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The Folcroft Ghosts

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When their mother is hospitalized, Tara and Kyle are sent to stay with their only remaining relatives. Their elderly grandparents seem friendly at first, and the rambling house is full of fun nooks and crannies to explore. But strange things keep happening. A bedroom remains locked at all times. Doors slam and curtains shift when no one is inside. And there are whispers of a sister who drowned in the lake long ago.Something is being hidden away, kept safely out of sight...and the children can't shake the feeling that it's watching them.When a violent storm cuts off their only contact with the outside world, stranding them in the haunted manor, Tara and Kyle must find a way to protect themselves from their increasingly erratic grandparents… and from the ghosts that haunt the Folcrofts' house. All at once, they're forced to confront the secrets of the manor. But can they ever hope to escape the unforgivable secret that has ensnared their family for generations?

169 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 10, 2017

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About the author

Darcy Coates

69 books10.6k followers
Darcy Coates is the USA Today bestselling author of more than a dozen horror and suspense novels.

She lives in the Central Coast of Australia with her family, cat, and a collection of chickens. Her home is surrounded by rolling wilderness on all sides, and she wouldn't have it any other way.

You can hear about her next book by joining her newsletter: www.darcycoates.com/updates

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5 stars
1,898 (28%)
4 stars
2,647 (39%)
3 stars
1,813 (26%)
2 stars
363 (5%)
1 star
51 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 660 reviews
Profile Image for Montzalee Wittmann.
4,863 reviews2,299 followers
October 18, 2020
The Folcroft Ghosts by Darcy Coates seems to be a teen or preteen ghost story with a brother and sister staying with grandparents they haven't met before. Their mother had been in an accident and now they have to stay somewhere. Things get creepy and all is not as it appears! Pretty darn good!
Profile Image for Shainlock.
793 reviews
February 3, 2019
An excellently chilling story that has everything to do with family. Keep the living close, but keep the dead closer? What about when they pass on? Some people just don’t want to let go even in death .... (and that can have layered meanings )

I loved this and couldn’t put it down for very long. I kept reading while eating dinner or breakfast, during commercials, late at night ... you get the idea. This is one of my favorite ones, too. Clever kids and spooky older ppl. Love it! ❤️♥️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 stars Darcy Coates does it again. 👻
Profile Image for Schizanthus Nerd.
1,308 reviews274 followers
April 30, 2020
“We want to talk about the ghosts.”
When their mother is hospitalised after an accident, fifteen year old Tara and her eleven year old brother, Kyle, go to stay with their grandparents. Their mother doesn’t talk about her parents and the siblings have never even met Peter and May.

The house is isolated and it isn’t long before the siblings notice some strange things. They begin to wonder what secrets their grandparents are hiding from them.

I’ve been eyeing off Darcy Coates’ books for quite a while now and know at least one has made it into my Kindle’s Black Hole of Good Intentions, but this was the first I’ve read. I expected some serious creepiness but I comfortably read this in the middle of the night while everyone was sleeping and the rain was keeping me company. I wasn’t even tempted to quickly turn on a light to make sure nothing was watching over me as I read.
“Did you hear the footsteps?”
If I’d read this book when I was younger I expect it would have unsettled me enough that I would have been suspicious of every noise I heard at night. However, it felt like I was reading a more atmospheric R.L. Stine book than one intended for adults.

Having said that, I enjoyed the story. It was a quick, light read, I was almost immediately sucked in and I liked the characters. While I never felt like I really got to know Peter as well as I would have liked, Tara and Kyle’s bond made me wish I had a sibling.
“There is nothing more important to us than family.”
May was the standout character for me. Regardless of everything else going on in the background I wanted to hang out with her in the kitchen. Never mind the ghosts; I’m going to the Folcroft’s for May’s cooking.

My main niggle was a strange one; the maths didn’t work for me. We learn that Tara and Kyle’s mother was 17 when she wrote in her journal in 1985. Then later it’s said she was almost 2 in 1975.

At the end of the book there are three short stories. My favourite was Clockwork.

Clockwork

This had a Roald Dahl short story feel and it was a delight.
“Some run fast. Others run slow. They must all keep the same time. Down to the second.”
Sub Basement

Sometimes I enjoy ambiguity when reading something potentially spooky; this time I wanted to see for myself what was there.
Dozens of people had made the run without seeing anything out of the ordinary. And even when … well, Joan had suffered from a heart condition, anyway.
Crypt

In this sleepy town’s graveyard there’s a new section and then there’s the one that was there before the town was settled. There are stories about that old section.
“They don’t believe me,” he said before I could even open my mouth. “They think I’m making it up.”
“Making what up?” I asked.
“The vampire.”
Content warnings include .

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press, an imprint of Sourcebooks, for the opportunity to read this book. I want to read more books by this author. I’m rounding up from 3.5 stars.
Profile Image for Marie.
1,037 reviews343 followers
January 18, 2021
Awesome ghost story!

haunted-house-with-lightning-gif.gif

A small backstory:

Two teens (Kyle and Tara) go to live with their grandparents while their mother is recuperating in the hospital. The grandparents are a doting elderly couple who want nothing more then the best for their grandchildren...or so it seems, until things start happening in the house which leads to the place being haunted.

What does Kyle and Tara discover while they are staying with their grandparents? Why is the house haunted? No spoilers here as you will just have to read the book!

This was a spooky read and I read it in about 48 hours!

The story just reaches in and pulls you right into the storyline. The author, Darcy Coates has a habit of grabbing the reader from the first page and not letting go until the last page. This book was able to keep my attention and kept me glued to my kindle! Five "haunting" stars!
Profile Image for Kimberly.
1,832 reviews2 followers
December 27, 2018
THE FOLCROFT GHOSTS, by Darcy Coates, was one of her novels in which I developed a strong attachment to the characters very early on in the tale. Two children, Kyle (11) and Tara (15), find themselves completely uprooted when they are taken to live with their mother's parents--whom they've NEVER met--after a sudden car accident puts their mother in a coma.

". . .a fantasy world was easier to cope with than their new reality."

Grandma May and Grandpa Peter greeted them with so much affection, the two had to question why was it that their Mom never took them to visit. When they saw the large old home beautifully secluded in the woods, they couldn't help feeling drawn to it, especially compared to the series of cramped apartments they'd always inhabited.

". . . Family has always been important to us Folcrafts."

Coates really has a way with characterization--especially when it comes to children. At just a quarter of the way through, I felt I had known Tara and Kyle for years. Tara was used to taking care of her brother, and much like the Folcrofts, had a strong love for her family. Kyle was the bookworm; outwardly timid, but with a mind that knew no boundaries.

". . . what does it matter if I forget a story after a month as long as I enjoy it while I'm reading it?"

The dynamics of the personalities in this book were incredibly complex and spell-binding, I felt. This was especially impressive in regards to the children.

". . . It's like he doesn't want to live in the real world anymore . . . "

With only a few chapters, Coates managed to convey more about the two kids' feelings, upbringing, and loyalties than some writers pull off within an entire novel. When things start to . . . alter . . . the reactions shown are plausible here, even in what would be an implausible situation, otherwise.

". . . If this is true, it's really, really bad . . . "

The isolated, large home, is somehow made more "normal" by virtue of its position in the deep forest, outside of the passing of time that the rest of the village has kept up with. It's so easy to believe that in a remote location, anything could be considered commonplace when it's all you've known. Coates plays up the atmosphere very convincingly.

"Death is not a blessing . . . "

Overall, this was a novel that really took me by surprise with the overall direction it took--in a good way. I was so entranced by the emotional upheaval that the kids were going through, that certain other occurrences really hit forcefully, making me pause to take things in from different directions. As a voracious reader who is "seldom" very surprised by anything in a novel, this was quite a pleasant change. There were several twists that I had never even guessed at. I have to give Darcy Coates credit for taking on what could have been a common, run-of-the-mill story, and elevating it to something much more unique.

". . . If fiction has taught me anything, nothing's a coincidence."

Recommended.
Profile Image for murphy ✌ (daydreamofalife).
228 reviews96 followers
October 12, 2017
2.5 / 5

Good writing, nice characters, decent atmosphere. I just wish it was more... spooky. For a book with the word 'ghost' in the title, I think in the end I found the people more disturbing than the ghosts.

