Spooky Literary Thriller an Intriguing Read

 

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Nestled on four hundred acres of lush forest land in upstate New York, the Bosco estate exudes peace and stillness.  Over one hundred years ago, its mistress began inviting artists to her sprawling home, envisioning it as a retreat for creative souls.  Aurora Latham's dream lives on.  Although the Bosco estate has been neglected over the years, its gardens overgrown, its statuary crumbling, artists still clamber for an invitation to the exclusive colony.

Ellis Brooks is a short story writer working on her first novel, a fictionalized account of the tragic events that occurred in the Latham household in the summer of 1893.  After three of the Lathams' children died in a diphtheria epidemic, wealthy Milo Latham hired a famous medium to help his distraught wife try to contact the dead kids.  When a séance at the estate went horribly wrong, the medium and her accomplice disappeared—along with the Lathams' only remaining child.

The quiet and solitude of Bosco should be helping Ellis concentrate, but the more time she spends there, the more unsettled she becomes.  And she's not the only one.  The other artists-in-residence report seeing and hearing strange things.  As the truth of what happened in 1893 slowly comes to light, it becomes clear that whatever dark malevolence haunted the Bosco estate in the past hasn't entirely left.  Will any of the property's current residents escape unscathed?  No.  No, they will not ...

I've read several of Carol Goodman's novels and I think The Ghost Orchid might be my favorite of them all.  With a spooky atmosphere, some supernatural thrills, and a host of complex characters, it's a compelling read.  While I saw a number of the plot twists coming, I still found the novel intriguing overall.  Sad, yes, but gripping for sure.  

(Readalikes:  Other novels by Carol Goodman and those by Kate Morton)

Grade:

 

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

 

for language (a couple F-bombs, plus milder expletives), violence, sexual content, and depictions of illegal drug use

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find