The House on Tradd Street (Paperback)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: cerca trova, Tradd Street, Karen White, General Lee (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this engaging novel from Southern novelist White (The Memory of Water), buttoned-up real estate agent Melanie Middleton, lover of order and all things modern, inherits an old house in Charleston, S.C., from a virtual stranger. Melanie can't help seeing the house as a big white elephant, especially regarding the terms; according to the will, Melanie's required to live in the house for a year, restoring it to its former glory, before she can sell so much as a piece of china. But as the house draws the attention (and ulterior motives) of a colorful group of locals, particularly GQ-handsome journalist Jack Trenholm, Melanie finds she has plenty of volunteers to help out. White skillfully balances her tale at the meeting point of romance, mystery and ghost story. The supernatural elements are not played for scares, but instead refine and reveal Melanie's true character; Melanie and Jack flirt with sparkling, snarky energy, but White also digs deeper, giving Melanie a tragic past that's handled with compassion and realism. A fun and satisfying read, this series kickoff should hook a wide audience. (Nov.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Product Description

A brilliant, chilling series debut, featuring a Charleston real estate agent who loves old houses—and the secret histories inside them.

Practical Melanie Middleton hates to admit she can see ghosts. But she’s going to have to accept it. An old man she recently met has died, leaving her his historic Tradd Street home, complete with housekeeper, dog—and a family of ghosts anxious to tell her their secrets.

Enter Jack Trenholm, a gorgeous writer obsessed with unsolved mysteries. He has reason to believe that diamonds from the Confederate Treasury are hidden in the house. So he turns the charm on with Melanie, only to discover he’s the smitten one...

It turns out Jack’s search has caught the attention of a malevolent ghost. Now, Jack and Melanie must unravel a mystery of passion, heartbreak—and even murder.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: NAL Trade; First Printing edition (November 4, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451225090
• ISBN-13: 978-0451225092
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (62 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #10,624 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #5 in	Books > Religion & Spirituality > Occult > Ghosts & Haunted Houses
  #73 in	Books > Literature & Fiction > Women's Fiction > Single Women

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent reading..., November 6, 2008

By	Readers Favorite "Readers Favorite" (Hawesville, KY USA) - See all my reviews

Excellent reading...
Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for [...]
Melanie Middleton inherits an old historic home on Tradd Street. Jack Trenholm is a writer. He suspects there is treasure hidden in the house. He volunteers to assist Melanie in the remodeling/restoring effort in hopes of doing a little treasure hunting. He soon falls in love with Melanie. The old house is haunted and one particular spirit is very unhappy with all the treasure hunting.

Karen White impressed me in her first book, The Memory of Water. She just keeps getting better! The House On Tradd Street is a great read. Readers will enjoy the romance between Melanie and Jack. The flirtation is high energy. The characters are multi-dimensional and eccentric. Even the ghosts have quirky personalities.

This is not your typical ghost story; it is not horror or spooky. This story has great depth. Romance, mystery, paranormal, and a little humor all combine to make
The House On Tradd Street a book that you do not want to miss.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Charleston's Latest Ghost Mystery, November 5, 2008

By	S. Agusto-Cox "Savvy Verse & Wit" (Germantown, MD USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

Karen White's The House on Tradd Street is part romance, part ghost story, part mystery. The narration of this novel grips the reader with its beautiful descriptions of South Carolina and the historic neighborhoods of Charleston. Melanie Middleton specializes in historic home sales, though she hates historic homes and believes those who buy historic homes are saps willing to waste thousands of dollars on renovations. Fate brings her into the home of Mr. Vanderhorst, who asks Melanie if she saw a woman in the garden. He suddenly dies and leaves her his home.

Melanie is given a historic home and the money to renovate and repair it from the Vanderhorst estate. There are a great cast of characters in this book from Mr. Vanderhorst to his mother's ghost and Melanie, her father, and Jack Trenholm. Melanie is a barracuda in the real estate world, but her inability to relate to her family or male companions hampers her ability to widen her horizons. Meanwhile, Jack uses his good looks and fame to woo women to his side and charm them out of information so he can uncover historical mysteries and publish novels. His charm and good looks, on the other hand, are just a cover.

The restoration at Tradd Street begins, and Melanie is overwhelmed by her responsibilities and the two attractive men that have fallen into her life--Marc Longo and Jack Trenholm. In spite of the restoration, Melanie gets wrapped up in the mystery surrounding Mr. Vanderhorst's mother's disappearance and the ghosts that haunt her new home.

White easily draws the reader into the beauty of Charleston and her ghost mystery. The intricate relationships between these characters are complex, and in spite of the convenient connections between Melanie's family, the Vanderhorsts, and the Trenholms in a big city like Charleston, I was enveloped in the storyline.

The mystery doesn't get heavy with humor sprinkled in. The interactions between Melanie and Jack is contagious and will make readers smile.

I recommend this book to those who love a good mystery and a good ghost story.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 1st in series, November 12, 2008

By	Amy Leemon (North Fond du Lac, WI) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book has everything - an intriguing story line involving missing diamonds from the Civil War, ghosts (good AND bad), location (historic Charleston), a hero with a secret, a bad guy with his own secret, Melanie Middleton who has a long way to go for the peaceful well-ordered life she wants and the house on Tradd Street which brings them all together.

A great mystery, a love story and a ghost story make for an enjoyable read.

The 2nd book in this series will be out in November, 2009.