Dawn Merriman is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors and Rylan Flynn is bar far one of my favourite literary characters.
I don't normally read a series until it has concluded because I have zero patience for the cliff hangers and each time a book in this series ends I am already dying for the next instalment.
I am torn because I want the ending of Rylan's story but I also want her story to never end.
I knew this one would be a 5 star read before I even started and I was correct.

I loved this book. I thought it was going to be a typical ghost story but it turns dark & suspenseful quickly. I was a bundle of nerves the whole time wondering if they'd find her in time. I had absolutely no clue who the bad guy was. And there are ghosts too, who help out, the best kind. #TheWhisperHouse #NetGalley

This was a great third entry in the Rylan Flynn mystery series, it had what I enjoyed from the previous two books. It was perfectly for the paranormal elements and the mystery elements. I thought Dawn Merriman has a great writing style and glad I was able to get to go on this adventure.

Ghost hunter Rylan Flynn is feeling awkward when she goes filming at her ex's home. But things get a whole lot worse when a woman is found with significant injuries and dies despite her best efforts. Can ghosts help Rylan stop another death?
The Whisper House is the third book in the Rylan Flynn series and I love them! Take a look at The Spirit Girls and The Shadow Girls.
Rylan and her camerawoman Mickey are out on location at the home of Rylan's ex. She spots one ghost but the encounter is rather underwhelming. Going outside, they find a woman who dies and passes to the other side before Rylan can ask her who is responsible. Mickey asks to take a break from the ghost hunting, leaving Rylan devastated, and then the killer strikes again...
The book is written from multiple first person perspectives so we see Rylan's experience as well as others. I liked the way we can see Rylan and Ford's contrasting and corresponding emotions and am desperate for them to get together! There is a careful balance of simmering attraction, ghostly escapades, murder and family drama, which all work well together.
It was a very quick read but I was totally immersed in the plot! I continued to like the way the author blends ghosts and faith. However, I wanted a little more development and emotional depth for some of the plotlines and we didn't get as much of the family ghosts (the situation in Rylan's home). Aunt Val has a ghost subplot that played out predictably but beautifully.
The Whisper House is an enjoyable paranormal and supernatural murder mystery.

This is the third book in the Rylan Flynn paranormal mysteries series. I have read one of the previous books, so I was interested to read about this character again.

At first, I wondered if this would be a fun, lighthearted sort of spooky story, but I found it a little deeper and darker than I expected. The protagonist, Rylan, has the ability to see and communicate with ghosts, which seems to be a big part of her character. It seems that this ability leads to some personal struggles on her part, and I did feel very connected to her and her experiences. This was a light, enjoyable read, easy to read in one sitting, but I became quite emotionally invested in it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

The Whisper House
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dawn Merriman

I read this book in one day! It was a quick and easy read but so good! This is part paranormal, part mystery and even a bit of thriller.

There were a number of twists and turns and but in the end I was surprised at the outcome.

I hope there are more books with these characters! Great read!

Rylan can communicate with ghosts, but her previous boyfriend who didn’t believe her is now asking for her help. But soon, with best friend Mickey, their investigation will take a turn when a murder takes place and Mickey goes missing.

Rylan will need to solve both mysteries as well as figure out what is happening in her personal life.

Merriman gives us a great main character, with a deep backstory and several threads to keep us intrigued.
This is the third novel within the series, but I definitely felt this could be read as a stand-alone, as I didn’t feel I was missing out; it has led me to want to read the other two novels.

This was a quick and easy read for me, that has a young adult feel to it. This narrative is full of murder, mystery, ghosts and intrigue and one I could not put down.

Dawn Merriman's Rylan Flynn series continues with The Whisper House, an eerie but enjoyable and fantastic story. This addictive and twisty paranormal mystery will captivate and thrill readers, making it a difficult book to put down. 

Once again, Rylan is called upon to use her unique gift. A gift that enables her to see and speak with ghosts. The job involves her ex-boyfriend and bestselling author, Declan Rathborne. Declan wants her to investigate the possibility of ghosts living in his new home. During the course of the investigation, Rylan and her best friend, Mickey, witness a wounded young woman taking her last breath. The big question on everyone's mind was: who killed her and why?

