The Haunting of Maddy Clare

I first discovered this author with the book of cold cases which was excellent. This book is even better. Loved the characters and the storytelling. Wasn't scary but a great mystery wonderfully solved by unconventional means. Everything came together in the end.

After trying and failing to get into any of the novels I've picked up recently, I decided to read something different and started 'The Haunting of Maddy Clare' which is a bit out of my norm. I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised and found this to be a fascinating debut, though it fell slightly short of perfect. Miss St. James has huge potential however, and I've already bought another of her books which I can't wait to receive. The story takes place in 1922 England and is told in the first person from the viewpoint of Sarah Piper, the heroine of said story. She is hired as a temporary assistant by Alistair Gellis, a ghost hunter and author who investigates and records the sites of supposed hauntings. The story centers around Sarah, Alistair, Matthew Ryder (the assistant who Sarah was replacing) and of course, the malevolent spirit of nineteen-year-old Maddy Clare who committed suicide. Well, I was expecting this to be a mystery but its also a bit of a romance, since there's a relationship (of sorts) between Sarah and Matthew, not to mention a love interest for Alistair. The writing and pacing were both great, and this intriguing tale pulled me in from the very beginning and held my interest throughout. I was so anxious to find out what would happen next, I literally read this book in every spare second I could find. With that being said, while I did like all three of the lead characters, I never felt truly connected to any of them for some reason. At turns chilling and creepy, but also heartbreaking when you discover what happened to a twelve-year-old Maddy, this story sucked me in. I did find the perpetrators predictable but this fact didn't ruin my enjoyment in any way. In the end it was a dark and intense read that was thoroughly captivating and one I'd definitely recommend!

I think this is my favorite Simone St. James book so far. You want creepy?! Holy heck, does this book have it! Favorites would be the scene where Sarah first goes into the barn and hears the noises six feet behind her(and OMG, Simone has set that seen up fantastically!!!) and where Maddy visits Sarah in her room in the bed (ala The Ring!). I have got to say that I gasped more than once and was definitely checking dark corners while reading this. I really enjoyed the romance in this one. The last two of her books I enjoyed it also, but there seemed to be something special here. The intensity of the feelings between Sarah and Matthew was something else. I could almost feel the sexual tension and desperate holding onto each other coming off my Kindle screen. I liked how they each balanced each other out, too. Sarah seemed like the healing factor Matthew needed after the war, and Matthew made Sarah feel attractive and worth something as a woman. Just lovely... This book is definitely one to look into if you're in the mood for a romantic, creepy story set in the 1920's. It's got emotional pull and enough thrills to keep you up late into the night. If I was going to recommend any Simone St. James novels, it'd be this one. It's just cemented my adoration for her as a writer. Onto the next when it comes out in 2015!

I,'ve always loved a good ghost story, and the premise of this one is intriguing and well written. Set in the early twentieth century just after WWI, temp worker, Sarah Piper, is interviewed and hired by handsome, personable Allistair Gellis, an author and investigator of the paranormal in need of a temporary replacement for his assistant, Matthew Ryder, who is attending to personal business. In need of funds to pay her rent, Sarah reluctantly agrees to accompany Allistair to Waringstoke, the location of his latest investigation - the man hating ghost of a servant girl who hung herself in her employer's barn - even though the idea of meeting a dead soul repulses her. The story that follows is both a ghost and detective tale, as Allistair, Sarah and Matthew attempt to piece together the mystery of the ghost named Maddie. I found the dialogue (which has been criticised by some reviewers) to be mostly in keeping with the time period, though some terms (apartment instead of flat and town instead of village are two examples that come to mind) are more American than English; but I do not believe these minor flaws detract from the story. My only criticism is more a matter of my taste regarding the sexual encounters between two of the main characters. I am not a fan of erotica, and I found the detailed descriptions (several pages worth) to be unnecessary to the story and ended up skimming past them. Fortunately there were only two instances of this, however, and I found both the plot and character development interesting enough to look past it. If you are looking for a good period mystery with a ghostly theme, this one is worth checking out.

This was a fun little read! At times it got really scary and other times really sexy. Story moves quickly.

Good book! I generally don’t love storylines based in times like 1920’s but this was fitting and I read the whole thing with proper British internal monologue😆 Spooky good read. Sundown Motel > this one for me personally, but both 4+ to 5 ⭐️ !!

4 stars for The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James I’ve been wanting to read another Simone St. James novel since enjoying The Broken Girls in October 2021 and finally made the time this year. I’m so glad I did, and again in October, as The Haunting of Maddy Clare is perfectly atmospheric for the Halloween season. Maddy Clare is a paranormal mystery, with a lonely young woman joining two paranormal investigators to discover why the ghost of a young servant is teeming with anger in a quiet, English town. The novel starts a little slow but picks up speed rapidly after the trio begins interacting with the ghost of Maddy Clare. As they work to discover who Maddy was, where she came from, and what happened to her, Sarah, Alistair, and Matthew each experience creepy encounters with Maddy that sent shivers up my spine and further increase the level of tension and suspense. The story takes place in the 1920’s, when the horrors of World War I are still fresh in the minds of the characters. This added another level of emotion to the story, as terrible death and destruction were already very much a part of their young lives. Ms. St. James is terrific at choosing the perfect words to shape her descriptions and narratives. “It seemed eerie to me, as if the world had ended and all humanity had disappeared.” established a spooky atmosphere early on, and St. James kept piling on the chills throughout. The only thing that detracted from my overall enjoyment of the novel was a sub-plot of insta-love/lust. While it’s understandable that lonely people would seek solace from each other, carrying on a passionate love affair during the midst of a frightening haunting seems irrational. I’m looking forward to reading additional novels from Simone St. James in the future and recommend The Haunting of Maddy Clare to all readers who enjoy the chills and thrills of a great ghost story.

After looking for some good ghost stories, I stumbled upon this book and gave it a shot. There is unexpected romance, plot twists, and cliff hangers. Great ghost story, I can’t wait to read more by this author!