First published 2001
Ellen Rimbauer picks up her pen as a young bride in early 1900s Seattle. Her husband John Rimbauer has built his industrial fortune and now constructs their dream home, the massive Rose Red mansion. Ellen writes privately about her fears surrounding this new marriage and her bewildering sexual awakening. As Rose Red takes shape, so does Ellen's understanding of her place within its walls. The mansion becomes the backdrop for tragedies that will shock Seattle's high society. Ellen records each mysterious event, her diary entries revealing both the daily routines of wealthy families and the inexplicable occurrences that plague their grand estate. Her private confessions capture a woman's emotional struggles as Rose Red transforms from architectural marvel into something far more sinister. The diary entries span Ellen's journey from uncertain bride to a woman who understands the true nature of her home.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, mystery, gothic-horror
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: unreliable-narrator
Setting: Rose Red, Seattle
Period: Early 1900s
252 pages · Hardcover · Hyperion