Haunted: Horror of Haverfordwest by G.L. Davies in not for the faint of heart! Which I clearly am!

This book is a true horror story where things REALLY did go bump in the night. Haunted is the prequel to author G.L. Davies' own experiences in a house in Haverfordwest, Wales in which he stayed and almost died in. His first book A Most Haunted House came out in 2013 and was an e-book bestseller which chronicles his paranormal experiences, depression and drinking problem while living there.

After his book began to get noticed, a couple contacted him and said they had bought and lived in the same house back in 1989 and had similar experiences which nearly broke them up. After getting approval from the current owner of the house who does not actually live there, but rents it out, and under condition that the house and street would never be divulged, Davies confirmed the information of the couple only known as Dai and Anne, and their ownership of the house in the '80's. This is their story.

There experiences in the house range from a bathroom which was so cold you could see your breath, to noises coming from different rooms which would leave one to believe there were other people in the house. There is a tall shadow figure who seems to border on demonic who they call "The Angry Man". Their radio and TV become filled with static for no reason and voices seem to be heard when the radio has this static. There are also visions Anne has of people who they believe to have lived in the house centuries prior and are trapped there.

I don't want to give away anymore than I feel I should as I believe the reader should experience what the couple does first hand. This story gave me chills while reading it and chills as I thought about it as I walked my own house at night.

Haunted: Horror of Haverfordwest is just plain creepy! You have been forewarned! The book comes out December 1. Thank you #NetGalley #Haunted: Horror of Haverfordwest

The Haunted: Horror of Haverfordwest is a rewrite of an earlier book that Mr Davies wrote about the same house, but with a new interview added, it is written as a series of interviews from two couples that have lived in the same house with ghostly goings on. I found the interviews interesting but I found the parts that Mr Davies wrote dull and i rushed through those. But what keeps going around my head is, if this house is as haunted as the previous owners claim, then surely the house would be world famous, especially with all the TV programmes about ghosts and hauntings that are being made. So as much as I'd like to believe I'm still sceptical.

I liked the way the story was set out and really got a sense of the terror experienced by Dai and Anne.
Whether you are a believer in the paranormal or not, this book is well worth a read.

Presented as non-fiction this factual account is based on the author's own experiences as detailed in the included copy of his best selling book "A Most Haunted House" and the experiences of a couple who lived in the house before him.
It is a creepy read whether you believe in the supernatural or not, and it also touches on some scientific explanations for the phenomena and explanations and theories on hallucinations.
Presented as an interview, there are some strikingly believable occurrences and some that defy plausibility. It should be a hit with fans of TV shows like Paranormal Witness, My Haunted House, A Haunting or any of the other ghostly reenactment shows.

This book had me on edge the entire time! It was well written and well searched. i appreciated the vivid timeline and facts thrown in to make this story as eerie as it was. I am completely creeped out by this house! The authors writing was well done. From page one you get an eerie sensation and with pulse pounding moments the entire way. I love all things horror but i was so creeped out reading this at night that I had to put it down! Super super well down book.

I liked this book quite a bit. It was written in a way that pulled the reader into the story. It was a scary enough read that I only read it during the day. Once nighttime came, I had to put it down. I especially liked the interviews with the couple who had lived in the house prior to the author living there. It gave a good background on the story, and was completely engrossing. I would (and have) recommended this book to others to read.

This is a well constructed relaying of events experienced over a period of time in a house in Haverfordwest.

It's an unusual read, but, it didn't really appeal to me, although, I had much sympathy for those experiencing such dramatic events. Overall though, I just found it to be unsettling and sad.

An OK read that will definitely appeal to those interested in strange phenomena.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to preview.

Some parts of this book was extremely terrifying others not so much. It's nicely written and gives you lots to consider.

Haunted: Horror of Haverfordwest
5* Book Review
G. L. Davies
6th Books

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads:
“Blissful beginnings for a young couple turn into a nightmare after purchasing their dream home in Wales in 1989. Their love and their resolve are torn apart by an indescribable entity that pushes paranormal activity to the limit. Haunted: Horror of Haverfordwest is the prequel to the bestselling A Most Haunted House.”

