The House on Tradd Street

I cannot read this book because the pages are sticking together and ripping to get loose possibly from water damage

I had no knowledge of Karen White, the Tradd House series, Melanie Middleton or anything to do with this series when a recommendation came to read it for free from my local library, as an audiobook loan. Before the end of the first chapter I was hooked. I enjoy the wry humor, the way each character unfolds with human foibles, but most of all, the way the author drew me into the every bit of the story. With most books the romantic story ends in a "happily ever after" scenario that is not found here. The protagonist as well as every other part of the book sends you right to the "boring" sense of the end. What comes instead is the need to find out in the next book, and the next book, and the one after that, to see just where this story will lead. There is never a sense of something missing because every book ends just as it should and the next one begins in exactly the right place. Even Melanie's golf-loving secretary is a delight! Today I will start the third book in the series and within a few days will read another of Karen White's stories, though not in this series. I can only hope that the next book, The Memory of Water, will hold my interest and develop as well as this one has. Thanks, Karen White, for a delightful series.

If you like ghost stories and the paranormal, if you like antiques and treasure hunts,if you like historic houses and Charleston, SC, if you like lots of humor and a little bit of romance, then read this book! I really, really enjoyed this page-turner and stayed up all night one night to try and make it to the end to see what happens. Melanie Middleton inherits the house on Tradd Street in Charleston built in 1840 from an old southern gentleman who has a sad and haunting story to tell. From the moment she meets Nevin Vanderhorst, who leaves her his historic and haunted house, Melanie is caught up in the story that the house has to tell. The action never stops and the story telling is wonderful. Don't miss the House on Tradd Street; there is something for everyone here. And there is another book coming in this series so hopefully we will see if Melanie and Jack ever get together!

Karen White New American Library ISBN: 9780451225092 5 stars Excellent reading... Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for ReviewYourBook.com Melanie Middleton inherits an old historic home on Tradd Street. Jack Trenholm is a writer. He suspects there is treasure hidden in the house. He volunteers to assist Melanie in the remodeling/restoring effort in hopes of doing a little treasure hunting. He soon falls in love with Melanie. The old house is haunted and one particular spirit is very unhappy with all the treasure hunting. Karen White impressed me in her first book, The Memory of Water. She just keeps getting better! The House On Tradd Street is a great read. Readers will enjoy the romance between Melanie and Jack. The flirtation is high energy. The characters are multi-dimensional and eccentric. Even the ghosts have quirky personalities. This is not your typical ghost story; it is not horror or spooky. This story has great depth. Romance, mystery, paranormal, and a little humor all combine to make The House On Tradd Street a book that you do not want to miss.

Excellent reading... Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for [...] Melanie Middleton inherits an old historic home on Tradd Street. Jack Trenholm is a writer. He suspects there is treasure hidden in the house. He volunteers to assist Melanie in the remodeling/restoring effort in hopes of doing a little treasure hunting. He soon falls in love with Melanie. The old house is haunted and one particular spirit is very unhappy with all the treasure hunting. Karen White impressed me in her first book, The Memory of Water. She just keeps getting better! The House On Tradd Street is a great read. Readers will enjoy the romance between Melanie and Jack. The flirtation is high energy. The characters are multi-dimensional and eccentric. Even the ghosts have quirky personalities. This is not your typical ghost story; it is not horror or spooky. This story has great depth. Romance, mystery, paranormal, and a little humor all combine to make The House On Tradd Street a book that you do not want to miss.

Karen White's The House on Tradd Street is part romance, part ghost story, part mystery. The narration of this novel grips the reader with its beautiful descriptions of South Carolina and the historic neighborhoods of Charleston. Melanie Middleton specializes in historic home sales, though she hates historic homes and believes those who buy historic homes are saps willing to waste thousands of dollars on renovations. Fate brings her into the home of Mr. Vanderhorst, who asks Melanie if she saw a woman in the garden. He suddenly dies and leaves her his home. Melanie is given a historic home and the money to renovate and repair it from the Vanderhorst estate. There are a great cast of characters in this book from Mr. Vanderhorst to his mother's ghost and Melanie, her father, and Jack Trenholm. Melanie is a barracuda in the real estate world, but her inability to relate to her family or male companions hampers her ability to widen her horizons. Meanwhile, Jack uses his good looks and fame to woo women to his side and charm them out of information so he can uncover historical mysteries and publish novels. His charm and good looks, on the other hand, are just a cover. The restoration at Tradd Street begins, and Melanie is overwhelmed by her responsibilities and the two attractive men that have fallen into her life--Marc Longo and Jack Trenholm. In spite of the restoration, Melanie gets wrapped up in the mystery surrounding Mr. Vanderhorst's mother's disappearance and the ghosts that haunt her new home. White easily draws the reader into the beauty of Charleston and her ghost mystery. The intricate relationships between these characters are complex, and in spite of the convenient connections between Melanie's family, the Vanderhorsts, and the Trenholms in a big city like Charleston, I was enveloped in the storyline. The mystery doesn't get heavy with humor sprinkled in. The interactions between Melanie and Jack is contagious and will make readers smile. I recommend this book to those who love a good mystery and a good ghost story.

As you can probably tell by the rating, I enjoyed The House on Tradd Street immensely. First of all, the setting was wonderful. I was in Charleston, SC last year, and White really has a way of making the setting come alive. Her descriptions are vivid, and she manages to convey a sense of grandeur and history, coupled with the haunting quality that comes with these old houses. I thought she did a magnificent job with the setting. The characters are definitely well-written. The reader can really understand Melanie's need to control everything around her and her feelings towards her parents. However, she is not intransigent or annoyingly stubborn; it is wonderful to watch her relationship with her father heal throughout the book. Indeed, she evolves quite a bit as a character, and it is a satisfying journey to watch. Jack is a great character as well; he is obviously damaged, but manages to hide it incredibly well with his charm and good looks. It is obvious from the beginning of the book that these two are made for each other, but it's not annoyingly predictable. And finally, the mystery. This had me on the edge of my seat, reading frantically in an effort to finish the book before class (I knew that if I didn't, I would end up skipping class to discover what happens to Melanie, Jack, and the house on Tradd Street). It really is that captivating. It unfolds very slowly; the reader is at the middle of the book by the time the real mystery is actually uncovered. Sometimes, this might be frustrating, but in The House on Tradd Street, that is not the case. Instead, it serves as a reminder that the mystery of Louisa's disappearance is the underlying story to the novel and is one of the reasons that Melanie agreed to take the house. The fact that Melanie can see ghosts is also an interesting addition to the story. It can be disturbing and downright scary at times, but it is handled incredibly well, without any cheesiness. The only disappointment in this book is that it ended. However, this was tempered by the fact that, upon turning the last page, I read the surprising and heartwarming words that read, "Melanie Middleton and Jack Trenholm will be back for a new adventure - turn the page for an exciting preview of their book, coming from New American Library in November 2009." Just one more year. I can't wait!