The House on Widows Hill is the 9th book in the Ishmael Jones series by Simon R. Green. Released 2nd July 2020 by Severn House, it's 192 pages and available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

These books, about a generally altruistic alien trapped on earth since 1963, are genre crossing speculative fiction at its absolute best. This one is a worthy addition to the series and combines an array of literal locked door mystery, historical noir, urban fantasy, humor, and supernatural governmental espionage.

The insanely prolific author is well known to urban fantasy fans for his 200 works over 12(+) series including The Nightside. Despite being the 9th book in the series, it works very well as a standalone and readers new to the series won't have any trouble keeping up with the action. One thing that didn't appeal to me as much with this book as the previous works in the series was that this one literally takes place in the rooms of one house, and the action is *entirely* dialogue driven. Yes, it's a murder mystery with a spooky house and a "locked room" cast of suspects, but the pacing is weirdly off. It's still eminently readable, but (for me) wasn't quite up to the level of the others. The denouement was rapid, completely deus ex machina, and made me roll my eyes, but it did provide some interesting backstory for the titular character.

Very entertaining and a quick and humorous read. The author has a definite gift with repartee and I found myself smiling often whilst reading. This series will likely appeal to fans of Charles Stross' Laundry Files, Jasper Fforde, and similar.

Four stars. Well worth a look.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

My thanks to Severn House Publishers for a digital edition via NetGalley of ‘The House on Widows Hill’ by Simon R. Green in exchange for an honest review.

"That house is a bad place. Bad things happen there . . ."

This is the ninth in Green’s Ishmael Jones paranormal mystery series. In this outing for Ishmael and partner, Penny Belcourt, they are asked by a representative of the mysterious Organisation to investigate a haunted house near Bath.

Harrow House is set on the top of Widows Hill. It’s been empty for many years but now an anonymous prospective buyer has requested that an investigation be undertaken into the strange phenomenon associated with it and determine whether the house is really haunted. Ishmael isn’t keen but negotiates staying there overnight for a no-questions-asked favour.

However, much to Ishmael’s annoyance they are joined by four others dubbed by Ishmael as ‘Team Ghost’: a celebrity psychic, who specialises in cleansing haunted houses, a local historian, who is also a white witch, a newspaper reporter, and an amateur ghost-hunter who brings plenty of scientific equipment. When one of the group literally drops dead during a seance while everyone was holding hands, it raises many questions including whether whodunnit was the house itself.

Green seems to favour variations of the locked room mystery. Here the tension and weirdness builds slowly to the eventual denouncement. It certainly had some interesting twists.

These are quite short novels, easily read in a single sitting and are a mashup of science fiction, supernatural horror, and classic Golden Age Detective fiction, even though in a contemporary rather than period setting.

I have now read the last three in this series and have enjoyed all of them. Part of the ongoing storyline links to Ishmael not being actually human but an alien whose ship crash landed on Earth in 1963. He was transformed by its onboard computer into human form, but due to the computer being damaged the memories of his previous life were lost. He continues to seek answers about his origins though is very secretive about his alien status. Penny is aware, which effects aspects of their relationship as she will age and he won’t.

This is a fun series with plenty of humour amongst the thrills and chills. I have become quite committed to it and plan to catch up on the earlier books in the series as well as look forward to further outings for space boy and spy girl.

As ever, we have our usual fix of creepy shenanigans going on, as Ishmael and Penny find themselves spending the night in a haunted house. This book follows directly on from Night Train to Murder, so if you haven’t read that one, do be aware – especially at the beginning – there will be some references to events outside the story. I was interested to see this one build more slowly than usual, but given that Green does it well and I know and trust his pacing, I appreciated the general ratcheting up of the tension. It doesn’t hurt that there are the usual dollops of humour that help lighten the tension in the dark, brooding house.

Though the death and denouement rather knocked me for six. I’m still pondering as to whether Green has managed to pull this one off, as it stretched the bounds of my credulity rather. However, I think on balance, I’ll give him a pass. I certainly was never in any danger of putting the book down before getting to the end. All in all, this is an entertaining, page-turning addition to this quirky series.

Recommended for fans of paranormal murder mysteries that doesn’t take itself too seriously. While I obtained an arc of The House of Widow’s Hill from Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
8/10

Good, solid book. Easy to follow. Would recommend to anyone who likes a thriller or mystery book. Liked the characters and it was difficult to put down!

Is Harrow House haunted? Ishmael might not believe in ghosts (his partner Penny is more open to the possibility) but that's what they've been hired to find out. They spend a long night there with four others- a hodgepodge of characters- and then one of them is murdered. So then this becomes a murder mystery too! While it might not stretch you, it's a quick and entertaining read. I'd not read the earlier books in the series so it was a standalone for me- and fine as one. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

I’ve been a big fan of this author for years, but I have to admit this series I’ve been mostly on the fence. There has been some I’ve really liked, and there have been some that I liked but with caveats. To be honest, this book started as the latter, but it worked its way up to being maybe the best so far. I really can’t say much as I don’t want to spoil this book, but I thought that the book was going to progress much the same as the other ones. But, no, there were a couple of things that were completely different than usual. This was the usual fast-action, well-written book but with a couple of twists. Give it a try, but you really need to start from the beginning to get the full effect. Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

This is a locked-room murder mystery, with the added quirks of the narrator being an alien and the setting a supposedly haunted house. The mystery of the murder is predictable and easy and pointless, while the haunted house part serves to propel--possibly? in a tiny way?--the narrator's multi-book arc about finding more of his own kind. The characters are flat and ridiculously, badly gendered, the narrator himself is an unappealing, condescending jerk, and the entire book is mostly banal talk and little action.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

I thought I would enjoy it much more than I did, since I generally enjoy mysteries with supernatural or paranormal elements. However, I think this book was trying to be too many things at once, and didn't really succeed at any of them. It was a murder mystery, ghost story, and some kind of weird sci-fi with aliens thing going on all at the same time. Maybe I would have enjoyed it more if I had read any of the previous books in the series, but I do think that one mark of a very good author or series is that a reader can pick up any book in the series and find it both comprehensible and enjoyable, even without reading any of the previous books, and this series is not that.

I also found the pacing of the book to be surprisingly slow, especially for such a short book. I don't think I've ever read a book that was this short that dragged so much. The main character Ishmael and his partner Penny are sent to investigate a creepy old house, and they are joined by a group of amateur ghost hunters, each with a particular angle on ghost hunting. Most of the book consists of the ghost hunters sitting around arguing about why each of their particular angles on ghost hunting is the best. So basically, nothing happens for most of the book, except for one of the characters dying suddenly (not a spoiler - one of the chapter is literally called "Someone Dies" so you know someone dies just from reading the table of contents) and then the ending is just...weird. The sci-fi aspects, especially in the resolution, just really didn't mesh for me with the mystery and horror elements in the book.

The only aspect of the book that I particularly enjoyed was the main character, Ishmael, and his relationship with Penny. These were the only characters with any depth and they certainly piqued my interest a little bit.

While I appreciate having the opportunity to read this book, unfortunately it just didn't work for me.

I was lucky enough to win a digital galley of THE HOUSE ON WIDOWS HILL from a Shelf Awareness giveaway. Thanks for the early look, and have a safe summer!

Another great Ishmael and Penny book. Although it stands alone, you should read the previous books to know Ishmael and how Penny met and his past, which we get bits and pieces with each book. The other characters are invited along with our duo to figure out the "haunting" of this house, a murder occurs and total sense of dread overcomes every one in the house at off times, now it's up to Ishmael to figure out the killer and the secret of the house with his normal logic and dry wit. It's an enjoyable ride and I couldn't put it down, didn't expect the twist end, but I knew the killer fairly quickly, but it's the house's secrets that kept me going. Thanks very much to #SevernHouse and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review the latest book in the Ishmael Jones series by Simon R. Green, already looking forward to the next.

"Ishmael Jones investigates a haunted house...but is haunted by his own past in the latest of this quirky paranormal mystery series.

"That house is a bad place. Bad things happen there..." Set high on top of Widows Hill, Harrow House has remained empty for years. Now, on behalf of an anonymous prospective buyer, Ishmael and Penny are spending a night there in order to investigate the rumours of strange lights, mysterious voices, unexplained disappearances, and establish whether the house is really haunted. What really happened at Harrow House all those years ago? Joined by a celebrity psychic, a professional ghost-hunter, a local historian and a newspaper reporter, it becomes clear that each member of 'Team Ghost' has their own pet theory as to the cause of the alleged haunting. But when one of the group suddenly drops dead with no obvious cause, Ishmael realizes that if he can find out how and why the victim died, he will have the key to solving the mystery."

See? It's my Gothic week!

Thanks very much to #SevernHouse and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review the latest book in the Ishmael Jones series by Simon R. Green.

They're back - Ishmael Jones and Penny Belcourt - hot on the heels of their last mystery, which involved psychic assassins; that very same day, The Organization asks them to investigate "Harrow House" which is reputedly haunted - at least that's the story since no one has been able to live there since the man who built it and his family were forced to flee in the night, and abandon everything.

"I don't believe in ghosts", says Ishmael. But, since the Organization makes him a promise about his origins and history, in return for this simple task, Ishmael and Penny reluctantly agree. To make matters worse, they will be joined by a group of 'ghostbusters'.

There is a mysterious murder, and a ghost (who only Ishmael can see and interact with, which is par for the course considering his disbelief in supernatural phenomena).

This is a fairly quick read, but that's not to say it is not as enjoyable and as intricate as the other books in the series - all of which I have read; and the humor that is a part of Ishmael and Penny's repartee is still there.

Needless to say, they finally get to the bottom of the matter - along with a few surprises. Recommended, but I wouldn't say this is a standalone - it would really help if you knew Ishmael and Penny's history, which follow from book to book.

Ishmael Jones and his partner, Penny, are back again, this time in what may be a homage to Agatha Christie, as this murder mystery takes place on a train. When an Important Person is murdered in "the loo", it's up to the mysterious Mr. Jones and Penny, each utilizing their talents, to figure who whodunnit.
A reliable sequel in a fun and spooky series.

Another fun and slightly scary "locked room" mystery featuring Ishmael Jones and his intrepid girlfriend Penny. Although these are somewhat predictable, we learn a little more about Ishmael in each book in the series, and the plots have enough twists to keep me interested. I always look forward to a new Ishmael Jones novel!

This series is a favorite and I read all the books since I discovered it last year.
It's a amongst the best and the creepiest in the series and I loved it, ihhaling it as fast as I could.
I kept me on the edge till the end as it's gripping and entertaining.
The mix of suspense and humour was as enjoyable as usual, the characters fleshed out and the plot well crafted as Mr Green is a talented storyteller.
The plot is full of twists and turn and the solution came as a surprise.
I can't wait to read the next instalment.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Ishmael Jones and his partner, Penny, agree to spend the night at Harrow House in order to investigate the otherworldly disturbances said to take place there. Hired by a prospective buyer, the duo brings along a team of ghost hunters, including a celebrity psychic, a local historian, and a newspaper reporter. Together, they set out to discover what really happened at the house on Widows Hill. When things turn deadly, Ishmael realizes he must solve the mystery behind the house if the others plan to survive the night.

This is the ninth book in the Ishmael Jones series but my first introduction to author Simon R. Green. Had I known this was a series of standalone stories, I would have read them in order before agreeing to review this book, as that's always preferred by the author. Still, this particular story stands on its own and can be read before reading the first eight books. (But I still don't recommend this method. Books are always better in order!)

I'm partial to haunted house tropes, so I really enjoyed the story and the unusual twist ending. Intricately plotted with a cast of well-developed characters, I was eager to reveal the killer's identity and tore through this in one sitting. I recommend it to anyone interested in "lighter" horror fiction.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. This is my honest, unbiased review.

This is book 9 in a series that involves an 'other worldly' investigator, Ishmael and his partner, Penny. All of the books can be read independently, although, I'd strongly recommend reading the series as the characters and their relationship changes and grows within each book and storyline.

This is a really good read. Ishmael and Penny find themselves being asked to spend the night in a supposedly haunted house, along with some other 'specialists' and all prior to the potential buyer progressing with the purchase of the house. As in previous books, this reads as a lateral thinking puzzle and I found it particularly enjoyable as a pure escape from the challenges of 2020.

All of the characters are well rounded and interesting and I found the storyline romped along. It's an easy read with some twists and turns and I'd recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and Severn House Publishing for the opportunity to preview.

This is the latest installment in the Ishmael Jones books. I loved it! Not only was there a weird twist at the end but the book did the think I love about Simon R Green.

It was scary! Without being horror.

I couldn't put it down, finished it in one day.

Thanks to Severn House for the Advanced Reader Copy.

I did finish this one, and it is quirky, but I didn't really like it much. It fails in genuine tension or suspense. Thanks for the opportunity.

192 pages

4 stars

Ishmael Jones and Penny Belcourt are asked to investigate a “haunted” house. Someone wants to buy it but first they want the rumors investigated. It seems simple enough for neither believes in ghosts and while Penny is more open to the possibility, Ishmael is sure it is all just a story to scare people. The hitch is that they won't be alone. There are four amateur “experts” who will join them. They are a psychic, a ghostbuster, a white witch and a reporter.

As they approach the house and meet their new colleagues, they get a creepy feeling. They enter the house and begin to search it. Arthur, a member of the family who owns the house and a reporter, says that the floors upstairs are rotten and suggests that no one goes up there. So the group stays downstairs. Soon, odd things begin to happen. Terrifying things.

The “psychic” suggests a séance. Someone dies. Ishmael and Penny suspect the person was murdered. It's up to Ishmael and Penny to discover who murdered the person.

This is a delightful haunted house story with an unusual twist – and some surprises! It is well and intelligently written. It reads very quickly and the plotting makes logical sense. This is a great little book and I am so glad I read it. I liked Ishmael and Penny. Although the rest of the “team” was a little odd, they were certainly entertaining. Oddly enough, this is my first Simon R. Green novel, but it won't be my last. I need to learn more about Ishmael and his past.

I want to thank NetGalley and Severn House Publishers for forwarding to me a copy of this very good book for me to read, enjoy and review.