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, 6th Books, for this ARC of Haunted: Horror of Haverfordwest.
This terrified me, I couldn’t put it down. Haunted: Horror of Haverfordwest is an interview with a married couple, Dai and Anne (names changed so as to not be identified), recounting the dreadful days spent in their marital home. They are haunted by a malevolent paranormal being, tormented and almost driven apart by the entity. This book is the prequel – which happens to be featured at the end of this one – to G. L. Davies’ ‘A Most Haunted House’.
I really liked the style, the transcript, it really pulled me in, and I was immediately engrossed, desperate to find out what happened next. I was hooked from the get-go. It was really interesting, as well as frightening, the idea that this could be going on in the house next door and you wouldn’t know it. You might put banging and clattering down to just noisy neighbours with no consideration, or maybe they are having a clean out... you would never think that they were being haunted, not in a million years. Or maybe we don’t want to think that? Is it better that we live our day to day lives in the blissful ignorance that there is nothing else out there, nothing lurking in the closet or under the bed? Are we happier this way?
I honestly can’t say I’m 100% sure this is based on truth or whether this is a story in a ‘true life’ format. I am most definitely open minded, and I’m more to leaning that this is based on real events. If so, oh my god, I can’t begin to imagine how horrendous and terrifying this must have been.
I’m glad the original book was included, I hadn’t read this previously and it was interesting to see the similarities between both accounts, from different people in different eras. I also found the possible explanations for paranormal occurrences an interesting and insightful read.
For someone like me, a believer, this is a great read. It’s had me on Google, looking up the area and the paranormal goings on. It seems Pembrokeshire is a paranormal hotspot.
https://pembrokeshirebeyond.com/2015/05/22/the-pembrokeshire-haunted-road-trip/
I’m quite interested in this I must say.
https://pembrokeshirebeyond.com/2015/06/10/the-ghostly-monk-of-haverfordwest/
The story of the Hooded Monk of Union Hill in Haverfordwest is something that has grabbed my attention, the ghost hunter in me has decided to take a trip down later in the year, see some sights, and maybe spot a ghost or two. Of course we are already concerned this will end up the next big ‘found-footage’ film, my fiancé joking the sequel will involve his mother and uncle heading out looking for us.
Pre-order here via Amazon (UK):
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Haunted-Horror-Haverfordwest-G-L-Davies/dp/178535843X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1539531159&sr=8-1&keywords=g.+l.+davies

A must read for any paranormal enthusiast.
5/5
Lesley-Ann (Housewife of Horror)

Books do not easily scare me and I'm always on the lookout for a GOOD ghost story, and this story does not disappoint. The writer does well to convey the fear and tension that is to be expected in these situations and I only wish that there had been more instances to report (although I'm sure the storytellers were glad there wasn't). At first I was skeptical when I saw that it was laid out as an interview, I prefer stories to flow, but to the author's credit, it didn't take away from the overall effect at all. While it was great to have both the stories available to read, not having heard or read of the first story indicated in the intro, the end part that goes over the possible theories and causes was dry and too textbook. If they had just stopped at the end of both stories it would have been enough. This was exactly the kind of creepiness I was looking for when I was searching for a spooky read for October.

*thank you to Netgalley and John Hunt Publishing Ltd for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review*

4.5 stars.

This was so enjoyable from beginning to end. I loved the way the story was told, in interview type telling. I was hooked the whole way through and this is how stories should be. But did I believe what was told, as this is apparently a work of non-fiction and all? Umm, well I'm open minded, I'm not definite either way but that doesn't really matter so much. What does matter is if I enjoyed it or if I was bored and didn't like it. It was fun to read, to let myself believe it was true even if I didnt fully believe it to be. So if you go into this with an open mind, you will probably enjoy it as I did. If you think this kind of thing, haunted housed etc is a load of rubbish then dont bother with this. You wont appreciate the story told. If you are a believer, then I ask you, why are you not actually reading this right now as it is a really good book? So if you haven't guess yet, I do definitely highly recommend this.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of the book in return for a fair and honest review.
After reading the description and the amount of reads this book had on Amazon, I was very excited to read this book. The introduction was very long, much longer than I felt was necessary. While I found the story itself to be fascinating and scary, I was not a fan of the way the author chose to tell the story. I understand his reasons, which he explains clearly, but I feel the book would have been far more effective if told in novel form. Overall, it held my interest and may me bring my husband to the bathroom with me at night, but it could have been told far more effectively.

I love haunted house stories. A great creepy tale about things that go bump in the night is right up my alley, especially when the story is supposedly true. So, of course, I had to read the nonfiction account of a haunted house in England.

The Haunted Horror of Havorfordwest is the continuation of a story about a house G.L. Davies wrote about in a prior book, A Most Haunted House. The events in this new book start 13 years before the paranormal events Davies first wrote about. The house is the same, but the experiences are a bit different.

From 1989-1991, a married couple, Dai and Anne, lived in the house in Havorfordwest, until they couldn't stand it any more. Their terrifying experiences finally drove them out of the house. Paranormal events ranged from disembodied voices to physical attacks by an entity. The author interviewed this couple 46 times over a two year period to gather the facts of the case. The specific location of the house and the actual names of those involved are kept confidential.

Davies presents the facts in an interview transcript format with a bit of extra information on the surrounding area, the house, and his thoughts on the interviews and the haunting.

These events predate the occurrences outlined in Davies' prior book, A Most Haunted House. The text of that book is also included. A Most Haunted House outlines another couple's experiences in the house starting in September 2003. Their experiences were somewhat different -- unexplained lights, shadowy figures, cold spots and a menacing atmosphere made it difficult for them to remain in the home. Just like the first couple, they finally abandoned the property.

Davies offers a few non-supernatural explanations -- electromagnetic fields, mold, radiation, infrasound and other possible causes. He also offers a few supernatural suggestions -- ghosts, demons, aliens, or other dimensions.

While I enjoyed reading the accounts of experiences in this house, I'm not sure I totally believe the story. It's easy to list experiences as fact when the locations, people and events can't be corroborated. Although I would not want to live in a house where I was experiencing any of the events reported by these couples, I didn't find this book particularly scary. I found most of the experiences to be basically trope-y things used in almost every bad movie or book written about ghosts. One scene about a female spirit actually trying some sort of weird sex attack on a resident of the house just seemed ridiculous.....more silly than scary. But, I'm a skeptic. Someone who believes in ghosts and that these experiences could actually happen might be more frightened by the story of this house.

While I don't buy the story, I did enjoy reading both books. I love stories about ghosts and creepy occurrences. Stories about hauntings are one of my most guilty pleasures. But, I don't believe the tales are true. I am not a believer in the supernatural. Dead is dead. Ghosts or hauntings just don't exist. I firmly believe that most hauntings are just misinterpretations or hallucinations brought on by suggestion, or environmental issues like magnetic/electrical problems. But....in the event of factual proof being brought to light....I would be willing to admit I'm wrong and change my mind. For now, I will just continue to love stories about hauntings, and leave the actual ghost hunting to others.

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from John Hunt Publishing via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

Haunted: Horror of Haverfordwest by G.L. Davies was well written and well researched, but it wasn't the kind of book I was expecting. I didn't finish the book. At about halfway through, I stopped. It's written like a transcript of interviews. I didn't mind the format, and I started to like it, but I couldn't get a feel for the story. It was like being told about something that had happened. There wasn't enough imagery to bring it to life.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is actually 2 books in one, including the author's previously published book A Most Haunted House.

Told in the interview style, this book was very well written and was very entertaining--if you like scaring yourself like me, the best time to read this book is right before turning out the lights. 

Claiming to be non-fiction (of this I have no reason to doubt or confirm), the story starts in Wales, 1989, when Dai and Anne, a married couple get a good deal on the purchase of a house.  As is always the catch in these matters, the house is very, very haunted. At the beginning, the entities manifest themselves as shadowy figures, and over time move on to violations of both mind, body, and spirit--the entities terrorize the couple, so much so, that they are eventually forced to move out.

Decades later, an unsuspecting couple, "John" (who is in fact the author) and "Sarah" his now ex-girlfriend, move into the house.  Again, almost immediately they begin to experience strange occurrences in the house. The couple is so affected by the haunting, that they break up and move away.

The author ends the book with a recitation and summary of the varying theories of what could cause paranormal occurrences, or rather, people's perception that these occurrences are happening to them.  While these theories are intriguing, I feel that they detract from the overall story of the individuals living in the haunted house.  In fact, I considered skipping it all together.  I would have rather liked to see these theories more fleshed out and investigated in a separate book.

Nevertheless, I really liked this book not only because of the overall story, but because of the realness of the characters. These people were just normal, average people who found themselves in an unspeakable situation. I could see myself a little in John, because at the beginning I also would have been excited to have a real haunting in the house, and can totally understand how this excitement could in fact turn to horror, fear, and despair.

