Book Review and Spotlight: The After House

Title/Author: The After House / Michael Phillip Cash
Genre: Fiction / Paranormal / Romance
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Date of publish: September 2014
Pages: 212

Awards for The After House:
· The 2015 Independent Author Network (IAN) Book of the Year Awards Finalist
· Foreword Review Indie Fab Finalist for Thriller/Suspense 2014
· Indie Excellence Finalist 2016 – Suspense

Remy Galway and her daughter Olivia are rebuilding their life after a failed marriage in a 300 year old cottage in historic Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island. Little do they know, another occupant is lurking in the haven of their own home. Will the After House be their shelter or their tomb?

“Cash delivers another emotionally rich haunted-house tale, filled with tantalizing history and Long Island color…the story is often quite funny…the supernatural and romantic elements seesaw back and forth nicely, and the historical scenes enliven both aspects…A charming, uplifting paranormal romance.” – Kirkus Review

“The author has a captivating writing style that grabs the most pertinent details for use in painting a scene…he uses a clear, crisp voice that is easy to read…The After House is an enjoyable story that draws equally from a rich sense of history and the author’s ability to create engaging, lifelike characters. It is recommended for anyone interested in a re imagining of the classic haunted house.” – Eric Anderson Foreword Reviews

“With the same deft eye for description and setting that supported Stillwell so nicely, Cash constructs the perfect environment… There is the same sense of gentleness in the world that encompasses both humans and ghosts, the same sense that ultimately all can go well…solid, entertaining reads.” –Michael Collings- Collingnotes

“There aren’t too many modern day writers who are as articulate and thorough as Michael Phillip Cash …Written in an authentic style, every piece of vivid detail brings the story to life…will leave the reader engaged until the end.” – The Lemon Bee Book and Blog

When I was the age of the young girl in this book, one of my favorite syndicated tv shows was The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. Edward Mulhair portrayed the ghost of a salty sea captain haunting a hundred year old cape home shared by a widow and her children. It was loads of fun with a touch of impossible romance. Reading the description of this book, took me back to my childhood and I couldn’t wait to jump into it.

Despite the superficial resemblance to my childhood favorite this was a unique and enjoyable take on a ghost story.

Remy Galway plans to buy the old long island home as a sign of her Independence after a long recovery from her bitter divorce. With her parents support she has slowly rebuilt her life and opened her own business. Now she is ready for her and her daughter to stand on their own. What she doesn’t know is that her home is haunted by a crusty whaling captain who is not amused by two females moving into his house, changing things. It doesn’t help that Olivia seems to be able to see him and isn’t at all frightened. His childish attempts to get them to leave is lost in the mystery of bad luck seemingly following Remy. Her home and business are vandalized and her car is run off the road. She doesn’t see any connection, however she can’t shake the feeling that someone is watching her and when she begins to receive phone calls that don’t show up on her cell phone history she begins to doubt herself. Luckily Hugh, a friend of her mother’s, is there to help see her through the trouble.

This is the second book written by Mr. Cash that I have read and I continue to appreciate his writing style. His characters are larger than life and his story is exceptional. The historical aspect of the tale fit together beautifully with the modern day story. While this story focuses on Remy and her new found life, it is really about Captain Eli. I loved how Hugh, in his role as curator of the local maritime museum, holds the key that may give the Captain a chance to finish his tale.

I would appreciate longer books from this author, but I can honestly say this book was exactly as long as it needed to be and there were no loose ends or rushed storylines.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest written review.

Born and raised on Long Island, Michael has always had a fascination with horror writing and found footage films. He wanted to incorporate both with his debut novel, Brood X. Earning a degree in English and an MBA, he has worked various jobs before settling into being a full-time author. He currently resides on Long Island with his wife and children.