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Seance on a Summer's Night
Theater critic Artemus Bancroft isn’t sure what to expect when his aunt summons him home to California with vague but urgent pleas about being unable to cope with “the situation.” The situation turns out to be the apparent haunting of Green Lanterns Inn—along with alarming rumors that long-suffering Auntie Halcyone may have murdered her philandering husband.In fact, the rumors seem to have been started by the late Mr. Hyde himself—from beyond the grave.
318 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 31, 2019
74 people are currently reading
499 people want to read
About the author
Josh Lanyon
234 books5,428 followersAuthor of 100+ titles of Gay Mystery and M/M Romance, Josh Lanyon has built her literary legacy on twisty mystery, kickass adventure, and unapologetic man-on-man romance.
Her work has been translated into twelve languages. The FBI thriller Fair Game was the first Male/Male title to be published by Italy’s Harlequin Mondadori and Stranger on the Shore (Harper Collins Italia) was the first M/M title to be published in print. In 2016 Fatal Shadows placed #5 in Japan’s annual Boy Love novel list (the first and only title by a foreign author to place on the list). The Adrien English series was awarded the All-Time Favorite Couple by the Goodreads M/M Romance Group. In 2019, Fatal Shadows became the first LGBTQ mobile game created by Moments: Choose Your Story.
She’s an EPIC Award winner, a four-time Lambda Literary Award finalist (twice for Gay Mystery), an Edgar nominee, and the first ever recipient of the Goodreads All Time Favorite M/M Author award.
Josh is married and lives in Southern California with her irascible husband, two adorable dogs, a small garden, and an ever-expanding library of vintage mystery destined to eventually crush them all beneath its weight.
Find other Josh Lanyon titles at www.joshlanyon.com
Follow Josh on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.
Her work has been translated into twelve languages. The FBI thriller Fair Game was the first Male/Male title to be published by Italy’s Harlequin Mondadori and Stranger on the Shore (Harper Collins Italia) was the first M/M title to be published in print. In 2016 Fatal Shadows placed #5 in Japan’s annual Boy Love novel list (the first and only title by a foreign author to place on the list). The Adrien English series was awarded the All-Time Favorite Couple by the Goodreads M/M Romance Group. In 2019, Fatal Shadows became the first LGBTQ mobile game created by Moments: Choose Your Story.
She’s an EPIC Award winner, a four-time Lambda Literary Award finalist (twice for Gay Mystery), an Edgar nominee, and the first ever recipient of the Goodreads All Time Favorite M/M Author award.
Josh is married and lives in Southern California with her irascible husband, two adorable dogs, a small garden, and an ever-expanding library of vintage mystery destined to eventually crush them all beneath its weight.
Find other Josh Lanyon titles at www.joshlanyon.com
Follow Josh on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 141 reviews
dnf
April 12, 2021Stopping at around 50%. I really like the narrator, but the story isn't holding my attention at the moment.
February 4, 2019
Ahhhh! what do I say? what do I say that hasn't been said?
*blows on conch shell* FANYONS UNITE!
It's good. it's real good. I have highlighted sentences (and I generally only highlight things that are very well and interestingly written). I liked it. First book I've read in a while. Most enjoyable I've read in a while. Lanyon just does it for me.
I wanted to slap auntie H. but who fucking doesn't, me dear darling?
I rate this 4 bitch-slaps right to me auntie H's face.
would I rec? **reference any and all other Lanyon reviews for the exhilarating answer to this titillating question!!**
*blows on conch shell* FANYONS UNITE!
It's good. it's real good. I have highlighted sentences (and I generally only highlight things that are very well and interestingly written). I liked it. First book I've read in a while. Most enjoyable I've read in a while. Lanyon just does it for me.
I wanted to slap auntie H. but who fucking doesn't, me dear darling?
I rate this 4 bitch-slaps right to me auntie H's face.
would I rec? **reference any and all other Lanyon reviews for the exhilarating answer to this titillating question!!**
September 13, 2019
Audiobook: ***3.5 - 4 Stars***
Story: ***3 - 3.5 Stars***
I've always wanted to attend a séance. Now I'm not so sure anymore... Who knows who the hell might answer? With my luck, it's probably one of my old high school teachers who'll haunt me for the rest of my life. ;-)
I'm so lazy with my reviews lately, it's not even funny, so sorry for making it short again:
What can I say anyway, other than it's a typical Lanyon? Eerie setting, creepy story, a bunch of suspicious-looking people and with Seamus and Artemus two endearing main characters (one more than the other). Sounds boring? Nope, it was anything but, just nothing new. For some reason it took me quite a while to warm up to Artemus and the romance felt a bit like an afterthought, even more so than usual in her books. So yes, not her best work in my opinion, but entertaining nonetheless.
Matt Haynes is a new to me narrator, but he did a good job here. :)
Story: ***3 - 3.5 Stars***
Spirits that I've cited
My commands ignore (The Sorcerer's Apprentice - J.W. von Goethe)
I've always wanted to attend a séance. Now I'm not so sure anymore... Who knows who the hell might answer? With my luck, it's probably one of my old high school teachers who'll haunt me for the rest of my life. ;-)
I'm so lazy with my reviews lately, it's not even funny, so sorry for making it short again:
What can I say anyway, other than it's a typical Lanyon? Eerie setting, creepy story, a bunch of suspicious-looking people and with Seamus and Artemus two endearing main characters (one more than the other). Sounds boring? Nope, it was anything but, just nothing new. For some reason it took me quite a while to warm up to Artemus and the romance felt a bit like an afterthought, even more so than usual in her books. So yes, not her best work in my opinion, but entertaining nonetheless.
