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Haunted Ground

By: Erin Hart
Narrated by: Jennifer McMahon
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Publisher's summary

When farmers cutting turf in an Irish peat bog make a grisly discovery, the perfectly intact body of a young woman with long red hair, archaeologist Cormac O'Callaghan and pathologist Nora Gavin are thrown together by their shared scientific interest in human remains. Because of the preservative effect of the bog, it is difficult to tell whether the body has lain there for two decades, two centuries, or two millennia. As they dig into the mystery of the red-haired girl, they are drawn into the two-year-old disappearance of a landowner's wife and young son. The story delves through the many layers of Ireland's turbulent past, tracing the still-visible footprints of fortified tower houses and ancient burial mounds, ever mindful of the eternal, subliminal connections between past and present.
©2003 Erin M. Hart (P)2003 Books on Tape, Inc. Published by Arrangement with Random House Audio Publishing Group, A Division of Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

"In every way, this is a debut to remember." (Booklist)
"In addition to a complex, multilayered plot that involves both contemporary and historical crimes, Hart's novel is rich in local color." (Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about Haunted Ground

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    218
  • 4 Stars
    266
  • 3 Stars
    148
  • 2 Stars
    43
  • 1 Stars
    19
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    184
  • 4 Stars
    120
  • 3 Stars
    64
  • 2 Stars
    12
  • 1 Stars
    4
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    137
  • 4 Stars
    132
  • 3 Stars
    84
  • 2 Stars
    16
  • 1 Stars
    14

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Now here is a mystery writer

I never fell asleep,I never skipped ahead,I never guess the ending. Need I say more.

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Good reading improves mediocre storyline

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The book was too long and the story not as interesting as I had hoped. The storyline took too many detours into the backgrounds of character's lives, to the detriment of advancing the plot. This was done to either make it as much a character study as a mystery, or, more likely, to set the stage for some of these characters to re-appear in sequels as a series. The audio book took up 10 CDs. My wife gave up after the 3rd CD. For me, this is one of those books that 2/3 of the way through when you realize it's not getting any more interesting, that you decide whether to give up reading more or you stick it out to the end just to feel that you've completed something. I stuck it out. Easily at least 25% could have been edited out without affecting the story lines, of which there were three: 1) an ancient and interesting mystery, 2) a current and uninteresting mystery, and 3) a background mystery to one of the characters that was irrelevant to the storyline.

Would you ever listen to anything by Erin Hart again?

No. But, I might consider buying a book because with a book you can skim over the boring parts, which you can't do when listening.

Which scene was your favorite?

The opening was good and descriptions of the countryside were good.

Did Haunted Ground inspire you to do anything?

No. Maybe be more careful in what I select to listen to.

Any additional comments?

Jennifer McMahon did a very nice job reading it; without her skills I would not have made it through the book. With some editing out of extraneous character detail and a better solution to the modern mystery this could have been a pretty good book. It started out well, but ultimately disappointed.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

loved it

Loved it! The narration was amazing, could distinctly identify the characters. Can not wait to read the next.book!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Wow! What a lot of fun!

Well-researched hybrid of historical fiction and murder mystery with a dash of Indiana Jones-style archeology thrown in. Characters are well-developed and interesting. A particular plus is the wonderful narration. This book is better experienced on audio than in text.

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23 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Outstanding Read!!

I guess I understand why there are some less than enthusiastic reviews of this book. If one is looking for the simplicity of a formula romance novel, this is the wrong book. I can imagine the rich historical narrative and the exceptional literary development would be "tedious", in that case. The same goes for pulp mystery seekers. However, if a person is looking for a beautifully written, engaging, historically informative literary story, complete with sufficient mystery to keep one on the edge of one's seat throughout, and a healthy, adult sprinkling of romance, then there isn't much out there that is better than "Haunted Ground". Add to that the pleasant, lyrical narration, and it's a perfect listen!

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Wish I got abridged version

I saw other customer recommendations for getting the abridged version and I wished that I had taken their advice. I listened to this on a road trip and it made the trip seem slower rather than faster. I think I wouldn't have minded the length if I was reading it but listening was at times tedious.

The other problem I had with the book is that I wanted more mystery and less romance. The quality of the writing and historic detail made it better than a Harlequin-type novel but it wasn't really what I wanted. I did enjoy the information about Ireland.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Beautifully written and beautifully read

I picked this up on a whim, and now it's one of my favorite audio books. The reader is wonderful, the language is lyric and beautifully paced and the story is solid.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Enjoyable w/ wonderful twists & turns A+ Narrator

Any additional comments?

The narrator really made a good story better. Her lilting Irish accent is a joy.The story itself has two mysteries in one and it ties them together with wonderful twists and turns. Very enjoyable all around.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Good Mystery, Excellent Irish Story

I was really drawn to the plot of this story, not because it was such a great mystery, but because the author obviously has a love of all things Irish and gives us a nice look at Irish life today. The characters of Nora Gavin, Cormac Maguire, and Garret Devaney are exceptionally well-written, but all of the characters are interesting and deserving of our attention. The two main mystery plots were less interesting and tied up too neatly at the end. I mean, who didn't know who the real killers were the moment the author introduced them? But, as I say, it was not necessarily the mystery aspect that drew me. Hats off to Erin Hart for creating such real, non-sterotypical Irish people for her first novel. I look forward to reading the further stories of Nora and Cormac. The narrator, Jennifer McMahon, was perfect.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Great, the 2nd time

I started this book, got 2 hours in and lost interest. But when it was the only book I hadn't listened to, I started again......It was great. I found myself guessing the end and never guessed right. Well.....kind of. It was great for me when I really concentrated, The accent of the narrator gave me a little trouble, but made the book.

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2 people found this helpful