Welcome to the Spookshow by Tim McGregor

Welcome to the Spookshow Reviews

• 
  Carol [Goodreads Addict]

  RATING 4.5 STARS
  
  Welcome to the Spookshow is book one in the Spookshow series by Tim McGregor. This book was generously provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
  
  Sybil Culpepper, or Billie, as she is known as, is watching her three best friends find their places in life as adults. She still doesn’t know where she belongs, what she is supposed to do. So she works a few nights a week tending bar and just sort of bides her time. Billie’s mom was known as the town freak, and Billie lost her when she was eight years old in a violent way. At twenty nine years old now, she only has vague memories of her.
  
  Billie is helping out her friend at a photography gig when she is approached by an English man. This is the second time he has approached her. She has no idea how he has found her again or what he wants but just as she is about to find out, another man barrels into them and knocks her into the water.
  
  
  
  Technically, Billie died. She was dead for two full minutes. Then she spent three days unconscious. Once she woke up, her life would never be the same.
  
  “That’s what those things are, luv. The spookshow that came out to greet you. They’re not a hallucination, nor a symptom of a bump to the head. They’re dead. You can see them. And they can see you.”
  
  
  
  At first Billie thinks she is crazy, having hallucinations. But she soon realizes that what she is seeing is the dead. They are everywhere and they are drawn to her. How can she turn this off? How can she get rid of them? She does not want this.
  
  The Englishman that approached her before her accident is John Gantry. He does help Billie somewhat in his own elusive way to understand what is happening to her. But does he truly want to help her or does he have some ulterior motive of his own?
  
  Then there is the police detective that pushed her into the water starting all of this in the first place, Ray Mockler. From the start, there is an ease with him. And yes, if she admits it, an attraction. But Ray is not available.
  
  
  
  Billie is trying to accept what she is now and twice she tried to help, once with her friend Jen, and then with Ray. Both times it was a disaster. Ray and his fiancé are in danger, serious danger. She wants to help but how? She even tried honesty, telling them about what she sees and the danger she knows they are in, but all she gets is the look that says they believe she is crazy.
  
  
  
  This book is actually pretty spooky. I read right before bed time and was afraid I would have nightmares. And don't even get me started on the author's inclusion of the flies. 'shudder' I admit this is not my usual genre but in the spirit of the upcoming Halloween holiday, I thought it was the perfect time to read this. So if you like something with characters that are wonderfully easy to like and some definitely spooky aspects to it, this one is for you.
  
  
  
• 
  Brandi ;)

  I'm completely hooked. I'm always leery of the second book when the first is really good. I'm more than expecting that second book curse, where it just can't measure up to the first. Not here. If anything, this one was better than the first. The first book was awesome, it drew me in, latched it's teeth into me & made me crave some more. Especially since it was a bit cryptic & mysterious. Same thing here with book #2, only now I'm completely sucked in. I love the characters, the MC, Billie (short for Sybil) isn't annoying or stupid. She makes decisions logically & with heart. Her choices go along with & flow with the story instead of being ridiculous & obviously stupid just to keep the story going. Very refreshing.
  But I have to say one tiny little nitpick & it's just because I'm female & I get it. She rides her bike every where just about, borrowing a car on occasion from a neighbor when needed. In one scene she is dressing to meet a detective & she picks, of all things, a pencil skirt. To ride her bike. A pencil skirt. As soon as I read that I paused & went 'are you crazy?' But then my next thought was 'oh wait, a man wrote this'. Pencil skirts & bicycles don't mix well. It can be done, but no sane woman meeting a man she has a crush on would pick this skirt to ride a bike. Getting on the bike is a challenge, riding & trying to keep your knees together so the skirt doesn't end up around your waist is a challenge & I won't even go into the disaster that is the dismount.
  But this doesn't take from my rating AT ALL. I'm not shallow like that, this book is way too good to not get a 5 star from me. It flows, it has a smart realistic MC, it is scary & intriguing, it is completely un-put-downable & best of all (as far as I'm concerned) it's a freaking fantastic GHOST STORY!!!
  So, I'm on to the next one. I haven't been this excited about a series in a while. As always, what works for me might not work for you, so read it & find out. But if you like spooky ghost stories with great characters, read this! Enjoy :)
• 
  Abbie

  Actual rating - 3.5
  
  I didn't love the main character in this, but she was okay.
  
  I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as book one, but it was still a decent read. There were one or two times where I started to lose interest a bit, but most of the time it was okay.
  
  Overall, A decent read.
• 
  Diana (geeky_diana)

  Warning :) don't read it at night in bed.
  Super creepy but wonderful. Could not put it down.
• 
  Jana

  This is a prequel to "Spook Show" that I received for free after completing "Spook Show". "Welcome To The Spook Show" is very good. Too damn good to have the problems that I found scattered throughout the book. The first book, "The Spook Show" was streamlined, almost concise in its less-is-more kick-ass punch. Book 2, "Welcome To The Spook Show" needs more of the TLC that was apparently given to Book 1. There are grammar issues, not many, but enough to be distracting during an intense scene, such as several instances of "your" that should be "you're", "ghastly" that should be "ghostly", and some very descriptive horror/thriller scenes, while correctly written, began to feel like "filler" rather than moving the story along. And while this may just be personal preference, the frequent use of "the girl" when referring to our heroine, IMHO, is annoying. Billie is 29, not 19, so use her name or the correct feminine pronoun, for cryin' out loud. I am being ticky and nit-picky, but this is a damn good story that should be 5+, and these issues are easily fixable. Fix it, please. Billie deserves it!!!
• 
  Tania

  Really enjoyed this book. The timeline following (or rather NOT following) from the first book was a bit confusing, but it all falls into place eventually. The plot is original, the writing is good, the characters are mature and I like that they all battle to accept what is going on - makes it more believable. It is creepy and scary and just loads of fun to read. Thumbs up for this series
• 
  April Sarah

  This is the book I was expecting with I picked up 'Spookshow'. A lot of my questions from the first book were answered in this story. I almost wish this was the first book. It felt and read like the first installment. So much was introduced, that things feel a bit jumpy and overwhelming at times. It takes a while to see how everything flows together and for the main story to really start playing out. However I understand why 'Spookshow' is set up as the first book. It does draw you into the series. You want all the answers with the way everything is set up (so open ended), frustratingly so.
  
  This book is perfect for when the summer thunderstorms roll through. It plays out just like a horror movie, messed up characters and all.
  
  More:
  https://youtu.be/HabAkmfQ-C0
• 
  Debi

  This was a good read. I only bought it because I got the first book, Spookshow, for free and it left you hanging. This book gave more of a background as to why she could see spirits and how she handled it once she did starting seeing them (not very well, as you can imagine). It was intriguing but I still did not find out what happened at the end of the first book! What happened to her friend in the hospital? I am interested to see if she builds a relationship with the cop after he broke up with his fiancée.
• 
  Emily (Heinlen) Davis

  I loved this book and could not put it down. It was just as good as the first. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series.
• 
  Janice Stinnett

  Great
  
  The story pulled me in from the start it was very easy to read and follow. The concept I like and the characters are believable. I look forward to the next book
• 
  Ruth Boynton

  Loved the book but felt this should be read first then Spookshow. Hope to have more of Billie.
• 
  Angela

  In this novel, you go back before Billie knew she had the gift to see dead people. You go on a journey with Billie as she learns how to deal, or tries not to deal with the fact of what is happening. She's in denial that she has the gift. Billie is in the middle of her own crisis when she realizes Mockler a detective is in deep trouble with an evil spirit living in his home.
• 
  Elena

  WHERE did this book come from?? What a hidden gem! I did follow the advice of reviewers and start with this book (listed as book 2). Apparently the books make more sense that way? It was recommended to read 2,3, then 1, in that order. I’ll overlook it, because I’m so excited about this series and the wonderful characters. Fast-paced and completely absorbing. Loved it!
• 
  nickiknackinoo

  Again another great story!! I love ghost stories anyway and Tim creates some really good scary ghouls!! May have to get the next book as the connection between Billie and herbal friend may be explained??! Can't wait!!
• 
  Julie Pfleuger

  Book 2 ??
  
  While I liked the book and have been captivated by the series, I really felt as if this should have been book #1. Its almost as if Tim McGregor wrote the first book without any other books planned for the future for these characters.
• 
  gail andersen

  A great read
  
  This book was awesome! I wondered about it when I first purchases it but as I read it became hard to put down . I like the main character very much and hope she gets her happy ending.
• 
  Shannon

  I thought I messed up when I started this, but no, it really is book 2. I would have preferred to have read this first, so rather odd, IMO. I wasn't really interested in the "I must be crazy " trope, so I skimmed some of this. It was okay, but it was really stupid that it was #2.
• 
  Roth

  Easy to read, spooky in a clichéd way, a bit predictable but still enjoyable, made less so by the sprinklings of anti mental illness stuff sprinkled throughout.
• 
  Doug

  interesting take on ghosts and other spectral entities. minor editing miscues but a solid book nonetheless, next please.
• 
  Nicola

  Excellent read. More fast paced and more horror. Loved this. Off for book 3 now