Okay, I’m going to start with something that’s maybe a little unfair.

I’m from Altadena. I was so excited when I realized that the book was set in my town. And then I was sooooo disappointed because Altadena wasn’t really in this. I didn’t recognize it and it could have been set literally anywhere.

That being said, it’s a nice gothic. I loved the Hollywood aspects – maybe more than the more modern bits – and loved that most of our characters were Chinese or Chinese-American.

The mystery of everything was a good one and I was so curious to find out what exactly was happening here!

Overall, a very good read.

• ARC via Publisher

5 stars

Two Chinese American families, three generations, two queer love stories, and a gothic mansion in the hills of southern California. This was a familiar story that I put on like a favorite cardigan and I enjoyed this very much. This is a gothic horror in the style of Rebecca with hints of She Is A Haunting. It is very light on the horror, so for those that want to dip their toes without going full on horror, this would be a great place to start.

The story centers on the women of two Chinese American families, one matriarch a successful, Oscar winning actress hiding a dark secret of domestic abuse, the other her friend and housekeeper. Both are raising their daughters in the gothic mansion that was the family home of the husband of Viviane Yin. After Viviane's death, the daughters and granddaughters of the two families arrive for the reading of the will and are thrown into chaos, suspicion, and mystery.

As secrets are revealed, the granddaughters of the two families find themselves helplessly attracted to each other. Is history repeating itself?

This story was told in multiple timelines which I found enjoyable and effective. This was definitely a slow burn, which I like, especially for gothic horror. The writing was lovely and I loved that the story was so female focused and the queer representation seemed very natural, in my opinion. There was nothing really shocking or groundbreaking here, but I appreciated the familiar themes and the way the story ended, leaving us with at least one secret to ponder.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good historical fiction, old Hollywood, gothic horror, female-centric narratives, and queer love stories.

Thank you to Avid Readers Press and NetGalley for the eArc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

deeply readable, properly gothic in many ways. it reads a touch young for an adult debut but i think that's to be expected. very much enjoyed

This generation-sweeping novel is an absolute masterpiece of contemporary Gothic literature. Each timeline is so captivating, and it really brings so much perspective to Hollywood during the 80s and 90s and how difficult it was for an Asian actress to find roles that weren't stereotypical or supporting roles. It has moments that are truly creepy, especially in the modern day sections of the book, and Vivian's story is such a sad and ultimately lonely tale. This is a front runner for one of the best books of 2025.

This was a good book. I really enjoyed the dual timelines, but I almost wish that there was a third timeline to get even more backstory.