Madam Celeste is a psychic. This gripping, twisty story includes spirits who need her psychotherapy skills as much as her psychic abilities.
When Madam Celeste has a vision of Cheryl in her mother’s old house which is covered in spider webs, it sets in motion a series of mysteries that has everyone scratching their heads.
Is there a Skinwalker in Bella View(because that’s what some folks … View(because that’s what some folks are saying) or is it a wolf or worse? Jeremy has seen something (like a wolf, but not) and may have a clue on his trail camera.
Is Emma ready to lead her own seance? She’s been studying everything Madam Celeste has assigned, but does Madam Celeste believe Emma’s ready? Will she be there to help?
And what’s up with all the spider webs? Even the bug guy seems a little nervous. Is it because of the spider webs? Or something else?
You won’t want to put this page-turner down. Order it today in print or on Kindle or read it on Kindle Unlimited.
The Spider House is the second book in the ‘Madam Celeste Mystery’ series written by Linda Anthony Hill. I read the first book last year and enjoyed it, but this second one is much stronger and freaked me out a few times. While it’s a cozy mystery without any gore or true horror, the descriptions of the spiders and paranormal events were strong enough that the perfect ambiance was created and set a spooky mood. Kudos to the author for making this one shine so brightly.
Celeste is a medium in Texas. She’s fairly well-known but keeps to herself. Her assistant, Emma, takes the lead in this book when a friend of Celeste’s asks for help with a weird event occurring at a house she inherited. Spiders are everywhere, but when the paranormal team explores the property, something frightening happens. Grey wolves, weird neighbors, Native American connections, huge spiders, and visiting apparitions. At least one of them is lying, but Emma can’t sort through all the voices and mis-communication between the paranormal team and the ghosts. What is really going on here?
While I enjoyed the first book enough to want to read the second, it doesn’t compare to the evolution and improvement in this latest one. Everything in this story worked perfectly together, and I found myself unable to put it down. Hill’s constant flips on the spiders was fantastic. Were they real or just visions? How big were they? How did they keep coming back even after extermination? The answers were there, just hidden well… at the same time, it’s also quite obvious. I’m not spoiling anything either because the real story is layers deeper, and you will get some goosebumps with this one.
Subtle humor and strong character personalities make this book work. Even if you’re not into ghosts or paranormal behavior, you will probably still enjoy the series. It has all the elements of a solid mystery, except some of the characters aren’t technically alive anymore. They have voices, provide clues, mislead you, and offer a few moments of levity. I recommend the series… but also know you can read them as stand-alone novels. Definitely in the 4.5 to 5 star range for me.
The Spider House is the 2nd book in the Madam Celeste Mystery series. I have to say that I thought is was better than the first book. This book had a mystery that was really different and complex. A story to keep you guessing all the way to the very end.
Madam Celeste was not the main character in this paticular book. Her assistant Emma and her new client Cheryl, were the main focus. Cheryl wanted to clear her house of the spooky happenings so that she may one day live there. Being Emma’s first case, she winds up being in the middle of something bigger than just a haunted house.
This book introduces us to new characters and brings back some old. I was a tad disappointed that Madam Celeste love life didn’t get much attention this go round, but Emma embarks on a new romance and it was sweet and endearing to follow. I really enjoyed this new group of characters and instantly liked them all.
This book I thought was a bit more on the serious and dangerous side. With mutant spiders and the big bad wolf, this book is sure to make the hairs on you neck stand up with fear. I loved how the story developed at a steady pace and did not rush to get to the end. It was dangerous for Emma and the gang. But have faith as they will solve this mystery, but not with out some close calls and loss.
If you love all things that go bump in the night, then this book will be right up your ally. With spiders, wolves, psychics and crazy murderers on the loose you won’t be bored. A thriller in it’s own right this book is sure to be the perfect Halloween read!
How big is that spider?
Interesting group of characters,
including an exterminator. I feel like I could hang out with them. At times the focus is more on them than the psychics. I enjoy paranormal mysteries. This one has ghost hunting and later on a wolf. Original theme of ghost and spider connection and mass hallucinations caused by ghosts. Yeah, the spiders are creepy and possibly really big.
I liked reading about the psychics and their research into what they thought was causing problems at the house. Could it be a demon or is there a skinwalker? It was suspenseful.
I also read the first book in the series and I’d be interested in reading more of them. I’d recommend this to cozy fans who are looking for a different type of mystery.
Those who have a phobia of spiders or of the supernatural, beware! The second book in the Madam Celeste series written by Linda Anthony Hill is all sorts of creepy and will give you a good case of the heebie jeebies! Madam Celeste, Emma, and Paul too are back on the case after a friend’s daughter needs her help to find out why her childhood home has been taken over by spider webs, especially when there are other strange things that have happened that can’t be explained. Madam Celeste gives Emma the reins for this case to help her better develop her witchy abilities, but after Emma hits a wall, Madam Celeste gets involved to figure out just what in the world, or what out of this world, is going on. I really enjoy cozy mysteries with a paranormal focus, and this one kept my interest until the very end. Very engaging, lots of eerie things happening, with a wide array of interesting characters…witches, wolves, a weirdo neighbor, ghosts, psychics…all of what make up an intriguing and page-turning paranormal mystery. I love the camaraderie and mentorship between Madam Celeste and Emma, the humor in this book, and can’t wait to read the next book in this wonderful series!
