The Forgotten Phantom

Creature Feature, Book 1

By: Kathryn Ann Kingsley

Narrated by: Rupert Channing

Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

Keep your hand at the level of your eyes...

Christine is certain that the Institute is trying to get rid of her. Why else would they send her to investigate a hundred-year-old cold case about some illusive “phantom” lurking in the depths of a crumbling old Opera House?

It turns out she’s probably right, but as unlikely as it seems, there might be something to it. There’s definitely more in the shadows than a few rats and some pieces of forgotten scenery—especially now that she’s woken it up.

The phantom is real. And now he's set his sights on her. As the old legends come to life around her, Christine becomes increasingly snared in the web of a monster who has linked her to a ghost from the past. But is this phantom fiend or friend? Angel of music or demon of the pit?

Her lover…or her killer?

The Forgotten Phantom is a gripping second-chance retelling of the classic Phantom of the Opera tale. It has themes of stalking and murder and may not be appropriate for all listeners.

Thrills, chills, horror, and romance! Creature Feature is a series of standalone romances that take the classic movie monsters you know and love and reimagines their stories where the villains get to keep the girl. By USA Today bestselling author Kathryn Ann Kingsley, these second-chance, star-crossed romance stories are certain to send a shiver down your spine...and keep you up all night long.

©2022 Kathryn Ann Kingsley (P)2023 Podium Audio

Captivating

What a beautiful and well-written novel. The narrator was wonderful as well. Hear, hear.

Kathryn did it again!

I’ve always been a huge Phantom fan, and Erik was my introduction to my love of morally gray characters and my shadow side. Kingsley is a master of morally gray and darkness; she truly toes the line and has your emotions swinging like a pendulum. The story was wonderfully paralleled with the original, but different enough to be fresh and new. I LOVED their relationship (just as I do with all her others), the spice was delicious as always, and the ending was AMAZING. Kingsley really has you stressing, but always delivers. She never fails to make me invested and feel as if I am in the story. I am always enthralled. Oh, and the music references were so wonderfully done. Definitely read this if the original Phantom ending broke your heart. I cannot sing Kingsley’s praises enough. She is one of my favorite authors, bar none, and deserves far more recognition and praise than she gets! Keep your damned chin up, everyone :)

A bit cringe

The story was really cringe for the first half of the book. The MMC was a bit gross. The second half the tempo picked up and the characters panned out in an ok way.

Finally!

My heart can rest easy now that an Erik and Christine have finally made it happen. I am such a fan.

One of the worst books I’ve ever read.

Honestly, I’ve loved many other KAK books. She’s a very good writer, but this book is so bad I’m mystified as to what happened.

She’s basically just rewriting the original novel with a few elements of the musical mixed in…but in 2022. It’s never explained why, in the universe of the book, Christine, Raul, and other characters existed in the 1800s and then are reincarnated into the similar roles with the same names. Everyone is just like - that’s weird. It’s not explained how Erik is a ghost, but in almost every way a living human. He eats, sleeps, has clothes he takes on and off. It’s like KAK couldn’t commit to her concept of having a real ghost.

The only thing “original” added is multiple sex scene in a formulaic erotica style (must have various positions and some kink) which is just not what you usually what you get with KAK. Let’s not forgot the repeated, cringy idea that Erik picks up his love dominance games because endless girls wanted that from him when he lived in Iran as a teenager.

Maybe KAK just needs to stay away from fan fiction.