Official Review: The Doctor's Estate by Heather Quinto

[Alys Sterk]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Doctor's Estate" by Heather Quinto.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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The Doctor’s Estate, by Heather Quinto, is a novel featuring Ted, a young and unassuming nursing assistant with a small circle of friends. Thrilled to be in such an affordable house so close to New York City, Ted does not realize that he is being reeled into a web of secrets, mystery, and terror. He begins having recurring nightmares about a woman being murdered and strange things begin happening in his house. Could this be unsettled spirits in a haunted house? A practical and logical man, he first attributes the nightmares to stress. He learns from one of his co-workers, Monica, that her sister was murdered in his house years before and that the killer was never apprehended. Meanwhile, mental patients begin to go missing and the two realize that Ted’s new house seems to be the focal point of supernatural energy. He becomes torn between two worlds; he must take care of his ailing mother and maintain his sanity at work while investigating the strange events at his home.

The best part of this book is the characterization. The protagonist, in particular, was brought to life through his thoughts and interactions with others. Subtle hints show, rather than tell, the reader what to expect as the plot unfolds. For example, a box full of half-read books is a poignant reminder of his mother’s battle with dementia. Descriptions such as this are simple and profound at the same time. The author took this a step further by including the habits and quirks of the characters which evoked an even stronger connection. I felt like I knew the character so well that I could anticipate his reactions given his preferences for a tidy and organized environment and his nervous cheek-chewing. I found myself cheering him on as he pursued his love interest and felt the anguish of his internal struggles.

There are several themes in this book that helped to develop the characters and draw readers into the plot. The bond between mother and son can be felt throughout the chapters as the protagonist tries to protect her from the agony of her illness and lurking danger. His love and affection for her are three-dimensional in this read and entices an emotional response. Another theme was vulnerability. Readers are shown through the development of the plot how the vulnerable are preyed upon, while the strong and self-assured seem to have a layer of protection. This clever use of a variety of themes makes this text more engaging and appeal to a wide audience.

While the author’s imagination and ability to draw readers into the characters’ lives were phenomenal, the book is in need of some further proofreading. Mistakes in capitalization, verb conjugation, and spelling are frequent and could easily be rectified with more careful editing. In some places, words are omitted. Unfortunately, these errors did interfere with the flow of the story. For these reasons, I give this book 3 out of 4 stars. Otherwise, I would have given it a perfect rating because of the skilled characterization.

I recommend this book to all mature readers who feel comfortable with the supernatural and can handle the sporadic use of profanity. There are also some mild descriptions of violence. As stated above, this book appeals to a wide range of readers.

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The Doctor's Estate
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[AvidBibliophile]

Ooh, a web of secrets, mystery, terror, unsolved murders, AND supernatural energies?! Now this is the kinda book I can get behind. I’ll have to get a candle, turn out the lights, and check it out on a dark and stormy night...

[MsH2k]

I’ll have to get a candle, turn out the lights, and check it out on a dark and stormy night...

Unlike the brave one here, I will turn on all the lights during the day and ... skip this book entirely! I wish Ted all the best. Thanks for a great review!

[Nisha Ward]

It sounds like both a thriller and a horror worth reading just for the mystery. Is the house actually haunted? Are there actually supernatural forces at play? We'd have to read to find out.

[Alys Sterk]

Ooh, a web of secrets, mystery, terror, unsolved murders, AND supernatural energies?! Now this is the kinda book I can get behind. I’ll have to get a candle, turn out the lights, and check it out on a dark and stormy night...

Oh yes! I have to say that I did have trouble sleeping the night I read it.

[NetMassimo]

In a horror novel that uses classic elements of this genre, it's crucial to have great characters, and this seems the case. Thank you for your review!

[Ogoskino]

Wow!!! The first paragraph of this review gives me goosebumps. This sounds like a really good story, a must read for me. Thank you for this review.

[Chimereucheya Okoroafo]

I see a mix of mystery and horror here. I'd look to read this book. Nice review.