Tim and Abi are siblings who share a passion for all things supernatural. Their fascination leads them to make up a story about a ghost in their attic- but a true ghost story is one that is retold, embellished and used as currency at Halloween and around campfires. Unleashing it into the world by choosing a willing listener would be a harmless prank to pay on a gullible girl at school- or so they think.
The Apparition Phase
What they don’t realise is that while trying to be the authors of their own tale of terror with a fictional haunting, something begins to grow, take shape and alter their lives forever.
Maclean’s love of the classic ghost story is evident in every page of this book, from the examples of the books that Tim and Abi read, to the shows they watch and the stories they tell- they are all clearly part of the author’s history too. Tim and Abi’s thirst for knowledge about the occult is a result of the author’s own interests, which makes them all the more believable.
Those readers who share his enthusiasm for such stories will recognise many of the references he makes and will inevitably give a little smile as they read.
While the author is clearly well rehearsed in the genre in which he writes- he has still managed to carve his own piece within it by writing something that is truly unique. This is unlike anything I have read before and I'm sure you will feel the same.
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I started reading The Apparition Phase when my husband had gone out to the pub and my little one was asleep.
Although I highly recommend the book, I would strongly urge you not to read it alone. After reading the first two chapters I put the light out and had to turn it back on again until my husband came home, (I’m 35- oh the shame).
As an avid reader of ghost stories myself, I have been waiting for a book like this to come along. As soon as I began reading it- I knew I was about to enter into a world I would struggle to part with- so I spent many a night reading till well after my bedtime.
It’s the perfect time of year to read this book- the dark nights, cold weather and the noises that houses make as they settle down for the winter are the ideal backdrop for this genre.
I do hope Maclean writes more stories like this, I am very keen to read what comes next. *Please let there be another!*
Even now, although it's been weeks since I finished the book- the final line still haunts me, I miss the characters and I think about the story often- if that isn’t the mark of a disturbing supernatural story I don’t know what is.
RELATED: Three star signs least likely to be haunted by ghosts by Nuzo Onoh
Most people believe in ghosts while some people are more prone than others to experiencing these pesky visitors. Aquarians for instance; these airy individuals just seem to magnet ghosts to themselves. Same with Scorpio-born people with their congenital attraction to all things occultic. However, some people born under favourable star signs, possess some serious Weapons of Ghost Destruction that ensure ghosts never invade their spaces. As an author of ghost stories with a life-long interest in ghosts and hauntings, I can now reveal the top 3 Star Signs that are practically immune to hauntings… to read more click HERE
