I’m not always so big on books from the 20s, but this one really caught me from page one and I was invested. A bit mystery, a bit historical fiction and a bit paranormal, which makes this one a really good read!

This book was everything I wanted it to be. It had me turned pages without even realizing. It was so good!

What an well written novel! This is the first book of Ryan's that I have read and I really, really enjoyed it. The nod to paranormal elements while reading a mystery that felt like the old comfort reads from my childhood was so well meshed. Fans of a gothic, historical murder mystery - this one is for you!

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc. This review is wholly my own.

I was hesitant to start this story because it did not fit with the normal genre that I enjoy reading, but in an effort to step outside of my little box, I gave it a go.

It was just "meh" for me. I didn't hate it, but I didn't particularly like it either. It was just ok. I was hoping for a bit more paranormal/ghosts to be involved in the story, but that part was relatively small.

The book was a bit predictable, but the main characters were likable enough.

In a story like this, I like it to be & expect it to be a bit more atmospheric, but it just fell short.

I would neither recommend or not recommend. I would just say that everyone's tastes are different and I am sure others who love historical fiction more than I do would likely enjoy it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-galley in exchange for an honest review. Since reading "A House of Ghosts" in 2019, I have been on pins and needles waiting for his next release. To me, Ryan's latest standalone novels are the absolute perfect autumn reads. Full of grit, raw emotion, clear attention to history, a touch of the unknown, and a perfect slow-burn-build with a mystery that keeps building from the first to the last page, this book was a treat to devour. It finished all too quickly for me, but it wouldn't have mattered if it was 500 pages or 5000 pages. It still would've been too short for my taste. I can hardly wait for what Ryan puts out next, and I hope we don't have to wait 3 years for his next novel.

A well written, fast paced murder mystery with strong historical background and enough paranormal elements to imbue a gothic atmosphere without going full-tilt into the supernatural genre.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher!

Quite a well written novel , this book reminded me of an old black and white movie with an Agatha Christie vibe.
Investigating the death of his former fiancé, Tom Harkin, an IRA Intelligence officer, goes undercover at her home - a crumbling and creepy mansion to find out if the IRA killed her. Tom has demons of his own from the terrible circumstances of the Great War, and now it is hard to tell fact from fiction in a web of atrocities on the home front.
I was a little confused at first as I knew nothing of post WW1 politics in Ireland and “The Troubles” going on there. But I enjoyed the cast of characters, as well as the setting. There was a bit of a supernatural element, but it wasn’t much. I really liked the ending.
~ Thank you to New Galley and Publisher ~

In post war Ireland, IRA Intelligence Officer Tom Harkin is sent to investigate the death of a noblewoman. Maude Prendeville, The eldest daughter of Lord Kilcolgan, and well respected in the community, is killed in an ambush, or was she? A civil war is raging, could it be that she was collateral damage or was her death more sinister and part of a darker conspiracy? Harkin, working undercover as a life insurance investigator must find the evidence while battling his own demons he brought home with him from the war.
This is a good old fashioned mystery with some modern themes, Downton Abbey meets Poirot. With a cast of colorful characters, vivid scene descriptions, spy games and even a bit of the paranormal, this mystery has something for everyone. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys this genre. Thank you to Netgalley and Skyhorse Publishing for the opportunity to review this book.

I LOVED A House of Ghosts, and I was thrilled to get a chance to read W.C. Ryan's latest book.

This book is also a historical mystery with some paranormal elements. This story, set in Ireland in the 1920s, seems to include more historical background, which I found fascinating since I didn't know much about Ireland during "The Troubles". The cast of characters will keep readers guessing throughout the book.

I will be recommending this to mystery fans as well as historical fiction readers since I know both will enjoy this title.

Thank you to netgalley and publishers for granting access to this ARC.

I thoroughly enjoyed the historical aspect of the story. I found it to be very intriguing and gave a good insight as to how things were at the time.
I felt that some aspects/events were predictable. However, The main character was likable which made me more invested. I would have preferred if the paranormal/ghost element of the story was stronger. Overall, I enjoyed my time with this read!

