"Willow Manor" invites readers on a harrowing journey into the heart of darkness, where the line between reality and nightmare blurs with each turn of the page. From the moment Sarah steps into the echoing corridors of Willow Manor, an atmosphere thick with foreboding descends upon her, setting the stage for a tale of suspense and dread.
As Sarah delves deeper into the secrets of the manor, she uncovers layers of mystery and tragedy that have long been shrouded in darkness. With each chapter, new revelations come to light, revealing the sinister history of the estate and the tortured souls that haunt its halls. From ghostly apparitions to whispered confessions from the past, the mysteries of Willow Manor unfold in a haunting tapestry of suspense and intrigue. But as Sarah struggles to unravel the truth, she soon realizes that some secrets are best left buried. Shadows lurk around every corner, and the boundaries between the living and the dead begin to blur in unsettling ways. With each chapter, the tension mounts, drawing readers deeper into a labyrinth of terror where nothing is as it seems.
As the story unfolds, questions multiply, and the stakes grow ever higher. Who-or what-lurks in the darkness, watching Sarah's every move? What secrets lie hidden in the depths of Willow Manor, waiting to be unearthed? And will Sarah uncover the truth before it's too late, or will she become ensnared in the web of horror that surrounds her?
Antique store owner Liz brings home a Victorian taxidermy hound from auction, unwittingly unleashing dark forces on her wife and son.
*****
Nat Loman has finally married the love of her life, Liz, and is getting used to her role as stepmother to Liz's 5-year-old son, Liam. The Loman family runs a bustling antique business so they attend a sale where a striking, black taxidermied hound is up for auction. Liz picks it up for the business, but it ends up being stored in their home, where Nat notices strange things occurring. She quickly discovers the past residents had died violently. Then she hears from a friend about the myth of "the devil's dog", a hound that perches in the shadows, tearing families apart from the inside. Soon, people around the Lomans are dying, and Liz is changing, darkening. It's up to Nat to save the woman she loves from the darkness closing in, and to save Liam from danger no matter what she has to sacrifice.
[[Winner of the 2018 Wattys "Hidden Gems" category]]
[[word count: 60,000-70,000 words]]