Book Review: In The Shadow of Spindrift House - Mira Grant

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Mira Grant  is well known for her science-y horror novels. The Parasites trilogy, the Newsflesh trilogy (hellooooo, zombies + journalists), and probably my favorite, Into the Drowning Deep, which is about killer mermaids.
Image result for in the shadow of spindrift houseAnything by Grant is basically an insta-click for me, and when I was learned she was writing a ghost story, I nearly peed myself in the excitement. And friends, it's worth the hype.

Let's break it down, shall we?

The Cover:
Can we take a moment to admire that cover? One, it's an incredibly detailed and intricate drawing, which is being used less and less by publishers these days, but I'm glad they went with that direction in this cover. A woman, half floating in the sea, gazing at a creepy old house while tentacles begin to twine around her ankles. Had I known nothing about Mira Grant, I would have read this book based on the cover alone.

The Plot: A group of four paranormal investigators, who happened to get famous solving crimes, accepts a contract to investigate Spindrift House. People have already died in the attempt, and our main character Harlowe (a.k.a Harley) has personal ties to the house. The agree to take the case, but will the curiosities of the house get them before they can figure it out?

The Characters: I didn't particularly love any of the characters, which is fine. They seemed like real people. They had flaws. They were slightly annoying, but not in an off-putting way. Our MC, Harlowe, is gay, and is crushing on the other lady in the agency. (Hats off for queer representation!) Harlowe's backstory was really interesting, and I would have loved to know even more about her, but since this was novella territory, I understand why Grant didn't give us the full kahuna. She definitely did a good job fleshing it out in the pages she was allotted.

I don't want to give spoilers away, but I will say that the last page I gave a gasp of delight when something was revealed. I won't say what. Zipping my lip.

I gave this one 5 stars!

Recommend to: fans of ghost stories, haunted houses, and general creepiness.
Also, thanks to NetGalley for the review copy!!

Love,
Peekaboo


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