Here I Stay, by Barbara Michaels

Second book I read on my way to Asunción was something completely different: Here I Stay, by Barbara Michaels. This is one of my favourite authors, and this was a reread.

Turning a decrepit old mansion into a beautiful country inn isn't easy, but for Andrea Torgesen, the hard work is exactly what her young brother, Jim, needs after a serious car accident. Or, so she thinks -- until Jim is haunted by unearthly voices and eerie visions, and becomes obsessed with a long-neglected graveyard. Suddenly, the impossible becomes terrifyingly possible and Andrea must battle an evil force that threatens to destroy their lives.

Here I Stay is one of Michaels' best, or at least, one of the ones I like best. It's a B+, both for the atmosphere and for the characters.

The heroine restoring an old house has almost become a cliché by now, but this was written 20 years ago, and it must have been the first I read using this plot, so it's always felt fresh to me. As for the characters, I liked Andrea (even though I know some people might find her a little to rigid) and I just loved Martin. Michaels devoted more space than usual to the romance, which was great, and it was such a lovely love story! Also, it fit right in with the rest of the plot.

The only problem I had with the book (and the reason it doesn't get an A-range grade) was that the ending was much too abrupt. I'm not asking for 50 more pages of post-climatic explanations, but a little more info would have been nice.