It Was Her House First

by Cherie Priest

First published 2025

Ronnie Mitchell arrives at her new cliffside mansion with renovation plans and an inheritance to fund them. She bought the rundown property without seeing it first, unaware that silent film star Venita Rost died there decades ago. The malevolent spirit still occupies the house, trapping Inspector Bartholomew Sloan in an eternal struggle born from his guilt and her rage. Ronnie begins her repairs, but her presence awakens something violent in the shadows. A stranger appears at her door with jealous accusations and wild tales about the house's bloody past. His secret connection to the property threatens to unleash deadly consequences. Venita's fury builds as the living and dead collide around Ronnie. Caught between the vengeful ghost and the dangerous visitor, Ronnie discovers that her skepticism cannot protect her. She must navigate the blurred boundary between life and death to survive in a house where the former owner never truly left.

Genres: mystery, horror, contemporary, gothic

Vibes: atmospheric, dark, suspenseful

Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, haunted-house, supernatural-elements

Setting: Cliffside Mansion

Period: Decades Ago, Present Day

352 pages · Paperback · Poisoned Pen Press

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