Unhallowed Ground: A Novel

I thought she was fairly two dimensional and I didn't care what happened to her. She was banal and I had a hard time believing she was an intelligent researcher. I love research mysteries, and that's also where the author blew it. When the historian started reading diaries from history, the voices were so bland and modern that I didnt believe for a minute that they were people from years ago.

And of course, I hate the sex scenes. Everyone's romances were like horny teenagers. The tension between the characters was more intriguing before they slept together, and even if their affair needed to be consummated, I think it would have lent to the complexity of the story if the author had kept it behind closed doors. Trying to describe it to us just made it all the more shallow. Once again, I don't read romance novels and if I had thought that's what this was, I would have left it alone.

I picked up this book just from browsing the library shelves. The ghost story sounded so interesting, but both it and the writing were disappointing. How does this author merit half a shelf of her books at the library? Nov 24, Aparna rated it liked it. A neat blend of history and paranormal folded with romance and murder is what we see with this plot Unhallowed Ground is the eighth book in the Harrison Investigation Series by the paranormal author Heather Graham published in January of The plot is centered around Sarah McKinley - a restoration historian assigned to a mansion to restore - and Caleb Anderson - a private investigator assigned to a missing persons case.

Long before her Krewe of Hunters series My re Stars: Long before her Krewe of Hunters series My review of the books I have read in that series so far are here https: While I was reading those books I was curious to read about Adam Harrison and books that came under his series. And so the book reviews continue in this series.

Caleb Anderson, a private investigator of the Harrison Investigations, comes to St. Augustine, FL in search of a missing girl and gets sucked into another missing girl's case. Sarah McKinley recently bought a home with historical significance and is getting it restored.

Their paths cross when old bones are found in Sarah's home. Somehow the restoration opened a door into the nether world for Sarah and now she is caught in the middle of a killer's twisted mind blending the past with present. And Caleb has to do everything in his power to save Sarah from the killer as well as the haunting past.

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In this installment, Harrison Investigations is involved from the beginning of the plot as opposed to them coming on later on giving the company a more solid form rather than just being a discussion point. A more detailed explanation is also given about what the Harrison Investigations do exactly. As always we get historical tour of the different houses and places around St. Augustine in this plot, with references to a paranormal past. Sarah and Caleb form a good team in finding the truth and hunting a killer. Heather does have a slew of characters supporting the plot again. With so many characters, there would be repeat paraphrasing of having to explain a particular scene to the remaining characters.

However, it was lesser compared to some of her other books I read. She tied up all the inconsequential details in neatly towards the end of the plot as usual. Although I am surprised at the number of grammatical and sometimes character errors I see in the books as the series progresses.

Clearly who ever edits for Heather Graham isnt doing a good job. On a side note, in the copy of the book that I have, hard card inserts that gives reader an opportunity to either join a book club and win books, or buy a book and get a few free, were torn by someone who owned this book prior to me. Finally I found a book where someone used those cards for real. Another intriguing paranormal plot heavily doused on history filled with murder, mystery, romance and ghosts.

A tale that captures one easily till the end. Heather Graham talks about a serial killer in Chicago in the s who was worse than Jack the Ripper. I believe she is talking about Dr. Henry Howard Holmes or more commonly known as H. Heather Graham also talks about a haunted castle in Ireland.

That reminded me of the second book in this series, The Presence https: And naturally I looked up as to what it was. They were a series of Boradway productions in New York City between and , with renewals in and More about them here: However if I find these shows online somewhere I would love to watch, quite an intriguing story they have. Some of the classic and old films that Heather has her characters watch in the plot are: And now they are added to my list of movies to watch.

Another one of Adam Harrison's team is introduced in conversations - John, in the first book Hanuted. Will he become a main character in a future book is something we have to wait and see. In Haunted, Adam Harrison mentions that the case in London is complex and would be solved another time, hence he has come to Stoneyville to aid Darcy Tremayne. I wonder if Heather Graham would make this little tidbit into a plot for a future book in this series or the Krewe of Hunters series.

Adam Harrison is scheduled to head to London from Manhattan the following day for a case. I wonder if Heather's next plot would be in Los Angeles or London. It will be better once…" d. Oct 21, Christine Whittington rated it really liked it. It resembles an engaging Nancy Drew or Trixie Belden book for grownups. It is Book 7 in the Harrison Investigation Series, about a company whose investigators have talents for communicating with the dead and other aspects of the paranormal, often in historic settings. In "Unhallowed Ground," a group of friends, including several historians who are "Hallowed Ground" is much better than average for what it is--a paranormal bodice-ripper in an intriguing historical setting with appealing characters.

