Great read!
Rating:
5 / 5
This was a very well written, suspenseful novel. I didn't want to put it down. I highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of not only mysteries, but the paranormal as well. I can't wait for the sequel!
A Fan
Rating:
5 / 5
If you like Janet Evanovich, you'll love Wendy Jensen's 8th House. It's been over a year since I read the book and I still smile whenever I think of that story. The writing is snappy, the humor dark, and the characters wonderfully quirky. The only problem, when will there be another one from this talented writer?
Very highly recommended
Rating:
5 / 5
As a graduate student, metaficiton was the topic of my thesis; that is, writing about the craft of writing within the context of a novel. Many great writers have succeed with the device, including Tim O'Brien in THE THINGS THEY CARRIED and James Mitchner in THE NOVEL. Remarkably, Wendy Jensen also blends metafictional aspects into THE 8TH HOUSE, an addictive paranormal thriller. Zoe Zignego uses the contents of her psychic dreams to aid police to solve ghastly murders and later spins the stories into best selling novels. Her quest for peace leads her to flee St. Paul and buy a house in Missouri's foothills of the Ozark Mountains. The long abandoned home held irresistible appeal for Zoe, for the woman who can't seem to live with the living seeks the company of the dead rather than being alone. Her roommate is an rascally ghost named Wilbur, who provides comic relief and a mystery of his own. Repairs to the house, which dates from the 1800s, prove expensive. Zoe needs to quickly generate some cash flow to replace her badly depleted bank account. RelunReluctantly begins a new novel, based on her current investigation in partnership with the Larry Larsen of the St. Paul police department. Zoe's never written a novel prior to solving a crime before; as she creates the story, she takes the reader through the process of the writing. Zoe's very uncomfortable with the concept of profiting from the tales of murder and mayhem, and her discomfort escalates as she realizes that her dreams have become precognitive and that she has a direct psychic connection to the serial killer. One he is equally aware of. As she writes the novel, Zoe recreates the killer's motive, environment and his past. This metafictional quality lends the novel fascinating flair and insight from a unique perspective. Be careful when you start reading THE 8TH HOUSE by Wendy Jensen, or you may fall into the trap I did, promising yourself just one more chapter until you finish the book at 2 a.m. on a work morning! As a paranormal mystery lover, I was impressed with the creative edge that Jensen brings to her work. In an increasingly flooded arena of strong women sleuths, Jensen has created a heroine who stands out like a rare gem among many beautiful semi-precious stones.
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