Another Amazing Novel

This is another wonderful story by Ms. Erickson. I love that all of the novels are loosely connected but not necessary to be read in a specific order. The secret is to remember the year in which the story is set. Ms. Erickson is an amazing storyteller that has the ability to pull you into the story and not let you go. This is my third novel in this series and at first, I did not understand the changes in narrators. Now I've come to realize that since each novel has its own unique characters, the different narrators assist with the realization that they are different characters and not completely connected. I could be wrong, but I feel like there is a very thin thread of an underlying story that is running throughout them. I anticipate that there may be a final (hopefully not soon) novel, that should be read last, but that all of the ones that come before will not be dependent on the order. I certainly recommend this book, and all of the books in the series. I was provided with a free copy of this audio book for my honest review. The views expressed here are entirely my own.

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Ashes Beneath Her

Would you believe it if someone came to you and said they see ghosts? Do you believe in ghosts? If your answer is yes to both, this is definitely the book for you. With a bout of mystery and a little bit of paranormal assistance, this story will guide readers on a path of redemption–you’ll just have to go through a corrupt and evil family first. Erickson’s third installment in the Northern Michigan Asylum Series is the best one yet. Orla is the last woman to be abducted in a string of disappearances. There have been others, but Orla doesn’t match the bill. She has brown hair instead of blonde and certainly doesn’t have green eyes like the other girls. When another girl’s mother, Liz, finds out about Orla’s disappearance, she is vested in finding more information if it can help her locate her daughter Susan. An investigator has been asked to look into the disappearances and upon meeting Liz, he begins to get a little more insight about the others who disappeared. The evidence starts to stack up and as Abe gets closer to finding out what happened to Orla, with the help of her roommate, Hazel and the disturbing sightings of a girl with a yellow t-shirt and a missing shoe, he learns that all leads wind up at the Northern Michigan Asylum. Finding the culprit may be harder than they think once they start digging into the doctors and the evil pasts that shroud their families and this mysterious Brotherhood. Can he find Orla before it is too late? Erickson leads her readers into a cold and dark world, but quite a fascinating one. While the story and the characters are fictional, the asylum is real and has been researched thoroughly. This provides originality, while still giving the author credibility. This place, you can imagine, has a ton of creative and unusual stories and this is where Erickson is able to lure her readers into this third installment. Stein’s narration is a bit stale and shallow. Erickson has another enticing story, but the narration is lacking a bit of emotion. Each character she narrates is monotone and hard to relate too because of this; it was also quite difficult to hear the narrator. If you are a reader of paranormal fiction and mysteries, this may interest you. This is the third installment within the series; however, it can be read as a standalone. Everything is different with the exception of the asylum. Just to clarify, this is a story about ghosts, but it is more of a thriller over horror. The audiobook was provided to Turning Another Page by Audiobookworm Promotions and in no way affects the honesty of this review. We provide a four-star rating for Ashes Beneath Her by J.R. Erickson.

Another Fantastic Addition to a Captivating Series

It’s 1975 and several women have gone missing around the Northern Michigan Asylum. But they are in several different areas, so the police just think the girls are runaways. But the families and Abe Levitt don’t think so. Abe notices that all of the women are blonde and have green eyes and is determined to find out who the serial killer is. Orla Sullivan lives with several girls that look out for each other. Orla has a powerful ability to sense things through touch. One day while out she meets a young man and helps him out. Things seem to be looking up for her until she disappears too. I love how each of the book in this series can be read as a standalone book but they all link together with the asylum. This story was a little slow in the beginning for me. But when Orla got kidnapped that is when the story really picked up for me. Margy Stein did a fantastic job keeping me with the story and building the suspense. I really have enjoyed this series. I’m really happy to see that there are more books in the series and I can’t wait to get into Dead Stream Curse. If you like thrillers with a touch of paranormal you need to check out this series. I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to listen to and share an honest review.

Love how each story has a loosely-related thread..

Woah! I keep thinking JR Erickson can’t top her last book until I listen to her next book. The writing is creative and really interesting. She delves into really in-depth storylines and explores really unique characters. The entire story I kept working if I would find Orla’s “gift” a gift or if I would consider it a curse? Can you imagine touching something and getting the entire background on the items and to feel the emotions of the people you touch… no thank you! I can totally understand why her mother made her gloves! Several girls across a 200-mile radius go missing… without a trace. No one sees a connection due to the mileage between the cases. Listen to learn more! It’s a fabulous series! The narration by Margy Stein was pretty good. She seemed like a steady narrator. Stein has a deep voice that seemed to work for several characters. She didn’t really alter her voice, but I’m ok with that. As long as she reads the story decently, she doesn’t have to bring the story to life exactly.

Suspenseful

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by J.R. Erickson. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it. This is the third in the Northern Michigan Asylum Series, but it’s a stand alone novel. There’s no relation between this and the first two books in the series except the part that the Northern Michigan Asylum and its horrible doctors play. When Orla disappears, Hazel (her roommate) and her parents find out that other girls have gone missing over the past few years. The police are in different districts and aren’t investigating them together. Abe, a reporter, is on the case and working to find Orla and the others, or at least get enough evidence for the police to work together on the cases. As Abe, Hazel, and the mother of one of the missing children try to find clues, Orla is being tortured at the Northern Michigan Asylum. Will they find her in time? The narrator has a deep voice that seemed to fit this story. She didn’t change her voice much for the characters, but it was just enough. This is my favorite of the three books in the series. I definitely recommend all three of them, especially this one.

