The House on Tradd Street
Written by Karen White
Narrated by Aimee Bruneau
3.5/5
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About this audiobook
Karen White
Karen White is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of twenty-five novels, including Dreams of Falling and The House on Prytania, as well as the Tradd Street mystery series. She currently writes what she refers to as “grit lit”—Southern women’s fiction. She is a graduate of the American School in London and has a BS in management from Tulane University. When not writing, she spends her time reading, singing, and avoiding cooking. 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 House on Tradd Street
324 ratings41 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is the first book I read by author Karen White. I want to now read all of the Tradd Street series. I couldn't put this book down - her style of writing, the intrigue and mystery of family secrets and southern society just pulled me through from page to page. Hours went by as though they were minutes.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5LOVED this! Thanks, Andie!
Easy to read and engrossing ghost story/mystery. - Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5This was a pretty good book. A little ghost story, a little mystery and a little romance. How can you go wrong, right?
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5When Melanie Middleton inherits a historic Tradd Street home from a man she met only once, she has to solve the mystery of the man's mother's disappearance which eerily parallels her own abandonment by her mother. Melanie vehemently denies that she sees ghosts but that doesn't stop her from seeing them.As she begins to restore the home, with the assistance of Jack Trenholm who is a writer in need of a book idea, her best friend Sophie who is a quirky college professor whose specialty is old Charleston homes, and Chad who is one of her clients looking for a house. Trying to solve the mystery of the disappearance of Louisa Vanderhorst leads to another mystery. A Vanderhorst ancestor might have hidden some Confederate diamonds somewhere in the house. Melanie could use the diamonds to help restore the house but a descendant of the man Louisa was supposed to have run off with - Marc Longo - is also on the hunt for the diamonds.Besides ghosts, this book has tangled family relationships. Melanie's father, who turned to alcohol when Melanie's mother left, has been named the trustee of the money left to Melanie to restore the home. Melanie has long since learned that he could not be depended on. Also Melanie's mother has been trying to contact her but Melanie has written her out of her life. This was an excellent and spooky mystery with a great setting and intriguing characters.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I'm only giving this 3 stars because for the first 80 pages I was really considering putting it down and never finishing it. The main character Melanie Middleton was an obnoxious brat and really distracted me from the story itself. It did get better and I enjoyed the rest of the book and the mystery itself. I already had the second book so I'll try that next and hope it starts off better.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Entertaining enough for a bit of fluff - which I enjoy, don’t get me wrong - but I found the main character a bit annoying and wished that author researched a bit better. The Mayo Clinic is in Rochester, Minnesota and not Rochester, NY. Google isn’t hard.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I loved hearing about so many of the Charleston places I love, and the book was the perfect combination of mystery, excitement, and suspense!
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5There were a few cringe worthy descriptions that had me rolling my eyes from time to time.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Having recently visited Charleston, as a tourist, it was fun to hear mention of places I had been; and it was easy to visualize the neighbourhood in the story. Karen White wrote this seemlessly, with a blend of humour, mystery, romance and the paranormal. I hope there is a sequel, with more stories involving the main character- who was well-defined as an interesting mix of strong, independent woman combined with vulnerability due to a different childhood. The narrator, Aimee Bruneau, did a stellar job.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Creepy ghost story. A page-turner mystery. The flirtation between the characters was alluring. Good southern fiction. Overall good book and worth reading. Couldn't put the book down and finished reading it in less than one day.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Through a strange series of events, Melanie inherits a large old house from a man with whom her family had had a distant and long ago relationship. The demands of his will were even stranger. Melanie must live there for a year and make improvements before she can even sell it. Melanie has an unusual gift, or maybe a curse: she can see and hear ghosts. She knows her house is haunted by past residents, and that they are restless. She needs to solve the mystery of a woman’s disappearance decades before. She receives some help from an author who is doing research for a new book. There is another man who has a secret interest in the house. It’s an intricate plot, cleverly woven together. The characters are well developed, entertaining and real. You don’t have to believe in ghosts to enjoy this story. The way Melanie interacts with the ghosts is quite acceptable in the confines of the novel. The interaction of the main characters also adds to the interest and enjoyment of the story.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5My mother warned me that this was a bit of a paranormal--definitely NOT my normal read. Fortunately, I came to like it and it wasn't too scary for my taste. (For that, I am thankful. I didn't want a Stephen King level of scary anyway!)
Melanie Middleton (or "Mellie") is a grown woman in her late thirties. But sadly, she's got some issues that really need to be addressed. I feel like I should recommend her to a counselor. An alcoholic father and an absent mother have made her present herself to the world as an "all-business, no-nonsense, rough-tough-and-all-that-stuff realtor who can eat her weight in doughnuts and still look like a model. (Cue the envy.) She's not as tough as she thinks she is. She still needs people...like Jack.
Owning a historic home sounds like a dream for so many of us, but so few are prepared to deal with the expenses that go into restoring AND preserving such a house. When an old man leaves Melanie a house on Tradd Street in his will, her life turns upside down. She's now required to live a full year in the house before she can decide what to do with it: keep it or sell it.
The ghosts living in the house on Tradd Street help give a sinister element to the storyline. Melanie can see them and they can see her. She knows she's seeing them for a reason.
Karen White has surprised me with her ability to write a paranormal book. I'm intrigued enough to consider reading the rest of the series! - Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Great mystery - especially if you love the South! Karen White is an excellent writer and full of humor!"
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5For me this book took a long time to get set up. I came to care about the main character but I felt like so many of the characters were caricatures. Plus, although I didn't totally solve the mystery, I had a good idea where it was going. I wanted to be surprised!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The House on Tradd Street is made up of a number of just decent parts--just decent writing (not every description needs a simile, honest), just decent plotting (the characters themselves seemed to get a few minor details of their situation wrong in the last third), and a just decent mystery (your suspicions in the first third will almost certainly be very nearly the case in the end). But somehow those just decent parts add up to something leaving decent behind and heading for pretty good. I wanted to know what would happen (even though I had a pretty good notion of the mystery's solution), and I enjoyed spending time with main characters Melanie and Jack and in the setting of Charleston. Melanie's ability to see ghosts (and its resulting occasional spookiness) is also handled pretty well. I'll read the next one, and here's hoping the attention to writing and those wee plot holes get better rather than worse.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The House on Tradd Street by Karen White is a 2008 NAL publication. This year I have made some changes to my reading habits by cutting back on review copies, which can introduce me to new authors and genres, but can also cause me to miss out on some really good books, too. Karen White is one of those authors that I have been missing out on and so I decided to get with the program and check out a few of her novels. This book is the first in a four book series, set in Charleston, South Carolina. Melanie is an obsessive compulsive, but very successful real estate agent, hoping to land the listing for an old, storied home in the area. But, when Melanie meets with the current owner, she feels a connection to the old man whose mother abandoned him as a child, like her mother abandoned her. But, the man believes his mother loved him and the house, which makes throws doubt on the rumors that she left her husband and child for another man. While visiting the home, Melanie also discovers her sensitivity to the dead is very strong, when she sees a ghost or two. But, the real shock comes when the owner passes away suddenly and leaves the house, all its contents, and a sizable sum of money for repairs, to Melanie. To make things more interesting, Melanie is contacted by a writer, Jack Trenholm, who claims to be writing a book about the house and the family who owned it all these years. Although Melanie doesn’t really want to keep the house, especially since the will states she much reside there for one year before she can sell, she decides to meet the challenge and even allows Jack to stay on the premises while he does research for his book. On a more personal note, Melanie is coping with her father’s alcoholism, hoping against hope he can stay sober this time around, even if she should know better by now. Who are the ghost who live in the house on Tradd Street? Can Melanie solve a decades old mystery? Can Jack be trusted or does he have his own agenda? Is Melanie in danger? I have always enjoyed a good ghost story, if it’s done right, and this one measured up to my standards quite nicely. I love the southern setting, the rich historical details, and the charm of the old house Melanie inherited. The mystery ties in with Melanie’s own family in some ways and of course the circumstances provide Melanie’s father an opportunity to set some things right after all these years. On occasion, the plot got a tad outrageous, and it did become a little too busy sometimes, with Jack’s backstory, Melanie’s romances, her father’s issues, the restorations, and of course the big mystery Melanie felt compelled to solve. But, by the end of the story, many of these threads were sown up nicely, and the stage was set for the next book in the series, which I already have queued up and am looking forward to finding out what’s next for Melanie and what mysteries she will solve next. 4 stars
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The House on Tradd Street
4 Stars
Melanie Middleton is a no-nonsense real estate agent who just happens to see ghosts. Melanie has always managed to push her unusual ability aside until the day she inherits a dilapidated old house from an old man she barely knew. All of sudden, Melanie becomes the center of attention not only from a gorgeous writer obsessed with old mysteries and a wealthy tycoon with connections to the house, but from a pair of spirits who may or may not have malevolent intentions.
Let me begin this review by stating that this book shares many similarities with Amanda Stevens’ Graveyard Queen series. So if you enjoyed The Restorer and The Kingdom then this is the book for you.
Melanie is a prickly heroine and her stubborn obstinacy doesn’t always endear her. Nevertheless, as the details regarding her difficult childhood emerge, the reasons for her behavior are easier to understand and it becomes possible to both sympathize with and even admire her.
