What Happens at Nightfall

by Lauren Willig

First published 2026

Jess gets separated from her group during a nighttime tour of Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery. She stumbles upon frightened boys and discovers a mysterious ancient key. Both clues lead her to Adam Chervinsky, the cemetery's arborist who recently lost his wife. Adam notices his children behaving strangely since their mother's death. His tween daughter forms an instant bond with Jess, while his quiet son suddenly excels at Latin and gains unexpected popularity. Jess seems to know more about these supernatural occurrences than she admits. As she and Adam investigate together, they uncover a curse from the Gilded Age involving a ghostly socialite and a demonic pact spanning generations. The Vanderwilt marble mausoleum holds dark secrets that connect to Jess's own past. The cemetery's shadows grow more threatening as supernatural forces awaken, forcing Jess to face her shocking connection to the ancient evil if she and Adam want their budding romance to survive.

Genres: romance, mystery, fantasy, supernatural

Vibes: atmospheric, dark, emotional, suspenseful

Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, supernatural-mystery

Setting: Brooklyn, Green-Wood Cemetery

Period: Gilded Age

384 pages · Hardcover · William Morrow

Content warnings: death

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