First published 2026
Lee remembers the blood but not where he buried the body. He retreats to his father's ancient house in Japan, knowing something broke inside him when his mother vanished ten years ago. Through the walls of the same house in 1877, Sen patrols her family's borders. The samurai class has been abolished and her father returned from war as a stranger. She fights to keep her family alive in a world that no longer wants warriors like her. When Lee discovers a door connecting their times, he and Sen meet across centuries. Both search for answers about their fractured families. The old house holds secrets that stretch between their worlds, and what they uncover together will force them to confront the violence that shaped their lives.
Genres: historical-fiction, mystery, thriller, 21st-century, asian-american, family-drama
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, time-travel
Setting: Japan
Period: 1877, 2022
368 pages · Paperback · Hodder & Stoughton
Content warnings: violence