A Haunting at Hawthorn And Other Ghostly Tales by Gail Grant Park is part of the Gallagher Girls Mystery Series. The girls are back with more paranormal investigations. This time, Deirdre, Moira, and Nuala help reunite a grieving ghost with the child she lost, give a woman peace from the ghosts of her past, and more. Each ghost has its own story, an injustice that must be put right before they can move on, yet each story is connected to the next. Each ghost brings its own unique problems for the investigators to solve before they can help them move on to what awaits beyond.

A Haunting at Hawthorn by Gail Grant Park offers readers a glimpse of Ireland and some of its many ghosts. Thanks for the Irish vocab lesson at the start – very helpful indeed! This is the third and, I believe, final story in the series, but I read it as a standalone. Not having read the previous two books, I didn’t have any trouble relating to the three main characters, all of whom are well-developed with plenty of backstory to help you get to know them. This is a unique kind of story with plenty of heart and adventure. It’s a real page-turner, with each story leading you smoothly onto the next and drawing you in with the detail and the many twists and turns. If you start with this book, you’ll want to read the rest of the series, as this one will have you hooked on the characters and their stories. If you love a good cozy mystery with a real paranormal twist, this is the book for you.

A Haunting at Hawthorn and Other Ghostly Tales by Gail Grant Park is a blend of mystery, history, and the supernatural. The third installment in the Gallagher Girls Mystery series, this book takes readers on a journey through Ireland’s rich culture while weaving intricate tales of family secrets, unresolved spirits, and the thin veil between the living and the dead. The story centers on the Gallagher sisters, Nuala, Moira, and Deirdre, each bringing unique skills to their investigations. Moira’s ability to communicate with spirits adds a compelling layer to their cases, while Nuala’s genealogical expertise and Deirdre’s herbal knowledge ground the narrative in practical problem-solving. The locked room, the mysterious cradle, and the whispered plea of "Find my baby" create a gripping tale that unravels the tragic history of the McGuire family.

The narrative is replete with Irish proverbs, cultural references, and a glossary of Irish vocabulary. Gail Grant Park’s ability to balance the supernatural with grounded, human stories is second to none. The story melds eerie encounters with a deeply emotional exploration of family history. The book doesn’t rely solely on ghostly encounters to drive the plot; instead, it uses them as a lens to explore themes of loss, redemption, and the enduring connections between generations. The pacing is well-executed, with each chapter revealing just enough to keep readers intrigued. A Haunting at Hawthorn is a compelling read for those who enjoy stories that intersect the past and present. Gail Grant Park has crafted a memorable addition to the Gallagher Girls series.

A Haunting at Hawthorn and Other Ghostly Tales by Gail Grant Park is a five-part paranormal mystery in the Gallagher Girls Mysteries series. There is nothing that the Gallagher sisters, Moira, Deirdre, and Nuala, are intimidated by when it comes to solving a good old-fashioned mystery. But these mysteries would mean nothing without Moira’s ability to see and hear ghosts. She helps bridge the divide between the past and present, giving voice and closure to these silenced spirits. Each story reveals a new thread, starting with the tragic fate of a young maid and her lost child, cast aside by her cruel employers, an international hunt for a missing woman, the devastating secrets surrounding Ireland’s Magdalene Laundries, a family torn apart by emigration, and finally, the haunting of an Italian vineyard where betrayal and forgiveness collide.

Gail Grant Park’s collection of ghostly tales is compelling because of the great job she does in balancing a chilling haunting with deeply human stories. Readers are taken inside each story, which spans decades and explores hidden scandals, unresolved grief, and numerous spiritual encounters. In each story, there is an eerie beauty between these spectral encounters and the raw ache of fractured families because of the horrific injustices, old secrets, and loss. Readers will love the Gallagher sisters because of their desire not only to solve the hidden mysteries but also to heal these unsettled souls. Each story in A Haunting at Hawthorne seems to build on the others and takes readers through what feels like time travel back in history. Readers who will enjoy it the most are those who love stories with quiet spiritual resonance, such as The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold or a really good Kate Morton generational mystery.

A Haunting at Hawthorn is another entry in Gail Grant Park's series of paranormal investigations following the Gallagher sisters: Nuala, Moira, and Deirdre Gallagher. Each sister has unique skills (natural and supernatural) that allow them to tackle cases only they could solve. This book covers five such cases, starting from A Haunting at Hawthorn, in which Nuala finds a jammed lock in her home and hears mysterious whispers, prompting an investigation that reveals the estate's secrets. Enlisting the help of her siblings, Nuala tasks herself with addressing the spirit's grievances and locating their remains. The other stories are Death Down Under, Buried Secrets, Gone But Not Forgotten, and Bad Blood. Whether it's finding a missing person, helping someone meet their biological mother, tracking a long-lost family member, or solving a thorny inheritance situation, the sisters don't shy away from challenges.

This is an interesting blend of the mystery and paranormal genres. Gail Grant Park excels at juggling grounded, detailed investigation scenes and esoteric knowledge, seamlessly combining history, archival research, mythology, and symbology to weave tales you wouldn't read anywhere else. While the stories are mostly self-contained, I appreciate how past characters return and how we witness the passage of time as characters form relationships and advance in their careers and personal projects. The last story, Bad Blood, stood out to me due to its focus on Italian culture and scenery, adding another layer to the narrative on top of the plot and characters and making for a rich read. Overall, reading Haunting at Hawthorn was delightful, and I recommend it to fans of cozy mysteries and supernatural stories.