Daniel is desperate for a job. When someone slides a note under his door offering him the groundskeeper’s position at an old estate, it seems too good to be true.Alarm bells start ringing when he arrives at Craven Manor. The mansion’s front door hangs open, and leaves and cobwebs coat the marble foyer. It’s clear no one has lived there in a long time.But an envelope waits for him inside the … him inside the doorway. It contains money, and promises more.
Daniel is desperate. Against his better judgement, he moves into the groundskeeper’s cottage behind the crypt. He’s determined to ignore the strange occurrences that plague the estate.
But when a candle flickers to life in the abandoned tower window, Daniel realises Craven Manor is hiding a terrible secret… one that threatens to bury him with it.
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I really enjoyed this book. I thought the characters and plot were very well developed, and the story moved along really well. It was nice to look forward to picking up where I’d left off; a lot of books lately don’t give me that feeling. Good read!
3.5
Enjoyable light horror story. Unique mystery with a fantastic setting. I wouldn’t really even call it horror more paranormal mystery. The main character Daniel, was TSTL which was irritating. Gods you could wear a feathered suit in front of the guy, quack, kick him with your webbed feet and he’s still not see the duck. How many times does a guy get educated and not get it ? So yeh I had a problem with him. Luckily the rest of the cast held up their parts. it was a fun read for October I’m glad I read it.
I love Darcy Coates.
Craven Manor isn’t, in my opinion, as good as The Carrow Haunt, but it’s a damn good spooky book!
Daniel is in a crappy situation. His living circumstances suck, and his job options are few. But just when he’s at the end of his rope, a strange work opportunity arrives at his door in the form of an invitation that includes boarding. It’s the veritable golden ticket until he comes to the brokedown Craven Manor when he begins to question the letter as a hoax.
I enjoyed the characters in this book except for the cousin. Boy, was it easy to loathe Kyle! Dude, really? What a butthead. And Daniel takes this guy seriously more than once. I was embarrassed for him each time for being so naive.
Mrs. Kirshner was conversely easy to adore. I thought she was one of the best characters of the entire book. She, with her cat, is a brilliant touch.
I know that Darcy Coates is either loved or hated by readers. True horror fans are generally insulted by her books. I would say her reads are more cozy haunting reads. If you enjoy ghostly suspense, then these books are for you. If you are looking for creepy gore or looking to scare your pants off, read something else.
The Carrow Haunt
This was another awesome ghost story by author Darcy Coates and I have added it to my favorites shelf.
The mystery begins when Daniel receives a note under his door to become a groundskeeper of an old mansion called “Craven Manor”. He is wary of who sent him the note and why they would want him to take care the mansion. But as mysterious as it sounds he sets off to find out if the note is for real or if someone is playing a trick on him.
But it is not a trick as when he arrives at the mansion, he finds there is an envelope inside with strange kind of money. He becomes more intrigued as he also has instructions not to enter certain rooms in the house and to never enter the tower.
The only living creature in the house is a cat which looks kind of poorly, so Daniel decides that he will take up the offer and do what he can around the mansion. He also moves into the groundskeeper’s cottage so that he can keep an eye on the estate.
There are loads of twists and turns throughout the book along with plenty of ghostly mystery. Darcy Coates has done it again with pulling haunting stories out of her imagination and taking the reader into her ghostly world. Five stars for this one.
I keep trying suspense and horror books and am usually disappointed….But this book delivers with chills, atmosphere, rumors, undead and ghosts.
This book has a solid and thoughtful plot, great writing, characters you care about, and an old fashion sense of duty and friendship.
Daniel is a wonderful character, young, poor and living with a relative, Kyle. He had been living on the street and he doesn’t say much about it but he expresses his fears about living on them again. Unlike Kyle, he tries his best to care for other people and animals. He slips money to Mrs. Kirshner to keep her and her cat fed.
Daniel takes a job in a desolate area that scares him but he feels better as he fixes up the small caretaker’s cottage and works on the land. But the owner, Bran, has left strict instructions about not opening windows or doors or looking outside after dark. And as Daniel hears the noises at night, he almost leaves. Bran is paying him very good money and he investigates the old mansion and makes sure to never open certain doors. He even finds himself caring for an emaciated cat.
The relationship between him and the cat becomes caring, funny and only later is the truth revealed about Bran, crows and the cat. There is plenty of gentle humor between Bran and Daniel. And then, there is Annalise, a ghost or spirit that appears every night and tries to entice Daniel to play.
Events take place, mistakes are made and the door, never to be opened, is damaged and a form of hell is released. Most books in this genre end without closure as if the author couldn’t figure it out either. But this book has a great, satisfying ending and embraces the idea of being true and kind. This book isn’t so creepy or so scary that it keeps you up at night….but you will. 4.5 stars
I loved this book! I actually got this one on sale, so bought it sight unseen, so had no expectations. So glad I bought this one. It was different. I’ve actually never read a Darcy Coates book before this one, but I have bought one before I came across Craven Manor.
There were twists, turns, surprises, it was creepy and gripping. It’s a twist on the haunted house story, not that I’ve read many of those. Parts of it reminded me of the film The Dark Half, but I can’t tell you why, you’ll have to read the book.
Highly recommend!
