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The Old Castle Chronicles
Rosie: An Old Castle Novel
A deep well of the darkest wishes.
Rosie and Victor Ryan, real estate investors, land a massive sale to a mystery buyer of Wishing Well House. But the same night the Ryan family celebrate the sale, a bizarre accident robs Rosie of her mobility, freezing their idyllic life in tragedy.
Victor volunteers to be Rosie’s full-time caregiver. But the accident has turned his wife into a paranoid stranger in a wheelchair she calls Winter. Rosie is convinced an evil entity of untold horror lurks outside their house and is trying to come inside. Her obsession with protecting the household triggers Victor’s descent into madness.
As the Ryan household spirals into claustrophobic dread and terrifying secrets, the eccentric occupants of Wishing Well House carry out a shocking ceremony with sinister results.
A mother's love knows no bounds.
Rosie and Victor Ryan, real estate investors, land a massive sale to a mystery buyer of Wishing Well House. But the same night the Ryan family celebrate the sale, a bizarre accident robs Rosie of her mobility, freezing their idyllic life in tragedy.
Victor volunteers to be Rosie’s full-time caregiver. But the accident has turned his wife into a paranoid stranger in a wheelchair she calls Winter. Rosie is convinced an evil entity of untold horror lurks outside their house and is trying to come inside. Her obsession with protecting the household triggers Victor’s descent into madness.
As the Ryan household spirals into claustrophobic dread and terrifying secrets, the eccentric occupants of Wishing Well House carry out a shocking ceremony with sinister results.
A mother's love knows no bounds.
382 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 31, 2023
43 people are currently reading
2139 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Dunne
24 books1,302 followersExclusive!
Chapter One of The Reek audiobook — upcoming Book 10 in the Old Castle Chronicles horror series. Written and narrated by Jonathan Dunne. To be published in December 2025. Sneak Preview available now and exclusively at Jonathan's YouTube audiobook channel!
https://youtu.be/giLSbqnQdag
Jonathan's next novel, supernatural horror The Reek, is slated for release in December 2025!
https://tinyurl.com/346fwhrn
Supernatural horror Halfway House coming Spring 2026!
https://tinyurl.com/338zumv8
OUT NOW! Dead Air Vol 2 of The Dead Series in Kindle, paperback, and hardback! Audiobook read by the author.
https://a.co/d/76KU54N
OUT NOW! The Boneyard: Short Fictions of the Morbid and Macabre Vol 2 of short horror collection The Boneyard Series.
https://a.co/d/gnGHpMP
OUT NOW! The Boneyard: Short Fictions of the Morbid and Macabre Vol 1 of short horror collection The Boneyard Series. Keep an eye out for Vol 2 in the coming weeks!
https://a.co/d/2i8iwB9
OUT NOW! Fireman in Kindle, paperback, and hardback! Audiobook read by the author.
https://a.co/d/9PJLr30
Jonathan has an exciting lineup of new horror titles in progress. To stay updated on his latest horror offerings, be sure to follow him on his Amazon author page and Goodreads. Jonathan writes dark fiction and hangs around the local cemetery more often than is healthy, whether in his homeland of Limerick, Ireland or his second home in Toledo, Spain. He will be in the mountains if he isn't at the cemetery. Jonathan holds a BA in Literature.
Jonathan's audiobooks YouTube page (work in progress):
https://www.youtube.com/@JonathanDunn...
Jonathan's Amazon Page:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jonatha...
Jonathan's Bookbub Page:
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jonat....
Chapter One of The Reek audiobook — upcoming Book 10 in the Old Castle Chronicles horror series. Written and narrated by Jonathan Dunne. To be published in December 2025. Sneak Preview available now and exclusively at Jonathan's YouTube audiobook channel!
https://youtu.be/giLSbqnQdag
Jonathan's next novel, supernatural horror The Reek, is slated for release in December 2025!
https://tinyurl.com/346fwhrn
Supernatural horror Halfway House coming Spring 2026!
https://tinyurl.com/338zumv8
OUT NOW! Dead Air Vol 2 of The Dead Series in Kindle, paperback, and hardback! Audiobook read by the author.
https://a.co/d/76KU54N
OUT NOW! The Boneyard: Short Fictions of the Morbid and Macabre Vol 2 of short horror collection The Boneyard Series.
https://a.co/d/gnGHpMP
OUT NOW! The Boneyard: Short Fictions of the Morbid and Macabre Vol 1 of short horror collection The Boneyard Series. Keep an eye out for Vol 2 in the coming weeks!
https://a.co/d/2i8iwB9
OUT NOW! Fireman in Kindle, paperback, and hardback! Audiobook read by the author.
https://a.co/d/9PJLr30
Jonathan has an exciting lineup of new horror titles in progress. To stay updated on his latest horror offerings, be sure to follow him on his Amazon author page and Goodreads. Jonathan writes dark fiction and hangs around the local cemetery more often than is healthy, whether in his homeland of Limerick, Ireland or his second home in Toledo, Spain. He will be in the mountains if he isn't at the cemetery. Jonathan holds a BA in Literature.
Jonathan's audiobooks YouTube page (work in progress):
https://www.youtube.com/@JonathanDunn...
Jonathan's Amazon Page:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jonatha...
Jonathan's Bookbub Page:
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jonat....
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
September 26, 2024
3.5 rounded up
Woah! From unhinged mother to a folk horror nightmare! This went places and I fully didn't see that plot twist coming.
Do yourself a favour and listen to this one on audio. It's narrated by the author himself, and he's got a killer Irish accent that lends itself to the nightmare!
Woah! From unhinged mother to a folk horror nightmare! This went places and I fully didn't see that plot twist coming.
Do yourself a favour and listen to this one on audio. It's narrated by the author himself, and he's got a killer Irish accent that lends itself to the nightmare!
February 8, 2024
4,0 ✨✨✨
(Audiobook)
(Audiobook)
November 21, 2023
Once again I was sucked into one of Jonathan’s books. And, once again I was not disappointed. You never know where the story is going to end up.
November 9, 2023
"Rosie" was my first experience with a Jonathan Dunne novel. It was as if Arturo Pérez-Reverte and H.P. Lovecraft got together and birthed a baby called "Rosie."
Even though this was a traditional-style horror novel, the story was different than others in the same genre. Dunne mixed a house, a well/a nest, a cult, a descent into madness, and what was seemingly an ordinary family and turned it into a macabre masterpiece. "Rosie" has a well-thought-out storyline with a few twists and turns. When creating the characters, Dunne wrote them well enough that I thought he might have based them on people he knew. When you encounter a person with a wicked sense of humor, you will envision these affably dark characters.
You should read "Rosie" if you love horror, dark supernatural stories, old houses, strange occurrences, weird appearances, shadows, and anything macabre. After reading this book, I will read more of Dunne.
Even though this was a traditional-style horror novel, the story was different than others in the same genre. Dunne mixed a house, a well/a nest, a cult, a descent into madness, and what was seemingly an ordinary family and turned it into a macabre masterpiece. "Rosie" has a well-thought-out storyline with a few twists and turns. When creating the characters, Dunne wrote them well enough that I thought he might have based them on people he knew. When you encounter a person with a wicked sense of humor, you will envision these affably dark characters.
You should read "Rosie" if you love horror, dark supernatural stories, old houses, strange occurrences, weird appearances, shadows, and anything macabre. After reading this book, I will read more of Dunne.
November 8, 2023
One of the best
I really enjoyed this book, it is very scary but also hilarious in places. The Ryans are a very likable but quirky family. The story built at a fast pace and then ended in an unexpected way. Can't wait for the next 2 books that I have preordered. Jonathan Dunne is 1 of my favorite authors.
I really enjoyed this book, it is very scary but also hilarious in places. The Ryans are a very likable but quirky family. The story built at a fast pace and then ended in an unexpected way. Can't wait for the next 2 books that I have preordered. Jonathan Dunne is 1 of my favorite authors.
October 30, 2024
Creepy
November 20, 2023
What A Build Up
Rosie and her husband Victor are the best realtors around. Out of the properties procured, nothing came close to the property known as The Wishing Well House.
Since Rosie has lived in this little town her whole life, she has always been haunted by the very house she is trying desperately to sell.
A buyer actually buys the house but something very sinister is going on there.
The Well that's in the house is full of history. A very dark history. And Rosie and her family may play a huge part in that history.
This was very disturbing and reminded me a lot of the movie Hereditary. Enjoyed this tremendously!
My emotions went for a rollercoaster ride while reading this. All the characters you're going to love and hate at different moments and the occultic atmosphere creates the perfect backdrop for this insane tale.
I have yet to read anything by this guy that I haven't liked!
Rosie and her husband Victor are the best realtors around. Out of the properties procured, nothing came close to the property known as The Wishing Well House.
