The Invited

Jennifer McMahon writes a very good ghost story. She may have had some experience in the matter as she writes in her biography that she grew up in her grandmother’s house in suburban Connecticut, where she was convinced a ghost named Virgil lived in the attic. I just bet she thinks of Virgil every time she writes one of her wonderful books. The first experience I had with this author was The Winter People which I though couldn't possibly be topped...I was wrong....The Invited is better. The characters of Helen and Riley are women that you have to admire. If you love ghost stories or even stories about life in the centuries past or in the present century in small New England towns...try this one on for size.

Jennifer McMahon never fails to thrill and delight me as a reader. She embraces the idea of ghosts as fact and luxuriates in the darkness of men as only an author can. Her latest novel is a thrilling adventure of wrongs made right, racism, witchcraft, and strong women. It is a ghost story with the “are there or aren’t there” drama stripped away from its plot; in Helen’s new world, ghosts very much exist. Ms. McMahon never ventures near the unreliable narrator trope either, so even though no one seems to believe Helen as she works to understand the ghostly warnings, there is so much more happening in her new sleepy town than we initially understand. This is where the darkness of men comes to the fore, and what follows is a twisty show more tale of the truth and the lies we tell each other to avoid the truth. Also, did I mention strong, independent women? I believe The Invited is one of Ms. McMahon’s strongest novels to date, so if you have not yet had the pleasure of experiencing one of her novels, this is a good place to start. show less

Straight away I want to say The Invited by Jennifer McMahon was such a fun reading experience! The book opens in the 1920s with a woman named Hattie who lives in a small house in the swamp with her daughter Jane. There's already friction with the local townsfolk but a tragedy occurs which results in an act of cruelty that resounds through history to the present day (2015 to be precise). And that's where we're introduced to Helen (a young woman who moves to Vermont with her husband) and Olive (a young girl who just wants to solve the mystery of her missing mother). It turns out that Helen is a history buff and she decides that she wants to use reclaimed objects to build a house on their newly purchased land...which is in the swamp. Yes, show more she and her husband are occupying the same space that Hattie had once called home and when they start using objects that tie back to Hattie Breckenridge and her kin weird (supernatural) things start happening. The unfolding of the plot is divided by the stages of the house's construction which I thought was really clever and further helped to make the novel feel more cohesive. While it ounces between different points of view it's done in such a way that it doesn't detract from the flow of the novel (which you all know is a pet peeve of mine). McMahon really knows how to weave a supernatural thriller/mystery with lots of intricate details and a host of characters. While I felt like I had a vague idea where the book was heading she somehow managed to keep throwing curve balls to lead me astray. Mystery fans and/or those looking for a spooky supernatural book will really get a kick out of this one. 10/10 show less

Helen and Nate are looking for a simpler life so they abandon their teaching jobs and move out to the middle of nowhere Vermont in order to build the house of their dreams. Almost immediately after temporarily moving into an old trailer on their newly purchased property, strange things begin occurring. Nate doesn't think much of them in the beginning but Helen suspects there is something more sinister at hand. When they learn of the properties dark past, Helen becomes consumed by the legend of Hattie Breckenridge - a witch who was murdered on the property a century ago. Her research leads her to the startling discovery that both Hattie's daughter and granddaughter also met tragic ends. After acquiring items connected to those deaths, show more Helen convinces Nate to incorporate them into their new home's design. Unknowingly - at first - inviting the ghost's in.

The Invited is told through the alternating POV's of Helen and Olive - a teenager searching for her missing mother - as well as alternating timelines. I liked the glimpses into the past, the flashbacks were perfectly placed to blend seamlessly into the story. I may have had an inkling of how it was going to end but I still enjoyed seeing how everything played out.

While labeling this as horror is a bit of a stretch, it does pack a punch in the creepy department. I think what I liked best was that the main characters didn't move into a haunted house. They built one instead.

From a tragic family history, to hidden treasure, to a mysterious/haunted bog this makes for an eerie, atmospheric ghost story that you won't want to put down.

*ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. show less

I really enjoyed this. It had a fun twist on the usual haunted house structure and the characters were distinct and vibrant. I also appreciate how well McMahon is able to capture Vermont -- both in its natural beauty and the people who inhabit the small state. It's a difficult task.

I hope to read more of McMahon's work this year; this is only the second book of hers that I've read. I'm very impressed.

The Invited turned out to be a surprisingly fast-paced and engaging haunted house story with a cozy, atmospheric edge. While the haunting elements were subtle, they were well earned, giving the book a steady undercurrent of tension without ever tipping into heavy horror. The mystery surrounding Hattie was by far the most gripping part for me — her story kept me turning pages way past my bedtime. The characters felt natural in their interactions and development, even if I didn’t form a deep emotional connection with any of them. Overall, the pacing and blend of mystery, light supernatural elements, and haunted witch lore made for a very satisfying read.

What held this from being a full 5-star book for me was the ending. It felt show more rushed, as if the story reached its climax before fully exploring all the rich backstory and subtle creepiness it had been building toward. I wanted more — more eerie moments for Helen and Nate, more unsettling encounters for Olive, and definitely more depth in the twist itself. It wasn’t entirely predictable, which I appreciated, but it wasn’t developed enough to feel fully earned. Even with that, I’d absolutely recommend The Invited to fans of haunted house tales, witchy lore, and readers who prefer a lighter, cozier ghost story over something gruesome or terrifying. My 4-star rating reflects just how enjoyable the journey was, even if the destination felt a bit abrupt. show less

One doesn't always need to move into a house that is haunted, sometimes even building new the land itself could be taunted. This is what happens in the Vermont woods, when Helen and Nate leave their jobs, taking Helen's inheritance, to build a new house. What they didn't know was that this spot was the place of an horrific injustice, and a lost treasure. It soon become clear that they are not alone, and that someone wants something from the m.

I love how this author puts her stories together, outwordly happenings mixed with human greed. Although some of this was predictable, other parts weren't, and the ghostly vibes kept me reading. The past is never completely past, not in a person's mind and maybe the spirit world can reach put and show more attach itself to things. Or at least this author makes it seem possible. She always gives the reader someone to root for, and in this one it is a you g girl who needs some answers to some very serious questions. At the end one can't help but thinking that the humans are scarier than the ghosts. Or at least their motives less than pure. This was just spooky enough for this reader. show less