More like 1.5 stars. I listened to the audiobook courtesy of Netgalley. I'm glad I didn't purchase it. I have to admit, I like to be open to genres and after reading the synopsis thought I would enjoy it. I feel the story ended with unanswered questions.

3.5
Cecily witnesses her moms death at a young age and then lived in Carolina.
As a young adult, Cecily gets approached by a ominous stranger claiming that a distant relative in Paris needs to speak to her immediately.
Once is France, this stranger takes her to the woods where she learns her family has been cursed for many generations.
Wraith is the ghost that only appears when the family is near.
This book had many adventures that take you through parts of France that I never thought existed.
While I thought this book was interesting some parts confused me.
I know they say do not judge a book by its cover, however I wish this cover had more artistic flare that captures the story. Like vines or something.
Thank you for allowing me to listen to this audiobook for a honest review

Reviewed for NetGalley:

I listened to the audiobook version.

After losing and witnessing her mother's death at a young age, Cecily travels to see an ailing relative in the rural woods of France. Once she sets foot on the plane to cross the Atlantic, Cecily begins seeing a ghostly wraith again....because this is not the first time she has come across it.

This book was frightening and grotesque at times, compounded with hearing it via narration rather then reading, made for a wild, spooky ride.

It was a perfectly fine read, really good for the Halloween season too. I didn't find it scary, but it definitely was spooky at times. Unfortunately I wasn't emotionally invested in the story that much, which is why it felt a little forgettable. I liked the narrator.

**please note due to low rating I will not be leaving a public review for this book**
Narrator, 2 stars because it was a mediocre voice.
The story 2 stars because I just couldn’t get into it and it just isn’t my style.

3 stars

A creepy mystery about a family curse set in contemporary Paris. The ending was a little weak, but I enjoyed the story.

[What I liked:]

•This has a nice, creepy atmosphere, perfect for October reading!

•The MC is a plant hunter, & rare plants end up being central to the plot. It was really fun learning about the rare plants mentioned!

•The ending has a nice twist I didn’t expect.


[What I didn’t like as much:]

•The showdown between the MC and the villain is over the top & ridiculous.

•Also, why did the MC lie to the police at the end? There wasn’t a clear reason to, & it seemed very risky to do so, considering they knew her location via phone records.

•I didn’t understand the epilogue. What is the point of the curse continuing?

CW: murder, suicide, ghosts, anti-semitism

[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]

This was truly terrifying, and totally checked the mark for me in terms of both creep factor and ambiance. art mystery, part creature fic, part supernatural, Wraith will curse your mind for days just like its namesake...

In Mark Wheaton’s Wraith, Cecily is called away from collecting plant specimens in the Carolina wetlands when her great-grandmother dies in France. Cecily’s life is turned upside down when she learns of a family curse, ancestral secrets, and an inheritance that could change everything. Haunted by the titular character at every turn, Cecily must try to save herself and her friends while uncovering the mystery of her family’s disastrous past.

This was a great, tight horror and suspense novel. I was just as eager as Cecily to put together all the pieces of the puzzle her great-grandmother left behind. The supporting characters are diverse, and I was invested in their stories as well. What I really liked about this tale was the author managed to sprinkle in some moments of joy and beauty, which relieved the tension of the plot line. So often horror novels are all one note, and that can be overwhelming for the reader.

The narrator did a nice job with the story. Annalee Scott captured Cecily’s perspective skillfully, but also managed to give color and life to the other characters as well.

I would definitely recommend the audiobook version of Mark Wheaton’s Wraith. It is entertaining and a quick listen. Readers will not be disappointed. I received a copy from NetGalley for my review.

3 stars for me. I did enjoy it but it just wasn’t for me completely. I loved the ghost story aspect and I loved the setting too but the story just didn’t really get interesting and it just fell a bit flat for me but I still had a good time with it.

The prologue to this book sucked me in immediately! It was so atmospheric with the hurricane and the wraith- perfect spooky vibes. After that, the mood seemed to settle. There were some scenes that felt more scary, but the tension and atmosphere didn't continue between the scary scenes. It read like more of a mystery than a thriller/horror. That said, it was an enjoyable mystery. I was invested throughout the whole story.

