Book of the Week September 24, 2026
Between her controlling wife and the loss of her beloved stonemason job, Dorrie’s life feels empty—until ebullient Alys and her boyfriend move in next door. Chatting over the fence leads to clandestine outings to gardens and castles, and as their friendship grows, Dorrie begins to fall in love with Alys. When Alys leaves her boyfriend and returns to her childhood home, Dovecombe Manor, Dorrie sees this as the perfect escape. The manor turns out to be half burnt down and somewhat decrepit, sparking long-held anxieties for Dorrie. Why won’t Alys talk about the fire, and what are those figures in the woods? Add in a creepy housekeeper and her son; and Alys’s overbearing mother, Caroline, who wants to restore Dovecombe to its former glory, to complete the formula for this contemporary Gothic to ignite—literally and figuratively. Against the backdrop of small-town gossip and ancient folklore as well as Clark’s expansive knowledge of stonecutting, this atmospheric novel surrounds readers with a palpable sense of dread and malice.—Dodie Ownes
