#1 New York Times bestselling author Karen Marie Moning is back with a gripping, imaginative, and seductive new series in which a young woman moves to Divinity, Louisiana, to inherit a large fortune and a Gothic mansion full of mysteries and ominous secrets…

Zo Grey is reeling from the sudden death of her mother when she receives a surprising call from an attorney in Divinity, Louisiana, with the news she has been left an inheritance by a distant relative, the terms of which he will only discuss in person. Destitute and alone, with nothing left to lose, Zo heads to Divinity and discovers she is the sole beneficiary of a huge fortune and a monstrosity of a house that sits ominously at the peak of Watch Hill—but she must live in it, alone, for three years before the house, or the money, is hers.

Met with this irresistible opportunity to finally build a future for herself, Zo puts aside her misgivings about the foreboding Gothic mansion and the strange circumstances, and moves in, where she is quickly met by a red-eyed Stygian owl and an impossibly sexy Scottish groundskeeper.

Her new home is full of countless secrets and mystifying riddles, with doors that go nowhere, others that are impossible to open, and a turret into which there is no visible means of ingress. And the townspeople are odd…

What Zo doesn’t yet know is that her own roots lie in this very house and that in order to discover her true identity and awaken her dormant powers, she will have to face off against sinister forces she doesn’t quite comprehend—or risk being consumed by them.

I love a good southern gothic, urban fantasy and this one was exactly that! I grabbed it on a whim, not really knowing what to expect, and it turned out to be the perfect read for the month of October. It’s moody, atmospheric, and full of family secrets, witches, vampires, and secret societies. It scratched the Halloween itch without ever crossing into horror territory.

After her mother’s death, Zo Grey learns she’s inherited a sprawling Louisiana mansion from a distant relative. The house is called Watch Hill, and it looms over the town of Divinity, Louisiana. There’s a catch, of course. To claim the inheritance, she has to live in the house alone for three years. She’ll receive quite the hefty sum of money, which will set her up for a life of success and security (something she’s never had), but she soon finds out that there’s a lot more to her responsibilities than she ever could have imagined. She’s a witch (which explains some of the odd things she’s experienced in life) and stems from a long line of Scottish witches. She’s very powerful, and with this power comes a lot of responsibility that she may not be ready for.

The house itself is the beating heart of the story. It’s eerie and alive with creaking halls, locked doors, and a sense that something ancient is watching. There’s even a red-eyed owl that feels like a warning, and a brooding Scottish groundskeeper whose presence adds plenty of sexual tension and intrigue. The townspeople are strange, the rules are stranger, and it’s clear Zo has walked into something far bigger than she understands.

What I liked most about the book is how it balances discovery with danger. Zo isn’t just exploring a creepy house; she’s uncovering a legacy of power she didn’t know she had. She learns her family’s history piece by piece, and with each reveal, the web of witches, vampires, and secret societies grows deeper. Watching her try to understand her powers while also realizing that there are people out there who want what she’s been given, kept me turning the pages.

Zo herself is easy to root for. She’s strong but also curious and a little reckless which kept things interesting. You can feel the weight of her grief and confusion, but also her determination to claim her place in this world that has suddenly opened up around her. She’s thrust into a hierarchy of magic, politics, and old grudges that feels lived-in and layered, and I loved following her through it.

This isn’t a horror book (even though I went in half expecting it to be). If you’ve read The Mayfair Witches by Anne Rice, you’ll definitely feel that same kind of lush, Southern Gothic pulse. Moning’s worldbuilding hits that sweet spot between grounded and mystical, making Divinity, Louisiana, feel like a place you could almost visit (though you probably shouldn’t).

The only downside is that this is the first book in a new series, and there’s no release date for the sequel yet. That’s just cruel. The story leaves plenty of threads dangling, so much so that I’m already itching for more.

Overall, I found this to be a delicious mix of mystery, magic, and Southern Gothic drama. It’s rich in atmosphere, loaded with secrets, and full of paranormal elements that blend together seamlessly. If you’re looking for something to read this fall that delivers all the spooky season vibes without leaning into gore or heavy horror, this is it. Boo to the wait for book two, but I’ll be first in line when it drops.