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There’s just something about a good ghost story to keep readers awake at night, reading well past their bedtime. And Inheritance, the first book in the Lost Bride trilogy by author Nora Roberts, sets up a captivating haunted house story by introducing readers to a house where generations of ghosts haunt—and sometimes help—the home’s new owner.
The story finds graphic designer Sonya MacTavish embarking on an unexpected new adventure. The last few months have been rough for Sonya, starting with a broken engagement that led her to quit a job she loved to start her own business. But when a lawyer arrives at her door to tell her that she’s inherited a grand Victorian manor from an uncle that she never knew she had, she finds herself packing up and moving from Boston to the coast of Maine, to a centuries-old home that’s full of history—and ghosts.
When Sonya arrives at the manor, handsome lawyer Trey informs her that the home may be just a little bit haunted—but she definitely isn’t prepared for the hauntings she’s about to experience. Some are surprisingly lovable—like the ghost who keeps the manor tidy or the one who speaks through the music in Sonya’s playlist. Others, however, aren’t quite as harmless—and Sonya soon finds herself battling the malevolent spirit of the woman who cursed the family and its young brides centuries ago. The presence of these spirits in the manor sometimes makes the story charming or humorous—or just plain creepy. And that mix makes for a different kind of haunted house story.
There’s a lot going on in Sonya’s story. Not only is she starting a new business and a new life in a new home in a new state, but she’s doing so in a house where the spirits of dead ancestors are trying to reach out to her, asking her to help them break the family’s curse. Fortunately for Sonya, she’s able to put together her own army of ghost-hunters—from her artist friend, Cleo, who agrees to move into the manor, to Sonya’s long-lost cousin, Owen, to a trio of lovable dogs who are quick to defend the humans they love. This first installment is sure to pull readers into Sonya’s story—and when it comes to its cliffhanger ending, readers will be eager to pick up the follow-up.
With its mix of humor, horror, and budding romance, Inheritance is a light but eerily entertaining introduction to this trilogy. It’s a haunted house story that’s perfect for anyone who likes to be scared—but not too much.
Listen to the review on Shelf Discovery:
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