Matt Haynes is a new to me narrator, but he did a good job here. :)
December 10, 2019
A complimentary copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.
Yep, this was good. I feared this would be a spooky read, which I am not a fan of (and if you are asking "why then did you request a copy?" Because I will read whatever JL publishes.) and so I put this off for the right time - when I felt like I was ready. And this isn't spooky at all, yay! This was quite funny, actually. Artemus is snarky and I like it! 😄 He has good comebacks, bother vocalized and internal. I so very much enjoyed seeing Art figure out what the hell was going on at his Aunts home. It was certainly a head scratcher, and I am happy with how the mystery was answered.
As for the relationship between Art and Cassidy, it was insta-romance. They did not know each other and Cassidy is a fan of Art and his theatrical (critic) reviews. It seemed over the top obsessed, I mean he is a theater critic not James Bond!, lol, and for Cassidy to be willing to gray the blue line (he is a cop; I don't consider this a spoiler because you know Cassidy isn't who he claims, duh) for Art, it seemed so far fetched. Anywho, they are a cute couple, insta aside, and it was not in your face insta as some books can be. JL is talented like that. 😉
Overall a really fun read with hilarious characters, dubious characters, theatrical characters, and ghostly characters. All is not what it seems, and some things are exactly as they appear. I would happily read this again, and MORE of these guys. 4 stars.
Yep, this was good. I feared this would be a spooky read, which I am not a fan of (and if you are asking "why then did you request a copy?" Because I will read whatever JL publishes.) and so I put this off for the right time - when I felt like I was ready. And this isn't spooky at all, yay! This was quite funny, actually. Artemus is snarky and I like it! 😄 He has good comebacks, bother vocalized and internal. I so very much enjoyed seeing Art figure out what the hell was going on at his Aunts home. It was certainly a head scratcher, and I am happy with how the mystery was answered.
As for the relationship between Art and Cassidy, it was insta-romance. They did not know each other and Cassidy is a fan of Art and his theatrical (critic) reviews. It seemed over the top obsessed, I mean he is a theater critic not James Bond!, lol, and for Cassidy to be willing to gray the blue line (he is a cop; I don't consider this a spoiler because you know Cassidy isn't who he claims, duh) for Art, it seemed so far fetched. Anywho, they are a cute couple, insta aside, and it was not in your face insta as some books can be. JL is talented like that. 😉
Overall a really fun read with hilarious characters, dubious characters, theatrical characters, and ghostly characters. All is not what it seems, and some things are exactly as they appear. I would happily read this again, and MORE of these guys. 4 stars.
November 21, 2018
3.75 stars rounded up
Artemus Bancroft is summoned by his aunt, Halcyone Bancroft, to come to her home in California, after his uncle died in tragic car accident the year before. When he arrives, Artemus finds that the situation at his aunt's Green Lanterns Inn has turned for the worse, with ghosts supposedly haunting the inn and probably plans for harms towards Halcyone.
Séance in a Summer Night combines some of the 'classic' haunted house and murder mystery tropes. We have a character who is dead set in being skeptical about ghosts -- Artemus -- we have a 'tragic' character who is dying to make connection with the other side -- Liana -- we have a gloomy butler, we have mysterious young gardener, we have a psychic who does the summoning... and of course, there is the murder/mystery that starts it all.
With names like Artemus, Halcyone, Seamus, Ogden, Ulyanna, this also feels like an "OLD SOUL" kind of story, despite it being set in contemporary setting. So much so, that the word Internet sort of threw me off the story a bit *laugh*. I was imagining the year 1940s or 1950s for this book.
Anyway, I also thought it was a good Lanyon book -- the mystery kept me intrigued, the romance (between Artemus and Seamus) was an added bonus. I liked that Artemus continued being skeptical about the whole thing. I was almost frustrated by his Aunt though, for keeping secrets, although later on, her attitude was understandable.
Yep, it was an enjoyable one.
PS: I received this exclusively as member of Lanyon's patreon; I believe it will be sold everywhere soon enough
Artemus Bancroft is summoned by his aunt, Halcyone Bancroft, to come to her home in California, after his uncle died in tragic car accident the year before. When he arrives, Artemus finds that the situation at his aunt's Green Lanterns Inn has turned for the worse, with ghosts supposedly haunting the inn and probably plans for harms towards Halcyone.
Séance in a Summer Night combines some of the 'classic' haunted house and murder mystery tropes. We have a character who is dead set in being skeptical about ghosts -- Artemus -- we have a 'tragic' character who is dying to make connection with the other side -- Liana -- we have a gloomy butler, we have mysterious young gardener, we have a psychic who does the summoning... and of course, there is the murder/mystery that starts it all.
With names like Artemus, Halcyone, Seamus, Ogden, Ulyanna, this also feels like an "OLD SOUL" kind of story, despite it being set in contemporary setting. So much so, that the word Internet sort of threw me off the story a bit *laugh*. I was imagining the year 1940s or 1950s for this book.
