Sometimes, you can’t beat a good old ‘who dun it’, and that – for me – was what The Winter Guest was, with a somewhat unusual backdrop of the Troubles and a slightly spooky twist. Both of these made it more interesting and added depth to an otherwise simple story.

That doesn’t mean the story itself was a bad one. It wasn’t. It had all the ingredients I look for in this type of book. There were plenty of potential suspects and plenty of red herrings to throw the reader of the scent. While I had an inkling who the killer might be, I was never 100% certain.

I really liked Tom and I thought most of the other characters were well drawn (although I couldn’t quite figure out why some of them seemed to dislike Harkin so much, which was a bit frustrating – maybe I missed something or am just showing my ignorance of what life would have been like in Ireland at the start of the Troubles?).

Other than that, though – and the fact that with the ghostly element, this feels like a book I should have been reading closer to Halloween – I really enjoyed The Winter Guest. A recommended read and 4/5 stars.

The Winter Guest is one of the most atmospheric books I have read in a long time. The writing style is crisp, the pacing steady as the tension builds. You just can't wait to find out who killed Maud. Set in the 1920's, this book has hints of the opulence that was once enjoyed by wealthy families, before the First World War tore everything apart and the Troubles began. It deals with dark issues such as the aftermath of battle, PTSD, political civil unrest, the IRA and class wars. Throw in a couple of ghostly encounters and you have a book that is not for the faint-hearted, but one that will keep you up turning the pages late into the dark, winter's night. I enjoyed this one very much. Thank you to the publisher for sending it to me.

With the gothic book House of Ghosts being one of my favourite reads in 2019 I have been looking forward to getting my hands on The Winter Guest. Set in Ireland in 1921 after the Great War, Tom Harkin is sent to Kilcolgan House to investigate the murder of his former fiancé Maud Prendeville. Using his cover as an employee of the insurance company that holds the life insurance policy on Maud he has to confront both his past and the problems that are all to prevalent between the IRA and the Auxiliaries.
Tom Harkin is a character that is literally haunted by ghosts from his past. Clearly suffering from events during the war he has moments where he kind of blacks out and sees people that he knows are no longer alive. He is not really well received by the people of the area who are dealing with troubles of their own and resent an outsider digging into what they believe was a case of wrong place, wrong time and that Maud was a victim of an ambush that did not quite go to plan. With the family themselves hiding secrets and Major Abercrombie both a suspect and the leader of the Auxiliaries determined to get rid of him one way or another even Harkin has to wonder if it is all worth it and should he just go along with the official line. It is only when other people with connections with the family and the ambush are killed that he hardens his resolve to get to the bottom of it no matter what the cost to himself.
This book is so much more than a ghostly murder mystery. The setting of post war Ireland highlights the issues that faced so many as they fought once again for what they believed in, using whatever means possible. Even within the Prendeville family you could sense the divided loyalties and saw how people ended up manipulated into actions that could have devastating consequences. The dual worlds they lived in meant that they would always face uncertainty and trusted no one with their secrets. As Harkins investigations came to their conclusion and the reason behind Maud’s death were revealed I was left with a feeling of sadness that so many people had to pay for others acts of selfishness and self-preservation.
Being a lover of history, I found it fascinating being given an insight to a time and situation I really had no clue about and how it affected those who lived it every day. The Winter Guest ticked all the boxes for me with the perfect blend of fiction and history that had me wondering right to the end.

The cover is very stunning and instantly held my attention. The blurb also really appealed to me. I’m really glad I got the opportunity to read this one. Very beautifully written and sucks you in. Highly recommend

" The Winter Guest". I absolutely loved it, I felt like I was there in the background, as an extra, just watching history unfold. Very atmospheric, and amazingly real. More please. If you love history, Ireland and very rich prose and characters, that you will think are actually real life people, then read this book. Enough said….

January 1921, three years after the end of World War I & there is new fighting between the Irish & the British over the British occupation of Ireland. Kilcolgan House, owned by the Prendevillles & once a great house, is now a dilapidated shadow of its former glory. One evening, an ambush carried out by the IRA goes awry, & Maud Prendeville, the eldest daughter of Lord Kilcolgan is killed, however the IRA men who carried out the attack swear she was alive when they left, & indeed a single shot was heard a few minutes after the attack. Maud's former fiance, Tom Harkin (formerly Captain, & now IRA intelligence officer) is sent undercover to investigate at the behest of Maud's uncle, Sir John.

I requested this book as it looked like a spooky ghost story, but although there are spirits in the book, it's more historical fiction than paranormal. It's an engrossing read about a period of history I'm not that familiar with, & it really conveys the horrors of the Great War & how those who fought were affected for years afterwards. It also deals with the Anglo-Irish conflict (1919-1921), the fallout from which lingers even today. I recommend it if you are interested in historical fiction based around military history.

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Bonnier Books UK/Zaffre, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

This is an outstanding book.

