Jackson Stone is sick of ghosts. With his love life in shambles, he heads to Romania for a horror writers’ retreat, hoping it will be a break from the supernatural and breathing space from his relationship with medium Kate Carlsson.But as his fellow writers begin disappearing or losing their minds, he realizes he needs Kate’s help. When Jackson loses his own memory, Kate’s love is the only thing … is the only thing that can bring him back. But she’s falling for the man responsible for the evil in Romania. A man who claims to be her soul mate. Will this master of wraiths forever break Kate’s bond with Jackson?
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I continue to enjoy this series and am pleased with this installment, but will explain upfront that I didn’t give this installment a 5-star rating for one basic reason. The two main characters just didn’t spend enough time on the page together.
It was essential to this story and critical to the overall story arc, as well as the overall development of the characters to separate the two main leads for a while, but after the way they came together in the last book, my mind couldn’t process them being part. It took me a while to really pay attention to what was happening in this story because I just kept waiting for the two characters to reunite earlier than they actually did. Ultimately, the satisfying ending made it all well and good. I even went back and re-read some of the earlier parts with the assurance that the characters reunite and realized I missed some pretty cool stuff.
As always, this author didn’t fall short of her research and painting a vivid image of the setting in which the story takes place. I’ve always wanted to know more about Romanian culture since it is part of my husband’s ancestry. I had no idea it was so beautiful.
Overall, another great installment. Can’t wait for the next one.
Highly recommended to fans of horror, complex paranormal situations, diverse characters, and smart dark fiction.
FOREST OF GHOSTS is Book Four in J.H. Moncrieff’s “GhostWriters” series. While this series does have the two main characters in common, they are all able to be read independently of each other. The location, problems, and methods, are diverse, so that prior knowledge of the earlier books in the series is not necessary. That being said, if you like books involving the supernatural and paranormal investigators, you will likely want to read the other cases.
“On my first night in Romania, I awoke to the sound of peacocks screaming.”
Jackson is taking a “break” from his girlfriend, Kate–a gifted medium. When he hears about a writer’s retreat in Transylvania, he decides it’s time to put his blogging on hold and get some tips to hopefully develop his skills enough to write a book of his own.
“. . . For all the damage Bram Stoker’s famous book did to Transylvania’s reputation, rural Romania is the furthest thing from eerie . . . ”
This is one of my favorite aspects to Moncrieff’s writing. When you read about a remote location, the words literally bring you there. Personally, I haven’t done much traveling yet, but when I read of the locales visited in this series, I feel as though I’m seeing the sights through my own eyes. The descriptions, mainly through the characters’ observations, are not “overly wordy” by any means. It’s the bare, simplistic way that they take notice of their surroundings that make it feel so much more authentic to me. She doesn’t need to try too hard to push these visuals at the reader. The natural, matter-of-fact way of how things filter into the characters’ consciousness is the perfect method to convey this.
“. . . Subtlety had never been one of my gifts . . . ”
Another thing that impressed me in this novel was the use of dialog and consistency in the bantering between the characters. No matter which person we are reading about, the things they say and do are true to the personalities we are first presented with. It never fails to irritate me when a character suddenly changes in nature from what we are originally shown, to a trait they didn’t previously possess.
“. . . it made me want to lunge across the table and squeeze his throat until his ugly head popped off. Or something like that. I’m not a barbarian . . . ”
This is a great example of Jackson’s sarcastic wit in action. I’ve always loved sarcasm and dry humor in characters, but if it’s not consistent, the effect doesn’t work. Jackson’s has remained intact through all of the novels he’s appeared in.
“Ordinarily I’d remind you that people thought Ted Bundy was a nice guy too . . . ”
As things begin to happen to some members of the writers’ workshop, a figurative darkness begins to set over everyone–especially Jackson, who is more attuned to such things through his life with Kate. He knows first hand that the spirit world and human realm cross much more often than the others realize.
“. . . Hoia Baciu? . . . The most haunted forest in the world . . .”
“. . . It’s a land-locked version of the Bermuda Triangle, but they let tourists go in there?”
The readers are brought to these exquisite locations where the action and supernatural happenings begin almost immediately–whether the characters are all aware of it or not. We glean information about these different parts of the world, as we are enjoying the fictional one presented to us.
Overall, I have to say that this is one of my favorite stories in the GhostWriters series. The lure and mystery of Romania, combined with a fictional tale of paranormal and other “inexplicable” happenings, is one that I found impossible to resist. I finished this novel in two sittings, often carrying it with me while moving about. Moncrieff has a knack for creating realistic personalities that feel authentic to the readers. The characters have their own styles, mannerisms, and faults, making them sound as complete as possible.
“. . . If we only did the things we were certain would be successful, it would be a pretty dull world.”
J.H. Moncrieff is a great voice in the writing world, and an author that remains on my “must read” list.
Highly recommended.