While Rylan tries to find out more about the young woman's death and the ghost residing in Declan's house, events take an unexpected turn. Her best friend, Mickey, went missing. My thoughts were constantly racing over who took her, why, and how it connected to the young woman's death.

This series piqued my interest because of my love for paranormal stories. The first two books, The Spirit Girls and The Shadow Girls, captivated me and made me fully invested in the series. The Whisper House has joined the ranks, making it a fantastic addition to the series. The story captivated me, and I couldn't put it down as I needed answers to my questions. Merriman did an excellent job of incorporating paranormal and cozy mystery elements. The tension, along with the suspense and danger, made for an exciting read.

Rylan is a character who will appeal to most readers. Because of her abilities, people view her as a freak. There are few people in her corner. Her ability to speak to spirits came about as a result of a childhood trauma, and her life has never been the same. She lost her mother to a violent act of crime, a case that has yet to be solved.

A fascinating tale infused with family drama and a prospective romance. I wish Ford and Rylan would get over themselves and tell each other how they feel.  The featured mystery wrapped up nicely; however, there were dangling plot threads that I hope the next book will address.

The Whisper House delivered a fun and light paranormal cozy that will appeal to fans of the genre.

Rylan Flynn can see and communicate with ghosts at times
She's used this ability to quietly help the police solve crimes.
However, many are sceptical about what she has to say
So her role in investigations they usually downplay.

Her ex-boyfriend never believed what she said was true,
That's the main reason Rylan decided they were through.
So why is he now wanting her to call
Pleading for her help doesn't make sense at all!

However, when Rylan and Mickey go to his home they see
A dying woman in the gardens, as if she's trying to flee.
Where did she come from, who is her killer?
The duo are again involved in another crime thriller.

The abduction of Mickey has them in a panic
They need her safely back, the atmosphere is manic!
But following the clues, seeking ghostly help, too,
Can Rylan and Ford succeed in her rescue?

A fascinating story, with family dramas by the score
As well as a potential romance with attraction they can't ignore.
Another paranormal murder mystery, filled with suspense
And a grand finale that is absolutely tense!

A very different series, I highly recommend to you
With ghostly encounters helping share many a clue!
For my complementary copy, I say thank you,
As I share with you this, my honest review.

Rounded up from 3.5

This is the third book in the Rylan Flynn series, but it works perfectly well as a standalone. I would, however, recommend reading the other books to get a better understanding of the characters.

Rylan had an unexpected phone call from her ex, Declan, who had never believed in her powers, saying that his house is haunted. Instead of finding a just ghost, they come across a dying young woman in the garden. It shakes them up, especially Mickey. Soon after, she's snatched from her house, and it's up to Rylan to find her friend.

Much like the other books in this series, The Whisper House is a fast-paced and quick read with plenty of ghostly goings on to keep you entertained throughout.

There was a little more drama in this book when it came to relationships, which I enjoyed. I felt in the first two books, Rylan took her best friend Mickey for granted, but this story really shows the depths of their friendship.

The elements of romance are still there throughout. The will-they-won't-they between Rylan and Detective Pierce is still going strong. This time Rylan's aunt Val gets her own storyline, but I won't say much more than that, so I don't spoil it!

I still feel like this series has a young adult feel to it, not a bad thing, but I would like the stories to be a little grittier. Also, I felt the ending with this one felt a bit rushed and I would have liked a bit more of denouement.

If you are looking for a tale full of ghosts, mystery, friendship drama with a little sprinkling of romance in there, then I'd highly recommend this book to you.

This was a great, cozy paranormal mystery. It is the third in a series but did fine as a standalone. I enjoyed it so much that I’m going to go back and read the first two! Rylan is a great character with a strong sense of right and wrong. She has the gift of seeing spirits and helping them cross over, which she documents on her YouTube channel. While filming an episode of her show, she and her friend/camerawoman find an injured woman. Rylan is determined to find out what happened to the woman. The story moves along quickly making it an easy and fast read. Available now on Amazon, BN, and KindleUnlimited!

Thank you @NetGalley, @secondskybooks, and @dawnmerrimannovelist for this advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

I’ve posted to my IG, Goodreads, StoryGraph, and I’ve submitted an Amazon review.

