The House on Tradd Street by Karen White
Reviewed by: Dawn Dickey, library volunteer
Genre: Paranormal Fiction
Suggested Age: Adults
What is the book about?: Real estate agent Melanie Middleton had only met eccentric Nevin Vanderhorst, owner of an historic Charleston, South Carolina home, one time before he unexpectedly died, leaving his entire estate to her. The only problem? Despite specializing in selling historic old houses, Melanie despises them. She prefers new houses with less history – and fewer ghosts, because Melanie can see and hear and smell and sense the ghosts. Mr. Vanderhorst’s will stipulates that Melanie must live in the house for one year before she can sell it, and she must use inherited money from Mr. Vanderhorst’s estate to renovate the house to its former glory. With the help of her trusted friend Sophie (who knows lots about Charleston’s historic houses) and famed journalist Jack who offers to help with the renovations, Melanie reluctantly undertakes the huge task of renovating. But from the very beginning, it seems the house and its ghostly inhabitants have different ideas about Melanie living there and about the fate of the house. Let the spooky happenings begin!
My Review: I was looking for a spooky read as Halloween approaches, and The House on Tradd Street did not disappoint! There are ghostly presences, doors that mysteriously lock and unlock apparently without human intervention, displaced items that pop up where they aren’t supposed to be, life-threatening “accidents,” and much more. Tied in with the supernatural happenings is the mystery of what really happened to Mr. Vanderhhorst’s mother, who disappeared when he was a small child. I love the many layers of this book: who or what is creating the havoc at the house, what happened to the mother, and Melanie’s own estrangement from her parents. The characters are likeable, vulnerable and cranky at the same time, and the house is a character in itself! Author Karen White deftly ties the layers together and then, little by little, unknots them. These layers create suspense and make for an edge-of-your-seat, page-turning read!
Three Words That Describe This Book: ghosts, peril, romance
Give This a Try if You Like…Ghosts or the Ghost Whisperer television series; ghostly reads such as Darynda Jones’ series
Rating: 5/5
