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The Haunting of Edward Drake
In the winter of 1868, three children go missing from the village of Palmyra, New York. After weeks of panicked searching, a boy and his father discover the murdered bodies. The father claims a spirit led them to the corpses.
A wealthy Boston widow infatuated with spiritualism travels to Palmyra to meet this infamous pair. After a brief encounter she determines the father is a scoundrel but the son, Edward Drake, has a talent for communicating with the dead. She takes Edward to Boston to serve her as a medium.
Sixteen years later, Edward Drake refuses to perform. He’s a grown man now, educated and rational. It’s simply not possible to speak with the dead. The frightening spirit that led him to the murdered children was a delusion—a delusion that nearly destroyed his sanity. He disavows spiritualism.
Edward’s disavowal is tested by gruesome news from three more children have gone missing, and one has turned up dead. His estranged brother Jim has been accused of the crimes and gone fugitive. If Jim is caught, he’ll be hung without trial or jury.
Edward rushes to Palmyra. To his horror, the malicious spirit reappears. As Edward races to find his brother and the still-missing children, he confronts a terrible choice. Is he losing his mind? Or has a murderous spirit been unleashed on the world—and Edward is to blame?
A wealthy Boston widow infatuated with spiritualism travels to Palmyra to meet this infamous pair. After a brief encounter she determines the father is a scoundrel but the son, Edward Drake, has a talent for communicating with the dead. She takes Edward to Boston to serve her as a medium.
Sixteen years later, Edward Drake refuses to perform. He’s a grown man now, educated and rational. It’s simply not possible to speak with the dead. The frightening spirit that led him to the murdered children was a delusion—a delusion that nearly destroyed his sanity. He disavows spiritualism.
Edward’s disavowal is tested by gruesome news from three more children have gone missing, and one has turned up dead. His estranged brother Jim has been accused of the crimes and gone fugitive. If Jim is caught, he’ll be hung without trial or jury.
Edward rushes to Palmyra. To his horror, the malicious spirit reappears. As Edward races to find his brother and the still-missing children, he confronts a terrible choice. Is he losing his mind? Or has a murderous spirit been unleashed on the world—and Edward is to blame?
- GenresSupernatural
342 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 31, 2024
2 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Conry-Murray
8 books3 followersI love to read, which is why I joined this site. My favorite genres are sci-fi and fantasy, but I'm open to compelling fiction and non-fiction of all kinds. The most recent book that blew me away was "Cloud Atlas" by David Mitchell.
I also write. My first published novel is Wasteland Blues, a post-apocalyptic adventure about three friends who undertake a perilous journey across a landscape devastated by nuclear and biological war.
I'm also at work on a historical fiction/thriller for which I'm seeking representation.
In my day job, I'm the Director of Content & Community for Interop, a technology conference. I also cover the IT industry as a writer at InformationWeek.com.
Feel free to drop me a line on Twitter (@drewconrymurray) if you want to talk writing or tech!
I also write. My first published novel is Wasteland Blues, a post-apocalyptic adventure about three friends who undertake a perilous journey across a landscape devastated by nuclear and biological war.
I'm also at work on a historical fiction/thriller for which I'm seeking representation.
In my day job, I'm the Director of Content & Community for Interop, a technology conference. I also cover the IT industry as a writer at InformationWeek.com.
Feel free to drop me a line on Twitter (@drewconrymurray) if you want to talk writing or tech!
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 20, 2025
Ever wondered what would happen if Sleepy Hollow got body-snatched by The Exorcist, dressed in a waistcoat, and decided to traumatize everyone with unresolved childhood trauma and spiritualism-induced psychosis? Welcome to The Haunting of Edward Drake by Andrew Conry-Murray—a historical horror that politely drags you through mud, murder, and metaphysical mayhem with a gentleman’s glove.
Edward is a haunted man—emotionally, spiritually, and unfortunately, quite literally. Ghosts, charlatans, child corpses, and one especially sinister creeper named Mr. Jangles keep popping up like uninvited relatives at Christmas. And just when you think you’re safe, bam—another séance, another skeleton, and more existential dread in a top hat.
The writing? Immaculate. Conry-Murray seduces with prose as elegant as a Victorian parlor and then kicks you in the emotional shin with child murder, betrayal, and repression. It’s witty, unsettling, and surprisingly sexy for a book where no one’s getting laid. Think The Alienist meets The Sixth Sense, but with spiritualism, boxing, and way too much trauma for one man to reasonably unpack without therapy.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Triggers: child death, physical abuse, trauma, alcoholism, hallucinations, religious manipulation, haunting
Mood: Dark, elegant, introspective, eerie
Genre: Historical Gothic Horror
Pacing: Slow-burn psychological horror with atmospheric dread and escalating tension—more creeping terror than jump scare
Edward is a haunted man—emotionally, spiritually, and unfortunately, quite literally. Ghosts, charlatans, child corpses, and one especially sinister creeper named Mr. Jangles keep popping up like uninvited relatives at Christmas. And just when you think you’re safe, bam—another séance, another skeleton, and more existential dread in a top hat.
The writing? Immaculate. Conry-Murray seduces with prose as elegant as a Victorian parlor and then kicks you in the emotional shin with child murder, betrayal, and repression. It’s witty, unsettling, and surprisingly sexy for a book where no one’s getting laid. Think The Alienist meets The Sixth Sense, but with spiritualism, boxing, and way too much trauma for one man to reasonably unpack without therapy.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Triggers: child death, physical abuse, trauma, alcoholism, hallucinations, religious manipulation, haunting
Mood: Dark, elegant, introspective, eerie
Genre: Historical Gothic Horror
Pacing: Slow-burn psychological horror with atmospheric dread and escalating tension—more creeping terror than jump scare
September 5, 2025
Really enjoyed this book,
Good story line that kept my attention would like to know if there is another one after this.
Would definitely read it
Good story line that kept my attention would like to know if there is another one after this.
Would definitely read it
October 22, 2025
Edward Drake is a beautifully written book, with excellent character and plot development. It is filled with beautiful language, and descriptions.
Edward is a tormented man who sprang from a terrible childhood, until rescued by Mrs Coffin.
Ordinarily I do not like books that jump back and forth through time, but this book makes it clear, by labelling chapters , either "Haunted Man" or "Haunted Child", when time periods switch.
The story is interesting and engrossing. with unexpected turns. Just when you think it's ending, there is another turn. There is family love & loyalty, mystery, faith, family infighting, friendship, courage, revenge, supernatural, a dash of romance.
Notice: There is a a bit of violence, and one particularly violent scene, but it is germane to the story.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Edward is a tormented man who sprang from a terrible childhood, until rescued by Mrs Coffin.
Ordinarily I do not like books that jump back and forth through time, but this book makes it clear, by labelling chapters , either "Haunted Man" or "Haunted Child", when time periods switch.
The story is interesting and engrossing. with unexpected turns. Just when you think it's ending, there is another turn. There is family love & loyalty, mystery, faith, family infighting, friendship, courage, revenge, supernatural, a dash of romance.
Notice: There is a a bit of violence, and one particularly violent scene, but it is germane to the story.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 24, 2025
Edward Drake is a former child medium who has since distanced himself from the world of spiritualism. He’s pulled back into his past when children in his hometown start to go missing, as they did sixteen years ago. With his estranged brother accused of the crimes and a long-dormant spirit returning to torment him, Edward must decide whether he’s willing to confront what he left behind, or if the past is simply too painful to face.
This is a slow-burn psychological thriller with elements of horror and the supernatural, blended together in just the right amounts. Even with the slow pace, the plot delivers just enough to always keep you engaged while also drawing you in with the rich development surrounding Edward's life. I was really impressed with the quality of the writing. It feels very eloquent and absolutely nails the mood and atmosphere of Gothic and Victorian classics.
This is a dark and very unsettling story that absolutely rewards the slow build-up. Highly recommended for fans of gothic fiction, psychological horror, complicated narrators and the supernatural who can handle the slower pace.
I received a free copy of this book, but this review reflects my honest opinion.
This is a slow-burn psychological thriller with elements of horror and the supernatural, blended together in just the right amounts. Even with the slow pace, the plot delivers just enough to always keep you engaged while also drawing you in with the rich development surrounding Edward's life. I was really impressed with the quality of the writing. It feels very eloquent and absolutely nails the mood and atmosphere of Gothic and Victorian classics.
This is a dark and very unsettling story that absolutely rewards the slow build-up. Highly recommended for fans of gothic fiction, psychological horror, complicated narrators and the supernatural who can handle the slower pace.
I received a free copy of this book, but this review reflects my honest opinion.
August 24, 2024
A very good read !
A good mixture of historical fiction , mystery , and creepy horror , with some " good feels " included ! Engaging ,likable characters admirably brought forth to fill out a very interesting story , filled with the details that make historical fiction work so well . Well done ! I look forward to more !
A good mixture of historical fiction , mystery , and creepy horror , with some " good feels " included ! Engaging ,likable characters admirably brought forth to fill out a very interesting story , filled with the details that make historical fiction work so well . Well done ! I look forward to more !
September 1, 2025
Reviewed based on a free copy received thru Booksprout.co.
"The Haunting of Edward Drake" is a very interesting historical horror novel set in the late 18th century. We see Edward Drake and his siblings both as children and as young adults. Edward, as a child, is lauded by his mentor, Boston widow Tilda Coffin, as a powerful medium, until suddenly at age sixteen, he turns his back on all things concerning Spiritualism. Eight years later, Edward is drawn back into the spirit world when his older brother, Jim, is accused of kidnapping and murder of a child.
The characters are well-drawn, and the environs of 1884 Palmyra, New York, where the majority of the story is set, are convincingly illustrated by the author. The plot moves along at a leisurely pace until the final chapters, when it kicks into high gear. An interesting ghost story throughout.
But....
There a a number of typos and poorly constructed sentences, such as this, from a later chapter: "Forgive me, but I can't to do this anymore." Such errors, found throughout the book, constantly jolted this reader out of the story, and focused my attention on the poor proofreading efforts of whoever was responsible for editing the manuscript, and lessened my enjoyment of an otherwise engaging novel.
Author Conry-Murray looks to be someone to watch in future, assuming he is able to engage the services of a good editor.
Flying Squirrel
"The Haunting of Edward Drake" is a very interesting historical horror novel set in the late 18th century. We see Edward Drake and his siblings both as children and as young adults. Edward, as a child, is lauded by his mentor, Boston widow Tilda Coffin, as a powerful medium, until suddenly at age sixteen, he turns his back on all things concerning Spiritualism. Eight years later, Edward is drawn back into the spirit world when his older brother, Jim, is accused of kidnapping and murder of a child.
The characters are well-drawn, and the environs of 1884 Palmyra, New York, where the majority of the story is set, are convincingly illustrated by the author. The plot moves along at a leisurely pace until the final chapters, when it kicks into high gear. An interesting ghost story throughout.
But....
There a a number of typos and poorly constructed sentences, such as this, from a later chapter: "Forgive me, but I can't to do this anymore." Such errors, found throughout the book, constantly jolted this reader out of the story, and focused my attention on the poor proofreading efforts of whoever was responsible for editing the manuscript, and lessened my enjoyment of an otherwise engaging novel.
Author Conry-Murray looks to be someone to watch in future, assuming he is able to engage the services of a good editor.
Flying Squirrel
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews