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Petra's Ghost
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Horror (2019)A man's pilgrimage becomes something from his darkest nightmares when secrets arise and ghosts haunt his path.
A woman has vanished on the Camino de Santiago, the ancient five-hundred-mile pilgrimage that crosses northern Spain. Daniel, an Irish expat, walks the lonely trail carrying his wife, Petra’s, ashes, along with the damning secret of how she really died.
When he teams up to walk with sporty California girl Ginny, she seems like the perfect antidote for his grieving heart. But a nightmare figure begins to stalk them, and his mind starts to unravel from the horror of things he cannot explain.
Unexpected twists and turns echo the path of the ancient trail they walk upon. The lines start to blur between reality and madness, between truth and the lies we tell ourselves.
A woman has vanished on the Camino de Santiago, the ancient five-hundred-mile pilgrimage that crosses northern Spain. Daniel, an Irish expat, walks the lonely trail carrying his wife, Petra’s, ashes, along with the damning secret of how she really died.
When he teams up to walk with sporty California girl Ginny, she seems like the perfect antidote for his grieving heart. But a nightmare figure begins to stalk them, and his mind starts to unravel from the horror of things he cannot explain.
Unexpected twists and turns echo the path of the ancient trail they walk upon. The lines start to blur between reality and madness, between truth and the lies we tell ourselves.
288 pages, Paperback
First published July 20, 2019
24 people are currently reading
6518 people want to read
About the author
C.S. O’Cinneide
7 books130 followersC.S. O'Cinneide (oh-ki-nay-da) is an Edgar nominated writer and a blogger on her website, She Kills Lit, where she features women writers of thriller and noir. Her debut novel, Petra’s Ghost, a dark thriller set on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage, was nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award in 2019.
She is also the author of the Candace Starr crime series, which follows the hard-boiled antics of a saucy, six-foot-three hitwoman of the same name.
C.S. O'Cinneide lives in Guelph, Ontario with her husband, an Irish ex-pat who remains her constant muse.
She is also the author of the Candace Starr crime series, which follows the hard-boiled antics of a saucy, six-foot-three hitwoman of the same name.
C.S. O'Cinneide lives in Guelph, Ontario with her husband, an Irish ex-pat who remains her constant muse.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
August 5, 2024
You are Followed...
PETRA'S GHOST by C.S. O'Cinneide
No spoilers. 5 stars. This is a brilliantly creepy novel. I would give it 6 stars if I could...
Daniel Kennedy has decided to go on a meandering 500 mile pilgrimage hiking the Spanish Camino de Santiago to scatter his dead wife Petra's ashes at the trail's end...
The Camino...
AKA The Way is a mystical place. That's why many hikers have been drawn to it over the centuries. These hikers are known as pilgrims to locals...
The Camino always provides what you uniquely need but not necessarily what you came for...
Some pilgrims see the Santa Compaña (holy company) along the way, but there is always a reason...
Daniel meets a young California woman, Ginny, a fellow hiker along the Camino, and they decide to walk together...
Daniel is a week into his journey, which will take him over a month to complete...
Pilgrims are given a passport at the trailhead, which must be stamped at intervals along the Camino so that they may stay in provided hostels and use other amenities offered to them...
While stopping in at a church to get their passports stamped, an old nun makes the devil horns sign using her thumb and pinky at Daniel and tells him:
You are followed...
As they leave the church, Daniel sees a dark, twisted figure moving among the trees and keeping pace with them...
Meanwhile...
A rumor circulates along the Camino about a woman who went missing and has never been found...
Later...
Daniel meets another pilgrim, a friendly old man, called Rob, and asks him if he's seen any ghosts while walking the Camino...
Rob, a Dutchman, says:
Where have you been pilgrim? We all see ghosts. It's not a question of their existence, but what message they bring...
That evening...
Passing a cemetery whose arched entrance sign ominously reads: You are what I was and will be what I am now...
The hikers see the twisted, dark figure again hiding among the tombstones...
"You are followed," Daniel is reminded...
This novel is a real treat for campers and backpackers like myself. The author deftly puts the reader on the 500 mile Camino de Santiago journey with the other pilgrims.
This is by far one of the best novels I've ever read. This story is a good example of how horror doesn't have to be a bloodbath to be spooky. It's a thriller!
PETRA'S GHOST by C.S. O'Cinneide
No spoilers. 5 stars. This is a brilliantly creepy novel. I would give it 6 stars if I could...
Daniel Kennedy has decided to go on a meandering 500 mile pilgrimage hiking the Spanish Camino de Santiago to scatter his dead wife Petra's ashes at the trail's end...
The Camino...
AKA The Way is a mystical place. That's why many hikers have been drawn to it over the centuries. These hikers are known as pilgrims to locals...
The Camino always provides what you uniquely need but not necessarily what you came for...
Some pilgrims see the Santa Compaña (holy company) along the way, but there is always a reason...
Daniel meets a young California woman, Ginny, a fellow hiker along the Camino, and they decide to walk together...
Daniel is a week into his journey, which will take him over a month to complete...
