The Shakespeare Curse

by
Jennifer Lee Carrell

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The Shakespeare Curse (Kate Stanley #2)

by Jennifer Lee Carrell (Goodreads Author)

3.42 · rating details · 506 ratings · 144 reviews

The modern heroine of the national bestseller Interred with Their Bones returns, in a thriller centering on Shakespeare’s eeriest play.

A legendary theatrical curse . . . A rune-engraved blade, a mysterious mirror, and an ancient cauldron . . . And a ritually murdered body laid out in the manner of ancient pagan burials.

Kate Stanley, Jennifer Lee Carrell’s dauntless Shakes...moreThe modern heroine of the national bestseller Interred with Their Bones returns, in a thriller centering on Shakespeare’s eeriest play.

A legendary theatrical curse . . . A rune-engraved blade, a mysterious mirror, and an ancient cauldron . . . And a ritually murdered body laid out in the manner of ancient pagan burials.

Kate Stanley, Jennifer Lee Carrell’s dauntless Shakespearean scholarturned- director, made a memorable—and New York Times bestselling— debut in Interred with Their Bones. Having chased down her mentor’s killer (and recovering one of Shakespeare’s lost plays in the process), Kate’s fame as a director with an expertise in “occult Shakespeare” catapults her—and Ben Pearl, her partner in crime-solving—into a new production of Macbeth, showcasing a fabled collection of objects relating both to the play and the historical Scottish king for whom it is named.

The Bard’s witch-haunted play is famously cursed, its reputation for malevolence so strong that many actors refuse to quote or even name the play aloud. And as rehearsals begin at the foot of Scotland’s Dunsinnan Hill, it doesn’t take long for the curse to stir. Strange references to the boy actor who first played Lady Macbeth in Shakespeare’s day—and died in the role—pop up. A trench atop Dunsinnan Hill is found filled with blood, and a severed human thumb turns up among the props. And Kate begins sleepwalking, waking early one morning alone atop the hill, her hands smeared with blood.

Kate has no memory of how she got there, but later that day a local woman is found dead on the hill in circumstances that suggest not just ritual murder but ancient pagan sacrifice. With the police more focused on Kate as a suspect than as a possible future victim, she and Ben find themselves in a desperate race to discover a lost version of Macbeth, said to contain rituals of witchcraft aimed at conjuring demonic forces to gain forbidden knowledge. However much Kate would like to dismiss such rituals as superstition, someone else appears willing to kill for them—and for the manuscript said to spell them out.

Marked for sacrifice, can Kate Stanley uncover the killer before she becomes the next victim?(less)

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May 12, 2010

LJ rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 1600s, amateur_sleuth, contemporary_post_1945, england, female_author, mystery, new_york_state, shakespeare_theme, suspense

First Sentence: Wrapped in a gown of blue-green velvet trimmed with gold, a queen’s crown on his head, the boy sat drowsing on the throne near the center of the Great Hall, just at the edge of the light.

Shakespeare scholar turned stage director Kate Stanley has been asked to meet Lady Nairn, formerly actress Janet Douglas. Lady Nairn wants Kate to direct a new production of the Scottish play incorporating the collection of valuable artifacts linked to the play collected by her la...moreFirst Sentence: Wrapped in a gown of blue-green velvet trimmed with gold, a queen’s crown on his head, the boy sat drowsing on the throne near the center of the Great Hall, just at the edge of the light.

Shakespeare scholar turned stage director Kate Stanley has been asked to meet Lady Nairn, formerly actress Janet Douglas. Lady Nairn wants Kate to direct a new production of the Scottish play incorporating the collection of valuable artifacts linked to the play collected by her late husband. The play, and Shakespeare’s talent, has always been linked to the occult, including rumors of a still-existing first version of the play which includes actual magical spells. Theater, the occult, kidnapping and murder have Kate on the run to save another’s life as well as her own.

Ms. Carrell’s very compelling opening is set in 1606 and creates an immediate atmosphere of suspense. While most of the story takes place in the present, the scenes in the past provide historic detail important to the story. Ms. Carrell’s level of knowledge and research done on all the subjects is clear and appreciated.