It also takes time to warm up to Jack, who initially comes across as somewhat arrogant and presumptuous, but he is just as damaged as Melanie in his own way and it would seem that they are actually kindred spirits in many respects.
The historical background on Charleston during the Civil War and the prohibition era is fascinating and contributes to the rich atmosphere of the setting and the story. The mystery is a little predictable once the clues start adding up, but it is enjoyable nonetheless and it is fun following along with Melanie and Jack as they investigate.
The one drawback is the irritating love triangle. Jack and Melanie have strong chemistry, so the appearance of a third wheel only undermines the hints at a romance between them. Moreover, there are times when Melanie needs to be smacked upside the head as she cannot see the truth staring her in the face. Thankfully, this is resolved by the end of the book and will hopefully not resurface in the next.
On a final note, the narration flows smoothly although it does take a minute or two to get used to Aimee Bruneau's Southern accent. She has this tendency of speeding up her speech during the action scenes, which really ratchets up the tension a notch and adds another element of excitement to the scene.
All in all, a satisfying mystery with well-developed characters and excellent attention to detail. Looking forward to reading the next one. - Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Melanie is a real estate agent in Charleston, South Carolina. She specializes in old houses, even though she hates old houses! When an older gentleman dies just after discussing the possibility of selling his place with her, she is shocked to learn that he has left the house to her, with the provision that she live in it for a year and fix it up (with money he's left for the purpose) before she sells it. Oh yeah – Melanie also sees ghosts. This house has a few, and there is a mystery to solve, as well: Melanie and a local author, Jack, want to find out what happened to the mother of the man who left Melanie the house; his mother disappeared when he was young. I listened to the audio, and though it started strong for me, it petered a little bit. I was enjoying the old man, the old house and even some of the ghosts, but when the romance entered into it, it wasn't as interesting to me. With the audio (as it often does), my attention came and went. Overall, I'm rating it “ok” at 3 stars, but with a hint of a sequel at the end of the book, I think I'm interested enough to try the next one, as well. I will try to remember to not do the audio for the second book, though, to see if I like it a bit better.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5audio read by Aimee Bruneau 3.5 ★ Charleston SC....historic homes...paranormal mystery with touch of romance....southern gothic
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Even though Melanie Middleton is a real estate agent specializing in old houses- she hates them, and much prefers the stripped down and modern look that she sports in her own austere condo. She has good reason to be wary, though she is loath to admit it to herself, Melanie sees ghosts- and we all know that often there is no better hang out spot than an old house for a unearthly presence. Melanie tries to ignore them as best she can but a turn of events makes this near impossible.
Melanie meets with Nevin Vanderhorst, ostensibly to help him put his house on the market, but during their brief meeting Nevin comes to a decision of his own about Melanie. When he dies a few short days later he leaves Melanie his house on Tradd Street with the provision that she restore it (with funds provided by the estate), not sell it for a year, and also live in it for that year (oh, is that all?). Let’s just say that someone in the house has other ideas.
I really enjoyed the quality of White’s writing and the heroine that she created in Melanie Middleton. Melanie’s character is well defined and we get a good sense of the woman that she has become as a result of her mother’s abandoning her as a child and her father’s alcoholism. When you combine this with the fact that she has had to hide the fact that she is able to see ghosts (even from her father) just to fit in, you can see how this would lend itself to the slightly cold, hyper controlled and organized persona she adapted as protective barrier. Thankfully she has help from best friend- Sophie, nosy secretary- Nancy and potential love interest and writer, JacK Trenholm, to keep her from getting too staid and set in her ways.
The House on Tradd Street is a fast paced and entertaining mystery. Melanie finds that she is indeed invested in Nevin Vanderhorst’s home and wants to get to the bottom of why his mother mysteriously disappeared from his life when he was just a child, and at least one ghost in the house expects this from her. The opposites attract, prickly banter and pseudo romance with Jack was entertaining even if not original, though both characters suffered by resorting to the juvenile when new love interest Marc Longo enters the scene.
