On her website she lists her favorite book recommendations. Imagine my surprise and pleasure when I discovered that the next book up on my list to read, Fireworks Over Toccoa by Jeffrey Stepakoff is on her current list! My daughter-in-law gifted me an autographed copy for my birthday.
Feb 27, Sara rated it really liked it Recommended to Sara by: This book was beautifully written and had a great plot that kept me interested. Melanie is a realtor in Charleston whose specialty is selling historical houses; she, however, does not like these old houses because she has always had the unwanted ability to see ghosts, who assemble in greater numbers around historical places.
When a client dies and surprises Melanie by leaving her his entire estate, Melanie is forced to live in the old house and work on restoring it while doing her bes 4. When a client dies and surprises Melanie by leaving her his entire estate, Melanie is forced to live in the old house and work on restoring it while doing her best to ignore the spirits she feels around the house. She has also been tasked by the previous owner to find out the truth behind his mother's disappearance years ago, hoping to clear her name after a smear campaign.
A local mystery writer, Jack, who's as handsome as he is insistent that her house is the setting for his next book, joins Melanie's team working on the house and begins to help - and annoy - her as she searches for answers. Like I said, the writing in this book is really strong. I felt like I was in Charleston - or at least could imagine it clearly - and everything was brought to life in a really vivid way. There were also some funny one-liners in the dialogue. The characters were likable, and the story was interesting and kept me guessing as to what had happened and what would happen.
My only two complaints: The back cover of the book gives away a plot twist - not a major one, but still. I like to be surprised. I hate it when everyone can see something but the main character. Her friends are telling her something is true, the reader can see they're right, and yet the main character refuses to believe it and does dumb things anyway That is always quite frustrating, to not fully understand why the main character is acting so, well, stupid when it seems to obvious!
But despite my complaints, I really enjoyed this book and will be eagerly picking up the sequel when it comes out this fall. Feb 24, Amy rated it it was ok Recommended to Amy by: This book was given to me by a non-reader friend, who is a friend of the author. She was very excited to recommend a book to me, yet also apologetic that it probably wasn't "the kind of thing you usually read" Ha! She's obviously never taken a look at my eclectic shelf! There were things I both liked and didn't like about the book. Liked that it was set in Charleston, in an area that is within a block of where javaczuk works.
And that the two main houses mentioned were on streets I'm really fam This book was given to me by a non-reader friend, who is a friend of the author. And that the two main houses mentioned were on streets I'm really familiar. I had a high school sweet heart who lived just down the street from one of the houses.
My heart skipped a beat when I thought at first the address was his. The story was a little obvious and a little sappy.
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Melanie is a bit of an idiot where men are concerned, but many of us are at times, so I can't fault her too much. Annoyed the crud out of me that it's such an obvious set up for a sequel. At least this one can stand on its own, so I don't have to read it.
I have found a new favorite author, and her name is Karen White! I picked this e-book up through my local library without reading the full description, and after I read the summary I thought it would be silly. I love any books placed in the south, and Charleston esepcially was great, but Melanie can see ghosts..
I thought oh no another attempt at a spooky chick lit I see dead people story. I gave it a chance and was immediately drawn in. Funny, well written, great characters, and so compelling I I have found a new favorite author, and her name is Karen White! Funny, well written, great characters, and so compelling I had a hard time putting it down. The ghosts were not silly, or dopey, or cartoonish.
They were real, one loving and one really really mean. The story line was not predictable, I thought I had several things figured out but was wrong I did figure out the fountain, but hey, I'm allowed. I have already borrowed Tradd Street 2 and am looking forward to another enjoyable tale from Ms White. Aug 06, Lauren rated it really liked it Shelves: The House on Tradd Street 4 Stars Melanie Middleton is a no-nonsense real estate agent who just happens to see ghosts.
Melanie has always managed to push her unusual ability aside until the day she inherits a dilapidated old house from an old man she barely knew. All of sudden, Melanie becomes the center of attention not only from a gorgeous writer obsessed with old mysteries and a wealthy tycoon with connections to the house, but from a pair of spirits who may or may not have malevolent intention The House on Tradd Street 4 Stars Melanie Middleton is a no-nonsense real estate agent who just happens to see ghosts. All of sudden, Melanie becomes the center of attention not only from a gorgeous writer obsessed with old mysteries and a wealthy tycoon with connections to the house, but from a pair of spirits who may or may not have malevolent intentions.
So if you enjoyed The Restorer and The Kingdom then this is the book for you. Nevertheless, as the details regarding her difficult childhood emerge, the reasons for her behavior are easier to understand and it becomes possible to both sympathize with and even admire her. It also takes time to warm up to Jack, who initially comes across as somewhat arrogant and presumptuous, but he is just as damaged as Melanie in his own way and it would seem that they are actually kindred spirits in many respects. The historical background on Charleston during the Civil War and the prohibition era is fascinating and contributes to the rich atmosphere of the setting and the story.
The mystery is a little predictable once the clues start adding up, but it is enjoyable nonetheless and it is fun following along with Melanie and Jack as they investigate. The one drawback is the irritating love triangle. Jack and Melanie have strong chemistry, so the appearance of a third wheel only undermines the hints at a romance between them.
The House on Tradd Street
Moreover, there are times when Melanie needs to be smacked upside the head as she cannot see the truth staring her in the face. Thankfully, this is resolved by the end of the book and will hopefully not resurface in the next. On a final note, the narration flows smoothly although it does take a minute or two to get used to Aimee Bruneau's Southern accent.
She has this tendency of speeding up her speech during the action scenes, which really ratchets up the tension a notch and adds another element of excitement to the scene. All in all, a satisfying mystery with well-developed characters and excellent attention to detail. Looking forward to reading the next one. Apr 11, Donnelle rated it it was amazing. This book is rife with so many issues and themes that it could have easily become a tangled, unreadable mess. The fact that Karen White was able to deftly handle each and every plot is a testament to her talent as a writer. She was able to tackle everything from ghosts both of the benevolent and evil varieties to treasure, betrayals, love, abandonment, and even how one goes about restoring an old house to its former splendor.
Through all of that, White managed to create characters that are dee This book is rife with so many issues and themes that it could have easily become a tangled, unreadable mess. Through all of that, White managed to create characters that are deeply flawed, yet also realistic, and the reader winds up truly caring about them as they navigate through traumas and obstacles that not only creep up on them in present day, but also those that befell them in the past.
Even as they deal with pain and loss, their likability shines through, which leads to quite a bit of humor throughout the book. Case in point - the story's protagonist is, on the surface, all about strict organization and efficiency, and the reader quickly finds out that this is part of the defense mechanism that she's relied upon since her incredibly troubled childhood. A less talented writer would have made it pretty difficult to care about Melanie, but White imbues her with so much snark, humor, and quirks - i.
Then, too, Jack is an excellent foil for Melanie. Rather than merely being an exceptionally attractive playboy writer, his charm and humor endear him to readers as he interacts with Melanie, and tries to solve a mystery or two of his own, while he's still reeling from an event that caused him a great deal of emotional pain. This book was very good on any number of levels - it's both funny and sad at times; the multiple mysteries are all interesting and suspenseful; and the ghosts run the gamut from being heartwarming to exceedingly creepy and dangerous.
It is truly a great book, and it serves to make readers eager to follow Melanie and Jack through their next adventure s. View all 13 comments. The House on Tradd Street is a decent enough mystery, if not a great one. The characters, other than Nevin Vanderhorst, never rise above two dimensions. Real-estate agent Melanie Middleton will strike some as a bit dense when, torn between two men, she cannot discern which one is trustworthy and which is not. Long before our protagonists, readers will determine the identity of the menacing ghost on the second floor and guess the final whereabouts of Louisa Vanderhorst and Joseph Longo; however, The House on Tradd Street is a decent enough mystery, if not a great one.
Long before our protagonists, readers will determine the identity of the menacing ghost on the second floor and guess the final whereabouts of Louisa Vanderhorst and Joseph Longo; however, readers will be curious as to the resolution of the other mystery in the novel, which is more cleverly plotted, and the details of the scandalous disappearance in A great book on the level of the best British cozies?