Pilgrims are given a passport at the trailhead, which must be stamped at intervals along the Camino so that they may stay in provided hostels and use other amenities offered to them...
While stopping in at a church to get their passports stamped, an old nun makes the devil horns sign using her thumb and pinky at Daniel and tells him:
You are followed...
As they leave the church, Daniel sees a dark, twisted figure moving among the trees and keeping pace with them...
Meanwhile...
A rumor circulates along the Camino about a woman who went missing and has never been found...
Later...
Daniel meets another pilgrim, a friendly old man, called Rob, and asks him if he's seen any ghosts while walking the Camino...
Rob, a Dutchman, says:
Where have you been pilgrim? We all see ghosts. It's not a question of their existence, but what message they bring...
That evening...
Passing a cemetery whose arched entrance sign ominously reads: You are what I was and will be what I am now...
The hikers see the twisted, dark figure again hiding among the tombstones...
"You are followed," Daniel is reminded...
This novel is a real treat for campers and backpackers like myself. The author deftly puts the reader on the 500 mile Camino de Santiago journey with the other pilgrims.
This is by far one of the best novels I've ever read. This story is a good example of how horror doesn't have to be a bloodbath to be spooky. It's a thriller!
August 16, 2019
Petra’s Ghost is perhaps the biggest surprise of my reading so far this year. While the description of the book with a man walking the Camino, the “Way” in Spain, encountering physical and spiritual and possible extra-physical/spiritual challenges during the months long walk appealed to me, it did not prepare me for how compelling this story actually is. It is a tale of personal beliefs, fears and failures, the quest for personal truth and possible redemption in life. As one man he meets tells Daniel,
”Each of the three stages is challenging in its own way.”
....
“Well the first part of the Camino is for the body,” the hippie says...
“You either get strong or end up in the hospital in the first part.”
....
“The second part is for the mind... The same meseta landscape
for days...” “Nothing to feed the brain but an endless pancake
of open ground. A pilgrim’s thoughts turn inward. You can start
to lose your grip with the monotony in the second part.”
....
“What’s the last part for?” he asks... “The soul.” “Aye, Santiago,”
Daniel says. “The cathedral.” “Not just the cathedral, my friend.
Everything that leads up to the cathedral. Everything that you
were hoping to find there... it all comes down to faith, my friend.
Faith that there is something you are walking toward. Something
That will alter you as a person... I’m saying you’ll either find or
lose your soul...on the last part.” (loc 2603)
Daniel has decided to pursue this walk after the death of his much-loved wife, Petra. She died a difficult, lingering death due to cancer and Daniel has not reconciled himself with that loss. There are also questions in his life he has been evading, continuing to be caught in Petra’s death. The others Daniel meets on this walk have their own purpose or reasons for being there. Some talk of their purpose while others don’t.
There is much to contemplate within these covers whether one undertakes such a momentous journey on The Way or not. One point of this really interesting novel seems to me to be that each of our lives comprises such a journey.
I do highly recommend this book. While some may not be inclined to read books with philosophical or religious content, I must say this is not in any way a preachy book. It’s a story of an event with some magical realism included, where people do think, often aloud, about life and death, history, the art to be found in the churches along the Camino.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
”Each of the three stages is challenging in its own way.”
....
“Well the first part of the Camino is for the body,” the hippie says...
“You either get strong or end up in the hospital in the first part.”
....
“The second part is for the mind... The same meseta landscape
for days...” “Nothing to feed the brain but an endless pancake
of open ground. A pilgrim’s thoughts turn inward. You can start
to lose your grip with the monotony in the second part.”
....
“What’s the last part for?” he asks... “The soul.” “Aye, Santiago,”
Daniel says. “The cathedral.” “Not just the cathedral, my friend.
Everything that leads up to the cathedral. Everything that you
were hoping to find there... it all comes down to faith, my friend.
Faith that there is something you are walking toward. Something
That will alter you as a person... I’m saying you’ll either find or
lose your soul...on the last part.” (loc 2603)
Daniel has decided to pursue this walk after the death of his much-loved wife, Petra. She died a difficult, lingering death due to cancer and Daniel has not reconciled himself with that loss. There are also questions in his life he has been evading, continuing to be caught in Petra’s death. The others Daniel meets on this walk have their own purpose or reasons for being there. Some talk of their purpose while others don’t.
There is much to contemplate within these covers whether one undertakes such a momentous journey on The Way or not. One point of this really interesting novel seems to me to be that each of our lives comprises such a journey.
I do highly recommend this book. While some may not be inclined to read books with philosophical or religious content, I must say this is not in any way a preachy book. It’s a story of an event with some magical realism included, where people do think, often aloud, about life and death, history, the art to be found in the churches along the Camino.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
June 30, 2019
After reading this book, I want to walk the 500 mile Camino de Santiago (aka the Camino Way) myself. They say there are three parts to the Way; during the first part of the walk you find your body, along the second laborious trudge you find your mind and during that final homeward stretch you find your soul. It sounds extremely appealing sitting here on my couch reading about it from a distance but I can tell you if I ever do get the chance to walk the Way, I will be very lucky to find my way to the 50th mile marker much less the 500th within 30 days. lol
Anyway enough about me, this is a very compelling story that explores the figurative and literal ghosts that two walkers encounter during their journey. Needless to say, the setting is pretty powerful and there are a lot of interesting historical facts bandied about. I would describe the story itself as kind of a slow continuous burner in which the suspense builds and builds and builds until it reaches that final climatic showdown at the end of the book, and at the end of the Way....
