Charlotte's Story : a Bliss House Novel
(Book)

*Starred Review* Benedict ups the ante in this suspenseful sequel to Bliss House (2014), as the elegant nineteenth-century Virginia country manor wraps its talons around Charlotte Bliss, wife of the latest owner, Preston Bliss. Charlotte disjointedly narrates horrors as she experiences them, in nonlinear fashion, so that neither she nor the reader is certain of her sanity. Metaphorical portents snake, raven, spontaneous fire, four accidental deaths, and a ghost screaming Haunted house! But the people, albeit slightly off-kilter (especially the creepy butler, Terrance), are solidly real and unfailingly polite, lending a surreal quality to even the mundane. Charlotte pursues the ghosts she sees, certain that they can reveal the horrible secrets that curse both house and residents and they do. Murder, sexual obsession, and misogyny explode in the final scenes, bringing all the simmering evil to the surface in a shocking finale that, as in all good horror stories, is probably not really the end. You just can't look away from this bombsite nor forget it. Dripping with southern gothic atmosphere, this novel is for those who crave more, like Elizabeth Lord's The Chandelier Ballroom (2014) and Brendan Duffy's House of Echoes (2014)--Baker, Jen Copyright 2015 Booklist

Set in 1957 in southern Virginia, Benedict's suspenseful, atmospheric follow-up to 2014's Bliss House finds housewife Charlotte Bliss devastated by the death of her four-year-old daughter. At the family mansion, Charlotte sees the ghost of her mother-in-law, Olivia, also recently deceased, who gradually reveals disturbing secrets about Bliss House, her own past, and Charlotte's husband, Press. When she tries to flee with their toddler son, Charlotte discovers that Press won't let her go. Cut off from family, trapped in a house of ghosts, and unable to trust anyone in nearby Old Gate, she realizes Olivia may be her only ally. Expertly paced revelations help build a sense of encroaching horror, though readers new to the series may feel they're missing important background. Sexual violence runs throughout, and while Benedict avoids graphic detail, scenes of rape, sadism, and an orgy will likely trouble some readers. Others, however, will find this a satisfyingly creepy tale for a rainy night. Agent: Susan Raihofer, David Black Agency. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

*Starred Review* Benedict ups the ante in this suspenseful sequel to Bliss House (2014), as the elegant nineteenth-century Virginia country manor wraps its talons around Charlotte Bliss, wife of the latest owner, Preston Bliss. Charlotte disjointedly narrates horrors as she experiences them, in nonlinear fashion, so that neither she nor the reader is certain of her sanity. Metaphorical portents—snake, raven, spontaneous fire, four "accidental" deaths, and a ghost screaming "Haunted house!" But the people, albeit slightly off-kilter (especially the creepy butler, Terrance), are solidly real and unfailingly polite, lending a surreal quality to even the mundane. Charlotte pursues the ghosts she sees, certain that they can reveal the horrible secrets that curse both house and residents—and they do. Murder, sexual obsession, and misogyny explode in the final scenes, bringing all the simmering evil to the surface in a shocking finale that, as in all good horror stories, is probably not really the end. You just can't look away from this bombsite—nor forget it. Dripping with southern gothic atmosphere, this novel is for those who crave more, like Elizabeth Lord's The Chandelier Ballroom (2014) and Brendan Duffy's House of Echoes (2014) Copyright 2014 Booklist Reviews.

Set in 1957 in southern Virginia, Benedict's suspenseful, atmospheric follow-up to 2014's Bliss House finds housewife Charlotte Bliss devastated by the death of her four-year-old daughter. At the family mansion, Charlotte sees the ghost of her mother-in-law, Olivia, also recently deceased, who gradually reveals disturbing secrets about Bliss House, her own past, and Charlotte's husband, Press. When she tries to flee with their toddler son, Charlotte discovers that Press won't let her go. Cut off from family, trapped in a house of ghosts, and unable to trust anyone in nearby Old Gate, she realizes Olivia may be her only ally. Expertly paced revelations help build a sense of encroaching horror, though readers new to the series may feel they're missing important background. Sexual violence runs throughout, and while Benedict avoids graphic detail, scenes of rape, sadism, and an orgy will likely trouble some readers. Others, however, will find this a satisfyingly creepy tale for a rainy night. Agent: Susan Raihofer, David Black Agency. (Oct.)