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    The Guests on South Battery
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    The Guests on South Battery
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    The Guests on South Battery
    Audiobook13 hours

    The Guests on South Battery

    Written by Karen White

    Narrated by Aimee Bruneau

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    New York Times bestselling author Karen White invites you to explore the brick-walked streets of Charleston, where historic mansions house the memories of years gone by, and restless spirits refuse to fade away...

    With her extended maternity leave at it's end, Melanie Trenholm is less than thrilled to leave her new husband and beautiful twins to return to work, especially when she's awoken by a phone call with no voice on the other end - and the uneasy feeling that the ghostly apparitions that have stayed silent for over a year are about to invade her life once more.

    But her return to the realty office goes better than she could have hoped, with a new client eager to sell the home she recently inherited on South Battery. Most would treasure living in one of the grandest old homes in the famous historic district of Charleston, but Jayne Smith would rather sell it as soon as possible, guaranteeing Melanie a quick commission.

    Despite her stroke of luck, Melanie can't deny that spirits - both malevolent and benign - have started to appear to her again. One is shrouded from sight, appearing whenever Jayne is near. Another arrives when an old cistern is discovered in her backyard on Tradd Street.

    Melanie knows nothing good can come from unearthing the past. But some secrets refuse to stay buried...

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books Audio
    Release dateJan 10, 2017
    ISBN9781501938528
    Unavailable
    The Guests on South Battery
    Author

    Karen White

    Karen White is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of twenty-five novels, including Dreams of Falling and The Night the Lights Went Out. She has two grown children and currently lives near Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband and two spoiled Havanese dogs.

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    Reviews for The Guests on South Battery

    4/5

    95 ratings13 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Each one of these stories, in this series, is excellent and could conceivably be read as a stand-alone. That said, I enjoy the character's growth. The story was suspenseful and fun at the same time.
    • 4/5
      Overall, I liked the book, but I found the character of Melanie a bit pathetic...not wearing glasses was ridiculous...as were her repeated second guessing herself.
    • 5/5
      Loved loved this book a must read series I’ll add to my favorite books ever!
    • 2/5
      Do you believe in the spirits and supernatural? If not, The Guests on South Battery would not interest you. Melanie Middleton Trenholm, her mother, her daughter, and her half sister all possess the ability to hear and/or see the spirits of the deceased. Melanie assists the police department in solving cases that involve the spirit world. The story centers on an old Charleston house that contains two spirits. A stranger inherits the house, but no one knows why Jayne Smith has been chosen as the heir. Melanie seems a weak character. She does not wear glasses that she needs, she suspects her husband of infidelity, and feels inferior to her glamorous mother. When will Melanie gain her strength and courage? I did not find the story interesting.
    • 4/5
      Everything is finally going smoothly for Melanie Trenholm. She's married to Jack; their twin babies are beautiful; she loves her stepdaughter, Nola; she's finally headed back to work as a real estate agent, work she loves.

      There is the small issue of getting phone calls from an unknown number, at odd hours, with no one there. She has some suspicion that these calls are, like the ones from her grandmother, from someone who has died.

      Then a hole opens up in her back yard, and the contractor who has been doing the restoration on the historic home she inherited says there's a cistern down there. She can't just have it filled in. There might be historically significant artifacts, and her friend, Sophie Wallen-Arasi, a professor of Historic Preservation at the College of Charleston, will not let her hear the end of it if she just buries them again.

      Even more unsettling to her future peace of mind, though it doesn't seem so initially, a new client arrives in her office at the very start of her first day back to work at the end of her extended maternity leave. Jayne Smith looks oddly familiar, but says she just has one of "those faces," so that people often think they must have meet her before. She's an orphan from Birmingham, who grew up in foster homes and has no clue who her parents were--but she's just inherited a house in Charleston. And not just any house; it was the home of Caroline Pinckney, a wealthy and historic family. The house is also historic--and Jayne wants no part of owning an historic house. She wants to sell it as soon as possible, and buy a modern condo.

      Melanie basically agrees. She's reconciled to her own historic home--now that the ghosts she and her mother, but not most of their friends and family, can see and hear, have been laid to rest. She hopes there are no ghosts to deal with in the house on South Battery.

      But there are. And those ghosts are hiding a terrible secret.

      This is a complicated tale of hidden relationships and characters growing and revealing themselves. We learn fairly quickly that Melanie has more than a touch of obsessive-compulsive disorder, as well as being very insecure; the reasons behind this unfold more slowly. Her relationships with her parents are still rebuilding after a long separation, and much as she and Jack love each other, she's still not really secure in that relationship. Her cousin Rebecca is a special kind of torture.

