The Manor    by Scott Nicholson Order:  USA  Can Pinnacle, 2004 (2004) Paperback      Reviewed by Martina Bexte Ephram Korban was always a staunch patron of the arts. During his lifetime, he collected many and varied forms of art, from literature to sculpture. After his death, family members have kept his memory and his love of the arts alive through special yearly grants that bring established and promising new talents to Korban manor to attend a six week retreat. During that time each shares their individual craft and their skills, and perhaps is lucky enough to produce their personal best or even a 'masterpiece'. Sculptor Mason Jackson wants to prove to himself and to his mother that their years of living in poverty are finally over. British photographer Roth is determined to get that once-in-a-lifetime shot, even if someone must die. Adam and Paul can't understand why their loving relationship suffers the minute they enter the manor. Renowned author Jefferson Spence knows that this house and its special 'aura' will help him re-discover his 'mojo' so that he can once again wow critics with his literary genius. Parapsychologist Anna Galloway isn't sure why she was invited to this brooding, isolated house, in which dozens of sinister portraits of Ephram Korban watch her every move. But her dreams tell Anna that she and Korban have unfinished business. And that there are deeper and darker secrets lurking behind the manor's old walls, and behind the secretive smiles of Miss Mamie Goldfeld and her obedient staff. In a few days a rare blue moon rises, when Korban manor will claim them and their special talents forever. Scott Nicholson once again draws on Appalachian folklore as the background for his story. With the help of a fine cast of characters and marvelous imagery, he turns what might have been just another haunted house story into a gothic thriller that's a cut above the rest. He weaves a slow tapestry of terror, unraveling the threads with a very adept hand. The Manor is a deliciously creepy story and it's plain to see that Scott Nicholson is a master on the rise. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Fantasy books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews