Treading the Coffin-Shaped Boards

A Victorian Ghost Story (Travelling Towards the Present, Book 1)

By: E.M.G Wixley

Narrated by: George Ellington

Length: 6 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

Mary is born into the chilling darkness of the workhouse. To cope with the harsh and hostile environment, she develops inexplicable abilities. At night laying in the coffin-like bed, it is normal for her to hear the creaking floorboards, to see sinister spirits hiding in the shadows, vengeful phantoms, and demons.

As a young adult Mary once again finds herself down on her luck and is forced to reenter this most dreaded of places, but this time she is accompanied by her two children. The master of the workhouse believing her to be a bad influence and fearing she would stoke instability among the other inmates quickly throws her back out onto the desolate and dangerous Victorian streets without her babies.

During a chance encounter, she meets Charles, owner of the Royal and manager of Drury Lane theater. She embarks on a new career "treading the boards" and is embroiled in the underbelly of Victorian life where debauchery and decadence run rife. Throughout her trials and many performances, she seeks to reunite with her lost boys. The stage is set for vengeful spirits and for a macabre chill to blow through theater-land.

©2020 E.M.G Wixley (P)2022 E.M.G Wixley

As good as Number 1

Normally I don't like cliff hangers and book one had a doozy. However it was picked up fast and ept a nice pace. Twists and turns that I didn't see coming are always great. Characters were strong and I cared about most of them. Give it a try I'm betting if you liked the first you will like this too.

an awesome audiobook! What

It would be so hard to give you a brief summary of this book let me just say Marie is in the Work house with her two sons who live in a dormitory away from her. She has special powers that allow her to astral project to build them and check on the welfare. While doing this a power not her own forces her to the back door of the private homes of the couple who run the Work house and she hears them discussing her and how she hast to go, because they deem her ungodly and lazy. So the next day when they kick her out without her two boys George and Johnny she is devastated. It will be in this despair that changes her circumstances. I know this is vague, But there is so much to the story and it's expertly told. I have read both books in the series and can honestly say it is my favorite Siri‘s by EM G Wixly so far. She is one of those authors who I’ve read every book by her and can’t wait for more. They have many different characters in this book and they are all voiced by George Ellington a true professional when it comes to narration and one of my absolute favorites. I love that you can tell the difference between the characters as it gives each one a voice of their own. I was so surprised when I found out he was doing the narration for this book because what are the chanceS my favorite author and favorite narrator would come together to make a book I think the chances are almost impossible. I feel so lucky it happened though. This is a great book a ghost story of epic proportion’s told what an authentic voice and a plausible plot. Cant Think of another book I love as much as this one. I can’t wait for the second one to come out. It is definitely a book I highly recommend.

An otherworldly yarn, magically woven.

As a jaded and skeptical reader, I was floored by Wixley's literary chops. Mary is vital and human and haunted and real. I was expecting the same clunky and heavy-handed "danse macabre" Victorianism that is so common in the genre, but the storytelling is somehow both timelessly historical and naturalistically paranormal. Mary lost her last name to the workhouse, and the one she chose for herself perfectly describes how I feel about this series...Love.

Great start to a series!

Treading the Coffin-Shaped Boards is a delightful mix of ghost story and love story! The author has written the characters so the they feel real and you find yourself wrapped up in the story. Warning though it does end in a cliff hanger, so be prepared! I am anxiously waiting for the next book in this series.

I was given a copy of this audiobook in return for my unbiased review.

Treading the coffin-shaped boards

What a story!Mary is deemed an unfit mother while she is in the workhouse.She is tossed out and her children sent elsewhere.Mary has a talent for speaking to ghosts,so she can make money here and there.Her goal is always to find her children.I loved it! George Ellington was a terrific narrator.I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.' 

A Haunting Victorian / Horror Story

This is difficult to review without giving spoilers.
Mary is a single mother of 2 boys placed in a work house, where she is looked down on by the Christian people who run the workhouse. Mary does not conform to the standards of the time, and so is determined by society as a wicked person. Narrator does a good job with the various characters voices and the entire storyline.

Victorian Ghost Story

I did enjoy listening to this dark, suspenseful paranormal book. Really enjoyed the main character of Mary and her abilities with ghosts and her love of children. She really endures so much but her choice of men was bad. Recommend if you enjoy dark paranormal thrillers with ghosts. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. Thank you