      And all this is before we know anything about the Pinckney family, and the secrets Melanie's mother Ginette hasn't told her. Or what the ghosts are hiding.

      The characters here were satisfying and likable, though some readers may find Melanie's OCD and insecurity annoying, and the plot definitely kept me involved. This is apparently the fifth in an ongoing series, and this was clear as I was reading it, but I didn't find it an obstacle to understanding what was going on. There's enough background included to support the current story, but not enough to distract.

      Recommended for a low-key, comfortable read.

      I received a free electronic galley from the publisher via NetGalley, and reviewed it voluntarily.
    • 3/5
      Melanie Trenholm reluctantly ends her extended maternity leave in the fifth novel in the Tradd Street series returning to her job as a Charleston real estate agent. Although temporary babysitting arrangements of the twins have been parceled out among Jack, her stay-at-home writer husband, and the grandmothers, a nanny needs to be recruited. As luck would have it, her first client upon return is Jayne Smith, a professional nanny recently relocated from Alabama. She moved when she became the benefactor of an old home on South Battery from Button Pinckney, a woman who Jayne never met nor knew. Enough money remained in the will to renovate the home, which Jayne hopes to do do in order to purchase a more modern home in Charleston. Although Jayne is hired as the twin's nanny, the presence of the mysterious and attractive young woman is disconcerting to the recently married and insecure Melanie. As in the previous novels, the story isn't without ghostly visitors whose presence interfere with the renovation.One can tell that Karen White loves Charleston in her precise and loving descriptions of this Southern city. This novel ends with a cliff hanger letting the reader know that there will be a sixth novel in the future. I can't wait!
    • 5/5
      5 star for the #5 in The Tradd Street Series! Karen White just can't leave without having us hang for another year in suspense waiting for #6, that's what a good author does. You won't be disappointed with this book, she changes the plot around, makes more questions develop throughout the whole book, gives you a little love, a little taste of Charleston, and a bit of ghostly scare too. I love all her writings but this series has been my favorite. Please write more and quickly.
    • 5/5
      A young woman is left a home in Charleston by someone she does not know. That is the mystery that must be revealed. What was the relationship between these two strangers? Add an OCD realtor and some unhappy ghosts set in a city known for its ghost tours and you have a fine story. My thanks to the author and the Penguin First to Read program for a complimentary copy.
    • 3/5
      I do not typically read books out of sequence, but I picked this one out not realizing that it was part of an on-going series of suspense novels. Melanie Trenholm is a reluctantly gifted psychic who is also a real estate agent. When orphan Jayne Smith comes to Charleston to sell the home of Button Pinckney who left her the house without an explanation why, the paranormal activity goes off the radar. Melanie, despite other desires, is thrust into the middle of the activity along with her mother, Ginette. Jack, Melanie's husband and author, starts researching the history of the house along with Melanie's best friend, Sophie. Little by little the story of Hasell, Anna and Sumtner Pinckney comes to light. But will the answers come before the vengeful spirits hurt someone?Engaging, but there was a subplot that was left completely open, I assume setting the reader up for the next novel. In short, the novel went too long and could've been told in less words. Would I read another one? Maybe.
    • 4/5
      Melanie is about to go back to work after having twins. Her first customer of the day completely messes with her life for many days to come. Jayne Smith is a true gift to Melanie. She becomes her nanny plus, she adds many spirits to Melanie’s already loaded spirit world. This is your standard Karen White Tradd series read…nothing new..ghosts, historical mystery and great houses, which all meld into a great story!! Melanie is a superb character with a ghostly house, wonderful family and a hot, sexy husband! See, Melanie has a strange talent. She can see spirits. This is one of the magical parts of Karen White’s tales I absolutely adore. I love the spirits. They always have a mystery and an attitude of their own. Great entertainment! I love how history is woven throughout this story all of her Tradd Street novels. With the houses and the great town of Charleston, what could be a better setting for a historical ghost tale. Karen White always has really good reads! She has amazing and relatable characters and her animals are so freaking adorable. You just cannot help but fall in love with her books. This one is no exception. However, I am ready for her to try something new. I need a different location and different characters. But if you find something that works….leave it alone! I received this novel from Netgalley for a honest review.
    • 3/5
