Shepherd’s Warning, Sometimes you shouldn’t go home…
This debut novel by Cailyn Lloyd is one of the best haunted house stories I’ve read in a long time. The house in this story is an elegant Tudor located in rural Wisconsin. The house, which is definitely out of place in the community, has sat vacant for some time – ever since Elizabeth Mackenzie moved away after the death of her husband. When she passes on, her children (Lucas and Nate) inherit the house – a place they never heard of before. Why did Elizabeth keep the house a secret?
Lucas and Nate, along with their respective spouses (Laura and Ashley) decide to renovate the place as a planned HGTV special. Lucas and Laura are grieving over the loss of their son and Laura has taken over the care of her grandchild, Leah.
As they begin the renovation, strange things start to happen. Laura thinks she sees a man, who vanishes before her eyes. A roofer takes a tragic fall and the relationship between Laura and Lucas, once good, begins to deteriorate.
Nate discovers a trapdoor leading to a strange room. Hoping to find buried treasure, he demolishes the brick surrounding the space and this sets off a chain of events that defy rational explanation and puts everyone in jeopardy.
Shepherd’s Warning is a fast-paced, multi-layered novel. The characters are fully fleshed and believable. If you like stories about hauntings, you can’t go wrong with this one. Five shiny stars!
Shepherd’s Warning is the first in the Elders Book series.
I received a free copy of this novel as a member of the Horror Writers Association in consideration for a Bram Stoker Award.
https://www.amazon.com/Shepherds-Warning-Sometimes-shouldnt-Elders-ebook/dp/B07SKXNH8W