Night Falls on Predicament Avenue

March 1, 2024

The house at 322 Predicament Avenue has stood for a century in the sleepy Iowa town of Shepherd. Norah Richman is trying to turn the creaky old place into a bed-and-breakfast, but the house is connected to the town's only two murders, including the death of Norah's own sister. When British true-crime podcaster Sebastian Blaine shows up to investigate a 100-year-old cold case, Norah's anxiety spikes to an all-time high. As they hunt for clues, the similarities between the two murders are nothing short of eerie. Norah and Sebastian must confront their own fears while considering everyone a suspect. In her trademark fashion, Wright (The Vanishing at Castle Moreau) provides readers with a glimpse into two mysteries in separate time periods, unraveling each clue at a deliciously suspenseful pace. VERDICT Wright is in a class by herself, writing her own twists into the classic gothic mystery trope and exploring how people from all centuries face fear. Readers will want to read this novel in the light of day or commit to finishing the creepy tale in one sitting.

Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2024
When night falls on a small-town bed and breakfast in Iowa, secrets from its deadly past haunt the halls of 322 Predicament Avenue. Murders committed nearly a century apart are connected to the house, and generations of the town's inhabitants, including current owner Norah Richman, remain on edge with no answers. Norah's newest house guest is a true-crime podcast host interested in the unsolved mysteries of the house, but his arrival threatens Norah's privacy regarding her tragic family past and awakens a dormant evil. New ghostly sightings and another death reopen the cold cases and force Norah's nightmares into reality. Wright (The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater, 2023) is an expert in her element. She elevates the classic haunted house tale with this exceptional story of fear, unexamined grief, and hope through faith. This inspirational mystery features a dual-time narrative that contrasts early 1900s propriety with a modern-day fascination with true crime and cold cases. Wright's white-knuckled suspense and thrilling plot twists frame the novel's beautifully tragic theme of reclaiming life within loss.

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