FIND THEM
by Julia Ash
In this horror novel, a dream house turns into a nightmare when a woman encounters a spirit.
Nora Bliss and her beloved husband, Dex, are living a comfortable life in Washington, D.C. But when Nora barely avoids being hit by a train, they decide it is time to leave the big city to enjoy the safety of idyllic, small-town living. Little do they know that they will confront an entirely new trial when the plot they buy—lot 16 of a larger property called Windy Hill Farm in Boulder, Pennsylvania—turns out to be the site of a haunting and other unexplained phenomena. The ordeal starts slowly, with Nora experiencing disarming and increasingly dangerous brushes with the ghost of a teenage girl. The apparition tries to communicate with Nora, leaving the message “FIND THEM” written across surfaces. Convinced that the ghost needs her help and against Dex’s more pragmatic take, Nora starts to investigate the history of the farm, delving into local lore, archives, and the diaries of members of the prestigious Williams family, which once owned the property. She eventually finds that the spirit may well be linked to the 70-year-old cold case of a vanished girl. Ash’s haunted house tale/murder mystery is a moody, melancholic, slow-burning story peppered with genuinely terrifying moments and classic horror elements, including jump scares and the use of a Ouija board. Other standout facets are Nora’s close relationship with her sister, Madeline, and the protagonist’s resolute, self-imposed mission to solve the case and save her home: “My days of being immobilized in the face of danger were gone. My determination was fierce. The only unknown was if my newfound resolve could prevail over spirits from the afterlife. The living versus the dead.” The novel runs a bit long, with a protracted resolution, and some readers may question the nonchalant acceptance of ghosts and the paranormal displayed by every character when told about Nora’s experiences. Still, the tale is a gripping, scary read.
An atmospheric, chilling, and riveting ghost story that’s perfect for Halloween.