The Siren and The Specter (Fiction without Frontiers)

By: Jonathan Janz

Narrated by: Davis Brooks

Length: 10 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

When David Caine, a celebrated skeptic of the supernatural, is invited by an old friend to spend a month in “the most haunted house in Virginia,” he believes the case will be like any other. But the Alexander House is different.

Built by a 1700s land baron to contain the madness and depravity of his eldest son, the house is plagued by shadows of the past and the lingering taint of bloodshed. David is haunted, as well. For 22 years ago, he turned away the woman he loved, and she took her life in sorrow.

And David suspects she’s followed him to the Alexander House.

Flame Tree Press is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launching in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices.

©2018 Flame Tree Publishing (P)2018 Flame Tree Publishing

Decent

Had a few scary images, but I think the horror more revolved around the sadomasochistic neighbors. The motives of all the characters seemed really stretched in order for there to be a cohesive story at the end. The ending itself was decent and didn’t let up, which was nice.

Tough to Follow at Times, but Good Story

I didn't entirely buy into this story from the onset because the main character is a bit antisocial and tough to follow. However, it is clear as the story progresses that the story gets better. I did enjoy the story but it is a bit unrealistic at times as well and almost too perfect.
#tagsgiving #sweepstakes

The finest ghost story ever...

This is a ghost story unlike any I've ever read before and it's a fantastic thing. So much is going on in this book, and you never really get a handle on JUST how much is happening until the end. It's a ghost story involving both a Siren AND a Specter, some of the most deliciously terrifying imagery put to page, and it's a murder mystery/noir tale as well.

Wow. It's hard to say much more than this about this book. The writing is top shelf, the dialogue spot on, and the pacing is excellent. It's a bit of a slow burn, but it's never slow and we don't have to wait until 3/4s of the way through the book to encounter the entities. We get some encounters early on and it leaves us with lots of questions and a tingle in our spine.

Janz's characters are extremely well-drawn, and the story is developed so well that, when coupled with all I said before, I really can't critique this book at all. It's just fantastic. This is horror at its finest and as it should be. If you miss this one, please, depart from me, and may posterity forget you were ever my countrymen!

You'll regret it. READ THIS! 5/5 stars.

Narrator does a fine job.

Hmm Not Sure

Good book some parts get a little graphic so be ready for that. My only troubles is some of the story seems left out or unfurnished maybe a book 2 who knows. Even with that said I'd still read it if u like a scary book.

promising story marred by idiot main character

Why does so much in the horror genre revolve around protagonists being clueless and making idiotic decisions?

There's a decent yarn here: a slew of old mysteries, unresolved emotional pasts, villains that truly get under your skin, interesting side characters with their own arcs, some memorable lines of dialogue.

Ghosts, both good and bad, mythological creatures, cults, orgies, murderers, buried secrets, it all sounds like a wild ride, and sometimes it works well, but the main character...jeez.

He's not very skeptical for someone who's supposedly a "world famous" skeptic. Doesn't act very rationally, and never knows things he should have or can put 2 and 2 together about some awfully important stuff.

It leaves you feeling like he's just a stand in for the audience and the author randomly reveals or withholds info from him as the plot dictates, and not like an actual character with his own agency and personality.

Ending was too abrupt and unexplained as well.

Fair warning, other reviewers aren't exaggerating the graphic nature of either the violence or the sex. You have been warned if you're looking to avoid such.

It was awesome.

It had plenty of creepy moments and the story line was good. I can't wait for the next one.

Best horror title I have read

I've read a LOT of horror titles from King, to Lovecraft, to Saul. This is the only book I felt genuine terror and so many unbelievable moments. It's probably for the best that the main character is such a skeptic. His actions only prove that other authors have unbelievable characters that do not act in the way most people with a bran stem do. The way the book left off, leaves room for a sequel AND completely ends the first title. Very few people could end a novel that way and I give all credit to the author. The narrator does a decent job however there are moments where there definitely could have been more energy from him. His poor imitation of a woman's voice sounds almost exactly like his male characters. and almost all his male characters sound the same, making it hard to know who is talking during times of dialogue.

All kind of creepy crazy in this one

I have been a fan of Jonathan Janz for quite a while. The dude has talent and I have enjoyed everything that I have read from him. “The Siren and the Specter” is no exception.

I am not even going to attempt to summarize this one. There is all kinds of crazy, creepy going on here. Possibly even too much.

I’m giving this one 3+ Stars. I enjoyed it. It was written very well, as I expected, but was a bit scattered the last ¼ or so (for me) and I got a bit confused with the goings-on.

As always, I look forward to see what Jonathan comes up with next. I will read whatever he puts out there. Definitely on my must-read author list.

Adding Janz to new favorite author list!

Narrator was a bit slow and kind of flat but not intolerable. For a ghost story the emphasis wasn't so much on the ghosts but the wicked living perpetuating the paranormal, and I enjoyed the change of pace immensely!

Ending too abrupt

I was a bit confused at times with what was going on, what went on, and what happened to whom, as in Michael Shelby, jr, his sister Ivy, and the Sheriff. Before I knew it, Dale was rescued, and Sebastian (who was he, again? Oh, right, the dog) showed up, and that was the end. The evil remains. Because of the abrupt ending, I gave the storyline 2 stars, expecting some closure. If there was even a mention of book 2 coming out, I would have given the story a 4.