The Occupant

By: Ambrose Ibsen

Narrated by: Joe Hempel

Length: 5 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's Summary

The door has been opened. It's already too late. The hunt is on for the thing that escaped from Chaythe Asylum. A life hangs in the balance. Dark plots set in motion more than thirty years ago wind to a close in this final, terrifying volume. Will Stephen Barlow intervene in time to spare the world the horrors of the Occupant?

©2017 Ambrose Ibsen (P)2017 Ambrose Ibsen

Book 3

Great ending to a series. I don't want the series to end. The combination of the author and the narrator made this series enjoyable audiobook.

11 of 11 people found this review helpful

Best yet.

This was the best of the series so far!! Incredibly tense and scary, it made for some terrifying reading!!

This one sees Stephen, along with Jake and Jane, in the town where The Occupant has drawn them. They have to try to save Elizabeth but time is running out!! That's all I'm going to summarise for you because I don't want to spoil it!!

The plot of this was so fast paced and intense, that I pretty much listened to this in one day. It was incredibly intense and had me on the edge of my seat throughout. I had to know what was going to happen!!! And true to the authors style, he didn't disappoint. There were some twists and plenty of horror, and I'm pleased with how it ended.

This series surprised me with how much I enjoyed it! I loved the plot and I really loved the characters. This author always makes his characters so relatable and easy to like! Stephen was awesome and I would love to see his character again in the future, maybe he could team up with one of Ambrose's other characters ;)

In all, this book was brilliant. I devoured it and was sorry to see it end. I highly recommend the series.

Joe Hempel is one of the best. He is a pleasure to listen to because he just knows how to read a story well! It's makes for effortless listening. He is clear and concise, has a variety of tones and voices and knows when to use inflections to make the story come alive! Honestly, give him a try!!

I was voluntarily provided this audiobook for free from the author, narrator, or publisher. This in no way affected nor influenced my thoughts.

9 of 9 people found this review helpful

Fantastic finale

I think this was probably the best book in the series. Great story with a great twisted ending. Was really looking forward to wrapping up this series but once I got to the end I'm completely on board for more if they come. Highly recommend this series to anyone who likes a good ghost hunting story.

Another great pairing of Ambrose Ibsen and Joe Hempel. As always Joe brings the story to life and puts you there in the woods running for your life beside Stephen.

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

its it over?I loved this series

This series wrapped up nicely. But is it really over? it wrapped up nicely, but you might have given us a hint, that maybe there might be more? either way I am happy.
I have read many of Ibsen books, and i like them all. He can do creepy very well! this was really had some intense parts in it! WTG!

I really like the narrater Joe Hempel. He is one of my top 5 picks to read a book to me. He does a great job in everything I have heard him in.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Breath holding conclusion!

I totally love this series! Stephen is a less than stellar adjunct professor who gets involved with two students when they come to him with a proposal to head a paranormal club. He does it in hopes of a little more money. That's how the series starts. What he finds is far more and takes him on a three book journey as he searches for the occupant, a paranormal creature of death and destruction.

The plot and writing kept me on my toes and groaning when I had to put the book down for any reason. The amount of darkness and gore is balanced. The descriptions and characterizations are compelling. Both the words and narration are on point. There is nothing about this book and series that I didn't enjoy.

I highly reccomend this book for anyone who loves a spooky horror/ghost story!

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3 of 3 people found this review helpful

thriller, horror, paranormal

The Occupant is the third book in the Afterlife Investigation series by Ambrose Ibsen. It is a thriller, horror, paranormal and if you have not read or listen to the first two books, STOP reading now. It is impossible to write a review of the sequels without leaking spoilers from the previous books.

The main character of all three books is Stephen Barlow is an adjunct professor at an Ohio college. In the first book Asylum, Barlow becomes involved with two students, Elizabeth and Jake who want to form a Spiritual Club ( paranormal not kumbaya). They investigate Chaythe Asylum and inadvertently release something evil that has been stuck there for 28 years. In the second book, Forest, Barlow is trying to stop the entity known as The Occupant. Elizabeth is possessed by the entity as Barlow tries to save her and kill The Occupant.

In the third book, The Occupant, Barlow is now deep in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He and Jake are searching for the lost town that The Occupant was associated with. Elizabeth is somewhere in the unending dark woods, the body through which The Occupant was working to bring its full entry into our world. Jake and Barlow try to piece together the history of The Occupant through the history of the town which has disappeared. They are helped by Jane who was originally used by her uncle to bring The Occupant into the world from the pit where it dwelled.

The pervading sense of dread is ratcheted up several notches in this book. It creates almost a sense of breathlessness. Even when the action is slowed down, there is still the feeling that something is circling ever closer. There are constantly large swatches of forest, trees blocking out the sun or the moon, swaying in the breeze, hiding anything moving slowly, carefully and quietly towards Barlow. The ending of the book really did not give me any sense of closure or peace. I am not sure if the series will continue with Barlow investigating other paranormal things or if this will be the end. Somehow I don’t think it is. “The door has been opened. It’s already too late.”

Joe Hempel does as great job narrating all three books. He conveys the tension and fear just as well in this book as he did in the other Ibsen books I have listened to. While the story gets very intense, Mr.Hempel never veers in hysteria or yelling. I really enjoyed his narration. I will be looking for more books narrated by Mr. Hempel.

Audiobook was provided for review by the narrator.

Please find this complete review and many others at my review blog.

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3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Scary good time A fitting end to a fantastic story

Absolutely amazing. Mr. Ibsen has completed the trilogy with a scary good, character driven tale of fear, life, death and wonderment of the unknown. every character in this story has to make the decision of how far they are willing to go to make sure that evil will not win. Again, the setting is a character unto itself. The small mining town held so much haunting realism and fear inducing ambiance. One of the few authors out now that have managed to actually creep me out to the point that I would have to stop listening and wind down. Looking forward to more of his work.

What more can I say about Joe Hempel. He has done another fantastic job with the final segment of the trilogy. I mentioned before that he has the ability to display the sheer morose emotions that the characters are going through. When the final act is starting, the main character is forced to make choices that will haunt him for the rest of his life. This is where the realism that someone like Joe Hempel brings to the table that separates those that narrate from those that truly inhabit the characters they are portraying.

I requested a free review copy of this audiobook and I am leaving a voluntary and honest review.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Outstanding!!!

Best horror series I’ve listened to in a long time! Just wish it didn’t have to end. Very well done, Ambrose Ibsen!!! And fantastic narration, Joe Hempel!!!

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Terrifying Trilogy

'The Occupant' is the third book in The Afterlife Investigations and I do recommend that they be read in order. I think of the three, this one was the best! This story follows a professor who gets roped into a paranormal club, only to find himself on the hunt for a demon possessed former student of his. This one is truly action packed with scares around every corner! Ambrose Ibsen is one of my very favorite authors on Audible - I've never listened to anything by him that I didn't like. And Joe Hempel always gives a stellar performance - I'll listen to anything he narrates!

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

The thrilling conclusion, but it really never ends

The exciting and thrilling conclusion (or is it?) to Ambrose Ibsen's Aflerlife Investigations series finds Professor Stephen Barlow, student Jake, and now Jane Corvine in a final battle with the Occupant. The truth about the town of Millburn is revealed as well as the curse on the Lancaster family. Will they be able to save Elizabeth from the Occupant's clutches or is she gone forever?

The tension was at an all time high in this one, which had some genuinely scary moments. Ibsen's story and writing bringing depth to the characters and more detail to fill in all the gaps from the first two books. Joe Hempel, who has narrated all three, does a fantastic job. He is so well suited for these types of stories.

I will definitely be reading/listening to more from this author and narrator!

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

‘The door has been opened, it’s already too late’

A good end to a great series. Book 1 was by far my favourite as it held all the creepy unknown, but this and book 2 were definitely worth a listen and a good end to the series... I think it would have been even better as one whole book though!
Joe is a great storyteller too and I think he makes a great pairing with Ambrose and look forward to hearing more from them in the future!
This is my honest opinion of a free review copy.

A strong conclusion to such an enjoyable series

I was almost sad to start to listen to this book as I knew it was the end to a series which I have enjoyed so much. sometimes the final book to such sets can be rushed but this does completely the opposite. The book ends the collection so strongly and on a high note. Although I found the last book to be a little predictable this did not take anything away from my enjoyment. This is the shortest book in the set but in a way also the most significant hence the higher rating from me. I genuinely look forward to hearing more from Ambrose Ibsen in the future . One of the top newer authors in this genre in my opinion. I was given this book by the author/narrator in return for an honest and unbiased review

The occupant

This the third book in the trilogy does not disappoint. The twits and turns just keep on coming I could not put this book down. Brilliant writing leaving you hanging on to every word.