This Cursed House
A chilling Southern Gothic ghost story set in 1960s New Orleans, where a cursed house hides deadly secrets…
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- $15.99
Publisher Description
Some houses keep their secrets. This one keeps its dead.
The dark, atmospheric Southern gothic ghost story longlisted for Goodreads’ Horror Book of the Year 2024
‘A sinister and beautifully rendered Southern Gothic, This Cursed House explores the real-life horrors of racism and trauma. Del Sandeen’s stunning debut haunted me’ Alexis Henderson, author of The Year of the Witching
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Louisiana, 1962.
The Duchon estate looms over New Orleans, a decaying mansion heavy with secrets and shadows.
Jemma Barker arrives from Chicago seeking a fresh start, but she wasn’t invited — she was summoned.
Inside, the Duchon family waits, bound by a generations-old curse and convinced Jemma is the key to breaking it.
As the house begins to stir and old ghosts rise, Jemma must face the darkness that haunts both the Duchons and herself…before it consumes them all.
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Praise for This Cursed House:
‘An absolute marvel of a debut from a prodigious talent. A richly atmospheric, utterly chilling ghost story, an enthralling puzzle box of family scandals and secrets – that's also an unflinching examination of the insidiousness of racism, the horrors of colorism’ Rachel Harrison, national bestselling author of Black Sheep and Such Sharp Teeth
‘An enthralling, twisty Southern Gothic historical full of family secrets and century-spanning sins. A remarkable debut’ Eden Royce, award-winning author of Root Magic
‘An inglorious remnant of American history is handled so deftly that you won't believe it's Del Sandeen's first novel’ Alma Katsu, author of The Fervor
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Sandeen's haunting if somewhat uneven gothic debut transports readers to 1960s New Orleans. Jemma Barker, a young Black woman, flees her previous life following her adoptive parents' deaths and a violent clash with her boyfriend, but she can't outrun the literal ghosts that linger in the corners of her vision. She takes a job offer as a tutor for the mysterious Duchon family, who live outside NOLA city limits. When Jemma arrives, however, there is no tutoring job, and the family pays her instead to stay in the house with them as a kind of companion. The Duchons' oddness is immense, with out-of-date clothing, deep reclusiveness, and a vocal pride for their own Blackness and African roots—despite the whole family being very white-presenting. As Jemma grows uncomfortable with hearing hushed conversations about her behind closed doors, the reality of the situation comes to light: the Duchons are cursed, and they believe their last hope to break the spell is Jemma herself. After a slightly overstuffed beginning, this atmospheric tale finds its footing and brings a fresh perspective to the gothic horror genre. The author's exploration of bloodlines, family, and race is complex and nuanced, and her heroine is easy to root for as she confronts ghosts both literal and metaphorical. Sandeen offers much to chew on.
