Tainted Ground

The O'Brien Tales, Book 13

De: Stacey Reynolds

Narrado por: Justine Eyre

Leamaneh Castle is rumored to be the most haunted castle in Ireland. Nestled on an unassuming country lane in the Burren, the dark history surrounding its O'Brien mistress is legendary.

In the mid-seventeenth century, Elspeth MacDougall finds herself taken under the wing of noblewoman Mary McManus O'Brien. Or as she is known by the villagers, Máire Rua. Red Mary. Elspeth must try to navigate the politics and dangers of the war with Cromwell's forces, and the threat of Mary discovering just what secrets and abilities her new young companion is hiding.

Cora Murphy is haunted by visions of a young woman who looks as though she could be her sister. She instinctively knows that her brother Colin's problems are related to this mysterious ancestor and the eerie ruins of a castle abandoned for centuries.

Amid these strange occurrences, a person from her past reenters her life, making her question everything she thought she knew about herself and her abilities.

©2025 Stacey Reynolds (P)2025 Podium Audio

I love the flow from present to past and the connection between the ancestry and its effects on the present.

I enjoy the voice of the narrator Justine Eyre, she does a wonderful job of changing from one charter to the next.

One question answered leaves another unsolved….

As always a beautifully written O’Brien Tale. I cannot wait to see where the next book leads to as this one left me wanting more.

My only complaint was there was a chapter that had a little static that was really noticeable with headphones.

Simply magnificent!

Each story in this series is better than the last which seems impossible because they’re all terrific.
The narration is top notch!! I love all the different characters voices. I truly felt like I was there with them.

AMAZING STORY

Please do not wait so long to bring the next book to audio! I have enjoyed each tale immensely! You have brought your characters to life. I cry and laugh for each of them as if they were my own family.

One of My Top Five Reads of the Entire Year

🌟 5 Stars 🌶️ 1 Chili Pepper
Tainted Ground – Stacy Reynolds (O’Brien Series, Book 13)

I’ve read every single book in the O’Brien series, and somehow Stacy Reynolds still manages to break me open in the best way possible. I am fully invested in these characters at this point, but this book? The writing was next-level. The story was absolutely phenomenal. I finished the last chapter in literal tears.

And I have to give major credit to Justine Eyre, the sole narrator — she was phenomenal.
While I usually love duet narration for romance and emotional-heavy chapters, her performance was so strong, so nuanced, and so beautifully delivered that I honestly didn’t miss it. She captured every shift in tone, every moment of tension, every heartbreak and triumph with absolute precision. This audiobook landed the way it did because of her talent.

While you could technically read this as a standalone, I truly don’t recommend it.
The emotional weight of this story is so much more powerful when you’ve read the entire series. The main characters in Tainted Ground begin as small children, and following their growth over multiple books makes their journey in this installment hit on an entirely different level. Their long-term development is one of the best parts of the O’Brien universe, and this book honors that beautifully.

I’m a sucker for stories that move through time, weave in historical layers, and tie meaning across generations. Add in a paranormal/spiritual thread that honors God instead of glamorizing darkness (which some fantasy books unfortunately do), and I was all in. The good-versus-evil arc, the found family moments, the fated-mate tension, the full-circle reveals, and the hints at future storylines — it all blended together flawlessly.

This book was powerful, emotional, and deeply meaningful — a standout in an already exceptional series.

#ImStillCrying