California Ghosting [Paperback]

William Hill (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1998

Take a luxury resort, add a little bit of romance, a murder, some human suspects, a bunch of ghosts and you have the makings of California Ghosting.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Take a luxury resort, add a little bit of romance, a murder, some human suspects, a bunch of ghosts and you have the makings of California Ghosting. Never having read anything by author William Hill, it was this combination that drew me to his latest novel. I found his blending of all these facets created a storyline that would keep you in suspense up until the very end.

. . . Hill's characters have plenty of depth, personality and a quality of realism that makes it easy to visualize each one, including the ghosts.

. . .Hill writes to every detail so the reader is never left guessing about where they are in the story. He uses plenty of 'voice" in his descriptions, so the reader feels the character's pain, sorrow and even terror.

. . .The story will make you laugh, cry, cheer and even shudder, as you go California Ghosting. -- Carmen Biano, Mercury-Register Editor

Talk about a niche! A marketing manager's dream. Here's a smashing new resort hotel near the Marin headlands. Two hundred rooms, indoor pool, library, tennis. Minutes from San Francisco. And an instant appeal to two whole new segments of visitors. Ghosts who need some new haunts, and people who go in search of them. Ghosting trips, they were called, and Marin Shores was so successful, they soon called it Ghostal Shores.

Readers get an early introduction to intrigue with the mysterious gunshot murder of the resort's co-founder, a lady chaser called Mac. His heir, a handsome widower, gets introduced to things on the coast road. Mac's big city lady lawyer is driving the widower to Ghostal Shores when she slams on the brakes to avoid striking an old man and his mule. Both "passed through the hood, then the windshield." The ghostly prospector "was obviously angry, the pale beast overloaded with transparent boxes." Ghostly hitchhikers, right? "Believe it."

Hill thus begins a captivating tale that evolves a full investigation, with suspects among staff and guest, and quirky surreal involvement by the ghosts that call Ghostal Shores home. In what was believed to be a mistaken identity, Mac had been shot in the office of his co-owner Sean Heller, a contemptuous and pompous cad who quickly learned to enjoy the power that remained from Mac's death.

This is 500+ pages of bumbling and conniving, romance, jealousy, enigma, juicy characters (and let's not forget homicide) that front-loads this book and never lets up. The ghosts are everywhere, along with "the usual suspects," and the curiosity runs deep. A great whodunit! -- The Book Reader - 1999

From the Publisher

Mr. Hill has written an intriguing novel about a fictional hotel in California staffed with ghosts. His imagination is tantalizing, his characters lively. We hope you will go CALIFORNIA GHOSTING with us!!!

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 514 pages
• Publisher: Otter Creek Press; 1 edition (May 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1890611018
• ISBN-13: 978-1890611019
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,346,684 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

William 'Bill' Hill is a naturalized northern Nevadan, a native of Indianapolis, Indiana and a product of many places and stories. Although not a military brat like Danny Chase of The Magic Bicycle, Bill has lived in numerous locales, including Prairie Village, KS; Bristol, TN; and around Dallas and Denton, TX; and in south and north Lake Tahoe, NV.
Bill first learned to read through superhero comic books, then spy-thrillers, Sci-Fi and finally fantasy novels, tucked in among the required classic readings. He has earned 'serious' degrees from Vanderbilt University in Economics and Business Management and a MBA from the University of North Texas, as well as certifications in Outdoor Emergency Care.
Since realizing that writing was his best talent and a gift, Bill escaped the restrictive drudgery of the corporate world to craft his tales. Along with working in Human Resources, Bill has been employed as an 'alchemist' in South Lake Tahoe, a ski patroller at Diamond Peak in Incline Village, NV, and a sports official in Douglas County.
Bill, his lovely wife, Kat, and their wonderful son, Brin, live in the shadow of the eastern Sierra and on the high desert of the south Carson Valley. Bill intends to write imaginative fiction and fantasy until dirt is shoveled upon his coffin.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars C.G. is so full of life, the Ghosts aren't even dead!, September 26, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Burbank, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: California Ghosting (Paperback)

I was very impressed with the vivid dicription of all the characters, and there are plenty. I also loved the fact that there is a list of them and thier relationships to one another in the front of the book. I referred to it a couple of times while reading the story. But I really liked the idea of having it there at all, it reminded me of the opening credits of an old movie.

As for the story, I found it very refreshing to read about a subject, often cliche'd, in such a new light. I enjoyed reading actual indian rituals to ward off ghosts. Mr. Hill did his research and instead of presenting the information in a clinically discriptive way, he discribes it to a 'T' in a very entertaining way that gets you even more involved with the characters and story.

The characters are so rich and full of vibrance and life that you have to look around the room once in a while to make sure that they are still in the book and not floating about the place.

I enjoyed "California Ghosting" very much. If you want to read a good ghost story, don't buy this book. If you want to read a GREAT ghost story, you know where the order form is.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful mystery, full of character! A great movie?, October 15, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: California Ghosting (Paperback)

A visit to Ghostal Shores is worth the price of admission. My favorite aspect was the characters. They were realistic and full of life, even the ghosts. California Ghosting is a nice twist on the haunted house theme, blending action, suspense, mystery and romance at a fluid pace that keeps moving faster and faster. I could clearly see the characters and the resort. This would make a great movie!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great tale, great characters, imaginative happenings!, October 10, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: California Ghosting (Paperback)

As the characters evolve, and the plot thickens, California Ghosting creates an entirely enchanting environment for a who-dunnit. Point Reyes has been thoroughly researched and times gone by have been totally recreated in the now. The ghostal characters can be vividly imagined, due to the extensive descriptions of each individual personna and their lively intereactions not only the living, but with each other as well. Mix these ingredients with a dash of romance amongst the living, a sense of humor, and supsense, and there exists a novel that will keep you reading.