“Three knocks, and the devil will appear.” The Haunting of Beatrix Greene, Volume 1 by Rachel Hawkins, Ash Parsons, Vicky Alvear Schecter

4 stars. Started October right with this gothic, ghost story!

Set in Victorian England, Beatrix Greene is a medium who must outsmart James Walker, a scientist who regularly exposes mediums as fraud. He invites her to Ashbury Manor for a seance. With the guest appearance of Author Conan Doyle no less.

But what happens during the seance becomes too real and too frightening. So now, they must find a way to escape Ashbury Manor before they never get to leave.

Such a fun ghost story! I got scared, I started to read it too fast, I couldn’t read it at night, knowing how my imagination didn’t need extra fuel with ghost stories. It’s a rather short book, and I didn’t mind. With this being volume 1, dare I hope for a volume 2? Seems reasonable enough to expect yes?

Thank you so much Serial Box and NetGalley for this book. I really enjoyed it!

The Haunting of Beatrix Greene was the perfect opening act for this year’s spooky reading season, and, dare I say it, my foray into horror historical romance. An ideal blend of creepiness, suspense, romance, danger and wit.

She may not be able to speak with the dead, but Beatrix Greene knows how to read the living. A self-made woman and a secret charlatan, orphan Beatrix built a life of her own as a successful medium in late 1800s England. When James Walker, scientist and self-proclaimed nonbeliever, offers Beatrix a handsome sum for a simple task—to tell him, once and for all, if the infamous Ashbury Manor is haunted—Beatrix thinks she’s struck gold. But James Walker is hiding a gruesome secret: he is Lord Ashbury, the only surviving son of the ghastly murder-suicide in his ancestral home,. Ashbury Manor...and Beatrix’s séance may have awoken more than they can handle.

The Likes
As far as haunted house stories go, this one checks all the boxes. Doors slamming shut? Check. Candles blowing out? Check. Seances and cold spots? Check and check. Creepy-ass cellar with a hellish pit full of demonic souls that feast on human bodies? Check. Maybe don’t read this one at night.

This book may have been my first horror historical romance, but not my first historical romance and I thoroughly enjoyed the subversion of romance stereotypes. Beatrix is a strong, clever female protagonist and James, while her superior in society, is her equal in intellect and temperament. The dual perspectives made what would otherwise feel like a rushed, love-at-first-sight type of romance feel more organic.

Even the secondary characters are fully developed—I loved Beatrix’s relationship with Haz, her half-Indian childhood friend, and Amanda, the no-nonsense feminist photographer from New York. Even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle makes a surprise appearance!

The Dislikes
It would have been nice to see more world-building outside of Ashbury Manor, as it was a bit hard to pin down an exact time period or setting. Late 1800s is my best guess because of the modes of transportation, the mention of crinolines from a few decades prior, and the White Star Line ship.

The ultimate explanation for the haunting made some sense, but seemed a little simplistic and could have done with a little more detail.

Make no mistake about it—these authors don’t shy away from sickening violence and gore. Be prepared for blood, broken bones, burning. One scene is particularly gruesome (and detailed!), but there are a few moments stomach-turning descriptions throughout.

All in all, The Haunting of Beatrix Greene is a gripping read with the requisite spine-tingliness for a spooky October. The world and characters have a lot of potential and I hope this book is just the first installment in a series.

Overall I found this a fun, spooky supernatural mystery. I loved that this book was set in Victorian England. I think it gave the novel an extra burst of energy and atmosphere. I loved the main character of Beatrix Greene. She is a spunky character who is fearless and full of adventure.

I loved how this book was organized in an episodic format. I felt the mystery slowly build with each "episode" and I loved how the possession and haunting of the mansion grew with each episode.

I enjoyed this story immensely and recommend it to anyone who enjoys their share of scares.

Hmm, I think this just fell in the middle for me, there was nothing noticably wrong with it but nothing that really stood out either. I just never felt all that invested in the characters or story.

I really enjoyed this book. Perfect for this time of year. It was a quick read and I could not put down after I picked it up!

Set in Victorian England, the story revolves around famed spiritualist Beatrix Greene, who was invited by James Walker who is in search of someone who can speak to the dead to a séance at the haunted Ashbury Manor.
Beatrix Greene is a medium, providing services to those who seek proof of the afterlife. She is also, like most mediums, a fraud. She takes the job offer hoping that her secret is not discovered.
This was a good short story; it was atmospheric and a bit creepy. The one complain I have is the romance, there was no need for it.

