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Moorehead Manor #1
Moorehead Manor
Three teenagers stumble into a haunted mansion that traps them in a deadly nightmare. In order to escape alive, they must uncover the house's dark secrets of murder and prejudice.
97 pages, Paperback
First published February 7, 2013
214 people are currently reading
781 people want to read
About the author
David McMullen-Sullivan
8 books32 followersI grew up around Orlando, FL. and have a background in medicine and computer science. I was always an avid reader, an interest encouraged by my amazing mother, who took all us kids to the library regularly.
I am a new writer, with a small body of work, and I am someone who is interested in many genres. Because of that, I think it will hard to pin down what kind of writer I am.
I've recently finished my horror series, Moorehead Manor; however, I do not see myself as a horror writer. At present, I am working on my next book. It's the kind of novel Jane Austen would pen, were she writing a time traveling, murder mystery (slash) gay romance. After that, I hope to dive into a WWII story that's been on my brain for years.
Yep. My writing is all over the place, and I don't expect people to follow me across all the terrain I wish to cover, but one thing I do hope to achieve is making you, as a reader, happy with what you do read of mine.
Thanks for coming with me on the journey.
I am a new writer, with a small body of work, and I am someone who is interested in many genres. Because of that, I think it will hard to pin down what kind of writer I am.
I've recently finished my horror series, Moorehead Manor; however, I do not see myself as a horror writer. At present, I am working on my next book. It's the kind of novel Jane Austen would pen, were she writing a time traveling, murder mystery (slash) gay romance. After that, I hope to dive into a WWII story that's been on my brain for years.
Yep. My writing is all over the place, and I don't expect people to follow me across all the terrain I wish to cover, but one thing I do hope to achieve is making you, as a reader, happy with what you do read of mine.
Thanks for coming with me on the journey.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews
February 16, 2018
This is a 3.5 star read.
An entertaining, eerie short story that was really well written and could easily be read in a lunch break. While the idea of teens being locked in a haunted house isn't new there was just enough variance in the back story to make it interesting. I'd like to read more of this author's work.
An entertaining, eerie short story that was really well written and could easily be read in a lunch break. While the idea of teens being locked in a haunted house isn't new there was just enough variance in the back story to make it interesting. I'd like to read more of this author's work.
November 13, 2016
There was a sudden crash. Jimmy screamed, followed by the sound of a door swinging back and forth on its hinges. His cries for help became muffled, now coming from the room beyond.
Adam was the first to react. He ran into the darkness yelling, “Jimmy!”
Emily followed with less speed, convinced that he was playing tricks on them again. She kept her arms out in front of her, pawing at utter blackness. Her hands connected with the pass-through door, and she pushed past it.
A small window high up on her right let in a good amount of light. She found herself standing in a butler’s pantry that lead into the kitchen. Her attention was drawn to sounds of coughing and choking to her left. She turned and saw Adam hunched over Jimmy.
Adam was the first to react. He ran into the darkness yelling, “Jimmy!”
Emily followed with less speed, convinced that he was playing tricks on them again. She kept her arms out in front of her, pawing at utter blackness. Her hands connected with the pass-through door, and she pushed past it.
A small window high up on her right let in a good amount of light. She found herself standing in a butler’s pantry that lead into the kitchen. Her attention was drawn to sounds of coughing and choking to her left. She turned and saw Adam hunched over Jimmy.
February 22, 2017
Nice short story
As first I thought this story was going to be eye rolling cheesy but it turned out quiet nice! Crypt tv needs to get a hold of this and make a short movie from it
As first I thought this story was going to be eye rolling cheesy but it turned out quiet nice! Crypt tv needs to get a hold of this and make a short movie from it
February 2, 2020
2 thumbs up
I found it very well written. I could visualize everything David was writing and could see this as a really good movie.
I found it very well written. I could visualize everything David was writing and could see this as a really good movie.