I'm not sure where to start with this one. This book honestly wasn't for me. I was hoping/expecting more of a ghost story combined with a mystery, but this wasn't that. I found myself struggling to get through it in parts. And I don't feel there was much emotion to it, more just action.

That said, I did like what personalities we did see of the characters, even Ambercrombie was a great villain. The murder mystery was a good one, too, and I enjoyed the ending.

Extremely well-written account set at the time of the Irish Troubles. It's both a murder=mystery, historical fictional, and a 'good yarn'. Recommended to anyone interested in the Troubles.

With thanks to NetGalley and Zaffre.

Ireland 1921, after WWI and during The Troubles. The prestigious Prendeville family lives in their crumbling mansion by the sea, while the Irish rebels and the British loyalists plot their campaigns of violence and retaliation. Then an ambush by the IRA goes wrong and beautiful, heroic Maud Prendeville is killed. Her murder must be investigated and so former Army Captain Tom Harkin takes on the job of investigating the murder of his former lover and fiancee. Everyone is a suspect and no one can be trusted, not even old friends. Meanwhile Tom is haunted by the horrors of trench warfare, suffering through terrible flashbacks.

The house also reveals its ghostly inhabitants to him - a long ago bride with her bouquet of rotting flowers, his dead friend and brother-in-arms Arthur Prendeville, and now Maud, sitting calmly by her bedroom window and leading him to clues. Tom struggles to put the pieces of the mystery together, clinging to the pieces of his broken mind and tortured memories while his country comes apart around him.

What an unexpectedly wonderful treat of a novel! I knew nothing about this book but the description captured my imagination when I read it. I was completely engrossed, living among the Prendevilles and navigating the deception and treachery with Tom Harkin. Everything about the story was well executed: the setting, the characters, the atmosphere and the mystery. The house itself felt like a living character with its ghosts, sadness and memories. The conclusion is quite satisfying, offering redemption and hope for Tom Harkin. I will purchasing a hard copy of this one. A resounding five stars! Many thanks to NetGalley and Arcade Crimewise for this wonderful copy to read and review.

If you like page turning mysteries with a gothic feel and historical fiction, this is a book for you!

Set in Ireland during the start of the Troubles in the 1920s, a woman is found dead after an ambush goes wrong. To find out who is responsible, Tom Harkin is sent from Dublin to investigate. Things get even more messy due to rising tensions between the RIC, Auxiliary forces and IRA. Harkin works to discover the truth of what happened that night and quickly discovers that not everyone is who they say they are.

I really enjoyed this book! It is a great whodunnit mystery with a look into what Ireland was like during this time. It is a fast paced story with a likable main character and a great spooky/ tense mood throughout.

Thank you to NetGalley and Skyhorse Publishing for the ARC!

The Winter Guest is set in Ireland in 1921, after the civil war.
The Penderville's are a formerly wealthy family who live in a once grand home. They are keeping secrets so are held together by a tenuous strand.
An IRA ambush takes place - and goes horribly wrong. Maud, a Penderville daughter, is found dead afterwards. The IRA state that when they left Maud was still alive. If this is so - who actually killed her.
Harkin, an IRA intelligence officer is assigned to the case and Maud's ex-fiancee joins in. Harkin goes undercover to solve this crime which means unraveling all of the secrets that will bring the family down.

A fast paced thriller that brings the book to life.

When an IRA ambush goes wrong leaving lord Kilcolgan’s eldest daughter dead, Captain Tom Harkins (her former fiancé) was sent to investigate. He works undercover trying to uncover the trust while trying to distinguish what’s real and what’s his imagination. I really enjoyed reading this as it was different from what I’m used to. A mystery in a historical setting that includes ghosts and love. It took me a little while to understand exactly what was going and who was who but once I got it everything made sense. Would definitely recommend to anyone who likes history and mysteries!