Ireland in 1921. The Great War is over, but the killing goes on and Tom Harkin, an IRA intelligence officer and former British Army captain must find the murderer of his one-time fiancee amid the gloom of a decaying Big House and his own memories of battle and loss.

William Ryan excels in describing the setting of his books, but what he does here is evoke the entire atmosphere of place and period; mist, chill, fear, suspicion, decay, a haunting sense of loss. The characters are believable, flawed, some likeable and some deeply unpleasant but all feel 'real'.

And he writes beautifully. From the first page you know you're in the hands of someone who knows his story and knows how to tell it. And how he tells it! Clues are dropped delicately - blink and you might miss them - but he leads us up several garden paths in trying to solve what went on and who the killer is, just as his characters are misled. Twisty, turny, terrifying, this is a haunting book to read on dark winter nights.

it's dark. it's foggy. it's gloomy. and it's absolutely perfect for reading this book.

the winter guest is atmosphere at its finest. set after the troubles in ireland, it is tense and dark and exactly what state you'd find a country healing from a state of war in. so many believe that cease fires and armistices end a conflict but they just stop the physical. the winter guest lies in this unorthodox state of a conflict ended but one that is now within the homes of those returned from war.

i haven't read historical fiction in a little while and after this, i'm so so ready to start read more.

from the tense post-war state to murder mysteries and ghost, this was such a good historical thriller and this will 100% not be my last w.c. ryan book.

The Winter Ghost was an extremely enjoyable read. Set in post First World War Ireland, the book is a dark, haunting tale of murder and mystery, with just the right amount of the supernatural thrown in.

W.C. Ryan has managed to write a standalone book that somehow manages to feel like its brilliant cast of characters are much more familiar. The characters are believable, and importantly for a murder mystery, feel appropriately genuine as well.

The setting of the book during the Troubles of 1920s Ireland works perfectly for the story, adding layers of conflict and political confusion as a backdrop to murder.

All in all a great story that I really enjoyed.

Thanks to Bonnier Books for a review copy.
W. C. Ryan’s ‘A House of Ghosts’ from 2018 was one of my favourite novels of that year (and I still hope for a sequel to that story). This new novel is no relation to the previous book but maintains the excellence of writing which so characterised the earlier work.
The novel is set in Ireland shortly after the end of World War I. A mysterious death occurs and former army Captain Tom Harkin, now a volunteer intelligence officer for the fledgling IRA is sent to investigate. Harkin’s experience of trench warfare has left him mentally and physically scarred and he has to battle his demons as he returns to the West Coast of Ireland to try and get to the truth of the death of his former fiancée. His presence reopens old wounds and forces secrets out into the open, making his task increasingly uncomfortable.
As ever with W. C. Ryan’s writing the setting is one of the main stars of the story. The West Coast is brought to life as a land of almost unceasing drizzle and mist in and out of which fade shapes which may or may not be real. I could almost feel the wind and rain as I walked with Harkin in the countryside. The two large country houses which form the backdrop to the tale are separated by hills and cliffs which are painted so well by the writing that I almost felt I could find my way around.
The tale is fairly straightforward and the ‘solution’ to the mystery is well signalled, though the dénouement is quite spectacular. The journey though is the real pleasure of the book and should be savoured and enjoyed at a leisurely pace so that all the Irish mist can seep well into the reader’s consciousness. Unlike the previous novel it is not clear here if the ghosts are real, imagined or perhaps a bit of both.
W. C. Ryan also manages to work into the story the raw and visceral sense of injustice felt by both the local Irish (and predominantly Roman Catholic) community about what they see as the British occupation of their land and the British families (predominantly Anglican) who had lived in Ireland for generations and felt that they had no other home but were still seen as colonists by the locals. When it is pointed out that land had been taken from local owners who were then forced to rent it back, it is little wonder that eventually some turned to violence.
This book is beautifully written, has a straightforward but gripping mystery at its heart and can transport the reader a century into the past where the wind blows off the Atlantic, the mist hides secrets and the ghosts of the past make themselves heard.

Set during the Troubles in Ireland, shortly after the First World War has ended, the Winter Guest follows Tom Harkin as he returns to the home of a family friend, to investigate the recent murder of his ex-fiancee prior to his firm settling the life insurance policy on her life.

While serving to highlight how little I know about the cause or historic events of the Troubles in Ireland, my lack of awareness didn't impede my following (and enjoyment) of the story. Tom's personal battles - a legacy of injury and service during the war - also added an interesting additional element to this historical murder mystery.

Culminating in a happy ending, both in terms of things hopefully looking up for Tom in the future and the villans of the story getting their comeuppance, this is a great novel which will be enjoyed by lovers of crime and history alike.

A very evocative and atmosphere filled novel. I have seen it billed as a ghost story and a crime novel, and while it does have a spectral presence and a vividly haunted house, it is more crime.

