The Haunting of Beatrix Greene just in time for Halloween. This story takes you back to Englad during the Victorian Era . This was a time when so many things were changing in England and one of those changes was more and more you found Mediums who say they can talk to the other world and so many especially woman wanted to talk to their dead husbands or parents or a woman who may have lost someone before they married. This woman, Beatrix is the woman who says she has "The Gift"..This is how she makes her money!She meets James and they go to this house . James doesn't be? We will see!! In certain parts I really did get kinda spooked! Follow these two as they go through so many adventures and go with them on this discovery!! Will there be some romance with these two and the ghosts?.I don't usually read books like this I'm nut even one for Halloween but I really did enjoy this story. I like how the author as in this case authors, pull you into this very descriptive spooky story! Is there really a gift? Read for yourself and I suggest you read with the lights on..maybe in the daytime?? Received from Net Gallery and I have to say I not only enjoyed the story but all the characters.... real or not!

Oh, the perfection this book was and is! Set in Victorian London? Check.
A haunted house? Check.
Science vs True Spirits? Check.
Guest appearance by one of my favourite authors? Double-check.
I loved this book so much. I love ghost stories, especially when they're set in Victorian England and this book, this wonderful, wonderful book fulfilled every single one of my wishes, even those I didn't knew I had. I would have never expected that I could love a straight relationship-book as much as I love this one. But maybe that's because the romance in this one was very light, exactly what I need at the moment.
I was also aware from the beginning that something was off about James's friend and therefore, him turning out to be in league with the ghosts didn't come as a surprise to me. That disappointed me a bit, to be honest, but maybe I've just read too many thrillers.
Otherwise, this book was perfect. I also loved the way the authors had worked together on this book, giving the name of everyone who had written each perspective chapter which is something I have never seen before in a book.
With Halloween coming up, I can do nothing but recommend this one to each and everyone I know. It's the absolutly perfect book for the spooky season.
I received an ARC by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

by Rachel Hawkins, Ash Parson, and Vicky Alvear Schecter

I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

It seems like I’ve been on a horror kick lately, at least in terms of my reading habits. I came across this book while browsing the horror section on Net Galley. While I’ve haven’t read much gothic horror, the description sounded good so I decided to request an ARC.


A skeptical scientist gets more than he bargained for when he invites a spiritualist to spend a night at a haunted house to determine whether ghosts are for real. At heart this is a haunted house story, and in my opinion it’s one of the better books I’ve read in that sub-genre – I liked it much better than the classic Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson.

I gave The Haunting of Beatrix Greene four stars on Goodreads. While I enjoyed it, I felt that some of the plot twists were telegraphed too early. While each chapter had a different author, I wasn’t able to differentiate between the writing styles of the book’s three authors.

Beatrix Greene is a single woman trying to keep her independency in Victorian-era London. Although a sceptic herself, Beatrix claims to be a spiritual medium who, with great empathy, tries to reassure those who seek her services out that the loved ones they lost love them back and are happy and safe in the other world. But when push comes to shove and Beatrix faces a scientist, James Walker, who at the same time wants to expose her and employ her services, Beatrix risks both her reputation as a medium and her heart as an independent woman.

The book is written by not one but THREE authors, yet it is rounded up nicely in terms of coherence. A classic victorian gothic plot about a haunted house that replicates a few elements from Jane Eyre (Beatrix's plainness, Walker's affluence, a haunted house and an unlikely love story from the point of view of Victorian England), Beatrix Greene is apparently a link in a chain of upcoming ghost stories. It makes for a quick read and the main character is well-rounded. In fact, Beatrix's portrayal takes precedence over all other characters, including Mr Walker himself.

However, I agree with other reviewers who pointed out that the novella was too short to allow for an equally well-rounded plot. The authors did not explore the "Haunting" enough for a memorable ghost story. Yes, there were perfectly horrifying moments, but I'm not sure the horror lived up to the first couple of pages. One character disappeared halfway through the plot only to reappear in the final chapter. The romance was shoved into unlikely moments. Another thing that did not make sense to me was dividing the chapters into POV's. I think that the story was completely cohesive without tagging it as Beatrix or James, especially that they were together most of the time.

