First Impressions

You know that feeling when you find a book that looks promising, with a gorgeous cover and a great premise, and then you start reading and it’s somehow even weirder than you expected? That was my experience with The Haunting of Modesto O’Brien by Brit Griffin, a surprising read that ended up keeping me up way too late. It’s one of those stories that seeps into your brain like fog through an open window.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Latitude 46 Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Story

Set in 1907 in the mining town of Cobalt, Ontario, this one blends ghost story, detective noir, and myth in a way that feels gritty and otherworldly at the same time. Modesto O’Brien is a fortune teller and occasional detective who’s come to town not for riches but for revenge. He gets tangled up with Lucy and Lilly Nail, sisters whose family history is filled with secrets, curses, and unfinished business. When Lucy goes missing, Lily asks O’Brien for help, and what starts as a simple investigation turns into something much darker and much stranger.

The Setting Steals the Show

The setting absolutely steals the show. Griffin’s version of Cobalt is raw and alive. It is full of miners, greed, superstition, and a forest that seems to have opinions about it all. The wilderness feels like it’s watching the characters, waiting for them to make the next mistake. It’s classic gothic atmosphere done right – moody, messy, and alive with ghosts both literal and metaphorical.

Genre-Bending Goodness

What I really liked here is that Griffin doesn’t stick to one lane when it comes to genre. It’s mystery, horror, folklore, and historical fiction all tangled together. There’s this uneasy blend of realism and myth that makes you question what’s actually happening versus what’s being imagined or remembered. It’s the kind of story that feels haunted even when nothing supernatural is on the page.

The Writing (And My One Big Gripe)

I’m not sure if this is because I read an ARC, but the grammar and punctuation (especially the use of commas) were rough. Like, distractingly rough. I found myself rereading sentences to make sense of them, which is not what you want in the middle of a tense ghostly mystery. It could have used a solid round (or three) of editing.

However, while Griffin struggles with the technical aspects of her craft, her dialogue writing is superb. I recently played Red Dead Redemption 2 and this novel could have been a part of the writing for the game. It was seriously, seriously good. I felt as though I was a fly on the wall listening to these characters interact with each other.

In spite of the sloppy writing, I really, really enjoyed this story. The characters felt layered and flawed, the world felt tangible, and the central mystery had that perfect mix of dread and wonder. Although this book wasn’t polished to perfection it still completely pulled me in.

Final Thoughts

So here’s where I landed: 3 out of 5 stars for The Haunting of Modesto O’Brien, but that’s only because of the editing. With tighter grammar and a clean-up on sentence structure, this easily could have been a 4.5 for me. The story itself? Fantastic. Creepy, immersive, and emotionally grounded in a way that sticks with you.

If you like books that feel like ghost stories told by firelight, books that are part truth, part legend, and a little bit curse, you’ll probably love this one.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to make tea and go sit by a window until the feeling that something’s watching me passes.