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Over the River
The horse knows the way
To carry the sleigh
Through the tear and bloodstained snow...
Joslyn Faust passed away in 1940, after losing all but one of her children to death. The Weatherby Mills history books paint her as a kind, generous woman, willing to lend a hand to any one of her neighbors. Weatherby Mills lore, however, blames her ghost for the deaths of at least four men.
That’s where Delilah Isles and Milly West come in.
Working for the New England Spirit Society, the women have seen many violent and cruel attacks by human spirits and non-human entities. After all, the most violent and disturbing cases come to them. They know the myths about Joslyn Faust, so when the case comes their way they are both anxious to start investigating and uncertain whether or not it’s a case for N.E.S.S. But the first time they set foot on the Faust property that uncertainty is vanquished, because Joslyn Faust turns out to be a whole lot darker than they anticipated.
To carry the sleigh
Through the tear and bloodstained snow...
Joslyn Faust passed away in 1940, after losing all but one of her children to death. The Weatherby Mills history books paint her as a kind, generous woman, willing to lend a hand to any one of her neighbors. Weatherby Mills lore, however, blames her ghost for the deaths of at least four men.
That’s where Delilah Isles and Milly West come in.
Working for the New England Spirit Society, the women have seen many violent and cruel attacks by human spirits and non-human entities. After all, the most violent and disturbing cases come to them. They know the myths about Joslyn Faust, so when the case comes their way they are both anxious to start investigating and uncertain whether or not it’s a case for N.E.S.S. But the first time they set foot on the Faust property that uncertainty is vanquished, because Joslyn Faust turns out to be a whole lot darker than they anticipated.
210 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 24, 2013
11 people want to read
About the author
October Weeks
28 books66 followersI'm a dark fantasy/horror writer and a reader with too many books and not enough shelves!
I live in Vermont, autumn is my favorite season, and I harbor deep obsessions for Lindt dark chocolate and the paranormal.
I also write romance under the name Libby Bishop.
I live in Vermont, autumn is my favorite season, and I harbor deep obsessions for Lindt dark chocolate and the paranormal.
I also write romance under the name Libby Bishop.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 22, 2013
Over the River by October Weeks is a Musa Publishing publication. I was provided a copy of this book by Bewitching tours and Roxanne Rhoads in exchange for an honest review.Over the River by October Weeks is an October 2013 Musa Publishing publication. I was provided a copy of this book by Bewitching tours and Roxanne Rhoads in exchange for an honest review.
Whispering Falls is the most haunted town in Vermont. There was bad blood between Delilah Isles family, the Dalton's and the Tay family. It looks like the Tay's are back for a little action.
Delilah, her husband, Derek and her best friend, Milly and her husband, Leo work together on cases involving the dead. Derek and Leo work for a top secret paranormal unit that is a part of the FBI. Milly and Delilah are members of N.E.S.S or New England Spirt Society.
When Uriah Post contacted their boss about the property he owned, he failed to mention a few things. What the foursome do know is that many years in the past Joslyn lost all her children but one, and all her grandchildren. It is no secret the place is haunted. This makes the property impossible to sell.
The ladies discover that Joslyn had her children out of wedlock, which during those days was unheard of. The father of the children appeared to be a mystery. Another thing they learn is that Joslyn's spirit is still doing damage to children, both dead and alive. It's up the two couples to put a stop to her and the deadly legacy of the Faust property.
This is my first book by October Weeks. I must say that I really enjoyed this book. I love a good ghost story and there just aren't that many around these days. While this book could and probably is placed in the horror genre, it could also fit into the mystery genre. The characters are very relatable and easy to like. The story is well paced, the dialogue is realitistic and there is some humor as well as some pretty tense moments.
I recommend this one to those that enjoy paranormal, horror and mystery.
Over all I will give this one an A.
Check out the blog post on December 23, 2013 at http://www.cluereview.blogspot.com
Whispering Falls is the most haunted town in Vermont. There was bad blood between Delilah Isles family, the Dalton's and the Tay family. It looks like the Tay's are back for a little action.
