Haunted Reviews

• It gets NO BETTER than this!

  
  By A2BZCHIDR5FTYA on 2003-12-24
  As a senior in high school, Darcy Tremayne had been in a car wreck that killed her prom date, Josh. Josh had been her best friend for years. Most avoided him due to his "gift". But Darcy loved Josh like a brother. When Josh died, he passed his gift on to Darcy.

  Matt Stone does not believe in ghosts. But too many were convinced his home, a historic Virginia estate that dated back to the Revolutionary War, was haunted. The strange happenings began to worsen. And whatever ghost haunted the Lee Room, had become physically harmful to the living. Matt finally agreed to let Harrison Investigations explore the house. But Darcy was more than he ever expected.

  Darcy Tremayne worked for Josh's father, who owned Harrison Investigations. She had proven many "hauntings" were simply pranks and such. She warned Matt beforehand that often people do not like the skeletons she turned up. Once she got into the investigation though, Darcy realized this house was unlike anything she had dealt with before. The house held more than a simply mystery from the past or a ghost who did not know how to move on. This house held a lethal danger! Darcy must fight the living and the dead!

  ***** Outstanding! Author Heather Graham has done an excellent job in creating believable characters and setting them in a spine chilling setting. Do not begin reading this one until you have plenty of free time because you will NOT want to set it aside for even a brief period of time. Highly recommended! *****

  Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.
  
  

• Weak Characters in Ghost Melodrama

  
  By A1JV4QKTEB7QBL on 2003-09-25
  After reading a few pages of Heather Graham's "Haunted", one realizes rather quickly that the author is of the Danielle Steele school of literature: the characters are all ideals of either masculinity or femininity, the men cook up great gourmet omelettes while the women, never worrying about their weight, order fries, burgers and steaks without a thought about cholesterol---and lo and behold, they play a great game of pool and simply die for spectator sports. Of course, the sexual chemistry sizzles with incendiary powers that would make the most seasoned arsonist flinch. If that isn't bad enough, the secondary characters are so cutsy with their neverending chorus of "Oh, how beautiful you are" and "He has the hottest butt" type dialogue, they literally had me rolling my eyes up into my head wondering why I ever purchased this book in the first place.
  
  I really wanted to read a ghost story, thinking maybe a poor man's "The Uninvited", "Julian's House" or maybe even something along the line of one of Erksine's classics, "Midnight is a Lonely Place. Instead I got to read a formula romance that uses a Northern Virginian setting, complete with a hokey Civil War enactment and drippingly charismatic Southern gentlemen extolling the charms of their big-busted, narrow-waisted womenfolk. Tell me, does someone out there really enjoy this type of a read? Must be, as Heather Graham---gasp--- is apparently a New York Times bestselling author. Sadly, even the ghost story gets lost in all the confusion that the main characters feel towards each other--poor Matt doesn't believe in ghosts, long-limbed, red-headed Darcy feels that she is a weirdo who talks to ghosts---will there love survive all this doubt? Quite honestly, I didn't care.
  
  The only heartfelt moments in the story revolve around the character of Josh--introduced in the preface as Darcy's lead-in to the spirit world. Graham certainly has the opportunity to involve this character in some interesting scenes--but, for some reason, she does not--being too involved in making the formula work and giving all those "ah shucks" southerners all those "golly gee whiz" lines must have taken up all her time.
  
  Recommended to readers who absolutely love formula romance where you can guess the outcome from the second page.
  
  

• A Haunting Read! Great For October Blues!!

  
  By AN0XWUHSHRUG6 on 2003-10-22
  This was a fun paranormal romance with plenty of twists and turns, ghosts, and sizzeling chemistry between Matt and Darcy.

  Secondary characters were important to this tale of a haunted historic landmark set in Virgina. Darcy speaks to ghost's and with help from a childhood friend who died early in life, attempts to set things right in order to give these tortured souls a chance to rest. What she is not expecting is falling for her rather reluctant host Matt who does not believe in ghosts or things that go bump in the night, nor does she expect to feel the fear that accompanies each encounter with the lady in white.