In "Unhallowed Ground," a group of friends, including several historians who are docents in a private history museum in St. Augustine, become involved with the investigation of several murdered and missing young women, and it is beginning to look like a serial killer is on the loose. Graham brings in St. Augustine and vicinity history and folklore, including stories about Chief Osceola, the Castillo, the potters field where the sinful were buried, Creole black magic, and the ritual "black drink" used by Native Americans in Florida.

This is a fun read, with a good bit of sly humor and both grisly and sexy bits. It has an over-the-top denouement.

One factor that pushed this to 4 stars for me was that it made me look up things. There really was a "black drink" and Cassadaga, Florida, still has a Spiritualist camp and is known for its psychics. It also made me want to visit St. Even better, it arouses one's curiosity. I plan to read the rest of the series. Oct 23, Susan rated it liked it Shelves: I enjoyed this book.

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2. See a Problem??
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The story was intriguing and the setting was someplace I'd like to visit one day minus the killings. It took a little while to keep all the characters straight and toward the end I had to stop reading to think for a minute who I was reading about. There are just a few minor picky things I did not like about this book.

Unhallowed Ground (Harrison Investigation, book 7) by Heather Graham

This may contain spoilers so read further at your own risk. I got tired of hearing that the house was not evil, just the people and the evil they brought. See I enjoyed this book. Seems like this phrase was used over and over again. Next is the medical examiner saying "I'm just a M.

Didn't need to keep reading that line over and again. Finally, it seems like one of the 'bad guys' was picked out of a hat. Some may say that no one had seen coming, and I agree, only because the character is very much on the peripheral of the story. That being said, all in all I did enjoy the read. Oct 24, Heather L rated it did not like it Shelves: I cannot, in all good consciousness, give this book a high rating. I have read others by this author and under this publisher, and liked what I read. I was intrigued by the premise. The prologue pulled me in. But then you couldn't go five pages without an editing error smacking you in the face and pulling you out of the story.

The poor editing or in this case, apparent lack thereof that has, unfortunately, become synonymous with certain publishers these days is my bigges I cannot, in all good consciousness, give this book a high rating. The poor editing or in this case, apparent lack thereof that has, unfortunately, become synonymous with certain publishers these days is my biggest reading peeve. I have never been so angry and disappointed with a book from this author or publisher and, as a consumer, feel cheated.

When I shell out money for a product -- any product -- I expect quality. In this latest offering, the hero is actually an investigator of Harrison Investigation who doesn't believe in ghosts, until he sees a ghost that looks exactly like himself. Although I like a mystery that keeps the reader guessing until the very end, I do have a criticism about this series on the eventual revelation of the killer s. Which to me, is just unbelievable and a bit sad. Oct 21, Shannon rated it liked it Shelves: This book was actually pretty good, I didn't guess who "done it" right away.

The only complaint I have is that the ending was wrapped up way to quickly, some parts of the story were left unanswered and there was no real follow-up. Sep 12, Kimberly rated it it was amazing. I picked this book up on a trip to Orlando. I had no idea it was book number 7, and have yet to read the others. But, even late into the series, I very much enjoyed this book. Sep 21, Renee rated it it was ok. Mostly enjoyable ghost story set in the spooky witchy voodoo Deep South, but only if you leave your brain at the door.

There's so much cliche, an ending that is entirely implausible, and so many loose ends that remain unexplained, e. Was it a zombie? What happened to Mr Griffin's daughter who disappeared? Were the bodies in the wall all corpses of young women? The romance was pretty corny too. But if you don't mind this stuff, you'll like this book. Unhallowed Ground Sarah comes back to the small town where she was raised to help Caroline's parents with the history museum they ran.

A bunch of her friends and her cousin worked with her. But what she came back k for the most was a historical old home that she always considered her dream home was on market to buy. While there she met Caleb Anderson, who worked for Adam Harrison. He was there looking for a missing young woman. I love the history that Heather Graham puts in all her novels. It rea Unhallowed Ground Sarah comes back to the small town where she was raised to help Caroline's parents with the history museum they ran.

It really enjoyable learning about it all! I thought the book was great. It kept my attention all the way through, by allowing me to propose my own questions within the dialogue I kept in my head, as I read. I truly felt the author brought her own version of the past alive and it did more than just conjure up an exotic backdrop for the coexisting modern day story. Sep 13, Ingrid Stephens rated it really liked it. I love a good horror story, the bloodier the better.

But sometimes nothing satisfies like a well written ghost story, and that is exactly what "Unhallowed Ground" is. A haunted house, restless ghost, a serial killer on the loose and just as an added, treat some real history for your edification. It seems this was book 7 in a series so I NEED to go find the rest of this very enjoyable series and start from the begining. Nov 26, RaMarie Acker rated it it was amazing. This book has a real surprise ending But in all seriousness, this book is great. My daughter picked this out for me knowing I love mysteries, but she had no idea I would like it so much.

It will keep you guessing til the end. But I guarantee you, you won't see the answer coming. Enjoy reading this book! Jan 28, Jamey Mast rated it really liked it. Would have been more enjoyable if it had not had so many errors in the script. Overall though it had a fast paced plot and keeps you on your toes.

I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the rest of her books. Oct 14, Michelle rated it really liked it. This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Best Heather Graham I have read so far. Oct 23, Lori rated it it was amazing. Heather Graham delivers yet another chilling suspense novel filled with twists and turns on every page! I love that her books are filled with true historical facts. This book kept me on the edge of my seat. I thought I had the murderer figured out, but I was so surprised by the ending! Oct 02, Heather rated it it was amazing.

Picked this up at a thrift store for a slow day at work, and was not able to put it down. Will read more Heather Graham in the future, light and easy reading that keeps you turning the page.

Unhallowed Ground

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Georgie sees a mysterious and threatening stranger, who runs away when Georgie approaches; Chad Cramer turns nasty; Donna begins to cling to Georgie; Mrs. Buckpit is openly hostile; and Georgie continues to be haunted by the child who was under her care and died, and by the thought of the child's father in prison now.

As the summer ends, the countryside begins to turn savage and threatening, and now real terror creeps in. Georgie's beloved dog is stolen, her attempt at painting is livened up with splashes of blood, an intruder stares into her cottage at night with a baleful eye Finally, step by step, the horror increases to Psycho level as a snowstorm isolates the village and cuts Georgie off from the world -- leaving her at the mercy of a killer whose identity she can't even guess as the ax descends on her Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Want to Read saving…. Want to Read Currently Reading Read. Refresh and try again. Open Preview See a Problem? Thanks for telling us about the problem. Return to Book Page. Preview — Unhallowed Ground by Gillian White. Unhallowed Ground by Gillian White. Like a combination of Cold Comfort Farm and Psycho, Gillian White's brilliant new novel begins very quietly, almost romantically, then builds inexorably to nearly unbearable suspense. Georgie is a London social worker in Like a combination of Cold Comfort Farm and Psycho, Gillian White's brilliant new novel begins very quietly, almost romantically, then builds inexorably to nearly unbearable suspense.

Paperback , pages. Published November 9th by Corgi Adult first published January 1st To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about Unhallowed Ground , please sign up. Lists with This Book. This book is not yet featured on Listopia. Jan 03, Gemma added it. This is indeed a very slow-burn of a book! As does the storyline. All of this has been said before in previous reviews but the e What the?!?!

All of this has been said before in previous reviews but the ending is rushed and unsatisfactory. Feb 21, Charlie rated it liked it Shelves: I decided to clip and snip it. I'm hoping the final released copy will be shaped up into something more eye-catching. I'm not a fan of the long-winded, detailed back cover. I suppose some readers enjoy this, but in my opinion, it gives too much away. Honestly, after reading the cliff notes, why bother to read the book?

So, I did a little editing to give you a taste. Putting that aside, Unhallowed Ground by Gillian White is a tale that creeps along climaxing in horror. The chills are slow-growing and the eeriness builds over the pages. The cast is packed full of weird English people that all seem like probable suspects. Likely, you won't figure out the culprit until the end simply because you're never introduced or given the opportunity to put them on the list. The person is unknown not only to the main character, but also the reader. Withholding is a tactic, and it isn't too bad in this case, but the reveal and sudden ending happens so quickly that it might be a bit hard to digest.

Considering the tension and attentive detailing throughout the entire book, I was somewhat flustered when the final curtain dropped. Thematically, there is a lot going on including: The psychological character development is outstanding. Setting detail and tension building are excellently crafted. My only gripe is the whodunnit twist and final outcome.

To make this story truly great, Unhallowed Ground needed to drop a line and tie in the hook better for a more powerful and thematically relevant ending. Otherwise, why do all the work during the set up if it's just going to turn into a plot driven action at the end? The cast of oddballs are all provided with background for their traits and behaviors, which are readily revealed throughout the story. Well, all except for two, and they just happen to be the trigger and suspect.

Sep 09, Laura Garner rated it it was ok. Started out interesting despite stylistic weirdness inconsistent tense drove me nuts , then devolved into God knows what. It read as if multiple writers contributed not just chapters, but paragraphs. On a single page we go from gore to romance to flatulent dogs.

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I'm still shaking my head. Oct 29, Plum-crazy rated it liked it. So having enjoyed the book on the whole the ending left me somewhat unsatisfied Jun 15, Andrew Armour rated it liked it. With tons of thrillers littering the shelves it hard to know what to pick up. So I was given this book from my mother after she read it years ago, so that took the strain out of searching for some decent material.

What first comes to light in this is that parts of the story are very similar to the real life Sharon Shoesmith welfare worker, who was suspended then permanently expelled from her employment after her and her team failed after numerous visits to curb the abuse of a toddler and this re With tons of thrillers littering the shelves it hard to know what to pick up. What first comes to light in this is that parts of the story are very similar to the real life Sharon Shoesmith welfare worker, who was suspended then permanently expelled from her employment after her and her team failed after numerous visits to curb the abuse of a toddler and this resulted in the child's death.

The media whipped up a frenzy about how inept her department were, and now she just like the character Georgie shares quite a bit of life experiences from both their professional failures. That where the familiarity parts way and Georgie leaves her home after threatening incidences and media pressure. She inherits a skanky old cottage in a remote part of South West U. During her new start, the small odd ball assortment of locals don't make settling in easy. A few of her friends visit along with a kind of part time boyfriend, who she seems to be with mainly to get him to help out with chores, before sending him on his way with half a packet of crisps and a hand shandy.

Then it's the hard long winter to look forward to, and this is where this book slowly takes grip of it's reader. She sees a shadowy figure staring in at her home from the hills, an eye peering at her from her in a crack in the wood shed roof, and her only companion her pet dog goes missing. This begins to feels a little like perhaps the Shining. I was constantly guessing whilst reading this, that the reason to what was happening was the result of stress suffered from the breakdown of her career.

Then the figure she was seeing around hills near her house could be the work of the supernatural. Further reading then made me then think she was being stalked by a hater who had followed her down from London, the very town where she had fled to escape the press intrusion and public backlash, or was it one of the neighbors who didn't like the presence of her coupled with the fact she was an out of towner.

Or had the isolation started playing trick on her eyes and memory. Yes it one of those keeps you guessing, and prompting the reader to think a certain way, then later on another. The result is a pleasing mix, and one that I would whole heartily recommend. If your expecting big things from this book then this is maybe not for you, but what we have here is a subtle edgy little smalltime novel.

No pretentious winged beasts flying around the countryside, no slash and stalk either, or conspiracy theories. Pick up and read, sometimes less, but not too little is sometimes definitely more. Feb 20, Leah rated it really liked it Shelves: So when she unexpectedly inherits a cottage in a tiny hamlet on Dartmoor it seems an ideal place to escape to for a few months — until she meets the strange and mostly unfriendly neighbours, that is.

• Unhallowed Ground (Harrison Investigation, #7) by Heather Graham.
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• Biotechnology of Fungal Genes.

White handles prose with originality and control, and in Georgie she creates a completely believable character, flawed, yes Guilt and fear For the first half of the book, White cuts between the present and the past, letting us see the events that have brought Georgie to this place and this state of mind. As winter comes and the snow starts to fall, Georgie is trapped in the cottage and alone… For the most part, I thought this was a first-rate slow-burn psychological thriller that kept me hooked and on edge.

NB This review is of a proof copy provided by the publisher. Mar 22, Leanne Kale sparks rated it liked it. This story had a great many twists and turns, most dealing with the history and experiences of the main character, Georgie. Her life was a series of mysteries that are not fully known to the reader until the very end of the book. The cast of characters she meets are interesting, and I felt I knew every one of them from my own life. Gillian White is able to paint a vivid picture of Furze Pen This story had a great many twists and turns, most dealing with the history and experiences of the main character, Georgie.

Gillian White is able to paint a vivid picture of Furze Pen Cottage, down to the damp cold winter in the lonely hollow. I could see the gross, moldy shower, and feel the cold wind coming in through every crack.