The middle meandered with more than a few moments of implausibility but nicely rebounded for the end section as the mystery wrapped up in a way that I never expected. I like that Melanie and Jack each had issues they were working toward resolving and I was glad to see Melanie start making some progress for her own sake, if not to soothe the feelings of her errant parents. Both Melanie and Jack got under my skin and I am curious to see what progress, if any, Melanie makes with Jack and her mother in the next book. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Interesting ghost story about a young woman who inherits a house from an old friend of grandfather's. The house is in ruins and while the restoration is taking place she is courted by two handsome men, she re-builds her relationship with her father and begins loving historical information about her family and an appreciation for antiques. The outcome was easy to guess but it's still an interesting read.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5I liked the premise of this book, its location and some of the relationships it portrayed. But it was a little too heavy-handed in many respects to be genuinely enjoyable. The 'I see dead people' idea seemed too blatantly borrowed from The Sixth Sense and I didn't find the romance between Melanie and Marc to be at all convincing. I also got fed up with reading about the designer clothes that the main character was wearing. It kept me reading, though, and I enjoyed the second half more than I did the first.There's a part in the novel where the main characters give up their painstaking by-hand paint-removal of a period fireplace and use a heat-gun to do the job instead. This strikes me as an apt metaphor for the whole book: generally lacking in subtlety.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The House on Tradd Street is about Melanie Middleton, successful young realtor living in Charleston, South Carolina. She is one of the most successful women in the business, prefers order, lives in a modern condo and ignores her ability to see 'ghosts'.During her visit to a client, Mr. Vanderhorst, at his historic residence on Tradd Street she notices a female ghost in the garden. Her discussion with him doesn't go to schedule, however she finds herself warming to the old man. She is shocked to hear a few days later that he has passed away, and stunned to learn that he has left his historic crumbling house to her in his will.The house must be lived in for at least 12 months, cannot be sold, and funds have been left for renovation and restoration. Melanie enlists help from within her network of friends who are thrilled at the opportunity to see inside the Vanderhorst house and assist with the restoration.The house comes with a mystery that Melanie wants to solve for Mr. Vanderhorst: the disappearance of his mother at an early age. Enter Jack Trenholm who claims to be writing a book about the mystery.This easy to read novel is primarily a mystery, with clues hidden in the past, and sub plots featuring historic restoration, a romantic interest and Melanie feeling several 'presences' in the house. It was a light hearted read, and I enjoyed it very much.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Loved it can't wait for the next. Her attention to detail makes me think I'm right there with her.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Very predictable. Lacking in the romance department. But moderately entertaining. Descriptions of historical architecture were vivid. Good enough to read through to the end, but overall just OK.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Melanie Middleton is the foremost real estate agent for historical houses in Charleston, SC. She is also a medium who has been seeing ghosts since she was a child. When she visits Nevin Vanderhorst in his prime historic house on Tradd Street, Melanie fails lto get a listing, but in a short time she learns that Mr Vanderhorst has passed away and left her the house and a trust to restore the aging beauty. You see, Mr Vanderhorst know that Melanie saw the ghost of his mother in the garden and he wants her to solve the mystery of his mother's disappearance when he was a small boy. With the assistance of a hunky writer who is also interested in the disappearance of Mrs Vanderhorst, and a crew of friends and family, Melanie moves into the aging house, ghosts and all.I truly enjoyed this book. Charleston is one of my favorite cities and I visited it many times when I lived in South Carolina. This book really captures Charleston and the people of Charleson. I loved the mystery and the ghosts. I also enjoyed the secondary characters who were really lots of fun.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/54.5 stars on this first in a series by Karen White. I haven't read a book by this author I didn't like. This is a great mystery with loads of family secrets. The character development is great and I highly recommend reading this book.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Creepy ghost story. A page-turner mystery. The flirtation between the characters was alluring. Good southern fiction. Overall good book and worth reading. Couldn't put the book down and finished reading it in less than one day.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Melanie Middleton lives a very regimented, careful life of unshakeable routine. The wildest thing about her is her friendship with Sophie, a free-spirited art historian with hippie leanings. Well, that, and the fact that Melanie can see ghosts. But that part of her life is a closely-guarded secret. As Charleston’s foremost real estate agent dealing with old historic homes, Melanie comes into contact with ghosts more often than she’d like, but it isn’t a big problem until the aging Nevin Vanderhorst unexpectedly dies, leaving Melanie his home in the will. According to the terms of the bequest, Melanie must live in the house on Tradd Street for one year, using Vanderhort’s trust to restore the home. Only then can she sell the place if she wishes. Unfortunately for Melanie, who actually harbors a hatred for old homes, this one is also haunted by two spirits—one benign, the other decidedly not. And when, in addition to everything else, the handsome journalist Jack Trenholm starts poking around trying to research a story related to the history of the home and the Vanderhorst family, Melanie finds her careful life upturned and unrooted in more ways than one.Flirtatious and lightweight, with some more serious elements carefully displayed in relation to Melanie’s painful childhood, “The House on Tradd Street” should be of interest to many readers.
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Absolutely dismal. A book group pick, I managed the first chapter and then sped read the rest, stopping only to read out the very worst parts to my (highly amused) husband. Falls into every trap of bad fiction: ridiculous similes everywhere, stock characters with no development or depth, a heroine who is incredibly unlikable at the beginning and not much better at the end. Horrible. And a few hours of my life I won't get back.