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The Haunting is a brilliantly written book by an incredibly talented writer. This book kept enthralled and guessing until the last page. I highly recommend this read for anyone who appreciates an entertaining book written by a talented author.
5.0 out of 5 starsWell written and easy to read, watch out for the twists !
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 October 2017
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This is the forth book I have read by Raymond Hall. I don't normally go for ghost books - considering the title I think I can reveal this is a ghost tale without giving away the story! It is a very enjoyable read although grime in places. I found the story compelling and the twists very well written. I felt compelled to read the first book as it was based on an area I know well and and main character is historical linked to the area. Although we have never met, Raymond and I both grew up in this very same village; the book - Witchfinder is very much based around the village and surrounding area. I can easily identify the various locations detailed in the book. I followed this by 'The Water maiden', all three are very well written and are set in roughly the same period - Cromwell's 'Commonwealth'. They are written in the same style but are completely different. 'The Importance of Being Roger' is an altogether different black comedy tale.
I absolutely love scary movies, the suspense, the sadness, the fear, everything! But not often do you come across a writer that can encapsulate that visceral, physical fear in a book these days.
Raymond Hall really does it quite successfully though, his passages are tense and drawn out. And the context of these creepy moments is cushioned gently by an interesting storyline and realistic characters. Albeit scary, I found myself unable to stop turning, just as some are unable to turn away from a scary movie. Fantastic stuff!
Sebastian, a famous musician, has a nervous breakdown and decides to leave his old life behind and start anew. He buys an old bakery, allegedly haunted, in the middle of nowhere. He is prepared to renovate it himself, but things are not what they seem. While I love paranormal stories, this one jumped from present to past to present to past too quickly. One minute I am reading about Sebastian and Briony and I turn the page and entirely different characters are there. The characters were either black or white with no grey. They were either all evil with no redeeming features or all good. There was no real life coming from them to me they were deadpan, their actions repetetive. The story dragged on too long and I had guessed the twist at the end very early on in the book.
5.0 out of 5 starsRomance in the past and the present
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 August 2017
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Billed as a paranormal romance, this book delivers a creepy ghost story and tender romance in one excellent story. The action moves between the present and the past (the 1700’s). Raymond Hall is very strong on the detail of the harsh life lived by peasants in the 1700’s. He recounts the terrible injustices meted out to the gypsy population; many were put to death for spurious reasons and many were deported to the colonies as indentured servants. His villains are deliciously villainous – indeed there is a streak of pure evil running through some of the characters. There is an interesting juxtaposition between a doomed love story in the past and Sebastian’s falling head over heels in love with the enigmatic Briony in the present.
4.0 out of 5 starsA mix of paranormal mystery and romance
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 December 2018
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I have read several books by Raymond M. Hall and have so far thoroughly enjoyed every one. The Haunting, as the title suggests is a paranormal story but along with the eerie theme is an unusual love story. Following the journey of two sets of couples, Sebastian and Briony and Luke and Bethany you quickly discover that there is a lot to learn about these characters. All in all, I would say that you can easily get lost in this book. It is a real, and it’s not your typical love story. The Haunting is nicely written with crisp descriptions that paints a vivid picture in your mind.