One Night in Drake Mansion

I really, really don’t normally go in for paranormal investigation sort of books. But this one went and mentioned a magician in its description and of course I just had to read it. There are just certain subjects (magicians, circuses, cults) that hold an absolutely irresistible appeal for me. And what do you know, this one actually turned out to be a pretty good book. To be fair, I did read Whitaker’s novella before, so I sort of had an idea of the quality to expect and the quality here was certainly delivered. What might have been a fairly trite story turned out to be an exciting intriguing adventure. The basic premise is a fairly familiar one…5 contestants have to spend the night in a haunted mansion, those who make it get to split a very respectable million dollar prize. The 5 are a telegenic appropriately diverse bunch and the mansion is pretty severely haunted. It promises to be an unforgettable night of television…if they survive it. Pretty standard fare so far, right? Well, the best is yet to come and when it does, it’s in a form of a pretty awesome backstory, explaining the spookiness and the man behind it all and his friendship with a famous magician who specialized in death defying acts back in the day. The modern day contestants might be (more or less) led by the eponymous skeptic detective, but Vinton Drake, the man behind the mansion) was a believer. And his dark beliefs commingling with his dark nature set up this story for some really eerie thrills of both natural and supernatural variety. And yeah, I’m biased, because of the thing with magicians, but seriously, all magic connected aspects here were definitely the best aspect of this story, straight down to a really delicious twist in the end. So yeah, what started off as a fairly familiar set up, turned out to be a much more layered and interesting story. A lot of it is dedicated to debunking the supernatural and magic, because…obviously, the detective is skeptic, but whatever side of that fence you’re on, it’s still a pretty good read. One I enjoyed very much. There are scares, suspense, action, mystery and plenty of surprises. It utilizes tricks from a variety of genres and is sure to please a variety of genre fans. Franky, as much as I don’t care for sequels or series, I probably wouldn’t be opposed to checking out the skeptic detective’s next adventure. Very nice find. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

A fun read about an abandoned and partially derelict house of murder and its spooky history. Well written story and characters even if they are somewhat stereotypical. We have a house where multiple murders were committed 80 years ago. Now it is to be opened up for the first time since those events and become host to a live TV show where 5 people are challenged to stay in the house overnight. Those that succeed will take their share of a million dollars. We have the local historian (Vieve), the psychic (Galva), the ghost buster gadget man (Ax), eye candy (Andrea) and sceptic (Harlan). The house ghosts make typical moaning noises, produce cold spots and all the rest but the story is more than a typical one. It is told across the two time frames with 1) the diaries of the owner, Vinton Drake, explaining the magical murders as he moves to his ultimate goal and 2) the perspectives of the modern crusaders mostly from Harlan's point of view with him trying to explain the situation using logical thought and process. The other modern-day protagonists produce an excellent foil to him. The descriptions of the places and events make it feel real and the reader is certainly drawn into the stories. The coal mining history of the area makes for some obvious explanations but not to the detriment of the "ghostly" events. As this is "skeptic detective Book 1" I look forward to the next offerings. Thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

4 stars

One day the entire Drake family and the magician with whose show they attended disappeared into the pages of history. Then several workmen are killed at the site of their home.

Now eighty years later the house has been opened again to a reality program who is offering five contestants a share of one million dollars if they manage to spend one night in the mansion. They contestants are a melange of odd-types, but are willing to give it a go. They are accompanied by a horde of camera and sound people into the old house.

Things begin to go wrong from the very start of the contestants' quest.

This is the unusual story of an obsessed man, who is perhaps more than a little off kilter. It begins with our intrepid hodge podge of people who want to get rich or just get camera time for camera time's sake. The cast of characters is pretty formulaic and their behavior is predictable to a fault. But the twist in this story is when Drake's journal is found. As Harlan and Vieve read it, it reveals a whole new universe of wacky and sinister behavior. Thus the story weaves back and forth between the present and eighty years in the past.

All in all, this is a very good book. Once the reader is able to put aside the formula characters, the plot line is fresh and original. I am not certain what I expected, but I was pleasantly surprised at the turn the book took into the bizarre. From the predictable to a philosophical discussion of the supernatural and human nature, this book takes the reader on a ride for sure. This is my first Channing Whitaker novel, and I immediately went to Amazon to look for other books by this author.

I want to thank NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for forwarding to me a copy of this most entertaining book for me to read, enjoy and review.

I'm happy I requested this ARC because I discovered a very interesting series.
I loved the plot, that was up to what promised by the blurb, the well written cast of characters and the atmosphere.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

disclaimer: i received a copy of this book via booksgosocial in return for an honest review.

i think haunted house stories are difficult to write. stray too far in one direction and you'll bore your audience. stray too far in the other and you take what should be frightening or horrific and turn it to humor or, worse, camp.

