Compulsion by Martina Boone

Published: October 28th

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Pages: 448

Copy: Publisher through Edelweiss

Summary: Goodreads

Three plantations. Two wishes. One ancient curse.

All her life, Barrie Watson has been a virtual prisoner in the house where she lives with her shut-in mother. When her mother dies, Barrie promises to put some mileage on her stiletto heels. But she finds a new kind of prison at her aunt’s South Carolina plantation instead--a prison guarded by an ancient spirit who long ago cursed one of the three founding families of Watson Island and gave the others magical gifts that became compulsions.

Stuck with the ghosts of a generations-old feud and hunted by forces she cannot see, Barrie must find a way to break free of the family legacy. With the help of sun-kissed Eight Beaufort, who knows what Barrie wants before she knows herself, the last Watson heir starts to unravel her family's twisted secrets. What she finds is dangerous: a love she never expected, a river that turns to fire at midnight, a gorgeous cousin who isn’t what she seems, and very real enemies who want both Eight and Barrie dead.

Review

A must read for fans of the Southern Gothic type of mystery, Compulsion was a fascinating look into so-called supernatural curses that last generations.  After some initial skepticism on my part, I pretty soon fell into the story and was cheering Barrie along in her search for a solution.

I'll be honest, one of the more compelling reasons was Eight.  Oh my!  I'd like to meet him - his father not so much! I really enjoyed the relationship between Eight and Barrie. There is instant attraction, but not insta love, so I was ok with that, and I thought that given the circumstance their relationship followed a believable path.  There is an element of suspicion, but this was satisfactorily explained and I enjoyed solving the mystery with the two of them.  

With lots of mystery and suspicion, false leads and eerie ghosts, Compulsion was a compulsive read, and a quick one.  I finished it in a couple of days and thoroughly enjoyed it.  Well done Ms Boone.  I'll be looking for more from you.