A Head Full of Ghosts

By: Paul Tremblay

Narrated by: Joy Osmanski

WINNER OF THE 2015 BRAM STOKER AWARD FOR SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN A NOVEL

A chilling thriller that brilliantly blends psychological suspense and supernatural horror, reminiscent of Stephen King's The Shining, Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House, and William Peter Blatty's The Exorcist.

The lives of the Barretts, a normal suburban New England family, are torn apart when fourteen-year-old Marjorie begins to display signs of acute schizophrenia.

To her parents’ despair, the doctors are unable to stop Marjorie’s descent into madness. As their stable home devolves into a house of horrors, they reluctantly turn to a local Catholic priest for help. Father Wanderly suggests an exorcism; he believes the vulnerable teenager is the victim of demonic possession. He also contacts a production company that is eager to document the Barretts’ plight. With John, Marjorie’s father, out of work for more than a year and the medical bills looming, the family agrees to be filmed, and soon find themselves the unwitting stars of The Possession, a hit reality television show. When events in the Barrett household explode in tragedy, the show and the shocking incidents it captures become the stuff of urban legend.

Fifteen years later, a bestselling writer interviews Marjorie’s younger sister, Merry. As she recalls those long ago events that took place when she was just eight years old, long-buried secrets and painful memories that clash with what was broadcast on television begin to surface—and a mind-bending tale of psychological horror is unleashed, raising vexing questions about memory and reality, science and religion, and the very nature of evil.

like a punch in the gut

great look at the horrors of religious zealotry, reality TV, the toll of mental illness, and male anxiety of the fall of patriarchal society. Both beautiful and gut-wrenchting, just as good horror should be.

captivating.

This is a really good story, not at all what I was expecting. If you can listen on Audible do it...the narrator was excellent.

Just okay. Sorry.

Would you try another book from Paul Tremblay and/or Joy Osmanski?

No, I think I got a sufficient indication of his writing. Depending on the book I may try the narrator again, just not in this genre.

Would you recommend A Head Full of Ghosts to your friends? Why or why not?

Probably not. It really didn't provide any real enjoyment for me.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Joy Osmanski?

I think the narrator did an okay job at the young protagonist. However, she was limited past that. She has a very young, sometimes immature voice. She would probably do a good job narrating a YA book or romance novel. As it was her attempts at masculine voices were just bad. Maybe the book needed more than one narrator.

Do you think A Head Full of Ghosts needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No.

Less than satisfying

Paul Tremblay has a way with words and descriptions. He's never dull. I've liked other books by him and plan on reading others by him. But I found this story to be an uninspired mash-up of The Exorcist and We Have Always Lived in the Castle. It was never frightening or tense. And never boring, at least. Just...okay.

Possessed? Mentally ill? Evil? You Decide!

We read this for book club and we could never agree on the "diagnosis" but we all agreed it was a crazy fun book to read. The writer certainly knows how to tell a story that keeps you riveted and leaves you with lots to discuss afterward.