I received an ARC of this book, and all comments and opinions are my own.
The Spider House by Linda Anthony Hill is the second book in her Madam Celeste Mysteries series. I have to say that for me this book is a vast improvement over the first book that I read by this author. Her first book felt a bit dry for me, and I struggled a bit to get through it, but this book is leaps and bounds better in comparison. From the beginning, the author engaged me into the storyline and had me page-turning through the mystery, the drama, and the suspense.
The author gave me a young woman looking through her old home for some things and feels something is there. There is…huge spiders that her brother let loose in the house that gradually took over after his tragic death and the mother vacating the house due to the memories attached to it. But the author shows that there is also a spiritual presence in the house, and it doesn’t like people snooping around. While this story says it is a “Madame Celeste” novel, I don’t feel that she plays a huge role in this book. The author instead chooses to focus on Emma her new apprentice. Emma takes center stage in the majority of this novel as she works on her abilities as a psychic and helping a group of friends discover what exactly is going on at this young lady’s (Cheryl) house. Emma is an interesting character and it’s nice getting to know more about her and her abilities. The mystery and suspense really drives this novel and I enjoy it very much. Now, there is a murder in this novel, but it takes time getting to it and I felt that the murder was more of a branch off/side storyline than the main focus of the novel.
While I enjoyed this book I do have to admit that there were a couple things I didn’t like. I was a bit disappointed that the story focuses so much on Emma. I was expecting more of Madam Celeste than I got since it is a “Madam Celeste” mystery and not an “apprentice Emma” mystery novel. The author drops hints here and there that Madam Celeste has quite a bit going on, but we only get glimpses of her work with clients and teases when it comes to her relationship(s). There are some editorial errors scattered throughout the book as well, but they aren’t so egregious that they are a total distraction from the storyline.
I have to admit that despite my complaints I am quite pleased with this book. I am rating it 4.5 out of 5 stars. The storyline will pull you into the book and have you page-turning as the characters work to learn about the spirits that lurk about the house, the mysterious goings-on outside around the property, and you get a touch of romance as well. For those who enjoy paranormal mysteries, this is a good book to pick up. If you love a good mystery with an unexpected twist or three then I highly recommend that you pick this book up. I look forward to reading this author again in the future.
Spiders, spider webs, spirits, seances,
strange visions, wolf prints, twisted
neighbors mix with hallucinations plus
paranormal activities presents a
challenge to Celeste (the psychic),
Emma (Celeste’s apprentice)and Paul
(their spirit helper).
When Cheryl returns to her family home
which has sat abandoned since her
father’s death, she walks into a house
full of cobwebs and spiders that seem
to change size.
What is happening? This is a case for
Madam Celeste, Emma & Paul.
Come along on an unique, out of the
ordinary adventure with an array of well
casted, intriguing, colorful, multifaceted
characters.
This was plotted with suspense, intrigue
and complexity
This is book # 2 in A Madam Celeste
Mysteries series. It can be read as a stand
alone as the writer blends the past and
present together effortlessly.
I volunteered to read The Spider House.
Thanks to the Cozy Mystery Review Crew
for the opportunity. My opinion is my voluntary
and my own.
This was such a great book! Madame Celeste and her apprentice Emma are back…they are called in to help investigate a creepy, spider-infested house. Emma takes the lead this time, and I enjoyed learning more about her and seeing her grow as a character. There is a lot more going on than immediately meets the eye in The Spider House. I liked the new characters, and how they each seemed individual enough that I had no problem keeping everyone straight. I hope that at least some of them become regulars in future investigations.
The mystery was wonderful, as well. I liked that the heroine doesn’t stumble upon a murder in the first chapter and try to solve it, as in most cozies. Instead, the group is trying to figure out what is causing the paranormal events in the house. I appreciate how this book is different from a lot of other cozies.
Also, there are A LOT of paranormal elements in this book, which is a plus. Some paranormal cozies are basically regular cozies with a small paranormal aspect, but this book really focuses on the supernatural. Highly recommended!
“The Spider House”, Book 2 in the Madame Celeste mystery series, is definitely another home run for author Linda Anthony Hill! While it is a paranormal cozy mystery, it is so much more. The typical paranormal cozy features a main character who is a witch, or psychic, or some such, but the supernatural element is fairly limited. In “The Spider House”, the fact that Madame Celeste and Emma are psychics is the key feature of the entire story. The mystery (or should I say mysteries?) was/were solved almost entirely through paranormal investigation.
Another element that makes this book unique within the cozy genre is that is brings in a nice cast of secondary characters who are ALSO key players in figuring out what is actually going on in the title house. They are a group of young fans of ghost hunter-type shows who are excited to try their hands at their own investigation when strange things begin happening at a friend’s house. The relationships among the friends, as well as between them and Madame Celeste/Emma, add an interesting element to the story.
The mystery itself is intriguing, primarily because much of it is paranormal in nature. The police don’t even get involved at all until late in the story, when something physical happens and they are contacted.
And the ending…WOW! It was surprising, while still making perfect sense given everything the reader learned throughout the book. And one element of the ending was NOT something you normally see in a cozy…I won’t say more to avoid spoilers.
All in all, this was a delightful (due to its uniqueness) and enjoyable (due to its great plot and characters) mystery. I eagerly await Book 3 to read more about Madame Celeste, Emma, and their future adventures.
Five out of five sun-warmed chunks of Gouda!