The descriptions of Paris hit the right balance between capturing the beauty and the darkness of the city. The cast of characters were fairly fleshed out and I found myself caring about them all. There were times where I struggled to keep up with the story and plot twists, but overall it was a good read!

Book Title: Wraith
Author: Mark Wheaton
Audiobook Narrator: Annabelle Scott
Publisher: Southbound
Genre: Horror/Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: September 26, 2022
My Rating: 4 Stars

This story peaked my interests as it is October so this seemed like an appropriate read. Additionally this is hurricane season in the south east. ‘Hurricane Ian’ just caused terrible destruction.
Our protagonist Cecily LeClercq and her mother are trying to remain safe during a hurricane hitting the Carolinas. Young Cecily witnessed her mother’s death during this hurricane.
This trauma has led her to lead a life of isolation. She enjoys working for a florist in Charleston, SC - retrieving cuttings and pieces of plants for the florist’s use.

One day, Rene, a Frenchmen stops at the building where she works and tells her that her great grandmother who lives in France has requested to see her.
Cecily make the trip to France as she is looking forward to meet the last of her mother’s family.
She soon learns about history of her LeClercq ancestors.
It seems a nasty wraith materializing whenever the death of a LeClercq is near.

The audiobook narrator did a fab job performing the character including the beautiful French language.

I am not a big Horror fan so when I read several reviews stating this was more mystery than horror, I was sure it would work for me.
It DID work; I liked it.
However, I knew with a title like ‘Wraith” there had to be some horror but it was more “Horror for Beginners”!

Want to thank NetGalley and Southbound for this eGalley.
Publishing Release Date was September 26, 2022

Reading the premise of this book, I was so intrigued. I am always in the mood for spooky books in October so I instantly requested it.

Wraith over promised and under delivered.

There were consistency issues throughout the entire book. Things didn't add up in any way, shape, or form. The setting of the old family castle could have been incredible, except we were never there. The main plot pieces were repetitive, with nothing changing with every confusing encounter when the Wraith came on page.

There was so much potential here, but it fell incredibly flat. Also, the story could have ended 200 pages sooner than it did. Easily.

Wraith by Mark Wheaton, narrated by Annalee Scott

When Cecily was young, she witnessed her mother's death and since that night Cecily has spent her lonely youth in the Carolina wetlands. With a sudden change of pace and old dying relative in France, Cecily heads out to meet this family member. The long journey to France and what she discovers after landing keeps you on the edge of your seat waiting for what will happen next.

This was a hard one for me to get into. I did enjoy the story, the characters and the overall story line. The only part that didn't connect for me was the depth of the Wraith. It didn't come off as scary or something to be afraid of.

Thank you NetGalley and Southbound for the ARC.

Cecily LeClercq witnessed her mother’s death at a very young age and spent her youth in the Carolina wetlands. One day, Cecily is approached by a stranger from Paris who informs her that an elderly distant relative would like to see her before she dies. Cecily then travels to a remote chateau deep in the French woods where she learns of a curse which has been plaguing her family for generations. A ghostly wraith who only appears when a LeClercq is nearby.

This book sounded interesting and like a great read/listen for the fall season. While parts of this were entertaining and enjoyable, the other parts were not that thrilling. I was hoping for more creepy elements, more of a Gothic feel, more suspense, and more tension. I did not feel that the Wraith itself was very scary, but I was intrigued to learn the connection with the family.

Unfortunately, this book was not for me. Others enjoyed this more than I did, so please seek out their reviews as well.

Thank you to Southbound and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me listen to this ARC.
This one had me a little confused at times but turned out to be pretty good. It was quite imaginative but it still held my interest.
Narrator did a great job as well.

Cecily has spent most of her life alone in the wetlands of South Carolina. That all changes when she learns she has a dying relative in France who wants to meet her while there is till time. The chateau is buried deep in the forest on France and the creep factor is high as Cecily learns of the family curse, one that brings a ghostly presence to the chateau whenever a member of the family is near death. This is a literate gothic novel with thrills and chills guaranteed to keep readers up at night

Thanks for making me afraid of France, and being a countess, and lawyers. I will never get over it.
This a good creepy audiobook. The narrator was amazing. She was perfect for this role!
The setting was great. I would love to see that forest.
What else can I say? I will need a week to process this one.