Every girl needs a little magic in her life.

ry girl needs a little magic in her life."
A large o!d house in the woods on sale for three years at an asking price way below what should be expected, previous tenants who never stayed for more than a few months, a small town whose centre looked like a deserted movie set, an husband who hoped to force his wife into becoming aware that she was psychic so he could write about the paranormal first hand, an elder!y over zealous religious pastor, a tiny witches' coven, a wife who wanted to shorten her two hour commute to work, and a couple of singularly unpleasant ghosts (even if one was a 'cutesy' little girl): this is, essentially, the cast list to this over long story. To be scary, for this reader, happenings have to be subtle and this story most definitely is not. The first half of the book was a reasonable read, despite the frequent paranoid diatribe against religion from the wife, Mia - far too many to be comfortable - and the husband's apparent resolution to not notice the obvious, yes, the people made this story somewhat frightening. But then came the 'great solving' which left everyone happy, until it didn't.

Sorry, too long, too obvious. This reader kept waiting for a dramatic twist that would be payback for the time invested and it didn't happen. As an haunted house film, this could probable succeed if skillfully directed, actors well chosen. As pictures in the head, however, it was too obvious, even though visually written, possibly because none of the characters, alive or ghostly, could engage my empathy. In fact, just the opposite - I disliked them all for differing reasons. The narrator, Julia Collura, read well, infusing the text with added drama, and her voicings of all of the characters was individually distinct even if the men sounded, mostly, strange. The little girl, especially, was suitably whiney and childish. It was a good performance which kept me listening even after I had tired of the book.

My thanks to the rights holder of The Spirits of Six Minstrel Run, who, at my request, freely gifted me with a complimentary jvia Audiobook Boom. Too long and with the alive people more scary than the dead, it would still doubtless please many who enjoy the haunted house genre as it was a little quirky, even intriguing at times, with a good narration.

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