Anyway, I also thought it was a good Lanyon book -- the mystery kept me intrigued, the romance (between Artemus and Seamus) was an added bonus. I liked that Artemus continued being skeptical about the whole thing. I was almost frustrated by his Aunt though, for keeping secrets, although later on, her attitude was understandable.
Yep, it was an enjoyable one.
PS: I received this exclusively as member of Lanyon's patreon; I believe it will be sold everywhere soon enough
October 17, 2021
Take a haunted mansion, complete with 25 bedrooms and a ballroom that is collecting dust. Add a revenge-seeking ghost. Sprinkle in a suspicious death and an evil secret. Garnish with a mysterious gardener... a sweet, elegant aunt and a crazy as a bat step-aunt. Toss in a couple of disgruntled servants...mix well with a huge dollop of a remarkably accurate psychic... and you have the makings of another excellent story by one of my favorite m/m romance writers, Josh Lanyon. Its a thoroughly enjoyable read, with a great crew of characters...but then I have never found one of Josh Lanyon's stories that wasn't...and I think I have read almost everything she has ever out on paper between two covers. The mysteries in her books are never so complex that you don't get it...but they do have the ability to make you want to read them again and again.
February 17, 2019
3.25 stars
Oh gods I hate writing anything in review about this book. My favorite author... whose muse is still missing. There was nothing new here, nothing exciting, no outstanding characters, no great world building. Yes, it was technically well written and edited, the mystery was fairly solid, but it was no AE mystery. And that's what I keep expecting.
Back to hoping for more...
Oh gods I hate writing anything in review about this book. My favorite author... whose muse is still missing. There was nothing new here, nothing exciting, no outstanding characters, no great world building. Yes, it was technically well written and edited, the mystery was fairly solid, but it was no AE mystery. And that's what I keep expecting.
Back to hoping for more...
December 10, 2019
Theater critic Artie Bancroft is summoned to his former home in California by Aunt H. Things have been tough for her since her husband, Ogden, passed away. But Aunt H doesn't need Artie because she's sad. It's because their home, which is also the Green Lantern Inn, has been losing clients. Why? Because word on the street is, Ogden is back. And his ghost has a lot to do.
This book was amazing. I haven't had this much fun since Lanyon's Stranger on the Shore. The story is riveting from Artie's early arrival and the frosty reception from the inn's suspicious handyman, Tarrant. But that's not the only mystery Artie needs to solve. There's the new gardener, Cassidy.
Cassidy almost distracted me from the shenanigans of Ogden's ghost. Almost.
...he was not like any gardener I'd ever met before, a feeling reinforced as he reached automatically to shake hands but then realised his were stained with mud... I'd never known one of the gardeners to try and shake hands before.
"I was weeding the dahlias," he said.
... "They're begonias."
Who are you and what are you up to Cassidy? This book has a timeless feel to it. It could've been from almost any period until the mention of cellphones. I love that about it. The best thing about this book is that it's not suffering from Lanyon's latest treatment of her mysteries. Sudden rushed endings. I'm still smarting over the resolution of the conflict in Slay Ride being offered in a newspaper clipping. This book is a perfect trip to OG Josh Lanyon. Noir-ish, hella mysterious and endings that do. not. feel. rushed.
This book was amazing. I haven't had this much fun since Lanyon's Stranger on the Shore. The story is riveting from Artie's early arrival and the frosty reception from the inn's suspicious handyman, Tarrant. But that's not the only mystery Artie needs to solve. There's the new gardener, Cassidy.
Cassidy almost distracted me from the shenanigans of Ogden's ghost. Almost.
...he was not like any gardener I'd ever met before, a feeling reinforced as he reached automatically to shake hands but then realised his were stained with mud... I'd never known one of the gardeners to try and shake hands before.
"I was weeding the dahlias," he said.
... "They're begonias."
Who are you and what are you up to Cassidy? This book has a timeless feel to it. It could've been from almost any period until the mention of cellphones. I love that about it. The best thing about this book is that it's not suffering from Lanyon's latest treatment of her mysteries. Sudden rushed endings. I'm still smarting over the resolution of the conflict in Slay Ride being offered in a newspaper clipping. This book is a perfect trip to OG Josh Lanyon. Noir-ish, hella mysterious and endings that do. not. feel. rushed.
February 6, 2025
Audio: 5 stars
Story: 4 stars
It had a slow meandering plot.. but somehow it kept me hooked and I was never quite sure if the paranormal activities were real or fake. It kept me guessing till the last moment. I wish there was a better explanation at the end, it felt rushed. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it and am glad that I gave it a chance despite the less than positive reviews.
Story: 4 stars
It had a slow meandering plot.. but somehow it kept me hooked and I was never quite sure if the paranormal activities were real or fake. It kept me guessing till the last moment. I wish there was a better explanation at the end, it felt rushed. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it and am glad that I gave it a chance despite the less than positive reviews.
August 26, 2024
I often wish JL's stories to be longer. This one however was almost the opposite. Sorry to appoint it to one of my least favourite JL. 2 ⭐⭐
January 11, 2022
3.5 rounded down
My last several Lanyon reads have been short stories, and reading this reminded me how much more I enjoy their full-length novels, as their abrupt ending style feels less abrasive when taken as part of a larger narrative.