  When things start happening and Darcy starts to experience rather dangerous accidents she wonders if the ghost is really human and why she poses such a threat. Matt wonders if he will be able to get over the fact that he is falling for a ghost buster and he fears for her safety.

  This was a fast paced read. The only complaint that I have is that I didn't think Josh was used enough. He was a character that I would have like to have seen more often. Outside of that this was a good read that was entertaing and fun. If you like romance, ghosts, and suspense...then you will like this story.
  
  

• One star because zero stars was not an option

  
  By A1YDWX66F1MZCB on 2003-10-28
  

  
  I made it to page 150 of Haunted and almost threw the book away. My wife decided she'd give it a shot and didn't make it as far as I did. This book truly stinks. If it gets scary at some point you'll likely never know it because the ridiculous romance will be so off putting that you too will feel foolish for having bought the book.

  No kidding. Go find an old Casper the Ghost comic before you buy this terrible thing. How did this get published?

  Wow!

  Oh! Heather? By the way. C14 dating doesn't apply to artifacts that are 100 years old. At least try to get the science straight.
  
  

• Wonderful book...

  
  By A33I4RCFITFXG5 on 2003-08-25
  Calling Ghostbusters was not in Matt's plans, but this handsome inn owner was forced to by his employees after a very unhappy spirit begins haunting his country home/business. It's not so much that they want to get rid of the ghost or ghosts, spooks fit right in with the eccentrics of the small town. The ghosts are unhappy, and they want to fix that.

  Thus enters Darcy. It was supposed to be her boss, Adam that came to take care of the haunting, but he is ill, so sends his able assistant. Darcy has been able to see ghosts ever since she lost someone she loved, and she frankly resents Matt's hostile attitude towards her. His gruffness is a defense mechanism though. Matt finds Darcy entirely too attractive, tempting, and she looks too much like his cheating ex wife. It is not long before he discovers that she is nothing like Lavina though, and things begin to turn romantic between these two broken hearted people. The ghost problem is still to be taken care of, but is it a real ghost that is out to get them, or is it something a bit more earthy?

  ***** Suspense tingles through this well written ghost story as Ms. Graham's theme of haunting plays on several levels. The small town comes alive with warmly comfortable characters who will charm your heart. *****
  
  

• Boring
  By on 2003-09-17
  The characters just didn't have the substance to hold my attention. At first, the plot and characters had so much potentional that I hoped this book would grab me, but it just never made it. The story was very tedious, predictable, no sparks and the subcharacters were silly and flighty. I gave it two stars only because of the potentional. I love Heather Graham's books written as Shannon Drake. However, as Heather Graham, her writing is passive / boring. This is not my first, but will be my last book to read of Heather Graham.
  
  
• Just go to the library
  By A15SYD1E29G635 on 2004-05-04
  As I put down the recent "Idiot's Guide to writing a Horror Story", I have to wonder where have all the dysfunctional, psychotic, and downright creepy writers gone? Was there a mass relocation I missed? Have they gone into hiding or been taken down by a group of angry soccer moms? Or has it simply been turned into giving the people what you think they want and no longer infusing your own nightmares into it? (I'm looking at you Mr. D'Ammassa.)
  
  The book started out so good, with a plot that was both chilling and curious, only to switch to more romance than horror. With a story remade countless times, Ms. Graham had the opportunity to make it her own, and instead chose the path that has been well traveled. The atmosphere is hazy with a dark overcast, neither good or bad, it worked for this book. The pace in the story is level with the exception of the end, which ties up way too rapidly. Graham's style of writing is heavy with considerably more dialogue than description.
  

  The characters were boring, stereotyped, and unintentionally hilarious, my favorite being the main character. She is supposed to be an experienced ghost hunter, and yet turns into a skittish kitten the first time she experiences a noise. Even Shaggy and Scooby would have slapped her.
  
  Overall, this book may not be terrifying or scary, but it was one of the funniest books I have read in awhile. I give this book a 2 . The next time you think of revisiting your old grade school horror books, just go to the library and borrow this one.
  
  

• A Coherent and Intriguing Story Indeed
  By A176C8XRR12MJX on 2004-07-28
  Haunted is the first Heather Graham book I read and I was immediately thrilled to read the whole story after reading the first few pages. It was a perfect read: the haunted house mood is just what I wanted, and the characters are affectionate. The story is intriguing in that connections are drawn from past, present, to future, which is very difficult to write, but the writer managed it so well, making the story so coherent that a flaw is yet to be found. I would recommend this book to readers who are entertained by a constant suspenseful plot.
  
  
• Modern Day Ghost Buster!
  By A2E9Q3T876TQ6C on 2005-05-24
  Matt Stone owns a historic bed and breakfast home, Melody House, in Virginia that was built before the Revolutionary War. When people start telling him the house is haunted, Matt agrees to let Harrison Investigations check out the strange happenings even though he doesn't believe in ghosts!
  
  Darcy Tremayne is a paranormal investigator for Harrison Investigations who does believe in ghosts. She is also a bit on the psychic side, guided by her dead friend Josh, she often sees things others don't. When the ghosts appear to Darcy one issues a warning. Darcy tries to prove that they not only exist, but one is trying to tell Darcy who killed her. This is when accidents begin to happen to Darcy - someone doesn't want the truth to be told.
  
  In this romantic suspense genre, nothing is left out - you have a mix of romance, suspense, murder, lies and cover-ups. The story line starts out as a typical romantic "who dun it", but soon has you holding on for a wild ride - Graham changes directions as quickly as free-fall roller coaster.
  
  Heather Graham has excellent character development and creates a support cast that is wonderful. Darcy and Matt are both strong characters and often debate any issue at hand. Penny, has worked for Matt for years as the caretaker of Melody House, is like part of the family, and truly believes the house is haunted wanting to use that as a marketing ploy for the bed and breakfast trade. Carter is Matt's childhood friend and Clint is his cousin, both stay near Melody House and help Matt with the upkeep and everyday chores. Carter also dabbles in Real Estate. They both have their individual charm and charisma. Clara is the resident ghost - yes, she's been seen and everyone except Matt believes she exists. Along with this cast, we're given glimpses of colorful town folk -Mae the bar owner, Lavinia the ex-wife, Mrs. O'Hara the librarian, Delilah newly elected town councilwoman and a host of others. This diverse group only adds to the charm and witty exchanges found throughout HAUNTED.
  
  HAUNTED is tricky and the reader will think they know the identity only to have red herrings tossed out and the doubt begins. I figured it out about half way though the book, but enjoyed Graham's attempts to distract me. She is a master at deception and only the die-hard mystery fans won't be fooled!
  
  
  
  
• You never heard ghost stories like this when you were a kid
  By A3P278XXVTJ9OX on 2005-06-26
  This was a spine tingling, heart thumping, lock you to the pages kind of paranormal romantic suspense. The best ghost story I've ever read. If you really want to spook yourself out, read this book on a stormy night when no one is at home and in a place where every sound makes you jump.
  
  
  
• A Good Paranormal Time
  By A265NE6H6LYX87 on 2006-09-27
  Haunted is the story of Darcy, a professional paranormal investigator, and Matt, the local sheriff and owner of an old mansion with many unexplained activities happening. Beginning with Darcy's initiation into the paranormal, the story covers the ground of what's really haunting the mysterious Lee Room in Melody House, Matt's ancestral home. This being a romance, the sparks fly soon and often between Darcy and Matt, even though he's an open skeptic and she senses the ghosts that live in his house.
  
  The writing is good in this novel; Graham has obviously done her research in that she presents paranormal investigators realistically, even incorporating real tools of the trade. There are a myriad of characters, which at times seems confusing; a few are caricatures, but overall the dialogue is witty and engaging. The attraction between Dary and Matt is edgy and tense, but the romance side of it isn't as fully developed. But overall this book achieves its goal of being both creepy and sexy, and it's highly readable and entertaining. If you can look past the actions of a few characters, you'll enjoy this one.
  
