I was delighted to review the historical novel set in South Africa during the Boer War, A Ghost and His Gold by Roberta Eaton Cheadle
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.
My review for the book June 5th 2021
This was certainly an ambitious project from a number of perspectives. The fusion of paranormal and history with two stories running in parallel is a challenge, but the author has succeeded in writing a flowing saga spanning 130 years. All the characters are excellently crafted and are memorable..
Usually it is left to the victors to write the history of wars, but that means you get the abridged truth and their own atrocities and failures tend to be skirted over. In this account of the Second Boer War between 1899 and 1902, both sides of the conflict are represented by two soldiers, enemies, but united in death by a need for resolution and forgiveness. They share the unabridged truth from their individual perspectives of the military and civilian devastation that occurs during this period, and it makes for sombre reading.
Their accounts of the conflict have been meticulously researched and provide a compelling behind the scenes background, not just to the military victories and defeats, but the appalling impact on whole families, the Boer way of life and Africa’s future. Those who worked the land with their native farm workers saw treasure in the earth and in the animals that grazed the grasslands, and fought for the right to retain their rights. The British Army was sent into battle to secure what lay beneath the ground for politicians who wanted gold and to remove the right to autonomy.
Men on the front line from both sides suffered from ineffective leadership and devastating losses but the conflict spread uncontained across the veld due to the scorched earth policy which destroyed farms and livestock, leaving nothing for the Boers to return to. Families were incarcerated in concentration camps lacking the basic human needs leading to the deaths of thousands of women and children from starvation and disease..
Running parallel to this personal account of two men caught up in this vortex, is the story of a modern day couple living on the land once a thriving Boer farm. The earth holds secrets and the house, now built over the rubble of its troubled past, also contains an unresolved mystery. One that has attracted the attention of another ghost who is not seeking forgiveness but revenge.
The author manages the various threads of the story with skill, weaving them back and forth across the loom of time. She brings them together for a dramatic climax which will shake the foundations of the future, as the dead and living claim their right to be heard.
Head over to buy the book: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK
A small selection of other books by Robbie and Michael Cheadle and as Roberta Eaton Cheadle.
Read the reviews and Buy the books :Amazon US – And:Amazon UK – Follow Robbie : Goodreads – blog: Robbie’s Inspiration- Twitter: @bakeandwrite
I am a South African writer specialising in historical, paranormal and horror novels and short stories. I am an avid reader in these genres and my writing has been influenced by famous authors including Bram Stoker, the Bronte sisters, Amor Towles, Stephen Crane, Enrich Maria Remarque, George Orwell, Stephen King, and Colleen McCullough.
I was educated at the University of South Africa where I achieved a Bachelor of Accounting Science in 1996 and a Honours Bachelor of Accounting Science in 1997. I was admitted as a member of The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants in 2000.
I have worked in corporate finance from 2001 until the present date and have written seven publications relating to investing in Africa. I have won several awards over my twenty year career in the category of Transactional Support Services.
I have been published a number of anthologies and have two published YA books, While the Bombs Fell and Through the Nethergate. I have recently published my first adult novel called A Ghost and His Gold which is partly set in South Africa during the Second Anglo Boer War.
Thanks for dropping in today and I hope you will head over to buy Robbie’s latest book.. thanks Sally
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Pingback: FRIDAY’S FANTASTIC FINDS FEATURES: #SallyCronin #RobbieCheadle#PlaistedPublishing#AnnChiapetta#WebFriendlyHelp and #GrannyMoon’sWeeklyFeast – PattysWorld
Robbie’s book has worked its way to the top of my TBR list, and I look forward to digging into it in the next couple of weeks in between all of my middle-grade reads that are keeping me busy these days.
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Fantastic Pete and that is your market sector so well worth the time..xx
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Hi Pete, I hope you enjoy it. I also like to read in the genre I am writing. I am looking forward to reading your story in due course.
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What a stunning review for Robbie’s book, Sally. Toni x
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Well deserved Toni… ♥
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Thank you, Toni. I appreciate both yours and Sally’s lovely reviews of this book.
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♥
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A terrific review, Sally. Congratulations to Robbie.
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Thanks John…hugsx
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Thank you, John.
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😊
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Another wonderful review from you, Sally! Thank you for sharing. You are all reading too fast. I will need a turbo to follow. Lol
Have a beautiful evening! xx Michael
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I haven’t got your work schedule Michael.. tough to keep up when you are full on with work…hugsxx
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Honestly, its sometimes more my behavior on procrastinating. 😉 hugsx
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We can all lay claim to that one…hugsxx
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Hi Michael, I agree, I also can’t keep up on either the reading or the writing front. I hope you are having a good weekend.
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Oh, Robbie! You are one of the best. I always wonder how you bring everything under one roof. Thank you, have a nice, relaxing weekend too! xx Michael
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I run a tight ship, Michael. There is time allocated for everything. Unfortunately, I don’t take that well to disruptions …
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Its a good thing to be well organized, Robbie! Disruptions are also horrible to me. But i get them on a daily basis. Have a nice weekend! xx Michael
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I hope your new week is also good, Michael.
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Thank you, Robbie! I will try to schedule it this way. Lol xx
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Reblogged this on OPENED HERE >> https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
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Thanks for sharing Michael..hugsx
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A fantastic review, on Robbie’s very interesting book. She is also very multitalented. hugsx
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She is Michael.. thanks hugsxxx
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Thank you, Michael.
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Always with a great pleasure, Robbie! Enjoy your weekend! xx Michael
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Thank you, Sally, for reading and reviewing A Ghost and His Gold and for boosting it today. Hugs.
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Happy to reshare the review Robbie.. good books deserve repeated showcases..hugsx
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A fantastic review for Robbie’s book which seems to be quite popular. I promise Robbie, I will get to it. ❤
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Thanks Debby.. a terrific read…hugs ♥
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Thank you, Debby. I don’t think now is the right time for you to read this book. It is a bit of a tear jerker. Maybe in a few months time. Hugs.
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Thank you Robbie for your gentle warning. I already thought about that, and you are right. Just like Alex Craigie’s two books I’m looking forward to reading. It’s a bit soon and she recommended the same. Thank you for caring. ❤
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It is my pleasure, Debby. I have one of Alex’s books on my TBR.
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❤
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How wonderful to see the amazingly talented Robbie Cheadle here today! I have this book waiting for me on my TBR list and look forward to getting to it! Thank you for sharing, Sally and congrats to Robbie!
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Thanks Jan..and delighted to give the book another boost…hugsx
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Thank you, Jan, for your kind words and support.
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The very talented Robbie Cheadle came up with a brilliant plot for this novel. Britain, even as late as the start of the 20th Century is shown to be as ruthless and as greedy as ever. I hope this becomes a big hit for her.
Massive Hugs
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Thanks David… as as always there are two sides to the story… Robbie balanced it very well…hugsxxx
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Hugs, Sally
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Thank you for your kind words, David. This is a very sad story and it needed to be shared with the world.
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Reblogged this on Plaisted Publishing and commented:
Looking for a great weekend read? Look no further. Sally and Robbie have you covered.
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Thanks very much for sharing Patty…hugsx
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Thank you, Patty.
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Great review. Congrats to Robbie 🙂
Thanks for sharing, Sally. Hugs 💕🙂
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Thanks Harmony, deserved a boost…hugsxx
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Thank you, Harmony.
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Excellent review. That’s a clever way–with ghosts–to get both sides of the story out.
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I agree.. Robbie played that out very well..xx
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Thank you, Jacqui.
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It sounds like Robbie has written a winner and one that I will add to my TBR list! Thanks, Sally for your review!
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Thanks Noelle.. an interesting concept and very well researched..hugsx
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Paranormal and historical! Two of my favorites wrapped up into one. 🙂
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A great combination and Robbie brought them together beautifully…xxx
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