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W. C. Ryan
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The Winter Guest Paperback – September 29, 2022

by W.C. Ryan (Author)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 1,133 ratings
Editors' pick Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
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The drive leads past the gate house and through the trees towards the big house, visible through the winter-bared branches. Its windows stare down at Harkin and the sea beyond . . .

January 1921. Though the Great War is over, in Ireland a new, civil war is raging. The once-grand Kilcolgan House, a crumbling bastion shrouded in sea-mist, lies half empty and filled with ghosts - both real and imagined - the Prendevilles, the noble family within, co-existing only as the balance of their secrets is kept.

Then, when an IRA ambush goes terribly wrong, Maud Prendeville, eldest daughter of Lord Kilcolgan, is killed, leaving the family reeling. Yet the IRA column insist they left her alive, that someone else must have been responsible for her terrible fate. Captain Tom Harkin, an IRA intelligence officer and Maud's former fiancé, is sent to investigate, becoming an unwelcome guest in this strange, gloomy household.

Working undercover, Harkin must delve into the house's secrets - and discover where, in this fractured, embattled town, each family member's allegiances truly lie. But Harkin too is haunted by the ghosts of the past and by his terrible experiences on the battlefields. Can he find out the truth about Maud's death before the past - and his strange, unnerving surroundings - overwhelm him?
Previous page
  1. Print length
    344 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Zaffre
  4. Publication date
    September 29, 2022
  5. Dimensions
    5.08 x 0.79 x 7.8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1838772308
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1838772307
  8. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Zaffre (September 29, 2022)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 344 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1838772308
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1838772307
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.08 x 0.79 x 7.8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 1,133 ratings

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W. C. Ryan

W. C. Ryan

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
1,133 global ratings
HAUNTINGLY ATMOSPHERIC
4 Stars
HAUNTINGLY ATMOSPHERIC
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 / 3.5 starsUpon seeing the cover and reading the blurb I was instantly hooked.I enjoy stories that involve the Irish Civil War and I am always down for a haunting, atmospheric read. Throw in a murder mystery with an Irish narrator and you've got the trappings of a great whodunit that will keep your mind working while being entertained.I would have liked a little more of the ghost element but all in all it was an enjoyable listen. This was my first book by this author and I think I will definitely be checking out A House of Ghosts as well.
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Top reviews from the United States

Robert J. Roth
5.0 out of 5 stars Well developed plot
Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2023
Verified Purchase
This novel awakened a curiosity about reexamining the details of the Irish Rebellion in the early stages of the conflict. I find myself hoping the saga will continue in America.
4 people found this helpful
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mprestonb
4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent historical mystery,not so much ghost
Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2023
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SC Ryan's A House of Ghosts was one of my favorite historical ghost stories ever . I liked this one a lot and was glad to learn more about this time period in Ireland, which I only knew bits about. And I have a dark fascination with WWI and post- history, especially accounts of the trenches, and the terrible aftermath for soldiers coming home who never really come home. So I liked this one. But it lacked the magic of House of Ghosts. Something about the setting, the chemistry of characters, and the actual characters, though the main , Harkins, is very sympathetic. Not enough ghosts for me,and lacking a spark. But great on the history side.
4 people found this helpful
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BJW from MN
5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling story. Well written.
Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2022
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Such a haunting atmospheric novel with a compelling mystery. The prose is beautifully written. Tom Harkin is a damaged yet brave hero.
5 people found this helpful
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Kate C.
3.0 out of 5 stars Good but for the hero
Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2023
Verified Purchase
I wanted to really love this book and there were good aspects to it. First, the history was handled with great sensitivity and, as someone who had relatives on both sides of the Easter Uprising, I appreciated the thoughtfulness that went into this element of the book. Secondly, the way the reader, like the hero, was never quite sure if the ghostly apparitions were genuine added a thoughtful component. The real issue with the book was a hero who was so wishy washy that it was hard to root for him. Yes, he went through trauma on the front in WWI but the seemingly constant need to faint over almost anything was very off putting. To see this kind of hero better written I suggest the reader look to Charles Todd’s Inspector Rutledge mysteries – wherein the hero is shell shocked and traumatized but manages to compete most of his work without ever fainting from the sheer, often unwarranted, panic we see in The Winter Guest’s hero in multiple instances. Lastly, and this may not be the author’s fault, the book needed some serious editing as it had a daunting amount of repetition.
9 people found this helpful
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Don B
4.0 out of 5 stars Mystery and historical fiction
Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2023
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Set in post WWI Ireland, WC Ryan vividly creates the setting that matches the mood of the tale. This is a fascinating tale about the people who lived out their lives amidst the Troubles of the ‘20s. The characters are vivid, the action riveting, and even an Irish spirit or two appears. The mystery keeps you guessing till the end.
In short, this is a great blend of edgy mystery and historical fiction.
3 people found this helpful
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MG
5.0 out of 5 stars Enthralling Mystery
Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2024
20th century Irish history has always fascinated me. This book has it all, history, a clever mystery and brooding atmosphere. Looking forward to the next book.
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Tonstant Weader
4.0 out of 5 stars Atmospheric mystery that puts you in 1920s Ireland
Reviewed in the United States on December 12, 2022
The Winter Guest opens three murders. A car driven by a British officer is ambushed. The driver and the two passengers are shot after the IRA ambushed them at the gates of Kilcolgan House, a once stately home falling into disrepair but still home to the aristocratic Prendevilles whose name is much loftier than their fortune. The IRA are credited with the murders, but they dispute murdering Maud Prendeville who was a hero for their side, someone they would never murder. Tom Harkin, secretly an IRA agent, goes to investigate in his cover role as an insurance adjustor validating the life insurance claim. He is not a disinterested investigator He and Maud were engaged before he went to fight in World War I.

He is invited to stay at Kilcogan House with Maud’s remaining family, her uncle and cousin. His investigation expands to people in the village including the vicious Abercrombie whose murderous retaliation against the IRA stokes local fear and rage. He meets Moira, a friend of Maud’s and romance kindles, but is seconded to the investigation of the British, the IRA, and the locals. More than one person had a motive.

I enjoyed The Winter Guest. It is carefully plotted so that we are given the clues we need to identify Maud’s murderer and the plot that led to her death. The element of romance was tertiary, though a nice ending for Tom who you can’t help but feel deserves some happiness in the end. The sense of place was extraordinary. Even more impressive, the sense of place while walking in pitch darkness in an urban and a rural setting where he could see nothing, that place made present by the feel of the ground underfoot and the walls of the buildings is a tour de force. This is a mystery well worth your time, especially if you love historical mysteries.

I received an e-galley of The Winter Guest from the publisher through Edelweiss

The Winter Guest at Arcade Crimewise | Skyhorse Publishing
W. C. Ryan author site
One person found this helpful
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Avid reader
5.0 out of 5 stars Love this book!
Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2024
Fantastic book! Couldn’t put it down!
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

A. Trew
5.0 out of 5 stars A Powerful Historical Read
Reviewed in Canada on September 21, 2023
Verified Purchase
This was a new author for me. I was worried about there being too much brutality, set as it was in The Troubles in 1921. I have a low tolerance for violence. While there were some shocking scenes, they were not gratuitous and were necessary to advance the story. I thought it was very well written. The characters are well drawn.
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Pinkie
5.0 out of 5 stars Good whodunnit
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 26, 2024
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Includes historical facts + a whodunnit
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Anna
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
Reviewed in Sweden on January 26, 2024
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I really liked this book.
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E. Nicol
4.0 out of 5 stars Very good
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 17, 2022
Verified Purchase
As I am pretty ignorant as to the Irish War of Independence it would have been helpful to have had a preface explaining all the different factions involved. This ignorance led to my confusion which at times made for muddled reading. Hence 4stars otherwise would have been 5stars
3 people found this helpful
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cd58
5.0 out of 5 stars Bought as a gift
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 10, 2023
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I bought this book as a gift. The recipient was pleased. Arrived promptly and well packaged
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