Customer Reviews

The Famous Flower of Serving Men

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
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Theater producer of the traveling troupe The Tamborlaine Players Penelope Wintercraft-Hawkes and folklorist and building restorer Ringan Laine never expected to deal with ghosts again after the exorcism of the latter's home. Penny is ecstatic when she learns she inherited Bellefield, a theatre on Hawthorne Walk in London. She hires Ringan to restore the place as she plans to put on the play Iphagenia.

However, from the moment that Penny sets foot in her new theatre she hears voices and sees visions of a woman on fire asking for a priest. The angry ghost hurt Ringan and indirectly caused the death of an art restorer. Until they can get rid of the ghost they cannot restore the place nor rehearse the upcoming production. With each passing day, the ghost grows stronger intending touse Penny as the means to leave Hawthorne Walk.

Deborah Grabien has written a fabulous ghost story in which the seemingly mean-spirited ghost will elicit fan empathy. The protagonists are likable and complex while brave enough to try to banish the ghost. Historical tidbits from the reigns of Richard II and the Regent John of Gaunt provide an authentic anchor to an enjoyable paranormal tale. Readers who enjoyed THE FAMOUS FLOWER OF SERVING MEN will want to obtain the first novel starring Penny and Ringan, THE WEAVER AND THE FACTORY MAID.

Harriet Klausner

I really loved Grabien's first book in this series, The Weaver and the Factory Maid, and this one was even better! Really scary, but not in the traditional "horror" way, I stayed up reading it, unable to put it down and had a nightmare the second I was down for the night. Spooky and vivid, it made me want to buy some Old English Folk Music. Can't wait for the third book in the series!

A witty and chilling follow-up to Grabien's excellent "Weaver and The Factory Maid" this book will be of special interest to mystery fans bored of the current serial-killer glut within the genre, looking for more of an homage to mysteries of the type written by Marsh and Christie, with a paranormal twist. Should be especially enjoyed by people who know a lot about English history and folk music, which, I hate to confess, is not I, but I was able to follow the story well, and learn things too.

I've now read all three of Grabien's Haunted Ballad books (sadly, out of order), and while all are enjoyable, this is the most riveting. Her characters are extremely well-drawn and likable, which always adds to my satisfaction with a novel. Moreover, her writing style is fun to read, full of description and showing a beautiful command of language. The best part of this novel, however, is the plot. It twists and turns smartly, builds well, and has a great ending!

Deborah Grabien brings The Weaver and the Factory Maid's Ringan Laine and Penny Wintercraft-Hawkes back with adroit and elegant storytelling in her second Child Ballad novel, The Famous Flower of Serving Men. Penny inherits the magnificent Bellefield Theatre in an area of London steeped in more than the usual helping of history. The Tamburlaine Players begin rehearsals for their opening play while hired workmen begin necessary refurbishments, and echoes of former lives begin to swirl and eddy like draughts in the Bellefield's corners.

If you enjoyed the first in this series by Grabien, be prepared to have the tension cranked up a notch or two in this outing. And if this is your introduction to her characters, prepare to fall in deep like, if not complete love.

This was a very good book. Fast read. Wonderful ghost story like ghost stories should be done. I have bought and started reading the 2nd book and loving it. I hope to see much from this author.

I wouldn't be surprised if Deborah Grabien's characters walked off the page and into my living room, that's how absorbing her writing is. Right from the start you're swept up in her characters' lives; you root for them to solve the mystery and are sorry to see them go at the end of the story.

When I was a kid growing up I always wanted to go on a camping trip with Louis L'Amour just so I could listen to him tell tales around the campfire. With Grabien I'd want a scrumptious meal and fine wine; she's the kind of writer you want to settle in to enjoy.

This is the second book in a series of mystery novels. You don't need to read them in order, but you are going to want to read them both so you might as well buy "The Weaver and the Factory Maid" too while you're at it!

We meet Penny and Ringan again in the second book of the Haunted Ballard series. In this one, Penny comes into an unexpected inheritance from an eccentric French aunt that she has only met a few times. She leaves Penny a small theater and money to restore it. We find that there is a reason this theater has been in use only periodically as it is haunted by a malevolent presence that brings with it the scent of fire. Ringan is helping Penny with managing the restoration and they are all shocked at the spirits reaction to a song. Penny becomes convinced that they need to perform Iphigenia rather than something from their usual repertoire. The spirit becomes even more frightening when it causes a death. The pair and their compatriots begin researching the history of the street and the story behind the song "The Famous Flower of Serving Men" which is tied to the apparition along with Iphigenia. They find that the whole lane is affected and work together to find a solution. It was an intriguing story, once you got over the unlikely inheritance and I enjoyed the historical perspective and the history of the ballad. I look forward to the rest of the series.

Ms. Grabien has a wonderful way of mixing history and music into a tense ghost story. I do wonder a bit, how many times she can make this formula work. But, there's a interesting cast of characters and well-done descriptions that add to the suspense. My only small complaint was the use of French without translation. But, for paranormal fans, it's a good read.