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The Haunting of Chatham Hollow by Mae Clair and Staci Troilo @MaeClair1 @stacitroilo #NewBook #Horror #Supernatural #OccultHorror #ReadersOfTwitter #BookReview

Posted on Posted in blog tour, guest post, New book release, Story Empire Tagged with ,

Hi everyone! It gives me great pleasure to showcase a book written by not just one but TWO of my favourite authors, fellow bloggers, Story Empire contributors, and friends, Mae Clair and Staci Troilo. Woohoo! I have Staci over to visit today to tell you all about it. And my review is at the bottom of the page. This is one read you do not want to miss! >>>

Ciao, amici! Harmony, thanks for hosting me today. [You’re so welcome!]

I’m so happy to be here and so excited to tell you and your readers about The Haunting of Chatham Hollow, a dual-timeline novel I co-wrote with talented author, Story Empire colleague, and long-time friend Mae Clair. This was the first either of us attempted a collaboration, and I have to say, it went beautifully. So well, in fact, I think both of us would be up for a second project sometime in the future.

But now isn’t the time to look forward. It’s time to look into the past. More specifically, 1793 and 1888, the historical periods in the novel. And to the present, where the rest of the mystery unfolds. This story encompasses ghosts, curses, missing treasure, arson, and murder, with a cast of characters whose descendants cross paths continuously throughout the ages. Our short tour will introduce you to a few of the major players via a discussion between one of them and a medium.

Today’s post takes place in the present. The psychic is Julia Hale, a resident of Chatham Hollow and a descendant of famous spiritualist Victor Rowe. The character she’ll be speaking with is Greer Faraday, editor of local paper (The Chatham Hollow Chronicle) and her grandson’s boss.

Without further ado…

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promotional banner for The Haunting of Chatham Hollow by Mae Clair and Staci Troilo

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Julia: Have a muffin.

Greer: I’m low carb. And off gluten.

Julia: Almond flour. Low carb and gluten free.

Greer: (grinning and reaching for one) Thanks!

Julia: If only we could get Aiden to eat better.

Greer: Mmm. These are delicious.

Julia: Thank you.

Greer: As for Aiden’s diet, he’s a lost cause.

Julia: Oh, I don’t believe in giving up on anyone.

Greer: That’s a great segue into my interview questions. I understand you’ll be taking the place of Benedict Fletcher at the séance reenactment. Do you think he’s redeemable?

Julia: Well, he’s beyond the Veil now, so I couldn’t say. But we could try contacting him, if you’d like.

Greer: Here? Now?

Julia: Why not?

Greer: I don’t know. I thought you’d need a dark room, candles…

Julia: (laughing) Spectacle. If you and I are in the right frame of mind, it can be done anywhere.  

Greer: Fascinating.

Julia: Should we try?

Greer: Tempting, but I don’t have time for that today. Raincheck?

Julia: Absolutely. I guess you don’t have time for a reading, either.

Greer: Uh… how long would that take?

Julia: A few minutes. Are you right-handed?

Greer: Yes.

Julia: Give me your left hand.

Greer: (extends her arm across the table) You read palms, too?

Julia: And tea leaves. Actually, my preference is tea. That’s why I make my own. But this will do in a pinch.

Greer: What do you see?

Julia: Hmm. Small breaks in your heart line.

Greer: (eyes widen) Does that mean I’m going to have a heart attack? My job is stressful, but I think I manage things pretty well.

Julia: Don’t fret. It suggests emotional damage in your past.

Greer: Oh.

Julia: But your fate line… It breaks and curves in different directions. Have you had a major tragedy in your life?

Greer: (snatches her hand away) I’m sorry. I totally forgot a staff meeting. I have to go. Can we reschedule our interview?

Julia: I didn’t mean to pry, dear.

Greer: Oh, no. It’s not that. I just… Thanks for the tea and muffin. I’ll call to set up another meeting. (bolts out the back door)

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Book Cover for The Haunting of Chatham Hollow by Mae Clair and Staci Troilo

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Blurb:

One founding father.
One deathbed curse.
A town haunted for generations.

Ward Chatham, founder of Chatham Hollow, is infamous for two things—hidden treasure and a curse upon anyone bold enough to seek it. Since his passing in 1793, no one has discovered his riches, though his legend has only grown stronger.

In 1888, charlatan Benedict Fletcher holds a séance to determine the location of Chatham’s fortune. It’s all a hoax so he can search for the gold, but he doesn’t count on two things—Victor Rowe, a true spiritualist who sees through his ruse, and Chatham’s ghost wreaking havoc on the town.

More than a century later, the citizens of the Hollow gather for the annual Founder’s Day celebration. A paranormal research team intends to film a special at Chatham Manor, where the original séance will be reenacted. Reporter and skeptic Aiden Hale resents being assigned the story, but even he can’t deny the sudden outbreak of strange happenings. When he sets out to discover who or what is threatening the Hollow—supernatural or not— his investigation uncovers decades-old conflicts, bitter rivalries, and ruthless murders.

This time, solving the mystery isn’t about meeting his deadline. It’s about not ending up dead.

 

PURCHASE LINK

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Thanks again, Harmony, for hosting me today. I hope this little exchange gives you and your followers a bit more insight into Greer Faraday, editor extraordinaire with a mysterious (and painful) past. I hope you’ll all consider reading the story to uncover her secrets. The answer to her mystery, and many more, can be found in The Haunting of Chatham Hollow. Mae and I truly appreciate your support. Grazie!

