Rose Wood

Paranormal investigative writer Aileen Whitney doesn't really believe in ghosts—until the day she is struck by lightning at Rose Wood Plantation. Awakening with the ability to perceive what normally can't be sensed, she encounters the spirit of fourteen-year-old Emma Gage, who disappeared from Rose Wood in 1919. She soon becomes aware that Emma is not resting, and doesn't plan on letting her rest either unless she finds out what happened to her on that long-ago day. When Aileen finally unearths the truth behind Emma's disappearance, she uncovers a terrible betrayal in her own life and realizes that nothing is what it seems.

“Aileen is a compelling character whose life hasn't really gone anywhere yet; it's as though she's waiting for something to happen...and it does. The first spectral appearances are spooky and wonderfully Gothic. There's also a historical mystery that Aileen stumbles upon and is compelled to solve, while she navigates an affair with an all-too-perfect man. Rose Wood is a marvelous Gothic thriller.”
– Readers’ Favorite

“It’s rare that authors can master the creepy/ sad balance when it comes to ghosts. This book satisfied. The focus of the ghost presence in the plot was less about the dead girl than about the way her death impacted her surviving family. While there’s a necessary pervasive creepiness, there is also an innocence and playfulness at times when the dead girl’s personality comes through to Aileen. There’s a sadness and acceptance of the life lost and the lives subsequently broken. The whole element is addressed with a delicacy and deftness that allows it to feel almost natural, blending perfectly with the other story elements.”
– OnlineBookclub.org

“When taking a break from continuously turning the pages of this novel, the mind of the reader is surely churning, attempting to put together the history of the family, right along with Aileen. The narration and thoughts of Aileen are those that most individuals would share in similar situations, and the development of both the storyline and the characters are not only believable, but truly enthralling.”
– Red City Review