Hardly, but the time spent reading Karen White 's novel were a pleasant enough diversion, and the final few pages contain the seeds of what's certain to be a sequel. I learned a lot about Charleston in the s, Charleston's unique single houses, and the travails of authentic restoration.
Yet, I'm ready to take on the sequel when I'm in a dry spell between other, more favored mystery writers. Oct 13, Laura Gelinas rated it it was amazing Shelves: Karen White has a way with her writing to take you back in time, one adventure at a time. While some people criticized this book as lackluster, I thoroughly enjoyed it, and found myself a bit creeped out by the dark entity that is taking residence inside the Tradd Street historical home.
Is it that difficult or expensive to find one? The book is full of inconsistencies like drinks changing from one minute to the next or they being in the car and next line somewhere else. Did the author pick a book on Psychology and dump on her half a dozen random mental problems? To make her… what? Not by a long shot. Everything is old or dirty, or cracked, or expensive to keep, or an annoyance.
She is in permanent denial. She is obsessive compulsive. She is a compulsive liar… But hey, most of her problems go away in around pages and she even descends from her cloud to buy her first pair of jeans. She is 39 by the way. You should read the part of her weeding the garden wearing heels and pearls.
She judges men by their taste in tailoring. Melanie sees ghosts but denies it all the time even although everybody around her knows it. Of course when she is lied to she has a one week tantrum. And I loved her grandmother still phoning her after 34 years in the cemetery. It kept me wondering to the last page. View all 10 comments. Nov 17, Molli Fanchar rated it it was amazing. This book was the first book I had ever read by Karen White and it ultimately cemented my love for her books.
The only catch is that she hates showing the houses in the older district of town because of the invisible 'guests' that come with them. She sees ghosts as hard as she tries to deny, there's just no escaping it. Along with Jack Trenholm, a handsome writer of historical mysteries, s This book was the first book I had ever read by Karen White and it ultimately cemented my love for her books. Along with Jack Trenholm, a handsome writer of historical mysteries, she is determined to solve the mystery surrounding her newly inherited house on Tradd Street.
The relationship between Melanie and Jack is wonderfully illustrated, where she is rigid and precise Jack is mellow and flexible; perfect literary foils down to a 't'. We also delve into Melanie's past, learning of an absent but living mother and a recovering alcoholic for a dad. So many twists and turn it will not fail to keep your mind and heart engaged: Jul 04, Patty rated it really liked it Shelves: This is mystery novel with a house as a major theme within the book. The main character Melanie Middleton inherits a historical house located in Charleston, SC on Tradd Street and it is in need of being renovated, and it also has some unsettled deceased occupants that need to be released from this world.
Melanie has the ability to interpret what the ghost are in need of little by little to help them on their way. There isn't anything scary, well not much, about the ghost. What I really loved abo This is mystery novel with a house as a major theme within the book. What I really loved about this novel was the all the descriptions of this fictional historical house which was actually based on a house the author had seen while in Charleston.
There are ongoing discussions about the specific appropriate historical renovation techniques to be done on the house. Some of the other characters include the handsome Jack Trenholm who is a writer who is wanting to write about the people who used to live in this house but disappeared mysteriously, and he is on the hunt along with Melanie to figure out what happened to them. Sophie, a quirky friend of Melanie's and a teacher at the university who specializes in historical renovation and then there's Chad, a California dude, who has just moved to Charleston and he is also a teacher at the university.
Melanie's father is Colonel James Middleton. Melanie and her father have been on the outs for years and her father is trying very hard to get on her good side. There are several other charming characters as well. This is number 1 in a series of books about Melanie Middleton, Charleston, historical homes, renovation and ghost that need to move on. I have never been a fan of series, but I have already started on book 2 of this series, "The Girl on Legare Street. It is so very nice to find a new author that I like so very much. Sep 09, Grace rated it liked it. The mystery of this book was wonderfully plotted.
The inclusion of cyphers, ghosts, a hidden treasure, and other mysteries kept me reading long into the night. But the actual writing of the book was awful enough to make me knock a couple of stars off my final vote. For one thing, the protagonist was one of those "fresh off the boat, I'm 39 but I act like I've never lived a day of life before today" ignorant types.
That sort of protagonist just drives me crazy. And if I read the words "she laughe The mystery of this book was wonderfully plotted. And if I read the words "she laughed secretly to herself but wouldn't let him see" or "she was mesmerized by his deep blue eyes" one more time, I may scream.
The two love interests were both the "rakish 'reform-me' bad boy" types I can't stand. But beyond my personal preferences, the actual writing was just stilted and more suited for a paperback romance than this sort of mystery plot It didn't shock me to look her up on Amazon and see bodice-rippers among her earlier novels. Additionally, the mystery of the book unfolded for the reader long before it was discovered by the protagonist, which always drives me crazy.
I found myself mentally screaming at the book "Come ON, idiot! Oct 16, Angie rated it really liked it Shelves: I went through a myriad of emotions while reading this one I initially was a little put off by the personalities of the lead characters but as I read on and actually read all 4 books in the series they grew on me and I began to see past their annoyances. I loved the ambience of the Charleston setting, and would love to go visit. The old houses seem so interesting, and full of history and personality. The paranormal elements in the book added to the story and gave it that extra something tha I went through a myriad of emotions while reading this one The paranormal elements in the book added to the story and gave it that extra something that drives you to keep on reading.
By the end of the book, I understood Melanie and wished she and Jack would connect. All the themes worked together to make this a truly enjoyable reading experience!! Melanie, a Charleston realtor, inherits an old house from a client. She must live in it a year before she can sell it, and enlists the help of her expert and eclectic friend Sophie in restoring it to its former glory.
Melanie possesses a paranormal gift that makes her specially sensitive around older things, and this ability heats up in overdrive as the story builds. Recommended to those who enjoy paranormal in a non-horror setting, and southern genteelness. Jan 05, Bethany rated it it was ok Shelves: I didn't care much for this book.
When I read it, it kept me interested but after I finished it I realized I didn't even want to read the sequel. The characters did very little for me. They felt like stale stereotypes that I had read about before except with different names. A repressed, uptight workaholic. Main character's best friend: A carefree hippie who tries to loosen main character up. Charming, handsome rogue fond of making innuendoes. Main charac I didn't care much for this book. Main character finds herself attracted to him in spite of herself And don't forget the recovering alcoholic father who claims he has changed but main character can't quite bring herself to forgive him yet Some aspects were new.
Such as the ghost element. But overall it was just "meh". View all 3 comments. Feb 03, Suzanne rated it it was amazing Shelves: This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I loved "House on Tradd Street!
I could hardly put it down, and have just moved on to "The Girl on Legare Street. One day, she is called to the home of Nevin Vanderhorst, presumably to talk with him about the sale of his house on Tradd Street. While she I loved "House on Tradd Street! While she is there, Melanie's acute sixth sense indicates the presence of spirits who are no longer residing in the home, and Mr. Vanderhorst tells her that one spirit in particular, that of his mother Louisa, only makes herself known to "people she approves of.
However, I couple of days later, when she is called to the office of Mr. Vanderhorst's attorney, Melanie finds out that the house on Tradd Street and its contents have been willed to her. Vanderhorst's father was a very good friend of Melanie's grandfather, Augustus Middleton, and Mr. Vanderhorst hopes that in addition to restoring the once elegant Charlston single house, that Melanie will solve the mystery surrounding the disappearance of his mother when he was just a child. Vanderhorst have much in common as Melanie was abandoned by her mother, a now famous opera singer, at the age of seven.
As she starts to delve into the restoration, two potential suitors, Jack Tremholm and Marc Longo appear on the scene, both with ulterior motives for their interest in Melanie and her house on Tradd Street. Before long, Melanie is embroiled in a decades old Charleston mystery, and faces head-on a threatening spirit who wants the secret held by the house on Tradd Street buried forever.
Melanie persists in her investigation and the restoration of the home, despite her misgivings and the threat that money will run out before it is complete. Feeling herself drawn deeper into the story of the Vanderhorsts, and discovering how closely it intersects with her own family history, pushes her to find closure for Nevin Vanderhorst and his mother Louisa.
The "House on Tradd Street" is a fascinating tale, and if you love mysteries and the paranormal, you will enjoy this book immensely! Mar 28, Kathleen rated it liked it. Given that I purchased this book at a Friends of the Library booksale for a dollar Don't you just love their book sales? That being said, I don't think I'll be running out to pay full price for the next installment of the Melanie-series that is apparently scheduled to be released later this year.
Perhaps I will check it out of the library. After finishing the book, I did a little research on other books that she had previously written. She appears to be quite a genre hopper--a couple light romantic comedies, a couple of the heartstring-pulling dramas, a Gothic novel, and even a time-travelling romance. The only commonality seems to be that they are all set in the South.
For this novel, she chose pull her fascination for multiple genres into a single book. It should be absolutely ludicrious. I was expecting myself to be scoffing my way through the entire book, but some how I wasn't. And I enjoyed myself and finished the book in only a couple of days. Jun 25, Deanne rated it it was ok. Since I write these types of tales for a living, I readily accepted, thinking: I had never before sat down and thought about how to write these books.
Were there hard and fast rules I followed when writing? I'm lazier than that. Was there a formula for a succesful novel?
14 Books About Dark Family Secrets
If there were, we'd all be bestselling authors. What was I going to tell this room full of people who had paid money to glean knowledge from me? I do this for a living, I told myself. I have to know something.
So I sat down came up with my top 10 tips for writing a paranormal mystery. Real world or new world? The first thing you need to decide is, how paranormal do you want it to be? By "real world," I mean your characters live in the real world and simply might have a hint of eeriness swirling around. Your hero or heroine might be psychic. Or she might remember past lives. Or he might see ghosts. But all of the action takes place in our real, flawed world in which something eerie and strange might be lurking around any ordinary corner.
Or you can create an entirely new world. Great examples of this are the Harry Potter series or even the Twilight series. Those are worlds in which wizards go to special boarding schools and Death Eaters are real dangers, and teenaged vampires drive cars in bright daylight and hunky werewolves carry torches for sullen humans. Either choice works for your narrative, but if you create a new world, you'll have to do a lot of legwork before you start writing. You need to create the rules, the mythology, the laws, everything about this world, before you put one letter on the page.
You need to know your new world just as well as you know your own before you start writing, because one slip up, one instance in which your characters are caught doing something inconsistent with the laws in your new world, and you'll lose your readers. Imagine if Captain Kirk all of a sudden started casting spells on his crewmen. Once you've created your world, make your readers want to live there. And then pull the rug out from under them. The books I love the best are the ones in which I want to live where the characters are living, or where I'm enticed to go where the characters are going.
One of my favorite books is The Ghost Orchid by Carol Goodman, in which a group of artists and writers travel to an artists' retreat in upstate New York. I'd love to go to a retreat like that! But no, no, no. As it turns out, I wouldn't. If you make your readers want to live there, they'll put themselves in the middle of the action and it will be all the more terrifying when things start to go wrong.
Even implausible situations must be plausible. If your reader is questioning something about a character's behavior in any given scene -- Wait, why would she go down into the cellar when she heard the scream instead of just calling the police? You need to answer those questions before they occur to your reader. She fished her cell phone out of her purse and tried to turn it on. She was on her own. Not being able to see two feet in front of you while you're hearing strange moaning on the other side of the room is scary.
Not being able to leave because it's storming outside is scary. If it's eerie in broad daylight, it's going to be downright terrifying in the middle of a dark and stormy night. Adapt The Hero's Journey. The Hero's Journey is a concept put forth by the great Joseph Cambell in The Power of Myth , in which he talks about a common narrative in myths from around the world. The hero lives an ordinary life. Something happens that causes an upheaval from this life. He receives a call to adventure, which he initially does not wish to accept. But then he does, and his adventure begins.
One classic example of this is Luke Skywalker in the first Star Wars movie. Or Harry Potter in the first of those books.
Mystery & Suspense
I adapt this concept into something happening in the beginning of my books to cause my heroine to enter a new life. A strange letter arrives in the mail and turns the world upside down. A job offer materializes just as one's life is in ruins. My heroines must accept these calls to adventure, and when they do, their stories begin. They're the reason my characters can't simply walk away from the strange things happening around them.