      The Guests on South Battery by Karen White is the fifth book in the Tradd Street series. Melanie Middleton Trenholm is returning to work in Charleston, South Carolina after being away a year on extended maternity leave. Melanie gave birth to twins, J.J. and Sarah. Melanie arrives at Henderson House Reality to find a client waiting in her office. Jayne Smith has inherited the Pinckney house on South Battery and is eager to sell it. Jayne has a dislike of old homes (they make her uncomfortable). Jayne has no clue as to why Button Pinckney left her the house. Melanie has sixth sense that she inherited from her mother’s side of her family. Spirits (or ghosts) have left her alone for the last year, but now they are making a reappearance. Melanie agrees to sell Jayne’s home and gets the bonus of having Jayne as her nanny. Upon entering the Pinckney home, Melanie discovers there are restless spirits in the home. One of them is strong and can shroud its presence from Melanie. Melanie is going to need the help of her mother, Ginette Prioleau Middleton. Between the two of them, they hope to move these spirits on (get them out of the house). Will they be able to settle these restless spirits? Why did Button leave her home to Jayne?The Guests on South Battery is nicely written. It is a combination of women’s fiction, mystery, and paranormal. While it is part of a series, The Guests on South Battery can be read alone. The author gives the readers the needed information on the characters and happenings from the other novels are mentioned throughout the book. I give The Guests on South Battery 3 out of 5 stars. I was hoping for more of the paranormal element in the book. I did not find it compelling and it was predictable. The mysteries can be solved long before the results are revealed. I had a hard time liking the characters especially Melanie. Melanie has many issues. The main one is her OCD (she should really see a therapist and get some medication). Melanie believes that the twins should be kept on a timetable (she has a spreadsheet), and she has labeled everything in their room (this is just the start). Melanie seems to suffer from “Scarlet O’Hara” syndrome (ignore things or think about them tomorrow). Melanie’s pre-pregnancy clothes do not fit her and she finds the oddest explanations (strange fumes in her closet, the dry cleaner shrunk them). I believe it is supposed to be funny, but it comes across as just odd (like a comedian who tells a joke and does not get laughter). I did not understand Melanie’s attitude towards her gift (she seems to resent it). This seems to be a recurring theme in paranormal novels lately. I found some information repeated frequently throughout the novel (an example is how Jack’s daughter loaned the pair money for the house). I thought there was a little too much going on in the book. I only summarized the main events of this novel. I just felt that the novel needed a little rewriting and editing.
    • 5/5
      Review of “The Guests on South Battery” by Karen WhiteI would like to thank Berkley (Penguin Random House) and Goodreads for winning an advanced reading edition of “The Guests on South Battery” by author Karen White. I would like to thank Karen White as well. I enjoy reading novels from Karen White, and this is the first book in this series I have read. I have enjoyed this novel and not only would recommend it, but look forward to reading the other books in this series. I enjoyed the quirky and charismatic characters, and the historical descriptions of old estates, homes, and antiques in Charleston. The genres of this novel are fiction, mystery, romance and paranormal. Melanie Trenholm and her family seem to have spiritual connections in one way or another with ghosts. Melanie is ending her maternity leave, and leaving her husband Jack with the twins, as she returns to work. Something unusual has been found in their yard where the ground seems to be sinking. As this matter is attended to, Melanie has an uneasy feeling,which is one of many. Melanie has obsessive compulsive tendencies and it has been difficult to hold on to a nanny. Jack and Melanie need a nanny.Melanie is a real estate agent and when she gets to the office there is a client waiting for her. Jane has inherited a historical old home and wants Melanie to sell it. Jane is also a nanny, and looking for work.The historical home is in need of major reconstruction and Melanie can feel spirits or ghosts in this house. Jane becomes the nanny and is waiting for the house to be refurbished so she can sell it. There seem to be some powerful paranormal activity going on. Why is there such unusual activity? This becomes an intriguing mystery with twists and turns. The author also writes about family, love, friendship, trust and forgiveness.
    • 4/5
      3.5 starsThe Tradd Street series is always fun to read. Charleston is one of my favorites places to visit, and Karen White does a wonderful job incorporating the beautiful old homes there into her novels in this series. While the plots are very entertaining, the setting is what I enjoy reading about the most – details about the architecture, the history, the hidden passages, the moldings, and the other fixtures found in historic homes. As the series progresses, Melanie’s character continues to mature although she struggles significantly in this novel. Series appeal to me because seeing the characters develop from novel to novel is an added benefit and that holds true here The one section of the story that didn’t not ring true to me was the relationship between Jack and Jayne. Thanks to Berkley Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.