Linda Griffin

The new improved Stonebridge is now available for order. An earlier version was published by Winston-Derek Publishers, Inc. in 1994. 

 

After the death of her mother, Rynna Dalton comes to live with her imperious great-grandmother and her bookish, disabled cousin Ted at Stonebridge Manor. Almost immediately she is aware of a mysterious presence, which she believes is the spirt of her mother's murdered cousin, Rosalind. Rynna is charmed by Rosalind's lawyer son Jason Wyatt, and he begins to court her. But Stonebridge holds secrets that will profoundly affect her future. Why is Ted so opposed to the match? Why does Rosalind seem to be warning Rynna? And how far will Jason go to possess Stonebridge--and the woman he professes to love? 

   An inexplicable chill ran down her spine. She saw nothing, heard nothing. She didn't even have a definite sense of someone else in the room. She was simply unnerved for no reason. For a few seconds more she stayed in the shadows of the music room and then, with an almost physical sensation, her composure shattered.

   Rynna fled. She ran for the stairs and clambered up them, slipping and stumbling in the dark, half-choked by terror and gasping for breath. At the top of the stairs, she ran full tilt into someone hurrying down the hall, and before she had time to register who it was, she screamed. 

"I loved cousin Ted from the first time I met him...Griffin layered Jason's personality perfectly and paced the changes he went through with precision, resulting in a slow mounting tension which kept me glued to the pages. But the ending…I so want to tell you, but you'll have to discover this twist for yourself. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Stonebridge." ~ N.N. Light's Book Heaven

 

 "The novel tackles domestic violence in a way that never lingers on, revels in, or exploits the somber subject matter. Just as impressive is the book's depiction of Ted, a fully realized character whose disability is neither his lone distinguishing trait nor a tool for Rynna's own growth. The story isn't afraid to be cutting toward its characters or their entanglements in a fun, cathartic way, and the wit of Rynna and Ted's banter lends moments of lightness to the dark narrative. The supernatural elements are relatively low-key until the novel's end, where each spooky note builds to an exciting crescendo that recalls a tradition of gothic storytelling usually reserved for the endings of Hammer horror films.

   A heady blend of the serious and the supernatural, with a dark humor that uncannily undercuts neither." ~ Kirkus Reviews

 

   "Griffin's tale abounds in atmosphere, with a compelling supernatural element, a sense of out-of-time mystery, and delicious scheming about bloodlines and inheritances. The growing friendship between Ted and Rynna develops with compelling warmth over the course of a story whose twists are heavily foreshadowed early on...The story edges into the gothic: scenes of Jason's eventual abusive treatment of Rynna and of her reactions are detailed and painful, but readers open to the supernatural elements will enjoy how Griffin imbues ghosts, staircases, and dark secrets with conviction." ~ BookLife

 

"Linda Griffin's vivid imagery and elegant prose flow beautifully and provide a smooth, precise, and haunting reading experience. ..This immersive read favors readers who seek a contemplative journey into a darker side of marital bliss in the 1950's." ~ InD'Tale Magazine

 

"Linda Griffin is adept at cultivating both ghostly encounters and psychological tension as the story evolves...Rynna matures and changes in the course of the story whose initial draw as a ghost tale evolves into something much more thought-provoking; as driven by the emotional developments between characters as it is by puzzles of the past which motivate and influence them...Griffin crafts a tale that is alluring on many different levels."

   ~ D. Donovan, Midwest Book Review

 

"Ms. Griffin had a smooth writing style that makes reading her stories a delight. She seemed to know exactly when vivid details were required and when it was better to allow the audience to imagine certain moments for themselves. That is not an easy thing to balance, but it's one of the reasons why I try to request as many of the books she submits to Long and Short Reviews as I possibly can. Whatever else may happen with the plot, I know that I'm always going to want to read just one more page of the polished stories she writes...Stonebridge was a memorable and exciting read." ~ Long and Short Reviews.

 

"The story is very atmospheric and spooky. The author deftly weaves a tale of intrigue, suspicion and the supernatural. The Stonebridge setting was vivid and well-developed. With a cast of characters who are realistic and compelling, a few delightful twists and an age-old mystery, this novel kept me captivated from beginning to end." ~ T.P. Warren