A definite must read!
*I received this ARC from NetGalley and Dundurn in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Anyway enough about me, this is a very compelling story that explores the figurative and literal ghosts that two walkers encounter during their journey. Needless to say, the setting is pretty powerful and there are a lot of interesting historical facts bandied about. I would describe the story itself as kind of a slow continuous burner in which the suspense builds and builds and builds until it reaches that final climatic showdown at the end of the book, and at the end of the Way....
A definite must read!
*I received this ARC from NetGalley and Dundurn in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
July 13, 2019
4/5 stars
“We all have our ghosts, Daniel” Rob says (…) “The question is not if they exist, it is what message do they bring.”
This beautifully haunting debut by author C.S. O’Cinneide had me immediately intrigued with its premise, yet still surprised me with how deeply I ended up enjoying it as a whole. I was lucky enough to receive an early copy via the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Let me tell you: it’s one of the best ARCs I’ve read this year.
We follow Daniel as he walks the Camino, the famous pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostella, carrying the ashes of his recently deceased wife Petra, in order to scatter them at his final destination. Along the way, he meets Ginny, a bubbly Californian girl making the same solo journey, and the two of them decide to continue together. Both find themselves haunted by the (perhaps literal) ghosts of their pasts along the way, and we slowly find out that both of them carry more than just the weight of their backpacks on their shoulders on this journey…
Petra’s Ghost reads like a travel journal, it reads like a psychological mystery thriller and like a gothic novel all at once. At times it reminded me of The Salt Path by Raynor Winn (which I loved), mixed with Melmoth by Sarah Perry and something else, that I can’t quite place.
It was the Pilgrimage to a loved ones final resting place that originally drew me in, as I feel like I can relate to it, albeit on a smaller scale than the 800 km Camino. I believe the author herself has walked the Camino before, and she does a great job of conveying the atmosphere and “personality” of the trail. The same can be said for the effect that the protagonists mood has on his experience of the trial. Grief can put a weird, almost surrealist and dark filter over things, which was portrayed wonderfully with the hint of horror/thriller elements along the way.
Speaking of which: it was the mystery that kept drawing me back to the book as soon as I put it down. Often with stories like this, I feel like either the mystery or the protagonists emotional background is tucked in as an afterthought. In Petra’s Ghost, the two entwine perfectly with each other, as well as with the previously established atmosphere.
Lastly, it was the ending that delivered the final emotional punch to make this book memorable to me. It was brave without being sensational, and emotional without being dramatic. A very fitting ending to this story,in my opinion.
I do have one piece of criticism, probably aimed at the publisher, more so than the author. There is a line in the synopsis of the final copy of the book (that wasn’t in the description of the ARC), which gives a major clue to one of the final reveals. To me, this actually made it very predictable, and spoiled the potential of surprise in the end. If that line hadn’t been in the synopsis, it would have taken me longer to figure it out.
If you have the chance to read this book without reading the full synopsis in detail, that might be something I’d recommend doing.
All in all, there were a few things that kept this from being a full five star to me: mainly a few inconsistencies in pacing, and some of the mystery elements being a little predictable. That being said, this is one of the stronger 2019 debuts I’ve read so far, and I feel it’s both a book and an author to keep an eye on.
Many thanks to Dundurn Group for providing me with an early review copy.
“We all have our ghosts, Daniel” Rob says (…) “The question is not if they exist, it is what message do they bring.”
This beautifully haunting debut by author C.S. O’Cinneide had me immediately intrigued with its premise, yet still surprised me with how deeply I ended up enjoying it as a whole. I was lucky enough to receive an early copy via the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Let me tell you: it’s one of the best ARCs I’ve read this year.
We follow Daniel as he walks the Camino, the famous pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostella, carrying the ashes of his recently deceased wife Petra, in order to scatter them at his final destination. Along the way, he meets Ginny, a bubbly Californian girl making the same solo journey, and the two of them decide to continue together. Both find themselves haunted by the (perhaps literal) ghosts of their pasts along the way, and we slowly find out that both of them carry more than just the weight of their backpacks on their shoulders on this journey…
Petra’s Ghost reads like a travel journal, it reads like a psychological mystery thriller and like a gothic novel all at once. At times it reminded me of The Salt Path by Raynor Winn (which I loved), mixed with Melmoth by Sarah Perry and something else, that I can’t quite place.
It was the Pilgrimage to a loved ones final resting place that originally drew me in, as I feel like I can relate to it, albeit on a smaller scale than the 800 km Camino. I believe the author herself has walked the Camino before, and she does a great job of conveying the atmosphere and “personality” of the trail. The same can be said for the effect that the protagonists mood has on his experience of the trial. Grief can put a weird, almost surrealist and dark filter over things, which was portrayed wonderfully with the hint of horror/thriller elements along the way.
