When David Caine accepts an offer to stay in a supposedly haunted house for a month, to prove or disprove whether it has earned it's title of most haunted house in Virginia, he is unaware of many details about the area. He is not expecting sexual deviants for neighbors. He is not expecting the house to hold ties to his own past, and he is not aware that the Alexander house holds horrors of epic proportions.
This is more than a haunted house tale. The horror is not only in the supernatural aspects but in the evil that mere mortals commit. It got under my skin, not just with delicious spine tingling fear that all horror lovers crave, but with sadness, and disgust, and sometimes rage. The test of any good book (for me) is whether it can make me feel something. The Siren And The Specter is a masterpiece of horror.
5 out of 5 stars.

I received an advance copy for review. ( )

This was a very haunting read and I was just swept away into the atmospheric setting of the Alexander House.

A little backstory for you readers:

David Caine, a renowned debunker of paranormal activity, is invited to come to the Alexander House on the request of his friend, Chris. The Alexander House has laid claims to being the most haunted house in Virginia. David decides that he will stay in the house for a month to see if he can capture any kind footage of a haunting.

David delves deep into the history of the house and finds that the Alexander house is named after Judson Alexander who did unspeakable things in the house. David has some past personal issues that he has to overcome as he tries to debunk what is happening around him, but as time goes on, he finds out that some houses are just down right bad.

There is an island that sits out in a lake across from the house which is also haunted. David catches a glimpse of a ghostly figure that seems to float on the lake. David decides to investigate the island to check out what is really going on out there and what he finds turns his world completely upside down.

There are other characters involved in the book besides David and his friend, Chris, as the neighbors that surround that area take part in the story too. All the characters in the book are very believable and the story just meshes together bringing all the characters to the Alexander House.

It was slow at first with a little world building, but once I became involved in the story it picked up the pace and the last half of the book I was staying up late nights wanting to see how it all ended! Five stars for this one. ( )

To be reviewed! ( )

More than enough for The Ghost Story Junkie and this one rang with the possibility of some truth. It's got all the stuff any ghost story/horror reader could possibly want, ghosts, monsters, murder, mystery, a creepy old house that become creepier by the page...and best of all, it gave me goosebumps and chills, and that is something that few ghost stories can do anymore. I didn't especially like any of the characters but the house and its atmosphere more than made up for any of their shortcomings. The story and Alexander House was born in the imagination of Jonathan Janz's by a stay “in a historical home in Virginia” as he explains in an author Q&A at the end of the book. It's well worth taking the time to read about how the book came alive for him. As a result, Janz has come up with an outstanding and unique plot that is filled with sensual detail as well as suspense and scares enough to keep any ghost story enthusiast happy. The reader will also find that The Siren and the Specter contains several gruesome discoveries and events that will diffidently get and keep your attention. You might also want to consider leaving the lights on, and the doors locked...if it will really do any good. ( )

David Caine is a well known author who debunks legendary haunted houses. After publishing nine books on the subject, he isn't too concerned about the 10th project, The Alexander House. At the request of an old college friend who owns the house, David agrees to live in it for a month. Area residents and his friend's wife think the property is really haunted, but David knows that isn't possible. He firmly believes that supernatural things do not exist. Or does he? He isn't inside the house for a single day before he starts seeing and hearing things. And it will get much, much worse before it's over.

This book gave me the heebie jeebies! Very creepy! I love haunted house stories, so I added to the suspense by reading this book while sitting on my front porch at night. Pitch dark except the light from my Ipad. Took me 3 evening reading sessions to finish....and I loved every minute of it!

Just a warning.....there are some graphic depictions of sex and some adult situations in this book. It's not for kids or teens under 16 or so. Some of the characters are despicable and completely unlikable...be prepared. For readers who like horror novels with a bit of grit and violence....this one's for you. Totally creepy....and a bit demented. Great read!

I would not spend a single night in The Alexander House. Not a single night. Nope. No way. Not only no....hell no.

Great story!

I will definitely be reading more by this author! :)

**I voluntarily read an advance readers copy of this book from Flame Tree Press via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.** ( )