  
• exciting paranormal romance
  By AFVQZQ8PW0L on 2003-09-18
  Though he scoffs at the thought of ghosts at his Colonial era manor Melody House, Stoneyville, Virginia Sheriff Matt Stone agrees to allow a ghost hunter to look into the sightings. Sweetening the pot is that his friend Adam Harrison of Harrison Investigations will pay him for the honor. However, to his chagrin, Adam fails to show up, but instead his associate Darcy Tremayne arrives.

  Matt displays animosity towards Darcy because she reminds him of his selfish former wife and he ridicules her so-called abilities. However, she quickly shakes everyone up when she finds the century plus old skull of a battered individual in the nearby forest. Soon through her connection to her deceased beloved teen pal Josh, she makes contact with an agitated spirit. She begins to worry over falling in love with the Sheriff, who may be a serial killer.

  This exciting paranormal romance will provide sub-genre readers with plenty of entertainment. This fun tale stars two charming lead characters and a strong support cast. Though the twist into a serial killer seems off kilter, fans will enjoy Heather Graham's HAUNTED because everyone including the Amazing Randi will believe in Darcy's abilities via her pal Josh.

  Harriet Klausner
  
  

• Excellent!!
  By A6PD4BGRVXVPD on 2003-09-28
  This book was excellent. I read it in one evening. Who cares if a book isn't credibile, is fiction suppose to be. I thought fiction mean not true/real. I'm going to go buy her other books now. Enjoy!
  
  
• Excellent departure
  By on 2003-09-30
  This was a fast, fun read loaded with ghostly happenings -- a real departure for Heather Graham. I liked the characters and found the premise of the book fascinating. It was a great book for a scarey Halloween type of night.
  
  
• A Decent Read
  By A2ZTVVT41M3NGP on 2003-10-09
  I have been a Heather Graham fan for over ten years, and have read almost everything she's written (Including her books written as Shannon Drake and Heather Graham Pozzessere). She is a fantastic story teller and one of my favorite authors. That said, I don't feel this book is one of her best. It is a decent read if you like your romance mixed with a little bit of the paranormal, but I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed.

  The book starts off wonderfully with the introduction of the heroine and her childhood friend, Josh. I think Josh was a very well written and sympathetic character, and the prologue really grabbed my attention from the start. However, toward the end the book did become a bit predictable, and at times I wanted to slap the hero for being so stubborn and bull-headed. I wanted to scream "Get over it already!!"

  My other complaint is about the love scenes. Just a little too flowery for my taste, but some may love it. To each his (or her) own. I myself found the long, drawn out prose distracting and by the third love scene, I was simply skimming.

  I know that I am picky and have extremely high expectations having been a fan of Ms. Graham and the romance genre for so long, but I definitely feel that Ms. Graham has written better stories than this one. If you have never read any of her other work, please do not judge her as an author by this book. Read some of her others, then make a decision.
  
  

• Great Book
  By on 2003-10-16
  Book Review
  By: Felisha Hernandez

  Heather Graham has made many non-believers tremble with this book. Haunted is great if you're looking for suspense and she keeps you shocked and excited to find out what comes next.

  Darcy Tremayne has a special gift for snooping out weird and strange things, but now she has her hands full, with the strange findings of Melody House. It's a lovely old house that was built before the Revolutionary war, famous for its past visitors and fascinating happenings. All the people of Stoneyville have heard of or have been involved in the findings of the house. Many have seen or felt strange presences. Are these pranksters or old ghosts?

  If, you want to find out read this book. You'll be shocked, and prepare yourself for what things Ms. Tremayne does next!
  
  

• Haunted By Heather Graham
  By on 2003-11-03
  I finished this book in two days it was the first Heather Graham novel I read but it wont be the last I look forward to her new release
  
  
• Haunted..
  By A8LT66GHJAOQY on 2003-11-21
  Heather Graham is a great author, but this was not one of her best works. It is a decent and average romantic suspense novel but readers have come to expect more from heather graham than average.

  Haunted tells the story of ghost-buster Darcy. The book actually starts out great w/ the prologue that introduces Darcy and how she came to obtain her paranormal gifts. But once it comes into the present story, the book loses its steam. it should have stuck with the original characters- darcy, josh, hunter. But instead, we get Darcy who is called to investigate the haunted house of Sheriff Matt Stone.

  Matt is predictable as the skeptical small town sheriff. Darcy must overcome his attitude and skepticism while she investigates the ghosts of Melody House. Darcy starts to have dreams about past murders and must figure out who haunts the house. Soon, Darcy herself is placed in danger with suspicious accidents - falling into an open grave, falling through rotting floor boards etc. And she soon finds out that the hauntings of Melody House have a very real and present cause.

  Heather Graham fans may be disappointed as this book is not up to her usual caliber, but it is a decent read. Some of the dreams/hauntings are quite creepy and the plot does have some twists (but not surprising ones).
  
  

• Great Read!
  By A26ROVI3E385U2 on 2003-11-25
  This was my first Heather Graham novel I've read and I really liked it a lot! Although the chapters are way too long, it is still an easy read. I finished it in 2 days -- it really kept you guessing. Just when I'd thought I'd figured out what was going on, the next page assured me that I was wrong!
  
  
• Don't Bother
  By on 2004-01-08
  Ms. Graham is usually a great author but this one was weak and very lame. The reltionship didn't really develop beyond ... and them *BAM* he loves her and suddenly not only believes in ghosts but has talked to Josh!? Also, the "mystery" was solved in such a predictable way. It was a chore to finish this one.
  
  
• Drew me in from the first page!
  By ATPRQ51N8R29F on 2004-11-18
  When I opened the book and started reading I was immediately drawn into the story. It has a interesting and romantic plot. I am not a professional book reveiwer, no fancy words here. I am just a book reader who loves reading a good book with a twist of supernatural to it. You have it in this book. Great romance and believable characters. If you like supernatural romances then you are gonna love this book. I highly recommend this one. It was my first Heather Graham book and have since purchased a few more. GREAT READING! What more can I say!
  
  
• Good overall, but . . .
  By A3LF914GG87TWP on 2006-03-23
  Overall I enjoyed this book - since many others have summarized the plot, I won't bother. I enjoy Ms. Graham's thrillers and paranormal books, but I am not a fan of romance novels and this book reminded me why - because she stuck right to the formula when playing the romance. Why oh WHY does a guy who is normally perfectly nice turn into an obnoxious jerk when he meets the woman to whom he is attracted? And WHY does a woman who is normally fairly self-assured start questioning her every move and motivation? And WHY WHY WHY do they need to spend practically every encounter at each others' throats and then suddenly at the end of the book it is happily ever after? It drives me mad. I am absolutely certain there are other ways of creating dynamic tension - mainly because I HAVE read other paranomal romance thrillers that utilize them. But the other characters are very well written, the mystery is tight and keeps you guessing, the paranormal aspects are very well done and highly believable and overall I have to give the book 4 stars because other than the romance aspect, I did enjoy it. If you like romances, you won't have any troubles with Ms. Graham's book here - if you like thrillers and mysteries, she has other wonderful books that have much less romance cluttering up the scenery, also. She's a very well-rounded writer, overall. Give her a try.
  
  
• First time reader of Graham...not impressed
  By A18JNX98M0JSOI on 2006-04-24
  This is the first book that I've read of Heather Graham, and I can't say I was impressed. The story itself was alright, but her style of writing was enough to make me want to stop reading the book. Her use of exclamation points was driving me insane!!!!
  I'll try another book, but if it's anything like this one, it will be my last.
  
  
• Good read overall....but...
  By AG73E8ZBHIRBE on 2007-01-21
  Haunted actually gave me a few chills here and there. Great characters and story. Really good mystery. It won't bore you too much, until the extended sex dialog. There are atleast of couple pages of each sex scene. That may not sound bad, but that's two pages of, "then he felt her here and there as she moaned..blah..blah..blah". Not very interesting. I could see a little but pages?...c'mon. Anyways...awsome read, characters, and ending.
  
  
• Haunted by Heather Graham
  By AOH5A0KZ915CK on 2004-02-12
  This book was INCREDIBLE!! I couldn't put it down. I just had to see what was going to happen next. It was the first book by Heather Graham that I'd read. It definitely won't be the last. I won't give the story away, but the ending has such poetic justice. There is no way I could give this book any less than 5 stars!!
  