Probably deserves a better rating, to be honest, but I'm a bit bitter that this wasn't as horrifying as I wanted it to be. I'd recommend this to anybody looking for a quick read with minor spookiness.
Profile Image for Ivonne Rovira.
2,190 reviews230 followers
April 28, 2020
What a page-turner! I stayed up way too late to finish this gripping ghost story, suitable for older teens as well as adults.

When their mother is left in a coma after a car accident, Tara and Kyle are dispatched to their grandparents, Peter and May Folcroft, who they have never met. The Folcrofts are kind and attentive, but, increasingly, the children encounter stories that don’t hold together, locked doors and odd noises in the night. Ghosts? Of course! They’re right in the title! But do the phantoms mean Tara and Kyle well or harm?

I adored every minute of this novel, and I will be seeking out more books from author Darcy Coates, who can spin a fabulous yarn.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for ThatBookish_deviant.
523 reviews14 followers
July 25, 2024
3.0⭐️

This was a decent YA-oriented ghost story. It’s eerie in that it successfully conveys a sense of claustrophobia, entrapment and impending doom. There’s sinister, creepy old relatives with secrets untold.
The story held my interest but there’s nothing particularly unique or noteworthy about it.
Profile Image for Amber J (Thereadingwitch).
1,039 reviews72 followers
April 27, 2020
I try to express only my most honest opinion in a spoiler-free way. Unfortunately, there is still always a risk of slight spoilers despite my best efforts. If you feel something in my review is a spoiler please let me know. Thank you.

I am becoming a true fan of Darcy Coates' books. They are scary and ominous, and I almost never can tell what is going to happen next. This makes 4 books I've read by her now and it has only increased my interest in her books.

This one follows 15-year-old Tara and her 12-year-old brother Kyle. The main character being kids is a new thing for me. It was secluded and scary and a bit crazy at times. It was short though, while the story was great, I think there was so much more that could have been done here with a longer book. It was just sad to put down. My husband will be happy as he hates when I read horror. I scare easily and my fear stays with me even after I put the book down. So I need to learn to only read horror in the daytime lol.

The only thing I had a harder time with was the kid's relationship. Even with the tragedy and everything. They just seemed to get along too well for siblings with only a 3 year age difference. I have a sister only 2 years apart, and despite how close we are as current adults. We would fight about everything and nothing when we were younger. So this just doesn't feel real to me. Also, Kyle's age feels off. Sometimes he seems 12 but there are times where he acts to old and other times to young for his age.

Another few hours well spent on this bit of entertaining fiction.
Profile Image for Cassidy.
316 reviews39 followers
May 13, 2024
This wasn’t what I was expecting, but I still enjoyed it! I came in thinking this was adult fiction, then realized it was probably YA, and ended up with something more like lower-YA/middle-grade horror. Very Mary Downing Hahn vibes! (Nothing but love for MDH)

When Tara’s mother survives an accident but is left in a coma, she and her younger brother, Kyle, are sent to stay with their estranged grandparents. Despite the elderly couple’s immediate kindness, something is off with the Folcrofts and their isolated old house. Tara and Kyle must work together to figure out what’s going on if they plan to see their mother again.

Darcy delivers a quick and creepy tale! Jan Cramer does a superb job with the audio, especially with her rendition of ol’ grandma May Folcroft!
Profile Image for Mel Lenore.
724 reviews810 followers
February 20, 2023
This was fun! Not my favorite Darcy, but I had a good time with it. Creepy old people? Sign me up! I didn't just love the ending, but that is pretty common for the cozy type horror Darcy writes. I felt like this was a unique haunted house story.
Profile Image for Angel Gelique.
Author 19 books454 followers
May 18, 2017
Fifteen-year-old Tara Kendall and her eleven-year-old brother, Kyle are taken to their maternal grandparents' house after their mother is in involved in a car accident and slips into a coma. They have never met their grandparents and are reluctant to stay in their remote home, but Peter and May Folcroft are graciously accommodating and seem genuinely concerned for their grandchildren. They lavish them with gifts and more food than they can eat. They spend quality time with them and play family games together. But Kyle can't help but feel that something is off. Soon Tara also grows suspicious. Do the kind-hearted Folcrofts have an ulterior motive and sinister plans for them?

This book reminded me of those great R.L. Stine stories for kids. It is well-written and entertaining. The characters are realistic, relatable and likable. The story is well paced and easy to follow. It's a simple story, straightforward and quick to read.

As there is little violence and no gore or foul language, this book is definitely suitable for young adults. It was a tad too tame for my taste, though, and is the only reason I'm withholding that fifth star--just my preference. I was hoping for something scarier.
Profile Image for Grace.
1,099 reviews81 followers
July 8, 2024
2.5 stars. Not spooky enough or interesting enough for me!

Update upon second read: I liked this better the second time, so my rating is going up to 3 stars.
Profile Image for Sharah McConville.
642 reviews26 followers
May 1, 2020
4.5 Stars. The Folcroft Ghosts is a spooky ghost story set in North America. Two siblings are sent to their Grandparents house in a remote forest, after their Mum has an accident. Just as the children are starting to settle in strange things being to happen during the night. This is my first time reading a book by Aussie author Darcy Coates and I enjoyed this fast-paced, gripping story for teens and adults. This book also contains several short stories at the end. These are much creepier and I really enjoyed Crypt and Sub Basement. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my digital copy.
Profile Image for Heather Furnas.
234 reviews30 followers
May 17, 2021
Ugh I was a little disappointed by this book by Darcy Coates, which makes me angry because I love Coates so so so much!

I am assuming this is one of her earlier books and has evolved into the author I love now!

This book was just a little boring with boring characters. The secrets that we all read to find out about were not really that crazy, and somewhat predictable.

I really am disappointed :/
Profile Image for Cassidy Chivers.
326 reviews2,876 followers
November 29, 2022
This was soooo close to a 5 star read for me. Essentially what stopped it was that it was shorter then I wanted. The ending felt very rushed. After an incredible set up.

This book is technically YA which makes sense to me. As it follows a 15 year old girl and her 12 year old brother who's mom is in a coma so they get sent to live at their grandparents house in the middle of nowhere. Who they have never met or really even heard about. From their the sketchy things start to happen.

I love the set up and atmosphere of this book! The creepy house with creaking doors, the happy grandparents who "love" family!

I've started to notice Darcy uses the same plot devices all the time. But it hasn't affected my enjoyment yet.

If you want to hear about all of my thoughts there's a YouTube video on it. https://youtu.be/09wPI4fj2Mo
Profile Image for Alexander Draganov.
Author 28 books151 followers
July 17, 2023
Коутс пише поредният си отличен роман и разказва майсторски заплетена история със симпатични герои и изключителна атмосфера, придавана от старата обитавана от духове къща и възрастните хора, зад чиито сладкиши и домашни игри се крие злокобна мистерия. Книгата обаче е от по-меките четива на авторката и макар особено към края да има страшните си моменти, като цяло е по-скоро уютна и вълнуваща, което я прави идеална и за по-млади читатели.
Малко повече подробности - в Цитаделата:
https://citadelata.com/the-folcroft-g...
Profile Image for Keri.
2,075 reviews113 followers
January 3, 2018
I love a good ghost story, so when I saw this come across my bookbub feed (BB knows my weaknesses( I jumped on it. While I usually avoid YA at all costs, I love a good ghost story more. This one was really good, more creepy than scary. Luckily, thanks to evil BB's ways, I have another DC all ready to go when I am wanting a new ghost story to read. First book of 2018!
Profile Image for Raymie.
520 reviews64 followers
March 24, 2024
This is a different read for Darcy Coates. This is more of a YA twist on a ghost story as both MC are kids but the story is still amazing and keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Profile Image for Kimberly.
117 reviews2 followers
October 26, 2017
Pretty good book, held my interest.. wasn't expecting the twist at the end. It did drag a bit in the middle found my self just skimming more than actually reading but it picked back up towards the end.
Profile Image for Alicia.
211 reviews11 followers
July 25, 2021
Although this is my least favorite of Darcy Coates's ghost stories, I still really enjoyed it. When I'm in the mood for a haunted house/ghost story, this is my go-to author. Her novels are always so atmospheric that you can feel the chilly breath of whatever spooky thing you're reading about on your neck. She does an incredible job and this book is no different.

We follow two young children who go to stay with their 'estranged?' grandparents after their mother suffers an accident that leaves her in a coma. The home is charming and their grandparents seem like the storybook version of the perfect family, now completed by the arrival of their grandchildren. But the children start to notice things happening out of the ordinary and start to get the impression their grandparents may be harboring secrets.