Thanks NetGalley and Publisher for the eARC.

Set in Victorian England, Beatrix Greene is a hoax medium and a spiritualist, who doesn’t really believe in ghosts, runs a little business with her only friend and family, Harry, a theatre artist. A fine day comes James walker, a charming scientist desperate to believe in her powers and sets her on an assignment along with few others of discovering the truth behind Ashbury Manor, famous for the bloodshed and massacre. But James is hiding his own secrets and all Beatrix knows is how to put an act. So what will happen when the séance begins?

I enjoyed the first half of the book so much. Not as a horror but as a mystery/ thriller. It was fast-paced, great characterization, good writing. The book is written by 3 different authors and I never even noticed a change in the writing style & flow which is truly commendable.

Also, I like how the POV was mentioned every time it hopped from Beatrix and James so it wasn't confusing at all.

The main plot was promising and I was totally hooked by the Manor's gruesome history and mystery both.

I didn’t really like the romance aspect. It felt utterly unrealistic and vain. I am all about the attraction and inevitable pull, but the characters who were just fighting with each other for good reasons fornicating in a haunted house with dead people watching..um nope.

Then towards to end, it became a reckless whirlpool. I could see the potential but the way it was presented was just messy and a bit boring. For example, the Stanhope’s character almost felt like an afterthought conjured to add the drama without any solid substance to it. And I fought the urge to roll my eyes at the sudden “hidden powers unleashed” of Beatrix at the end. I was highly disappointed then.

Mid-half, I was so ready to love this book, but unfortunately, it turned in a different direction.

Thanks to NetGalley and Serial Box for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

“Beatrix Greene has made a name for herself as a spiritual medium, but she’s a fraud; she doesn’t even believe in ghosts. When James Walker offers her a job with a price she can’t refuse, she takes the risk of a lifetime. But James has his own secrets and the team must race to settle the ghosts unrest or they won’t make it out alive.”

First, thank you to NetGalley and Serial Box Publishing for the advanced copy! This story progressed quickly, keeping me intrigued and curious from the beginning. At less than 200 pages it made for a fast read with the twists starting early on. The story is written with multiple POV. Going into it I assumed the main genre was horror but there were also strong elements of romance which was unexpected but did not diminish the plot. The book was particularly strong when it came to the descriptions of the strange occurrences within the manor.

I would recommend this to anyone that enjoys horror and romance all in one. I gave it three-star rating because while I enjoyed it I don’t find the story to be that rememberable. TW for violence.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #SerialBoxPublishing for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of The Haunting of Beatrix Greene by Rachel Hawkins, Ash Parsons, and Vicky Alvear Shecter! This was the perfect start to my October reading. This book was an enchanting read with something for all kinds of readers! It is a period piece with romantic and supernatural elements thrown in, it fills a lot of gothic lit boxes, and it has some really great characters. It is essentially a story about the way that power corrupts and how often strong women wishing to oppose that power can be seen as a threat to be eliminated. It can also be seen as a story of fighting against and attempting to break away from toxic masculinity. OR it can be read as a spooky (and often sexy) page turner, perfect for spooky season. I adored the way that the authors played with period piece conventions and how the women had the most agency. I loved the tenderness of the male protagonists as well. I didn't find this book scary at all, however (but I'm a little desensitized!). I sincerely hope there is a continuation of this book.

Chilling and spine tingling. What a great page turning, haunted house horror story! It drew me in. I enjoyed the cast of characters as well.

Thanks to Netgalley and Serial Box for letting me read this for my unbiased opinion.

The Haunting of Beatrix Greene was a perfect book to start off the spooky season!

Beatrix is a fake. She pretends she can see and talk to spirits. People pay her to talk to spirits for them, but she rationalizes it by saying she’s giving them comfort.
So what happens when Beatrix is hired for a job at a haunted house - and realizes her powers are real?

This horror story was so well balanced. There was character developments, friendships, and even a romance.

The first 30% is definitely slower paced, but didn’t read slower. Once they got to Ashbury Manor the action really picked up and it was so hard to put down. Three people wrote this novel, but it was so seamlessly done you couldn’t tell.

Definitely recommend for horror lovers or those who want something spooky this fall!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Haunting of Beatrix Greene is like a Netflix series in written form. Instead of seasons, you have chapters. In this case, it’s the first season (chapter) with nine complete episodes.

