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No Rest For The Wicked
Every ghost has a story. Not all of them want it told.
From beyond the grave, a murderous wife seeks to complete her revenge on those who betrayed her in life; a powerless domestic still fears for her immortal soul while trying to scare off anyone who comes too close; and the former plantation master - a sadistic doctor who puts more faith in the teachings of de Sade than the Bible - battle amongst themselves and with the living to reveal or keep hidden the dark secrets that prevent any of them from resting in peace.
When Eric and Grace McLaughlin purchase Greenbrier Plantation, their dreams are just as big as those who have tried to tame the place before them. But, the doctor has learned a thing or two over his many years in the afterlife, is putting those new skills to the test, and will go to great lengths in order to gain the upper hand. While Grace digs into the death-filled history of her new home, Eric soon becomes a pawn of the doctor’s unsavory desires and rapidly growing power, and is hell-bent on stopping her.
Enter the Winchester Society of Paranormal Research; could the solution lie within the humble ranks of this group of investigators? It seems unlikely, but the crew is eager to try. Is there any force powerful enough to put to rest the wickedness that demands complete control, not just over its ghostly adversaries, but the body and soul of Eric McLaughlin?
From beyond the grave, a murderous wife seeks to complete her revenge on those who betrayed her in life; a powerless domestic still fears for her immortal soul while trying to scare off anyone who comes too close; and the former plantation master - a sadistic doctor who puts more faith in the teachings of de Sade than the Bible - battle amongst themselves and with the living to reveal or keep hidden the dark secrets that prevent any of them from resting in peace.
When Eric and Grace McLaughlin purchase Greenbrier Plantation, their dreams are just as big as those who have tried to tame the place before them. But, the doctor has learned a thing or two over his many years in the afterlife, is putting those new skills to the test, and will go to great lengths in order to gain the upper hand. While Grace digs into the death-filled history of her new home, Eric soon becomes a pawn of the doctor’s unsavory desires and rapidly growing power, and is hell-bent on stopping her.
Enter the Winchester Society of Paranormal Research; could the solution lie within the humble ranks of this group of investigators? It seems unlikely, but the crew is eager to try. Is there any force powerful enough to put to rest the wickedness that demands complete control, not just over its ghostly adversaries, but the body and soul of Eric McLaughlin?
- GenresHorror
452 pages, Paperback
First published August 27, 2016
4 people are currently reading
356 people want to read
About the author
Pamela Morris
19 books40 followersBorn in New Mexico, current New Yorker.
Murder-Mystery, Horror, Erotica, and Children's book author. (what a combo, eh?) Inspired by the likes of Carolyn Keene, Tanith Lee, Shirley Jackson, Rod Serling, Anne Rice & Stephen King.
Beyond her work as an author, Pamela loves to read on her back deck during hot summer days, expand her skills at Tex-Mex cooking, and create art.
Murder-Mystery, Horror, Erotica, and Children's book author. (what a combo, eh?) Inspired by the likes of Carolyn Keene, Tanith Lee, Shirley Jackson, Rod Serling, Anne Rice & Stephen King.
Beyond her work as an author, Pamela loves to read on her back deck during hot summer days, expand her skills at Tex-Mex cooking, and create art.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 23, 2016
If you're looking for a chilling ghost story filled with mystery and escalating tension, look no further. No Rest for the Wicked is the real deal - an expansive, unfolding riddle between the living and the dead. It's a true haunted house tale with a delightful twist.
February 18, 2020
Sexually Sadistic Ghosts, Why Not?
I'm not normally into ghost stories but I picked this up as part of my Book Spines and Blood reading group. And being February I had to support WiHM.
Wow, this was a really interesting story. Long time lovers move out to the country and start renovating Greenbriar plantation. So far fairly typical ghost story...right?
Enter a sexually sadistic ghost, his enraged wife and the slave girl caught in the middle. Possessions, ghost hunters, hidden diaries and a 1800's dominatrix and this is anything but your regular ghost story.
I'm not normally into ghost stories but I picked this up as part of my Book Spines and Blood reading group. And being February I had to support WiHM.
Wow, this was a really interesting story. Long time lovers move out to the country and start renovating Greenbriar plantation. So far fairly typical ghost story...right?
Enter a sexually sadistic ghost, his enraged wife and the slave girl caught in the middle. Possessions, ghost hunters, hidden diaries and a 1800's dominatrix and this is anything but your regular ghost story.
