Darlene Foster's Blog

The title and the cover of this book caught my attention immediately. I love books set in another country, especially if the story contains part of the history of that country. A Ghost and His Gold by prolific author, Roberta Eaton Cheadle takes place in her home country of South Africa during the Second Anglo Boer War between 1899 and 1902. But this isn’t just a historical novel, it also takes place in modern times with a paranormal twist. How the two time periods connect makes this a thrilling story.

Here is the blurb.

After Tom and Michelle Cleveland move into their recently built, modern townhouse, their housewarming party is disrupted when a drunken game with an Ouija board goes wrong and summonses a sinister poltergeist, Estelle, who died in 1904.

Estelle makes her presence known in a series of terrifying events, culminating in her attacking Tom in his sleep with a knife. But, Estelle isn’t alone. Who are the shadows lurking in the background – one in an old-fashioned slouch hat and the other, a soldier, carrying a rifle?

After discovering their house has been built on the site of one of the original farms in Irene, Michelle becomes convinced that the answer to her horrifying visions lie in the past. She must unravel the stories of the three phantoms’ lives, and the circumstances surrounding their untimely deaths during the Second Anglo Boer War, in order to understand how they are tied together and why they are trapped in the world of ghosts between life and death. As the reasons behind Estelle’s malevolent behaviour towards Tom unfold, Michelle’s marriage comes under severe pressure and both their lives are threatened.

I enjoyed this book for many reasons. This is my review on Amazon and Goodreads

A well-written blend of historical and paranormal fiction by Darlene Foster

I have had this book on my TBR list ever since I heard about it. Then, as luck would have it, I won a print copy in a giveaway! I was overjoyed and not disappointed. I tend to be a slow reader, especially if there is a lot of detail and characters, as this story has, but I could not put it down.

It is a well-written blend of historical and paranormal fiction. I love history but am not as keen on paranormal. But in this case, it works well. The author has skillfully used the ghosts of the past to tell their story, which give history a personal and more honest viewpoint. The attention to detail shows the huge amount of research Ms Cheadle has done to ensure the story rings true. In any war, there are always two or more sides and I like how all sides of the Second Boer War are represented in this story. The good, the bad and the ugly, from the point of view of both the men and women involved.

This is not simply a war story, it is about family dynamics, friendships, hardships and heartbreak, and ultimately forgiveness and redemption. A lot is packed into this novel and it is well worth a read.

As an extra treat, here is the author reading an excerpt from the book on Tea Toast and Trivia She also discusses an overview of her writing process for this novel which includes both the British and the Boers point of view.

https://teatoasttrivia.com/2021/06/21/season-3-episode-25-roberta-eaton-cheadle-reading-a-ghost-and-his-gold/?fbclid=IwAR3N9fO22DDB07TWRpAvXkOSPRwWzUmvOq2O4XCi7nxLPV514DgHO0NWxl8

You can purchase a copy of this excellent book on Amazon in paperback or for Kindle

Follow Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Website: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/

Blog: https://wordpress.com/view/robertawrites235681907.wordpress.com

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