If you love movies including Amnityville Horror, the Conjuring 2, Stranger Things (the series), and Insidious, (or if you are looking for a good scare) then I would definitely recommend this book.

Extremely disappointed.

I am a big fan of classic gothic horrors and Stephen King, and I was hoping for something similar from the title and description. This was nothing like that - more of a nonfiction paranormal interview.

I hated the interview/ recount style as I found it distracting from the story and I got quite bored. I couldn't picture the house or the style or the layout of it. It starts with several pages about the author feeling depressed/ suicidal from his experiences, and then after several more pages I found that the horror relied on gory details rather than any build of suspense. I didn't feel that the writing gave any atmosphere or tension - eg everything was quite mundane and they went to bed and then had a horrible nightmare...

I skipped/skimmed a fair amount - eg in the beginning there is a bit where someone's friend's ex'boyfriend's dad used to live in the house - which had already been discussed a few pages previously - so they went down to the pub to call the friend who hadn't heard from the ex in a while because they broke up because he was seeing other women... I found the narrator's possible explanations of events not particularly scientific or formally researched and a bit irritating.

I think my main problem is that I wanted to be taken into the house, to feel like I was there and I was expecting to feel scared by the story. Instead it was other people saying they were really scared when they lived in the house.

I wouldn't recommend this book.

Crikey what a book! I loved it and couldn't put it down. It's fascinating, compelling, scary, I can't describe it any better. A must read.

A word of caution, do not read this alone at night. So few books are genuinely unsettling but I found this to be because it’s just so plausible.

No big shocks, no revelations and no ridiculously gore splattered descriptions. Just a creeping sense of unease and the certainty that I would literally rather die than spend a night in that house.

Haunted: Horror of Haverfordwest kept my unswerving attention from the first page to the last. I looked forward to reading it each day and night; I shared my findings with whoever would listen until at times they complained of goosebumps. When I originally found the title, through sheer luck, by looking up what I might find in the horror category, I did not realize this work is nonfiction. Honestly, that made the reading far more gripping for me. I find G.L. Davies to be a highly intelligent person/researcher and writer, and I can empathize with his doubting whether he has not been cursed by this dark house.

Besides feeling utterly immersed in the story of the first couple Dai and Anne, and admiring a pregnant woman's fortitude and the couple's ability to escape, I could not help but compare what I read (and which I will certainly not reveal) with everything I have ever read or heard on the subject of hauntings, evil possession, and the dark side. Everything in this book rings true. One of the aspects I value most highly is the author's commitment to looking at all possible explanations for what was happening in this place. Davies has a gift for pacing and balance in what he offers between all concerned. The related interviews are as perfect as a reader could hope for. I was thrilled to discover Dai and Anne's story is followed by Sarah and John's, and that it ultimately included the nephews, now grown up. It blew my mind that nothing was repetitive; the demonic possession (or whatever it is) of that house is so nuanced that the reader will feel it gets to know its victims so as to exploit them.

I felt like I learned something about people's reactions to this kind of evil. It is fascinating that people will not want to talk about it. Having just read The House on Dale Street about a house possessed by evil in the USA, I sensed that some people do have strengths that can free them, as Anne did.

I started listening to the author's paranormal podcasts as well. Some of the evil presented in Haunted: Horror of Haverfordwest is so shocking that I was utterly unprepared. I do have questions for this author and would like to ask him those questions in a short written interview on my own blog. I thank him for his phenomenal research! Honestly, this might be the best book I have EVER come across on demonic or evil possession of a house. I have always believed in the unseen. The various theories explored at the end of this book are the icing on the cake. As a writer of horror fiction, I had based my own ideas of a demonic house on theory, and until finding Davies book, I had no research upon which to base my concept. Now I do! #HauntedHorrorOfHaverfordwest #NetGalley

Yeah, this wasn't what I had expected at all. I expected a normal horror story with lots of ghosts, hauntings and more. I was eagerly looking forward to it. Instead we first get a way too long introduction that I gave up on reading 2 pages in. Then I thought, oh, and now the story is starting. Instead this whole book is like an interview. And sure, there were scary things happening, but the format just didn't work for me. This kind of format I would rather see than read. In other words, in a show this would have worked perfectly.