2.5 Stars
“…things that die here have a tendency to linger…”
Daniel Kane is a simple man that has fallen on hard times. Young and homeless, Daniel is taken in by his cousin, Kyle. But not matter how hard Daniel tries to better his lot in life, it’s just never enough for Kyle. So, when a mysterious note appears offering Daniel the grounds keeper position at Craven Manor, he readily agrees. After receiving a set of rules about living at the estate, Daniel starts having second thoughts. No strangers…do not enter the tower…remain in the grounds keeper cottage between midnight and dawn…keep doors locked and never answer the knocking in the night. Even with the odd rules and decaying condition of the estate, Daniel remains and begins the tiring but fulfilling job of cleaning the garden and surrounding area…until he unearths skeletal remains…and that’s just the beginning of Daniel’s decent into the dark history of Craven Manor…
Dear Reader, I honestly struggled rating and reviewing this story. The cover was striking and snagged my attention when I was looking for a good ghostly haunted house tale. So perhaps I went in with too high of expectations. Would I classify this as horror? Not really. It has more of a cozy mystery feel. Not too terrifying, but just enough paranormal element and mystique to give it spooky vibe. An enjoyable enough read, but lacked the super scare I was hoping for. While not my fav, would still recommend for fans of ghostly haunts.
I love what Darcy Coates loves, the haunting manor’s and graveyards. I love her books and will be adding more to my collection.
I give this book four hair-raising stars.
I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book.
Our main character is Daniel, a young man who has fallen on hard times and can’t seem to escape them. After being forced to move in with his selfish cousin Kyle he receives an odd letter offering him employment as a groundskeeper at Craven Manor. Desperate, Daniel journeys to the old manor and begins working, but there is a strange darkness within the manor. A darkness that may just be the end of him.
Nearly everything worked pretty well for me during this read.
I enjoyed the characters. Daniel, Kyle, and Bran were fleshed out pretty well for the most part. Having lived a life without any kind of luxury, Daniel is the typical white knight in the story and is a kind and gentle man. This also means he’s very gullible and susceptible to Kyle, who is extremely selfish and never accepts any kind of responsibility. Bran was mysterious, and I enjoyed getting to know him throughout the events of the novel.
I will say that I think Daniel was a bit too gullible and naïve. After several times of getting burned by those traits, he still continues to try to see the good in the situation. While that’s admirable, there’s only so many times you can realistically get burned without taking a different approach or getting a bit wiser. Saying any more would give things away, so I’ll just leave it at that.
The plot was a lot of fun. Can someone hire me to be a groundskeeper at an old scary manor? I’d take it in a heartbeat! I was hooked from page one. I not only wanted to know what happened with Daniel’s well being, but I had to know more about that manor and it’s drab surroundings. Though I wouldn’t say there’s a ton of horror, it was very thrilling and spooky, and that kept me happy.
I also enjoyed the writing very much. It flowed well, and each scene was descriptive. I could see each setting in my mind, and it really took me there.
Overall, this is a solid spooky read that’s perfect for this time of year. Definitely worth a read!
Loved it! I want to read more novels by this author!
When Daniel receives a letter from an anonymous person about a job he excepts the job with some hesitation. Daniel is a bit naive but he is desperate for the job and has fears of being homeless again. What unfolds is a mysterious ghost story with lots of twists and turns. I truly enjoyed this story that had me hooked from the beginning.
While I liked the premise of this book, the writing style seemed a bit rushed. I would have like more character development and more back story for the protagonist. That being said, it was entertaining and I certainly don’t regret the time I spent reading this book.
O I have never been disappointed by this author. She writes a great story with characters you connect with from the beginning. There is always a satisfying ending after a thrilling horror tale.
I think CRAVEN MANOR is much better than THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE by Shirley Jackon.
I love haunted house novels, and this one did not disappoint. Daniel is a great main character, and I was instantly intrigued by by the plot. The entire book was very exciting, and all of the elements fit well together at the end. The setting was mysterious and frightening, something I always look for in a good book. It was very imaginative. A real page turner!Darcy Coates
Craven Manor by Darcy Coates and narrated by Will Damron is a great ghost story but a story about an unlikely friendship too! It has mysteries, a creature or two, a ghost, greed, and compassion all in one book. I liked how it all ended up too! Narrator was terrific in his performance also! Good book all around!
This should be a movie! I love every part of it. The story kept me guessing and reanalyzing each new discovery. I think Daniel was a bit too nice, especially with Kyle, however, he made for a great main character. His desperation, kind heart and moral compass was the perfect combination for the craziness that ensued. I just wish there was something done for the villagers. They really deserve a proper burial. I loved the ending, but does this also leave an opening for Daniel’s future and the future of Craven Manor in book 2?
I love ghost stories and this one did not disappoint. It definitely made it difficult for me to fall asleep if I read it at night! This book was available to read for free with a Prime membership on Amazon.
If you enjoy ghost stories, don’t miss this haunting tale by Darcy Coates.
This was a quick, one-sitting read that I devoured after a long day at work. Now I liked the setting and unique “people” at the manor, but I found the main character (Daniel) to be predictable and naïve at first, which led me to believe this to be a YA novel. Daniel seemed to repeat the same mistakes over and over. He kept trusting his cousin Kyle, who was obviously a thug and only out to benefit himself. But in the end, Daniel did matured and became more capable and self-confident, which was good.