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Caretaker

ebook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

A family desperate for a fresh start finds themselves tangled up in a strange connection to a mysterious old house.

After experiencing marriage troubles and dark pasts, Ian and Lyana Keane are ready to leave Boston behind and move with their two kids—Ariel (15) and Zach (12)—to the sleepy New Hampshire town of Littleton. They are inexplicably drawn to an old house that they all feel an immediate connection to—a home complete with a rich history, extensive grounds, intriguing character, and a Caretaker.

But as time goes on, strange things begin to happen with the house and the family living within its walls. They see recurring symbols, experience realistic hallucinations, uncover mysteries they can't explain. One by one the Keane family realise that dark forces - or something stronger - are afoot. Be it cursed ancient mythology, dark magic, or just chilling coincidence, the Keane family are forced to rely on Marshall the caretaker for help, but is he really as kind and cooperative as he seems?

One thing is clear: the Keane family is more connected to this house than they could have ever anticipated.

But will it have the power to save their family from tragedy? Or will it tear them apart for good?

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    • Publisher's Weekly

      May 27, 2024
      Husband and wife team Halbert offers up a twisty reflection on a flawed, overwrought family in this heart-pounding thriller, the first of their Goodpasture Chronicles. Ian Keane and his wife Lyana have lived in Boston for too long. Still devastated from an earlier miscarriage and desperate for a fresh start to put the pain behind her, Lyana stumbles onto the enigmatic Farr Hill mansion in the bucolic town of Littleton, New Hampshire. Despite the property’s eerie ambiance, the family is hooked; even 15-year-old Ariel and her 12-year-old brother Zach can’t wait to start exploring—though some creepy discoveries, ever-present fog, and a mysterious caretaker suggest there might be more to the house than meets the eye.
      Ian and Lyana embody the far-reaching effects of generational trauma, as their troubled childhoods and marital discord seep into the family’s new beginning. Lyana’s disturbing flashbacks to her younger years intensify the moment she sets foot in the mansion, aided by some chilling reflections in an old pantry mirror and whispered voices trailing around the hallways, while the kids bump into their own setbacks. Neurodivergent Zach harnesses the house’s energy to exert power over his popular sister, but the cost is more than he expected, and Ariel’s deterioration is unsettling to watch. Meanwhile, Ian faces his own demons, including a drinking problem and a secret room that transports him to a terrifying event from his childhood.
      Despite the family’s excitement at their clean slate, something unusual is definitely happening at Farr Hill, and the suspenseful energy driving the story never lets up. The Keanes are far from perfect but infinitely relatable, rich with undeniable affection and rough edges, and their fight for a new start quickly devolves into a fight to survive, topped off with a shocker of an ending that will leave readers eager for the next installment in this promising series starter.
      Takeaway: Troubled family seeks a new beginning in this chilling page-turner.
      Comparable Titles: Gilly Macmillan’s The Manor House, Elizabeth Brooks’s The Whispering House.
      Production grades
      Cover: A-
      Design and typography: A
      Illustrations: N/A
      Editing: A
      Marketing copy: A

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  • English

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