First published 2014
A. never knew he had American relatives until he inherits Axton House from a second cousin twice removed. The European twentysomething arrives at the Virginia estate with Niamh, a mute teenager with bright dyed hair, to claim their unexpected inheritance. The previous owner jumped from the third floor bedroom window, the same death that claimed his father at the same age. A. and Niamh soon realize the beautiful house holds far more than they bargained for. Ghosts walk the halls, but supernatural presences are only the beginning. The butler fled after his master died. Something moves in the garden maze. The basement vault conceals secrets. Town rumors speak of strange gatherings during the winter solstice. As A. and Niamh dig deeper into the Wells family history, they uncover the truth behind generations of suicides and the dark forces that have claimed the men of Axton House.
Genres: mystery, horror, supernatural, gothic
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, suspenseful
Tropes: found-family, gothic-mystery
Setting: Axton House, Virginia
Period: 20th-century
353 pages · Hardcover · Doubleday
Content warnings: death