Thank you, NetGalley and Serial Box for my eARC.

Rachel Hawkins, Ash Parsons, and Vicki Alvear Schecter have created a masterful tale with The Haunting of Beatrix Greene. The book is written using episodes and not chapters, and each episode is written by a different author. The episodes seamlessly spill into the next. You cannot tell where one author's voice ends and another begins.. This novel, is full of colorful characters, such as the American photographer, Amanda Reynolds. It was amazing to read her character as chaos exploded all around her, and yet she kept a level head about her. Beatrix Green and James Walker will pull you in the moment you meet them on the page. And then there's Harry, the lovable best friend that you want to put in bubble warp and protect at all costs. This novel is spooky and unsettling, but it's the relationships formed between the characters that really drive this novel into one of the best ghost stories that I've read.

I almost didn’t survive this... But wow! The writing was wonderful! It sunk its claws on me and wouldn’t let go. It scared me so many times. Even for a non-horror lover, this book was great. Dare I say, I’m eagerly anticipating the rest of the serials!

Beatrix’s character somehow transfixed me. I loved her character arc, how she started in the story, then everything she went through, and ultimately tapping into what was right to be able to have success. I cannot wait for more adventures by her.

--

Review can be found on @whisperingchapters "Reviews" highlight, as well as on Goodreads.

Rachel Hawkins, Ash Parsons, and Vicky Alvear Shecter have joined together to create a mix of spooks and ghosties in – what else? – an English manor, during – when else? – Victorian England, that also has some smoldering maybe enemies-to-lovers romantic flutter.

The book is written from the dual POVs of Beatrix Greene and James Walker. She is a faux spiritualist, but a hardworking woman who just wants to make ends meet and not make any waves (I did appreciate her under-charging her clientele, love me a woman with a heart of gold). He is a man of science, who debunks séances, and seems to have Beatrix as his next target. Naturally, sparks fly, flames even further stoked in the high-vertigo world of obviously haunted mansions.

James offers Beatrix a huge amount of money at the time for a seance at a manor that of course has a bloody history of murder. She accepts and things rather go crazy from there.

I really breezed through this book in a few hours and enjoyed myself, but started to feel rather unsatisfied at some point in the narrative. To use a house metaphor, the foundation and structure were all there, and quite promising at that, but the wind still seemed to be blowing through the unfinished walls.

Beatrix and James and their rapport were quite engaging, and I found quite a bit of affection for Haz, Bea’s childhood friend, and for specter photographer Amanda Richardson.

But beyond that, the book seemed thinly sketched in the mythology, plot, and thematic aspects. Some developments seem to come out of nowhere, some seem to break the convention of what the book sets up. I was quite shocked, really, that the theme of not hiding your true self and not being what others expected of you was tied in the end to class and male entitlement (which is something I completely love, I would have wanted more of that exploration). In a way, “The Haunting of Beatrix Greene” is one of those tasty restaurant meals that leaves you a bit hungry in the end.

I understand that this is also a Serial Box audio story and while I haven’t listened to it, I think that bringing a well-thought-out sound design to this might enrichen it in spooks and charms! As it stands, I’m definitely interested in volume 2, but I’ll be expecting more from it.

I received an eArc of this book in return for an honest review.

The Haunting of Beatrix Green feels very much like a novella or short story as opposed to a novel. It's told in a series of episodes in which the writers switch off. It almost works to make the story a compilation of a serial from the 19th century. The story followed spirit medium Beatrix Green as she is recruited by Dr. John Walker to investigate Ashbury Manor. The manor is known in the area of being a place of suffering and dread and most recently was the scene of a double homicide. Beatrix finds herself as part of a small team brought together for the investigation and spooky things being happening before she even arrives at the manor.

Overall the plot follows the basic formula for a haunted house story and is specifically very similar to The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. I felt throughout the quick read that the story fell short in terms of scares and the investigation of the haunting itself. The story could have been longer. A longer narrative would have allowed more time for both the haunting and the characters to develop and breathe. The relationships between the characters did not seem believable when they appeared and the haunting's true nature wasn't explored.

