Review of The House on Tyner

[Leonie Vermaak]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The House on Tyner" by Matthew O’Connell.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Jackson Taylor is a former MLB pitcher, but after his wife and two kids die in a car accident, his whole world falls apart. He quits baseball and becomes a chef, not only to fulfill his wife Jennifer’s longstanding dream but also to pursue his own. The ideal place for their own restaurant is Incline Village, Nevada. He finds the perfect house, but it has a bit of a gruesome history attached to it. Not willing that the house’s history put a damper on his dream, he buys it. This is when his whole life takes a turn for the unexpected. Not only are there weird sounds in the house some nights, but upon investigation, he finds various symbols and signs. He blames this on his intoxicated state, that is, until one night a ghost of a little girl appears to him. Scared sober, he realizes that something is definitely amiss. He starts by researching the full history of the house, from the original owners to the most recent ones before him. The question still stands: who does he talk to for assistance if he doesn't want to appear completely insane for seeing ghosts? Or is he really just a drunk seeing things? Get a copy to find out what happens next.

The House on Tyner by Matthew O’Connell is a story that makes you yet again realize that not everyone you meet is what they seem to be. Some are true, while others are only presenting you with what they believe you want to see.

There are many aspects that I liked about this book, but I’ll name the ones that stood out the most to me. First and foremost, it’s clear that the author put much time, effort, and research into the plot, as well as in creating the characters. They are well developed, and all of them have a detailed backstory. The narrative is captivating, and the author masterfully weaved in some history of Ireland and England that was unexpected yet immensely interesting. I truly enjoyed the ghost story linked to it all, as not only did it create humor with how Jackson experienced this, but it also added to the suspense and mystery of the storyline. Lastly, I truly enjoyed the unexpected turn of events in the end. The author leaves a hint of this twist, but he does it so tactfully that you only realize this after you finish the book.

There was nothing I disliked about the book, but for readers that are sensitive about profanity, there is quite a bit. I found no sexual content at all, and there is some substance abuse that flickers through throughout the book. I believe that the book was professionally edited, as I only found one minor error in the spelling of a country. However, this could’ve been intentional, as the natives of said country spell it the same as the author did.

My rating for this book is definitely a 5 out of 5 stars. Not only for the positives that I mentioned, but for the overall enjoyment while reading. It’s so captivating and intriguing that I had to force myself to put the book down before I ended up pulling an all-nighter. I can’t wait to read the other novels the author has published. I recommend this to readers that love mystery, history, crime, suspense, and those that love a good ghost story.

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The House on Tyner
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[Stephanie Runyon]

This sounds like a spooky intrigue. I have the same problem with books that grab my attention as well. Nice review!

[Leonie Vermaak]

This sounds like a spooky intrigue. I have the same problem with books that grab my attention as well. Nice review!

It really is. Thank you