While I wouldn't say this was my favorite of their books, I definitely enjoyed it. Great sense of atmosphere and an interesting mystery, and I really enjoyed the main character and thought Artie's voice was great. I did feel like Lanyon was a little heavy-handed with the ~mystery~ of Cassidy--it was obvious from their introduction what the ~secret~ was, and I wish they'd been a little more subtle about there being something off about him. The romance also wasn't all that well-developed for my taste, with emotions developing pretty quickly in a way that didn't totally resonate. I also just found myself really frustrated with Aunt H, who seemed stubbornly reticent with Artie despite ostensibly loving/trusting him, to the point of it feeling forced for the sake of the plot rather than totally believable.
But I did enjoy it, and I'm glad to have finally read this one!
My last several Lanyon reads have been short stories, and reading this reminded me how much more I enjoy their full-length novels, as their abrupt ending style feels less abrasive when taken as part of a larger narrative.
While I wouldn't say this was my favorite of their books, I definitely enjoyed it. Great sense of atmosphere and an interesting mystery, and I really enjoyed the main character and thought Artie's voice was great. I did feel like Lanyon was a little heavy-handed with the ~mystery~ of Cassidy--it was obvious from their introduction what the ~secret~ was, and I wish they'd been a little more subtle about there being something off about him. The romance also wasn't all that well-developed for my taste, with emotions developing pretty quickly in a way that didn't totally resonate. I also just found myself really frustrated with Aunt H, who seemed stubbornly reticent with Artie despite ostensibly loving/trusting him, to the point of it feeling forced for the sake of the plot rather than totally believable.
But I did enjoy it, and I'm glad to have finally read this one!
May 25, 2023
3.5 ✳️
Every JL fan will love this one but it's definitely recommended when you are in mood for a ton of atomspheric details. The mystery is good but the development is super slow. Personally, I believe the story would have worked best in the form of Novella. But, I have not read anything new from JL in some time and this is my last unfinished book from her backlist(I kept it pending because of mixed reviews).
So in few words.... It deserves 3 stars but I am biased.😀
Every JL fan will love this one but it's definitely recommended when you are in mood for a ton of atomspheric details. The mystery is good but the development is super slow. Personally, I believe the story would have worked best in the form of Novella. But, I have not read anything new from JL in some time and this is my last unfinished book from her backlist(I kept it pending because of mixed reviews).
So in few words.... It deserves 3 stars but I am biased.😀
March 31, 2020
3.5 Stars
April 19, 2019
Séance on a Summer’s Night
By Josh Lanyon
JustJoshin Publishing, November 2018
Four Stars
A thoroughly enjoyable read, with a great crew of characters, including the lead, Artemus Bancroft, a thirty-year-old theater critic from New York. Artemus returns to his boyhood home, an isolated mansion near the fictional town of Russian Bay, California, at the request of his aunt Halcyone Bancroft Hyde. What follows is a mixture of Agatha Christie and Clue, sprinkled with a good helping of old-fashioned Spiritualism and a hint of the occult.
It is easy to see Lanyon’s famous character Adrien English in Artemus Bancroft, but Artie (as his aunt calls him) can hold his own. Having left the pampered existence of Green Lanterns because of his unhappiness over his aunt’s second marriage, he has found himself (but not actual happiness) in the big city. What he finds on his return to California is both his aunt and the great estate much diminished – apparently due to mysterious goings-on that may or may not be related to the violent death of his late unlamented uncle Ogden.
Why has Ogden’s sister Liana forced Halcyone to all but close down Green Lanterns? Why did the scheme to open the house as an elegant inn fail? Why has Tarrant, the butler, gotten so hostile all of a sudden? Who is the impertinent gardener who doesn’t know begonias from dahlias? These, and many other questions are at the center of Artie’s dilemma.
Where the story came a-cropper for me is in the house itself. Green Lanterns is clearly meant to be a great Victorian house, richly furnished and on a grand scale, both as to the building and its gardens. It is a survivor from the Gilded Age, and seems to have held onto its luster until after Artemus left home five years earlier.
The problem is – and this is really MY problem, having spent my career as a museum curator specializing in the study of houses like this – that the author has not really done her research into the Gilded Age estates in California and the way they looked and functioned. Lanyon uses plenty of stereotypical assumptions about big old mansions, seemingly drawn from movies of the 1930s and 40s. The house itself is a huge presence in the novel, both as a setting and as a plot generator. This is where the problem is more about me than about Lanyon herself: the house never felt like a real place to me. It had the same slightly off presence that Tara and Twelve Oaks had in Gone With the Wind. I can’t really give details without spoilers, so I’ll just leave it there. The Bancroft mansion should have made this book brilliant, but instead it pulls its punches and can’t support the more fully-developed human characters it houses. Most readers won’t care, but I’m not most readers.
By Josh Lanyon
JustJoshin Publishing, November 2018
Four Stars
A thoroughly enjoyable read, with a great crew of characters, including the lead, Artemus Bancroft, a thirty-year-old theater critic from New York. Artemus returns to his boyhood home, an isolated mansion near the fictional town of Russian Bay, California, at the request of his aunt Halcyone Bancroft Hyde. What follows is a mixture of Agatha Christie and Clue, sprinkled with a good helping of old-fashioned Spiritualism and a hint of the occult.
It is easy to see Lanyon’s famous character Adrien English in Artemus Bancroft, but Artie (as his aunt calls him) can hold his own. Having left the pampered existence of Green Lanterns because of his unhappiness over his aunt’s second marriage, he has found himself (but not actual happiness) in the big city. What he finds on his return to California is both his aunt and the great estate much diminished – apparently due to mysterious goings-on that may or may not be related to the violent death of his late unlamented uncle Ogden.
Why has Ogden’s sister Liana forced Halcyone to all but close down Green Lanterns? Why did the scheme to open the house as an elegant inn fail? Why has Tarrant, the butler, gotten so hostile all of a sudden? Who is the impertinent gardener who doesn’t know begonias from dahlias? These, and many other questions are at the center of Artie’s dilemma.
Where the story came a-cropper for me is in the house itself. Green Lanterns is clearly meant to be a great Victorian house, richly furnished and on a grand scale, both as to the building and its gardens. It is a survivor from the Gilded Age, and seems to have held onto its luster until after Artemus left home five years earlier.
The problem is – and this is really MY problem, having spent my career as a museum curator specializing in the study of houses like this – that the author has not really done her research into the Gilded Age estates in California and the way they looked and functioned. Lanyon uses plenty of stereotypical assumptions about big old mansions, seemingly drawn from movies of the 1930s and 40s. The house itself is a huge presence in the novel, both as a setting and as a plot generator. This is where the problem is more about me than about Lanyon herself: the house never felt like a real place to me. It had the same slightly off presence that Tara and Twelve Oaks had in Gone With the Wind. I can’t really give details without spoilers, so I’ll just leave it there. The Bancroft mansion should have made this book brilliant, but instead it pulls its punches and can’t support the more fully-developed human characters it houses. Most readers won’t care, but I’m not most readers.
February 4, 2019
Now THIS is the Josh Lanyon I know and love
4.5 stars and highly recommended
Josh Lanyon writes M/M mystery romance mashups better than almost anyone. She sets the tone for each book immediately (some are comedic, some sentimental, some hard-boiled) and expertly maintains that tone throughout.
This book is a nice balance of nice amateur sleuthing and flirting between the MCs. Most of the secondary characters interesting, and the plotting is nice and tight.
In a nutshell, a gay nephew returns home (a trope Lanyon loves) and trouble’s afoot. Stakes are pretty low and this is more cozy than suspenseful.
This feels like a stand-alone an definitely worth reading if you’re a Josh Lanyon fan.
4.5 stars and highly recommended
Josh Lanyon writes M/M mystery romance mashups better than almost anyone. She sets the tone for each book immediately (some are comedic, some sentimental, some hard-boiled) and expertly maintains that tone throughout.
This book is a nice balance of nice amateur sleuthing and flirting between the MCs. Most of the secondary characters interesting, and the plotting is nice and tight.
In a nutshell, a gay nephew returns home (a trope Lanyon loves) and trouble’s afoot. Stakes are pretty low and this is more cozy than suspenseful.
This feels like a stand-alone an definitely worth reading if you’re a Josh Lanyon fan.
November 10, 2020
Creative characters and a fun mystery, and best of all is Lanyon's trademark wit... I needed me some of that. Beautifully written.
The narrator was just okay, he made some odd pronunciation errors and his voice wasn't my favorite.
The narrator was just okay, he made some odd pronunciation errors and his voice wasn't my favorite.
July 10, 2019
I finished this on a hot Summer night, outside, and couldn’t have been more pleased with all of it. I ended it with a huge smile on my face.
Oh, I needed this.
Really.
This one got me right from the start. The mystery held my attention, the romance, that as a Fanyon I know will never be enough and always leave me wanting in the best way, was just that, the best. The secondary characters were all interesting even if they weren’t all that likeable. I loved that the house, the gardens and the cars were all a huge part of the story. The house though, because that is just how I am, stole the show. I hope, hope, hope that Artemus and Seamus find their way back to Green Lanterns to stay someday.
I loved the mix of Ghost story and murder mystery and I love how I was guessing until the very end.
I know, I’m such a huge fan, so maybe I am not trustworthy, but I’ll tell you, this was super enjoyable and just what I expect from Josh Lanyon, trust me!
**ARC courtesy of JustJoshin Publishing, Inc. via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
Oh, I needed this.
Really.
This one got me right from the start. The mystery held my attention, the romance, that as a Fanyon I know will never be enough and always leave me wanting in the best way, was just that, the best. The secondary characters were all interesting even if they weren’t all that likeable. I loved that the house, the gardens and the cars were all a huge part of the story. The house though, because that is just how I am, stole the show. I hope, hope, hope that Artemus and Seamus find their way back to Green Lanterns to stay someday.
I loved the mix of Ghost story and murder mystery and I love how I was guessing until the very end.
I know, I’m such a huge fan, so maybe I am not trustworthy, but I’ll tell you, this was super enjoyable and just what I expect from Josh Lanyon, trust me!
