weren’t too many big surprises for me in terms of plot I was able to deduce some of the twists and things that happened, while others definitely surprised me.

While this could be in part because the ebook ends at 75 % (after which are some short stories) and I was expecting more to come, I did find the end rather abrupt. While everything got resolved I felt it all happened so quickly and all of a sudden it was just over.

This was absolutely an enjoyable ghost story, and I would absolutely read from this author again.

The Folcroft Ghosts is a spooky ghost story set in North America. Two siblings are sent to their Grandparents house in a remote forest, after their Mum has an accident. Just as the children are starting to settle in strange things being to happen during the night. This is my first time reading a book by Aussie author Darcy Coates and I enjoyed this fast-paced, gripping story for teens and adults. This book also contains several short stories at the end. These are much creepier and I really enjoyed Crypt and Sub Basement. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my digital copy.

“We want to talk about the ghosts.”

When their mother is hospitalised after an accident, fifteen year old Tara and her eleven year old brother, Kyle, go to stay with their grandparents. Their mother doesn’t talk about her parents and the siblings have never even met Peter and May.

The house is isolated and it isn’t long before the siblings notice some strange things. They begin to wonder what secrets their grandparents are hiding from them.

I’ve been eyeing off Darcy Coates’ books for quite a while now and know at least one has made it into my Kindle’s Black Hole of Good Intentions, but this was the first I’ve read. I expected some serious creepiness but I comfortably read this in the middle of the night while everyone was sleeping and the rain was keeping me company. I wasn’t even tempted to quickly turn on a light to make sure nothing was watching over me as I read.

“Did you hear the footsteps?”

If I’d read this book when I was younger I expect it would have unsettled me enough that I would have been suspicious of every noise I heard at night. However, it felt like I was reading a more atmospheric R.L. Stine book than one intended for adults.

Having said that, I enjoyed the story. It was a quick, light read, I was almost immediately sucked in and I liked the characters. While I never felt like I really got to know Peter as well as I would have liked, Tara and Kyle’s bond made me wish I had a sibling.

“There is nothing more important to us than family.”

May was the standout character for me. Regardless of everything else going on in the background I wanted to hang out with her in the kitchen. Never mind the ghosts; I’m going to the Folcroft’s for May’s cooking.

My main niggle was a strange one; the maths didn’t work for me. We learn that Tara and Kyle’s mother was 17 when she wrote in her journal in 1985. Then later it’s said she was almost 2 in 1975.

At the end of the book there are three short stories. My favourite was ‘Clockwork’.

Clockwork - This had a Roald Dahl short story feel and it was a delight.

“Some run fast. Others run slow. They must all keep the same time. Down to the second.”

Sub Basement - Sometimes I enjoy ambiguity when reading something potentially spooky; this time I wanted to see for myself what was there.

“Dozens of people had made the run without seeing anything out of the ordinary. And even when … well, Joan had suffered from a heart condition, anyway.”

Crypt - In this sleepy town’s graveyard there’s a new section and then there’s the one that was there before the town was settled. There are stories about that old section.

“They don’t believe me,” he said before I could even open my mouth. “They think I’m making it up.”
“Making what up?” I asked.
“The vampire.”

Content warnings include death by suicide.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press, an imprint of Sourcebooks, for the opportunity to read this book. I want to read more books by this author. I’m rounding up from 3.5 stars.

I become addicted to this author's stories and I'm loving them all.
This one was no exception and it was a gripping and entertaining read.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

What a page-turner! I stayed up way too late to finish this gripping ghost story, suitable for older teens as well as adults.

When their mother is left in a coma after a car accident, Tara and Kyle are dispatched to their grandparents, Peter and May Folcroft, who they have never met. The Folcrofts are kind and attentive, but, increasingly, the children encounter stories that don’t hold together, locked doors and odd noises in the night. Ghosts? Of course! They’re right in the title! But do the phantoms mean Tara and Kyle well or harm?

I adored every minute of this novel, and I will be seeking out more books from author Darcy Coates, who can spin a fabulous yarn.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press in exchange for an honest review.

I really love Darcy Coates' books. They are always brilliantly crafted ghost stories that are guaranteed to give you a chill and provide a decent mystery. The Folcroft Ghosts doesn't disappoint - I really enjoyed spending time with these characters, and the story didn't miss a beat.

After a terrible car accident, Tara's mom is sent to the hospital and unable to care for her and her little brother Kyle. At first the siblings are able to stay with their neighbor, but are soon send to live with their estranged grandparents. Prior to this incident they have never met, as their mother cut contact with them before her kids were born.

Upon arrival at the old Folcroft family home, the grandparents are loving and kind. They seems eager to finally meet their grandchildren, and shower them with attention. Yet, Tara and Kyle feel as if somethings amiss. Many of the doors in the home are locked, doors open and slam on their own, and Grandpa Peter walks the grounds in the middle of the night. Could the place be haunted?

The Folcroft Ghosts was a fast and entertaining read. It kept me engaged and I was sucked into the family mystery. It's a decent horror story, without any major bells and whistles. I enjoyed the few twists it had, it just wasn't anything too breathtaking.

The characters were well executed, I just wish there was more actual ghosts. The atmosphere was excellent, and set a good tone for the novel. Overall, a decent horror novel.

3 out of 5 stars!

Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this arc.

I really wanted to enjoy this book but found it muddled. Almost as it had been a fantastic story that had been cut to fit the time restraints for a film. It had such great potential with ghostly figures, build up and what could have been delicious foreshadowing from almost the first chapter. But as the story moved along seeming important things such as an ominous shop keep with life altering information or a mysterious lost journal, were down played. The kids felt such a connection to their mothers hidden journal but very little was made of it.

I did enjoy the character development of the Folcroft and the implications that it isn't what goes bump in the night that we should fear but what is right in front of us. Wish there had been move development there for physiological suspense.

My biggest issue with this book was the inaccuracy of time. The kids have cell phones and are computer savy with a blog so I assume it is a modern setting. But the references to the past and dates given make that seem like a reach or untrue. This kept pulling me out of the story.

In chapter 8 when the kids find their moms old journal it says 1985 on the cover and the kids say their mom would have been 16 or 17 at the time.

In chapter 12 when talking about George & Petra's graves marked 1975 May says Christine was 2 when they died. Going off of that she should have been 12 the year the journal states not 16 or 17.

Also, what time is this set in? If Christine was born in 1973 (2 years before the date on the grave) she would currently be 46. Or if she was 16 or 17 in 1985, like the kids guessed, she would be 50 Or 51. Both ages are a little old to have a 15 year old and 11/12 year old. I currently have children those ages and an in my late 30' s.

Chapter 14 Chris is said to have left home shortly after the journal entry and was 17 at the time.

And in chapter 21 Christine's parents were said to have shown up at the Folcroft property with a baby needing somewhere to hide b/c they had done bad things during the war. What war? If this was in the early 70's it is to far removed from WWI or WW2 to make since for the couple that was of fighting age to have a baby in the 70's.

This story had a great start and so much going for it but inattention to details made the story choppy and hard to follow.