Haunted Ground

By: Erin Hart

Narrated by: Jennifer McMahon

Length: 12 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

When farmers cutting turf in an Irish peat bog make a grisly discovery, the perfectly intact body of a young woman with long red hair, archaeologist Cormac O'Callaghan and pathologist Nora Gavin are thrown together by their shared scientific interest in human remains. Because of the preservative effect of the bog, it is difficult to tell whether the body has lain there for two decades, two centuries, or two millennia. As they dig into the mystery of the red-haired girl, they are drawn into the two-year-old disappearance of a landowner's wife and young son. The story delves through the many layers of Ireland's turbulent past, tracing the still-visible footprints of fortified tower houses and ancient burial mounds, ever mindful of the eternal, subliminal connections between past and present.

©2003 Erin M. Hart (P)2003 Books on Tape, Inc. Published by Arrangement with Random House Audio Publishing Group, A Division of Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

"In every way, this is a debut to remember." (Booklist)
"In addition to a complex, multilayered plot that involves both contemporary and historical crimes, Hart's novel is rich in local color." (Publishers Weekly)

Excellent Twists

Very well written and brilliant characters! Written like the wonderful classics..fullbodied and thrilling. Reminiscent of Wilkie Collins. The blending of history and contemporary is well mixed. I look forward to more from Hart.

Wonderful, and enticing

What did you like about this audiobook?

I enjoyed the layed back voices of the narrator- it made listening to the book, so engrossing and enchanting. Even though the subject matter at points was highly disturbing.

How has the book increased your interest in the subject matter?

My interest in archaeology has always been profound, and also in Irish history. But the combination of the two - then add in the spice of murder mystery who wouldn't bee hooked?

What did you find wrong about the narrator's performance?

I liked that used different voices and really played with the roles

Outstanding narrator!

I enjoyed this story very much, although I did figure out most of the mystery early on. The narrator is the best I've ever heard. I really believed that different characters were speaking the parts.

Wow! What a lot of fun!

Well-researched hybrid of historical fiction and murder mystery with a dash of Indiana Jones-style archeology thrown in. Characters are well-developed and interesting. A particular plus is the wonderful narration. This book is better experienced on audio than in text.

Outstanding Read!!

I guess I understand why there are some less than enthusiastic reviews of this book. If one is looking for the simplicity of a formula romance novel, this is the wrong book. I can imagine the rich historical narrative and the exceptional literary development would be "tedious", in that case. The same goes for pulp mystery seekers. However, if a person is looking for a beautifully written, engaging, historically informative literary story, complete with sufficient mystery to keep one on the edge of one's seat throughout, and a healthy, adult sprinkling of romance, then there isn't much out there that is better than "Haunted Ground". Add to that the pleasant, lyrical narration, and it's a perfect listen!

Wish I got abridged version

I saw other customer recommendations for getting the abridged version and I wished that I had taken their advice. I listened to this on a road trip and it made the trip seem slower rather than faster. I think I wouldn't have minded the length if I was reading it but listening was at times tedious.

The other problem I had with the book is that I wanted more mystery and less romance. The quality of the writing and historic detail made it better than a Harlequin-type novel but it wasn't really what I wanted. I did enjoy the information about Ireland.

Beautifully written and beautifully read

I picked this up on a whim, and now it's one of my favorite audio books. The reader is wonderful, the language is lyric and beautifully paced and the story is solid.

Enjoyable w/ wonderful twists & turns A+ Narrator

Any additional comments?

The narrator really made a good story better. Her lilting Irish accent is a joy.The story itself has two mysteries in one and it ties them together with wonderful twists and turns. Very enjoyable all around.

Good Mystery, Excellent Irish Story

I was really drawn to the plot of this story, not because it was such a great mystery, but because the author obviously has a love of all things Irish and gives us a nice look at Irish life today. The characters of Nora Gavin, Cormac Maguire, and Garret Devaney are exceptionally well-written, but all of the characters are interesting and deserving of our attention. The two main mystery plots were less interesting and tied up too neatly at the end. I mean, who didn't know who the real killers were the moment the author introduced them? But, as I say, it was not necessarily the mystery aspect that drew me. Hats off to Erin Hart for creating such real, non-sterotypical Irish people for her first novel. I look forward to reading the further stories of Nora and Cormac. The narrator, Jennifer McMahon, was perfect.

Great, the 2nd time

I started this book, got 2 hours in and lost interest. But when it was the only book I hadn't listened to, I started again......It was great. I found myself guessing the end and never guessed right. Well.....kind of. It was great for me when I really concentrated, The accent of the narrator gave me a little trouble, but made the book.