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Bio Box for Staci Troilo

Connect with Staci:

Website | Blog | Social Media | Newsletter
Amazon ​| BookBub ​| Goodreads

Bio Box for Mae Clair

Connect with Mae:

Amazon| BookBub| Newsletter Sign-Up
Website | Blog| Twitter| Goodreads| All Social Media

 

My Review:

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Grabbed me by the throat right away and wouldn’t let go

‘”Uncle?” | Peggy Chatham pressed a cool compress to the forehead of the man lying in bed. Ward Chatham’s cheeks held little color despite the fever ravaging his body.’ … from this opening death scene, the writers take the reader straight into mystery, intrigue, the supernatural, and thrills galore.

The story is told via two main time frames, and any shifts are marked clearly and are easy to follow. I found the shifts between historical and current time seamless, and the research for the period parts is excellently translated to the fictional page. I loved the world-building, the characterisation, the plot, and the pacing. Not to mention some wonderful lines of prose and a fantastic sense of humour threading throughout …

‘He must have walked under a ladder. Broken a few mirrors. Kicked a black cat or thirteen.’

And …

‘Sorry. I haven’t had enough coffee to lie convincingly.’

And …

‘Fletcher spoke in a light tenor, his voice jovial, as if he kept a sly secret tucked in his cheek.’

And …

‘No point in poking the insomniac bear.’

I could go on, but I’m sure you get the idea. This is a riveting supernatural read with all the bells and whistles you’d expect, and a few more besides. The Haunting of Chatham Hollow gets a resounding five stars from me.

***

NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.

5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.

 

67 Comments on “The Haunting of Chatham Hollow by Mae Clair and Staci Troilo @MaeClair1 @stacitroilo #NewBook #Horror #Supernatural #OccultHorror #ReadersOfTwitter #BookReview”

  1. Now, that’s a review that grabbed me. One can’t go wrong with a book written by Mae or Staci. Congrats to both. This one is on my list! <3

  2. Hahaha oh dear, poor Greer. Great name for the character, and I also forgot to say before how tickled I was that you used Irene (my mother’s name and my middle; it’s not often seen). Thanks for hosting, Harmony! Mae and Staci, I hope to get into this one this weekend. I know it will be delicious!

  4. Every one of these character interviews makes me even more excited to read this book. Congrats on the review, Mae and Staci, and thanks for hosting, Harmony!

  7. I got a kick out of our introduction to Julia when her grandson came to visit; I don’t advise accepting food or drink at her house, lol.
    Congrats on the wonderful, well-deserved review!

  9. I love this character interview. Julia was one of my favorite characters. The relationship she has with her grandson, Aiden, is hilarious and touching. The love goes deep. And what a great review, Harmony! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. You picked out some great lines to share. This is the must-read book of 2022!! Congrats to Staci and Mae!

    • I’m having connection issues, so if there are two similar replies, I apologize.

      I’m so glad you liked Julia, Jan. She was one of my favorites, too, and they definitely share a deep love. As for Harmony’s review, she blew me away.

      Thanks for dropping by to support me and Mae!

    • These interviews are so much fun! Delighted you enjoyed the review. Agreed: a top read of 2022! Thanks, Jan 💕🙂

  11. The nature of the book is so clever. Your review is excellent. I love the coffee quote (“I haven’t had enough coffee to lie convincingly.’). I know that feeling!

  13. Wonderful post and super review, Harmony! Yet another reason why I’m expecting (and ready!) to start reading this one tonight! I’m really looking forward to it. Staci and Mae, more congratulations on your new joint venture, and I’ll raise my cup of Earl Grey to your both, as I send you wishes for enormous, mind-boggling success with this one!

    Thanks for hosting, Harmony, and super sales ahead, Staci and Mae! 🤗💖🤗

  14. I went upstairs and hid in my bedroom for a couple of hours yesterday afternoon to finish the book, Harmony. So much fun and such a great read. Wonderful review. I noticed those lines of superb writing too. I love clever/original descriptions. And I couldn’t agree more on how seamlessly the story held together. Congrats to Staci and Mae on a riveting read.

    • Well, this is the third time today I crashed trying to send a reply, and the second time the comment posted as a new one instead of an answer to someone else. Sigh. Stupid crappy Internet connection.

      Anyway, as I was trying to say… Wow, Diana. I want to quote you on that. Thanks so much!

      Harmony, I apologize for all the glitches today.

  15. Oh, Harmony. I have so much to say!

    First, thank you for hosting me today. I appreciate you opening your blog to me so I can chat with your viewers.

    Second, I can’t tell you how delighted I was with your review. It not only made my day when I read it, but it’s put a smile on my face every time I’ve read it since. Many, many thanks.

    Finally, sorry about that errant reply to John. I’m having computer issues. (Shocking, I know. Right?)

    Anyway, many thanks! ❤️

  16. That’s a wonderful review. Once I dispose of a few projects, I’m going to dedicate a weekend to reading this one.

  17. Great interview with Greer and Julia. Gives us some insight into Greer’s character and background.

    Fantastic review, Harmony. Thanks for hosting Staci today.

  18. Great character interview, Staci. I thoroughly love Greer, and you continue to do a wonderful job showing Julia’s personality in these interviews. There is lot left unsaid in this post and raises all kinds of delicious questions!

  19. Harmony, thanks some for hosting Staci today with our co-authored release. And thank you for that wonderful review. It makes me want to break into a happy dance. We are so excited about this release and so appreciate all your support! ❤️🤗

  20. Hi Harmony, an intriguing review and I like the quotes, especially: He must have walked under a ladder. Broken a few mirrors. Kicked a black cat or thirteen.’ Marcia Meara was asking on her recent blog post about superstitions and I had all of these. I liked the character interview especially the last line. Very grabby.