Content warnings for parental death and mentions of sexual abuse.

This stars three friends who I suppose you could say are going through a bit of a mid-life crisis. All of them have something going on at home that's dragging down their mood. Ellen feels like she and her husband are gradually growing more and more distant from each other, and she isn't sure what to do about it. Tanya's mother has dementia and can't remember who she is most days. Meanwhile, Sue lets her own mother badger her.

To get their minds off things, they're debating buying and renovating an old Greek Revival house near one of San Antonio's historic districts. The house may be haunted, which the three friends have varied feelings about. Ellen doesn't believe in ghosts, but after some research she learns that this house does have a lot of history - it used to house several female psychiatric patients. The more Ellen learns about how they were treated, the more determined she is to get the house and turn it into something that can shine a light on their lives. While Ellen, Tanya, and Sue try to renovate the house and uncover its mysteries, they must simultaneously deal with someone or something who wants them off the property.

This is one of those rare cozy mysteries that isn't about a murder. Although a lot of it's focused on the house's history, that isn't entirely disconnected from the fate of living, breathing people in the present, as Ellen and her friends gradually discover.

Overall, I thought this was a decent read, although I felt about a decade too young for it. Or maybe the issue was that I'm neither married nor a mother - I could sympathize with Ellen's feelings of invisibility and distance from her husband now that their son had moved out, but I didn't relate to that as much as I did, say, to all three characters' issues with their parents.

The story did have some confusing aspects, though. The ending came across as largely positive/happy, which didn't really gel with what we'd learned about one of the characters. This is kind of a spoiler but I don't know how else to say it: pregnancy and marriage don't magically cure the lasting effects of childhood sexual abuse. I really wish there had been mention of her receiving treatment of some sort.

(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.) ( )

Secrets of the Greek Revival
By Eva Pohler
This was a better mystery than paranormal book. It was entertaining but nothing I would want to re-listen to. It is book one in a series and I was told the series was very good so I bought all six of the books that were on a super sale from Chirp. This was definitely worth reading once, I did enjoy it. It really introduced the three women characters. There is also suspense, humor, and just a touch of supernatural.
Will move on to next one hopefully it is lives up to the hype.
Narration fair. ( )

Ellen, Sue and Tanya are all empty-nester's looking for a project to keep them busy. Ellen comes across a beautiful 1860's Greek revival with lots of potential in San Antonio. All three friends like the house, but they find out several other sales have fallen through due to the house being haunted. A haunting just gets the ladies more interested in the house and the hold a seance. Immediately, they receive confirmation of the ghost. Neighbors confirm what they experience. As they explore the house more, the Greek revival's attic opens up more mysteries to the history of the house with medical equipment and pictures of women who were patients. Ellen, the most skeptical of the groups digs into the identity of the ghost, her family and if she is a ghost at all.
The Mystery House is a fast paced mystery with many little twists and turns as well as elements of paranormal and psychological horror. I had a hard time feeling like I got to know the three women as characters, however, I was very drawn in to the mysteries of the house and the ghost. From the beginning I thought that the ghost was very unique, not very scary, but with definite purpose and not hesitant to show herself. This is all part of one of the many little mysteries that are unraveled. More than the ghost, I was interested in the many woman who had lived in the house when it was a rest home. The plot delves into the backstory of a few of the women who were related with letters and diary entries, but I think a lot more could have been developed in the women's past in order to intensify the horrors of the house. Overall, a quick, multifaceted mystery perfect for Halloween season. ( )