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The House on Cooper Lane: Based on a True Story
It's 1984 and all Bud Fisher wants to do is find a place to live in Madison Louisiana. With his dog Badger, they come across a beautiful old mansion that was converted into apartments. Something should have felt odd when he found out nobody lived in any of the apartments. To make matters worse, the owner is reluctant to let him rent one. Eventually he negotiates an apartment in the historic old house, but soon finds out that he's not quite as alone as he thought. What ghostly secret has the owner failed to share? It's up to Bud to unravel the mysteries of the upstairs apartments, but is he really ready to find out the truth?
144 pages, Paperback
First published March 27, 2014
536 people are currently reading
708 people want to read
About the author
Oliver Phipps
20 books1,532 followersOliver served as a Paratrooper in the United States Army and studied at MSC. In the late 1980s through mid 90s Oliver pursued his love of music. He enjoyed traveling, playing percussion and writing lyrics for popular bands. During this time Oliver also began writing short stories and articles.
After playing for thousands through the fall and winter of 1996 Oliver's band abruptly disbanded. In early spring of 1997 Oliver along with a good friend who was a guitarist got together with the intention to form a new group. But rather than form a new band the two put together an expedition plan for traveling to Northern Canada and Alaska in order to prospect for gold.
Leaving in April of 1997 Oliver and company traveled up the historic AL-CAN highway. After exploring the Yukon and Northwest territories of Canada as well as the Arctic Circle the team traveled over the Top of the World highway to Alaska.
1999-2000 Oliver traveled through Asia, visiting Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan among other countries.
In 2004 Oliver published his first book and continues to write books, articles and short stories. Currently Oliver and family reside happily in the U.S.
After playing for thousands through the fall and winter of 1996 Oliver's band abruptly disbanded. In early spring of 1997 Oliver along with a good friend who was a guitarist got together with the intention to form a new group. But rather than form a new band the two put together an expedition plan for traveling to Northern Canada and Alaska in order to prospect for gold.
Leaving in April of 1997 Oliver and company traveled up the historic AL-CAN highway. After exploring the Yukon and Northwest territories of Canada as well as the Arctic Circle the team traveled over the Top of the World highway to Alaska.
1999-2000 Oliver traveled through Asia, visiting Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan among other countries.
In 2004 Oliver published his first book and continues to write books, articles and short stories. Currently Oliver and family reside happily in the U.S.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews
August 15, 2014
I really liked the premise behind this story--a haunted house with a tragic past--and thoroughly enjoyed the way that Oliver Phipps told the story of Bud Fisher finding out about the house and its tragic story. I thought that Phipps handled the narrative quite well. I only wish that the story would have been a little longer.
Jeffrey Miller,
When A Hard Rain Falls
Jeffrey Miller,
When A Hard Rain Falls
June 29, 2014
This is a great book. I loved the author's writing style. He takes the reader in to the life of Bud Fisher, a young man who is working a summer construction job. Bud and his dog badger find an apartment to rent in an empty, abandoned old house only to discover their is definitely something not quite right about the place. If you love mystery, supernatural and a great read you will love this book as much as I did.
September 20, 2017
TBHOS BOOK REVIEWS
A Review by Nicole S. Aviles
Tears of Abandon by Oliver Phipps
The on Cooper Lane by Oliver Phipps, Oliver Phipps' novel The House on Cooper Lane, is a suspense and mystery-bringing piece that is quite chilling almost immediately. A young man who has found himself on his own path, with no family, wife, children, parents, or friends, only has his dog with him for support. He and his precious pup help open the story, as they seek somewhere to live and are led to a house that is barely livable and seeming on the verge of being condemned. He begs the landlord to rent it out and finally somewhat wearily the landlord agrees.
It isn't long before odd things start to occur. The front cover tags this "based on true events," which added to the chill. In the house windows start closing, other odd things happen. Phipps' protagonist seems in denial at first--blaming the occurrences on 'fatigue' and assuming he is imagining things. Yet, his dog's constant barking, something he normally didn't do often and his fear of the house--if he is let outside he never wants to come back in--have the man questioning if it IS in his head, or is there something to his intuitions about the house?
