The Apparitions Of Ruin: A Captivating Mystery

Introduction

Ian R Cran’s *The Apparitions of Ruin* offers a captivating introduction to a world filled with ghostly secrets and chilling suspense. Set against the backdrop of Friar’s Dale, a quaint British village renowned for its hauntings, this novel invites readers to embark on a journey with three gifted siblings as they unravel a perplexing murder that blurs the lines between the living and the dead. With a rich atmosphere, compelling characters, and a storyline that keeps you on the edge of your seat, Cran’s first foray into the literary landscape is a wonderfully promising read for fans of mystery and the paranormal alike.

The Apparitions of Ruin by Ian R Cran, A Book Review by Melody E. McIntyre

As delightful as it can be to discover a new author and then dive into their extensive backlist, I always enjoy reading debut authors. There is something about being there from the beginning that can be exciting. That is part of why I accepted the ARC for Ian R Cran’s The Apparitions of Ruin. The other parts that drew me in were the promises of a mystery and a haunted small town.

Charlotte, Emma, and Aaron Burroughs are three siblings with powers of a mysterious origin. Charlotte can astral project, Emma can commune with spirits, and Aaron has electro-magnetic powers. They have spent their whole lives hiding these powers from the world, but now they finally get to use them. A government agency has recruited them to solve a supernatural crime in the small town of Friar’s Dale, a fiction British village, where the bulk of the story takes place.

Friar’s Dale has the typical small town charm, with a tiny local museum, bustling inn, and murderous, terrifying ghosts. This is the strongest part of the novel. Cran has a knack for taking a ghostly haunting and ratcheting up the tension until you find yourself making sure all the lights are on and you’re not alone in the house. There are a series of haunted scenes in the story and each one is scary. One in particular, involving a man and his dog, terrified me in particular.

Our three leads, Charlotte, Aaron, and Emma were a believable trio of siblings with a complicated, but loving dynamic, who work together to solve the crime. While they do have some typical sibling gripes, none of it is milked to create artificial drama, which I liked. They may grumble and have some conflict, but it never overtakes the story. I do not know if the intention is to build this into a series following this time through paranormal investigations, but I’d be open to reading more.

I would have liked a few more clues about the answer to the mystery. While I didn’t feel like it was a cheat, I’m not sure there were enough breadcrumbs scattered throughout the book to point a reader towards that solution. As well, it did require a lengthy bit of exposition at the end to tie it altogether that could have been more elegantly woven in. But none of that detracts from the overall quality of the story.

This may be Ian R Cran’s first book, but I hope it’s not his last. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a solid mystery, strong sibling dynamics, and a scary ghost story.

The Apparitions of Ruin by Ian R Cran

In recent years, Friar’s Dale has earned itself the reputation of ‘Britain’s Most Haunted Village’. The body of Nicholas Doyle has been found at one of the village’s renowned haunted locations: at a crossroads, where a gallows still stands. He has a bullet hole to the head, but there is no exit wound – and no bullet.

Due to the paranormal abilities they have inherited, Charlotte, Aaron and Emma Burroughs are recruited by a
government agency to look into the strange death. As they investigate, Emma’s ability to trigger a visual playback of a person’s final moments before death reveals a supernatural connection to Doyle’s murder.

But everyone knows ghosts cannot kill!

When a second body is found, the pressure is on to solve the mystery behind the macabre deaths in Friar’s Dale – before they become the next victims.

Praise for The Apparitions of Ruin by Ian R Cran

All the charm and endearing characters of a cozy but without the romance blended seamlessly with horror, detection, and action elements. I enjoyed every minute of it, the characters’ dynamics were great, the bits of humor too, the graphic bits never felt forced or gratuitous. Nothing about this book felt like it was rushed or like it needed more space – Hardcover App

History and ghosts and murder and mystery are a winning combination in my book and this story won me over. – Horror Tree

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