A haunting and seductive tale of a young career woman who slides quickly into the role of stepmother, in a life that may still belong...

A haunting and seductive tale of a young career woman who slides quickly into the role of stepmother, in a life that may still belong to someone else. "Vivid, addictive, and crackling with life (yes, even the ghost), House of Beth asks us to consider how and why we make the lives we make" (Lynn Steger Strong).

After a heart-wrenching breakup with her girlfriend and a shocking incident at her job, Cassie flees her life as an overworked assistant in New York for her hometown in New Jersey, along the Delaware. There, she reconnects with her high school best friend, Eli, now a widowed father of two. Their bond reignites, and within a few short months, Cassie is married to Eli, living in his house in the woods, homeschooling the kids, and getting to know her reserved neighbor, Joan.

But Cassie's fresh start is less idyllic than she'd hoped. She grapples with harm OCD, her mind haunted by gory, graphic images. And she's afraid that she'll never measure up to Eli's late spouse, who was a committed homemaker and traditional wife. No matter what Cassie does, Beth's shadow still permeates every corner of their home.

Soon, Cassie starts hearing a voice narrating the house's secrets. As she listens, the voice grows stronger, guiding Cassie down a path to uncover the truth about Beth's untimely death.

Author: Kerry Cullen
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: 07/15/2025
Pages: 240
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.72lbs
Size: 8.57h x 5.90w x 0.92d
ISBN: 9781668074596


Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 05/05/2025
Library Journal 05/30/2025 pg. 1
Kirkus Reviews 06/15/2025
Booklist 06/06/2025

About the Author
Kerry Cullen's fiction has been published in The Indiana Review, Prairie Schooner, One Teen Story, and more. She earned her MFA at Columbia University, and she lives in New York.