Review originally published at: https://www.lomeraniel.com/audiobookreviews/book-review-malefic-by-ambrose-ibsen/

The House of the Long Shadows, that we read about in book one of this series, is the main character again in this story. Having listened to the previous book last year, it was nice to go back to the same place and remember what happened there. But having read the first book is not a requisite, as we get enough information about past important events, and this is a story that could perfectly stand on its own.

There is a new family living in the house, but noises and strange shadows are making life impossible there. Creepy and disturbing, Ambrose Ibsen knows how to give soul to a house, even if this soul is a very dark one. I enjoyed the previous book, but I think I liked this one even better. The book is very well written, and this time we will know more about the origins of this house and its previous inhabitants.

Marcel Dubois is a relative of the family currently living there, and he takes full the job of ridding the house of its current dark presence with the help of his deceased wife. I enjoyed the characters’ relationships and especially the dynamics between Marcel and his wife. It was an original detail that made the story more interesting.

Joe Hempel delivered an excellent narration, keeping the tension and intrigue at the right moments, while also transmitting the characters’ utter horror and despair. Each character was recognizable thanks to subtle differences in tone and interpretation style. The narration made following the story a breeze. Ibsen and Hempel is always a winning combination, which will delight not only horror fans.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

A disappointing sequel. I was excited to read more on this story, but the ending to this installment left a lot to be desired. Picking up where the first book had left off, a new family had moved into the haunted home on Morgan Rd and was immediately tormented at every turn. They turn to their uncle, a man known to dabble in the supernatural, and ask him for help diagnosing and ridding the home of its spirits. He agrees, and sets off to help his young nephew and his family.

Pretty standard setup for a sequel. Having some background from the first book, I was hopeful to get a little more backstory and build on the creepiness factor that the first book did so well. From the start it was a much faster pace for the hauntings in the home. This was great except it was then halted for the mystery side of the story, diving into the background of the main malevolent spirit. This too was what I wanted, so for those wondering, where did the story go wrong. It was in the resolution to the main conflict. It was just too easy and not nearly as dramatic as the first book. Granted, the ending of the book eluded to a further cliffhanger, like any good book, but it was the lack of care put into the main resolution that didn't live up to my expectations.

The characters and setting were great, as they were in the first book. The mystery element behind this sequel was also a great addition, delving into the history of Fiona and the reasoning behind her lingering presence in this world. I will say that the amount of coincidental connections to the MC and the implication of fate into the story was perhaps a little too much. One unbelievable coincidence would be fine, but there were just too many. Also, the inclusion of the spirit of Uncle Marcel's late wife as an element to the story was a little hokey, but it did add an extra layer to the ending.

All-in-all the book was not bad, just not as good as its predecessor and I feel that the potential to continue on an interesting-enough story was ruined by the inclusion of too many new elements. The first book did well to take the standard setup for a horror haunting tale and didn't change too much. This book tried a little too hard to become a complex piece, and I feel it hurt it in the end. If you read the first book, give it a read, though I am not sure that there will be a third.

Really enjoyed listening to this ghost story. Combined relatable characters I found myself rooting for and solidly spooky happenings. Received code in exchange for honest review at my request. Recommended.

I don’t know which was better... the first or second.
This one was very freaky to say the very least. This one continues with the house, like the series title suggests.
If you want something creepy check these two in this series out so far. Very unusual spooky stuff. This isn’t your usual haunt.
I like Marcel as a main character so much better than I did Kevin in the first book; and even though he is older I feel I can identify with him a lot more.

As is the case with every Ambrose Ibsen I've read so far, this was a good one. The main character is an elderly widower who misses his wife but has managed to keep established connection with her in the afterlife. This comes in handy when it comes to helping other ghosts move on --- until he comes to his nephew's haunted house. A bit confusing with a twist at the end, but I did not read the first book in series yet, so I may be missing some of the larger picture. It's not my favorite of his, but it was well written, had some creepy imagery, a backstory mystery that intrigued, and is recommended for haunted house fans.

I loved how the book progressed and the suspense had me turning the pages like there was no tomorrow. But I wasn't expecting the ending or rather I was dissappointed with the climax. Nevertheless the ending sure brought in the least expected twist. I surely enjoyed reading this book.

A family believes their house to be haunted and turns to their uncle for help. Said uncle, Marcel, arrives at the house, and finding nothing amiss initially, endeavours to explain things by more rational means. But Marcel is no hardened cynic, and very much believes in ghosts, as he has contact with his dead wife. The spooks finally materialise, and they are as bad, if not worse, than previously advertised. Marcel sets out to discover who is haunting the house , and why, and it leads him down a rabbit hole of twists and turns that leads to a surprising end.

I haven't read part one of the book, but this seemed to work well as a standalone. The plot isn't particularly novel, but has some interesting turns. There were some nice touches, like the wife haunting a fountain pen, and they communicate through writing each other. This was an audio version, and the narrator did a good job adding life to Marcel. The story is pretty good, although not particularly scary, and it's reads more like a detective story as Marcel investigates the case.

Pretty good. Somewhere between 3-3.5 stars.