House of Ashes

Book excerpt: This “haunting, atmospheric” paranormal mystery for fans of Kate Morton is “impossible to put down” (M.J. Rose, New York Times–bestselling author)! A family patriarch’s dying proclamation, an enigmatic disappearance, and a century-old curse converge in the shadows of a Cape Cod home . . . Thirty-seven-year-old painter Cassandra Mitchell is the fourth generation to live in the majestic Battersea Bluffs—a brooding Queen Anne home originally built by her great-grandparents, Percy and Celeste Mitchell, and still standing despite tragedies that have swept the generations. Local lore has it that there was a curse placed on the family and the house is haunted, though opinions are divided on whether it’s by malicious or benevolent spirits. Cassie believes the latter—but now she stands to lose her beloved home to mounting debt and the machinations of her dream-weaving ex-husband. Salvation seems to arrive when a nomadic young couple wanders onto the property with the promise of companionship and much-needed help—until they vanish without a trace, leaving behind no clue to their identities. Cassie is devastated but determined to discover what’s happened to the young couple . . . even as digging into their disappearance starts to uncover family secrets of her own. Despite warnings from her childhood friend, now the local Chief of Police—as well as an FBI agent who pushes the boundaries of professionalism—Cassie can’t help following the trail of clues (and eerie signals from the old house itself) to unravel the mystery. But can she do so before her family's dark curse destroys everything in its path?