This was perfect for the "Ghost Story Junkie". While it was an anxiety-inducing story, it was also a really well-written one. It's categorized as a suspense novel, but it is more a gothic horror novel. If you like ghost stories, houses that there is just something slightly "off" about, along with a fast-paced page-turner, this one is waiting to go home with you. The two main characters are a pair of very young sisters that have become victims of the war with the death of their parents and end up being sent to Wales to work for Mr. Brownwell who they never see. They do see the housekeeper, Mrs. Pollard, who is . . let's just say..."off". They try to make plans to escape back to London, but when Eliza discovers a book covered in blood, she has to figure out what’s going in the house and why none of the other girls hired in the past are alive. None of the characters in the book are completely likable, even the two sisters, but the story drew me in in spite of that. Eliza frustrated me at the start of the book, but later she goes through some necessary character changes, and I was rooting for her by the end. Rebecca was a 'horse of another color". Her role in the story became twisted, but interesting. Let's just say that she definitely adds to the creepiness and mystery. ( )

Abigale Hall is a book that didn't sell itself to me directly, it took a while for me to get into the story. But, at the same time was I curious enough to know more, to find out answers. Why did the aunt send Eliza and Rebecca to that weird house, and what's going on there? What's wrong with the housekeeper Mrs. Pollard. Is the house haunted or is it just Eliza imagining that? And, to be frank, what is going on with Rebecca? Lots of questions, and as the story progressed the more hooked I become until I finally had to admit that I was quite taken with the book.

Now, I have to admit that haunted houses are "my thing". Just give me a tragic or horrifying backstory or both and some poor family moving into the house and I'm sold. Abigale Hall has an interesting backstory and I wanted to know, is there a ghost or not? But, I must say that the ending surprised me and pushed the stable 3-star rating to a 4-star rating. It's a jaw-dropping kind of ending, in many ways.

Abigale Hall may have taken some time for me to get into, but it turned out to be one of those books that I'm glad I kept on reading. The story turned out to be interesting and I was intrigued by Abigale Hall and wanted to know what was going on there. And, most of all, I like that the conclusion surprised me several times. It's not a horror story per se, more a mystery story with a bit of an ominous feeling to it.

I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through Edelweiss for an honest review! ( )

Abigale Hall is a book that didn't sell itself to me directly, it took a while for me to get into the story. But, at the same time was I curious enough to know more, to find out answers. Why did the aunt send Eliza and Rebecca to that weird house, and what's going on there? What's wrong with the housekeeper Mrs. Pollard. Is the house haunted or is it just Eliza imagining that? And, to be frank, what is going on with Rebecca? Lots of questions, and as the story progressed the more hooked I become until I finally had to admit that I was quite taken with the book.

Now, I have to admit that haunted houses are "my thing". Just give me a tragic or horrifying backstory or both and some poor family moving into the house and I'm sold. Abigale Hall has an interesting backstory and I wanted to know, is there a ghost or not? But, I must say that the ending surprised me and pushed the stable 3-star rating to a 4-star rating. It's a jaw-dropping kind of ending, in many ways.

Abigale Hall may have taken some time for me to get into, but it turned out to be one of those books that I'm glad I kept on reading. The story turned out to be interesting and I was intrigued by Abigale Hall and wanted to know what was going on there. And, most of all, I like that the conclusion surprised me several times. It's not a horror story per se, more a mystery story with a bit of an ominous feeling to it.

I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through Edelweiss for an honest review! ( )

Abigale Hall by Lauren A. Forry is a creepy Gothic mystery set in Wales during the late 1940s.

Having lost both of their parents during the World War II, seventeen year old Eliza Haverford and her troubled twelve year old sister Rebecca live with their unpleasant Aunt Bess in a rundown apartment in London. Although the second World War has finally ended, jobs, food, housing and clothing remain scarce so Bess seizes the opportunity to rid herself of her troublesome nieces and make a tidy sum of money in the bargain. Eliza and Rebecca are sent against their will to Wales where they begin working for Mrs. Pollard, the housekeeper at the desolate, ramshackle Thornecroft estate. When Eliza begins experiencing increasingly eerie phenomena, she starts looking into the mysterious disappearances of other young women who worked for Mrs. Pollard. Equally concerning is Rebecca's behavior which is growing more disturbing the longer they remain at the estate. Unbeknownst to Eliza, her London boyfriend Peter Lamb is desperately searching for her, but will he find her before it is too late? And if he cannot, will Eliza find a way to save herself from the same fate as her predecessors?

Thornecroft is a very atmospheric setting and Mrs. Pollard, caretaker Mr. Drewry and the mysterious Mr. Brownawell add to the overall sinister feel of the novel. Eliza is a strong lead character but her quest for answers are quickly shutdown by the very formidable housekeeper. Eliza tries to pry information out of the nearby town's residents, but with no one but Ruth Owen willing to talk to her, she does not receive very many new details about the odd occurrences at Thornecroft. Daring to search the huge manor, Eliza does uncover very disconcerting signs that something ominous is going on, but the answers she is searching for remain elusive.

Back in London, Peter is running into trouble as he tries to figure out what has happened to Eliza. His search takes him into the very seedy underbelly of London as he follows the few clues he has managed to unearth. With a shadowy figure following his every move, Peter tenaciously refuses to give up trying to find Eliza but will his efforts to save her pay off?

While the premise of Abigale Hall is certainly intriguing, the story is a little slow paced and becomes rather repetitive. The slow parceling of information is frustrating as is Eliza's blind devotion to her obviously very troubled sister. Her loyalty to Rebecca is understandable given their circumstances, but there comes a point where it is very obvious she is in desperate need of medical intervention. Peter is a wonderful character and his efforts to find Eliza are quite touching especially since he has to dig deep to find the courage to follow his convictions. Lauren A. Forry brings the novel to a pulse-pounding, twist-filled conclusion that will catch readers completely off-guard. An eerie, suspenseful young adult historical novel that, while imperfect, is still a chilling yet entertaining read. ( )

This book was ok. Not great but interesting enough for me to want to keep reading. Eliza and her little sister Rebecca are sympathetic characters at first. After they are sent to Thornecroft, in Wales, Rebecca’s behavior becomes significantly more disturbing.

This is both a ghost story and a mystery. It was not scary but did leave me with an uncomfortable feeling. The writing felt juvenile, like it was aimed towards a YA audience, although I think this was marketed to adults. I give this 3 stars. ( )