Haunted Ground

'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 'Deftly interwoven!Hart captures beautifully the cadence and rhythms of Irish speech' -- SHERLOCK 20021230 '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 'A fascinating mix of archaeology, forensics and local folklore' -- New Woman 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 'Thrilling tale that will keep you gripped through the shocking finale.' Good Book Guide on HAUNTED GROUND 20030601 'A gripping thriller' -- Sydney Telegraph 20030601

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 ...