I really appreciated the sense of place and time and the details of Irish life during the struggle for independence, the conflict between British rule of law and Republican activity.

A haunting tale, exploring a post-war Ireland where loyalties are divided and we see the tensions growing between those who make it their home.
Captain Tom Harkin, our main character, is sent to investigate the death of an ex-lover, aristocratic Maud Prendeville and a known rebel sympathiser. Sent under the guise of an insurance investigation, Harkin is an IRA intelligence officer who has been tasked with learning the truth behind Maud’s shooting.
After his service, Harkin is clearly affected by PTSD. He arrives at the Prendeville home and, from the outset, we can see this is a community increasingly divided. Many characters have a secret they want to remain hidden and I found myself regularly having to check just who was loyal to which faction as double-crossing seems to abound.
From a historical perspective, this was a fascinating read.
Touted as a ghost story I found myself occasionally wondering what I was missing. There’s reference to a mysterious White Lady, rumoured to be seen before the death of a Prendeville. Harkin himself believes he is being watched over by the ghost of Maud, but the ghostly element was more subtle than I thought. There are hauntings aplenty, of the psychological variety, and this element of the narrative lent a wonderful air of unease to things.
On so many levels this story had me captivated. I want to know more about this period and these concerns, so would appreciate recommendations/suggestions for further reading. Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for granting me access to this before publication.

Having enjoyed, “A House of Ghosts,” by W.C. Ryan, I was keen to read the author’s second novel. “The Winter Guest,” is set in an Ireland where the Troubles are just beginning, loyalties are divided and WWI is still very much in the memory of those in this book, including the main character, Captain Tom Harkin.

This novel opens with an ambush, in which everyone is shot, apart from the Honourable Maud Prendeville. Daughter of the Big House, she has been a hero in the struggle for Irish independence, so those who opened fire, leave her unconscious in the car. However, a single gunshot is then heard, and she is also killed. Tom Harkin was once engaged to Maud, but that was before the trenches. Now he is informed about her death and sent to pose as an insurance investigator to investigate who killed her.

Part ghost story, part historical mystery, this is a well written book, with interesting characters and a well realised setting. The Anglo-Irish aristocracy are under threat, the population unsettled. Danger lurks in the most peaceful, and rural of settings. Ryan paints an excellent portrait of the times and of the way that WWI left men, like Tom Harkin, with personal, as well as political, troubles. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review and I will certainly look out for more books by W.C.Ryan. An excellent novel for long, winter evenings.

The Winter Guest is my first W C Ryan book, but it won't be my last.

The Winter Guest is a little awkward to get into. The first chapter could perhaps be better placed elsewhere or left out altogether, but once past that point, and as the reader meets Harkin, we're quickly drawn into his world. A man suffering from PTSD following the Great War and involving himself in the IRA, is a man on the edge, inhabiting a world filled with suspicion and shadows, where things that seem real, are simply not.

He is a sympathetic character and the reader feels. a great deal of empathy for him.

The landscape he walks into is one bedevilled by atmospheric weather conditions - there is a great deal of attention spent on creating the image of a house on the cusp of ruin, a family in the midst of ruin and the weather conditions prevalent at the coastline. On occasion, it feels a little too much but the lack of electricity, the reliance on candles, ensures that the slightly other-worldly elements can never be forgotten. The flashback descriptions of life in the trenches of the Great War haunt the reader as well as Harkin,

You may have noticed that I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I would put it on a par with last year's The Glass Woman and The Quickening. A haunting story not to be missed.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my review copy.

An atmospheric and well written Murder mystery set in Ireland in 1921 The Winter Guest is a highly enjoyable read and a book that is well written and recommended by this reader.

A very interesting tale to tell and one that is surprising. An unusual time period and setting to choose also, but this make it stand out from the crowd and definitely works. A fascinating start to the book with perfect scene setting and gorgeous prose. This needs your attention though as you could be quick to miss something spooktacular. Delightful.

Heaving With Atmosphere…
This beautifully written mystery come ghostly tale is heaving with atmosphere and populated with superbly drawn characters and a compelling narrative told with much empathy. Haunting and well researched, the sense of place and time is palpable. A perfect Winter read.

Excellently written ghost-crime story. I’ve not read this author before but I enjoyed his writing style, there was effortless characterisation and a gentle humour despite the bloody storyline and body count. The ghosts were almost incidental but added atmosphere and I enjoyed the myth of the White Lady and how she came to cast her spell.

Having read and listened to W C Ryan's previous book The House of Ghosts, I was eager to read this The Winter Guest. It did not disappoint, Ryan's writing style is superlative. His description of characters makes them leap of the page. This is a completely different story set in Ireland during the Civil War in Ireland however the descriptions of first war soldiers are sharp and concise and gives an accurate feel of their suffering. I highly recommend this book and hopefully the audiobook if it is done. I am so grateful for an ARC of the Winter Guest from Netgalley, the publishers and, of course, the author whom I admire highly.