The
Guests On South Battery, by
Karen White, is part paranormal, mystery, historical, with
a little romance. Readers will be kept enthralled with the
scenes of historic southern houses and spooky happenings.
White has done a lot of research on the subject of ghosts.
“I describe this series as ‘my Sixth Sense meets
National Treasure meets Moonlighting series.’ There
were certain parameters I wanted to include in this series:
It had to be in the South with the city old, charming, and
having a lot of historical significance. I wanted to set the
plot around haunted houses. Every culture, every religion
has them existing. I think there is a lot about the universe
we do not understand. So yes, I do like the possibility. I
do think people can communicate with the dead and I find it
fascinating.”
The mystery begins after a young woman, Jayne Smith, is bequeathed
a home in Charleston by someone she does not know. Questions
arise as to why she randomly inherited this house, and what
is her relationship with the spirits who do not want her to
inhabit it? She seeks out Melanie Middleton, a Charleston
realtor, who specializes in historic real estate. She also
has a hatred for old houses because she sees dead people come
alive. White’s details about the architecture, history,
old historic houses, including hidden passages and other fixtures,
make the story even more riveting.
Jayne and Melanie become kindred spirits after Melanie hires
her as a nanny. Intertwined within this ghostly story is also
the theme of family. The different relationship dynamics are
fascinating. Both Melanie and Jayne have abandonment issues.
Melanie is insecure about her husband Jack, and her mother
is struggling to make up for lost time now that she is back
in her daughter’s life.
According to White, “Melanie, as a young child, was
abandoned by her mother, but it was done to save her. Because
Melanie’s alcoholic father raised her she had to be
the adult in the relationship. Her sense of insecurity stems
from this. She has two personalities, the public and private.
Outwardly she appears strong and competent, but inside she
is like a quivering bowl of Jello: neurotic, OCD, and a control
freak.”
This book is an excellent read. It seems any Karen White book
never disappoints with her spellbinding plot and cast of characters.
The charm of the series is the relationships the main character
Melanie has with friends and family.
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