THEY RULED LIKE GODS, JUST TO FALL FROM THE HEAVENS LIKE ICARUS.
For centuries, the Kline family has been one of the richest families in the country and a huge name in the art world. With gold in their veins and expensive watches on their wrists, they are untouchable.
But, of course, behind closed doors, nothing is ever gold or godly. When summer arrives, their carefully applied varnish begins to crack: one of their art exhibitions ends in scandal, a girl is found dead under mysterious circumstances, and strange occurrences plague the family's country estate. Now, with rumours of frivolous escapades seeping through the town like blood in water and shadows whispering through the halls of their manor home, more than their reputation is at stake.
Seen through the eyes of the family's grandchildren - each with their own secrets and stakes, grappling with the sins of their parents, rotten trees, and bad fruit - everyone will witness the Klines' last dance and their less-than-stellar fall from grace.
When Jane Madarang's neighbor Natalie kills herself and leaves behind cryptic instructions, it's up to Jane and her classmates to unearth deadly secrets.
*****
Natalie Driscoll is dead.
She threw herself out a window and left her neighbor Jane to unravel their town's darkest secrets. Following Natalie's instructions leads Jane to three other high school students who all have something to hide. The four of them must carry out Natalie's final errand while solving the mysteries written in her diary. But the secrets they unearth may be far more dangerous than what they ever imagined.
Content and/or trigger warning: This story contains scenes of suicide, violence and murder that may be triggering for some readers.
[[word count: 100,000-150,000 words]]