I have become very invested in Rylan's story. I was surprised to feel so much empathy for this character back when I started book one. However, now anytime someone is mean or judgemental towards Rylan, I feel angry. There is nothing better than when characters transcend the pages and have me engaging emotionally. These books are the perfect combo of a cozy mystery with a bit of a killer edge. The story is not gory but still gives effective suspense. I gave The Whisper House 5/5 stars. It was a fun read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Second Sky for the opportunity to review The Whisper House. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Not normally my go-to genre; there are some authors that nail #paranormalmystery, #scifi & #fantasy so well, I love them! #DawnMerriman has made that happen with #thewhisperhouse! It even has some mystery & a little romance, too! The storyline is so captivating! I read it in one day & have added the first two books in the #RylanFlynnMysteryseries to my list to read. They can all be read as stand-alones. AND! Another is coming!

Thank you, Dawn Merriman, HachetteUK, Second Sky, Bookouture, & netgalley for my copy! All opinions are my own.

I’ve started in the middle of a series again, jumping into The Whisper House, the third of Dawn Merriman’s Rylan Flynn series, without reading the first two. Whoops! I don’t think my enjoyment of the story suffered, though.

Rylan Flynn can communicate with ghosts. And now her ex-boyfriend, Declan Rathborne, is calling. He used to make light of her abilities, but now he’s asking her to come check out his palatial mansion to see if it’s haunted. Rylan and her best friend, Mickey Martinez, plan to use the mansion as an episode on their ghost-hunting show, but they get more than they bargain for when they see a woman dash into the gardens. There’s a murder on their hands, literally, as the woman dies in Rylan and Mickey’s arms as they try to help her.

But that’s not the only mystery Rylan finds herself involved in. Even more traumatic, Mickey is kidnapped not long after the unknown woman is killed, after she and Rylan had a falling out. Who took Mickey, and why? In both cases, spirits may hold the key to solving the mystery, and Detective Ford Pierce isn’t above asking Rylan to do what she can to help.

Merriman gives us a likable heroine in Rylan, and one who’s dealing with issues of her own. Her ability to speak to spirits is due to a childhood trauma. Her dead mother’s ghost lives in her house. A mysterious howling something lurks in her brother Keaton’s old room. And will Ford Pierce ever see her as anything other than a friend’s little sister?

Merriman also weaves multiple threads together skillfully, and she kept me guessing as to whether the two mysteries were connected. We’ve got the investigation into the unknown woman’s death and Mickey’s abduction. Rylan’s Aunt Val is dealing with her own unresolved issues. And Rylan is trying to figure out whether her feelings for Ford are reciprocated and what the heck is up with Declan. It all combined to make for a quick, entertaining read!

There were a couple of things that stuck in my craw just a bit. First, Mickey’s parents came into town when their daughter went missing, and apparently they demanded that the state police be given jurisdiction. It’s been a while since my prosecutorial days, but I don’t recall family members of crime victims being able to demand that a particular law enforcement agency get involved in a case. I can see a chief deciding to take officers off an investigation because of their personal involvement, but I don’t think victims’ families get to say what agency has jurisdiction. Not unless things have changed since my prosecutorial days.

Second, I really appreciate that Merriman makes the effort to inject a little faith into her paranormal mystery. The book had no adult situations, no swearing to speak of (if there was any, it wasn’t enough to stand out in my mind), and I do love a good, clean story. But Rylan’s use of prayer to seek divine assistance in communicating with spirits doesn’t really square with my understanding of Scripture. It’s a fun story idea, but I wouldn’t recommend praying for help talking to any deceased loved ones.

Those two things notwithstanding, this book still gets high marks. Characters I cared about, not one but two mysteries, keeping me guessing almost until the big reveal – these add up to The Whisper House being a delight to read! I can’t wait to see what Rylan gets up to next.

