Haunted Ground - Hardcover

'Refreshing in it's vital excitement, and being so wonderfully researched, reality merges from every page. This is a great new writer with the talent to tell a story with interest and commitment' -- Bangor Chronicle '...an utterly beguiling mix of village mystery, Gothic suspense, and psychological thriller. ...Hart breathes life into local history the way Graham Swift did in Waterland; reinvents the Du Maurier formula for Gothic suspense; and brings new texture and psychological acuity to the usual suspects from the generic viallage mystery. In every way, this is a debut to remember.' -- Brett Ott, Booklist 'Spooky and compelling.' -- Kirkus Reviews 20021230 'A fascinating book...she's certainly a talented writer. She does a wonderful job of creating a sense of atmosphere and menace.' -- Meg Gardiner 20021230 This is a beautiful book. The seetings are perfect: sweetly sinister and intensely atmospheric. I was engrossed from the very start. The writing is rich, the pace excellent, and the story such a curious tangle of bits and pieces that you can't help getting caught up in it. And this makes it all the more satisfying when everything is eventually laid out at the end. This is Hart's first novel. Her love of Ireland...shows in her writing - it is as unmissable as obviously her potent ability as a writer. This is a book to read and an author to watch." -- Luke Richardson, Crime File. 20030307 'Deftly interwoven...Hart captures beautifully the cadence and rhythms of Irish speech' -- SHERLOCK MAGAZINE 20030307 'The characters and settings believable!The use of language and descriptions were at times moving and evocative. Erin Hart is described as a 'new talent', and one I can certainly recommend.' -- York Evening Press 20030307 'This effective thriller lives up to the promise of its opening pages and leads the reader on a well researched journey through Irish history and culture and the lives of a cast of intelligently drawn characters' -- New Books Magazine 20030901 'A fascinating mix of archaeology, forensics and local folklore' -- New Woman 20030601 'Erin Hart spins a dark tale of gothic suspense fused with modern forensics. This bright new talent lays bare all the buried bones, in a murderous tale of intrigue and betrayal.' -- Linda Fairstein, author of The Bone Vault 20030601 'Classic crime' -- Livewire 20030601 'Haunted Ground is an intricate crime novel from a gifted first time author. Erin Hart has interwoven a gripping suspense tale with historical detail, archaeology and forensic science to create this altogether different and incredibly transfixing debut novel' -- The Irish World 20030601 'Hart writes with a lovely eloquence' -- New York Times 20030601 "A rich and compelling narrative which tranfixes you from start to finish." -- Lancashire Evening Post 20030531 'A gripping thriller' -- Sydney Telegraph 20030531 "A dazzling crime novel from a gifted first-time author...Haunted Ground combines the rich atmosphere of Elizabeth George's writing with the detailedand nuanced psychological characterisations of P.D. Jmes's best works...All whilst weaving a rich and compelling narrative." -- Amazon 20030306 "This is Hart's first novel. Her love of Ireland..is as unmissable as obviously her potent ability as a writer. This is a book to read and an author to watch." -- Luke Richardson, Crime File. 20030307 'Haunted Ground is an absorbing read, packed with interesting, and evidently well-researched detail.' -- Irish Post 20030307 "...Haunted Ground, a gripping thriller of melodic language that blends the stories of two lost young women with a love story." -- Sarah Caden, Irish Independent 20030720 "Hart intertwines her narrative with the darkness of history and the more modern traits of the new freedoms to construct an old-fashioned, though engrossing story." -- Michael Painter, Irish Times 20030808 "An exciting story, which looks at Ireland's turbulent past." -- Books Magazine 20030307 "...it is as satisfying as a dozen oysters and a reverently poured glass of the black stuff." -- Books Magazine 20030307 'Moving and evocative. Erin Hart is described as a 'new talent', and one I can certainly recommend.' -- York Evening Press 20030307 'Thrilling tale that will keep you gripped through the shocking finale.' Good Book Guide on HAUNTED GROUND 20040101 "This is a beautiful book. The settings are perfect: sweetly sinister and intensely atmospheric. I was engrossed from the very start. The writing is rich, the pace excellent..." -- Luke Richardson, Crime File. 20030307

When a red-haired girl's severed head is found in an ancient bog in southeast Galway, it may be an historical relic or the answer to a local mystery. As archaeologist Cormac Maguire and pathologist Nora Gavin investigate, they reawaken an interest in the missing Mina Osborne, who vanished - with her young son - two years ago. Why are the Osbornes of Bracklyn House so secretive? How are the strange lights in the old tower and the curious thefts from the local church connected to these riddles? Somewhere there is a killer, who wants the dead to stay buried and the missing to remain undiscovered. And as Cormac and Nora get closer to the truth, answers from the past are leading to a murder in the future...