Do you believe in ghosts and haunted houses? What if you didn’t and you were part of a paranormal investigation team? What would it take to convince you that ghosts and haunted houses are real?
David Vaurien, the star of Ghost Search International, a reality show focusing on ghosts and haunted houses, doesn’t believe in ghosts. His disbelief is about to be put to the test. This time, his job is to go to Nouvel Espoir, a plantation outside New Orleans, Louisiana. The Louisiana Historical Society wants Ghost Search International to investigate reports of it being haunted and prove whether or not they are true.
From touching the doorknocker of the house until its final chilling ending, David experiences paranormal events that he didn’t believe were possible. And his discoveries of just who could be haunting this plantation and why causes him to feel sorry for the ghosts and what they went through.
David doesn’t just make discoveries about the possible ghosts in this house, he also makes discoveries about himself and his family.
ghost bride, pixabay
This is a very well-put-together story. I must admit that I am not a believer in ghosts, but this story had me believing in them while I was reading it. No matter how you feel about the characters, it is impossible not to become wrapped up in what is going on in their lives and what they are feeling.
Tony Paul de Vissage writes fantastic vampire tales. Up until now, I had only read his vampire stories. After reading Absinthe Eternal, I can now say the paranormal stories he writes are just as impressive.
The ending, depending on how you look at it, is either comforting or chilling. How did I look at it? It was rather chilling. Is there a moral to this story? Be very careful about promising to help someone in any way you can. It could turn out very badly for you.
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. If you would like to purchase your own copy, I’ve provided an Amazon link below.
Amazon Link: Absinthe Eternal
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Favorite Sentences:
There was more a sense that these people walking through it were merely unexpected guests left to their own devices because the owners had stepped out, as if the house merely tolerated them.
I spoke aloud, one of my defenses against latent creepiness.
Amazing how what one era dictates as acceptable another declares anathema.
The shadows seemed to close in, branches grasping at my clothing like greedy fingers.
My teeth gnashed against each other so violently I was certain I chipped one.
New Words Learned:
antebellum – before or existing before a war, especially the American Civil War; prewar
chifferobe, wikipedia
cheval glass – a full-length mirror mounted so that it can be tilted in a frame
chifferobe – a piece of furniture having both drawers and space for hanging clothes
credenza – a sideboard or buffet, especially one without legs
disabuse – to free (a person) from deception or error
festoon – a string or chain of flowers, foliage, ribbon, etc., suspended in a curve between two points
obeah – a form of belief involving sorcery, practiced in parts of the West Indies, South America, the southern U.S., and Africa
panniered gown – Have you ever seen a 17th- or 18th-century gown where the sides stick out so much that you wonder how the one wearing it could fit through a door? What makes the sides of an otherwise nice-looking gown stick out like that? Panniers, or side hoops, extend the width of the sides of the gown while leaving the front and back flat.
vicomte – a French viscount
About the Author:
A writer of French Huguenot extraction, Tony-Paul de Vissage’s first movie memory is of being six years old, viewing the old Universal horror flick, Dracula’s Daughter on television, and being scared sleepless–and that may explain a lifelong interest in vampires.
This was further inspired when the author was kidnapped by a band of transplanted Romanian vampires sightseeing in the South. Having never seen a human who wasn’t frightened of them, they offered to pay the youngster’s way through college if he would become an author and write about vampires in a positive manner. He agreed, was returned to his parents (who were also grateful for the tuition offer since it let them off the hook) and continued to keep in touch with his supernatural mentors.
Though the author didn’t begin writing horror–or any other genre–until after graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from a well-known Southern University (and a second in Graphic Art), that one particular interest—and the promise made to his mentors—survived a liberal arts’ education and the scorn of friends and family. Marriage, parenthood, divorce, and a variety of occupations ranging from stage work to doctor’s assistant took precedent over writing for several years, as did moving from one United States coast to another.
Eventually that first story—a short story about the hapless vampire Clan Andriescu—was published. A voracious reader whose personal library has been shipped more than 3,000 miles, Tony-Paul has read hundreds of vampire tales and viewed more than as many movies.
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