The Grand

by Evelyn Chartres

“Even things that go bump in the night need a place to unwind.”

You will find the Grand nestled atop a cliff that overlooks a cursed valley. Surrounded by foreboding mountains, this ritzy French palatial-style hotel is a place where a roaring party’s success can be measured by its body count. This hotel does not cater to the rich and famous. Instead, its staff and facilities accommodate a clientele with a more discerning palate.

The Grand is a collection of Gothic fantasy stories with an overarching storyline that incorporates supernatural themes. The Roaring Twenties serves as a rich historical, linguistic, and cultural backdrop.

Centred on the Grand’s victims, each story brings a different perspective to the hotel, the staff and their esteemed guests. At the Grand it is always best to remember; even things that go bump in the night need a place to unwind.

Genres: Horror, Ebooks, Fiction

246 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published August 23, 2017

About the author

Evelyn Chartres is the nom de plume for a self-published, Canadian author. The writer of nine Gothic fantasy novels, Evelyn released her debut novel, The Portrait, in 2016, and her latest, Man of War, in 2024.

A fan of the phrase ‘live to eat’, Evelyn shares her recipes on evelynchartres.com. These recipes have a loose focus on French-Canadian cuisine, featuring deep-dish meat pies, seafood, and desserts that are rarely seen outside of La Belle Province.

Evelyn is currently living in Ottawa, Ontario, and is busy laying the foundations of another book in the Adventures of Clara Grey series.

Reviews

[Leslie Swartz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book blew me away. From the detail no only in description, but in historical accuracy, to the intertwined stories weaving the bigger picture together flawlessly. It was amazing. I can't wait to read more from this author.

[Sahreth Bowden · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Grand" presents an array of stories centered around a hotel that caters to the dark desires of the underworld and its creatures. Largely set on a plotline that alternates between the 1920s and the 1940s, it tells of many dark occurrences within the hotel's walls as well as the backstories of the characters involved in each tale. The chapters which are labeled with dates in the 1920s are the unraveling of those events while the ones labeled in the 1940s are that of a man who has happened upon the lore of the hotel and is desperately trying to understand it. I can see how some people have gotten confused (read other reviews) which is why I say 'Pay Attention' because if you do, everything falls into place and makes sense. This isn't a story you can skim or jump around or you'll miss something vital. However, if you take your time and give it its due, it's an interestingly haunting story. Most of the lingo/slang can be inferred by context, but the author has provided a lexicon that defines every term. I also love that there is a sort of Easter egg in one of the later chapters which involves some of the author's characters from her "Van Helsing" series.

[Rob Horner · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's a reason for the chaos

If you could write a collection of stories from the point of view of an old hotel, what would it look like? Maybe like The Grand, a majestic place out of history, with more collected stories than Rod Serling's dream journal. Go ahead. Check in. You won't want to leave.

[Krystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

So this story was a bit like being dropped in the twilight zone, weird, creepy, & amazingly good. The end though is totally my favorite part.
I voluntarily agreed to review this book, and was given an Advanced Reader Copy to do so.

[Nick Braker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book.

This is the 2nd book I've read from the author and she's not let me down again! Love the style and the story. I'm keeping spoilers to myself. You'll enjoy it as did I.

[Jennie Ersari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very eerie yet intriguing book!

The Grand is a big resort built in the side of a mountain that opens during The Roaring Twenties. Guests at this resort range from the living to the not quite living!

[Janet Brand · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author Evelyn Chartres, did a nice job on this book. Reading and digesting this book add lot to my knowledge. I learned a lot from this book.

[Paulette Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like to support the efforts of indie authors.

[Quinn W Buckland · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent collection of stories clung together through an overarching narrative. I fully recommend.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome to The Grand, where people are fodder to the elitist guests...the dead.
I love the way Evelyn Chartres brings to life the characters, the "Roaring Twenties'" period and its slag and style and the scenery especially to the Grand...yes, The Grand has a life of its own. The author has done her homework by adding authenticity to every detail of the time periods surrounding The Grand.
I was engrossed from the beginning until the end. I can't pick my favorite part because I thoroughly enjoyed every chapter immensely. My emotions ran the gamut and that is what I enjoy from a fantastic read. I became emotionally invested in what would happen next at "The Grand". I was psyched-out by the ghoulish and the fantastical.

