It Will Only Hurt for a Moment

An abandoned luxury hotel with a grim secret history is the somber centerpiece of this chilling modern gothic from Dawson (The Violence). A century prior to the novel’s start, Tranquil Falls Spa drew America’s wealthiest to the Georgia countryside—until it shut down abruptly for reasons not disclosed to the public. Now its grounds support a thriving artists colony where Sarah Carpenter takes up residence after fleeing her abusive boyfriend. But Sarah’s efforts to develop her craft as a potter are stymied by a series of ominous incidents, including the discovery of a female corpse entombed at her chosen kiln site, the sudden death of her obnoxious studio mate, and the dangerous sabotaging of her potting clay. Her search for answers eventually leads her to break into the boarded-up hotel—a trespass expressly forbidden by the resort’s current owner—where she discovers evidence of horrible mistreatments inflicted by past medical staff on women brought there to make them more “biddable” to their privileged husbands. Dawson hits all the right notes as her novel builds to a creepy crescendo. Though it leaves a few loose ends untied, this rewarding contemporary spin on the classic gothic formula is sure to hit the spot this spooky season. (Oct.)