Did not finish, although I got through most of it (even if I did admittedly resort to quite a bit of skimming). Everything about this is just too basic- the plot, characters, and writing. Unfortunately does not make for a compelling narrative.

Newly appointed adjunct professor Stephen and a group of students investigate a vacant manor once owned by Elizabeth Crimshaw and her family in "The Haunting of Crimshaw Manor". Elizabeth was found dead, and her family went missing. Rumours are circulating throughout the town about a woman's scream that can be heard from the home.

The story's creepiness and paranormal events slowly unfolded with each chapter. Readers who like stories that develop gradually will surely enjoy this read. Stephen's nickname, "Stephen Strange" has a fascinating backstory that piqued my curiosity. The paranormal events had the perfect amount of terror without going overboard.

The writing was clear and could be read quickly. It was a fast-paced experience that never dragged. The story is a well-executed mix of plot and character-focused elements. Numerous genuinely creepy moments were present in the book and the writing did a great job in creating the atmosphere. It was never a challenge for me to visualise what was happening.

An interesting read. It was written well. I love horror and this fit in perfectly.

A group of investigators staying in a haunted mansion. What could go wrong!!

Well, you gotta read to find out.

Thank you NetGalley for free the copy.

The heart is there, but I felt as though I wasn't reading a final draft. It felt obvious that the author really loves this story, but hasn't quite got the full skill to make it a scary or compelling read just yet. I will still probably look for any upcoming books just to see where the author takes his writing next, but this book was unfortunately a miss for me.

The Crimshaw family were once the caretakers of the prestigious Strathmore Estate. After the great blizzard of 1868, the townspeople found Elizabeth Crimshaw's body hanging from the banister. Her young son and husband were declared missing and never found. 
Every town has a legend.
Intent on investigating these claims, Stephen Davenport, adjunct professor of Paranormal Studies at Strathmore University, along with students from the school's paranormal investigations club begin a weekend investigation.
What they find confirms their beliefs in the paranormal-and challenges them to simply stay alive. 

What an amalgamation of events in one story! There was so much going on at times I didn’t know where to focus which definitely kept me on my toes when reading the story. Nevertheless sometimes less is more when it comes to writing.

I wanted to like this book more than I actually did because I really loved some of the plot ideas, like the mysterious death of the Crimshaw family, the budding romance between Stephen and Eve and the humour that Robb brought to alleviate the scares throughout.

However, for me it was very predictable and there were aspects of the storyline that even for a horror were a bit far-fetched that took away from the atmospheric vibes of the main story.

Overall, some parts I enjoyed and some parts dragged which is why it ended up being a middle of the road kinda story for me.

Had some  creepy and chilling moments, and the atmosphere fit the story , loved the idea of the paranormal research team going to the haunted house plus that helped some what ,but the inter action between the characters seemed a bit off, like the author was maybe trying a bit too hard to make his characters believable. Over still a good story to read .

I love a good ghost story set in a haunted house! This book definitely had some creepy and chilling moments, but isn't overly scary. I found the storytelling around the history of the house to be very engaging. While I really liked the idea of the paranormal research team going to the haunted house, I didn't really connect with the characters.
Overall I did enjoy this book and the story kept me interested enough to keep turning the page.

Thank you to BHC Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I love the premise. I had high hopes for this book but I couldn't get into the story. I relish stories about haunted houses and ghosts hauntings. But the story fell flat for me.

I enjoyed this book. I can not wait for more by this author! Thanks to publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read this book!

"The Haunting of Crimshaw Manor" by: Mark E. Drotos tells the story of an adjunct professor who takes on an investigation into a local haunted house. At first glance this book seemed to have everything I love; ghosts, a spooky legend, and general paranormal fun…unfortunately it failed to deliver on any of my anticipated expectations.

The main struggle for me while reading "The Haunting of Crimshaw Manor" was the rudimentary use of dialogue. There was no depth in the conversations that the characters had and it all fell very flat, so much so that the spoken word seemed exceptionally unnatural. This severely hindered my enjoyment of the novel as it took me out of the atmosphere. Mark E. Drotos does do a wonderful job of establishing a spooky atmosphere through flashbacks and current situations involving our main group of characters. I would say the flashback to Stephen's childhood and his spooky encounter was set up well. The only issue was the dialogue again felt unnatural and pulled me out of the story.

