While I’ve thankfully managed to stay away from TikTok despite its ever-growing user base, I did see one viral video that emerged from the otherwise dreadful app. This video showed the author Shawn M. Warner at a bookstore with his own table, selling his book. However, there was no audience there to buy it. So the person making the video, in an act of kindness, made conversation with the author, bought his book, and promoted it on his account. The video soon went viral, and the book, Leigh Howard and the Ghosts of Simmons-Pierce Manor, became a bestseller. After I viewed this video (not straight from TikTok), I ordered the book online to see what all the fuss was about. This is my review of Leigh Howard and the Ghosts of Simmons-Pierce Manor.
This review is going to contain spoilers, but if you’re looking for a short answer, here it is. There were some aspects of the book I enjoyed, but overall, it was a bit disappointing. The reviews on Amazon spoke extremely highly of the book, but I think people just wanted to contribute to the feel-good story that brought this book to prominence, or the audience at large consisted of TikTok users who hardly read books in their lives. Regardless, the expectations I had weren’t met. The main character, the villains, and the plot were all underwhelming to the point where I questioned whether I should put the book down or not. However, I finished it, and the saving graces were the ghost characters, some of the other side characters, and the final chapter of the book. Now, let’s get into an in-depth look that will include spoilers…
Concerning the setting of Leigh Howard, it was nothing too spectacular. While the setting certainly wasn’t a drawback, it failed to stand out in my mind. The Simmons-Pierce Manor and the surrounding city was utilized in the purpose Warner intended, but that was the extent of it. If one considered the ghosts that haunted the Manor as part of the setting, then an argument could be made, but considering I categorized them as characters, I won’t talk about them here.
Now, let’s get into the characters. Firstly, the main character of Leigh Howard I found quite unlikeable and annoying to be around. While it’s true she suffered a traumatic and sympathetic event, losing her parents to murder with an unknown motive, she held few redeeming qualities to make me care for her outside of that. She had every reason to be depressed, but for 75% of the book, it felt as though such little progress was being made in her demeanor and attitude that she may never snap out of it. Leigh cried constantly, breaking down at every sad moment or kind word in a grating way. Her relationship with the ghosts and her cousin Myra worked well, though. Speaking of the ghosts, Little Bodie and Big Bodie were the best characters in the book by a wide margin. They were eccentric and unique, and were a breath of fresh air amidst a rather stale environment. The rest of the Simmons-Pierce family, Leigh’s relatives-turned-guardians, were also wholesome characters who felt lived-in. Tristin, Peg, and Myra felt very real, much moreso than the main protagonist. The villains, however, felt too forced and cartoonish, even in a book containing a ghost with multiple personality disorder. Miss Tree, the member of a secret crime organization behind Leigh’s parents’ murder, seemed too shoehorned in as the main antagonist. If she was a member of such a powerful organization, why’d she disguise herself as a therapist in the home of the she was trying to kill and go through so much effort? She offered an explanation in the story, but it took away from the believability of her being so powerful. Nacho, as well, was a bit over-the-top as the red herring villain. While there were hints that he was a part of the cartel, his admittance into killing Leigh’s parents also felt forced. Ultimately, it felt to me as if Warner had a larger story in mind, but had to stuff all the characters necessary to the mystery into one cramped location.
I had issues with the plot as well. The book was billed as a mystery thriller with a paranormal twist, but most of the book was about a troubled teen working through her problems and growing into new relationships. I would’ve had less of a problem with it if I’d known that going in. The intense scenes where Leigh was actually trying to solve the mystery were quite good, and I found myself turning the page excitedly. However, that was very little of the book. As a side note, Leigh’s discovery and interactions with the ghosts was a side plot that developed well. It wasn’t until the last five chapters that I felt fully invested in the story, but that’s when almost everything actually exciting happened. The final chapter was executed well, and the conclusion was satisfying enough while providing the opportunity at further elaboration. Still, wading through 16 bland chapters to get to the 5 superb ones was not a delight.
So, though Leigh Howard and the Ghosts of Simmons-Pierce Manor had its moments, I was overall a bit let down. If you enjoy YA stories about found family and emotional turmoil, I would recommend this book. However, if you’re in search of the next great mystery, this may not be the best option. Unfortunately, while I am glad I bought the book, I do not recommend Leigh Howard and the Ghosts of Simmons-Pierce Manor.
Russell A. Wells 