Beatrix Greene is a fake spiritualist, but no one knows that. She prides herself on her acting ability. Conning people is her specialty. She leads people to believe that she can communicate with their loved ones that have passed.

One fateful day, Beatrix is hired to perform a seance in a purportedly haunted house. What transpires is a spine chilling story with sinister undertones that will keep you up at night.

Not quite a five star read because some elements of the story just didn’t fit in my opinion. Still, The Haunting of Beatrix Greene was an enjoyable story. Four stars. It’s the perfect book to read for Halloween.

I received a digital ARC from Serial Box through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

This is an enjoyable spooky short story. I wish it was a bit longer to allow for more character development. I liked Beatrix a lot, it was fun to see her come into her power and surprise everyone, including herself!

Beatrix is a well known spiritual medium. James Walker is a scientist in town to expose those who are tricking the grieving. Though he's not entirely a disbeliever, so he invites Beatrix to spend one night at Ashbury Manor, to either prove or disprove the rumors it is haunted.

This is a great ghost story, and proof that things/people are not always as they appear. There's murder and spirits and family secrets. It's a perfect read right before Halloween, and I'll definitely look for more in this series.

Thank you NetGalley for letting me get my hands on this book. A very good way to welcome October. I love books about haunted/possessed houses. This did not disappoint. Each chapter/episode was written by a different person, each one continuing the story. I really enjoyed it. Not too many characters and just enough character building to care about some of them. I loved it

I'm quite confused by this book--the chapters are called "episodes" and in fact, it reads like a synopsis for a television series. If the book started as a tv treatment--this should be changed as it appears to be a problem with sloppy editing otherwise. The writing isn't bad--it moves along and keeps your attention. However it is lacking in depth--and at the conclusion we are left startled by our lead characters unexpected powers. More work definitely needs to be done here.

What a great read for Halloween. A haunted house, a medium, a sceptic, and well developed characters for a quick, gothic read. There is a bit of romance, ok a tad more than a bit, but it is not over the top. Beatrix is like most mediums, a fraud, and James spends his time exposing the tricks of the trade looking for the one that actually has the gift to speak with the dead. Together they investigate Ashbury Manor to discover....well, I am not going to give it away. Definitely worth finding out for yourself.

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley.

(Book Review) The Haunting of Beatrix Greene by Rachel Hawkins, Ash Parsons, Vicky Alvear Shecter. I was fortunate enough to get an ARC of this book and thank goodness I did. What can I say? I absolutely LOVED this book!

Set in Victorian England, we meet Beatrix Greene. An independent woman making a name for herself as a spiritual medium. With the help of her best friend Harry, she somewhat successfully succeeds at her craft until a gentleman makes her an offer she can’t refuse. Can she prove that ghosts exist? Or that they don’t? Accompanying James, the gentleman/scientist to Ashbury Manor, along with a few other superb characters, turns out to be more than Beatrix bargained for.

A tale of Gothic horrors, romance, and a strong female heroine. I loved that the women in this book were independent especially being set in the Victorian era. The book grabbed my attention right from the start and I couldn’t put it down. This is definitely a must read...And it’s spooky season to boot! Perfect timing for a scary story.

This was a fun little creepy story that I thoroughly enjoyed. It was gory and wonderfully detailed in it all and made for a great October read. I really liked James and Beatrix and found them to be very enjoyable and likable characters. I was completely pulled in to the mystery of the house and why they were coming there. I loved Harry and his silly antics, even if he rambles when he's nervous.
The conclusion was well done and yet left a door open. Will we possibly have more? I sure hope so!

An October read for sure. A haunted mansion, secret identities, and cameos from history make this story just right for some spine chilling thrills. Beatrix Greene is an intriguing heroine, who keeps her secrets tight. This careful keeping of secrets has kept her own power hidden even from herself. I think that the charm of Beatrix lay in the slow unfolding of her character. James felt rather underdeveloped when compared to her, something of a “damsel in distress” which might appeal to some people. I think his character could have had more depth if we explored the other avenues that led him to pursue the aid of Beatrix Greene. The female characters (even supporting ones) received far more depth than the male characters. I would have appreciated the author giving such care to her whole cast.
I read an early release thru NetGalley in exchange for this review. All the opinions are my own.

If you are looking for a spooky read for October or love scary stories then this will be perfect for you. This book kept me guessing until the very end and I really enjoyed it.