Parting the Veil
Some houses hold secrets that are meant to be kept forever…
When Eliza Sullivan inherits an estate from a recently deceased aunt, she leaves behind a grievous and guilt-ridden past in New Orleans for rural England and a fresh start. Eliza arrives at her new home and finds herself falling for the mysterious lord of Havenwood, Malcolm Winfield. Despite the sinister rumors that surround him, Eliza is drawn to his melancholy charm and his crumbling, once-beautiful mansion. With enough love, she thinks, both man and manor could be repaired.
Not long into their marriage, Eliza fears that she should have listened to the locals. There’s something terribly wrong at Havenwood Manor: Forbidden rooms. Ghostly whispers in the shadows. Strangely guarded servants. And Malcolm’s threatening moods, as changeable as night and day.
As Eliza delves deeper into Malcolm’s troubling history, the dark secrets she unearths gain a frightening power. Has she married a man or a monster? For Eliza, uncovering the truth will either save her or destroy her.
Author Comments
When I was a teenager, I cut my teeth on romantic suspense novels by authors like Victoria Holt, Phyllis A. Whitney, and V.C. Andrews. Parting the Veil is my unabashed homage to the classic gothic romance, complete with a haunted manor, dark family secrets, and a twisting, turning plot constructed around thoroughly modern themes.
What People Are Saying
“Well-written, the novel admirably recalls Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights and Henry James’s Portrait of a Lady.”
— Historical Novel Society (Recipient of the Editor’s Choice Award)
“Complete with LGBTQIA+ inclusivity, the suspenseful story will delight fans of historical fiction, horror, and mystery with twist after twist after twist.”
— Booklist
“A beautiful, crumbling mansion in the English countryside; a charming but enigmatic viscount; ghosts; rumors; and a labyrinth of dark secrets, lies, twists, and well-executed turns…As if that wasn’t enough, add rich atmosphere and an American-heiress heroine determined to settle her own future. Kennedy has crafted a delicious, romantic gothic mystery that will keep readers guessing even as they’re feverishly turning the final pages.”
— Megan Chance, bestselling author of A Splendid Ruin