Each instalment in this series is better than the previous and the level of suspense is getting higher and the plot more gripping. Rylan is changing as her life is changing as the life of her friends and relatives.
There’s a constant in these stories: the ghost of Rylan’s mother and her hoarding. I always find the descriptions of her house a bit claustrophobic and disturbing, a bit on the horror side
One day she0ll be able to let her mother go or solve the mystery of her murder but now she’s still living with a ghost and using her hoarding as a mean of protection.
This is a fast paced, action packed and twisty story, maybe the darker in the series. There’s hope but here’s also a lot surprising twists and mysteries.
I enjoyed it as it was a very entertaining read that kept me turning pages.
Can’t wait to read the next story, this one is highly recommended
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to Second Sky for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I really like Rylan. She is unique. Rylan sees ghosts. When an ex calls her because he is sure that his house is haunted, Rylan is very surprised. One of the reasons she broke up with him was because he didn't believe in her ability. When she and Mickey arrive, Rylan senses that there are ghosts in his home. While exploring the house, they hear an all too real person scream. They find a woman in the garden that has been stabbed. As Rylan watches, the woman walks into the light. How will they figure out how she died? Where did she come from? She seemed to appear out of nowhere. All of a sudden, Mickey is kidnapped. Her husband comes home and finds the house empty. Who took her? Rylan and Mickey have been friends since they were children and Rylan is going to find her. No matter what anyone else says. Can she do it?

I wanted to like this book more than I did. I think maybe it is because I dropped in the series on the third book instead of the first.

Rylan Flynn and her best friend Mickey Martinez film a popular ghost show on Youtube. Rylan's ex-boyfriend, who always doubted her abilities, calls her to investigate a haunting at his new house, a historic mansion. Instead, the find a dying woman in the garden. Their troubles only increase from there.

None of the characters felt well developed; again, that may be because I started in the middle of the series. [ When Mickey is kidnapped, her whole family blames Rylan for "always putting Mickey in danger," but I have no context for if that's true or not. The author didn't include other examples. Rylan has a hoarding disorder, and somehow has hidden it from her friends and family for years, though she spends plenty of time at their houses. No one thinks it's weird that they don't get to go in her house? There's also some sort of aggressive ghost in the house that is briefly mentioned and then left. It is obvious that Rylan is grieving severely, but I'm not sure how that is supposed to relate to the rest of her behavior.

I also didn't like any of the characters very much. The red herrings were too obvious. A pig farmer and a guy who loves taxidermy. The weir, angry and murderous housekeeper didn't appear enough for me to buy her being a threat. I'm not even sure what she looks like physically. Apparently, she's strong enough to carry grown women down flights of stairs when they are unconscious. Also, why was she using a voice modulator when torturing Mickey if she didn't intend to let her go? I didn't like the black house keeper ghost choosing to stick around the house because she loves her job so much. Very much the Mammy stereotype. (hide spoiler)]

Overall, it's an easy read and interesting enough, but I wouldn't call it a page turner. The series would likely be more interesting to Christian ghost hunters than occult ones. Again, maybe had I started at the beginning I would like this series more. All in all, I found it bland and a little insensitive regarding racial stereotypes and mental health issues.

I received an ARC from Netgalley.

I rarely read paranormal stories but I was intrigued by the blurb and fell right into this tale shortly after starting page one. The characters and storylines were complicated, multi-layered, and difficult to get a bead on, causing the little pea in my brain to rattle non-stop. I was a willing victim to Ms. Merriman’s addictive storytelling and tumbled into an oddly disconcerting vortex that sucked me deeper and deeper into a misty plain of lost and/or helpful spirits.

The writing was so absorbing and easy to follow, that I felt I was as if I were fully present alongside the restless Rylan as she interacted with the living and departed. Despite diving into the series with the third installment, I felt no confusion or difficulties, but rather an intense yen to gather the two previous books for my reading enjoyment as well as to slate my curiosity about her previous adventures that led to her current state of affairs.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #SecondSky for the book #TheWhisperHouse by #DawnMerriman. This book is full of spirits, mayhem and murder and held my attention all the way to the ending I never saw coming.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's a cozy mystery with a ghost whisperer theme. Rylan can see and talk to ghosts and has a ghost hunting show. Her best friend is the camera person and behind the scenes. I did not read the other 2 books and I don't think I missed anything but would love to read them sometime.
Rylan's mother lives with her but is a ghost. Her mother doesn't realize that she is a ghost. Rylan is also a hoarder and I think some of the problem is to fill a void. Her father is a big part of her life and her brother is a the DA or ADA. She has a crush on the cop.
This story takes place at her ex boyfriend's house and they find a murdered woman and it goes from there with her best friend being kidnapped and ghosts helping her.
Thank you to NetGalley and Second Sky for the ebook to review.