This was a fun page turner that really kept me guessing until the resolution at the end. Perhaps it was the age of our main characters that caused a bit of a disconnect between myself and their plight. But that disconnect had nothing to do with actual character development or flaws...I just wasn't quite transported into their world the way I have been in Coates's other books.

I still highly recommend trying this author out if you are a fan of haunted house horror, or just general suspenseful, atmospheric horror.
Profile Image for Peter.
379 reviews23 followers
January 14, 2018
Tara and Kyle are sent to live with grandparents. There mother was in a terrible car accident, and is hospitalized in a coma. The funny thing is, Tara and Kyle, have never met their grandparents before. In the beginning, they are lavished with gifts, and more food than they could eat. Their grandparents seemed nice at first but then strange things begin to happen. One of the first things their grandmother May does, is take away their cellphones. She claims there is no signal out this far in the woods. The house had no television or computer, which seemed a little odd. One night Tara is looking out her window, and sees this hunch man, walking around in the backyard. May tells them, it was their grandfather Peter. Tara does not believe her and wonders why she would lie to her. Strange things begin to happen, and Tara thinks that the house is haunted. Tara questioned May about the house being haunted, and she replies, that we do have a few ghosts in our house. While looking around in their mother old room, Tara finds a diary. The strange thing about it is, all the pages were torn out of it. What strange dark secrets appeared in this journal? Can Tara and Kyle, escape the curse of the Folcrofts? This was an enjoyable read. The author is a good writer and a very good storyteller.
Profile Image for NicholeReadsWithCats.
343 reviews39 followers
October 17, 2023
I was pretty surprised by the ending. I really enjoyed the premise for this story.

Two teenagers whose mother is in a coma following an accident are sent to live with their grandparents while she is (hopefully) recovering. They have never met these grandparents, they live in a very old house in the middle of nowhere. While their newly found grandparents are nothing but sweet to them, something still feels amiss. Is there more than meets the eye or just two confused teenagers?

I really liked how it was an innocent situation and you are unsure if something is going on or they are just scared because of their circumstances.

Quick and enjoyable read, I think this took about 2 hours.
Profile Image for Shannara.
548 reviews97 followers
October 26, 2017
Chillingly Good

After reading the preview of the book, I was hooked and for good reason. This was a seriously chilling and very compelling read! I really think this should be made into a movie. The characters were believable and the kids reminded me of my sibling and I. I recommend this to anyone who needs a spooky book to read!!
Profile Image for Brianna - Four Paws and a Book.
823 reviews349 followers
September 3, 2023
Listen... we love a creepy grandparent...

This was so creepy. Probably the most atmospheric of any of the books that I've read from her. It starts slow, but really ramps up the pace and the creepiness. This was a quick read and the audiobook was fantastic!
Profile Image for Michael  Dawson .
228 reviews11 followers
July 27, 2021
I really enjoyed this story it was very good. It had a lot of twists and turns In the storyline kept me guessing untill the very end with a huge plot twist at the end.
Profile Image for lu.books07.
234 reviews14 followers
November 19, 2020
4/5*
Svižný, čtivý příběh s hororovými prvky v podobě duchařiny.
Dobrá atmosféra, zajímavý příběh, fajn postavy.
Asi druhá nejlepší knížka od Darcy hned po Přízracích domu Carrowů.

P.S. strašidelné to není
Profile Image for hotsake (André Troesch).
1,031 reviews19 followers
January 30, 2022
I was really disappointed with this book. I believe that this was the third Darcy Coates I've read and definitely my least favorite. She has a very cozy feel to her writing that I enjoy reading when I'm in the mood but here it felt more like I was reading a middle-grade book with two unlikeable protagonists. While reading this I kept thinking "please don't go Shyamalan with the story, and she didn't but unfortunately, she went in an Andrews one which felt very tacky and didn't really work in my opinion.
Profile Image for Kathryn Ford.
Author 1 book89 followers
May 7, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. Tara and Kyle were quite cute. I must admit that I did feel for May, all she ever wanted was a family, to be needed and loved. The ending was bitter sweet, and I couldn't help but pity the Folcrofts.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 660 reviews

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