This is my third Phipps novel and while still interesting, I would say I found his writing and story-telling slightly more apt with the other fictional genres he chose; to suspense. That's not to say I didn't enjoy it! The novel had me turning the pages to see what happens next, and that always equates to stellar mystery telling. I also found the main character and his dog a moving pair, that I warmed up to quickly. While their relationship is well-developed and obvious, no other characters were given that opportunity, which I would have liked to see. Still, the relationship between a man and his dog--especially with a story that includes them beating all odds or fighting evil--to me is never a tired or redundant one. I loved that special little relationship!
This novel is a great cozy mystery read and should be added to your list if you appreciate the genre. I am and will continue to be a fan of Phipps. What I like about his stories are they are ALWAYS different, no two novels are the same. He writes good main characters too, likeable but simplistic folks that are part of every day life. No glamazon females who are as beautiful as Pam Anderson was, but as strong as Arnold Schwarzenegger--no, Phipps' characters are REAL. He provides the chance for everyday people to play the hero without caricaturing, embellishing and exaggerating. I appreciate that. With this duo, the dog and young man, I would have liked to get to know the man's back story even more. That also equates to good writing!
Again, a great read. Bravo!
A Review by Nicole S. Aviles
Tears of Abandon by Oliver Phipps
The on Cooper Lane by Oliver Phipps, Oliver Phipps' novel The House on Cooper Lane, is a suspense and mystery-bringing piece that is quite chilling almost immediately. A young man who has found himself on his own path, with no family, wife, children, parents, or friends, only has his dog with him for support. He and his precious pup help open the story, as they seek somewhere to live and are led to a house that is barely livable and seeming on the verge of being condemned. He begs the landlord to rent it out and finally somewhat wearily the landlord agrees.
It isn't long before odd things start to occur. The front cover tags this "based on true events," which added to the chill. In the house windows start closing, other odd things happen. Phipps' protagonist seems in denial at first--blaming the occurrences on 'fatigue' and assuming he is imagining things. Yet, his dog's constant barking, something he normally didn't do often and his fear of the house--if he is let outside he never wants to come back in--have the man questioning if it IS in his head, or is there something to his intuitions about the house?
This is my third Phipps novel and while still interesting, I would say I found his writing and story-telling slightly more apt with the other fictional genres he chose; to suspense. That's not to say I didn't enjoy it! The novel had me turning the pages to see what happens next, and that always equates to stellar mystery telling. I also found the main character and his dog a moving pair, that I warmed up to quickly. While their relationship is well-developed and obvious, no other characters were given that opportunity, which I would have liked to see. Still, the relationship between a man and his dog--especially with a story that includes them beating all odds or fighting evil--to me is never a tired or redundant one. I loved that special little relationship!
This novel is a great cozy mystery read and should be added to your list if you appreciate the genre. I am and will continue to be a fan of Phipps. What I like about his stories are they are ALWAYS different, no two novels are the same. He writes good main characters too, likeable but simplistic folks that are part of every day life. No glamazon females who are as beautiful as Pam Anderson was, but as strong as Arnold Schwarzenegger--no, Phipps' characters are REAL. He provides the chance for everyday people to play the hero without caricaturing, embellishing and exaggerating. I appreciate that. With this duo, the dog and young man, I would have liked to get to know the man's back story even more. That also equates to good writing!
Again, a great read. Bravo!
May 27, 2017
*yawns* Wow, 85 pages of mostly boringness. Dear Lord.
So I was looking around for a new book, when, through a lot of different pages, I stumbled upon this one. I was immediately intrigued. I just adore haunted house stories, and this one sounded perfect.
And the start was pretty decent-ish (and I say ish, as it was quite a boring as well), there were some parts in the middle that were OK (the few scary parts we have), but the ending was terrible.
It is also full of OMG, he didn't? stuff. From sawing of a branch (yes, he did that) so he would have a weapon. To going upstairs to a place which you know is very dangerous (in the dark even). To not believing your dog. Sorry, if I had a dog, and he would be NOPING his way out of a house every day on a daily basis until I put him outside on a lease, I would do the same as the dog and just sleep somewhere else, even if that meant the car. Thank you very much.
In the end we do find out a lot about Jenny, but nothing is done with that. Nothing. at. all. It was really anticlimactic. After such a big night full of events, and then boom. Over. *yawns* I know that x had to happen, but I had hoped he would do a bit more.
Bud was an OK character, though I laughed when he did the one thing a lot of people do in books or series like this (for instance, I have also seen this happen in Paranormal Witness): He shouts at the ghost, gets pissed at it, swings a stick at it (ohhhhh, that is going to help). I loved how he shouted that it is his house now. Um, in a way, but sorry, the ghosts lived here longer. :P
I think my favourite character from this book was the dog.
I did like that the author didn't solely focus on the home, he also showed Bud going to work.
But given the book is so short, those 3 months are over in a flash. One moment it is x week, and suddenly it is x weeks later. :|
All in all? I am disappointed, at least it was a quick read.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
So I was looking around for a new book, when, through a lot of different pages, I stumbled upon this one. I was immediately intrigued. I just adore haunted house stories, and this one sounded perfect.
And the start was pretty decent-ish (and I say ish, as it was quite a boring as well), there were some parts in the middle that were OK (the few scary parts we have), but the ending was terrible.
It is also full of OMG, he didn't? stuff. From sawing of a branch (yes, he did that) so he would have a weapon. To going upstairs to a place which you know is very dangerous (in the dark even). To not believing your dog. Sorry, if I had a dog, and he would be NOPING his way out of a house every day on a daily basis until I put him outside on a lease, I would do the same as the dog and just sleep somewhere else, even if that meant the car. Thank you very much.
In the end we do find out a lot about Jenny, but nothing is done with that. Nothing. at. all. It was really anticlimactic. After such a big night full of events, and then boom. Over. *yawns* I know that x had to happen, but I had hoped he would do a bit more.
Bud was an OK character, though I laughed when he did the one thing a lot of people do in books or series like this (for instance, I have also seen this happen in Paranormal Witness): He shouts at the ghost, gets pissed at it, swings a stick at it (ohhhhh, that is going to help). I loved how he shouted that it is his house now. Um, in a way, but sorry, the ghosts lived here longer. :P
I think my favourite character from this book was the dog.
I did like that the author didn't solely focus on the home, he also showed Bud going to work.
But given the book is so short, those 3 months are over in a flash. One moment it is x week, and suddenly it is x weeks later. :|
All in all? I am disappointed, at least it was a quick read.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
September 29, 2015
I really liked this book. It's not really horror but sorta suspense. It really happen to Oliver and this is so cool to me when I read it.
if someone wants a real ghost story that is really spooky then this is a great book. If they just want to be scared stiff an have nightmares then they should read a made up story by one of the horror writers.
Five stars and I didn't see any typos either so the author must have corrected them already.
if someone wants a real ghost story that is really spooky then this is a great book. If they just want to be scared stiff an have nightmares then they should read a made up story by one of the horror writers.
Five stars and I didn't see any typos either so the author must have corrected them already.
May 20, 2017
I read this book before reading the reviews, and I'm glad I did. I personally enjoyed the story very much. It was a nice read, on the shorter side, and I thought the plot was interesting. The characters weren't the most complex cast ever, but they were developed and I certainly wouldn't say that the writing was "childish".
It deserves 4-stars. It loses one because it is on the shorter side and definitely not a complex mind bender or huge intertwined story, but it is very enjoyable.
It deserves 4-stars. It loses one because it is on the shorter side and definitely not a complex mind bender or huge intertwined story, but it is very enjoyable.
December 2, 2014
This is not a particularly creepy story though I think it's a good one. The suspense factor I was looking wasn't really there. Still, it's a good effort. All the elements are actually there. I really did like the ending of this story. It was very nice. You'll have to read the story to find out what it is though because I won't divulge it.
August 26, 2014
I loved this story. It had suspense and mystery, interesting characters, and an interesting setting. I haven't read a ghost story in a long time and this story really fit the bill. I'm looking forward to reading other books by this author.
December 21, 2014
The house on Cooper lane:true story.
I liked this story very much it sure Did keep my attention all the way through it.I didn't want to put the book down till I had read it all.so I didn't very interesting.
I liked this story very much it sure Did keep my attention all the way through it.I didn't want to put the book down till I had read it all.so I didn't very interesting.
July 23, 2015
Oliver Phipps tells an account with a young man and his dog experiencing ghostly encounters. Although not Phipp's greatest story, it was still pretty good. Its characters were ordinary, down-to-earth, yet relatable people one would meet every day.
April 4, 2018
Very Suspenseful!
The tale of Cooper Lane is well worth reading, building up the tension in the story till I had to restrain myself from jumping to the end. The following stories captivated my attention throughout the read. I hope to see more of this authors work.
The tale of Cooper Lane is well worth reading, building up the tension in the story till I had to restrain myself from jumping to the end. The following stories captivated my attention throughout the read. I hope to see more of this authors work.
May 9, 2015
Quick fun read
This is a quick read about a young man and his dog in a temporary home. It has a good story, but will leave you wanting more.
This is a quick read about a young man and his dog in a temporary home. It has a good story, but will leave you wanting more.
August 4, 2016
Jk
An interesting ghost in this book. Very easy read.
I would think anyone would find it interesting.
I would like to read more
An interesting ghost in this book. Very easy read.
I would think anyone would find it interesting.
I would like to read more
July 21, 2017
Good Read
If you like stories of the past you will love this one. Keeps your interest and what will happen next
If you like stories of the past you will love this one. Keeps your interest and what will happen next
September 16, 2018
It's hard for me to get into reading a book but I couldn't wait to be able to get back to this one each time I had to stop.
March 4, 2016
Such amateur writing, this seemed like a high school creative writing assignment at best. Laughable at times even. Scary? Scooby Doo episodes have more creepiness than this tired tale. Do not waste your time.
October 6, 2015
I liked this book. Very spooky.
October 2, 2014
Young Bud and his dog, Badger are driving to Madison, LA as Bud has a job working in construction there for a few months. After their arduous journey and sleeping in his car, Bud is keen to secure some basic accommodation, preferably with a bed and basic amenities to avoid another night's sleep in his car with Badger. He comes across Cooper Lane Apartments and secures a room there. The place has not been lived in for a long time and as the only tenant there he soon notices bizarre events that spook both him and his dog. Can Bud find out what happened at the once great house on Cooper Lane?
I've had this book hanging around my kindle for a while and I honestly do not remember where I heard of it or if it was sent to me, so apologies to the author if he has been waiting for a review. This short read promises much intrigue and ghostly going-ons and does successfully set the atmosphere and send chills down your back but I did have a few issues with the book, which needed a good proofread to correct a couple of typos and grammatical errors. I was also ashamedly irritated (I do read books to like them, so it isn't great when something irks me whilst reading.) by some of the repetitive phrases that occurred in consequent paragraphs:
"As the day wore on, he came to a conclusion that helped him resolve the turmoil in his mind. Bud decided that as long as he wasn't physically threatened by the invisible specters in the house he wouldn't leave. If however this ghost or whatever it was showed an ability to harm him physically, then he would move.
The pact he made with himself caused instant relief to the turmoil in his mind. Now he had a plan. And he thought this to be a good plan as well. Why should he leave if there wasn't a threat to his general well being? By the end of the day he felt revamped and ready to take on the entity in his apartment."
These little things do spoil the overall effect of the book and I felt the conclusion was a bit of an anti-climax but I'm not a huge fan of short stories and among the few that I have read this year this wasn't too bad. If you're going on a train or coach journey for a couple of hours this is a good one to pass the time if horror and suspense are your preferred genre, however if you're looking to get emotionally invested in a book and want to be terrified, you might find this read a little too subtle, despite being based on a true story.
I've had this book hanging around my kindle for a while and I honestly do not remember where I heard of it or if it was sent to me, so apologies to the author if he has been waiting for a review. This short read promises much intrigue and ghostly going-ons and does successfully set the atmosphere and send chills down your back but I did have a few issues with the book, which needed a good proofread to correct a couple of typos and grammatical errors. I was also ashamedly irritated (I do read books to like them, so it isn't great when something irks me whilst reading.) by some of the repetitive phrases that occurred in consequent paragraphs:
"As the day wore on, he came to a conclusion that helped him resolve the turmoil in his mind. Bud decided that as long as he wasn't physically threatened by the invisible specters in the house he wouldn't leave. If however this ghost or whatever it was showed an ability to harm him physically, then he would move.
The pact he made with himself caused instant relief to the turmoil in his mind. Now he had a plan. And he thought this to be a good plan as well. Why should he leave if there wasn't a threat to his general well being? By the end of the day he felt revamped and ready to take on the entity in his apartment."
These little things do spoil the overall effect of the book and I felt the conclusion was a bit of an anti-climax but I'm not a huge fan of short stories and among the few that I have read this year this wasn't too bad. If you're going on a train or coach journey for a couple of hours this is a good one to pass the time if horror and suspense are your preferred genre, however if you're looking to get emotionally invested in a book and want to be terrified, you might find this read a little too subtle, despite being based on a true story.
July 11, 2016
I personally enjoyed it. It was creepy, without being unbelievable. Plus I love the mystery of the house. I love the interaction with the dog, and knowing that's how a dog would really act gave it a believable quality. It was not over done. Simple, had a realism to the story, which made your hair kind of raise on the back of your neck a bit. I wouldn't say it was scary, to me, but I'm glad it wasn't. It was a touch of suspense, a touch of creepy, clean, and therefore felt real.
August 7, 2017
creepy read
March 12, 2016
Mr. Phipps, please don't read further as I'm going to make comments I wouldn't say to you in person.
This is the most amateur book (novella, really) I've read. Ever. The writing is atrocious. Was there an editor? Was there editing at all?
I've never witnessed an author use "sort of" so much. In fact, I would guess that an author should never use "sort of". Here's an example where Phipps uses it twice in one sentence: "He looked at Bud and sort of breathed deeply as if he'd made some sort of decision, but wanted to determine the best way to present it." (A quick search shows that "sort" is used 31 times...It felt like 131.)
And holy grammatical errors, Batman! All of the errors in the following sentence are the author's: "He re-gathered his sense of purpose and slowly made his way up the stairs. His legs feel heavy; sweat trickled down the side of his face, it felt very hot."
The poor writing, disingenuous dialog, and grammatical errors are distracting to the point where there is no eeriness to the story. I have no clue why anyone would give this novella 4 or 5 stars (or even 3, really) unless one owed the author a favor.
I made it through this book because of its brevity. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to handle this Creative Writing 101 effort. I write this review in order to save someone $2.99. Luckily, I borrowed it for free through Amazon Prime.
This is the most amateur book (novella, really) I've read. Ever. The writing is atrocious. Was there an editor? Was there editing at all?
I've never witnessed an author use "sort of" so much. In fact, I would guess that an author should never use "sort of". Here's an example where Phipps uses it twice in one sentence: "He looked at Bud and sort of breathed deeply as if he'd made some sort of decision, but wanted to determine the best way to present it." (A quick search shows that "sort" is used 31 times...It felt like 131.)
And holy grammatical errors, Batman! All of the errors in the following sentence are the author's: "He re-gathered his sense of purpose and slowly made his way up the stairs. His legs feel heavy; sweat trickled down the side of his face, it felt very hot."
The poor writing, disingenuous dialog, and grammatical errors are distracting to the point where there is no eeriness to the story. I have no clue why anyone would give this novella 4 or 5 stars (or even 3, really) unless one owed the author a favor.
I made it through this book because of its brevity. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to handle this Creative Writing 101 effort. I write this review in order to save someone $2.99. Luckily, I borrowed it for free through Amazon Prime.
September 17, 2019
The concept of the main story, as well as the short also contained in the book, are good. Unfortunately, the main story was extremely anticlimactic and disappointing in the end. The short had potential, but was not well written. The editing needs work, with a number of errors, in both pieces. Both pieces are also far too ‘name heavy’, continually using character names or the same descriptors over and over. The preview of another story in the end looks to be heading the same way. I feel the author has good ideas, and with better editing/Beta readers, could probably do good things with them.
January 10, 2015
Thankfully this was either free or 99¢! This had the potential to be a good ghost story, but sadly, it fell short. Very short. There were numerous spelling and grammatical errors. It seemed more like an amateurish short story.
July 9, 2019
Loved the beginning middle but not so much the end. Was a real page turner
September 4, 2022
I loved every minute. I finished this in about a day and a half.
September 9, 2024
This was a really great short read! It was definitely spooky and I liked that the ending was explained.
November 17, 2024
Kept me guessing right til the end! Very well written with just enough hints to make you think you are onto something.
April 7, 2021
The first story was pretty good. I originally bought this thinking it was a book but it turned out to be just a few short stories. Again, the first one was pretty decent but I wasn’t a fan of the others. Would not really recommend reading any besides the first one, I think the be first to be could have been longer and a little more thrilling instead it was just a tad anti climactic
November 15, 2015
Spooky story. I liked it.
October 6, 2015
Poorly written, very cliche. The book was suspenseful, though.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews