Spooky paranormal Murder Mystery

All around I thought this was a good story. Fairly unique with a good plot and decent characters. In general, I don’t like stories that bounce between past and present. Usually even though they try to inform you when it is past or present, it can cause confusion as to what timeline you are actually in once you get immersed. This one wasn’t confusing, but I’m not entirely sure that it added to the overall story. The present day part was a thrill ride full of twists and turns. As noted, even though this is part of a series this stood alone and it made me want to listen to the first book.

The story is a bit of a mixture of genres. You have the supernatural aspects, but I heard it more as detective story where Sammy’s family tries to solve his murder. There are some paranormal aspects that add a nice haunting to the story and the setting of the Manor was perfect. Definitely a place I want to move into and throw a Halloween Party, but with a different outcome. I will say, given all the different directions the book went, I was caught completely off guard by the ending.

I really liked Sammy. He reminded me a lot of myself and while he didn’t have the biggest part in the story, I liked all the little information about him. His awesomeness, which is constantly being praised by his wife, Corrie, made me like her that much more for recognizing it. Her love for him was palpable and the tragedy of her loss hits you hard as you learn how much she truly loved him and what she is willing to do to get him back.

Kelsey Navarro did a really good job. I liked the different inflections she had in her voice and thought she did a good job with the character voices. The cadence and tone she used with her character voices made it sound like the characters were actually talking to one another. I look forward to more of her narration.

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

3 people found this helpful

Excellent

A fan of all things horror Sammy moves his family into a gothic mansion with a sinister past
From a cult of doctors experimenting with the paranormal to creepy possessed little girls this is not your typical haunted house story
Well narrated and a good use of some horror staples highly recommended
I received a free review audiobook and voluntarily left this review

6 people found this helpful

Absolutely Amazing Exciting and Chilling!!

Kerry Manor is the new home Corrie and Sammy move into, not realising the dark and evil presence that resides there. The house is haunted by a girl that was sent to the asylum, but came out something far worse and far scarier.

Chilling, scary, amazing, brilliant, exciting, eerie, WOW!! Jacki has yet again created a masterpiece with Calling Back the Dead. It builds up at an eerie yet enthralling pace, gives you shivers, and at the same time eager to keep listening (like a kid watching a scary movie while peeking over a blanket). The plot and characters are developed well and the story an absolute gem. I love the "then" and "now" stories that unravel simultaneously, keeping the listener intrigued throughout.

Kelsey narrated well, with great intonation and good energy in her performance. I would definitely listen to her again.

Overall, i highly recommend this series. Every book is stand alone so you dont need to hear the others to understand the story (although you would be doing yourself a disservice if you didnt)! Dont hesitate and get this one, then find the others and get them too! You wont be sorry, you will be amazed!

Note: This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this objective review voluntarily.

2 people found this helpful

Look No Further for your Halloween Read

This is the second book in this ‘series’ and it is just as phenomenal as the first. When I finished the first book, I wondered how it was a ‘series,’ but I’m starting to see it now. There is a different narrator, but since it has different characters than the first book, this did not take anything away from the story. Ms. Navarro did just as great of a job with the narrations and the characters.

There was not as much of the asylum in this particular story, but it does still play a pivotal role. This is the perfect time of year to read this story as well because it largely centers on a Halloween party.

I cannot wait to read the next book in this series. Ms. Erickson does an amazing job of intertwining characters, timelines and creepiness that make her books page turners.

I was provided with a free copy of this audio book for my honest review. The views expressed here are entirely my own.

1 person found this helpful

love is a he'll of a thing

u need to listen to it , all of it not just the story the story inside the story

Great Twist

I am really enjoying the books from this author. This one has a great twist at the end.

this was good but!

I liked this book but unfortunately some authors have to drag a certain issue thru this. I won't get into this because audible will no doubt not post this. but the storyline was good and the narrator was good also.

Calling Back the Dead

Would you believe it if someone came to you and said they see ghosts? Do you believe in ghosts? If your answer is yes to both, this is definitely the book for you. Erickson’s second installment in the Northern Michigan Asylum Series is downright creepy. While the first one was easy to predict, this one has a couple of twists that will entertain readers.

Sarah and Corrie are in a huge haunted manor all by themselves after a deathly terrifying Halloween party thrown at the manor, where one person winds up dead. The story begins with a detective questioning them about their take on the series of events leading up to the party. Sarah has a twin brother, HAD a twin brother, named Sammy, who was also Corrie’s husband. Sammy and Corrie move into Kerry Manor with their little girl, Isis, for a little while. Immediately, Corrie’s demeanor starts to change and Sammy is worried that the stay may not have been the right choice. Deciding to throw one last bash on Halloween before trying to persuade Corrie into moving again, he doesn’t realize the implications of waiting. As both Sarah and Corrie recount their lives leading up to the party, Sarah begins to look into possession and an asylum that is heavily rooted in the manor’s history while Corrie looks for a way to bring Sammy back to life. Death surrounds the manor and both women find that things aren’t always as they appear. Will they be able to get out of Kerry Manor alive or will the dead come back to make a claim for their souls?

Erickson leads her readers into a cold and dark world, but quite a fascinating one. While the story and the characters are fictional, the asylum is real and has been researched thoroughly. This provides originality, while still giving the author credibility. This place, you can imagine, has a ton of creative and unusual stories and this is where Erickson is able to lure her readers into this first installment. Navarro’s narration is fantastic. Erickson has another enticing story, and Navarro compliments both characters quite well. Each character she narrates has a different tone, the pace is nice and steady as the story intensifies, her emotional queues are on par with the story, and she makes the reader feel like they are in the story with Erickson’s characters. If you are a reader of paranormal fiction and mysteries, you may want to pick it up for a read. This is the second installment within the series; however, it can be read as a standalone. Everything is different with the exception of the asylum. Just to clarify, this is a story about ghosts, but it is more of a thriller over horror.

The audiobook was provided to Turning Another Page by Audiobookworm Promotions and in no way affects the honesty of this review. We provide a five star rating for Calling Back the Dead by J.R. Erickson.

Amazing, great narration

I enjoyed this book a lot and Kelsey Navarro's narration made it even better. Her narration of this book was fantastic, you could feel all the emotions, the heartache, the pain, everything was really well performed. I've had listen to other narrations by her and this was an amazing one for sure.
The book is well written and captivating, with the misteries it carries, it makes you pay attention to every word and every detail that is said, in the hopes you can make sense on what's going on and unravel everything before they do. The book is feel with deep emotions, pain, heartache, grief, and it hurt to listen everything the characters go through, but it's part of what makes it a really enjoyable book.

A spooky and unique paranormal thriller

This audiobook surprised and entertained me with its unpredictable, emotional, scary, and romantic story. Yes, there have been famous novels about a haunted house or possession by an evil spirit or about making the dead return. This book has all of those elements, but it is far from being an awkward hodgepodge. J.R. Erickson has brilliantly written something subtle and extraordinary with realistic details. It is about love, life, and family. It can break your heart and send chills up your spine. It has a bittersweet tone threaded through with a sneaky evil. The deliberate pacing sucked me in and made me yearn to return to it every time I had to leave my audiobook. Although there are brief bursts of violence, the story does not linger on any graphic or bloody details. I do not remember any bad language. There is hardly any sexual content, just a little making out and a few closed door love scenes.

This is a standalone book in a series of related books. The setting is 2001-2002 in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It starts with a murder on Halloween, and the timeline switches back and forth to what happened before the murder and what happened after. The story is told in present tense first person perspective of two characters, Corrie and Sara. Corrie is a young woman about 31 and mother of a toddler whose beloved husband, Sammy, was brutally murdered after a Halloween party at the large historical house that they rented for six months. Sara is Corrie's sister-in-law and the twin sister of Sammy. The narrative choice of having these two characters' perspectives really opened up the possibilities and increased the tension. I also appreciate the fascinating minor characters in the book.

This “Calling Back the Dead” was further enhanced by an expert performance by Kelsey Navarro. At first I didn’t really like the voice/accent that she had for Corrie, but I soon realized that it was perfect for the character. I am not familiar with accents in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, so I am not sure if the accents were accurate. She did make every character's voice distinctive. The narrator provided excellent pacing, especially with the most thrilling scenes. She also was perfect at the wide range of emotions present in this story.

This is my first book by J.R. Erickson, and I can’t wait to listen to more in this series. It blew my mind. I totally recommend this book to everyone who likes paranormal thrillers, light horror books, or tragic romances. In addition, everyone who likes haunted house books should try this one.

I requested and received a free audiobook copy via #AudiobookObsession, and I voluntarily wrote this honest review.
#AudiobookObsession Reviewer