Speaking of which: it was the mystery that kept drawing me back to the book as soon as I put it down. Often with stories like this, I feel like either the mystery or the protagonists emotional background is tucked in as an afterthought. In Petra’s Ghost, the two entwine perfectly with each other, as well as with the previously established atmosphere.
Lastly, it was the ending that delivered the final emotional punch to make this book memorable to me. It was brave without being sensational, and emotional without being dramatic. A very fitting ending to this story,in my opinion.
I do have one piece of criticism, probably aimed at the publisher, more so than the author. There is a line in the synopsis of the final copy of the book (that wasn’t in the description of the ARC), which gives a major clue to one of the final reveals. To me, this actually made it very predictable, and spoiled the potential of surprise in the end. If that line hadn’t been in the synopsis, it would have taken me longer to figure it out.
If you have the chance to read this book without reading the full synopsis in detail, that might be something I’d recommend doing.
All in all, there were a few things that kept this from being a full five star to me: mainly a few inconsistencies in pacing, and some of the mystery elements being a little predictable. That being said, this is one of the stronger 2019 debuts I’ve read so far, and I feel it’s both a book and an author to keep an eye on.
Many thanks to Dundurn Group for providing me with an early review copy.
November 4, 2019
Some authors get stuck on the same genre, the same series, the same kinds of books. At least you always know what you’re going to get. Not this one. Nope. If you were introduced to O’Cinneide by reading the Starr Sting Scale, you’ll feel like Dorothy whisked away by a twister 🌪 when you start Petra’s Ghost 👻. Congratulations. You just picked a book from the other side of the library.
Petra’s Ghost is a mysterious travelogue both through the north of Spain and through one’s soul. It is a quieter, more contemplative, mystical journey along the edge of a continent as Daniel embarks on a journey across the Camino de Santiago, the Way of St. James, Walking five hundred miles with the other pilgrims, carrying his wife’s ashes, both physically and metaphorically. Consumed with grief and guilt, Daniel is a lost soul seeking something he doesn’t really know. There are no answers here other than perhaps finding communion with other lost souls such as Ginny of California, as lost, troubled, and daft as Daniel.
Petra’s Ghost is a mysterious travelogue both through the north of Spain and through one’s soul. It is a quieter, more contemplative, mystical journey along the edge of a continent as Daniel embarks on a journey across the Camino de Santiago, the Way of St. James, Walking five hundred miles with the other pilgrims, carrying his wife’s ashes, both physically and metaphorically. Consumed with grief and guilt, Daniel is a lost soul seeking something he doesn’t really know. There are no answers here other than perhaps finding communion with other lost souls such as Ginny of California, as lost, troubled, and daft as Daniel.
May 25, 2019
Petra's Ghost is, as you'd expect from the title, a ghost story. However, the the true beating heart of this entertaining tale of pilgrimage is the theme of redemption and its many, often incomplete forms.
Admittedly, I went into this book not having ever heard of the Camino de Santiago, an ancient Spanish pilgrimage route. C.S. O'Cinneide draws here on her own experiences while walking the route in 2015, and I need to point out what a fantastic job she does bringing the route to life, using real life locations and details that add realism to the story. The main character, an Irish ex-pat named Daniel, is a well drawn out figure of grief and guilt over the recent cancer death of his wife Petra. Daniel has come to the Camino to spread Petra's ashes and to perhaps find something in the pilgrimage for himself.
Daniel soon meets Ginny, a girl from California who immediately proclaims him as "different", and an older Dutchman who takes on the role of wise sage. They're soon besieged by a mysterious entity that seems to follow them along the path. The book from this point assumes the dual roles of horror and travelogue: Daniel and Ginny visit many historical locations, festivals, and inns along the path, interspersed with encounters and far off sightings of the entity. Throughout the book, I found myself comparing certain sections to M.R. James' classic "'Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad'". I can give no higher praise as I consider that one of my favorite ghost stories.
I'd imagine Petra's Ghost will rank fairly highly on my year end book list. Grief and guilt can be as terrifying as actual apparitions, but as one character succinctly puts it: Not all ghosts are out to harm you, but they all carry messages.
***I was given a copy of this book by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Dundurn.**
Admittedly, I went into this book not having ever heard of the Camino de Santiago, an ancient Spanish pilgrimage route. C.S. O'Cinneide draws here on her own experiences while walking the route in 2015, and I need to point out what a fantastic job she does bringing the route to life, using real life locations and details that add realism to the story. The main character, an Irish ex-pat named Daniel, is a well drawn out figure of grief and guilt over the recent cancer death of his wife Petra. Daniel has come to the Camino to spread Petra's ashes and to perhaps find something in the pilgrimage for himself.
Daniel soon meets Ginny, a girl from California who immediately proclaims him as "different", and an older Dutchman who takes on the role of wise sage. They're soon besieged by a mysterious entity that seems to follow them along the path. The book from this point assumes the dual roles of horror and travelogue: Daniel and Ginny visit many historical locations, festivals, and inns along the path, interspersed with encounters and far off sightings of the entity. Throughout the book, I found myself comparing certain sections to M.R. James' classic "'Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad'". I can give no higher praise as I consider that one of my favorite ghost stories.
I'd imagine Petra's Ghost will rank fairly highly on my year end book list. Grief and guilt can be as terrifying as actual apparitions, but as one character succinctly puts it: Not all ghosts are out to harm you, but they all carry messages.
***I was given a copy of this book by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Dundurn.**
November 18, 2019
This book should really be called Daniel’s Journey on the Camino. I felt like the plot was not so much a horror but rather a literary fiction about the Camino trail. Were the cultural and historical stories fascinating? Yes. Were the details about the Camino trail itself interesting? Yes. But it wasn’t scary or creepy or really anything to do with horror.. I found myself waiting and waiting and still waiting for the ghost aspect to arrive. It was too little too late. I received an ARC on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 12, 2019
A slow burn. Had that haunted feeling throughout, images of gray and brown landscape, with a dash of gore.
July 28, 2024
Growing up as a Lutheran, my religious education was very no frills. No saints. No transubstantiation. No relics. No pilgrimages to see said relics. But C.S. Cinneide’s novel Petra’s Ghost, gives me a glimpse into what motivates a person to undergo physical hardship to travel miles, to visit a holy site. This novel shows us a variety of those motivations: a grieving husband who is looking for the perfect place to put his wife’s ashes, a woman running away from her past, a Dutchman who really wants to make it all the way this time, and dilettantes who are not in the most pious mood and really just want to visit the wineries and clubs along the way...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.
March 14, 2019
Petra is Daniel's deceased wife whom he carries in his backpack hoping to spread her ashes at the end of his pilgrimage through the Camino de Santiago. Her ghost permeates this story as Daniel deals with his guilt about her passing, hoping this trip will bring him some closure and redemption.
This book is haunting, and if you are looking for a good ghost story this one is for you. Reality becomes blurred with delusions and madness and like the trail stretching before him, Daniel finds himself fighting demons real and imagined. The ending itself will keep you up at night with the lights on and looking over your shoulder.
Highly recommended!
This book is haunting, and if you are looking for a good ghost story this one is for you. Reality becomes blurred with delusions and madness and like the trail stretching before him, Daniel finds himself fighting demons real and imagined. The ending itself will keep you up at night with the lights on and looking over your shoulder.
Highly recommended!
July 5, 2019
My sister and her husband have walked the Camino. It felt like I was hearing their stories again, only this time there was a darkness on the path. Maybe that’s what the Camino is about...time to see the darkness that we put aside in our daily lives, and deal with it. This was a very readable book. I very much enjoyed it. Thank you to Netgalley for the advance ereader copy.
June 3, 2019
Two things immediately attracted me to this book: 1) The setting – I have walked a part of the Camino de Santiago myself and was eager to revisit this wonderful place through a book; and 2) The part of the blurb that reads “The lines start to blur between reality and madness, between truth and the lies we tell ourselves.” I’m a bit of a sucker for books that straddle the thin line between reality and madness, and when it also involves some ghostly activity I am sold!
I’m happy to say that the book delivered on all its promises and more. It starts off innocently enough. Daniel, an Irish expat now living in the US is walking the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail in Northern Spain to find a place to spread the ashes of his wife Petra, who died of cancer the previous year. They had wanted to make this trip together, so he thinks it will be a fitting journey to honour Petra, reflect on their marriage and come to terms with his loss before he has to go back to Ireland to take over the family farm. On a lonely mountain pass, Daniel meets another pilgrim, a mysterious young woman called Ginny, who asks if she can walk part of the trail with him. A hiker has recently disappeared on the trail, and young single females have been warned of the dangers of walking alone, so the request is not unreasonable. It is common on the Camino to make acquaintances and join in with others for part of the journey, then lose sight of them only to meet up again later. So even though neither Daniel nor Ginny don’t seem particularly eager for company, they end up teaming up for some stretches of The Way.
At this point you may think that the story sounds very much like the famous movie THE WAY with Martin Sheen, but be assured that this is where the similarity ends. Because very soon after their first meeting, Daniel and Ginny have a horrific encounter with a frightful creature that lurks in a deserted cornfield in the dark. Daniel is sure they are being followed. But by whom? Person or ghost? Or the demons that haunt him after Petra’s death?
This was such a great read! Having walked some of the Camino, I could vividly picture the scenery and relate to the hardships of the long lonely hikes, but also the sometimes mystical atmosphere of this ancient countryside. Many of Daniel’s experiences (luckily not the scary ones) reflected my own feelings on the trail, and I thought how rare it is to find a book that so honestly describes the joys and woes of hiking, right down to the blisters and the reality of sharing a hostel room with fifty other smelly travellers. The author has totally nailed this setting, and even if you have never set foot on Spanish soil or hiked a mile in your life, you will soon be swept away on this great adventure.
