Inheritance

Bestseller Roberts (the Dragon Heart Legacy series) brings her talents to bear on a romantic ghost story—the first in the Lost Bride Trilogy—with more heartstring tugs than scares. Boston graphic designer Sonya MacTavish is shocked to learn that a biological uncle she hadn’t known existed left her the family manor in coastal Maine. There’s a catch, however: the estate is “quite haunted,” and though many of the spirits are benevolent, one very much isn’t. Over the two centuries since the manor’s construction, seven new brides have died tragically in the house—and somehow linked to them all is Hester Dobbs, the first bride’s murderer. Along with her friends—including smoldering lawyer Trey—Sonya must piece together the full story and break the curse of the lost brides. While the plot mostly follows a standard haunted house template, Roberts’s strengths, as usual, are in the details: robust characters, vivid prose, settings familiar enough to be cozy but distinct enough to be memorable, and loyal dogs. It might not break fresh ground, but this will hit the spot for Roberts’s many fans. Agent: Amy Berkower, Writers House. (Nov.)