Since Rosie has lived in this little town her whole life, she has always been haunted by the very house she is trying desperately to sell.
A buyer actually buys the house but something very sinister is going on there.
The Well that's in the house is full of history. A very dark history. And Rosie and her family may play a huge part in that history.
This was very disturbing and reminded me a lot of the movie Hereditary. Enjoyed this tremendously!
My emotions went for a rollercoaster ride while reading this. All the characters you're going to love and hate at different moments and the occultic atmosphere creates the perfect backdrop for this insane tale.
I have yet to read anything by this guy that I haven't liked!
June 26, 2024
Another great book by Jonathan Dunne. I still can't decide if he is just very imaginative or deranged, or possibly both. I do know that if I travel across the pond, I will likely steer clear of the Old Castle area. Too much weird stuff happens there.
November 24, 2023
I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this book, but was pleasantly surprised! It kept me hooked until the last page.
I would definitely recommend for fans of paranormal and thrillers!
I would definitely recommend for fans of paranormal and thrillers!
February 9, 2024
A book about how a catastrophic accident can change the course of a family's life. I liked this book because all the characters went crazy. No redemption.
October 28, 2024
Quite slow at first but the intense ending was worth it for all that buildup.
August 1, 2024
Pleasantly horrifying 😱😈
December 19, 2023
Reads like if you took a Ken Russell twisted ass movie from the 1970's like "Tommy", mixed it with a cocktail containing the original "The Wicker Man" and this would be the outcome.
After reading the other two books of Dunne's that took place in the same european county; Limerick County, and LOVING those.....this was not the book I was hoping for. Now, that is not saying that it is not narrated well by the author, which it was very well, but this was wayyyy too strange for me. For what started out as a great story of a family going to their yearly Fun Fair, and their mother Rosie having her life completely twisted to a new direction just from riding the back seat of the roller coaster, turns into the weirdest and strange tale of creepy beings being seen outside the windows of Wishwell House, and tales of curses and cults in bird feathers and living in living room sized bird nests. Yes, this read like it might be based on a Mythical folk tale of darkness weirdness. I can not recommend this one. Sorry.
2 bird turds
After reading the other two books of Dunne's that took place in the same european county; Limerick County, and LOVING those.....this was not the book I was hoping for. Now, that is not saying that it is not narrated well by the author, which it was very well, but this was wayyyy too strange for me. For what started out as a great story of a family going to their yearly Fun Fair, and their mother Rosie having her life completely twisted to a new direction just from riding the back seat of the roller coaster, turns into the weirdest and strange tale of creepy beings being seen outside the windows of Wishwell House, and tales of curses and cults in bird feathers and living in living room sized bird nests. Yes, this read like it might be based on a Mythical folk tale of darkness weirdness. I can not recommend this one. Sorry.
2 bird turds
November 16, 2025
Rosie by Jonathan Dunne is an adult contemporary horror novel with gothic undertones and a distinct, unhinged energy. Whatever I thought I was walking into, it wasn’t this. The atmosphere is steeped in an almost subliminal wrongness, a steady creep of unease that tightens chapter by chapter.
Dunne scatters early hints with disarming innocence, only to let them resurface later with far more sinister weight. It’s clever, deliberate, and deeply effective. I was hooked from the first few pages and stayed that way to the end.
This is a dark , paranormal horror that knows how to unsettle without relying on cheap tricks. I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys a solid, creepy, slow-burn descent into the uncanny.
Dunne scatters early hints with disarming innocence, only to let them resurface later with far more sinister weight. It’s clever, deliberate, and deeply effective. I was hooked from the first few pages and stayed that way to the end.
This is a dark , paranormal horror that knows how to unsettle without relying on cheap tricks. I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys a solid, creepy, slow-burn descent into the uncanny.
July 20, 2024
Q: Is this a family drama or a terrifying horror novel???
A: Yes.
Dunne proves again that he is a master at foreshadowing, building dread, conducting a tightly-knit narrative with engrossing prose. The third act is particularly brutal, but the slow burn begins early and never lets up.
5/5 stars
A: Yes.
Dunne proves again that he is a master at foreshadowing, building dread, conducting a tightly-knit narrative with engrossing prose. The third act is particularly brutal, but the slow burn begins early and never lets up.
5/5 stars
November 22, 2023
Thank you to Jonathan Duanne for providing me a free copy of the book.
"Rosie" by Jonathan Dunne takes readers on a captivating journey through the highs and lows of life, love, and the pursuit of happiness. While the first half of the book successfully drew me in with its engaging narrative and well-developed characters, the second half left me feeling a bit disoriented and questioning the believability of the characters' choices.
The initial chapters of "Rosie" are a testament to Dunne's storytelling prowess. The characters are introduced with depth, and the plot unfolds seamlessly, making it easy to empathize with Rosie and her companions. The author masterfully weaves together a tapestry of emotions, providing readers with a genuine connection to the characters' experiences.
However, as the story progresses into the second half, the narrative takes an unexpected turn, and the plot becomes somewhat chaotic. The choices made by the characters started to feel forced and, at times, implausible. It became challenging to reconcile their actions with the personalities established in the earlier chapters, leaving me a bit perplexed.
Despite the turbulence in the second half, the book manages to redeem itself with a satisfying ending that ties up loose ends and provides a sense of closure. Dunne's ability to craft a compelling resolution is commendable, offering readers a worthwhile conclusion to Rosie's tumultuous journey.
One aspect that did detract from the overall experience was the dialogue, particularly in the later chapters. Some conversations felt unnatural and out of sync with the characters' established personalities. This discordance created moments of disconnect, hindering the flow of the narrative.
In conclusion, "Rosie" is a novel of two halves — the first a brilliant exploration of characters and their intertwining destinies, and the second a tumultuous ride that, while salvaged by a satisfying ending, falls short of the initial promise. Jonathan Dunne's ability to create relatable characters and evoke genuine emotions shines through, but the inconsistency in the second half and occasional awkward dialogues prevent the book from reaching its full potential.
"Rosie" by Jonathan Dunne takes readers on a captivating journey through the highs and lows of life, love, and the pursuit of happiness. While the first half of the book successfully drew me in with its engaging narrative and well-developed characters, the second half left me feeling a bit disoriented and questioning the believability of the characters' choices.
The initial chapters of "Rosie" are a testament to Dunne's storytelling prowess. The characters are introduced with depth, and the plot unfolds seamlessly, making it easy to empathize with Rosie and her companions. The author masterfully weaves together a tapestry of emotions, providing readers with a genuine connection to the characters' experiences.
However, as the story progresses into the second half, the narrative takes an unexpected turn, and the plot becomes somewhat chaotic. The choices made by the characters started to feel forced and, at times, implausible. It became challenging to reconcile their actions with the personalities established in the earlier chapters, leaving me a bit perplexed.
Despite the turbulence in the second half, the book manages to redeem itself with a satisfying ending that ties up loose ends and provides a sense of closure. Dunne's ability to craft a compelling resolution is commendable, offering readers a worthwhile conclusion to Rosie's tumultuous journey.
One aspect that did detract from the overall experience was the dialogue, particularly in the later chapters. Some conversations felt unnatural and out of sync with the characters' established personalities. This discordance created moments of disconnect, hindering the flow of the narrative.
In conclusion, "Rosie" is a novel of two halves — the first a brilliant exploration of characters and their intertwining destinies, and the second a tumultuous ride that, while salvaged by a satisfying ending, falls short of the initial promise. Jonathan Dunne's ability to create relatable characters and evoke genuine emotions shines through, but the inconsistency in the second half and occasional awkward dialogues prevent the book from reaching its full potential.
February 21, 2025
Audiobook review: 2.5 🥴This started out great but nosedived after the first half. First of all, why didn’t Victor just put Rosie‘s ass in a rest home or an assisted living facility and call it a day. No way I would’ve pulled up with her crazy bullshit. Yes he cheated. He’s a fuckboy but she was nuts. I couldn’t stand her ass after the accident. It’s awful what happened but she was a complete asshole. Towards the end, the story just falls apart because everyone becomes annoying because all they had to do was get that crazy bitch out of the house. The choices Victor and his kids made were just stupid. They have all the money in the world from the house sales in the lawsuit and all they had to do was just move away. The supernatural elements didn’t make any sense felt chaotic and fake. I skipped a few chapters because it started to drag. And by the end, I didn’t give a damn what happened to any of these people.
October 13, 2024
A very creepy tale. It made me wonder at the wisdom of trying to finish it since I was close to nightmares with my eyes wide open. However, this novel was also very repetitive and inexcusably dragged out.
The novel tells the story of a cult of death worshippers and the rites and human sacrifices they make to the seven princes they worship. Their deeds include brainwashing a teenage girl to cause her mother's paralysis by an orchestrated roller coaster accident. The mother survives but is dead from the neck down and becomes extremely controlling and paranoid. She should be paranoid since her daughter then blinds her and delivers her to the cult for more mangling.
Lots of gruesome descriptions and cult insanity for readers who like that kind of thing.
The novel tells the story of a cult of death worshippers and the rites and human sacrifices they make to the seven princes they worship. Their deeds include brainwashing a teenage girl to cause her mother's paralysis by an orchestrated roller coaster accident. The mother survives but is dead from the neck down and becomes extremely controlling and paranoid. She should be paranoid since her daughter then blinds her and delivers her to the cult for more mangling.
Lots of gruesome descriptions and cult insanity for readers who like that kind of thing.
November 28, 2023
I don’t know how I feel about this book.
The first half was really good. Weird, but good. It kept me interested and I really wanted to find out what was going to happen and what the well had to do with the story.
Unfortunately, I kind of lost interest around the “nest” section. There were times that I felt the story and the dialogue between the characters was forced and unnatural. While very detailed, I found myself skimming paragraphs because there was just.. too much there. I felt that it could’ve been quicker and better if it would’ve been shorter.
The first half was really good. Weird, but good. It kept me interested and I really wanted to find out what was going to happen and what the well had to do with the story.
Unfortunately, I kind of lost interest around the “nest” section. There were times that I felt the story and the dialogue between the characters was forced and unnatural. While very detailed, I found myself skimming paragraphs because there was just.. too much there. I felt that it could’ve been quicker and better if it would’ve been shorter.
December 8, 2024
As if (barely) living through a freak accident wasn't horrifying enough, Rosie had much farther to go before she hit rock bottom and I was happy to be along for the (rollercoaster) ride. The author documents Rosie's decent with dark humor and darker concepts. The narration of this novel makes me want to go back and listen to other works by the author just to hear them as he intended them to be heard.
March 12, 2024
The book wasn’t terrible and the story it was trying to tell was pretty cool, however I found it kind of hard to follow. There were times I had to re-read a few pages to have it make sense and other times I felt as though there was added things that just didn’t belong. Over all the story line was quite interesting
June 7, 2024
I didn't like this one as much as the others I've read by this author.....
It was a bit drawn out for me.... I felt like it didn't have to take that long to get to that conclusion. At one point, it sort of started to feel forced .... I kept going thinking it would be a heck of a twist or something.
It's still a decent read
It was a bit drawn out for me.... I felt like it didn't have to take that long to get to that conclusion. At one point, it sort of started to feel forced .... I kept going thinking it would be a heck of a twist or something.
It's still a decent read
July 14, 2025
After a great introduction chapter, I was left very disappointed with this book, especially from a fellow Limerick native! I found the story boring and the author's need to explain everything extremely annoying. Someone should also have checked this book for typos before it went to print as there were some grammer/spelling mistakes too 🫣
November 23, 2025
DNF at 42% after pushing myself since around 20%. The errors are one thing but the writing is just not enjoyable for me. It seems very juvenile, where some of the text was cheesy or just didn’t make sense (highlighted & shared some). The dialog was awkward and I got whiplash from how the characters would change behavior.
November 1, 2023
This is my new favourite of Dunne's work. A bitter-sweet tale of horror mastery! I haven't read horror like this before, and it feels like the new wave of horror movies out there, slow-burning and character-driven. Everything he writes feels 'different'.
March 14, 2024
This is a very original horror and I can imagine people either loving it or hating it. There are no cliches here and minimal tropes. It is just so different that I know some readers will struggle with it. I loved it! I'm going to check out the author's other books.
July 20, 2025
Unnecessary errors
I enjoyed the concept of the story. However, the book was completely ruined by the absurd amount of errors and misspellings. Completely ruined what should have been a good reading experience. Jonathan Dunn needs to have a word of three with his proof reader.
I enjoyed the concept of the story. However, the book was completely ruined by the absurd amount of errors and misspellings. Completely ruined what should have been a good reading experience. Jonathan Dunn needs to have a word of three with his proof reader.
November 2, 2023
Whoa! This book is evil 🙈 Mastery of the Macabre! Maybe the first half dragged a little, but I know it was only setting up the second half of the true nightmare. Slowburn horror 😱
November 6, 2023
I thought this was excellent and a chance for a sequel or spin-off. Very disturbing book.
November 12, 2023
This book has a way of getting under your skin. Wonderful characters and tragically beautiful.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews