Review - The Weeping by O'Dell Hutchison

Author - O'Dell Hutchison
Publisher - H, C & B Publishing
Release Date - March 6th, 2012, 282 Pages

Twenty years ago, Catherine Whitley was the victim of a horrible crime. Betrayed by her friends, including the boy she loved, she was left to die when the Rock Harbor Opera House caught fire, taking a disturbing secret with her to her grave. 

Seventeen-year-old Heath Ingram was driving the night his Jeep careened off the road, killing three of his closest friends. Once a popular, outgoing athlete, Heath now suffers from severe depression and crippling anxiety. His parents decide to send him to stay with his uncle in Rock Harbor, Oregon for the summer, praying that by getting away he will be able to put this awful tragedy behind him. 

When Heath starts working at the newly renovated Rock Harbor Opera House, he meets Molly, a young dancer who awakens in him a desire to start over and move on. But, when he begins having visions of a half-burned girl in a white dress, he starts to think he may be slipping even further over the edge. 

As the apparent hauntings become more intense, Heath begins to fear for his safety. With the help of his friend Josie, Heath discovers an unsettling secret that ties the mysterious girl to both their families. When two of their friends die unexpectedly, Josie and Heath realize that something, or someone, is after the children of those who wronged Catherine, and they are next. 

                               *A copy was provided by H, C & B for review purposes*

This, my friends, is one of the best ghost stories I have read! The Weeping starts out with a girl, known as Catherine, being trapped in a fire at the Opera house thinking that the one that she loved so much wouldn’t leave her behind and is left to die. Fast forward twenty years and we meet Heath who is overcoming his own tragedy of the deaths of his three closest friends. His parents are trying to get him away from his old life so they sent him to his uncle’s for the summer.

This is where Heath’s life changes yet again. He is still dealing with the trauma of his friend’s death, still seeing them in his dreams and now he’s seeing and hearing things that he never thought possible. While working at the Opera he finds a journal belonging to this mysterious Catherine and with his new found friends he is set on a journey to find out not only who she is but what happened to her. Josie is the ghost hunter of the group and offers her help to Heath after certain events have unfolded and the need to find answers grow stronger. In the meantime the reader is given a bit of Catherine’s world through the journal entries that she left oh so long ago. My heart ached for Catherine and everything that she has endured through her life.

Now the love in this is good. It’s not insta-love, it’s something growing and still questions to be asked about both parties. The attraction between the Molly and Heath is undeniable, they both are attracted to each other and want to be more than just friends. Heath is walking a fine line between being a good friend and being with the one that he so often finds himself thinking about.

There is so much mystery and suspense in The Weeping I couldn’t put it down. I loved the plot line and the characters. The ending was beautiful (as crazy as that makes me sound), I never saw that coming. I was so drawn into this story and plot line that I couldn’t guess what was coming next. I absolutely loved the way that O’Dell was able to piece everything together perfectly. If you’re looking for a read that will instantly grasp you, have you on the edge of your seat and give you one good ghost story this is the one. You will want to add this to your TBR pile!

-Shellie