A House of Ghosts

Shortlisted for the Irish Book Award, a classic cozy big-house mystery haunted by the specters of World War One - for readers of Agatha Christie and Simone St. James.

Winter 1917. As the First World War enters its most brutal phase, back home in England, everyone is seeking answers to the darkness that has seeped into their lives. At Blackwater Abbey, on an island off the Devon coast, armaments manufacturer Lord Highmount has arranged a spiritualist gathering to contact his two sons, both of whom died at the front.

Among the guests, two have been secretly dispatched from the intelligence service: Kate Cartwright, a friend of the family who lost her beloved brother at the Somme and who, in the realm of the spiritual, has her own special gift; and the mysterious Captain Donovan, recently returned from Europe. Top secret plans for weapons developed by Lord Highmount's company have turned up in Berlin, and there is reason to believe enemy spies will be in attendance. As the guests arrive, it becomes clear that each has something they would rather keep hidden. Then, when a storm descends, they find themselves trapped on the island. Soon one of their number will die. For Blackwater Abbey is haunted in more ways than one . . .
An unrelenting, gripping mystery, packed with twists and turns and a kindling of romance, A House of Ghosts is the perfect cold-weather read.

Genre: Horror

"Hugely enjoyable, A House of Ghosts has the bones of a taut thriller wrapped up in the gorgeous romance of its ghostly island setting." - Jane Casey

"Spooks, spies, seances, things that go bump in the night - A House of Ghosts has it all. A tremendously enjoyable, ingeniously-plotted take on the haunted house mystery. Best read before dark!" - Tammy Cohen

"A thoroughly enjoyable novel that seemed to combine all my favourite things - history, crime, entertainingly spiky romance and an eerily evocative setting. An absolute treat." - Elly Griffiths

"A splendid tale of wartime skullduggery, featuring both kinds of spooks - perfect fireside reading." - Mick Herron

"An atmospheric, hugely entertaining mystery that offers all the pleasures of a classic ghost story - with an appealing dash of romance. William Ryan is a wonderful storyteller and A House of Ghostswill keep you up reading (and shivering) deep into the night." - Antonia Hodgson

"Perfect for a dark and stormy evening: a truly creepy and ingenious ghost story and murder mystery with an irresistible setting." - Ragnar Jónasson

"Almost unbearably creepy and beautifully written." - Liz Nugent