Delilah, her husband, Derek and her best friend, Milly and her husband, Leo work together on cases involving the dead. Derek and Leo work for a top secret paranormal unit that is a part of the FBI. Milly and Delilah are members of N.E.S.S or New England Spirt Society.
When Uriah Post contacted their boss about the property he owned, he failed to mention a few things. What the foursome do know is that many years in the past Joslyn lost all her children but one, and all her grandchildren. It is no secret the place is haunted. This makes the property impossible to sell.
The ladies discover that Joslyn had her children out of wedlock, which during those days was unheard of. The father of the children appeared to be a mystery. Another thing they learn is that Joslyn's spirit is still doing damage to children, both dead and alive. It's up the two couples to put a stop to her and the deadly legacy of the Faust property.
This is my first book by October Weeks. I must say that I really enjoyed this book. I love a good ghost story and there just aren't that many around these days. While this book could and probably is placed in the horror genre, it could also fit into the mystery genre. The characters are very relatable and easy to like. The story is well paced, the dialogue is realitistic and there is some humor as well as some pretty tense moments.
I recommend this one to those that enjoy paranormal, horror and mystery.
Over all I will give this one an A.
Check out the blog post on December 23, 2013 at http://www.cluereview.blogspot.com
March 25, 2017
There was a lot to like about this book but it did have it's flaws as well. Let's start with the good.
The characters were very likable. The dialogue between the friends was very believable and flowed very naturally. They really felt like good friends who had known each other for a long time. The pacing flows nicely. The action is described well. The story was interesting and really pulled me in. I also liked that during the big showdown they actually get hurt and the author spends a page or two to let us know they received medical treatment and were taken care of. No miraculous healing in which the girls felt just fine after a physically and mentally intense battle. So, huge kudos on the realism of that.
However, as I mentioned above, there were a few flaws that were a bit hard to overlook. There was so much left unexplained to it. The backstory between the Tays and the Daltons. There are hints here and there. From what I gathered in Over the River the Tays were holding ghosts to their mountain and more than likely killing some people as well to bind their ghosts to the mountain as well. What is unexplained though is to what purpose. It sounds like it's for a power thing but for what reason? A bit of background would have gone a long way.
In the reality of Over the River the paranormal seems an accepted fact of life. Realtors are supposed to disclose possible hauntings, local groups are tasked with taking care of the less powerful ghosts and entities. However, when the entity or demon is particularly powerful the N.E.S.S. is called in. They are a "secret" division of the F.B.I.. I use the quotation marks because they don't seem to be all that "secret". For instance, they visit the library early so nobody gets nosy. A few things happen because their secret investigation is spread around town.
Some of the world is built well. I personally liked the hospital for people who have, in one way or another, been pushed over the edge by their gifts. It's a nice touch. Also, the research they do and the bent of their investigation is logical. They access normal research materials and use their F.B.I. liaison to search for less accessible items. All of that lends a nice air of realism to Over the River.
However, again, a bit more information about the group would have been nice. How secret are they? How did it start? Why? There are tidbits here and there but they seemed only thrown in to explain what was going on at the moment but with no further explanation or background.
The property they are researching belonged to one Joslyn Faust.
Also, their psychic gifts. To do Over the River credit they are explained well. My only problem is that their uses seem to change at will sometimes with little to no explanation. For instance: The three women use their powers together to pull a ghost from an energy stream in which she is trapped by an evil Tay ghost. But the way their powers are described it doesn't seem like they should be able to do that.
Boiled down I would say the biggest issue Over the River has (besides using the word baby-daddy far too frequently) is the lack of explanation for so many things. Why was Helen so involved (yes, it does say her brother was killed by Joslyn's ghost but it doesn't seem like it explains enough)? What exactly is the background relationship between the Tays and Daltons? Some characters are met in passing only to impart information and then are never heard from again.
However, I'm not crazy about that method of setting up a series. The book in question, at the beginning of a series, should take the time to build the world and set the rules of the world. Even one that's mostly grounded in reality. It should also answer most of the questions raised in the book while leaving maybe one or two small things to keep the reader hooked. In the case of Over the River, the two demonic/ghost children would have filled that role nicely. Because I am very curious to know who they are (or what they are). As it stands, I'm frustrated with the lack of explanation or closure with way too much of the book. I don't need my hand held all the way through but I do need something to go on.
There are also a couple of minor nitpicks that didn't really diminish my pleasure in reading the book but were a tad irksome just the same. The dialogue between friends that I mentioned above was great. The minor annoyances were when Delilah Dalton and Gabriel Tay (ghost) would speak to each other. It was very melodramatic and the use of, "I'm watching you, Delilah Dalton." and "You should be warned I'm not giving up, Gabriel Tay" were slightly overdone and melodramatic. By the fifth name thing I was ready to say, "Ok, I got it! She's a Dalton, he's a Tay!"
Also (this might just be a personal gripe that most people would overlook) in the middle of a fairly serious meeting of the team Delilah snuggles up on her husband's lap. I realize they are all good friends but c'mon. It's more than a little unprofessional.
All in all it's a light, quick read. As a series starter I might read the next one, especially if the author gets a little better at tying up the loose strands that dangle all over the place. I was very curious about what might come next for the team. Taking a peek at her site it does look like there is a second one which I will probably check out because I did like the people and I think the author has a great potential to smooth out her writing.
Received from the author by www.scifiandscary.com for review consideration
The characters were very likable. The dialogue between the friends was very believable and flowed very naturally. They really felt like good friends who had known each other for a long time. The pacing flows nicely. The action is described well. The story was interesting and really pulled me in. I also liked that during the big showdown they actually get hurt and the author spends a page or two to let us know they received medical treatment and were taken care of. No miraculous healing in which the girls felt just fine after a physically and mentally intense battle. So, huge kudos on the realism of that.
However, as I mentioned above, there were a few flaws that were a bit hard to overlook. There was so much left unexplained to it. The backstory between the Tays and the Daltons. There are hints here and there. From what I gathered in Over the River the Tays were holding ghosts to their mountain and more than likely killing some people as well to bind their ghosts to the mountain as well. What is unexplained though is to what purpose. It sounds like it's for a power thing but for what reason? A bit of background would have gone a long way.
In the reality of Over the River the paranormal seems an accepted fact of life. Realtors are supposed to disclose possible hauntings, local groups are tasked with taking care of the less powerful ghosts and entities. However, when the entity or demon is particularly powerful the N.E.S.S. is called in. They are a "secret" division of the F.B.I.. I use the quotation marks because they don't seem to be all that "secret". For instance, they visit the library early so nobody gets nosy. A few things happen because their secret investigation is spread around town.
Some of the world is built well. I personally liked the hospital for people who have, in one way or another, been pushed over the edge by their gifts. It's a nice touch. Also, the research they do and the bent of their investigation is logical. They access normal research materials and use their F.B.I. liaison to search for less accessible items. All of that lends a nice air of realism to Over the River.
However, again, a bit more information about the group would have been nice. How secret are they? How did it start? Why? There are tidbits here and there but they seemed only thrown in to explain what was going on at the moment but with no further explanation or background.
The property they are researching belonged to one Joslyn Faust.
Also, their psychic gifts. To do Over the River credit they are explained well. My only problem is that their uses seem to change at will sometimes with little to no explanation. For instance: The three women use their powers together to pull a ghost from an energy stream in which she is trapped by an evil Tay ghost. But the way their powers are described it doesn't seem like they should be able to do that.
Boiled down I would say the biggest issue Over the River has (besides using the word baby-daddy far too frequently) is the lack of explanation for so many things. Why was Helen so involved (yes, it does say her brother was killed by Joslyn's ghost but it doesn't seem like it explains enough)? What exactly is the background relationship between the Tays and Daltons? Some characters are met in passing only to impart information and then are never heard from again.
However, I'm not crazy about that method of setting up a series. The book in question, at the beginning of a series, should take the time to build the world and set the rules of the world. Even one that's mostly grounded in reality. It should also answer most of the questions raised in the book while leaving maybe one or two small things to keep the reader hooked. In the case of Over the River, the two demonic/ghost children would have filled that role nicely. Because I am very curious to know who they are (or what they are). As it stands, I'm frustrated with the lack of explanation or closure with way too much of the book. I don't need my hand held all the way through but I do need something to go on.
There are also a couple of minor nitpicks that didn't really diminish my pleasure in reading the book but were a tad irksome just the same. The dialogue between friends that I mentioned above was great. The minor annoyances were when Delilah Dalton and Gabriel Tay (ghost) would speak to each other. It was very melodramatic and the use of, "I'm watching you, Delilah Dalton." and "You should be warned I'm not giving up, Gabriel Tay" were slightly overdone and melodramatic. By the fifth name thing I was ready to say, "Ok, I got it! She's a Dalton, he's a Tay!"
Also (this might just be a personal gripe that most people would overlook) in the middle of a fairly serious meeting of the team Delilah snuggles up on her husband's lap. I realize they are all good friends but c'mon. It's more than a little unprofessional.
All in all it's a light, quick read. As a series starter I might read the next one, especially if the author gets a little better at tying up the loose strands that dangle all over the place. I was very curious about what might come next for the team. Taking a peek at her site it does look like there is a second one which I will probably check out because I did like the people and I think the author has a great potential to smooth out her writing.
Received from the author by www.scifiandscary.com for review consideration
June 12, 2016
This story was fantastic beyond fantastic! I love a good mystery story and add ghost's to it, well it made it an amazing read! The Author did a wonderful job how she tied everything together and that just sucked me in.
Delilah can see and talk to sprits. Her husband Derek is an empath to the dead. Milly can can touch an object and see the past events with it. Her husband Leo is an empath to the living. And then there's Evie, she can feel energy lines in the earth. The guys work for the F.B.I. and the girls work for N.E.S.S. and Evie works with the guys and they all live in a small town and are good friends. They deal with the dark side of paranormal, the ones that plain ghost hunters can't handle.
Their town in Vermont has a haunted house from generations ago and the ghost there has been hurting and killing people. Dalilah and Milly has been called in to rid the house of the family ghost. What they find is heart wrenching and so unreal. They have a hard fight on their hands.
The story takes you through their research and findings and as you go on, the mystery deepens and a huge puzzle forms. I'm hopeing there is another book after this one, because there is a couple of things I feel wasn't finished on. Like how is the Dalton's and Tay's connected with Delilah beyond her being a Dalton? And why didn't Gabriel try to stop them when they fought Joslyn? And how is Helena tied into this? It has to have more to do with all of this then just her brother was killed by Gabriel. And who were to two children that warned her?
Very well written and pace was wonderful! I enjoyed it to no end and it made me remember how much I love a good mystery, with ghost's as a bonus!
Delilah can see and talk to sprits. Her husband Derek is an empath to the dead. Milly can can touch an object and see the past events with it. Her husband Leo is an empath to the living. And then there's Evie, she can feel energy lines in the earth. The guys work for the F.B.I. and the girls work for N.E.S.S. and Evie works with the guys and they all live in a small town and are good friends. They deal with the dark side of paranormal, the ones that plain ghost hunters can't handle.
Their town in Vermont has a haunted house from generations ago and the ghost there has been hurting and killing people. Dalilah and Milly has been called in to rid the house of the family ghost. What they find is heart wrenching and so unreal. They have a hard fight on their hands.
The story takes you through their research and findings and as you go on, the mystery deepens and a huge puzzle forms. I'm hopeing there is another book after this one, because there is a couple of things I feel wasn't finished on. Like how is the Dalton's and Tay's connected with Delilah beyond her being a Dalton? And why didn't Gabriel try to stop them when they fought Joslyn? And how is Helena tied into this? It has to have more to do with all of this then just her brother was killed by Gabriel. And who were to two children that warned her?
Very well written and pace was wonderful! I enjoyed it to no end and it made me remember how much I love a good mystery, with ghost's as a bonus!
December 22, 2013
This book hooked me from the first line. The characters reminded me of people you might have in your own life, with idle talk that was comforting and had me smiling often. The only difference is the ghosts. This town seems to have an over abundance of them. With murder and mayhem on the loose, the paranormal investigations go from lightly funny to darn right intense. If you are looking for a good read to keep you warm this holiday season (or anytime) give this book a try. It has something for everyone-romance, ghosts, murder and a very tasty smelling pork roast.
4/5
4/5
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews