I could not put this book down...I read well into the day and late into the night. I loved this author's writing style...it was intense and addictive. The story felt so sadly real. Ottilie was the sweetest most innocent child and the thought of the horrors she lived through at the hands of her parents...was so sad.

Essie doesn’t believe in ghosts. She’s in her final year of law school. She’s married to her high school sweetheart. And they’ve just bought their first house. But then she finds out she is pregnant, something she never wanted. As her difficult pregnancy transforms her body and life into something foreign to her, the house begins to whisper. Her husband spends long nights pacing and weeping in the attic while she dreams of betrayal and smoke. There are other aspects to this novel...Alex's own childhood and adoption, Alex's issues at work, her issues with Jason, her boyfriend...her feelings of never belonging and also the mystery of her own mother...she has no clue where she is or even if she is still living. It's unclear initially how these women are connected to Essie and her story, but as their narrative evolves it becomes clear where it is going. This aspect adds the impetus behind some of the darker elements in the present perspective. I had guessed what was going to happen at the end (I will not give it away). Just because it was predictable to me did not take away from the story.

A 4.8 for this? When I first read the tile and blurb of this book, my first thought... "Oh damn, here comes another sad story." And boy was I right. Essie refuses to believe in the curse and will stop at nothing to ensure her husband has a long life. The real Kerry now says, “When I was being abused I felt so alone, dirty and guilty. When I finally got the courage to tell and was met with disbelief, I still felt alone, dirty and guilty. If someone says they are being abused, professionals, family and friends must listen, hear and support the survivor. ” I am glad that the author put in so much detail about the abuse and what was happening. A lot of other reviewers complained about this but I do think it was important to really get a picture of what was going on. Like I said before it would not have seemed as real if she left out the details. There are bad things that happen in the world, not everything is roses everyday for everyone! If you want pretty - read a Romance.

I really love Susan Lewis books, they really get to the heart of a story very fast, you get drawn in from the very first chapter.

And don't forget: every SECOND there are 5,000,000,000,000 young girls and boys getting raped by their parents, in South London alone... < The writing and flow worked very well. There are just hints of darkness and scares around the corner every time Essie is at home.