I loved the way the novel soon turns dark and more sinister, and unexplained things start happening. With Daniel grieving and in a state of emotional unrest, I was never sure if the air of danger and menace was purely in his imagination, or if there was indeed something evil afoot. The ancient, spiritual path combined with this ever- present aura of evil made for some tense reading, and I could not tear myself away! There were parts of the book were I felt trapped in a nightmare, my own mind unravelling just like Daniel’s. It was all so brilliantly done. One minute there was the bright side of the journey, the sunshine, the beautiful landscape, the quiet reflection and the social aspect of connecting with other pilgrims. And then there was the dark side, the eerie sightings, the sense of danger and menace, the personal demons that come out in the dark and the quiet to torment the unaware traveller. Yes, the trail does have that effect, that soporific meditative monotony of walking that can clear the stage for all the suppressed emotions to bubble to the surface. I loved it, and it was obvious that the author had walked the walk in order to talk the talk.
PETRA’S GHOST is an original, authentic and heartfelt book that both tugged on my heartstrings and threw everything into disarray I had considered reality. It is dark and scary at times, and the mystery at the heart of it had me eagerly turning the pages. This is one book I could not put down! It’s not easy to find books that feature hiking as the backdrop to a mystery (combining two of my favourite things), especially where the author manages to paint so realistic a picture, so I am thrilled to have come across this one. Highly recommended to anyone who is looking for a compelling mystery with a ghostly element that will mess with your mind but also tug at your heartstrings. I loved it and hope to read more from this author in future.
Thank you to Netgalley and Dundurn for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.
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I’m happy to say that the book delivered on all its promises and more. It starts off innocently enough. Daniel, an Irish expat now living in the US is walking the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail in Northern Spain to find a place to spread the ashes of his wife Petra, who died of cancer the previous year. They had wanted to make this trip together, so he thinks it will be a fitting journey to honour Petra, reflect on their marriage and come to terms with his loss before he has to go back to Ireland to take over the family farm. On a lonely mountain pass, Daniel meets another pilgrim, a mysterious young woman called Ginny, who asks if she can walk part of the trail with him. A hiker has recently disappeared on the trail, and young single females have been warned of the dangers of walking alone, so the request is not unreasonable. It is common on the Camino to make acquaintances and join in with others for part of the journey, then lose sight of them only to meet up again later. So even though neither Daniel nor Ginny don’t seem particularly eager for company, they end up teaming up for some stretches of The Way.
At this point you may think that the story sounds very much like the famous movie THE WAY with Martin Sheen, but be assured that this is where the similarity ends. Because very soon after their first meeting, Daniel and Ginny have a horrific encounter with a frightful creature that lurks in a deserted cornfield in the dark. Daniel is sure they are being followed. But by whom? Person or ghost? Or the demons that haunt him after Petra’s death?
This was such a great read! Having walked some of the Camino, I could vividly picture the scenery and relate to the hardships of the long lonely hikes, but also the sometimes mystical atmosphere of this ancient countryside. Many of Daniel’s experiences (luckily not the scary ones) reflected my own feelings on the trail, and I thought how rare it is to find a book that so honestly describes the joys and woes of hiking, right down to the blisters and the reality of sharing a hostel room with fifty other smelly travellers. The author has totally nailed this setting, and even if you have never set foot on Spanish soil or hiked a mile in your life, you will soon be swept away on this great adventure.
I loved the way the novel soon turns dark and more sinister, and unexplained things start happening. With Daniel grieving and in a state of emotional unrest, I was never sure if the air of danger and menace was purely in his imagination, or if there was indeed something evil afoot. The ancient, spiritual path combined with this ever- present aura of evil made for some tense reading, and I could not tear myself away! There were parts of the book were I felt trapped in a nightmare, my own mind unravelling just like Daniel’s. It was all so brilliantly done. One minute there was the bright side of the journey, the sunshine, the beautiful landscape, the quiet reflection and the social aspect of connecting with other pilgrims. And then there was the dark side, the eerie sightings, the sense of danger and menace, the personal demons that come out in the dark and the quiet to torment the unaware traveller. Yes, the trail does have that effect, that soporific meditative monotony of walking that can clear the stage for all the suppressed emotions to bubble to the surface. I loved it, and it was obvious that the author had walked the walk in order to talk the talk.
PETRA’S GHOST is an original, authentic and heartfelt book that both tugged on my heartstrings and threw everything into disarray I had considered reality. It is dark and scary at times, and the mystery at the heart of it had me eagerly turning the pages. This is one book I could not put down! It’s not easy to find books that feature hiking as the backdrop to a mystery (combining two of my favourite things), especially where the author manages to paint so realistic a picture, so I am thrilled to have come across this one. Highly recommended to anyone who is looking for a compelling mystery with a ghostly element that will mess with your mind but also tug at your heartstrings. I loved it and hope to read more from this author in future.
Thank you to Netgalley and Dundurn for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.
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February 21, 2019
I was very lucky to receive this book as an advanced eBook copy. This book had a very good pace (hiking pun?) to it and was a great length for a thriller. It didn't feel dragged out. As a former religious studies scholar, I really enjoyed the historical, cultural, and religious aspects of the book. Despite the horrors that occurred in this book, I find myself wanting to walk the Camino because it was so beautifully described. I thought the way the author wrote about grief and guilt was very realistic.
March 14, 2019
Ghosts on the Camino Santiago? As I kept reading this murder-mystery-travelogue, I kept thinking: is nothing sacred? The story is well written and it has plenty of interesting characters. Unfortunately, I've spoken to too many people who have walked the Sacred Way and heard their glorious stories, and it was hard to picture a frightening ghost on the same trail they traveled. Spoiler Alert: There is a macabre twist at the end.
This book was definitely not for me, but it is will definitely be an entertaining read for dark mystery lovers..
This book was definitely not for me, but it is will definitely be an entertaining read for dark mystery lovers..
November 16, 2019
Ms. O’Cinneide has a wonderful eye for detail and a gift for creating a strong sense of place. Only someone who has walked the Walk (Camino de Santiago) could create such vivid and compelling prose. The storyline is intriguing, effectively straddling the horror, mystery, and literary genres. In addition to facing the challenges of a grueling 500-mile pilgrimage, grieving ex-pat Daniel Kennedy must also deal with personal demons and the ghosts that populate this well-written, character-driven novel. I highly recommend setting aside large blocks of uninterrupted reading time.
October 26, 2019
I loved this story. Travel and history and suspense all rolled into one. Very different in a good way. Just wish there was an audiobook as some of my book club members have limited vision..
June 27, 2019
Daniel is walking the Camino de Santiago with his wife’s ashes in his backpack which he plans to spread along the way. Daniel is a man tortured with grief and guilt over the death of his wife and hopes to find some sort of release during his pilgrimage. Daniel is Irish born but has lived in New Jersey for several years. His father is pressuring him to come home to run the farm which has been in the family for centuries. Another reason Daniel wants time to reflect.
I love the author’s use of the Irish accent when he’s talking to Ginny, the young woman he walks part of the way with - made me chuckle every time he said “feckin”.
The Camino is something I’ve heard about for years and would love to have done myself. However, now I’m a little long in the tooth. The author’s description of the Way was wonderful- I felt I was walking alongside Daniel. The people he meets along the road are an interesting bunch. If you like a good ghost story - this is for you - with a murder mystery thrown in. Highly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
I love the author’s use of the Irish accent when he’s talking to Ginny, the young woman he walks part of the way with - made me chuckle every time he said “feckin”.
The Camino is something I’ve heard about for years and would love to have done myself. However, now I’m a little long in the tooth. The author’s description of the Way was wonderful- I felt I was walking alongside Daniel. The people he meets along the road are an interesting bunch. If you like a good ghost story - this is for you - with a murder mystery thrown in. Highly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
July 21, 2019
Immediately I'm drawn in by the main character Daniel--his voice has a lovely Irish lilt--and his journey to recover from grief and spread his wife's ashes. His pilgrimage along the Camino becomes informed by the people he meets and their griefs. There's a bit of Stephen King horror to the ghosts he encounters that I didn't feel added to the poignancy of the story and the ultimate conclusion. Otherwise it's a wonderful story to be re-read.
August 6, 2019
This book was so evocative and we’ll written. The author knew a lot about the Camino and the setting was laid out beautifully. It was a great read, I couldn’t wait to keep reading. I recommend it to anyone and everyone!
April 4, 2019
Was lucky enough to read an advance copy of this novel. Excellent psychological suspense set on the Camino de Santiago in Spain. Something for everyone here.
April 16, 2019
Petra's Ghost is a great mystery with such descriptions that you feel as though you are part of the book. The book is well written and interesting characters.
September 9, 2019
Great story and picturesque narrations made me want to walk the Camino de Santiago.
But not alone.
If you already have been there, this book will recall and refresh your memories.
But not alone.
If you already have been there, this book will recall and refresh your memories.
September 20, 2019
Riveting book, sensational ending. I'd recommend Petra's Ghost to anyone.
September 28, 2019
3 stars. Not a bad book by any means, but not mind-blowingly spectacular, either.
EDIT: Decided to bump the rating up to a 4.
While the beginning of the story is very strong (I'll remember the cornfield scene for a long time), and the plot is kickstarted big time towards the end, the middle felt kinda boring and bogged down by the same thing over and over: Daniel meets Ginny somewhere (usually a cathedral/ church/ chapel), they either quarrel or something creepy happens, she hightails it out of there, Daniel sulks, they meet again in the next town, and the cycle begins anew. And that happens again and again.
There is an explanation why that happens, Let's just say I understand the point, but that doesn't mean I loved it.
One other spoiler-happy reason that dampened my enjoyment of the book was the fact that It almost felt predictable.
Other than the above, the book was enjoyable. I didn't feel like I wasted my time reading it, and it was written well enough for the pages to fly by. I particularly enjoyed the exploration of grief and guilt as literal apparitions that follow and chase people around: you can try to run, but you can't hide, like the Furies from Greek mythology.
All in all, I enjoyed reading the book. I do think that some changes could have made it a lot more enjoyable, though.
