It Was Her House First

Cherie Priest

$29.99

Paperback

Forthcoming
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English

Poisoned Pen Press
30 September 2025

Modern & contemporary fiction (post c 1945); Thriller & suspense; Horror & ghost stories

A brand-new horror thriller from award-winning author Cherie Priest! Ronnie Mitchell's new home isn't exactly empty; it's hiding secrets, and one of them means to take everything from her.

Ronnie doesn't know it yet, but her fate rests in the hands of the dead.

Silent film star Venita Rost's malevolent spirit lurks spider-like in her cliffside mansion, a once-beautiful home that's claimed countless unlucky souls. And she's not alone. Snared in her terrible web, Inspector Bartholomew Sloan-her eternal nemesis-watches her wreak havoc in helpless horror, shackled by his own guilt and Venita's unrelenting wrath.

Now the house has yet another new owner. This time it's Ronnie Mitchell, a grieving woman who buys the run-down place sight unseen. She arrives armed with an unexpected inheritance, a strong background in renovation, and a blissful ignorance regarding the house's blood-soaked history. But her arrival has stirred up more than just dust and decay. In the shadows, unseen eyes watch. Then, a man comes knocking. He brings wild stories and a thinly veiled jealousy, as well as a secret connection to the house that can only lead to violence.

Venita's fury awakens, and a deadly game unfolds.

Caught between a vengeful ghost and a ruthless living threat, Ronnie's skepticism crumbles. The line between living and dead isn't as sharp as it seems, and she realizes too late that in Venita's house, survival might be just an illusion.

By: Cherie Priest
Imprint: Poisoned Pen Press
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 210mm, Width: 140mm, Spine: 23mm
ISBN: 9781728292854
ISBN 10: 1728292859
Pages: 352
Publication Date: 30 September 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

CHERIE PRIEST is the award-winning author of two dozen books and novellas. Her works have been nominated for the Hugo and Nebula awards for science fiction and have won the Locus Award (among others)-and have been translated into nine languages in eleven countries. Cherie lives in Seattle, Washington.

Reviews for It Was Her House First

""Priest spins a chillingly effective ghost story...finding fresh angles on a familiar premise, Priest delivers an eccentric haunted house thriller with plenty of surprises up its sleeve. Readers will be up all night.""--Publishers Weekly