September 9, 2017
This was a nice short story, but nothing really outstanding. There was a bit of a twist at the end but for the most part the characters were kind of flat and it used all the standard haunted house cliches. I'm also a little bit confused on the time period this takes place in and how this house is so dilapidated after only being empty for around 50 years [and all the ones around it had to be torn down? in that short of a time?]. It's okay for the length and the fact that it's free, but nothing really special or scary.
July 16, 2014
Somewhere between 2.5 Stars and 3 Stars
This was an enjoyable read, but I did find it lacking in spots. The first few pages read like something you would expect from a high school writing project. Overall there was more telling then showing. There were parts of dialog I didn't find believable. Face it, your average teenage boy is not going to use the word "Gosh". However, even with these shortcoming, this was very creepy. While the characters could have been better developed, they were still very likable. I absolutely loved Alice. I really wish she had been the focal point of the story. The author did do an excellent job with the Manor setting. Seriously, it was creepy as hell. I don't think I'd recommend this to anyone, but I would certainly recommend keeping an eye out for future titles by this author. I do see a lot of potential in his writing.
This was an enjoyable read, but I did find it lacking in spots. The first few pages read like something you would expect from a high school writing project. Overall there was more telling then showing. There were parts of dialog I didn't find believable. Face it, your average teenage boy is not going to use the word "Gosh". However, even with these shortcoming, this was very creepy. While the characters could have been better developed, they were still very likable. I absolutely loved Alice. I really wish she had been the focal point of the story. The author did do an excellent job with the Manor setting. Seriously, it was creepy as hell. I don't think I'd recommend this to anyone, but I would certainly recommend keeping an eye out for future titles by this author. I do see a lot of potential in his writing.
September 26, 2013
I have had this NEED for horror lately and while looking through Amazon last night to see what I would be reading next, I found this and decided to give it a try. This was a good short scary story and definitely one I would recommend to anyone who likes haunted houses.
October 9, 2021
Be warned this book contains a gruesome scene. Interesting plot with weird twists. Overall, for a short horror story, it was really good.
December 28, 2021
😮
Haunted house with dark secrets, nothing new there but when an apparent murder within the house turns out to be something else entirely. 3 teenagers go searching for the baseball that they hit into the house accidentally they get trapped by the house itself and have to find a way out.
Written well and hauntingly entertaining.
Haunted house with dark secrets, nothing new there but when an apparent murder within the house turns out to be something else entirely. 3 teenagers go searching for the baseball that they hit into the house accidentally they get trapped by the house itself and have to find a way out.
Written well and hauntingly entertaining.
January 7, 2019
Ghosts
Wow what a ghost story. It is short but complete. A mystery mansion, a stray baseball and three teenagers. What possibly could go wrong. Ha ha read it and find out.
Warning ! There may be some language you might find offensive.
Wow what a ghost story. It is short but complete. A mystery mansion, a stray baseball and three teenagers. What possibly could go wrong. Ha ha read it and find out.
Warning ! There may be some language you might find offensive.
June 21, 2021
Very good i'm not so sure about the baby part in the middle but, it was a really cool story.
June 17, 2018
Moorhead Manor
This story started slow and picked up momentum all the way to the end. The description of the surroundings were so good I could visualize it in my minds eye. I enjoyed the surprise ending. A very good read.
This story started slow and picked up momentum all the way to the end. The description of the surroundings were so good I could visualize it in my minds eye. I enjoyed the surprise ending. A very good read.
April 30, 2019
Emily, brother Adam and friend Jimmy are passing the creepy old manor when Jimmy breaks a window and loses his precious baseball inside. They go inside and then find that the house doesn't want to let them leave. Instead they are forced to endure the tragic story of Alice and her family who used to stay there, and an angry spirit that wants to punish them for coming inside.
I got this short story free on Amazon and decided to try it, even though ghost stories and haunted houses are not top of my list to read. I found this to be a decent read overall. The story of Alice is tragic and explores the prejudices surrounding unmarried mothers and racism in its worst form. Emily wants to find a way to help Alice as well as a way out of the house and it was an interesting overall plot. I didn't go on to read the other books in the series as I was happy to stop with the conclusion to this part.
