The Ghost Illusion is the third ghost novel I’ve written. Each book was based on a true incident, which made the research extremely interesting.
In the novel, the hero, billionaire Ransom King, and the heroine, psychologist Eve St. Clair, set out to discover whether or not Eve’s house is haunted and if so, what spirits are involved?
Who are they? Why are they there? What do they want?
If spirits are locked in the house, how can Ran’s team of ghost hunters help them find their way to the other side?
The story of The Ghost Illusion began when I discovered the photo of an abandoned orphan asylum on the internet, a dilapidated, decaying structure that compelled me to wonder about it past. The asylum was in the town of Sunderland, England, a city that became a shipbuilding port in the 14th century. By 1815, it was the leading shipbuilding port in the world, though today they build automobiles—quite a transition.
As the story of the orphan boys began to develop in my head, I discovered that smuggling was rampant in Sunderland’s colorful past. Ships would arrive in the dead of night and offload their contraband, including tea, silk, lace, and French brandy, which smugglers’ carried through tunnels throughout the area.
It was researching the setting that led me to the terrible tragedy that became the focus of my story. It happened in the 1880s, during an afternoon theatrical production. The show, put on by a magician and his assistant, involved the occult, an act entitled The Great Ghost Illusion.
During my research, I read dozens of old newspaper articles about the tragedy, all of which pulled me even deeper into the tale.
From the beginning, I felt chosen to write this story. Every fact I uncovered pointed me toward the disaster. The fact that an occult performance led to such a terrible loss of life was stunning. Ghosts and the occult–spirits of the dead and violent tragedy. A story meant to be told.
I hope you will watch for The Ghost Illusion and that you enjoy Eve and Ran’s story. Until next time, all best and happy reading, Kat!
In a twisty page-turner for fans of Lisa Jewell and Melinda Leigh, New York Times bestselling author Kat Martin melds psychological thriller and ghost story as one woman’s daring search for the truth tests the dividing line between life and death.
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Eve St. Clair desperately needs help sorting reality from her fearful imaginings when ghostly voices seem to haunt the Victorian house in Sunderland, England, that she inherited from her uncle. Online research leads to a group that claims to offer just the aid she’s seeking. But can Ransom King’s handpicked team of investigators truly banish Eve’s night terrors?
Since the deaths of his wife and daughter, Seattle billionaire Ransom King has devoted himself to researching parapsychology and debunking the frauds who prey upon the bereaved. But Eve is a psychologist herself, clearly sane, and her sincerity is palpable. King senses a very real danger stalking the beautiful divorcée. As his interest in her case turns deeply personal, he will move heaven and earth to uncover the truth—no matter how shocking—and save the woman he loves.
Reprinted with permission from Kensington Books.
