A Fun-Filled, Spooky Tale for Children and Adults By Maihri Patrick
‘Ruskington Manor Conjured Chaos’ by Maihri Patrick is a ghost story with a sense of humour and a playful eye.
The slightly-less-than-fully-functioning Bellamy family are living out their everyday lives with the usual teenage sibling dramas when they get the news that they have inherited the grand old Ruskington Manor due to the demise of Great Aunt Iris. They decide to pack up their old life and pursue a new one in this old but decadent red brick mansion. However, the Manor already has some residents of its own and they are not too pleased about this new family, thus the scene is set for some spooky shenanigans. Ghostly goings on involving chocolate mousse and fire irons ensue, and they become more and more ghoulish as the story unfolds.
There is a touch of humour throughout this novel that lightens the mood, and the interactions between the Bellamy’s feel familiar as a family in flux. I was a bit confused at times as to what the ghosts could/couldn’t do, and how the two worlds were connected, but if you don’t worry about that too much and just enjoy the story then it ticks along at a good pace. It has some lovely descriptions of the scenery and a nice dollop of Christmas cheer too.
Overall, this is a quick easy read that has some enjoyable moments and doesn’t take itself too seriously in a good way. Spooky but fun, you’ll read it in no time!
(Review By Rob Stevens)
Ruskington Manor: Conjured Chaos is available for purchase at https://amzn.to/41G93KO
