I have to start out by saying this: I can't remember the last time I stayed up all night reading a book. I did so last night, with Christopher Ransom's outstanding debut novel, "The Birthing House."Ransom's protagonist, Conrad, is dealing with marital problems. His father passes away, and Conrad sees his inheritance as a chance to get a new start far away from the big city stresses of Los Angeles. So, he purchases a rambling Victorian house in Black Earth, Wisconsin, and moves his household.The neighbors are a little peculiar, and Conrad starts to see things that don't make sense to him. He begins to believe the house is haunted, despite the illogic of the idea, by a woman who looks like his wife. Watching the psychological suspense unfold throughout the book kept me awake and entertained into the wee hours of the morning. This is a classic "page-turner" in the truest sense of the word. Fans of the horror and suspense dramas are sure to enjoy Ransom's work.(Review based on unedited advance readers' copy.)
