This is a Southern Gothic horror laced with social commentary on race and privilege that had me by the throat. It's a quick read that I managed to finish in a day due to not being able to put it down!

While horror isn't my typical genre, I found this to be subtle on the gory elements. Instead, the author shares the ugly history behind plantations and the slaves/slave owners that lived on them to deliver a bone-chilling sense of horror. Once you hit the halfway mark, the truly horrific elements rapidly escalate.

To summarize the plot: our main character, Mira, is a black girl who managed to escape her segregated town and create a life far away from the ugly truth she's ignored all her life. Until one day her childhood friend, Celine, reaches out and invites Mira to her wedding. Which is going to be hosted at the newly renovated Woodsman plantation...

With a sense of heavy obligation, Mira decides to attend. However, her two day trip back home is a brutal reminder of why she left, with Mira facing the ghosts of her past (both within her lifetime and before it) to belatedly realize that even if you ignore history, it still shapes your present and future. McQueen executes a well-written book that blends both history and spooky elements to create a meaningful addition to the horror genre. I highly recommend picking this book up!