*I received a free copy of Darkhouse from Tantor Media via Tantor Media. This has in no way influenced my voluntary review, which is honest and unbiased *
Darkhouse by Karina Halle Narrator: Jo Raylan
Series: Experiment in Terror #1
Published by Tantor Media on April 18, 2017
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Fantasy, Paranormal
Length: 7 hours, 56 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Tantor Media
Take all the suspense and sexual tension of The X-Files, combine it with the charm and antics of Supernatural, and you get Darkhouse. Well, not quite. Dex and Perry might have the chemistry of Mulder and Scully and the scares of the Winchester Brothers, but I promise you this duo is unlike anything you've seen before. When twenty-three-year-old Perry Palomino explores a supposedly haunted lighthouse, she runs into Youtuber Dex Foray, a sexy, snarky and opportunistic ghost hunter who doesn't quite believe in ghosts. What Dex does believe in is making money and in Perry he sees a viable opportunity: create a ghost-hunting show on YouTube that would rival anything you'd see on TV and watch the dollars roll in. But creating and filming a ghost-hunting show isn't easy when there are actual ghosts haunting them-and then some. Sometimes terrifying, often hilarious, Darkhouse is the first book in the Experiment in Terror series.
Darkhouse has been hanging around gathering dust for awhile. When my younger daughter gave it a listen, loved it, and promptly blew through the first 3 books in the Experiment in Terror series, I decided it was time I give it a listen!
Highlights:
- Characters
Perry seems like your typical 20-something, working at a job she doesn’t enjoy while trying to figure out where her life goes from here. She’s had an interesting life thus far – KHalle doles out facts throughout such as drug-use, mental health issues, weight issues – all of which have impacted who Perry is right now. Oh, and the most interesting trait of Perry’s? She can see and talk to ghosts. Dex…well, he’s an enigma. And I don’t think I’m meant to figure him out just yet. After a chance meeting with Perry – at a haunted lighthouse – he’s suddenly proposing the two of them work together on a ghost-hunter type show. See, Dex apparently can see and talk to ghosts too. But other than that, I can’t really figure him out. There’s chemistry between him and Perry but it reamins to be seen what kind of chemistry they have.
Not only were Perry and Dex compellingly written but I also quite enjoyed how well KHalle fleshed out the secondary cast – especially Ada, Perry’s teenage sister. - Plot
Well, the plot is mostly ghost hunting, right? But this odd lady keeps appearing to both Perry and Dex and she seems to be some sort of guide for them. For example, she told them both about meeting the other and gave advice. She also said they were just beginning. I’m intrigued to say the least, for reasons not the least of which being Perry’s courage in the face of things that would have me running in the opposite direction. Dex would be included in that list of things I’d run from. 😉 - Narration
Jo Raylan did an excellent job with voicing the different characters as well as conveying the eerie and creepy nature of a lot of the story. She had me holding my breath in suspense.
Darkhouse was just the tip of the ice berg for Perry and Dex and KHalles delivers a suspenseful story with creepy, atmospheric details, as well as engaging characters. I’m still grasping at straws trying to figure out the hows and whys. I suppose I’ll just have to continue the series to get my answers.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
About Brandee @ (un)Conventional Bookworms
Brandee is a mom of 3 and a soon-to-be empty nester. She is also an avid reader, a genre omnivore, and a compulsive one-clicker - but she's in recovery. Besides being a reader, she's also a writer and hopes to divide the vast quantities of spare time she'll soon have between reading and finally publishing her first book.
Wonderful review. I will say this one sounds really good, but I am not a fan of the books that leave your head spinning. It is always nice to read a series that takes several books to finish a story, but I tend to have to make sure I can bing read them all before I start that kind 🙂
Thank you. It was a good listen and it seems as though each book will contain it’s own story with the series having an over-arching plot. Anyway, I’m so happy I finally gave it a try. I’m eager to continue! 🙂
Twitter: Mollykatie112
This series gets even better as you go. One of my favorites of all series. I absolutely loved Dex-he just gets better as you go. It gets to be a very adult read as you go too. Ada does get a book at the end. I reviewed it on Rabid Reads. I hope you get to continue these!
Gah! Now you have me even more eager to get to listening to these, Lorna! I do love Dex but wonder if he continues to be a sort of unreliable. You say it gets to be very adult – does that mean Berk shouldn’t read to the end? Haha! She’s 18 so I guess I can’t really censor her reads, now can I? 🙂 I do plan to continue as soon as I can!
Gahh I dont do too well with the horror but this one sounds so good. Great review!
I think you’d like this one, Teresa. It’s horror along the lines of Mara Dyer. 😉
This book has been on my kindle since it was released, I think, wifey! I really, really need to pick it up!! It sounds fantastic 🙂
Darkhouse reviews is how I heard about KHalle and I always meant to read the series since it’s how she started. But I got busy 😉 and read later works from her – as have you. 🙂 This first book in the series was impressive though. However, I don’t think I’d have gone ahead and given it a listen had Berk not blown through the first 3!
It seems very interesting as you review it. Good review. I will look forward to learning more as you go along. Anne – Books of My Heart
Thanks, Anne. It was gripping and well written. I’m excited to listen to the next installment. 🙂
I picked up this series on audio because I’m a BIG fan of Jo Raylan. I hope they continue the series on audio soonish.
I’m eager to continue, Jennifer. I can’t believe it took me so long to dive into this series!
Twitter: Mollykatie112
Yeah, I doubt you could stop her at that age. I think I was reading adult stuff at maybe 14 or so. Of course, my mom didn’t know that! As far as the characters, both of them are so complex and so not perfect people and I still loved them. And there is a cheating angle too. I hate to even mention that since I rooted for them and wanted the other person to go away! Hope you enjoy the next one. The third one scared me so bad!
Oh yeah. She’s a fun author. Always such interesting characters. I definitely need to get caught up with her books and will check out that narrator!
I’ve read/listened to quite a few from her but it’s kinda fun to go back to where she started. 😉