  
• Great Read
  By A3F0HVI18M0WXO on 2004-06-24
  I loved "Haunted". I could not put it down and finished it in about two days. I recently bought another book ("Mimosa Grove" by Dinah McCall) just because it seemed similar to "Haunted". The plot is great, the characters are loveable. The ending wasn't out of this world, but it was still a great book!
  
  
• Entertaining enough .. but no real 'meat'
  By on 2004-07-08
  I really enjoyed reading this book and I did finish it in two days, but I couldn't help but think there was some real decent 'meat' missing here. And although we're used to the 2 main characters being flat-out model-types--here not only were the heroine and hero 'gorgeous' but it seems the whole damn ranch was oozing with unbelievably handsome men. (WHERE is this place?) In real life-you'd only see this gathering of models on a red carpet. Matt Stone was a bit of a pill, some places unnecessarily just plain MEAN! (I'd have been outta there if someone treated ME that way---why did she stay???) Anyway, I recommend it as an entertaining read at the beach or a stormy night. :-)
  
  
• Not the best-
  By A1WDUGOXQ0PMS2 on 2004-09-28
  I tried to read this and get thru it, but the book lost my interest in about three quarters of the way in-
  
  This book is about a physic Darcy who has to go to a Civil War bed and breakfast, because a ghost is hauting the mansion. She meets the owner, and has a hate, then love relationship with him.
  
  The character Matt Stone, was alittle too brusk for me, and he just seemed like a jerk, and I was sort of aggrivated by the
  affair that Darcy and Jack tried to have.
  
  sorry
  
  
• Don't Bother
  By A1AOIINSRHZLCP on 2004-10-09
  Seriously. This book is an insipid romance masquerading as a sub-par paranormal mystery. The heroine doesn't even have her own powers, for crying out loud -- she 'inherited' them from a saintly friend who died in high school, and they only work when the plot needs them to. The rest of the time her powers are just not mentioned, not even to give us a reason why they might be failing.
  
  The mystery was overly complicated yet incredibly easy to figure out -- I pegged it by the midpoint. Despite the large, delineated mainly by gimmicks cast of characters, there's really only one option. The solution feels oddly tacked on, rootless in the scope of the book -- and at least one major 'heroine in peril' moment turned out to be exactly what it seemed, a freak accident with absolutely no connection to either ghosts or the villain.
  
  The entire book felt very padded, and some scenes and dialogue were repeated several times with very slight variation -- even though, at a couple of points, the person uttering them again had, just a page or two before, appeared to completely change his viewpoint on the situation. The characters were one-dimensional and boring, the writing meandering and lifeless.
  
  The worst part of the whole thing was that the author was always one note off. She chose the worst things to show as scenes and glossed over everything that might have been interesting with narrative or monologue. Add some glaring inconsistencies (the entire household comes running every time someone flees the haunted room screaming, yet loud, noisy sex in that same room elicits not so much as a knowing wink the next morning) and you have a waste of the two or three hours it'll take before you realize this book isn't going to get get any better.
  
  
• Ghostly happenings and romance...
  By A3AY3EV2MFRFGG on 2004-10-23
  Matt Stone does not believe in ghosts, and he detests those that do, seeing them only as money grubbing con-artists. But something is happening at Melody House, the historic Stone family estate. While his friends and co-workers think that it's ghosts (which would be a boom for the tour business) Matt believes that it is decidely human in origin. Enter Darcy Tremayne, a psychic ghost hunter sent by her employer (who happens to be an old friend of the Stone family) to investigate and find out if it's a haunting or a humbug. What Darcy uncovers is a little of both. Haunted is an uneven book, the romance is underdeveloped, but I enjoyed the spooky stuff that surrounded it. Not a complete failure, but it falls short of being a truly rewarding read.
  
  

• The Presence (Mira)
• Ghost Walk (Mira)
• The Vision
• Eyes of Fire (Mira)
• The Seance (MIRA)