I did enjoy the character of Beatrix Greene up until the relationships started, then it seemed she fell into a tropes of a Victorian woman seen in many of ghost stories. Also, while her powers are implied early on, it would have been nice if they developed in a more believable manner, instead of coming out of what felt like left field.

This is a quick semi-spooky read that is perfect for those looking a hit a Halloween in their lives.
I would not say this is good read for those who read a lot of horror.
3/5 stars.

<b>My Rating- 3 Haunting Stars</b>

<i>I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions and expressed here are my own.</i>


Growing up, James had enough nightmares for a lifetime about the Ashbury Manor. His mom and brother haunt him all the time in his dreams. His mother had killed her brother and herself when he was young. He wants to seek answers from the past and so seeks Beatrix's help.

Ashbury Manor is haunted for centuries. No one lives in it, and the fanfare for the place is humongous. So when James Walker discovers that Beatrice is one of the best mediums of his time, he tries to convince her to perform a séance in that place. Little does he know that Beatrice is a fake medium, and she has no clue about what awaits one in the afterlife. She predicted everything based on her intuition. So, after accepting Mr. Walker's invitation to Ashbury Manor, she has nothing to worry about ghosts since she has no way to contact them. No matter how fake her talent is-- to speak to the spirits--she is visited by a ghost Mr. Roger Latham, warning her to not go to the manor.

She dismisses this intrusion and goes ahead with her plans. Once when she arrives with the team-- which includes a photographer, Walker's friend Stanhope, and her friend Harry--to perform the séance; she can feel a foreboding doom awaiting them once they enter the manor.
She pretends to be the medium and contacts Walker's mother; she is shocked to find that she can reach the deceased person and that she is an actual medium. What she and the others unravel in the manor is a history filled with blood and darkness.

Will they come out of this manor unscathed by the ghosts that have haunted it for centuries?


I was quite excited to read this story. This book was written like a script for a TV show. Even though the title mentions Episode 1, it is a complete story that entails 9 episodes. I didn't know if it is going to be a reality show, but I would love to see it adopted on-screen.

When I saw that Mr. Doyle was a character in the book, I was curious to read the story since a famous author is actively present as a character. However, I was disappointed that he appears briefly in the book and doesn't have much role to play in it.

The story was easy to grasp, and you are taken back to the Victorian Era. Once you start reading, you keep wondering what the shadows of the manor behold. I was on edge all the time and was praying that nothing horrifying to take place. The book was actually not that scary, but there were chapters where you are holding your breath just like the characters.

Overall, this book is a perfect Halloween read. The darker themes and the Gothic tinge to the book are enough to keep the pages turning. If you are craving to read a historical-horror-fiction, then I can't recommend this book enough.

The Haunting of Beatrix Greene is a perfect Gothic horror story for the Halloween season. Drawing on the Spiritualism movement of the 19th century, the three authors seamlessly tell a creepy & supernatural tale of Victorian England and though it is brief, it packs a punch. The characters are well developed (a famous author even makes a brief appearance) and the setting, Ashbury Manor, is the most intriguing character of them all. A perfect easy ready for a dark autumn night

Many thanks to Serial Box & Netgalley for the ARC.

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and Serial Box for this ARC*

Wow! This gave me all the spooky feels that I could want in October. I liked the characters, pacing, plot, and the world building. The details were enough to creep me out and keep me curious to see what would happen. The story almost reminds of the Stalking Jack the Ripper series of books by Maniscalco, but with a little more detail in the gore department.

This book definitely has original characters.. I felt the plot of the story was spot on, and you begin to fall in love with the characters and their human faults.. It is a unique book and I felt it has a lot to offer. I love the title and the book cover.

This book is an historical fiction set in Victorian London and follows spiritual medium Beatrix Greene. She knows ghosts aren't real but she enjoys giving peace of mind to loved ones of the dead. She runs into James Walker, someone who has been publicly discrediting other fake mediums, and he offers her a job for a single night in the reportedly haunted Ashbury Manor to either prove or disprove the manor's haunting rumors. Beatrix accepts the job and during a séance, her true gift is awakened as is something else inside the manor. Beatrix, James, and a small group of others must try to discover the truth behind the past events at Ashbury Manor while struggling to stay alive.