**Thank you to NetGalley for giving me a free copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.**
EDIT: Decided to bump the rating up to a 4.
While the beginning of the story is very strong (I'll remember the cornfield scene for a long time), and the plot is kickstarted big time towards the end, the middle felt kinda boring and bogged down by the same thing over and over: Daniel meets Ginny somewhere (usually a cathedral/ church/ chapel), they either quarrel or something creepy happens, she hightails it out of there, Daniel sulks, they meet again in the next town, and the cycle begins anew. And that happens again and again.
There is an explanation why that happens, Let's just say I understand the point, but that doesn't mean I loved it.
One other spoiler-happy reason that dampened my enjoyment of the book was the fact that It almost felt predictable.
Other than the above, the book was enjoyable. I didn't feel like I wasted my time reading it, and it was written well enough for the pages to fly by. I particularly enjoyed the exploration of grief and guilt as literal apparitions that follow and chase people around: you can try to run, but you can't hide, like the Furies from Greek mythology.
All in all, I enjoyed reading the book. I do think that some changes could have made it a lot more enjoyable, though.
**Thank you to NetGalley for giving me a free copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.**
October 8, 2019
The Camino is on my bucket list so this book held a lot of interest for me. It had the right amount of Camino lore combined with characters that I hated to let go of. Spooky at times with a few laugh out loud bits as well. The book is a bit of a mystery, a bit of a ghost story, and a bit of a journey of self-discovery. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.
March 18, 2019
Thrilling, eerie story that kept my eyes on the pages!
The premise grabbed me right away. Daniel is walking the Camino de Santiago, an ancient, well-traveled 500-mile trail through northern Spain, with his wife's ashes in his backpack. He's harboring not only grief at his wife's passing, but also guilt and remorse over the manner of her death. Along the Camino he meets Ginny, another pilgrim on the Camino with her own reasons for walking. And they're being followed by a ghost.
To write any more about the story would be a disservice to future readers. There are so many surprises that there are twists within the twists. Petra's Ghost is a tightly-woven tale with succinct character descriptions and steady pacing. There are no lulls, no extraneous tangents, no distractions from the tension. O'Cinneide also depicts an enticing portrayal of the Camino, one that had me looking up images online and reading her blog entries from her own experience.
If a macabre story with a chilling atmosphere piques your interest, grab this book as soon as you can.
Many thanks to Dundurn Press, Netgalley, and C. S. O'Cinneide for the advance copy. It was a joy to read!
The premise grabbed me right away. Daniel is walking the Camino de Santiago, an ancient, well-traveled 500-mile trail through northern Spain, with his wife's ashes in his backpack. He's harboring not only grief at his wife's passing, but also guilt and remorse over the manner of her death. Along the Camino he meets Ginny, another pilgrim on the Camino with her own reasons for walking. And they're being followed by a ghost.
To write any more about the story would be a disservice to future readers. There are so many surprises that there are twists within the twists. Petra's Ghost is a tightly-woven tale with succinct character descriptions and steady pacing. There are no lulls, no extraneous tangents, no distractions from the tension. O'Cinneide also depicts an enticing portrayal of the Camino, one that had me looking up images online and reading her blog entries from her own experience.
If a macabre story with a chilling atmosphere piques your interest, grab this book as soon as you can.
Many thanks to Dundurn Press, Netgalley, and C. S. O'Cinneide for the advance copy. It was a joy to read!
April 6, 2019
I was hooked on this book from the first page. The pacing of the storyline kept me wanting to read just one more chapter. We are introduced to Daniel at the beginning of the book who has decided to make the 500km journey on the Camino and release his wife's ashes. Along the way, Daniel meets Ginny who accompanies him through different portions of the hike. O'Cinneide's descriptive use of setting made me feel as though I was walking the Camino alongside Daniel. Throughout the entire story, we question Daniel's reliability to interpret what is reality and what isn't, leading the reader through a series of twists and turns that keeps you guessing the outcome. This is the perfect book for anyone who enjoys thrillers or ghost stories.
July 6, 2019
This was a title I thought would be mildly entertaining, but turned out to be much more than that. The depictions of life on the Camino de Santiago are detailed and accurate (I haven't done the Camino, but my wife and several friends have). The suspense grows as one reads, and I found myself staying up late to finish the book, once I'd made it to the halfway point. The existential questions of this book are worth pondering, but don't get in the way of the gothic thrills. Highly recommended.
August 16, 2019
It had been years since I picked up a novel of this genre and I had forgotten how exciting it was to be on a frightening journey full of twists and turns, psychological questions and internal dilemmas. Few things are more unnerving than wondering if your own mind is working for you or against you. Thank you C. S. O’Cinneide for taking me on this suspenseful journey with you.
August 22, 2019
I'm not a fan of this genre but was drawn to this book because of the Camino. I was/am delighted by this author's use of language and description.
I had to stop to savour certain paragraphs because of their elegance.
One of the best books I've read this year.
I had to stop to savour certain paragraphs because of their elegance.
One of the best books I've read this year.
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