I know this one is an ASK.
Similar books:
– Be Buried in the Rain, Barbara Michaels
– The Hollow Places, T. Kingfisher
– The Twisted Ones, T. Kingfisher
The plot: a woman gets news either that her grand-uncle has died or her grand-aunt is sick (etc) and needs caring / estate management. In response, she returns to a house that she spent a significant part of her childhood in. She might be really torn about going Back There.
She may or may not be a single mom. But, for whatever reason, she returns to The House, no matter if her memories are totally fond, totally traumatic, or a mix.
While there, doing some sort of estate management task, she meets colorful locals and becomes aware of a long-standing mystery.
After that point, there are zero promises. Ghosts, folk horror, ancient mysteries… anything goes and it’s a wild ride.
The books are heavy on atmosphere and back story, and often use a dual timeline structure.
There have got to be more than 3 out there. It feels like a massive, cool sub-genre. Help me find the other similar books, please?
by SuitAppropriate750
2 Comments
Kate Morton might be up your alley! Her books are usually dual timeline, with the present day timeline featuring a woman investigating some sort of mystery at an old family estate. They aren’t a super wild ride, but there are definitely twists and turns with a gothic vibe.
For something a little more off-beat and magical – Himself by Jess Kidd. The main character is male, but otherwise it hits a number of those plot points.
I don’t know if these 100% meet your criteria but they feel like they have a lot in common.
Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Torz – estranged sisters reunite at their childhood home to protect their family’s legacy of magical books.
American elsewhere – Robert Jackson Bennett – woman finds out her mother has her a house in a town that can’t be found on a map.
How to sell a haunted house by Grady Hendrix – plot is in the title basically.