Review: The Ghosts of Gwendolyn Montgomery: A Novel – Clarence A. Haynes

I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

In a fast-paced, sexy, ghostly adventure, a publicist at the top of her game must confront her secret mystical past.

To be a client of Gwendolyn Montgomery's, New York's most powerful publicist at Sublime Media, is to be infused with a certain oomph, a mysterious glamour. She seems to have created the ideal life with her handsome new boyfriend, the perfect match. But Gwendolyn has a secret: She's a mystical practitioner who can tap into the interdimensional, metaphysical realm of the dead known as El Intermedio. Gwendolyn has hidden her powers, buried her old life, and started anew.

After a grisly, bizarre incident at the Brooklyn Museum, Gwendolyn begins to realize that something nefarious is happening tied directly to her past right as Fonsi Harewood comes back into her world. Fonsi is a queer Latinx psychic from the South Bronx who's caught up in a love triangle with a ghost and his mortal ex. He's able to communicate with the dead, having established a robust business interpreting messages from departed loved ones. And he comes with a dire warning for Gwendolyn, that the barrier between humans and spirits is weakening.

Gwendolyn would prefer not to have anything to do with ghostly drama. Yet in order to get to the bottom of the spookiness derailing her life, she must face the demons she'd long left behind or the spirit world will be unleashed, threatening her very existence and all of New York. The Ghosts of Gwendolyn Montgomery is a sensuous, funny, mystical adventure that will leave you spellbound as you keep the pages turning.

Every now and then, a book grabs you from the first page and refuses to let go. The Ghosts of Gwendolyn Montgomery by Clarence A. Haynes is that kind of read. It pulled me in, kept me turning pages, and easily earned a spot at the top of my 2025 list.

The story takes place in New York City and follows Gwendolyn Montgomery, a successful woman who seems to have it all. But when parts of her past start to resurface, everything she’s built is put at risk. What happens next is a mix of mystery, power, and the kind of tension that makes it hard to stop reading.

What truly stands out is how effortlessly Haynes moves between the emotional and the supernatural. There’s a lot happening beneath the surface, but the story never loses focus. The pacing is on point, and there is just enough humor threaded through to keep things grounded. Every chapter pulls you deeper, and the tension builds without ever feeling forced.

The Ghosts of Gwendolyn Montgomery is not simply a paranormal novel. It is bold, magnetic, and completely unforgettable.

Clarence A. Haynes has created something genuinely memorable, and this book deserves to be read, shared, and talked about.

Reviewed by: Orsayor

Comments

comments