Wonderful Addition to the Series!

This is the third book in the amazing Northern Michigan Asylum Series, a thriller. Each story can be listened as a standalone. The characters are well developed, and intriguing. The storyline is suspenseful, chilling, and captivating. The mystery unfolds at a great pace, and the investigation is breathtaking. The world building is well done, and enthralling. Margy Stein did a great job with the narration. I love this Series, and I highly recommend it. Looking forward to listen to the next book in the Series, Dead Stream Curse. I was given a free review copy of the audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. #AudiobookWorm

Ashes Beneath Her

Wow! This one was definitely my favorite in the series. I loved this one right from the beginning. It really hooked me. I don't know if maybe it was the story line. I do tend to like books about missing or abducted people. I know its sad and bizarre LOL but I do like sad and bizarre books! A lot of twists in this story. When you think you know something, you're wrong. The good guys are bad and the bad guys are good... sometimes. So just beware. Don't trust anyone! And, of course, the ghost! :-) Great character development! Oh my goodness - Orla! Wow, what she went through. I don't think I could have stayed sane, I know I couldn't have, I would have lost it for sure! A very strong woman and a very likable character. A very good, well thought out, well planned and developed, fun but creepy story. This was a great series to start. I loved all three. I think there are 8 all together. I don't think I will finish the series just yet, too busy. but they will ALL go on my wish list for sure! AUDIO - I was really tossed with one. I didn't hate the reader but I didn't love her either. She did a perfectly fine job with the Audio. It was just her voice I didn't care for. Just a personal preference. I did get used to it though so it didn't bother me after a while. I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by J.R. Erickson. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.

book 3 and still a great series

Ashes Beneath her is the 3rd book in the Northern Michigan Asylum series. And the 4 the book I have read in this series. These books are stand alones. They all feature some connection to the Asylum but all the people and stories are completely different. The Asylum was a real place but was not considered bad. It is now a shopping complex real life. These books are a mix between mystery and thriller. In the story there have been 5 girls who went missing without a trace. The police have made no connections at all. But one of the girls mothers knows there is a connection. She runs across a young reporter who has a connection to one of the other girls who has went missing and together showed him the connection. Now Orla who doesn't really fit the profile of the other girls has gone missing. She is tall and dark haired where the others have all been blond and of small stature. Abe the reporter and Hazel Orla's room mate team up to solve Orla and the other girls kidnapping. Orla has a gift. She can touch things and get pictures of the past, of others who have touched the object. Too bad she hadn't taken her ever present gloves off before that fateful day. She is being held in the Asylum and drugged by a mad Doctor. Orla's gift may be able to help her solve the case but first she has to get away from the Asylum.

My goodness she's good!

I was blown away by book one. I liked book two. Book three is just fantastic! For those wondering if you have to read the series in order, NO, YOU DON'T. Each book talks about its own story. The lines that draw the series together are only the location and use of the asylum. The Story (No Spoilers) - I don't think the author is out to trip anyone up. You can figure out the "whodunit" pretty early on. But, she spends the story time working on developing all parts of the story. So even if you know, you get insight into how it was done and how each character interacts with the plot. It doesn't drag and gets to the "meat" pretty quickly (which is a bit different from book one). Each character is well developed; even the ones you wish you didn't have to know 🙃 It's a great ride and everything is wrapped up at the end; no annoying loose ends. The Narrator - I will admit, in the first 5 minutes of the book, I wasn't too keen on this narrator's voice. Her voice is somewhat heady and breathy; but not in a bad way. She reminds me of an aristocratic woman. Sounds like someone of high social class. Made it a little difficult to envision the characters under the age of 45. But, she read very well and even did a pretty good job of distinguishing voices for each character. There are some "longer than necessary" pauses, but its not bad enough to be annoying. I grew to prefer this narrator's voice for this story. It was soothing in a way and brought an air of distinction to the novel. Overall - I loved this story. I feel pressured now to continue listening to all of the stories in the series, lol. But, I definitely wouldn't mind hearing the rest of them. This story is high from the beginning to the end. Nothing seems drawn out. You don't yell out, "GET TO THE POINT!" Everything is written with purpose. I truly enjoyed this story and all others in the series that I have listened to thus far. Definitely worth the credit, money, download EVERYTHING!

Awesome suspenseful mystery

Talk about a suspenseful story! This book had me hooked from the first line to the very end. I went on this mystery with the characters. Girls and women are going missing. No one is linking them together. That is until one journalist makes it his mission to find the kidnapper and hopefully save a life. We get the point of view of many characters and I loved it that way. I love getting to see all points of view. But I did want to shout to the other characters the truth. This is a gripping story. I am not giving details on purpose. I don't want to rob anyone of the enjoyment of surprise. And trust me, you'll be surprised plenty of times in this book. If you listen to it you will really be pulled in by this narrator. Perfect voice to keep you guessing and made it feel so real. I definitely want to read more in this series! Again, highly suggest for suspense mystery fans.