If I hadn't grown up on horror films, this book would have had a greater impact on me. Unfortunately, I have seen so many horror films I can't even think of a number.
This starts like a decent horror story. I loved the atmosphere even before the group entered the house. The moment when a student stays alone after professor Holzer leaves is a great promise of the things to come. And the first third of the book? It's great. You are teased with bits and pieces of the house history. There is no mystery in this story. Nobody is out to see if the house is indeed haunted which is not a bad thing here. It is haunted and they all know it. The objective is to research, understand. It is a pretty good idea and the way the house acts is awesome. The story reminds me of House and [b:14|15062217|14|Peter Clines|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1338999953s/15062217.jpg|20716929] a bit. Not everything, just some ideas.

Somewhere along the line the story starts to look like an adventure/horror RPG. With tougher levels and all that. It didn't quite ruin the story. It just wasn't expected and it was kind of childish. Near the end it even has the blood of Christ for a weapon.

What I did not like? I hated the characters. I couldn't connect with any of them. Their thoughts and reactions to certain events and phenomena were inappropriate at best and retarded or selfish at worst. I kept hoping that something will kill Holzer. The thing is, we are told how they feel and what they think of each other, but I couldn't feel or see a single proof of that. I did not see them the way I was supposed to, I think. There were a number of times where one of them asked a question and the rest or a pair looked at him/her glaring, sneering or something similar. And the questions were usually asked at the right moment. The other reaction was to stay quiet and say that it is not the time for such questions. It was really annoying. You don't even get the name of the enemy. One of the characters whispers the name to Holzer. That would work if that forced secrecy hadn't been so frequently used. Next, Holzer and Night are old friends (Night being his teacher), but occasionally they would call each other sir when they want to prove a point or say something important. That was annoying too. I have too many examples of the weird and stupid character' comments, reactions and thought to write them here.
The only one I actually liked wasn't even one of the main characters. Police officer who called Holzer to investigate the house, Wells.

As I said, I watched too many horror films for this to be different or new. It could have been a great '80s horror film though. ( )

“Manchester House” by Donald Allen Kirch: is a massive surprise. Rarely does a novel paint such a complete picture, such an incredible world that you no longer feel you’re reading, but simply watching the scenes unfold right before your eyes.

Dripping with detail, “Manchester House” takes you inside SOURCE, a group of scientists, psychics and craftsmen dedicated to the explanation of the unexplainable. Each time new residents settle into this decrepit and disgusting mansion, with hopes of renovations and a beautiful new beginning, their lives take a tumultuous turn. Bodies are repeatedly pulled from Manchester House and when Lt. Albert Wells discovers yet another gruesome and unexplainable scene, he calls in Jonathon Holzer and the SOURCE team to discover what the police cannot understand.

This captivating look into a world of spirits, demons, death and destruction shocked every one of my senses. Donald Allen Kirch’s ability to bounce between the ghost team’s discoveries and flashbacks to the way evil inhabited past residents and calculated their horrifying demise is brilliant. I was sucked into the team and felt as if I was walking amongst them as they solved the great mysteries of life, the afterlife and the unexplainable destruction of human beings for over two centuries inside the terrifying world of the Manchester House.

Don’t let the idea of ghosts and goblins scare you away, you too will be pleasantly surprised by what unfolds within the pages of such a skillfully written story and such masterfully crafted characters. “Manchester House” frightening, gruesome and great.

www.suspensemagazine.com ( )

Manchester House is much more than a haunted house story. It's a bit like Amityville Horror on steroids. No one seems to be able to live there for long. People disappear, people die, and, in the process, people go crazy.

The local police have no answers, which prompts Lt. Wells to put a call in to an acquaintance who investigates the paranormal. Once that happens, this story moves at a relentless pace. We are drawn into a world of angry spirits that are controlled by a demon like no other.

This book will keep you up late turning pages. Then it will keep you up late listening for things that go bump in the night! Donald Allen Kirch has a tremendous talent for conjuring up a world of horror. ( )