It Was Her House First

A brand-new horror thriller from award-winning author Cherie Priest! Ronnie Mitchell's new home isn't exactly empty; it's hiding secrets, and one of them means to take everything from her.

Venita Rost, a former silent film star, has stayed put for the last century—fuming and raging, luring investors and ambitious DIYers to their doom in her haunted home on the cliff. But her nemesis also remains: a once-famous detective she blames for the death of her daughter. 

Inspector Bartholomew Sloan blames himself, too. He couldn't save Priscilla any more than he could save his best friend from the noose. Or save himself from Venita's wrath. Now all he can do is watch as Venita lures each new owner to their death, trapped in this house of horror he helped create and unable to do anything to stop it.

When Ronnie Mitchell’s brother dies, leaving her enough life insurance money to buy a dilapidated fixer-upper on the West Seattle peninsula, that's exactly what she does. She movies into the grand old place, knowing that the work will take time, patience, and yet more money. But the house hides bigger secrets than knob-and-tube wiring or a few rats.

Ronnie is not superstitious, and she is not deterred. She lines up inspections and professional tradespeople, rents a dumpster, and gets to work, and it's not long before Venita begins to notice. But so does someone else; someone who wants what she has and will do anything to get it...

Ronnie may not know it yet, but her fate lies entirely in the hands of the dead.