The Widow of Rose House

Biller’s complex and intriguing debut, set in 1875 New York City, follows Alva Webster, a widow with a dark secret that has nothing to do with the salacious rumors about her that have been splashed all over the newspapers for the past two years regarding her departure from her abusive husband and his subsequent death. After purchasing Liefdehuis, an old mansion she intends to renovate and use as inspiration for a home decorating manual, Alva is annoyed and skeptical when she learns that it’s supposedly haunted. Prof. Samuel Moore, an extremely handsome inventor, wants to study the house in order to learn more about its apparent ghost, but she scorns him and his fanciful notions—at first. The book is part romance, part ghost story, and part period piece with just enough modern sentiment on the topics of feminism, mental illness, and abuse. The plot isn’t particularly original or complicated, but the work is well worth reading for the tender—and sometimes downright erotic—connection that develops between Alva and Samuel. Readers who care about well-drawn characters and don’t mind a predictable story will appreciate this window into late-19th-century New York. Agent: Amy Elizabeth Bishop, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. (Oct.)