MAY THE DEAD KEEP YOU

Deep among the redwoods in Northern California, a historic house holds secrets and pain.

Rising senior Catie East loves living in the Heights, a unique home built by a famous, reclusive architect back in the 1950s. The surrounding forest can be treacherous, but nevertheless she’s always felt safe in nature. When scientist Dr. Solis and his son, Hunter, move into the Heights’ guest cottage, Catie is leery, yet she finds herself drawn to the fellow teen—a former childhood friend she doesn’t remember. As their relationship develops into something romantic, the dark history of the estate and the family who once lived there resurfaces, exerting a dangerous influence over everyone within its walls. When her brother, Leigh, acts weirdly protective toward her, Hunter turns possessive, and unexplainable phenomena keep occurring, Catie becomes increasingly reclusive, even distancing herself from best friend Ivy Lin, whom she briefly dated. Drawing inspiration from Wuthering Heights, this gothic-tinged, contemporary horror tackles themes of abuse and trauma as Catie fights to stop unhealthy cycles. Baguchinsky’s pulse-pounding page turns are expertly crafted, and Catie’s gripping narrative is punctuated by interspersed ephemera intriguingly exploring the history of the house. The eerie supernatural happenings and visceral body horror make for an engrossing read, while the emotional core adds depth and realism to this tragic yet healing tale. Catie and family are cued white, and Hunter and Ivy are implied Latine and East Asian, respectively. Final art not seen.

Gut-wrenching and utterly captivating.