If anything, other than the protagonist, the details are inclined to overwhelm the characters. This would normally be a very big deal but here, I didn’t actually mind. Her protagonist, Kate, is both someone you’d like to be, but not. She’s smart, tough and independent, but vulnerable and does have her own TSTL (too stupid to live) moment. Each of the other characters was distinct enough never to be confusing. A couple of the secondary characters were ones to whom I felt particularly attached. For me, having that empathy is critical.

Ms. Carrell has a wonderful narrative voice with evocative descriptions--“…her face lined with the fine-china crackling of very fair skin in old age.”--which captivates and carries you off into the story. Whether in the past or present, the scenes were wonderfully, sometimes gruesomely, visual. Carrell expertly walked that fine line between making the reader want to be there, and happy they were not.

There is a Dan Brown-ish aspect to the plot in that the last part of the book is a race against time, looking for a secret item, but this felt more possible to me. Yes, there was one rather large hole in the plot and rather too many coincidences, but it was also suspenseful; exciting and fascinating with a huge edge-of-the-seat grip to it.

I’m not certain this book would appeal to everyone. Because it is so information focused, some might find the historical and non-character background slows the pace of the story. However, for those with some knowledge and love of English history, occult, mythology, Shakespeare, this is a very good, very exciting read.

HAUNT ME STILL (Amateur Sleuth-Kate Stanley-Scotland-Cont) – VG+
Carrell, Jennifer Lee – 2nd in series
Dutton, ©2010, US Hardcover – ISBN: 9780525950776

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Jun 13, 2011

Jeane rated it

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Kate is a Shakespeare lover/specialist which is being called to Scotland to help directing a play based on a Shakespeare story. That is the reason she is being asked to come from London to Scotland but as she will soon find out it isn't that easy and might not even be te main thing she will be doing there. From the castle she will be staying there is 'the hill' where nobody should go alone. Everywhere there is 'Shakespeare's curse'. For Kate to find what she needs to be able to help Lady Nairn w...more

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Mar 10, 2010

Zephfire rated it

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This is the sequel to "The Shakespeare secret" but you needn't have read the first to appreciate this book, it is a sequel in the sense that it is the continuing story of events that centre around the character of Kate Stanley who was introduced in the first book. This book follows the events that unfurl as Kate is asked to direct a 400th anniversary production of the famously cursed Shakespeare play Macbeth in Scotland. There's a kidnapping, murder, mystery, ghosts, secrets, lies, an...more

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Jan 13, 2011

Gabrielle rated it

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Synopsis:
The Bard’s witch-haunted play is famously cursed—its reputation for malevolence is strong that many actors refuse to quote or even mane the play aloud. And as Kate Stanley begins rehearsals at the foot of Scotland’s Dunsinnan Hill, it doesn’t take long for the curse to stir. Strange references emerge to the boy actor who first played Lady Macbeth in Shakespeare’s day and died in the role. A trench atop the hill is found filled with blood shortly after some of the actors go missin...moreSynopsis:
The Bard’s witch-haunted play is famously cursed—its reputation for malevolence is strong that many actors refuse to quote or even mane the play aloud. And as Kate Stanley begins rehearsals at the foot of Scotland’s Dunsinnan Hill, it doesn’t take long for the curse to stir. Strange references emerge to the boy actor who first played Lady Macbeth in Shakespeare’s day and died in the role. A trench atop the hill is found filled with blood shortly after some of the actors go missing. And a mysterious tarot card leads Kate into the woods, where she finds a local woman dead in circumstances that suggest not just ritual murder, but ancient pagan sacrifice.
With Kate marked as both suspect and future victim she and Ben Pearl, the man who saved her life as she chased Shakespeare’s lost play, find themselves in a desperate chace to discover a dangerous version of Macbeth said to contain actual rituals of witchcraft and forbidden knowledge. However much Kate would like to dismiss such rituals as superstition, someone else appears willing to kill for them—and for the cursed manuscript said to be Shakespeare’s darkest secret.

Review: 3.5 out of 5
I picked up this book out of pure curiosity. I enjoy reading Shakespeare so I was interested to see what this book had to offer. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. By the time I finished the last page I was still unsure if I had enjoyed the book or not.
The synopsis is painfully straight forward. Kate Stanley, our protagonist gets sucked into a bizarre twist of events that ends up with blood on her hands…literally. Shy must find the lost manuscript of Macbeth that is said to have secret rituals of witchcraft in order to save an innocent teenaged girl’s life. This manuscript was supposed to have been used in early shows of Macbeth where the reading of the manuscript supposedly brought real unearthly demons to the stage.
We follow Kate on a wild goose chase to try and find the missing play. As you turn the pages you are given murder, deceit and juvenile stubbornness. All of these emotions seemed to be overdone. For example when the first character was murdered the whole scene seemed to be obnoxiously overdone. It was quite annoying every single time something happened; Kate replayed it countless times in her head. There were also character that were thrown into the plot almost haphazardly that play an important role in the plot.
I wasn’t too keen on Kate. There were times were I felt that she was just “there”. Her purpose seemed to be just to find the original manuscript. Granted, she was chosen to be the director of a version of Macbeth, but I feel that she was out of place with all of the chaos that is going on in the book. And in some cases I found her a bit whiney.
By the end of the book I was left with some unanswered questions about some events that happened in the beginning of the novel. I didn’t quite understand why there were interludes that were set in Shakespeare’s time. I felt as though those scenes were out of place in the book. All in all I gave this book 3.5 out of 5 because I couldn’t decide whether or not I liked the novel or not. There were some interesting parts, but I didn’t feel that I needed to keep reading to find out what was going on.
Happy reading!
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Oct 07, 2010

Kate (VerbVixen) rated it

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Haunt Me Still- Jennifer Lee Carrell

OK let me preface this review by saying if you haven't read her first book, Interred with their Bones you need to go read it. Like right now. No, seriously, go get it. It's about the search for Shakespeare's lost Cardenio.

Jennifer Lee Carrell is utterly brilliant as a writer with plot twists you never see coming. I mean, we're talking way better than Dan Brown since the subject of her books is occult Shakespeare not conspiracy theo...more

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Aug 18, 2010

Bettie rated it

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Shelves: published-2010, summer-2010, mystery-thriller, willsphernalia, books-about-books-and-book-shops, historical-fiction, gothic, britain-scotland, witches-and-wizards

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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blurb - A legendary theatrical curse...
A rune-engraved blade, a mysterious mirror, and an ancient cauldron...
And a ritually murdered body laid out in the manner of ancient pagan burials.

Kate Stanley, Jennifer Lee Carrell's dauntless Shakespearean scholar- turned-director, made a memorable-and New York Times bestselling-debut in Interred with Their Bones. Having chased down her mother's killer (and recovering one of Shakespeare's lost plays in the process), Kate's fame as a director with an expertise in "occult Shakespeare" catapults her-and Ben Pearl, her partner in crime- solving-into a new production of Macbeth, showcasing a fabled collection of objects relating both to the play and the historical Scottish king for whom it is named.

The Bard's darkest play is famously cursed, its reputation for malevolence so strong that many actors refuse to quote or even name the play aloud. And as rehearsals begin at the foot of Scotland's Dunsinnan Hill, it doesn't take long for the curse to stir. Strange references to the boy actor who first played Lady Macbeth in Shakespeare's day-and died in the role-pop up. A trench atop Dunsinnan Hill is found filled with blood, and a severed human thumb turns up among the props. And Kate begins sleepwalking, waking early one morning alone atop the hill, her hands smeared in blood.

Kate has no memory of how she got there, but later that day a local woman is found dead on the hill in circumstances that suggest not just ritual murder but ancient pagan sacrifice. With the police more focused on Kate as a suspect than as a possible future victim, she and Ben find themselves in a desperate race to discover a lost version of Macbeth, said to contain rituals of witchcraft aimed at conjuring demonic forces to gain forbidden knowledge. However much Kate would like to dismiss such rituals as superstition, someone else appears willing to kill for them-and for the manuscript said to spell them out.

Entirely unbelievable.(less)

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Aug 08, 2010

Carmaletta Hilton rated it

· review of another edition

It was okay. The book kept me interested, though the beginning was slow. Once I got about 100 pages in, though, I found myself becoming more engaged. I did find myself annoyed with the number of times something "rippled" in the story, though. I found myself actually stopping and saying, "Please, learn another word." I just read that word in another book and actually winced.

The occult stuff was interesting, especially the way the author went about it. The s...more

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Apr 24, 2010

Delia rated it

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As Kate Stanley begins directing rehearsals for Macbeth at the foot of Scotland’s Dunsinnan Hill, it doesn’t take long for the legendary curse on Shakespeare’s evil-ridden play to stir. Strange references emerge to the boy actor who first played Lady Macbeth in Shakespeare’s day and died in the role. A trench atop the hill is found filled with blood shortly after some of the actors go missing. And a mysterious tarot card leads Kate into the woods where she finds a local woman dead in circumstanc...more

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Oct 24, 2010

Jessica rated it

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Shelves: first-reads, thrillers-and-mysteries

I won this book on goodreads... I enjoyed aspects of the story, and the author has clearly done her homework for this book- The mystery of the Shakespeare/Macbeth curse and the use of Wicca to tie it into the present time was a unique and creative approach to the "whodunnit" genre. I tired of the repetitive quoting of the play and the constant reiterations of the meaning behind the sought after objects, however, and felt that the story could have been told in 100 or so fewer pages. The...more

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Jul 10, 2010

Jennifer rated it

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Shelves: contemporary, thriller

Before I review, a disclaimer - Macbeth is pretty much my favorite Shakespeare play, and since Dunnett's take on the real Macbeth, King Hereafter, is one of my favorite all-time books, it's safe to assume that I will like anything to do with that story.
Had this book been about any other play, it probably would have been a three, but the historical and cultural elements of Macbeth put it into the 4-star range for me. I could have done without so much of the supernatural, Wiccan-like religio...more

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Aug 14, 2011

Michelle rated it

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This is a sequel to Interred With Their Bones. Kate has been offered a mysterious commission by the Lady Nairn to direct "the Scottish play" using some unique props at the ancestral home. She also tells Kate of a rumored manuscript of the play that incorporated magical rites. She warns Kate about not going alone to the nearby hill. Kate, unable to resist, sees a disturbing sight of Lady Nairn's niece, murdered. Escaping from the hill, she runs into Ben Pearl, her former lover, and secu...more

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Aug 02, 2011

Margo rated it

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I really loved this book. The second in a series of mystery/thrillers based on lost Shakespeare plays (the first, Interred With Their Bones, was fast-paced and entertaining, but sometimes seemed a bit contrived,)this book takes place in Scotland at Dunsinane. A rich and eccentric Shakespearian actress asks Kate to come and stage a production of MacBeth and warns her not to go up on the hill behind the house alone. Of course Kate does and that is the start of an journey to locate a lost version ...more

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Aug 01, 2011

Stacie rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: shakespeare-related, 2011

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Well, I'm not quite sure how to feel about this book. Half of me liked it. Half of me didn't. I felt the exact same way with Carrell's first book with Kate Stanley, "Interred with Their Bones." In both books, the plot seems kind of overly comlicated and is often times a tad difficult to follow, even when paying absolute attention.

So what exactly did I like about this book: as with "Interred with Their Bones," the first half of "Haunt Me Still" was what c...moreWell, I'm not quite sure how to feel about this book. Half of me liked it. Half of me didn't. I felt the exact same way with Carrell's first book with Kate Stanley, "Interred with Their Bones." In both books, the plot seems kind of overly comlicated and is often times a tad difficult to follow, even when paying absolute attention.

So what exactly did I like about this book: as with "Interred with Their Bones," the first half of "Haunt Me Still" was what caught me. I loved the idea of Kate directing MacBeth out in the middle of Scotland. I loved the setup with all the characters and the idea of witchcraft. The plot still captured me even after the first two murders. But it's somewhere after the murders that I seem to kind of take a step back: Carrell did such a fantastic job setting up the first half of the novel, but then once Kate in on the run with Eircheard, that seems to be when the novel suddenly gets a bit too confusing as lots of elements of the past are brought up. Sometimes it felt like Carrell was just trying to throw as many facts as she could into the reader's face. I mean, some interesting facts are great (some things I didn't know about), but sometimes enough is enough.

I do think the idea of Shakespeare having wrote an alternate version of MacBeth where the witches played a bigger role and where the spells and rituals were actually considered real, was interesting.

The ending of the book felt somewhat anticlimatic. I wasn't expecing the Joanna character shift (I actually suspected Lady Nairn). But the Ian character seemed vastly underused. And the whole plot seemed to be nicely wrapped up.

The book still has some great moments, despite some of my confusion and somewhat boredom near the end. Kate's an interesting intelligent woman who loves Shakespeare. She's not the damsel in distress (though Ben does seem to come out of nowhere in both books and rescue her conveniently). And overall the premise of the book was fascinating. I just think some of the plot was heavy handed and didn't contribute much.(less)

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Jul 25, 2010

Caitlin rated it

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Shelves: 2010

The first play I remember seeing was Waiting for Godot, but the next was Midsummer Night's Dream. The Godot was utterly simple (as it should be) - just some guys in a blackbox theatre with some stools. I remember clearly how funny it was. The Shakespeare was performed as part of a college festival and we followed the scenes about the campus as they were performed in various locations suitable to the play. I fell in love with it and it remains one of my favorites.

I spent a goodly ...more

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Aug 09, 2010

Robin rated it

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Shelves: books-in-10

I really wanted to like this book. But honestly, it ran about 8000 words too long and by the end I didn't care what happened to any of the characters. I also didn't care what had happened alternately two hundred and four hundred years in the past, although presumably most of those characters have the decency to be dead now.
if someone can tell me what that stupid chapter about flying to New York and back was about, I'd be glad to hear it.
I'm only going to recommend this book if you j...more

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Aug 01, 2010

Elizabeth rated it

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I really enjoyed Haunt Me Still. The mystery centers around Shakespeare's Macbeth, and for a Shakespeare nerd like me, that's one of the best parts of the novel. The book is filled with mystery, suspense, and danger. I found the twists and turns in this book thrilling, and I couldn't wait to discover the truth behind it all.

That being said, the book wasn't perfect. The main story is interrupted by "interludes" from the past that, for me, make things more confusing. They're ...more

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Jul 09, 2010

Elizabeth (Miss Eliza) rated it

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Shelves: 2010_challenge_thriller_and_suspens, mystery

Kate Stanley has been summoned by The Lady of a remote Scottish Castle. Situated at the foot of Dunsinnan Hill of Macbeth notoriety, any theater director given half a chance to visit Dunsinnan Castle would leap at the opportunity to visit and meet it's inhabitants. Lady Nairn has become recluse in her later years and invites are rare. Once the great screen actress Janet Douglas she, like Grace Kelly, fell in love with nobility and gave up her old life for a new one. Though she never did forget h...moreKate Stanley has been summoned by The Lady of a remote Scottish Castle. Situated at the foot of Dunsinnan Hill of Macbeth notoriety, any theater director given half a chance to visit Dunsinnan Castle would leap at the opportunity to visit and meet it's inhabitants. Lady Nairn has become recluse in her later years and invites are rare. Once the great screen actress Janet Douglas she, like Grace Kelly, fell in love with nobility and gave up her old life for a new one. Though she never did forget her roots. Lady Nairn was famous for her portrayal of Lady Macbeth and her and her husband have spent their life collecting the rarest of the rare in Macbeth memorabilia. Recently her husband died suddenly with the final words: "Dunsinnan must go to Birnam Wood." A reversal of Shakespeare's Macbeth, making it all the more puzzling. Lady Nairn informs Kate of her plan to do a one time only production of Macbeth in Hampton Court utilizing her collection and hoping that Kate would do the honors of directing. Of course any director who knows anything about Shakespeare knows the history of Macbeth is dark and twisted with death and disaster following in it's wake. There are rumors that the scene with the witches as it now exists is not how Shakespeare wrote it. Perhaps what he wrote was not imagined at all, but a real ceremony he witnessed which lead to the curse.

Wherever the truth lies one thing is certain, once Kate accepts the job things start to go rather odd. Despite Lady Nairn's warnings Kate spends the next day up the Hill, alone. Once there Kate falls asleep and sees quite vividly Lady Nairn's granddaughter trussed up with ribbons and quite clearly dead. She also finds a very old dagger in very good condition. Rushing back to the house she stumbles upon the arriving actors, ready for rehearsals, along with her ex, Ben Pearl, who Lady Nairn hired for personal security. But stranger still, she finds Lily alive and well. Nothing is making any sense to Kate and tensions are high at the dinner party. The next morning the first death occurs, followed shortly by a second death, with the victim, Sybilla Fraser, trussed up as Kate thought she saw Lily, along with Lily's disappearance. Lady Nairn believes it to be her ex, Lucas, a cruel and manipulative director who is not above murder behind this. What follows is Kate jumping through the hurtles Lucas has set up in an effort to save Lily but find the true manuscript, the true magic that lies in Macbeth and that has cursed the play for centuries.

This book is a wonderful "what if" delving into not only the magic and mysticism, as well as the curse, that surrounds Macbeth, but all that surrounds Shakespeare as well. How else, besides magic, can you explain his rocketing to fame? From historical facts about riots in New York to more fantastical ideas surrounding John Dee and his occultism, anyone from a theater buff to a history buff should devour this book. Being at one time involved in the theatre myself, it's a compelling look into the history and development of the theatre as well as into the superstitious mentality of those artistic types who are drawn to the stage. Also the artifacts and theatrical detritus that Lady Nairn has collected over the years is fascinating in and of itself. The description of the beetle gown worn by Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth and as painted by John Singer Sargeant lead me to search out the picture to marvel at that which is true in the book.

I loved this book. It's only flaw was at times with all the running too and fro it felt a bit too "Da Vinci Code" for me. But once at the too or fro, the dialogue took it far away from any such comparison. But my favorite aspect was the relationship of Lady Nairn to Lucas. She was his muse. Their relationship has more than a hint of the Grace Kelly, Alfred Hitchcock about it. With both actresses marrying and ending their careers and the directors never being quite the same again. Only I would liken Lucas's actions more to the sadistic qualities of the John Huston camp and his connections to Man Ray and the Black Dahlia murder, than I would to Hitchcock. But the vast influences on this book from stage and screen only lead it to be more multi layered and complex, making it a satisfying read, especially to those in the know. I would also like to thank Dutton for sending me this book, I would never have picked it up and I would have missed out on a wonderful book.
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Apr 10, 2010

Bridget rated it

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Kate and her cohort, Ben, are working on a play, Macbeth with their own twist. A lot of actors won't touch this play because of it's history. Some won't even speak it's name. Kate starts to find herself in different places with no recollection of how she got there. When people start dying and the deaths look like a part of a pagan ritual, Kate is forced to believe in the curse. She and Ben set out to find a long lost version of this play that holds the answers they seek.

I love a good...more

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Sep 08, 2010

Allyson rated it

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If I didn’t always feel guilty about stopping a book once I’ve started, I probably would have stopped reading this one half way through. It’s not that Carrell isn’t a good storyteller; it’s that she didn’t consider her audience when writing this book. In order to appreciate this book in its totality, I think you would have to be a Shakespeare scholar and know every detail about his life and the British history surrounding Queen Elizabeth, Mary, Queen of Scots, and so forth. I know a fair amount ...more

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Nov 13, 2010

Alan rated it

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Shelves: thriller

The second in the series where Kate Stanley is called upon to solve a mystery relating to William Shakespeare and what he may,or may not have written.
It's a book that's maybe almost more thriller than mystery. It's also a book which may be more loved by those who love Shakespeare than by those who just like him. This one is about Macbeth, specifically about the witches "Double, double toil and trouble, Fire burn and cauldron bubble." and whether or not the section with the witche...more

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Oct 23, 2010

Lauren Fidler rated it

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Shelves: books-i-can-read-in-under-3-hours, mindroterrific, predictable-villain, shakespeare, macbethy

I remember, after reading Carrell's first efforts, how torn I felt on rating the novel. I am having similar issues with the second. I enjoyed the book, and thankfully, she did not feel enslaved to the "Five Acts" set up of her first book, but again there was a disconnect between the flashback and the present day that was reconciled but left me wondering if the older story was entirely necessary.

The Fair:

1. I am a Macbeth enthusiast - I teach it at least 2x every ye...moreI remember, after reading Carrell's first efforts, how torn I felt on rating the novel. I am having similar issues with the second. I enjoyed the book, and thankfully, she did not feel enslaved to the "Five Acts" set up of her first book, but again there was a disconnect between the flashback and the present day that was reconciled but left me wondering if the older story was entirely necessary.

The Fair:

1. I am a Macbeth enthusiast - I teach it at least 2x every year and every year I see something new in it to discuss. I love that someone is able to take Shakespeare into the realm of historically-charged mystery and make the myths surrounding the play accessible to audiences who probably hated Shakespeare in high school.
2. The early chapters in particular are extremely good at setting mood/tone/pacing
3. Kate feels a little more human in this sequel; looking at Kate as a woman who essentially throws herself into a mystery as a "rebound relationship" is an interesting concept and one that works considering how intellectual Kate is.
4. The warning about crackpot academics is entertaining...particularly to someone who warns her students about the dangers of using personal websites in academic research

The Foul:

1. Ben - I loved Ben the first time around. Here, he was a distant figure conveniently present whenever Kate needed to get bailed out or needed a knife-to-the-heart reminder of their failed relationship. He comes across like a pigheaded shadow here; I miss the old Ben.
2. The villain - my biggest complaint with Carrell is her need to invoke the most predictable mystery contrivances when dealing with villains. In the first, she rips off The Da Vinci Code. Here, it's a little bit Shutter Island, a little bit Agatha Christie. Either way, I knew right away what I was dealing with and again wished Kate had been a little bit smarter and done a little more research.
3. Lily - Oh. Swete. Jesu. I hate when teenagers in fiction are whiny, stupid, and mostly useless at everything but getting themselves into trouble. And Lily is all three.

Overall, the Macbeth outweighs the predictability for me. I sincerely hope Carrell keeps finding ways to incorporate Shakespeare into her mysteries; if she does, I'll keep reading them.(less)

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Aug 04, 2010

Steve & Nancy rated it

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What a disappointment. Jennifer Carrell's first book was worth reading for the prose alone, even if it had not been a good story. But it was a great story and very fun; I couldn't put it down. This book continues with the same characters and involves another Shakespeare mystery so I anticipated a very good read. Kate is portrayed as she was in the last book and it's a year later in her life and picks right up where she left off. Ben on the other hand has his character changed. In the last book h...more

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Jul 12, 2011

Lindsay rated it

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Shelves: mystery, action-suspense

I liked the first book (Interred with Their Bones) more than this one. Being a Shakespeare enthusiast, I love how Jenner Lee Carrell is creating thriller/mysteries based on Shakespearean history and his works. I'm not a Shakespeare scholar, but the books seem very well researched. Haunt Me Still is well written and suspenseful, but most of the plot is based on Wiccan magic/power and Paganism as a religion, and since I don't believe in those things, it just made the plot a little less believab...more

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May 01, 2011

Lauren B. rated it

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Just finished reading Jennifer Lee Carrell's third novel. Although I am a lover of all things Shakespeare, I admit there were too many twists and turns to easily follow this installment of her Kate Stanley books. I enjoy the heroine, Kate. She is bright, articulate, and knows how to handle a gun (which as we all know theatre directors are capable of doing). I enjoyed the setting, England and Scotland (esp. since I am heading there to do some research on my next novel), of which she does write de...more

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Nov 22, 2011

Nancy rated it

· review of another edition

Kate and Ben are back but not close as they were in "Interred with Their Bones" (?). MacBeth is the subject of this Shakespearean influenced mystery. Did he actually write another version of the play that included spells and magic. It almost seems to infer that perhaps Shakespeare having only been a glove makers son got his talent through magic. The story also goes back in time to the woman who was the model for Lady MacBeth. Kate has been asked to locate a lost manuscript that in...more

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May 10, 2011

Joy rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-reads, fiction

I had a similar reaction to this book as I did with Interred With Their Bones, I think they could both be tighter, better books. Jennifer Lee Carrell covers Shakespeare's Macbeth in this one and it's intriguing and well-researched. Kate Stanley is back and in danger once again trying to solve (and prevent) more gruesome murders and find a rare manuscript linked to Shakespeare and Macbeth. I continue to feel a disconnect with Kate Stanley and all of the other characters and I think that's part...more

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Sep 20, 2010

D. Eric rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: general-fiction, mystery

If you love Shakespeare's Macbeth, then you should also love this mystery/adventure. Carrell writes an engaging possibility of the origins of Macbeth. She also turns it into a literary adventure in the lines of Dan Brown's works, though a bit more plausible even if still a bit far-fetched.

If you are not a fan of Macbeth, you should still find this an interesting mystery, but much of what makes it truly good are the details surrounding the historical references to the play and Shakes...more

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Jun 10, 2011

Kate Lawrence rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, literary-criticism

I so loved the author's earlier novel, Interred With Their Bones, that I went to see her when she gave a talk recently on this new one. Haunt Me Still features the same central character, Kate Stanley, with brief appearances by erstwhile boyfriend Ben, but the other characters are new. We learn about witches and spells, the life of Elizabethan magician John Dee, the Scottish Highlands geography and historical background on which the play Macbeth was based, and much more. Kate has 48 hours to ...more

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Oct 23, 2010

Brackman1066 rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: mysteries

This seemed a little more scattered than the first book in the series, but the main character remains engaging and so I willing followed along. Some of the hackneyed conventions were still in place (fast trips across the Atlantic in private jets, etc), and the paganism plot was a little far-fetched, but still fun. I hope that if there's another book in the series, Ben gets to play more of a role. I liked that Kate did fine without him in this book, but their interactions were always fun and it w...more

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Jul 13, 2011

Patricia rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: thriller, historical-fiction, mystery, contemporary-fiction

If you are into horror/thriller types of books and have an interest in Shakespeare then this is a great book for you. The story is centered around the play Macbeth, probably one of Shakespeare's most controversial, and the secret behind the witchcraft that is displayed in the play. Kate, the main character, finds herself in the middle of a dark plot and a mystery she has to solve in order to save herself and others. I just finished reading the book and I have to say the book is pretty good! I bo...more

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About Jennifer Lee Carrell

I've always wanted to write books; early on, my fallback career choices were ballerina and astronaut. It's something of a surprise, though, to find myself writing thrillers.

My second novel (& third book), HAUNT ME STILL, is now out in paperback. Kate Stanley returns, this time tangling with witches, Scotland, and the legendary curse on Shakespeare's Macbeth. "Thrill after thrill.....more

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Quotes from Haunt Me Still

“If you believe in magic,' I (Kate) said.
'If it exists,' said Joanna, 'it doesn't matter a toss whether you believe in it or not.” — 1 person liked it

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title link	preview: The Shakespeare Curse
avg rating	preview: The Shakespeare Curse Goodreads rating: 3.42 (506 ratings)
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The Shakespeare Curse (Kate Stanley #2)

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