THE CURSE OF MOONSEED MANOR

A woman’s new position at a Gothic-style hotel comes with romantic prospects—and possibly a curse—in Lieber’s suspense novel.

Katherine “Wren” Mabry barely makes ends meet while working two full-time jobs in Philadelphia and helping to support her 16-year-old sister, Izzy. Since their dad’s death several years prior, their mother has practically dismissed the sisters in favor of a new family with her latest husband. Wren jumps at the chance for something better: a photography job at an old mansion being converted into a hotel. There are definitely some drawbacks; the internet says that the place is haunted, and it’s located on an island that will take her farther away from Izzy. Still, Wren can finally use her skillset and work fewer hours. On the island, she mulls a potential romance as she’s drawn to the hotel caretaker, Watt Fitz, and the owner, William Courtland Bennings. Both men, mysterious in their own ways, harbor secrets. Wren unearths a book filled with affecting poetry from a writer who believes he’s cursed—revelations may lie within. The story doesn’t often play up the alleged haunting of the hotel, and the atmosphere isn’t particularly spooky; Wren seems comfortable on the island and mingles easily with her affable fellow staff. The narrative primarily centers on Wren’s romantic complications as she’s torn between the brazenly flirtatious Watt and the kindhearted but sometimes “cold and unapproachable” William. Vibrant prose makes the ride inviting, as blue waters that “sparkled in the sunshine” surround the island, and both Watt’s presence and the humid air warm Wren on a “chilly misty morning.” The mysteries involving the two men, (as well as a touch of the paranormal) lead to more than one startling revelation. Lieber develops the characters exceedingly well, including Wren’s bubbly, whip-smart coworker, Alia, and her best friend and college roommate, Cecily, [6] who (maybe) has precognitive dreams.

An unexpectedly cozy tale of mystery and romance among a dynamic cast.