Overview

Based on a true story, this sparkling and witty novel whisks you to 1956 Manhattan, where famed director Alfred Hitchcock is hosting a star-studded party in an allegedly haunted house...only for the soiree to be interrupted by a ghostly party crasher. After fleeing her mundane life in the Midwest, Carolyn Banks finds herself in her enigmatic great-aunts' eerie mansion on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Inside its crumbling façade, suspense director Alfred Hitchcock is throwing a party, gleefully informing his celebrity guests that the venue is supposedly haunted. It all seems like a fun gag, but Carolyn knows that the line between reality and the supernatural is dangerously blurred here. Soon, the paranormal entities are mingling with guests like Charles Addams and Henry Fonda. As Carolyn grapples with romantic entanglements and ghostly encounters, she discovers long-buried family secrets, challenging her understanding of love, loyalty, and legacy. A striking mix of the haunting and the heartwarming, The Last Spirits of Manhattan is an unputdownable novel about a family reunion unlike any other, set against the bewitching backdrop of 1950s New York City.

Full Product Details

9781668058732

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Reviews

""John McDermott is a fine writer that I believe has a strong future ahead of him. He has clear, clean prose that sings. His work is entertaining and has the kind of echo that solidifies a long and successful career. ...an assured sense of story and style..."" --Joe R. Lansdale, Edgar Award-winning author ""What better way to avoid answering an unwelcome proposal than to attend a haunted-house party hosted by none other than Alfred Hitchcock? . . . By turns creepy, heartwarming, and romantic and set against the glittering backdrop of 1950s New York, McDermott's debut novel is a fun read that will delight haunted-house fans and Hollywood fans alike."" --Booklist ""McDermott beautifully captures a creepy, funny, romantic, and historic night in 1956 New York City. When Alfred Hitchcock, Charles Addams, and a host of others descend on the Upper East Side's most haunted house the result is an emotionally rich and uplifting story. When it's all over, one can only muse--what a swell party it was!"" --Charlie Lovett, New York Times bestselling author of The Bookman's Tale ""McDermott weaves ghost story and social satire into pure storytelling magic."" --Diane C. McPhail, USA Today bestselling author of The Seamstress of New Orleans

""McDermott weaves ghost story and social satire into pure storytelling magic."" --Diane C. McPhail, USA Today bestselling author of The Seamstress of New Orleans

""John McDermott is a fine writer that I believe has a strong future ahead of him. He has clear, clean prose that sings. His work is entertaining and has the kind of echo that solidifies a long and successful career. ...an assured sense of story and style..."" --Joe R. Lansdale, Edgar Award-winning author ""McDermott beautifully captures a creepy, funny, romantic, and historic night in 1956 New York City. When Alfred Hitchcock, Charles Addams, and a host of others descend on the Upper East Side's most haunted house the result is an emotionally rich and uplifting story. When it's all over, one can only muse--what a swell party it was!"" --Charlie Lovett, New York Times bestselling author of The Bookman's Tale ""McDermott weaves ghost story and social satire into pure storytelling magic."" --Diane C. McPhail, USA Today bestselling author of The Seamstress of New Orleans

Author Information

John A. McDermott was born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin. He now serves on the board of directors for the Writers' League of Texas and teaches creative writing at Stephen F. Austin State University. Prior to teaching, he worked as an actor, bartender, house painter, and advertising copywriter. He lives in Nacogdoches with his wife and teenage daughter. This is his first novel.

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