Midnight Is a Lonely Place (G K Hall Large Print Book Series) [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Barbara Erskine (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1994 | Series: G K Hall Large Print Book Series

After a broken love affair, biographer Kate Kennedy retires to a remote cottage on the wild Essex coast to work on her new book until her landlord's daughter uncovers a Roman site nearby and long-buried passions are unleashed- In her lonely cottage, Kate is terrorized by mysterious forces. What do these ghosts want? That the truth about the violent events of long ago be exposed or remain concealed? Kate must struggle for her life against earthbound spirits and ancient curses as hate, jealousy, revenge and passion do battle across the centuries-

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A remote corner of Essex, England, becomes the site for some bone-chilling events in Erskine's ( Lady of Hay ) latest supernatural suspense yarn. Author Kate Kennedy, broke and homeless after splitting up with her lover, rents an isolated country cottage to write a biography of Lord Byron. Her work is interrupted, however, by a sullen teenage girl excavating an old Roman gravesite and by Kate's landlord, a temperamental artist who resents her intrusion into his cottage. These two plot to scare Kate off with tales of ghosts, but she dismisses their stories--until weird noises fill the night, gremlins invade her computer and a vandal raids her dwelling. Soon the true culprits are revealed, as the ghosts of Marcus Severus Secundus and his wife Claudia come to life. Marcus is determined to safeguard a centuries-old secret at the gravesite, while Claudia is equally set on exposing her husband's evil deed. The ensuing spectral possession and the ghosts' struggle for supremacy will keep readers on the edge of their seats, though frequent changes in point-of-view may prove confusing. Sadly, the novel's ending is somewhat of a letdown. Readers would probably prefer a rip-roaring confrontation between good and evil over Erskine's reliance on a time-worn climactic cliche.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Having just broken up with her boyfriend, Kate Kennedy lets a cottage in remote North Essex in order to lick her wounds and concentrate on finishing her biography of Lord Byron. When strange things begin to happen, she at first dismisses the odd and sometimes frightening events as attempts by the cottage's former occupant to scare her away. It rapidly becomes clear, however, that a recently disturbed Roman grave has unleashed dangerous-and evil-supernatural forces. This gripping romantic thriller is virtually impossible to put down. Events proceed at a breakneck pace in this literate and chilling tale of passion and revenge that reach from the grave. Readers will be on the edge of their seats. Fans of Barbara Michaels will particularly enjoy this novel, which is highly recommended for public libraries.
--Elizabeth Mellett, Brookline P.L., Mass.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 607 pages
• Publisher: G K Hall & Co; Large Prnt edition (December 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0816174792
• ISBN-13: 978-0816174799
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,008,276 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A CHILLING AND IMAGINATIVE GHOST STORY...LEAVE THE LIGHTS ON, May 29, 2001

By 

Lawyeraau (Balmoral Castle) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

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This review is from: Midnight Is a Lonely Place (Paperback)

This is a very well written and absorbing novel by a master story teller. It is highly descriptive and captures the reader in its thrall. It is a chilling and imaginative ghost story centered around a love triangle that existed approximately two thousand years ago and ultimately ended in murder. The murderer, Marcus, a Roman legionaire, is cursed by his wife, Claudia, after he has her lover, Nion, a druid priest, killed. Marcus then kills Claudia. It is this tragedy that now haunts the present.

When London based author, Kate Kennedy, breaks off with her selfish live in lover, she goes off to lick her wounds and nurse a broken heart in a cottage in a remote area of North Essex. The cottage, though cozy, begins to become a less than hospitable place, when unexplained sounds, scents, and traces of moist earth and sand begin to manifest themselves. Moreover, her landlord's son, Greg, and daughter, Allison, seem determined to have her leave the cottage.

Discovering that Allison has come across an archaeological site not far from the cottage, Kate goes to the site and finds an ancient Celtic ornament. She soon begins to hear voices in her mind and see visions of what cannot be. Ultimately, Greg, Allison, and Kate become trapped in the miasma of these ancient star crossed lovers who are determined to bring their long dormant conflict to resolution. The cost to those in the present is dear, as the reader will soon find out.

Be warned. This is a scary book.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book will keep you up at night...., June 20, 2004

By 

D. Burks (KY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Midnight Is a Lonely Place (Paperback)

*Yawn* What a night! I found this book yesterday while rummaging through a used book store looking for something good to read. The blurb on the back really caught me. I was not certain if I were buying a scary book or a supernatural romance or both - this is my first book from Ms. Erskine. I started reading a little after 9 last night. I usually read most books very quickly, but with this one, I found I was forcing myself to slow down to enjoy the style, despite wanting to know what happens next. I read through until 6 this morning and finished as dawn was breaking. There was no way I could put this book down halfway through. I had to know what happened. To be honest, I was kind of afraid to turn out the lights. I kept glancing up at the doorway to my bedroom to make sure no one was standing there...

I can't tell you the last time a book captured me like this. It combined history, lore, human emotion along with a good dose of goosebumps between the covers. I came to Amazon today to look for more of Ms. Erskine's work. She has me forever as a fan.

-- Dolores

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 3.5 stars-not bad, not great, but a little bit more than ok, January 26, 2006

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Lilly Flora "by Lilo Drandoff" (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Midnight Is a Lonely Place (Paperback)

I feel I took a risk in reading this book. I had loved Barbara Erskine up until reading On the Edge of Darkness, which was very disappointing. But this book was a pleasant surprise.

After breaking up with her boyfriends Kate needs an inexpensive place to stay and write her new book on the poet Byron. So she rents a small cottage in northern England from a family who needs the money because the father (Roger) is dying of cancer. The elder son of the family, Greg, is pissed about the renting of the cottage-where he previously lived and painted. The daughter, Allison, has recently discovered a roman burial site on the beach that is about to be washed away by the tide that she thinks she'll excavate. But then creepy things start to happen.

This book is much more action packed than past books of Erskine's. The middle two hundred pages are non stop creepy action, and quite enjoyable. The ending however, was not so hot. It was very abrupt and kind of a let down from all that led up to it.

So this book rates a solid 3.5 stars. I wouldn't advise reading it for your first Erskine book, but if you enjoyed her other books you'll like this one.