[Carin Camen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evelyn Charles is an Indie Writer, that I came across her work through the Twitter #writingcommunity. The Grand was the first Indie book I read for 2019, and it didn't disappoint. Evelyn interweaves her character's journey through time, brilliantly. Throughout the book, you're left to speculate if it's a character you should love to hate, or hate to love. This keeps you eagerly wanting to turn the page.

Evelyn,
I'm so glad that I found your book on Twitter. I found your writing style to be compelling in creating intrigue and interest throughout the entire book. You had me holding on to the very end. I look forward to reading more of your work.

[Ayana · Rating 5 out of 5]

A feast of fiction that your mind will enjoy.

This book was so wonderful and enthralling that I almost burned dinner! I meant to only read a few pages to pass time while during afternoon chores but I was just was caught up in the many different layers of timelines and viewpoints. I wish to request a follow up or sequel as I would love to know some more about the Grand many guests especially any famous ones.

[Samantha Kroese · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intriguing journey through a haunted hotel

I really like the idea behind this book. A host of ghostly terrors and ghouls make appearances in this hotel where nothing is as it seems. Meet the ghosts and unravel the mystery! I found it to be an entertaining read and this is the second book I've read by this creative author.

[D.W. Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun & spellbinding tale

The Grand is a wondrous place. It's full of exciting guests and creatures you wouldn't want to meet outside the pages of the story. Through the characters' lives, Evelyn Chartres has crafted an interesting & chilling tale.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd say this book was about 3 1/2 stars (I would have rated it higher except for the issues I had - see below).

The narrative jumps around in time A LOT between the 1920s and 1940s and then later to 2003 and beyond. I highly recommend reading this as an e-book vs a print book because it's a lot easier to search characters (which helps a lot when you see someone like Lillian over and over and want to be sure it's the same person - frankly, in one of the stories I wasn't sure it was the same Lillian as the descriptions didn't quite match up to me on how she and her family were described). The "cases" read by John were among the better stories in this book.

I also wish anytime the time period changed was noted as a separate chapter, which would have helped as well (ex. the first chapter One Small Step included episodes in 1920 and 1969; other chapters have more dates than that). It was confusing at times to follow along.

The stories for the most part were well-written and I was intrigued about the hotel and the characters, particularly Max and Eleanor.

However, ultimately it felt like there was no real point to the stories beyond bad things happen to good people (or to bad people) at this hotel and there are supernatural creatures like vampires and then mysterious creatures like the Georgians (who they are is never really elaborated on and not really sure whether they were good, bad or a bit of both). We learn fairly quickly who/what Max is but again what is his purpose? Eleanor takes more time to unravel but in the end you're still not sure what she is or what she really does, except sort of in the cases of Lillian and John (but then both Lillian and John show up later in the book and things don't make sense again - don't want to give away what happens but to me it seems like their stories were resolved thanks to Eleanor and then they just pop up again later). And what the heck actually happened to Clara? Is she dead? Is she something else? Who knows? (Apparently Clara is a character in other books by this author - which I didn't realize until after reading this book - and maybe that's why her "end" is sort of up in the air in this book, but still annoying for me the reader).

I'm all for mystery and some questions but there were just too many holes in this narrative for me and the end was just disappointing. Two books that did something similar (and in my opinion better) were Limbus Inc (not set in a hotel but different stories set in the same universe with an overall story - mix of sci fi, fantasy and horror) and 31 Overlook Hotel which is a lot more like this book with the hotel, horror/fantasy and one overall story. However, some people might not like it as the tones sometimes changed among stories as they were written by different authors but I really enjoyed it.

I did like this author's writing so I could see reading something else from her in the future.

[Taylor Levesque · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Grand is a magnificent structure set atop a cliff, surrounded by mountains, and overlooks a less-than-inviting sort of valley. It is a place where bloodbaths may occur just as frequently as sunsets, and said events are disregarded just as naturally. But, Evelyn Chartres so kindly chronicled some of these events, documenting the interactions of the less-than-human guests at the mysterious hotel. The result? A collection of dark, Gothic-fantasy stories revolving around this hotel for the damned.

