5 Stars
288 Pages
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Release Date: October 14, 2025
Genre: Fiction (Adult), General Fiction (Adult), Mystery, Thriller, Family Dynamics, New York
Payne’s Hollow property has been in the family for generations. The local history tells that Washington Irving wrote Sleepy Hollow there while visiting. When Douglas Payne, the patriarch of the family, dies, everyone gathers to hear the will. While Samantha’s Aunt Gail and Uncle Mark receive money, Samantha inherits the Payne’s Hollow property worth $10 million dollars. There is a stipulation that she must spend one month on the property.
Something dark and evil happened on that land, and she swore she would never go back. She had been caring for her mother who had early-onset dementia. She had to quit medical school to work to pay for her care. If Samantha accepts the challenge, she could change her future or die trying.
The book has a building pace, the characters are developed, and it is written in the first-person point of view. The location is somewhat isolated and creepy. If you like mysteries with strange family dynamics, you may enjoy this book.