"one night in drake mansion" by channing whitaker stays solidly in the interestingly scary area and even dives into the horrific a few times. the story had me from the first sentence and didn't let up until the end - an end that came a little before three in the morning,

it's easy to become invested in these characters (even the one i really hoped the house or ghosts would eat) and their
journey to find out what happened to the house and the people in it. parts of the story are presented in journal format which feels more intimate, almost like you're there watching it.

overall this is a good story, containing compelling characters and a genuine supernatural mystery waiting to be solved - one way or another.

four out of five stars

Grabs you and doesn't let go!
Another dark and creepy book by Channing Whittaker ! Great characterization. Great read, could be an exciting movie. Looking forward to the next by this author!

This was a really good first book in the series, the characters were interesting enough that I had to check the deck d book out. I really liked this series and look forward to more.

Drake Mansion has been sealed for 80 years following the mysterious disappearance of the family who lived there. Now it is being opened and 5 people have been chosen to spend the night there – if they survive until sunrise they get a share of the prize fund.

I have to admit that I wasn’t too sure about this book when I started. Everything seemed a bit cliched – a haunted mansion sealed for years and people staying the night for money is not an altogether new idea. I was also concerned as the text was double line spacing – padding out the book before we have even got into the story? However, I really enjoyed this book and no, it wasn’t padded out.

Yes, it was cliched but that was the whole idea. The characters are quite obvious – the actress who is attempting to revitalise her career, the psychic investigator, the psychic, the skeptic and the local girl. They are settled in the house for the night with a few strange goings on. Running alongside this is the story of what really happened 80 years ago when the family disappeared. The two threads reach their conclusion at the same time revealing the truth in the past and present.

This was actually a very readable book. I liked the main protagonist, Harlan Holt who had an ordinary explanation for everything. The psychic investigator was amusing – always able to twist facts to support his own theories! The medium and the actress were both over acting and the local girl, Genevieve provided a bit of grounding. The story flowed well and was light & easy to read.

Okay, I admit you need to take things with a pinch of salt but this was an entertaining light hearted read which I enjoyed.

I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley.

One day the entire Drake family and the magician with whose show they attended disappeared into the pages of history. Then several workmen are killed at the site of their home.
Now eighty years later the house has been opened again to a reality program who is offering five contestants a share of one million dollars if they manage to spend one night in the mansion. They contestants are a melange of odd-types, but are willing to give it a go. They are accompanied by a horde of camera and sound people into the old house.
Things begin to go wrong from the very start of the contestants' quest.
This is the unusual story of an obsessed man, who is perhaps more than a little off kilter. It begins with our intrepid hodge podge of people who want to get rich or just get camera time for camera time's sake. The cast of characters is pretty formulaic and their behavior is predictable to a fault. But the twist in this story is when Drake's journal is found. As Harlan and Vieve read it, it reveals a whole new universe of wacky and sinister behavior. Thus the story weaves back and forth between the present and eighty years in the past.
Such an intriguing premise! It’s definitely a ride of a book you don’t want to put down.

Not normally my type of fare. But I do like reality tv shows and that was the appeal, though I detest the "paranormal activity" type of movies...go figure. I was immediately sucked up into this story. Thoroughly enjoyed every creepy, twisty page. If this is your type of thing, you will love it.

If you were offered money to stay in a haunted mansion overnight, would you do it?

Step into Drake Mansion where a group of people are playing to win a chance at a million dollars - which will be split if they all stay in the house, or one winner taking the entire thing as the night goes on. As they work through trying to figure out the secrets that the house holds, there is more at play than just a couple of ghosts, and what they uncover, with the help of an old journal goes farther than just sitting around waiting...

Oh my, I was not sure as I started the book whether I was going to like it or not, but when it started to pick up, man did it pick up! This went from a 3 star to a 5 star read really fast! I was blown away with how the story managed to turn and reveal much more than I anticipated! Great for a rainy weekend read!

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a possible review.

This book is the first in the Skeptic Detective series. It can be read as a standalone without any issues.

The basic story line is familiar. A skeptic, an intuitive, a ghost hunter, and actress, and a local expert agree to stay overnight in a haunted house in an effort to win a million dollars. The whole thing is being televised. The story of the owner of the house is told through journal entries found after they enter the house. It was an interesting approach and becomes more important as the book goes along. In the beginning of the book, I felt like the journal entries were less interesting than the action happening with those in the house. It picks up later in the book.

If you like watching shows like Ghost Hunters, you will appreciate this book. They use many of the popular ghost hunting techniques to investigate the house. The skeptic provides a counterbalance to the true believers. If you are a skeptic, this book will appeal for sure. It didn't end the way I expected. I really appreciated that.

First I want to thank Netgalley, the publisher and Channing Whitaker for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own and are completely unbiased.

I absolutely love this book - the setting, the characters, the books premise and just everything about it. It was actually eerie and I’m not one to be freaked out by reading; that being said I’ve read a lot of fantastic books, just not a ghost story that creeped me out. This did the trick and loved every minute of it.

5 big shinny stars from this reviewer!! Excellent

This was an amazing read! 5 stars
Five people enter the Drake Mansion to stay the night in a bid to win a share of a million dollars. Residents of the small town are convinced the mansion is haunted and no one knows what happened to its former residents, who disappeared without a trace eighty years ago.

Whitaker knows how to create a spooky atmosphere. I was on edge, and felt as if I was also in the house alongside the characters. Whitaker was able to vividly describe the layout of the house and that was something I really appreciated as it allowed me to enjoy the read so much more!

The story was revealed at a steady pace, and I never say any of the twists and turns coming which I find is a rarity more and more these days.

Definitely would recommend and I can't wait to read the next book in this series.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

This was an enjoyable haunted house story. The stereotypical ghost hunting took a turn and was much more interesting than expected. And it was good that the story jumped between present and past to slowly reveal what may have happened all those years ago.

A nice new take on the "ghost story" genre. Well built characters which are easily identified with. Well written and a must read for lovers of spooky tales and skeptics like myself. Really great fiction.

If you were offered money to stay in a haunted mansion overnight, would you do it?

Step into Drake Mansion where a group of people are playing to win a chance at a million dollars - which will be split if they all stay in the house, or one winner taking the entire thing as the night goes on. As they work through trying to figure out the secrets that the house holds, there is more at play than just a couple of ghosts, and what they uncover, with the help of an old journal goes farther than just sitting around waiting...

Oh my, I was not sure as I started the book whether I was going to like it or not, but when it started to pick up, man did it pick up! This went from a 3 star to a 5 star read really fast! I was blown away with how the story managed to turn and reveal much more than I anticipated! Great for a rainy weekend read!

Not Your Typical Haunted House Story!

Channing Whitaker has taken a different approach to a story about a supposedly haunted house and it worked!

Five reknown individuals in their own field of work have been selected to be contestants in a new reality program where they will win a million dollars among themselves if they can survive the entire night by staying inside the infamous Drake Mansion from dusk until dawn. The mansion has been sealed up for over 80 years due to many inexplicable accidents and deaths that had remained unsolved. The Vinton Drake family of five had mysteriously vanished as well as the famous magician Malvern Kamrar who was last seen at the Drake home on the the night of all the disappearances. Police and investigators had searched every inch of the property for evidence and clues but the mystery remained unsolved. Over the years there have been claims of figures being seen in the attic window around sunrise and many have heard a deep growl or rumbling sound emanating from the old home. The reality program as well as the contestants are hoping to uncover some or all of the mysteries that have lead to the Drake Mansion being considered a haunted house. Will there be any answers to some of the queries over the years? Is the Drake home haunted? Why was the famous magician of that time at the Drake home? How did 6 people disappear without a trace and not have left any clue to their whereabouts or their demise?






Hopefully, many clues will be uncovered with some modern technology and some money seeking contestants. Unfortunately, for many though, this journey may not have a happy ending since this is not your average haunted house!

This was a terrific story and a lot of fun. There was a great mystery involved and some fun ghosthunting. The interaction among all the characters is very well-done with many snide and cryptic remarks and a a few arguments and some inappropriate behavior which really enhanced the story. If any reader enjoys ghost hunting shows or is interested in haunted houses, please, don't hesitate to give this book a try. i enjoyed this book immensely and loved the twists Mr. Whitaker inserted within this story.

I want to thank the publisher Booksgosocial and Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this well-written story!

I highly recommend this book and given a rating of 4 Haunting **** Stars!!





















































*

I enjoyed the first story in the Skeptic Detective series. I've never read a book by this author before this one. The story, setting, and characters were all interesting. I like how the author put his own spin on a story about a haunted house. Since reading this book I am more likely to read other books by the author. I also would like to read future books in this series.

I am glad I read this book because it not only involved a haunted house but also it spooked me so much.... I have to read more books in this series for sure!

What a great way to kick off a new series. Mystery meets haunted house in this unique paranormal cross-genre book. I love how the mystery was woven in with strange occurrences and a reality show that aims to (hopefully) uncover the solution to the mystery. There were some nice twists, just when I thought I knew where the story was going, Whitaker changed direction. The characters were diverse and interesting, and each brought their own flavoring to the book. Highly recommend for mystery lovers looking for a few chills, and all horror lovers!