As the name, description and blurb may suggest, this book of stories revolves around The Grand’s magnificence itself as opposed to any select group of characters, not too differently from how Victor Hugo’s Notre Dame revolved around the magnificence of the church. While there were some more prominent mentionings of the otherworldly leading to what one may believe to be some sort of main character or role of importance, it always falls back onto the hotel itself. A Hotel of Horrors with a dark and gruesome history in its shadow.

Most of the story is told in journal entries, but the entries themselves could sometimes be quite disjointed. By this, I mean the amount of jumping around (in terms of characters, places, and time) could occasionally lead to some confusion, especially when it came to the familiar faces, or a story jumping right on in to a situation we had no background information on and finishing before any of our questions were answered. With that said, this is not to say that the connections being disjointed are a bag thing if this is what Chartres was aiming for. And that very well could have been the aim! My own personal struggle with it was that it is simply not how I can retain or follow a book or story.

There was a lot of good in this book, from the reference and slang of the Roaring Twenties to the Gothic and eerie feel Evelyn Chartres is so well-versed in. There is no holding back, whether it’s gore and foul play or twisted mind games. You don’t dare bat an eye at the commotions or the screams, or you will be next. I love that atmosphere, and it is expertly displayed in many of these stories. The historical accuracy only adds to the allure, as do the wonderfully-weaved descriptions.

In summary, I would gladly read more by this author. It is very well-written and I loved the overall feel, but the jumping around did lead to me getting a little confused at times. But it was still great!

[Jeff Jellets · Rating 4 out of 5]

”It was a perfect example of how beautiful the road to hell was.”

It’s always nice to find a gem in my pile of digitally downloaded ‘freebie’ books. Separating itself from the literary chaff is Evelyn Chartres’ The Grand, a collection of inter-connected short stories about a devilishly managed, haunted hotel in the remote Canadian Rockies. And while the theme and overall construction of the book is something we’ve seen before for other supernatural locales – Charles L. Grant’s Greystone Bay comes to mind -- Chartres’ foray into this format is rather charming and quite a step above what I expected.

The hotel itself makes for a wonderfully moody set piece, atmospherically both inviting and degenerate, while the majority of Chartres’ sixteen or so ‘stories’ rate from very good to excellent. My favorites include ‘Old Soul’ and ‘The Virgin Goddess of Hunt’ – both scenarios where a few foul personalities get a grisly comeuppance – and the ‘Van Helsing Paradox’ for the opposite effect. And while the ambiance is velvet and the stories entertaining, it’s Chartres’ worldbuilding that makes The Grand a great place to visit. From the werewolves in the wood, to angels on the streets, to vampiric concierges, The Grand (and the odd little hamlet squirming at its foundations) feels creepily real and alluringly sinister.

As appealing as The Grand is, its final floors feel a bit unfinished. John’s investigation into the hotel’s sordid secrets is great connective tissue, but his story doesn’t exactly come together in the ‘bang’ of a culminating climax that caps the novel. There are also plenty of loose ends – including any kind of an end encounter with ‘the management’. Chartres is a talented voice and her settings seethe with interest, but I as much as I enjoyed my stay at the hotel, I wished the check-out process was just as flawless.

If nothing else, should Chartres ever decide to give The Grand a sequel, I’m down for a reservation.

[Nicollette Blackeagle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing and Mind Altering

This book contains different stories that all somehow interlinked within the walls of the Grand Hotel. The storyline not only gives you the present but gives you back stories on the guests. The Grand is alive and filled with horrific and diabolical occurrences. The hotel caters to all types of deities and creatures. The book is confusing yet haunting at the same time so you need to play close attention because if you skip around you will be lost. This is my honest unbiased review that I am voluntary leaving of The Grand.

[Sherri Onepony · Rating 2 out of 5]

Confusing -

Too many jumps from one era to another .Language from the eras that had to be looked up in the back of the book. Didn't even know there was a lacein the back to look the words up til I was half way through the book. Good story line but , too much jumping around to get comfortable with the characters. I hope I like Evelyn Chartres other books better, I am excited to see as her story line here was good.

[Nac · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not quite what I thought it would be.

[Norman Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was a lot to like about this book but I just felt like there was too much going on and too many interwoven stories. Made it feel a bit cluttered.

[K.S. Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Neat collection of short stories

The Grand is a connected series of short stories all centering around a strange hotel. The ambiguities of the stories leave some things up to the imagination, which can be awesome. Some of the stories were a bit more gruesome than I cared for, hence the four star rating. But if you like dark fantasy and horror, give this a shot.

[Alexis Collazo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not half bad

An okay read. Like premise of stand alone stories all connected although I some the connections weren't clear to me. Didn't exactly keep me interested, took me a whole to read, easily put it down for long periods. Although I was able to pick it right back up.
Minor annoyance at the amount of "Wait!" and "Wait! What?" responses used to show confusion or hesitation. Kind of nitpicky but gets tiring when every character has same reactions.

[KaylaSH · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Grand is a great collection of short gothic horror stories all centered around a mysterious opulent hotel outside a small town. It's a great stand alone read, however among the characters included here, some including the hunter Clara Grey, Evelyn the vampire, the mysterious Georgians, and the enigmatic Eleanor will return in future novels.
The stories themselves, set in the roaring 1920's, range diversely to include such elements as gangsters and flappers, vampires and werewolves, a race of chariots drawn by motorcycles, and even a portal to the moon? Plus each story within The Grand tells its tale with fully realized characters that compel the reader to root for or against, depending on the situation.
I had great fun reading this book, which mixes horror and dark humor well. And I even learned a few words and phrases from that era such as drugstore cowboy, which I'd always assumed was related to recreational drug abuse. Thanks to the lexicon in the back of Evelyn's novels, I know it's defined as a man who tries to pick up women on a street corner. I love it!

[Isadora]

Clunky read

I liked the premise, but the author's writing isn't quite up to the challenge of working in multiple time periods yet. It made for a clunky and sometimes confusing read.

She also made that rudimentary author's mistake of writing the story as though the reader already knew it and had all the details.

That being said, I enjoyed what I did read, but the awkward craftsmanship really held back what might have otherwise been a really enjoyable tale.
.... Maybe it's better the second time through, once you've got a vague idea of the groundwork- I just don't know that I'd invest the time to give it a second chance.

[Aduragbemi Adekoya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book The Grand by Evelyn Chartres.. Clеvеr writing... This book is more than just a book we come across every day. This iѕ a muѕt rеаd for everyone...

I read for the purpose of learning and I think I've learned from “The Grand”. The moment I started reading this story, I couldn't put it down...

[Becca · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. I picked it up and put it down quite a few times. At 10% I gave up. Between the slang, the jumping back in forth in time and the over usage of italicized words I was confused was annoyed and just could not get into it.

[Christine Graves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good read

Took me a little to get into the story, but once I figured out where the story was going, I couldn't put the book down.

[Alisha Rowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted at http://bit.ly/3Ay31Q9.


















Tucked away in the mountains of North America is a hotel that caters to both the normal and paranormal. However, accidents happen to the normal folks with regularity and it is up to the staff to make sure nothing happens to The Grand. Closed to the public during the roaring twenties there are still plenty of secrets trapped within this looming giant.
I got this book due to seeing the author post about it on Twitter. It is a free book and I love horror, so had to get it. Initially I believed this was a book set in Britain due to the insane terminology. I asked some of my UK friends and they were familiar with quite a few of the terms such as flapper and some others. I think I annoyed him a bit asking all the questions. This book does have a word guide, but it is at the end of the book, so without knowing that (Because I didn't until the book was over) you struggle until you get to the end.

There are plenty of wonderfully gorey and graphic scenes in this book, which I loved. That being said I have no idea what the point of this story is. It is just a bunch of random events that happened in The Grand and how the staff handled them. The only common thread is the barrister every other chapter.

I enjoyed the mythical creatures and gods/goddesses in the book. Such as Bastet and how she obtained her prey. It was an enjoyable and bloody scene.

[Shannon Murphy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Confusing, nonsensical mishmash that wasn't scary at all. I couldn't even finish it. I had no idea what I even read. Don't bother