I got this short story free on Amazon and decided to try it, even though ghost stories and haunted houses are not top of my list to read. I found this to be a decent read overall. The story of Alice is tragic and explores the prejudices surrounding unmarried mothers and racism in its worst form. Emily wants to find a way to help Alice as well as a way out of the house and it was an interesting overall plot. I didn't go on to read the other books in the series as I was happy to stop with the conclusion to this part.
October 6, 2021
you can read my review at:
https://ohnobooks.wordpress.com/2021/...
https://ohnobooks.wordpress.com/2021/...
February 24, 2013
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I've been a fan of horror since I was a kid, so I was looking forward to reading this story, and I really liked it.
CONS:
- Sometimes the writing was telling too much rather than showing.
- There were a few errors in the book.
- At parts it might have spent a too much time describing the scenery, but this is something that I can easily see other people having no problem with. It wasn't so bad that it took me out of the story.
- There were also a few places where taking out a word would have helped the flow. For example:
"Actually, the more he thought about it, the angrier he got."
I think "The more he thought about it the angrier he got." would have sounded better. This is something challenging for a lot of writers, including myself, as we try to make things clearer with more words and end up dulling the effect of the overall sentence.
- I didn't mind this myself, but there is a bloody scene that involves the death of an infant. It's short, but some people might want to avoid the book if this would bother them.
PROS:
- The story itself was pretty good. I found it clever in spots, like when Emily used the baby doll to summon Alice's ghost.
- I also liked that not everything in the house was sinister. Alice was neutral; a wandering spirit in need of closure.
- Even though I mentioned the writing before, I'll mention it again here. There were parts where I really enjoyed the writing, such as:
"The dust came alive as soon as they walked across the flooring."
I could practically see the dust swirling up around their feet.
- I thought the characters were likeable. The horror genre is often riddled with characters who lack depth, but that wasn't true here. While it's a short story so there's a limit to what can be done, I liked four of the characters, including Alice. Characters, including the antagonist, acted in a way that made sense for them.
- The romance fit with the age of the characters and I felt very satisfied with the end. I was happy it ended with holding hands. There was a sweetness and innocence to that I found more appealing than a kiss would have.
All in all, I enjoyed this read. It all came together well. The book is up for free, so I'd say anyone who is interested should go ahead and give it a look.
I've been a fan of horror since I was a kid, so I was looking forward to reading this story, and I really liked it.
CONS:
- Sometimes the writing was telling too much rather than showing.
- There were a few errors in the book.
- At parts it might have spent a too much time describing the scenery, but this is something that I can easily see other people having no problem with. It wasn't so bad that it took me out of the story.
- There were also a few places where taking out a word would have helped the flow. For example:
"Actually, the more he thought about it, the angrier he got."
I think "The more he thought about it the angrier he got." would have sounded better. This is something challenging for a lot of writers, including myself, as we try to make things clearer with more words and end up dulling the effect of the overall sentence.
- I didn't mind this myself, but there is a bloody scene that involves the death of an infant. It's short, but some people might want to avoid the book if this would bother them.
PROS:
- The story itself was pretty good. I found it clever in spots, like when Emily used the baby doll to summon Alice's ghost.
- I also liked that not everything in the house was sinister. Alice was neutral; a wandering spirit in need of closure.
- Even though I mentioned the writing before, I'll mention it again here. There were parts where I really enjoyed the writing, such as:
"The dust came alive as soon as they walked across the flooring."
I could practically see the dust swirling up around their feet.
- I thought the characters were likeable. The horror genre is often riddled with characters who lack depth, but that wasn't true here. While it's a short story so there's a limit to what can be done, I liked four of the characters, including Alice. Characters, including the antagonist, acted in a way that made sense for them.
- The romance fit with the age of the characters and I felt very satisfied with the end. I was happy it ended with holding hands. There was a sweetness and innocence to that I found more appealing than a kiss would have.
All in all, I enjoyed this read. It all came together well. The book is up for free, so I'd say anyone who is interested should go ahead and give it a look.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2013
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest, non-reciprocal, review.
It's been a while since I've read a good ghost story. So when the invitation to dive into one was presented, I jumped at it. I'm happy to report that Moorehead Manor by David McMullen-Sullivan fits the bill. It serves up quite a few chills within its pages while having some depth to counter the horror, something few contemporary ghost stories manage. I'm especially fond of the fact that the story takes as long as it takes to tell its tale and not a minute longer. This is definitely the work of a craftsman.
The story begins with a trio of teenagers Jimmy and siblings, Adam and Emily, who through some adolescent tomfoolery manage to stumble their way into a haunted house. The house itself is what you'd expect for this kind of story: dark, dreary, old, and full of the antiquities associated with your traditional haunted fare. However, the house is just the setting for the intriguing, and blood-chilling events that play out where our heroes must face the supernatural threat within.
The characters in the book are likeable and I found myself wanting desperately for them to escape the horror of the manor. The book predictably has a few a-ha moments, but without them, the story would lose some of its steam. No ghost story would be worth its salt without a little gore. There was one scene in particular where I was thankful I wasn't munching on anything while reading the book.
Overall, Moorehead Manor is a fantastic book and a well-composed tale. It's tightly written and edited with no typos or grammatical mistakes to mention. It's a delight to read a book by an author who cares about his presentation, something worth mentioning considering the poor job many independently produced books have in the editing department.
Due to the subject matter of some parts of the book, I wouldn't recommend this book for younger readers. However, for everyone anyone else who likes a good, old-fashioned ghost story, there are plenty of hair-raising moments to encounter within the pages of Moorehead Manor.
4.5 Stars.
It's been a while since I've read a good ghost story. So when the invitation to dive into one was presented, I jumped at it. I'm happy to report that Moorehead Manor by David McMullen-Sullivan fits the bill. It serves up quite a few chills within its pages while having some depth to counter the horror, something few contemporary ghost stories manage. I'm especially fond of the fact that the story takes as long as it takes to tell its tale and not a minute longer. This is definitely the work of a craftsman.
The story begins with a trio of teenagers Jimmy and siblings, Adam and Emily, who through some adolescent tomfoolery manage to stumble their way into a haunted house. The house itself is what you'd expect for this kind of story: dark, dreary, old, and full of the antiquities associated with your traditional haunted fare. However, the house is just the setting for the intriguing, and blood-chilling events that play out where our heroes must face the supernatural threat within.
The characters in the book are likeable and I found myself wanting desperately for them to escape the horror of the manor. The book predictably has a few a-ha moments, but without them, the story would lose some of its steam. No ghost story would be worth its salt without a little gore. There was one scene in particular where I was thankful I wasn't munching on anything while reading the book.
Overall, Moorehead Manor is a fantastic book and a well-composed tale. It's tightly written and edited with no typos or grammatical mistakes to mention. It's a delight to read a book by an author who cares about his presentation, something worth mentioning considering the poor job many independently produced books have in the editing department.
Due to the subject matter of some parts of the book, I wouldn't recommend this book for younger readers. However, for everyone anyone else who likes a good, old-fashioned ghost story, there are plenty of hair-raising moments to encounter within the pages of Moorehead Manor.
4.5 Stars.
March 22, 2013
Moorehead Manor Review
An Enjoyable Read.
(I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review).
The night before reading Moorehead Manor, I watched The Woman in Black, so my mind was already geared toward a horror story. I am pleased to write this review for a job well done. It was obvious that the author put in a lot of work and time to make this what I believe to be a successful story. The plot, characters, timing, and scope of the piece were well presented. The young people really shined, and I felt I knew them as real, living human beings. So often in stories that is simply lacking, but not in this case. The teens were actually believable. The setting was well-described, and it was also obvious that pains were taken to clearly narrate the scenes and how they made the story darker, more sinister, and more suspenseful. The other characters were also well-written and believable, and the author took his time in not hurrying through the events, but developing them thoroughly.
The only suggestion I would make is to get a professional edit. Examples: using toward vs. towards; the words “Momma, I hurt so badly” being five words (instead of four—“With those four words...); it was a Bicentennial for the state, not the country, etc... So often it is easy to breeze over these things because our eyes have seen them so often, but they do take away from the story. One suggestion might be to read everything out loud. However, those things did not diminish my thorough enjoyment of a tale about three teens who unwittingly become trapped inside a haunted house. I highly recommend this story.
An Enjoyable Read.
(I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review).
The night before reading Moorehead Manor, I watched The Woman in Black, so my mind was already geared toward a horror story. I am pleased to write this review for a job well done. It was obvious that the author put in a lot of work and time to make this what I believe to be a successful story. The plot, characters, timing, and scope of the piece were well presented. The young people really shined, and I felt I knew them as real, living human beings. So often in stories that is simply lacking, but not in this case. The teens were actually believable. The setting was well-described, and it was also obvious that pains were taken to clearly narrate the scenes and how they made the story darker, more sinister, and more suspenseful. The other characters were also well-written and believable, and the author took his time in not hurrying through the events, but developing them thoroughly.
The only suggestion I would make is to get a professional edit. Examples: using toward vs. towards; the words “Momma, I hurt so badly” being five words (instead of four—“With those four words...); it was a Bicentennial for the state, not the country, etc... So often it is easy to breeze over these things because our eyes have seen them so often, but they do take away from the story. One suggestion might be to read everything out loud. However, those things did not diminish my thorough enjoyment of a tale about three teens who unwittingly become trapped inside a haunted house. I highly recommend this story.
January 6, 2014
The story, at first, seemed to have a shallow 'Young Adult' feel and I prepared myself for a tame read. I was, therefore, pleasantly surprised when it plunged into darker (and far more satisfying) waters as events unfolded. I wouldn't describe it as 'scary' so much as 'atmospheric and disturbing' and really quite enjoyable.
December 8, 2021
An abandoned mansion serves as a haunting setting for an evening that three teenagers will never forget in David McMullen-Sullivan’s Moorehead Manor.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
After being provoked into proving his homerun hitting skills by his best friend’s sister Emily, Jimmy’s prized baseball launched into the abandoned Moorehead Manor and he’s determined to retrieve it. After entering the eerie mansion, the three teenagers encounter strange experiences with encroaching shadows, mysterious strangling, and the appearance of ghosts they seem able to interact with. After finding themselves suddenly trapped within the home, they frantically endeavor to find a way out; in doing so they uncover the unpleasant history of the mansion and the family who built it, which is filled with prejudice and murder.
An eerie and rather entertaining novella that depicts a scenario and an atmosphere that could be frightening, the narrative has a degree of development to it that provided some emotional and social commentary heft to what was being conveyed so it was a bit more than just another haunted house story featuring foolhardy teenagers, though it used many cliched hallmarks of that in its construction at the outset. The dialogue between the teenage characters felt more stilted and formal than you might expect from sixteen year olds, which drew me out of the story. There appears to be a series of stories stemming from this manor; however, this tale as a standalone does work rather well.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
After being provoked into proving his homerun hitting skills by his best friend’s sister Emily, Jimmy’s prized baseball launched into the abandoned Moorehead Manor and he’s determined to retrieve it. After entering the eerie mansion, the three teenagers encounter strange experiences with encroaching shadows, mysterious strangling, and the appearance of ghosts they seem able to interact with. After finding themselves suddenly trapped within the home, they frantically endeavor to find a way out; in doing so they uncover the unpleasant history of the mansion and the family who built it, which is filled with prejudice and murder.
An eerie and rather entertaining novella that depicts a scenario and an atmosphere that could be frightening, the narrative has a degree of development to it that provided some emotional and social commentary heft to what was being conveyed so it was a bit more than just another haunted house story featuring foolhardy teenagers, though it used many cliched hallmarks of that in its construction at the outset. The dialogue between the teenage characters felt more stilted and formal than you might expect from sixteen year olds, which drew me out of the story. There appears to be a series of stories stemming from this manor; however, this tale as a standalone does work rather well.
May 8, 2020
This is my first book from this author, I enjoyed this short story and will look at his other work. While just under two hours long it doesn’t feel short which goes to the quality of the writing. Creative with a twist I didn’t see coming. Love the relationship between Emily and Alice and loved the way ended. I knocked off a star just because I want to know what the missing pages said. While we get the jest of it I would have liked to hear it straight from a Jane. But that’s just me
The narrator did a really good job, I especially enjoyed him as Alice but he did a great job moving in and out of characters and made them easy to distinguish
The narrator did a really good job, I especially enjoyed him as Alice but he did a great job moving in and out of characters and made them easy to distinguish
September 20, 2020
If you like a Scary you probably will enjoy this short story.
There is no course language or no sex. There is violence.
Well told story and well constructive characters.
Narrated by Steven Miller who gave each character having their own unique voice. I feel that Steven dose a great job telling the story.
I suggest that you listen to Steven‘s voice before getting the audio book. I listen to the audiobook on 1.2 speed.
This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher free of charge for a honest, unbiased review.
There is no course language or no sex. There is violence.
Well told story and well constructive characters.
Narrated by Steven Miller who gave each character having their own unique voice. I feel that Steven dose a great job telling the story.
I suggest that you listen to Steven‘s voice before getting the audio book. I listen to the audiobook on 1.2 speed.
This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher free of charge for a honest, unbiased review.
July 6, 2020
Great Audible story! It was a gift to my son, who has a Traumatic Brain Injury and cant read written word, he is an adult and reports that it was totally enjoyable but not bad enough to truly scare a young person. Thats not a complaint, by the way. He actually did wait for a dark and stormy night to lay in bed and listen ;-) He said that it would be perfect to listen to around a campfire,, as well....and now he is waiting for Part Two.
December 27, 2017
Short and easy to read, this book kept me guessing until the end and included several twists that kept my attention. The dialogue balances the narrative and keeps the story moving. There are a few curse words and a sexual reference, but otherwise the story is clean. I definitely recommend it if you like short, paranormal stories with a mystery.
March 21, 2020
Recently finished narration on this Novella for David McMullen Sullivan. It’s a Youth Adventure Mystery/Ghost story set in Louisiana. Book one of three. It’s a quick read/listen and really sets up the next two books nicely, but you won’t know that until you read the others which is part of the allure of this series! So much fun...
Loved it!
Loved it!
August 22, 2018
Almost 🌟🌟🌟🌟
I'm giving this 🌟🌟🌟 because there was one mistake and for me it is a big one. If you are not from Louisiana you may not even notice this. One of the characters talks about the county they live in. Louisiana doesn't have counties, it has parishes. It is only in the story once. Other than that, great read.
I'm giving this 🌟🌟🌟 because there was one mistake and for me it is a big one. If you are not from Louisiana you may not even notice this. One of the characters talks about the county they live in. Louisiana doesn't have counties, it has parishes. It is only in the story once. Other than that, great read.
June 7, 2020
This was a quick read and worth the time. The descriptions of the ghosts are so vivid that you feel as if you are at Moorehead Manor and witnessing the terrifying phenomenon. Highly recommend this book if you enjoy this genre.
January 26, 2021
Once I started reading I could not put it down! I love ghost stories and this one did not disappoint. Mr David McMullen O'Sullivan did an excellent job grasping the readers attention and making them emotionally invested in the characters.
May 18, 2018
A really good book.
It was a really interesting book. A very good read. Really got me in the edge of my seat.. Like to read more of these kind of books.
It was a really interesting book. A very good read. Really got me in the edge of my seat.. Like to read more of these kind of books.
May 25, 2018
Enjoyed this book very much. David McMullen-Sullivan writes with ease. Could not put the book down.
May 11, 2019
Exciting
The title and cover interested me! Once I started reading it, I had to keep reading! This author wrote this short story perfectly! I hope to read more of his books!
The title and cover interested me! Once I started reading it, I had to keep reading! This author wrote this short story perfectly! I hope to read more of his books!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews