First published 2023
Olivia Reed escapes to the House of Light, a spiritual retreat in upstate New York, after her public meltdown lands her name across tabloid headlines. Her publicist promises yoga, meditation, and personal growth at this remote center. Instead, Olivia encounters Ava, a local woman who insists the retreat hides something sinister. Ava claims multiple women connected to the House of Light have died by suicide, yet authorities dismiss any connection to the center. Olivia decides to use her celebrity status and starts a true crime podcast to investigate these deaths. As she digs deeper into the Light's operations, she discovers the spiritual community's glossy surface conceals corruption beneath. The podcast becomes her tool to expose what really happened to these women and reveal the retreat's actual purpose. Olivia must determine who she can trust while questioning whether anything at the House of Light, including her own safety, matches its appearance.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, contemporary, thriller
Vibes: dark, emotional, intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, deception, unreliable-narrator
Setting: House of Light, New York
400 pages · Paperback · Ballantine Books
Content warnings: suicide