First off, I loved the way this book was written. I don't love historical fiction and I find the writing in many of them to be somewhat stuffy or pretentious. However, since this was a horror/thriller historical fiction, I found the writing style to be a bit more modern and not so stuck-up. The narration felt very modern while the dialogue was more old fashioned - which worked surprisingly well and even highlighted the difference between what people were thinking/feeling to themselves and what they were able to tell others (all that Victorian propriety, you know). I thought the description of the séance scenes as well as one particularly gruesome death scene was spectacular. I'm not one to shy away from gory stuff, but the descriptions were so gory that I was both enthralled and grossed out. There were numerous times where the atmosphere in the manor changed based on the events taking place (a warm calming energy, a sinister cold energy, an angry firey energy) and the description and general narration really reflected the changes and the different energies that the characters were experiencing. It was a very atmospheric read and I heavily applaud the authors for their success in this area. I also couldn't tell that this was written by 3 different people, it was a very cohesive story.

I really liked the plot, but found it a bit predictable. I don't read much horror (although I do watch a lot of horror TV and movies), I lean more toward the thriller side of things, so I'm not sure if these just so happen to be common tropes that come up in the horror media I do consume or if the story was overall predictable. I found myself a lot going "that's a bad person for sure" or "well obviously that's where all the bad energy is coming from" and all of my assumptions turned out to be true. But regardless of that, it was still a very enjoyable read. I think the individual elements, while predictable, did fit together really nicely as an overall plot. I felt like this book was a perfect blend of The Shining plus Poltergeist plus Penny Dreadful. It was a pretty standard haunted house plot but was a fun read overall.

One of my least favorite parts (and a part that a lot of people were pointing out in their reviews on GoodReads) is the romance. It felt very forced in the book and didn't have enough lead up. When it first started, I thought it was the manor that was making the two characters act on their attractions. It almost seemed like the characters were in a daze of sorts when they were first romantically interacting. There is an event that happens later in the book as a direct result of the romance so I thought my initial feeling was correct that the characters were supernaturally affected by the house. However, by the end, that didn't seem to be the case as at least one of the characters did seem to still be romantically attracted to the other. If the romance wasn't caused by the house, then the whole thing seemed to develop incredibly fast (especially considering the times) and there was little chemistry built up between the characters prior to them becoming involved. So overall, the romance was the weakest part of the plot and I choose to believe it was the house the whole time and the one character then caught a case of the feelings which lingered after the fact.

The entire cast of characters I found were well developed and interesting. Each of them had their purpose and they all were necessary to propel the story forward. It was a small cast of only 5 characters but since it was a very small setting (just the manor) and a short time-span (just one night), I thought it was impressive that each character was so well implemented into the plot.

I enjoyed this book. The characters were well written and the story moved along at a good pace. As each character revealed their secrets the mystery deepened and the suspense became more intense. I think this ought to be made into a movie!
I received this book as an ARC and wished to leave a review.

So this is my first book from NetGalley. I picked it because I've read Rachel Hawkins before- although it has been a very long time (I read the Hex Hall series which I liked) and also because it was creepy sounding which sounded perfect considering Halloween is coming up.

The Haunting of Beatrix Greene is a serial collaboration between three authors, Hawkins, Ash Parsons and Vicky Schecter. It is set in Victorian England and focuses on Beatrix Greene who is a spirit medium hired by a scientist who is determined to prove whether she is a fraud, and whether spirts in fact exist. Things quickly turn when the group spends the night at a "haunted" house and Beatrix manages to contact an evil spirit. Tthe pair and their friends are forced to work together in order to make it through the night.

There is a lot of story packed in this serial. It started with a bang and got my adrenaline racing. The descriptions of the house and of Beatrix will suck you into the story. My favorite parts of the story actually focused on the contacting of the spirit. There were a few characters introduced that I am not sure were needed as they weren't really focused much upon and felt superfluous to the actual story. Additionally, there was a romance thread that I am not sure was needed. Romance is hard to do in short stories as the buildup really has to be there. I am not sure that was successful here but it was a welcome break to some of the creepier bits.

All in all it was a satisfyingly creepy story that is perfect for Halloween time.

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

I enjoyed this! The serial nature was rather interesting since it felt like each chapter ended on a "next time on..." sort of vibe. This was very easy to get through, and I did like reading it as one volume. In terms of all of the authors, I actually didn't notice much of a difference between the writing style from each section to another.

The setting was fantastic! I really liked this time period where spiritualism was very popular. The house was great - there's certainly some creepy elements here! I love the ghosts and trying to figure out what was going on. It also starts off with a bang, so I definitely enjoyed the introduction to this story. Beatrix was great - she's very clever and good at what she does, so I found her to be an enjoyable main character. I do think the romance was rushed, but I did like where it was headed.

Overall, if you're looking for a quick Halloween read, I'd recommend this!

I received a copy of this for review from the publisher via NetGalley - thank you! All opinions are my own.

My video review can be seen on my channel (around minutes 13:40-15:30 of this video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0fJwOSAKYo

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54837607-the-haunting-of-beatrix-greene-episode-1" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="The Haunting of Beatrix Greene Episode 1 (The Haunting Of Beatrix Greene, #0.1)" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1596751456l/54837607._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54837607-the-haunting-of-beatrix-greene-episode-1">The Haunting of Beatrix Greene Episode 1</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2261547.Rachel_Hawkins">Rachel Hawkins</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3601246690">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Loved this interesting book about skeptic James Walker who hires psychic, Beatrix Greene, to come to his estate and tell if it is haunted or not. Beatrix, feeling like something of a fraud, takes the job. Things start happening right away. I really enjoyed reading about the haunting and the group that comes together at the estate. I want more please! <br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5483119-sherry">View all my reviews</a>

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my digital copy in exchange for an honest review. I requested this book based on the cover and the synopsis...even though I usually have no interest in Victorian times...But I really enjoyed it. Beatrix Greene is just trying to make ends meet by working as a medium when one day James Walker comes into her life and makes her an offer she can't refuse. He wants her to come with him to Ashbury Manor and prove or disprove that spirits are a real thing. As she is just like all of the other mediums around the area (a fraud), she figures she will just have to do like she normally does and make him believe someone from the other side is actually talking through her. Little does she know, the place is actually haunted and she actually IS a medium... I was into this book from the very first page and it never lost my interest all the way through to the last page. There were spooky parts and tender parts and adventurous parts and all sorts of in between parts. I loved it and would recommend it to anyone who likes to be creeped out.

Beatrix Greene has made a name and living for herself as a medium in victorian England, but she herself is not a believer. She has somehow managed to fake her way to a decent living wage. So when Dr. James Walker approaches her with a generous offer to spend one night in a manor to disprove it's haunting, she can hardly refuse.
A small crew is put together to spend a night in a haunted manor and conduct a seance to expel any ghosts there may be so the house can finally be sold. Things quickly take a dark turn and not everyone is who they seem to be. Secrets are exposed and something dark and sinister is taking full advantage.
I went into this expecting a simple ghost story about a haunted house, it's so much more! At times it got so much darker, graphic and gruesome than I expected! This book had a huge impact for being fairly short and I enjoyed every bit of it.

The Haunting of Beatrix Greene is a fast-paced thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat. Once the action began it didn't stop and I didn't want to put the book down. It's a short, quick read that will get your heart pumping and is a perfect Halloween-time read.

Beatrix Greene is a spiritual medium, bringing comfort to those who have lost a loved one. She is also a fraud. Beatrix does her best to do well by her clients while also knowing she is not in fact contacting their loved ones. Scientist James Walker had made a reputation for himself by exposing spiritualists frauds. Yet, when he offers her a generous sum of money to prove whether or not an old manor is haunting, Beatrix cannot resist. Unexpectedly to both, Beatrix's real gifts awaken and they have far more on their hands then either could have been prepared for.

The cast is flushed it out with Harry, Beatrix's jovial best friend, Amanda, an American photographer who dresses in men's clothes and tells it like it is, and Stanhope, a privileged lord who Beatrix finds unsettling.

While I enjoyed this book, I would have liked a bit more depth and explanation for some of the events. Mostly, I just want to know more about the rules of the world. However, such explanations would have been difficult to fit into the tone of this book and I think it is enjoyable without having an explanation for every event.