January 29, 2018
No Rest For The Wicked is a haunted-house tale laced with Gothic imagery and filled with suspense and erotic interludes. A spooky house in need of renovating, a couple in love with the passion to do the repairs, a horrific backstory filled with terror, it’s a delicious mix that cannot fail to hit the mark. There is enough originality in themes and characterisation to hold the attention of every gothic horror fan.
In the historical backstory, Morris combines the issue of slavery with a malevolent doctor come funeral director – the house replete with its own embalming room – and a macabre tale of intrigue, betrayal and murder that explains the nature of the spirits haunting Grace and Eric’s home.
Dread infuses the story from the first page, and a steady build unfolds as Morris deploys good plotting and pacing along with some satisfying twists. Thick descriptions in combination with light touches of foreshadowing serve to cloak the reader in the story.
Morris has created well-crafted and believable characters in Grace and Eric, and in the ghosts but it is the antagonist, Mr Addams, who steals the show. He is as lecherous, misogynistic and debased as they come and through him, Morris portrays brilliantly outmoded sexist attitudes of men and their view of women as sexual playthings, the sorts of attitudes many today would find medieval. Bringing his bigotry into the 21st century through the lens of Eric is Morris’ masterstroke.
“They’re like so many hens conspiring against us thinking they know best”, sums up Mr Addams’ attitude and underscores the premise of the book. Eric, a man carrying a few prejudices of his own, is brought into a tortuous inner conflict as he acts out the script Mr Addams’ has planned. Will Mr Addams succeed in his wicked objectives, or will a group of paranormal researchers quell his evil soul?
No Rest For The Wicked is a riveting read, perfect for cold winter nights or for relaxing on vacation, although it is probably best not to pick it up if you find yourself in an old run down house somewhere in Virginia. Unputdownable
In the historical backstory, Morris combines the issue of slavery with a malevolent doctor come funeral director – the house replete with its own embalming room – and a macabre tale of intrigue, betrayal and murder that explains the nature of the spirits haunting Grace and Eric’s home.
Dread infuses the story from the first page, and a steady build unfolds as Morris deploys good plotting and pacing along with some satisfying twists. Thick descriptions in combination with light touches of foreshadowing serve to cloak the reader in the story.
Morris has created well-crafted and believable characters in Grace and Eric, and in the ghosts but it is the antagonist, Mr Addams, who steals the show. He is as lecherous, misogynistic and debased as they come and through him, Morris portrays brilliantly outmoded sexist attitudes of men and their view of women as sexual playthings, the sorts of attitudes many today would find medieval. Bringing his bigotry into the 21st century through the lens of Eric is Morris’ masterstroke.
“They’re like so many hens conspiring against us thinking they know best”, sums up Mr Addams’ attitude and underscores the premise of the book. Eric, a man carrying a few prejudices of his own, is brought into a tortuous inner conflict as he acts out the script Mr Addams’ has planned. Will Mr Addams succeed in his wicked objectives, or will a group of paranormal researchers quell his evil soul?
No Rest For The Wicked is a riveting read, perfect for cold winter nights or for relaxing on vacation, although it is probably best not to pick it up if you find yourself in an old run down house somewhere in Virginia. Unputdownable
January 20, 2021
Truly an excellent ghost story that is not only well written but leaves you wanting so much more from this author. Finished it in less than a day & now I just want to find out if she has any other titles out there. Guaranteed awesome read
January 26, 2017
Once you get started, it's hard to put down. Loved the ending.
January 21, 2017
***I received this book in a giveaway, in exchange for writing an honest review***
I really enjoy any book or movie that is able to make me deeply uncomfortable while still maintaining my interest. I will be honest and say that I had a hard time at the start of this book getting all the way through because of my level of discomfort. Once the characters and intentions became more clear to me, and once action had finally taken place for the resolution to begin, then I was absolutely hooked. Unfortunately though, I thought that it took far too long a time to get to that point, and I found myself a little frustrated waiting for it to get there.
Beauregard Addams is an incredibly disgusting excuse for a human being. He was in life, but even more so in death. Dr Addams' character is the exact representation of many people's fear of ghosts. Most of the time we are comforted by the fact that the dead are dead and can no longer affect us. Dr. Addam's actions completely fly in the face of that and acts out some of our worst fears. He is able to violate the living in a physical, emotional, and even a sexual manner, completely eliminating any sense of control. In that light, I thought the character was fairly brilliantly conceived. The fact that Dr. Addams is somewhat more than a ghost but less than a demon makes him seemingly unstoppable, and truly terrifying at the start of the book. He was the reason for the majority of my discomfort. His abilities allow him to directly affect the living, even without a conduit of possessing another human, though he is also able to do that! Those in his thrall have no control, and even end up allowing him to hurt the people closest to them.
In my opinion, I thought that it took far too long for Eric and Grace (Greenbriar's current occupants, and therefore playthings of Dr. Addams) to realize what was going on and to try to stop it. Eric becomes a puppet of the ghost, carrying out surprisingly uncomfortable acts while possessed, including non-consensual anal sex with a spirit. When Grace walked in to see her husband evidently having sex with the air in front of him, I was unsure I should continue reading for a moment, though I am glad I did. Even after Grace sought help and research in the town's library, she still seemed blind to the ghost's thrall over her husband, which didn't seem very believable to me. He had struck her, tried to rape her, and even drugged her. After several pages of exposition explaining how wonderful their relationship had been, I find it odd that Grace would chalk it up to stress and headaches, up until Dr. Addams clearly took advantage of her.
That being said, there are many arguments that could be made to justify Grace's lack of action, the strongest of which would be the power of denial. I should mention as well that I am very uncomfortable with any depiction of rape in books or movies, and I have a strong fear of losing control. So the beginning certainly could have affected me more than other readers.
On the other hand, I would like to mention how much I did enjoy the final part of the book, which included the investigation. Zane and Zena's entrance made life in Greenbriar more light hearted and more comforting somehow. They were playful and fun, but also professional. Having watched and read up on several ghost hunting experiences, I easily tell that Ms Morris has either personal experience in ghost hunting, or has done extensive research on it, which I appreciated. It is so easy to make the practice seem pathetic, or not very serious, but I thought the author did a fantastic job with it. I really enjoyed her depiction of Zena's psychic powers as well. She wasn't over the top, but she was believable. Switching the narration to her point of view every once in a while helped to avoid the psychic medium media stereotype, and allowed us to see and feel along with her. It wasn't clean cut ghosts silhouettes and voices, but more waves of emotion and presences to be interpreted.
Furthermore, I absolutely did not expect the twist with Lucy, Dr. Addams' wife, when she possesses Grace to try and stop Beauregard one final time. At that point, I was glued to the page, and didn't put the book down until I finished. I can't tell you why I didn't expect it, but I thought it was brilliantly done. I found myself confused and scared for the characters, and wanted so badly for them to retake control. And having Sadie be the one to ultimately save all of them warmed my heart to no end.
Sadie is such a wonderful and misunderstood character, at least to her fellow ghosts. She was classically and unendingly in a "wrong place wrong time" scenario, but that still did not hinder her desire to help others. Even her murderer, Lucy Addams, whom she tries to open up to regularly, to give her some peace of mind. She was literally naked and helpless when she was killed, forcing her to be forever vulnerable as a ghost, continuously being taken advantage of in death. And yet, she still drives new owners away, to try to save others from the horrors of Dr. Addams. Once she finally reveals the truth, she is the one to turn on the fear cage, saving the living, and allowing the ghosts to finally move on.
I have to mention the journey we take with each of the spirits after the horrors have finally ended. They are all ripped from each other once they decide to let go, and we see each of them in their final resting places. Sadie rightfully is sent to heaven to rest and be with her family, whom she tried desperately to save by remaining in her own personal hell that Dr. Addams had created for her. Lucy remains in purgatory, but with a newfound sense of peace. And finally, Beauregard is sent to hell. I have to say how remarkable I thought Ms Morris's depiction of Dr. Addams' hell was. I often philosophize whether or not hell is real, and if so, how it can be so much more terrifying and permanent than the classic fire and brimstone image. In his hell, Addams' has all his fears realized and all control stolen from him, becoming a quadriplegic, completely dependent on his caretakers, who happen to be a staff of African American doctors and nurses. So he is locked into a world of people he wrongly despised in life, completely dependent on them and forced to withstand the horrors he inflicted on others during his life. It is justified, so wonderfully dark, and in my opinion, completely satisfying.
Overall I did enjoy the book, even though it took me a very long time to get invested in it. The stark differences and intelligences of each of the characters are by far the most enjoyable parts. Ms Morris did an incredible job of creating them, and subtly detailing their fears, hopes, and dreams. Leaking bits of truth out for her readers to snatch up and put the pieces together one by one. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys stories that make them uncomfortable, loves a good ghost story, and excellent character development.
I really enjoy any book or movie that is able to make me deeply uncomfortable while still maintaining my interest. I will be honest and say that I had a hard time at the start of this book getting all the way through because of my level of discomfort. Once the characters and intentions became more clear to me, and once action had finally taken place for the resolution to begin, then I was absolutely hooked. Unfortunately though, I thought that it took far too long a time to get to that point, and I found myself a little frustrated waiting for it to get there.
Beauregard Addams is an incredibly disgusting excuse for a human being. He was in life, but even more so in death. Dr Addams' character is the exact representation of many people's fear of ghosts. Most of the time we are comforted by the fact that the dead are dead and can no longer affect us. Dr. Addam's actions completely fly in the face of that and acts out some of our worst fears. He is able to violate the living in a physical, emotional, and even a sexual manner, completely eliminating any sense of control. In that light, I thought the character was fairly brilliantly conceived. The fact that Dr. Addams is somewhat more than a ghost but less than a demon makes him seemingly unstoppable, and truly terrifying at the start of the book. He was the reason for the majority of my discomfort. His abilities allow him to directly affect the living, even without a conduit of possessing another human, though he is also able to do that! Those in his thrall have no control, and even end up allowing him to hurt the people closest to them.
In my opinion, I thought that it took far too long for Eric and Grace (Greenbriar's current occupants, and therefore playthings of Dr. Addams) to realize what was going on and to try to stop it. Eric becomes a puppet of the ghost, carrying out surprisingly uncomfortable acts while possessed, including non-consensual anal sex with a spirit. When Grace walked in to see her husband evidently having sex with the air in front of him, I was unsure I should continue reading for a moment, though I am glad I did. Even after Grace sought help and research in the town's library, she still seemed blind to the ghost's thrall over her husband, which didn't seem very believable to me. He had struck her, tried to rape her, and even drugged her. After several pages of exposition explaining how wonderful their relationship had been, I find it odd that Grace would chalk it up to stress and headaches, up until Dr. Addams clearly took advantage of her.
That being said, there are many arguments that could be made to justify Grace's lack of action, the strongest of which would be the power of denial. I should mention as well that I am very uncomfortable with any depiction of rape in books or movies, and I have a strong fear of losing control. So the beginning certainly could have affected me more than other readers.
On the other hand, I would like to mention how much I did enjoy the final part of the book, which included the investigation. Zane and Zena's entrance made life in Greenbriar more light hearted and more comforting somehow. They were playful and fun, but also professional. Having watched and read up on several ghost hunting experiences, I easily tell that Ms Morris has either personal experience in ghost hunting, or has done extensive research on it, which I appreciated. It is so easy to make the practice seem pathetic, or not very serious, but I thought the author did a fantastic job with it. I really enjoyed her depiction of Zena's psychic powers as well. She wasn't over the top, but she was believable. Switching the narration to her point of view every once in a while helped to avoid the psychic medium media stereotype, and allowed us to see and feel along with her. It wasn't clean cut ghosts silhouettes and voices, but more waves of emotion and presences to be interpreted.
Furthermore, I absolutely did not expect the twist with Lucy, Dr. Addams' wife, when she possesses Grace to try and stop Beauregard one final time. At that point, I was glued to the page, and didn't put the book down until I finished. I can't tell you why I didn't expect it, but I thought it was brilliantly done. I found myself confused and scared for the characters, and wanted so badly for them to retake control. And having Sadie be the one to ultimately save all of them warmed my heart to no end.
Sadie is such a wonderful and misunderstood character, at least to her fellow ghosts. She was classically and unendingly in a "wrong place wrong time" scenario, but that still did not hinder her desire to help others. Even her murderer, Lucy Addams, whom she tries to open up to regularly, to give her some peace of mind. She was literally naked and helpless when she was killed, forcing her to be forever vulnerable as a ghost, continuously being taken advantage of in death. And yet, she still drives new owners away, to try to save others from the horrors of Dr. Addams. Once she finally reveals the truth, she is the one to turn on the fear cage, saving the living, and allowing the ghosts to finally move on.
I have to mention the journey we take with each of the spirits after the horrors have finally ended. They are all ripped from each other once they decide to let go, and we see each of them in their final resting places. Sadie rightfully is sent to heaven to rest and be with her family, whom she tried desperately to save by remaining in her own personal hell that Dr. Addams had created for her. Lucy remains in purgatory, but with a newfound sense of peace. And finally, Beauregard is sent to hell. I have to say how remarkable I thought Ms Morris's depiction of Dr. Addams' hell was. I often philosophize whether or not hell is real, and if so, how it can be so much more terrifying and permanent than the classic fire and brimstone image. In his hell, Addams' has all his fears realized and all control stolen from him, becoming a quadriplegic, completely dependent on his caretakers, who happen to be a staff of African American doctors and nurses. So he is locked into a world of people he wrongly despised in life, completely dependent on them and forced to withstand the horrors he inflicted on others during his life. It is justified, so wonderfully dark, and in my opinion, completely satisfying.
Overall I did enjoy the book, even though it took me a very long time to get invested in it. The stark differences and intelligences of each of the characters are by far the most enjoyable parts. Ms Morris did an incredible job of creating them, and subtly detailing their fears, hopes, and dreams. Leaking bits of truth out for her readers to snatch up and put the pieces together one by one. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys stories that make them uncomfortable, loves a good ghost story, and excellent character development.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 16, 2022
No Rest For The Wicked is, at first glance, a ghost tale. But, upon closer reading, it is a rich story rife with full characters, dark history rooted in slavery, and a twisted sexual slant. All these elements converge to tell a sinister tale as a couple are renovating their country home.
Pamela Morris makes great use of subtlety, shadows, the breeze, and noises as she builds tension and lets the characters come to life. In turn, the house comes alive as well through both present day characters (a historian, ghost hunters) and characters past (letters from old townsfolk and a discovered diary). This provides a mystery and a true crime element to the ghostly goings-on as evil deeds are peeled away, layer by layer.
The characters and the warped foundation of their abode come together to trap this everyday couple in unthinkable circumstances, and they find themselves fighting to escape what they hoped would be their dream home. As I got into the depths of the story, I found myself applauding the places the author was willing to go. Horror isn't meant to be polite, and this book exposes the dark underside as a cloak of southern sanctuary is lifted that unveils infidelity, S&M, a dominatrix, a wicked patriarch, and a gaggle of ghosts.
About the only drawback is the repeated use of the term 'the biker' to refer to the male lead, Eric, though this is my personal nitpick and doesn't take away from the story. I give this a 4.5, rounding up since Goodreads won't allow half stars.
Get a hot beverage and settle in for an immersive read. It is a patient build with a worthy payoff. A couple good twists will unfurl along the way. Don't expect to rest until you finish this wicked one.
Pamela Morris makes great use of subtlety, shadows, the breeze, and noises as she builds tension and lets the characters come to life. In turn, the house comes alive as well through both present day characters (a historian, ghost hunters) and characters past (letters from old townsfolk and a discovered diary). This provides a mystery and a true crime element to the ghostly goings-on as evil deeds are peeled away, layer by layer.
The characters and the warped foundation of their abode come together to trap this everyday couple in unthinkable circumstances, and they find themselves fighting to escape what they hoped would be their dream home. As I got into the depths of the story, I found myself applauding the places the author was willing to go. Horror isn't meant to be polite, and this book exposes the dark underside as a cloak of southern sanctuary is lifted that unveils infidelity, S&M, a dominatrix, a wicked patriarch, and a gaggle of ghosts.
About the only drawback is the repeated use of the term 'the biker' to refer to the male lead, Eric, though this is my personal nitpick and doesn't take away from the story. I give this a 4.5, rounding up since Goodreads won't allow half stars.
Get a hot beverage and settle in for an immersive read. It is a patient build with a worthy payoff. A couple good twists will unfurl along the way. Don't expect to rest until you finish this wicked one.
August 7, 2017
Awesome book, takes you to some kind of uncomfortable places and scares the bejesus out of you. Ending caught me totally by surprise.
August 28, 2020
I like ghost stories. Just found it to be something I was not into
September 25, 2020
Pamela did a really good job creating interesting characters and putting a lot of detail in the backstory. It was a little slow for me, but it was still worth sticking around.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews