Book Review – “The Winter People” by Jennifer McMahon

Rating – 4.5/5

So, as many books as I’ve read, I can’t recall ever reading one that I would consider to be a true ghost story.  “The Winter People” comes pretty close, mainly in the setting and in the way the author tells her story – going back and forth between characters in the early 1900s and the present-day and weaving the characters’ lives together.  However, “The Winter People” is more sinister than a typical ghost story.  It connects the lives of a woman named Sara Harrison Shea, who was found dead in 1908 shortly after the death of her daughter, to the lives of a teenager named Ruthie and her little sister, both of whom are left to fend for themselves after they wake up one morning and find that their mother has gone missing.  Ruthie and her little sister live in the same remote farmhouse in the woods that Shea lived in during the early 1900s, and when Ruthie and her little sister discover Shea’s diary, they learn that their mother’s disappearance is connected to the life and death of not only Shea but also Shea’s daughter.  This was a book that I always regretted having to put down because the story was so unique and creepy that I wanted to keep reading, and best of all, the twist was impossible for me to figure out – just like a good ghost mystery should be.  I would’ve given this book 5/5, but there are some events that take place with a secondary character that are a little over-the-top.  But other than that, this book was extremely enjoyable to read, so I highly recommend it!  Looking forward to reading more from this author in the future!