**ARC courtesy of JustJoshin Publishing, Inc. via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
February 19, 2019
As much as I usually love Lanyon, this one fell a little short for me. I’m used to the fact that her books are often plot heavy and romance light, but this one had far too little romance (or sex) for me. Also, although the story seems to take place in modern times, there were a lot of old fashion elements that made it feel like we were in the 1940s or something. It was distracting. That being said, the mystery was solidly written and sufficiently convincing.
June 19, 2019
I had so much fun! A perfect book for hot summer days!
What Josh Lanyon could do really good- to write a good story. There is indeed a STORY in her every novel, we can argue about anything else, but never about THIS fact. And this one has not just summer in its title but also somehow a summer SPIRIT, and other spirits also...
I have to be honest with you, I don't like paranormal genre, but if it is told with a profound sense of humor, irony, sarcasm, and, with the icing on the cake with a lovely romance and VERY CHARMING characters, I do not want to complain!
***ARC kindly provided by the author via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.***
November 22, 2018
After finishing Geralt of Rivia's saga I was really unmotivated to read. There were nothing that appealed to me. That's quite rare for me when I'm disappointed in a book or series, usually that happens when I love the book I've read because I don't want to stop thinking in the world I just vacated. But, surprise, surprise, it's seems that works the other way around too. So when this lovely suprise arrived in my mail I couldn't resist because Mrs. Lanyon books always cheer me up.
I've been reading this book chapter by chapter for some time now, so as I had only two chapters left I decided start again from the beggining and read it as a whole. And it was a really good idea. There's some clues scattered through the chapters that went unnoticed when I was reading little by little and that point you in the right direction to solve what's going on.
I enjoyed the story, is fun, and misterious at the same time. I had a good time reading it.
I've been reading this book chapter by chapter for some time now, so as I had only two chapters left I decided start again from the beggining and read it as a whole. And it was a really good idea. There's some clues scattered through the chapters that went unnoticed when I was reading little by little and that point you in the right direction to solve what's going on.
I enjoyed the story, is fun, and misterious at the same time. I had a good time reading it.
August 27, 2019
Vintage Lanyon: attractive, ever so slightly prissy M.C (epitomised by his name, Artemis?) offset by a warm, outgoing but slightly mysterious romantic interest, a haunted house, a wealth of eccentric supporting characters and a McMuffin of a mystery. I enjoyed the psychic overtones. As another reviewer mentioned, not a patch on the Adrian English books x or even the Moriarty murders but still entertaining.
March 15, 2020
This was reasonable entertaining but didn't wow me like this author's books usually do. Nothing about the plot or the characters stood out to me. I didn't write a review right away and honestly I don't remember much of anything about the book which is never good imo.
**ARC received through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
**ARC received through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
June 27, 2019
Spoilers: The key with LGBTQIA fiction these days is that they don't always have to do with being LGBTQIA. What I mean is that, while there are romances about boy meets boy or girl meets girl and dramatic coming out stories in less enlightened times or in modern day in front of a disapproving family and society, that isn't all there is to Queer Literature.
To be truly equal means to cover all barriers. One of the ways to do that is to put LGBTQIA characters in genres where their sexuality isn't the most important part of the book. It is essential to their character, but no more so than it would be for a straight protagonist obtaining a heterosexual love interest. The sexuality and gender roles become a subplot in that book.
Josh Lanyon's novel, Seance on a Summer's Night is that type of book. Yes the protagonist, Artemus “Artie” Bancroft is gay. Yes, he spends multiple parts of the book discussing his love life and yes, he obtains a male love interest in the book. However, Artie's sexuality takes a back seat in what is a memorable Gothic Novel and Ghost Story with a witty protagonist who happens to be gay.
Artie is a New York theater critic who is summoned back to Green Lanterns, his childhood home in Russian Bay, California, by his Aunt Halcyone. Halcyone raised Artie ever since his parents died and the two have been close until Halcyone’s marriage to Ogden Hyde, a domineering philandering tyrant. Artie moved to New York to pursue his career and a romance with Greg, a married man. Now, one year after Ogden's death, Halcyone summons Artie back saying that she “can't handle the situation” and that she needs Artie's “cool head and strong shoulders” to help with said situation.
The situation is that Green Lanterns appears to be haunted. Halcyone wants to turn the ornate many-roomed mansion into an inn. However, people report missing items, mysterious footsteps when no one is there, and transparent figures seen out of the corner of one's eye. Staff keep quitting and no guests check in because of fear of ghosts. Ogden's bed ridden sister, Lianna is consulting with mediums. Above all, rumors are spread that Ogden's death was no accident and that he was murdered something that Ogden's ghost has confirmed.
Seance on a Summer's Night is the perfect read if someone is looking for a good Gothic ghost story to curl up with. All the tropes are there. There is the creepy house with dark rooms, secret passages, and dim lighting just waiting for someone to see something spooky pop out of the shadows. (It makes one wonder why anyone would want to visit there but many people like to visit haunted places like Winchester Mystery House. Plus I live near St. Louis where one of the favorite tourist destinations is the Lemp Mansion and Brewery, so who am I to judge?)
If the setting didn't give off a spooky enough atmosphere, then the people who dwell within Green Lanterns certainly will. Everyone appears to be hiding something and has their own private agenda.
Lianna was once a social butterfly but now spends her days lying in bed, reading Tarot cards, and talking to her only friend, medium Roma Loveridge. She also goes on nightly walks looking for Ogden and in one creepy chapter almost falls to her death. Roma herself produces some spooky moments with her séances that may or may not be on the level. She also has a strange psychological hold on Lianna and sometimes Halcyone which makes Artie extremely suspicious.
The remaining servants, Tarrant and his daughter, Ulyanna appear to resent the increased workload and Artie's presence. Seamus Cassidy, a handsome gardener, captures Artie's eye but maybe hiding his true intentions and connection to the goings-on at Green Lantern. Then there's Halcyone who Artie wants to believe is innocent of Ogden's murder but is acting more and more mysterious and keeps dropping hints about how she can't be forgiven for something.
Poor Artie doesn't know who to trust when everyone in Green Lanterns is acting suspiciously, even family members and people he had known for years.
Characterization is Lanyon's strong suit and he gives us a brilliant protagonist in Artie. Artie is very witty and prone to providing sarcastic one-liners. When Halcyone quotes the “more things in heaven and earth” line from Hamlet, Artie replies “That's right, Hamlet. There's fire and water.”
Artie is a fervent skeptic which is why Halcyone contacted him to see if there are any human agencies behind the hauntings. Artie is the type of person who attends a seance and looks underneath the table for strings and flashlights. He proves to be helpful by observing clues for a rational explanation. However, he is so convinced by his skepticism that he refuses the possibility of thw supernatural even when it's right in front of him and all scientific reasoning has disappeared.
Besides being a skeptical cynic, Artie exhibits a softer side. He cares deeply for Halcyone and is protective of her because of the scares and the earlier abuse she received at the hands of Ogden. Even though he doesn't get along with Lianna, he expresses concern for her when she appears to be on the edge of a breakdown.
Artie shows vulnerability when thinking about his love life. He is haunted by the death of one former boyfriend and is still hurting over his breakup with Greg. His moments with Cassidy are sweet but tinged with sadness as Artie finds it difficult to fall in love again and also is suspicious of Cassidy’s true nature.
When Artie encounters the ghosts, he realizes that his one liners, skepticism, and vulnerable nature can't protect him from the secrets and fear that surrounds him.
Seance on a Summer’s Night has a descriptive spooky Gothic setting and a clever well-rounded protagonist. It is a great read for those hot July and August nights when you need a chill down your spine and a good scare.
To be truly equal means to cover all barriers. One of the ways to do that is to put LGBTQIA characters in genres where their sexuality isn't the most important part of the book. It is essential to their character, but no more so than it would be for a straight protagonist obtaining a heterosexual love interest. The sexuality and gender roles become a subplot in that book.
Josh Lanyon's novel, Seance on a Summer's Night is that type of book. Yes the protagonist, Artemus “Artie” Bancroft is gay. Yes, he spends multiple parts of the book discussing his love life and yes, he obtains a male love interest in the book. However, Artie's sexuality takes a back seat in what is a memorable Gothic Novel and Ghost Story with a witty protagonist who happens to be gay.
Artie is a New York theater critic who is summoned back to Green Lanterns, his childhood home in Russian Bay, California, by his Aunt Halcyone. Halcyone raised Artie ever since his parents died and the two have been close until Halcyone’s marriage to Ogden Hyde, a domineering philandering tyrant. Artie moved to New York to pursue his career and a romance with Greg, a married man. Now, one year after Ogden's death, Halcyone summons Artie back saying that she “can't handle the situation” and that she needs Artie's “cool head and strong shoulders” to help with said situation.
The situation is that Green Lanterns appears to be haunted. Halcyone wants to turn the ornate many-roomed mansion into an inn. However, people report missing items, mysterious footsteps when no one is there, and transparent figures seen out of the corner of one's eye. Staff keep quitting and no guests check in because of fear of ghosts. Ogden's bed ridden sister, Lianna is consulting with mediums. Above all, rumors are spread that Ogden's death was no accident and that he was murdered something that Ogden's ghost has confirmed.
Seance on a Summer's Night is the perfect read if someone is looking for a good Gothic ghost story to curl up with. All the tropes are there. There is the creepy house with dark rooms, secret passages, and dim lighting just waiting for someone to see something spooky pop out of the shadows. (It makes one wonder why anyone would want to visit there but many people like to visit haunted places like Winchester Mystery House. Plus I live near St. Louis where one of the favorite tourist destinations is the Lemp Mansion and Brewery, so who am I to judge?)
If the setting didn't give off a spooky enough atmosphere, then the people who dwell within Green Lanterns certainly will. Everyone appears to be hiding something and has their own private agenda.
Lianna was once a social butterfly but now spends her days lying in bed, reading Tarot cards, and talking to her only friend, medium Roma Loveridge. She also goes on nightly walks looking for Ogden and in one creepy chapter almost falls to her death. Roma herself produces some spooky moments with her séances that may or may not be on the level. She also has a strange psychological hold on Lianna and sometimes Halcyone which makes Artie extremely suspicious.
The remaining servants, Tarrant and his daughter, Ulyanna appear to resent the increased workload and Artie's presence. Seamus Cassidy, a handsome gardener, captures Artie's eye but maybe hiding his true intentions and connection to the goings-on at Green Lantern. Then there's Halcyone who Artie wants to believe is innocent of Ogden's murder but is acting more and more mysterious and keeps dropping hints about how she can't be forgiven for something.
Poor Artie doesn't know who to trust when everyone in Green Lanterns is acting suspiciously, even family members and people he had known for years.
Characterization is Lanyon's strong suit and he gives us a brilliant protagonist in Artie. Artie is very witty and prone to providing sarcastic one-liners. When Halcyone quotes the “more things in heaven and earth” line from Hamlet, Artie replies “That's right, Hamlet. There's fire and water.”
Artie is a fervent skeptic which is why Halcyone contacted him to see if there are any human agencies behind the hauntings. Artie is the type of person who attends a seance and looks underneath the table for strings and flashlights. He proves to be helpful by observing clues for a rational explanation. However, he is so convinced by his skepticism that he refuses the possibility of thw supernatural even when it's right in front of him and all scientific reasoning has disappeared.
Besides being a skeptical cynic, Artie exhibits a softer side. He cares deeply for Halcyone and is protective of her because of the scares and the earlier abuse she received at the hands of Ogden. Even though he doesn't get along with Lianna, he expresses concern for her when she appears to be on the edge of a breakdown.
Artie shows vulnerability when thinking about his love life. He is haunted by the death of one former boyfriend and is still hurting over his breakup with Greg. His moments with Cassidy are sweet but tinged with sadness as Artie finds it difficult to fall in love again and also is suspicious of Cassidy’s true nature.
When Artie encounters the ghosts, he realizes that his one liners, skepticism, and vulnerable nature can't protect him from the secrets and fear that surrounds him.
Seance on a Summer’s Night has a descriptive spooky Gothic setting and a clever well-rounded protagonist. It is a great read for those hot July and August nights when you need a chill down your spine and a good scare.
July 2, 2020
We go classic mystery here. A haunted mansion.
Artemus is back to his childhood house after a disturbing call from his aunt. It has been long since his last visit and he can't believe that now it seems all people there think the house is haunted by his aunt's last husband.
He starts witnessing disturbing events too, but he's convinced that is nothing paranormal after them.
Of course we also have a mysterious gardener that it seems the only one sharing this idea so Artemus must decide if he can trust his help!
Intriguing! Is MORE mystery, romance is anecdotal, but is cute :///)
Artemus is back to his childhood house after a disturbing call from his aunt. It has been long since his last visit and he can't believe that now it seems all people there think the house is haunted by his aunt's last husband.
He starts witnessing disturbing events too, but he's convinced that is nothing paranormal after them.
Of course we also have a mysterious gardener that it seems the only one sharing this idea so Artemus must decide if he can trust his help!
Intriguing! Is MORE mystery, romance is anecdotal, but is cute :///)
February 6, 2019
Another great who-dunnit by Josh...
February 16, 2019
It's supposed to be a romantic suspense but there's very little romance here. There's the typical Lanyon quality writing, but I think I have read this book in different variations by the author more than once, there was nothing particularly special about it.
July 29, 2019
Well, that was fun… in a totally scary, crazy, unpredictable way. Kinda what I’ve come to expect from this author.
Artemus had no problem dropping everything and coming to his aunt’s side when she needed him. He grew up with her at Green Lanterns so his devotion to her was understandable. That didn’t mean that he supported her theory about a ghost haunting and scaring away any potential guests as well as her staff. It also didn’t mean that he supported every decision that she made.
Then there was Seamus. It was obvious from the beginning (at least for me) that there was much more to the gardener than appeared at first glance. I wasn’t disappointed. In fact, I wasn’t disappointed by much in Seance on a Summer’s Night. There were enough twists, turns, danger and just enough romance to keep the pages turning.
I received Seance on a Summer's Night in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Artemus had no problem dropping everything and coming to his aunt’s side when she needed him. He grew up with her at Green Lanterns so his devotion to her was understandable. That didn’t mean that he supported her theory about a ghost haunting and scaring away any potential guests as well as her staff. It also didn’t mean that he supported every decision that she made.
Then there was Seamus. It was obvious from the beginning (at least for me) that there was much more to the gardener than appeared at first glance. I wasn’t disappointed. In fact, I wasn’t disappointed by much in Seance on a Summer’s Night. There were enough twists, turns, danger and just enough romance to keep the pages turning.
I received Seance on a Summer's Night in exchange for a fair and honest review.
February 23, 2019
Another sure-fire hit for Josh Lanyon. This story was great. The characters were fascinating and well developed. Artie initially came across a little high-brow but he was still a very likable chap and Cassidy was a little cheeky but loveable right from the start. The writing, as always, was top notch. The storyline and mystery were believable, well-paced, and there were just enough misdirections to keep things interesting. I have to admit that I saw a different purpose for those balloons, though. What? I'm not telling. Read the story to find out. ;)
May 29, 2023
This Josh Lanyon novel didn’t land for me in the way his other books, like his Pirate Cove series, did. I enjoyed the plot because I love a good ghost story, especially with a little cult action thrown in. But the characters weren’t especially endearing and fair chunk of the book is characters sniping at each other and being irritable and angry. The main character is written to be spoiled and oblivious to his privilege and he is called out on it, but then there is no reckoning. There is no big learning moment for him or any character growth.
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