Ghosts of Lock Tower

Abby Renshaw #3

by Jack Massa

A haunted tower, an evil ghost, a monster spawned from a meme

After graduating high school Abby returns to Harmony Springs, her spiritual home. She plans to reconnect with friends, take one college class over the summer, and of course resume her magical studies.

But life in central Florida is not as peaceful as she hoped. Nightmares and visions torment her: a weird castle, an armored ghost, a giant white frog devouring people. When a girl is murdered on campus and a picture of the same white frog found beside the body, Abby knows it’s not just her problem, but the world’s. An evil entity is loose, fed by occult forces, spreading rage and hate.

Abby’s guides say it’s her duty to fight this menace. Can she discover the power to banish the white frog and its master? Or will she become their next victim?

Ghosts of Lock Tower is the third book of The Abby Renshaw Supernatural Mysteries. If you like tales of ghosts, psychic mystery, and magic, you will love this series.

Genres: Paranormal, Mystery

250 pages, Paperback

Published August 12, 2019

About the author

Jack Massa has studied writing and other forms of magic for many years. He lives in Florida and wanders in many places.

Reviews

[Bobbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What Lurks in the Lock Tower?

This is the third book in this series that follows the adventures of Abby Renshaw. The first two were great, but i think this is the best one yet! Abby takes on an evil thought form that gets its power through hate, and confronts a despicable ghost too. Wow! Check it out for an entertaining read with a clever combination of fact and fiction. I cant wait for the next book!

[Susan Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Ghosts of Lock Tower by Jack Massa is the third Abby Renshaw adventure. I received a free review copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. While I don’t usually read many YA books, I really enjoy this series. Abby is a strong character who has undergone some trying times in her past and continues to face unusual challenges. She is both a typical teenager and very mature at times. It is her maturity that makes the books worth reading. The other element that I especially like is the magic system the author has created. I was fascinated with magic when I was Abby’s age, so the books feel true to me. Abby’s good relations with most of the adults in her world is a nice change of pace from some YA books. I hope Abby continues to have magical adventures!

[Jodi Sweet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first book by this author and this series. I thought it was fantastic and I loved that it took place in Central Florida since that is where I live. I’ve driven by the real Bok Tower in Lake Wales and it always gave me a feeling, so having it in a paranormal book was great! I really loved the characters and the storyline was awesome. It really hit home on just how screwed up our world really is. I just hope no hate group takes my beloved frogs and corrupt them!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Abby has recently graduated from high school. She decides to go to Florida to spend time with friends before taking a college course. She starts having dreams of a castle, a white frog and a man in armour? When a girl is found murdered she sees a white frog in the photo next to the girl and has figure out how all of it goes together.

[M.J. Mallon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in the Abby Renshaw series and my first introduction to author Jack Massa.

I'm so glad I discovered this author. Jack Massa's magical writing is really up my street. I loved the character of Abby (who is on the cusp of eighteen but not your ordinary girl!) and all the subsidiary characters including her loveable grandma. Even Abby's car Veronica has a character of its own as she names it too!

It's a quirky tale - think frog monster - so if you like quirky you will like this. There is magic, two different magical societies, sigils, tarot, seances , astral projection, psychic abilities, 'egregore (thought forms,) etc, with some lovely touches of humour.

To add to the story mix there is also a murder on campus and a Nazi ghost. Abby's blossoming romance and an ex in the picture - better not say anymore for fear of spoiling it for you.

All in all a well written, engaging book, with a great heroine to cheer for.

There is an interesting author's note at the end of the book about the locations: 'Harmony Springs is fictional, although based on some actual places in central Florida.'
'Lock Tower is based on the real Bok Tower in Lake Wales... '

All sounds fascinating I like narratives that are based on real places and people.

M J Book Reviews

[Auden Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read in this series but I didn't feel lost having jumped into the middle. This is a good paranormal story for people who may not be into horror. Yes, the book has ghosts and some scary things happen but I'd label this as horror-lite. It has more mystery than spooks. On a design note, I was impressed with the book's interior. I'm not a huge fan of the cover but I loved how the chapters were set up. I also liked how deep the author went into the magic. I'm a sucker for a good magic system. That seemed to be more of the story's focus.

When I got into this story, I was into it. I lost track of time. I was invested in Abbyy's story. But, it was still easy for me to put down the book and do something else. The writing, I think, could be tightened up a bit. Some things that took 3 sentences to explain could've been done in one. A lot of repetition had me skipping sections, like Abby's paragraph-long chant. I'm also not a huge fan of love triangles. Abby's relationship with the new love interest didn't feel fully fleshed out to me. But, Abby kept me reading this story to the end. I really liked her.

[Pat Eroh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intriguing and compelling, this is a story of a young girl who must save the world. Can she? Good thing Abby has powers of magic to help her fight the occultic powers. This is the third book in the series, hurry and catch up!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Abby is living with her grandma in Harmony Springs. She is going to help grandma, take one college class and continued her magical studies. She is having strange dreams that she doesn’t know what to make of them. She has one dream about a giant white frog. She meets a guy at college that invites her to the practical magic club. As she learns more about it, she decides to try it even though it doesn’t have a moral code to use it. She discovers that it is not for her. When a girl is found dead on campus, Abby knows the white frog did it. She finds out from her magical study teacher that the white frog is a danger until she can get rid of it. Will Abby be able to find out how to? She discovers that two ghosts could help her get rid of it but one won’t and one can’t. Lock is the ghost who will eventually be able to give her the information she needs to get rid of the white frog. The information she seeks is in the Lock Tower. However the Lock Tower is closed to the public. Will Abby get in? If she gets in, will she find the information she needs?

A mystery that involves the paranormal and magic. It also includes friendship and an ancient goddess. The story is a fantastic read. I enjoyed following Abby as she tried to figure out the giant white frog and how to get rid of it. It was great how she was able to continue her friendship and discover how the goddess could help her. I can’t wait to read the next Abby Renshaw adventure book. Though this is Abby’s third adventure, I had no trouble reading it as a stand-alone book. I’m so glad I read this book! I recommend it to anyone that enjoys a few ghosts and a great mystery.

Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review or any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.

[Cindi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish to thank the author, publisher and Net Galley for providing a free ecopy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book was #3 in a series, and I had not read the previous 2 books. Nor have I read other books by this author. I usually really love anything haunted or haunted building type of story, mystical. psychic, I usually go for. Overall, this book fed that need. I'd thought the book would be general fiction or possibly 'new adult', but one I got started, it felt a lot more like middle grade to YA level, though the main character was talking about driving, and 'hooking up' with a boy, and going to college. So maybe more YA/NA overall. the character development was a bit lacking, but maybe it would have been better in reading the books in order. Though, the book did flash back on previous stories (previous books?) so much that I feel that it may have been annoying to read the recaps if I'd read the other books.

I don't feel that this is a 'bad' book, but it also didn't really pull me in. I never really got swept up in the story so much that I had to see what happened next, and it was easy to put the book down while reading. IF I'm reading something 'mystical', I want to be grabbed and pulled into the story. The dialog was also a bit odd. I can't put my finger on it, but just felt wrong somehow. But I did like the book and would consider reading others by this author

[Caroline Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book to such an extent that I have bought the two preceding books in the series and am looking forward to the next book! Jack Massa really knows how to write and, exceptional in a male author, his female characters are as strong and well rounded as their male counterparts. As I have already pointed out this is the third book in this series but I found it easy to enjoy from the start, it didn't affect my enjoyment to be starting at book three.

Abby Renshaw is a part of a magical circle in Harmony Springs, Florida, she has just returned to live there with her grandmother and having spent the first seven years of her life in the town, she feels it is her true home. The magical circle was set up by her ancestors and continues with her grandmother, her grandmother's two elderly friends and of course Abby herself. Abby is taking a college course over the summer and there she meets Ariel, who is involved in the running club which Abby joins. A fellow student is murdered on campus and there is a meme known as the gentleman frog which is being manipulated by the ghost of a Nazi dark magician...honestly what's not to like?

If you like your fantasy well sprinkled with magic, murder and mystery I cannot recommend this highly enough!

[Kayla Krantz · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I read the first book in this series and absolutely adored it. I didn’t know there were others in the series until now, and I am sad that I skipped over book two. (I will definitely go back and fix that at some point in the future).

In book three, Abby is about to start college. After the drama that life has already presented, she has secrets that she must try to keep hidden while pursing her seemingly normal life. Then, someone is murdered, and she must try to figure out what is responsible and stop it before it is too late.

Like with the first book, I found all the characters emotions to be well-described and believable. Even though they are young characters, they weren’t overly dramatic, and I think that’s something I like about Jack Massa’s writing. The relationships between the characters is easy as well, especially that between Abby and her grandmother.

Another fantastic book in the series!

This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.

[KatsCauldron R · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely a teen / young adult book & is excellent as such. Really like what the author did here.It apparently is part of a series but also a stand alone. While he dealt deftly with the teen thing his reinforcement of ethics in magical practices was excellent along with bringing up group thought processes actually creating an entity or multiples.The story was fast fun with no idea what was going to happen. Had an idea of the knight of wands & proven true but still couldn't have guessed the story. It centers around a teen that has been initiated into a magical group with alot of things happening in her life & around her while she is trying to start to come into herself. Would highly recommend & check out his other books too as I will

[Malia Arries · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOTSA PARANORMAL – LOVED IT!
So, I was about 80 percent of the way through this book when I bookmarked the page. I had a class to teach that evening, and needed to pick up the key for the room before the offices closed. There was no one in the reception area when I walked in, but there was a large ceramic creature on the counter with luminous eyes – like an evil supernatural form in this book - creepy! I rang the bell and after the receptionist came out, I told her about the coincidence. She was intrigued, then asked more about the book, and wrote down the author’s name. I told her that JACK MASSA WRITES EXCEPTIONAL SUPERNATURAL MYSTERY BOOKS. I loved the twist at the end of this one, and I’ve already started reading the next book in the series!

[R.J. Corgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The tower in the title of the book intrigued me, and I looked up its (almost) namesake - Bok Tower is definitely a structure you don't expect to see in Florida and has a fascinating history. The author is similarly drawn to the tower and envelopes it in mystery for Abby to ferret out what's going on. The book spends a good deal of time building out the different rules and types of magic and exploring the characters that inhabit this world. While I haven't read the rest of the books in the series, it wasn't necessary to enjoy it. Overall a good read and I might add Bok Tower and it's gardens to my list of things to see on my next trip to Florida!

[Jocelyne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in The Abby Renshaw Supernatural Mysteries Series, a YA paranormal mystery. I recommend you to listen to this Series in order for a better understanding of the amazing world building, and Abby's back story. Abby is a wonderful and strong character. There is a lot going on in this story. The storyline is well written, complex, slow paced, and captivating, filled with magic, and supernatural creatures. The ending is great. This story is a great addition to the Series. Looking forward for more in the Series. Alicia Foreman did a good job with the narration.

[Josette Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible read about magic and staying true to one’s beliefs. Abby begins college as well as a new challenge in learning magic. She is so brave and determined to do what she feels is the best interest for her friends and family. I learned so much about wielding magic and how things can either be used for good or bad. This author stressed the idea of a balance to keep everyone and everything in homeostasis. A concept I think has been overlooked for a long time.

[Dana Fernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened on audiobook.

This Is a first for me by this author. The storyline flowed beautifully and the characters were likeable. Abby may be a YA but very mature for all she has to face. Especially her magic abilities. This book is action packed and mysterious. You won’t be disappointed.

The narrator, Alicia Fireman brought the characters to life.

[Patricia Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent original story. Another brilliant addition to this YA series that adults will love as well. This book is very interesting and entertaining, and the characters are great. I received a free review copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

[Jill Long · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe it's because I haven't read the other books in this series, but this book wasn't for me. I felt this was more YA than adult. The characters and dialogue came across as young teens. The story was not what I was expecting.

[Leah Fowler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book caught my attention from Bok Tower being on the front which is close to where I live. Lol. But then once I read what the story is about is really caught my attention. This book was really good and I will definitely be reading more from this author.

[S.K. Gregory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Abby is a great character and I really enjoyed the story. I would recommend it

[Aly Warren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I did find it intriguing, the supernatural is a big interest of mine. I felt the story itself just didn't pull me in. Ive seen alot of really good reviews so don't be out off by mine.

[Benjamin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Ghosts of Lock Tower and highly recommend it to any and all readers. While fantasy is not typically my genre, the author mixes it very well with realistic elements (particularly with regards to the psychological states of the characters and how they would react to the fantastical elements) to keep me engaged and to keep the story relatable all throughout. There's very good use of suspense and foreshadowing, and good clarification of the magical elements of the story. Read it!