Customer Reviews

House on the Bluff

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

"A deserted house in New England contains a secret reaching back to the Crusades..." This was the intriguing back-cover introduction to Elena Dorothy Bowman's book, "The House on the Bluff." And when I learned that that the author, like me, was once a software engineer, I just had to read on.

The prologue had me a little confused, I suspect because the language and history put me in mind of my English homeland, but the phrasing was American. The story proper begins in chapter one with Abigail investigating a rather scary abandoned house. Although she asks "What am I doing here?" it's soon clear that she has a serious purpose in mind. The house has a purpose too and, when Abigail falls asleep on the widow's walk, time, space and reality begin to tip.

A lot of this novel is revealed in dialog, with characters explaining to each other who they are and what they've just experienced. But the main character is probably the house itself, a fact which is underscored as the story progresses and protagonists suggest to each other, "Why don't you ask the house?"

The concept of a house testing and choosing its occupants is fun, though some of the details seemed contrived. The conversations and situations are in turn scary and amusing. And the conclusion could almost be the prequel to a TV series, like the old supernatural comedies I used to enjoy.

I guess I'm still not sure how to interpret the picture on the cover, but it was a fun tale.

A mysterious house lures people to it and they are never heard from again--alive. This causes fear in the neighborhood of Adam's Point to leave so it is isolated as well, except for one young man who is staying at his family's summer cottage.

Abigail has come to lay claim to this house with its bleak admosphere, but the question is, will she claim the house or will it claim her? She is tempted more than once to flee the sights and sounds she encounters, but determination makes her stay.

A story that seems to have a touch of horror, but the reader will find there is a twist in the plot that leads away from that idea. Ghosts abound with doors closing on their own, mysterious music with no apparent source, meals appearing on cue with no staff, cold unappealing rooms, all adding their own touch to the atmosphere of a house you will enjoy visiting while waiting for Abigail and her new friends, Ethan and Tony, to figure things out.

Talented author Elena Dorothy Bowman offers the reader something new in paranormal romance in a world peopled by fun characters (including the house). You'll feel as if you've actually visited the place, so well done is the description.

Recommended as a fun read. Enjoy. I did.

A mysterious house lures people to it and they are never heard from again--alive. This causes fear in the neighborhood of Adam's Point to leave so it is isolated as well, except for one young man who is staying at his family's summer cottage.

Abigail has come to lay claim to this house with its bleak admosphere, but the question is, will she claim the house or will it claim her? She is tempted more than once to flee the sights and sounds she encounters, but determination makes her stay.

A story that seems to have a touch of horror, but the reader will find there is a twist in the plot that leads away from that idea. Ghosts abound with doors closing on their own, mysterious music with no apparent source, meals appearing on cue with no staff, cold unappealing rooms, all adding their own touch to the atmosphere of a house you will enjoy visiting while waiting for Abigail and her new friends, Ethan and Tony, to figure things out.

Talented author Elena Dorothy Bowman offers the reader something new in paranormal romance in a world peopled by fun characters (including the house). You'll feel as if you've actually visited the place, so well done is the description.

Recommended as a fun read. Enjoy. I did.

by Shannah Biondine

The house on the bluff is known as The Pierce House to locals of Adam's Point. Abigail Adams Pierce arrives in this small New England town determined to investigate the house, which is part of a mysterious family legacy harking back to eleventh century England. The house has been abandoned and has spent most of its many decades perching in eerie, empty silence above a cove known as the Bay of Death. This is not a charming New England bed and breakfast type of home, and boats dropping anchor in the bay it overlooks are invariably lost. Their crews are said to mysteriously disappear without a trace.

Beyond rumors of ghostly inhabitants and unexplained events, Abigail knows her ancestors have tried and failed to conquer the house and its secrets. Others have come before her and tried to reside within its walls, only to flee in terror. Legend says one brave descendant must enter the forbidden structure and unlock the secrets from its past. Only this stalwart descendant and his/her champion and consort will be accepted by the house--an entity with definite ideas of its own.

Readers who've ever become disoriented in a large mall or lost their cars in sprawling parking lots will be able to relate to the helpless feeling Abigail experiences. Just parking her Jeep outside or leaving one room to enter another touches off bizarre episodes in and around Pierce House. Abigail must find the courage to stay the course, no matter what.

The austere setting provides a suitable backdrop for the moody atmosphere of the storyline. I really liked the premise and enjoyed the way the author weaves in ancient history and colorful background lore from varying time periods; however, the plot twists were rather predictable and some scenes felt a bit repetitive.

"The House On The Bluff" is a delightful mystery laced with romance and adventure. The language is descriptive and brings to life the compelling story. Once started, it's hard to put down. I enjoyed reading every page of this wonderful novel in the north shore setting of Massachusetts.

- Author of "Look Out The Window"

This is not your typical boy meets girl romance. There's so much more going on behind the scenes than anyone on the bluff ever imagined. Ms. Bowman keeps you on your toes and I found myself holding my breath wondering if Abigail would be safe or not and if Ethan was too good to be true. You'll have to read it to find out if Abigail is the one to take on the challenge of The House on the Bluff

The House on the Bluff, Elena Dorothy Bowman's first novel, is an interesting fantasy and mystery novel bowled into one. It is clean and appropriately written for both adults and young adults. There is enough in this story that everyone can enjoy Ms. Bowman's tale.

Imagine a large and beautiful house on a bluff. Wonder why no one in New England ever goes there, ever? Because, that's why, the place might be haunted, or perhaps, merely enchanted. However, the last time someone was in that house-everyone heard the screams and no one ever saw that woman again.


So an entire town finds it unnerving when Abigail Pierce shows up and decides to live in the house. She has every right to, since the house belongs to her ancestors. There is a secret reason to why she is staying at the house. She found the rules to a game, so to speak. She must play the family game by the rules. If she succeeds, she has so much to gain. If she fails . . .


Abigail befriends some special people while staying in town. These friends are at wits end, spending days and especially nights worrying about Abigail alone in the big, haunted (all right, enchanted) house. They understand Abigail is playing some kind of game, what they don't understand is the secrets of the game, but they plan to stand by her until someone eventually wins.


A quick book with enjoyable scenes and characters. Bowman has written a book that should be enjoyed by many. The story is well crafted and entertaining. I look forward to other stories by this talented author.

--Phillip Tomasso III, author of Third Ring, Tenth House and Mind Play

I'll never feel safe in the fog again after reading House on the Bluff! It's spooky because it's historically authentic, and it's romantic and funny at the same time: boy meets girl, girl gets in trouble, guy tries to rescue girl, guy gets in trouble, someone tries to rescue them both and he gets in trouble ... and so it goes on. At one point I thought that it was going to read like an Agatha Christie whodunnit, but Bowman's characters are definitely not Christie-esque - they're more original!

Normally I sample a book from a new author before deciding to buy, but with all the strong positive reviews and a price of just over $4 I didn't think I could go wrong. I won't make that mistake again.

I thought this book was horribly written -- from incorrect punctuation use in the prologue to changes in person in the first chapter from third to first and back again within a single paragraph with no qualification. Mid-way through the first chapter I decided not to continue... there's just too many books waiting to be read to continue with one that is so aggravating!