Some antiques are priceless. Others demand a price in blood.
Cora Finch is an appraiser of rare antiques, a woman who believes in provenance and facts, not folklore. But when her estranged, occult-obsessed uncle is found dead, his face frozen in a mask of terror, Cora's rational world begins to crumble. His secret journal speaks of a haunted music box, a vengeful spirit called the "Gilded Ghost," and a danger that is now turning its attention to her.
Forced to accept that some ghost stories are real, Cora seeks help from Ewan Ramsey, a disgraced academic who knows the city's supernatural secrets. They discover her uncle's death was no accident, and the ghost's prison-the music box-is failing. To stop it, they must retrieve a stolen artifact from Silas Blackwood, the ruthless leader of a secret society that collects not just objects, but the souls attached to them.
Now, with a spectral entity draining her life and a human predator hunting her for a ritual sacrifice, Cora must embrace the terrifying power she never believed in. If she fails, she won't just be the ghost's next victim-she'll be its replacement.
A perfect read for fans of gritty urban fantasy, atmospheric paranormal mysteries, and classic noir detective stories.