The Keeper of the Key

By Nicole Willson

There are a thousand things sixteen-year-old Rachel would rather do than upend her life to move into Morgan House, an old, run-down mansion owned by her mom's boyfriend, Geoff.

But when her mother announces they're relocating to St. Mary, Virginia to live with him, Rachel's cut off from her friends and life as she knows it. St. Mary is a remote, lonely place, and the best thing about it is Nick, a guy she knows is worth keeping when he takes her to a cemetery on their first date.

Rachel struggles to get along with Geoff and his mile-long list of annoying house rules-in particular, his bizarre insistence that she stay out of the basement. But something in Morgan House plays by its own rules. At night, an unknown force pulls Rachel down to that forbidden cellar, showing her harrowing visions of a strangely familiar man lurking in the shadows. When a sudden tragedy strikes her family, those visions become more frequent-and more violent.

The dead issue urgent warnings, and if Rachel doesn't heed them, she'll become part of Morgan House forever.

From the author of the Bram Stoker Award-nominated Tidepool comes a chilling new gothic horror novel that will sink into your bones.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1956136851
• ISBN13: 9781956136852
• Release Date: November 2024
• Publisher: Parliament House Press, LLC
• Length: 264 Pages
• Weight: 0.62 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.5" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 15 to 18 years
• Grade Range: Grade 10 to Postsecondary

Customer Reviews

3 stars

THE KEEPER OF THE KEY by Nicole Willson Sixteen year old Rachel is not a fan of her mom’s obnoxious and overbearing boyfriend, Geoff. When she and her mom move into his creepy mansion in Virginia, odd things start to happen that make it seem like Geoff is hiding something from them. Rachel thinks her mom is moving too fast yet she’s already into the first (toxic, shady) guy she meets in this new town. She didn’t even know his last name or where he lived before she hooked up with him! I breezed through this ARC in a day. The fast paced story drew me in with its easy prose and short chapters. However, the characters felt one dimensional (except for Gram, she was great) and the plot was predictable. Overall, a quick (YA) gothic horror that’s light in the horror. A good choice for someone who’s just getting into horror. I liked it, but didn’t love it. Rating: 3/5 ⭐️ On Shelves: November 12, 2024 **ARC courtesy of Netgalley & ParliamentBooks