Short Synopsis
When recently widowed Julia Bishop receives an offer to be the caretaker of an eccentric reclusive author, she discovers dark secrets about her family.

Full Synopsis
Recently widowed and rendered penniless by her Ponzi-scheming husband, Julia Bishop is eager to start anew. So when a stranger appears on her doorstep with a job offer, she finds herself accepting the mysterious yet unique position: caretaker to his mother, Amaris Sinclair, the famous and rather eccentric horror novelist whom Julia has always admired...and who the world believes is dead.

When she arrives at the Sinclairs' enormous estate on Lake Superior, Julia begins to suspect that there may be sinister undercurrents to her "too-good-to-be-true" position. As Julia delves into the reasons of why Amaris chose to abandon her successful writing career and withdraw from the public eye, her search leads to unsettling connections to her own family tree, making her wonder why she really was invited to Havenwood in the first place, and what monstrous secrets are still held prisoner within its walls.

"A brisk thriller tinged with gothic elements. . . . Careening through séances and ghostly encounters leaves the reader breathless." ---Kirkus

"Webb once again mines the secrets of an old mansion for an effective contemporary supernatural thriller." ---Publishers Weekly

"Webb expertly builds suspense and offers a thought-provoking tease in the final pages." "Webb expertly builds suspense and offers a thought-provoking tease in the final pages." ---Booklist

"Sands's performance fully embraces the rich gothic storytelling of Webb's prose. . . . The result is not quite a horror story but just spooky enough that listeners may not want to listen with the lights off." ---Publishers Weekly Audio Review