Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum by Stephen Prosapio

Release Date: May 2011 (first publication)
Publisher: Otherworld Publications LLC

Rating:  4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Ever wonder what it would be like to team up two paranormal research teams and toss them into an area with high paranormal activity? Throw in the fact that each team has their own style of investigating and a few members of the teams have their own unique abilities and you have a volatile mix ripe for twists and turns.

For Zach and his crew, this situation is a reality. As the investigators spend the 48 hours combing through Rosewood Asylum's history and chasing the ghost stories, hidden secrets and betrayals of both the past and present attempt to derail the entire operation. The main worry on Zach's mind is whether or not everyone gets out of Rosewood Asylum intact - mentally and physically - when the secrets are laid bare.

Review:
Right from the beginning, the reader is shown how deeply conflicted Zach is about what he believes he needs to be doing and what the network controlling his show thinks he should do. Whispers of doubt plague him after Zach begins to notice how things aren't adding up. The author does a good job of building the level of anxiety in the character. Although Zach is often a logical thinking, he can be misled by the amount of trust he has in those closest to him.

I was glad to see that all the characters in the book have distinct personalities. When the two groups of investigators merged, I had anticipated a certain amount of blending between the characters. It was great to see each one retain their own flaws and quirks. There are similarities among those that do each type of work in the investigation. The researchers share their passion for accuracy and are determined to find the answers needed. Tech guys seem to have their own common language although they are from different areas and backgrounds. Even Zach and his rival host, Bryce, share leadership qualities though their investigating styles are completely different.

The pacing of the story was well maintained throughout the book. When the story began, the investigation had also started. Things moved slowly before building into a feverish climax. Each chapter brought out a new piece of the puzzle. As both Zach and the reader put them together, it almost seemed as if the reader was a part of the investigation as well. There were a couple of points in the story that I had to go back and reread the passages simply because I had failed to note the date on the entry. Other than those few instances, I had no trouble being carried away by the story.

Overall, I think the author was able to mix present day elements with the known historical events that many people may recognize as they read the book. It was exciting to be able to connect with the story on that level. This book is among those that kept me turning the pages. I wanted, soon needed, to know what happened to the group as events reached their peak. If you are looking for a well-written story about ghost hunting from two points of view with a ton of scares in between, you should consider picking this one up.

Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum by Stephen Prosapio is available in hardback or paperback as well as in Kindle form. It can be purchased at Amazon.com by clicking the following link.
Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum by Stephen Prosapio