Stephen, Evelynn (E), and Robb are the main group of characters we follow through the telling of "The Haunting of Crimshaw Manor." As a Professor I had hopes that Stephen would professionally conduct himself and be a guide for his students, instead, a specific trope was utilized and it ruined any respect I held for him as a character. Stephen's backstory was well done as was the backstory for Evelynn (though I do feel there was more lurking under the surface for her). The backstory for Robb was nonexistent and I found myself wondering why he was there at all several times during the novel.

The overall reveal of the haunting also fell flat as I called it just a few chapters in. It was by no means a well-kept secret which was disappointing because who doesn't like a good ghost story? Perhaps I went into this with too high of expectations but overall this novel was not for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and BHC Press for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I had high hopes for this paranormal investigation story but it fell short for me.

The characters lacked development and the “scariness” wears off quickly.

The history of the house is the best part. I feel like this could have been much more if given the time to flesh it out more.

Thank you #TheHauntingofCrimshawManor #NetGalley and the author, Mark E Drotos for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I was excited to read this book because of the title and cover of the book. I love GHOST stories!

Although the book was not what I was hoping for ( a scary read ) it was a fun read.

It's about investigating into a mystery revolving around deaths and disappearances that took place in subsequent years. Just not scary enough for me, it sorta reminded me of a ghost hunters television show.

Stephen Davenport, a newly instated professor of Paranormal Studies at his alma mater Strathmore University, heads up a trip to Crimshaw manor with the paranormal club. The club members are his ex-girlfriend Evelynn, and two other students. Due to the fact that both Stephen and Evelynn has preternatural abilities, they begin to experience haunting things at the manor, and unraveling the secrets of the past.


Characters:4/5
Each character felt like a real person with their own motivations, worries and interactions. They were some what cheesy at times, but that helped add to the real factor for me. There is also a small romance that is rekindled between Stephen and Evelynn that I was all for!


Story/Plot: 4/5
There were several creepy moments in this book! It felt like I was part of a real paranormal investigation. There were also points of the book that kept me guessing about whether it was all supernatural or if there was a real life issues. There is also an interesting backstory to the Manor and the family that used to live there.


Writing: 5/5
The writing was easy to follow, and quick to read! It was fast paced and never really felt like it dragged at all. It is a good mix of plot and character driven narrative. There were many genuinely creepy moments in the book and the writing did a really good job of building up the atmosphere. I never had a hard time visualizing what was going on.


Other:
I have never read anything by Mark E. Drotos but I look forward to trying something else out in the future!



Thank you to NetGalley, BHC Press, and Mark E Drotos for providing an ARC for The Haunting of Crimshaw Manor!

As far as a paranormal investigation story goes, this one had so many great elements and had a great opportunity to be a 5 star read. However it just seemed to fall short in every category.

The hodgepodge list of characters that comes together as a team to investigate all had interesting backgrounds and were set up to run great conversations that would add both seriousness and humor to the pages. However, the characters often went out of... well, character. The serious professor made off the wall, irrational decisions. The lead investigator spent most of her time not following investigative steps but just ran blindly into the next event. The comedy side-kick wasn't around near enough in the story but when he was, there were major missed opportunities and the freshly added camera guy who was supposed to be the tech wiz didn't have anything under control.

The haunted house(s), the creepy events and the ghost stories were all great ideas, but they were run on repeat or weren't taken advantage of. So the first time through, the readers is given a little bit of chills, but then rinse and repeat occurs and it stops being scary. And the professor moved into a big, scary, haunted house.... and nothing. Why? Huge missed opportunity.

About 1/3 of the way in I decided to not take the book too seriously as I could see all of the holes but I still thought there was something there. It actually ended up being a fun read, from that viewpoint.

I'd actually love to see this turned into a series and have the characters really developed and a much stronger plot next time around. I'd certainly love to spend more time in this world!

I love a ghost thriller but this fell short. Unsatisfying plot, poorly developed characters, etc. Not a fan

Every town has a mystery. Every town has a legend. Some mysteries are better left unsolved.
•••
The Crimshaw family were once the caretakers of the prestigious Strathmore Estate. After the great blizzard of 1868, the townspeople found Elizabeth Crimshaw's body hanging from the banister. Her young son and husband were declared missing and never found.
The locals say they have seen Elizabeth's ghost and that the manor is haunted. Others claim to have heard a woman's scream and have witnessed strange lights and shadow people.
What really happened to the promising Crimshaw family? Are the rumors surrounding the family true? Intent on investigating these claims, Stephen Davenport, adjunct professor of Paranormal Studies at Strathmore University, along with students from the school's paranormal investigations club begin a weekend investigation.
What they find confirms their beliefs in the paranormal—and challenges them to simply stay alive.
•••
This book had a lot of potential. It checked a lot of boxes for me based on the description, but it just fell short. We follow 3 students and a professor in a ghost hunt of Crimshaw Manor. A lot of the book felt like they were showing you the world of paranormal ghost hunting, not telling a story. It wasn’t too spooky/scary and would have loved a little more. I really enjoyed the flashback we got of Stephen and Evelyn as children/teens and their abilities to see ghosts.
•••

This is the first book I have read by Mark. E Drotos. I really love to read and be told ghost stories. Even if they scared the bejesus out of me, I would still carry on listening!!. This brings me to this fantastic book. It follows a small group of paranormal researchers finally getting inside an old manor house that has a reputation for being haunted. There have been screams heard and sightings of a woman at night. Stephen Davenport, the university professor for paranormal studies is head of a paranormal research club. They are the ones who are granted access. This is due to Evelyn, who has wanted to take them there for a long time, so finally they have in!!. The story tells of their weekend of nights spent there and all the events that take place. I really enjoyed it throughout. The scarey bits were scarey and very creepy at times!!. I'm sure you will really enjoy this as I did!!. I look forward to reading more from this author.
Many thanks to Netgalley for the free ARC book for an honest review.
#bhc.press, #Netgalley, #markedrotos.This is the first book I have read by Mark. E Drotos. I really love to read and be told ghost stories. Even if they scared the bejesus out of me, I would still carry on listening!!. This brings me to this fantastic book. It follows a small group of paranormal researchers finally getting inside an old manor house that has a reputation for being haunted. There have been screams heard and sightings of a woman at night. Stephen Davenport, the university professor for paranormal studies is head of a paranormal research club. They are the ones who are granted access. This is due to Evelyn, who has wanted to take them there for a long time, so finally they have in!!. The story tells of their weekend of nights spent there and all the events that take place. I really enjoyed it throughout. The scarey bits were scarey and very creepy at times!!. I'm sure you will really enjoy this as I did!!. I look forward to reading more from this author.
Many thanks to Netgalley for the free ARC book for an honest review.
#bhc.press, #Netgalley, #markedrotos.This is the first book I have read by Mark. E Drotos.

This one had a lot of potential but unfortunate it was not for me. I enjoyed the history of the house; I think that was one of the strongest points. What haunted the house kept me reading, but the longer I sit here finished reading it, I cannot help but realize how much I did not enjoy it. Not in a "too creepy for me" kind of way but in a "ì don't understand" kind of way. Minor spoliers ahead

Firstly, I could not bring myself to care about Stephen. He was there but had no personality. Also despite being recently graduated and is now a professor, he still acts like a student. Not because he lacked confidence in his abilty because that would have given depth, but simply he just acted like a student. If you think that is vague then you understand exca what I am trying to say. Then there is Evelynn who sadly suffers from the male gaze the second we meet her, not just in appearance but behavior as well. If it was just the characters, I could get past that but the dialogue felt forced and awkward at times. Conversations or information would be repeated, but worded differently, which I cannot tell is because the arc I read is simply an early version of the story or not. Lastly, it suffered from tell over show, which took you out of what could be an amazingly creepy atmosphere.

In short this was not my cup of tea, no matter how badly I wanted it to be.

A good ghost story, creepy and gripping . I appreciated the world building and the chilling atmosphere. Interesting characters and gripping plot.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mi

Interesting book this one.
I originally thought it was based on a true story, then realised it wasn’t. But boy I couldput it down.

A professor and his students, one of which is an old flame, get to investigate a haunting and spend a couple nights within the manor experiencing something they never thought they would.. it had my heart racing in parts, and I couldn’t put it down till it was finished.

A good solid read and if you are interested in the spooky, then definitely give it a go.