The Haunting of Chatham Hollow by Mae Clair and Staci Troilo #bookreview #supernatural #mystery

On By Teri PolenIn Book Reviews

One founding father.
One deathbed curse.
A town haunted for generations.

Ward Chatham, founder of Chatham Hollow, is infamous for two things—hidden treasure and a curse upon anyone bold enough to seek it. Since his passing in 1793, no one has discovered his riches, though his legend has only grown stronger.

In 1888, charlatan Benedict Fletcher holds a séance to determine the location of Chatham’s fortune. It’s all a hoax so he can search for the gold, but he doesn’t count on two things—Victor Rowe, a true spiritualist who sees through his ruse, and Chatham’s ghost wreaking havoc on the town.

More than a century later, the citizens of the Hollow gather for the annual Founder’s Day celebration. A paranormal research team intends to film a special at Chatham Manor, where the original séance will be reenacted. Reporter and skeptic Aiden Hale resents being assigned the story, but even he can’t deny the sudden outbreak of strange happenings. When he sets out to discover who or what is threatening the Hollow—supernatural or not— his investigation uncovers decades-old conflicts, bitter rivalries, and ruthless murders.

This time, solving the mystery isn’t about meeting his deadline. It’s about not ending up dead.

Hauntings, mediums, ghosts, séances – it’s like the authors wrote this book just for me. And that cover is everything.

Having read several of Claire’s and Troilo’s books, I’m a big fan of both authors. When I learned they’d co-written a book together, there was no doubt I’d jump at the chance to read it. I didn’t even need to know what it was about.

This story is told in a dual timeline that flows seamlessly. Alexa read this book to me, and I was never confused about which time period I was in. Money is a powerful motivator, and Ward Chatham’s fortune has been a source of greed for over a century. In 1888, Benedict Fletcher is certain he’ll be able to locate the gold after holding a fake séance. What he doesn’t count on is true medium Victor Rowe in attendance and Chatham’s ghost actually making an appearance. And he’s not a spirit you want to mess with. Cue the chaos.

In 2022, the gold still hasn’t been found after a little over a century. With a Founder’s Day celebration on the calendar, a paranormal research team wants to reenact the séance that raised Chatham’s spirit and resulted in several deaths that may or may not have been coincidental.

Both authors have a gift for creating loveable characters, and this novel is no different. With his feelings on spiritualism, ability to sniff out charlatans, and calm demeanor, Victor is my favorite character. I was delighted with the way his story plays out. Aiden is also a favorite, but it’s his grandmother Julia who always has the last word and his dog Levi who steals his scenes.

I generally listen to books while doing chores around the house, but when it came time for the final séance I had to sit down and give it my full attention. I couldn’t wait to see what happened and even caught myself holding my breath at times. And what a scene! Atmospheric, exciting, unexpected – and that’s all I’ll say about that. No spoilers here.

Fans of both authors and readers of supernatural mysteries alike will enjoy this novel. Now I want to know when the next co-authored book is releasing.

50 thoughts on “The Haunting of Chatham Hollow by Mae Clair and Staci Troilo #bookreview #supernatural #mystery”

  11. Great review, Teri. I couldn’t agree more about the quality of writing from these two authors, and I share your thoughts about the characters – the same favorites, and a lot of them! I laughed at your comment that you had to sit down for the final seance. It was a thriller! Congrats to Mae and Staci on the wonderful review!

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  13. Hi, Teri! What a wonderful surprise to find your review of Chatham here today. I’m delighted you enjoyed it. Staci and I had a blast weaving the plots and writing this together. It was an amazing experience, and thus always a pleasure to find an awesome review like this. Thank you!

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    1. Mae has several stand alones and a couple of series (Hode’s Hill and Point Pleasant) for you to choose from, Carla. I’ve enjoyed all of them – especially the Point Pleasant series based on the Mothman since I grew up close to that area. Thanks for visiting!

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