The Haunting of Ashburn House

I ended up having to read this book in the daytime because it gave me serious heebie-jeebies. I was literally on the edge of my seat and even though my heart was pounding, I did not want to put it down. 

Adrienne is a woman with nothing but one suitcase and her cat, Wolfgang. Her mother has recently passed away. She was then informed that she was the sole heir to an estate in a tiny town called Ipson. Her great-aunt, Edith, having also recently passed, that she didn't even know existed. The house is isolated from the town, in a dilapidated forest area and is known to be haunted, or at least that's why the locals say. In the early 1900's Ediths whole family was murdered, and she was the sole survivor. 

Strange things start to occur once Adrienne moves in. Every night at dusk the birds go crazy and then all leave and its deadly quiet, her fuse box keeps being tripped despite her locking it shut, and she discovers a grave in a small clearing near the house. She decides to go to town and ask around to see if anyone has any information on the house or the family. Turns out, no one in town knew her great-aunt and most of the locals have outrageous stories on how the family was murdered. Even the local library has no information as someone took all the newspapers and cut out all articles on the deaths. 

The house is also riddled with weird instructions. On the walls is carved "no mirrors", the dining table has "it is Friday, light the candle, on the headboard above Ediths bed it reads "remember your secrets" and last but certainly not least, the door to the attic says, "light the candle, your family is still dead". What was going on here and why did Edith carve all of these instructions into the wood around the house? Who is buried in the clearing in the woods? Something is out there; something is coming and it's up to Adrienne to figure out what was going on before she becomes the latest victim.

Darcy Coates is a master of suspense and mystery. She has a way of setting a pace that's slow, but full of tension, with creepy descriptions that will have you looking under your bed and hiding under your covers. You may even start covering all your mirrors. If you love being totally creeped out, then this is the book for you!