Holly is a professional ghost-whisperer, convincing unruly and unwanted spirits to go into the light. It’s honest-ish work – those ghosts are making life difficult for the living, after all – but she’d be lying if she said she couldn’t use a big payday.
Enter Callum. Successful paranormal investigator and podcast host. Oh, and Holly’s once-upon-a-time dream man.
Callum has a fairly lucrative proposition for Holly. He’s been given exclusive access to a haunted house in the town of East Mill, owned by a notoriously reclusive family. They’ve never let anyone investigate it before, but Callum’s work has caught their eye – and Holly would be the perfect psychic addition to the team.
But as the two investigate the house, it becomes clear that whatever is going bump in the night might be a touch above even their generous pay grade – and with their own past threatening to derail the whole investigation, Holly and Callum might have bitten off more than they can chew in East Mill.
Ghosted by Amy Hutton might just take the title of Most Unexpected Read of the Year for me, catching me entirely off guard in the most delightful way. What looked on the surface to be a contemporary romance with a paranormal edge instead turned out to be a genuinely interesting (and often very creepy) ghost story, perfect for Halloween reading!
The mystery surrounding the East Mill haunted house is engaging from the get-go, and as Holly and Callum piece together the story, using local history, tales from neighbours, and Holly’s frightening interactions with spirits, it’s clear that something much more sinister is afoot. It’s an exciting story, peppered with some surprisingly scary moments, and a lot of dark local lore.
Of course, this is still a romance and our two leads carry the load of that admirably. Their attraction is believable, their backstory is interesting, and the tension rises wonderfully throughout Ghosted. I was absolutely kicking my feet and giggling over this paranormal partnership, and if the balance between the scary ghosts and the equally scary relationship stuff can be maintained, I’d love to return to the world Hutton has created as soon as possible.
A wonderful spooky season surprise!
FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Ghosted by Amy Hutton is out now through Atria/Simon & Schuster. Grab yourself a copy from your local bookstore HERE.
