Description:
"Sensual, foreboding, and tense, this atmospheric tale teases dread from every corner of its sunlit setting, making it impossible to put down--a perfect sinister read."
--Lidija Hilje, USA TODAY bestselling author of Slanting Towards the Sea
A crumbling home surrounded by lavender fields. A decades-long curse. A nightmare from Croatian folklore with a thirst for blood. The Lost Apothecary meets The Hacienda in this multigenerational, haunting gothic saga set on the Adriatic Sea.
2026. All Petra has inherited are tales of loss. Which is why, after her mother's passing, she is shocked to learn that her grandmother is not dead like she's always believed, but alive and living on Tolba, a small island in Croatia. Desperate to find her last surviving family member, Petra ventures to her ancestral home, famed for its sprawling lavender fields. While she's happy to be reunited with her grandmother, rarely does a night go by that Petra doesn't lose herself to vivid nightmares and the dizzying sense that something--or someone--is always watching in Lavender House.
1895. Whore. Sinner. Witch. No matter how many people Magdalena heals, the rumors persist. So, when she's asked to help the matriarch of Lavender House, she seizes the opportunity to rehabilitate her reputation. As Magdalena races against time to heal the ailing woman, she finds herself unexpectedly falling for the son of her greatest enemy, the man responsible for her ostracization. But are true love and acceptance possible for a woman who has always lived on the margins?
Back in the present, Petra finds it increasingly difficult to ignore the rumors plaguing her family: that a mora, a spirit from Croatian folklore, haunts Lavender House for revenge. As the sole heir to Lavender House, Petra must discover the truth of her inheritance, or else fall prey to the same curse that claimed her family.
Through the intersecting stories of Petra and Magdalena, Natalie Kikic's gorgeous debut asks us to consider the lengths to which we go to belong, the cost of choosing love, and what it really means to be a monster.
For readers who love:
- Multigenerational family stories
- Folklore and myth
- Sarah Penner, Isabel Cañas, and Silvia Moreno-Garcia
- Gorgeous, sweeping prose
- Haunting tales of love
Brief description:
Natalie Kikic is a Croatian American who grew up on stories of her parents' lives in the former Yugoslavia. She holds a Bachelor's in Slavic Languages & Literatures from the University of California, Berkeley and her work explores Balkan folklore, belonging, and hauntings, both ghostly and romantic. Originally from California, she currently resides in Massachusetts with her husband and two polydactyl cats.
Review Quotes: "In The Haunting of Lavender House, Natalie Kikic skillfully contrasts the luminous beauty of the Adriatic coastline with the dark currents of Croatian folklore, and unsettling strands of fantasy and horror. Sensual, foreboding, and tense, this atmospheric tale teases dread from every corner of its sunlit setting, making it impossible to put down--a perfect sinister read."
--Lidija Hilje, USA Today bestselling author of Slanting Towards the Sea
--Marina Scott, author of The Night Guests "Captivating from the first page, The Haunting of Lavender House is a poetic and intimate exploration of family, diaspora, and just how long history's reach is. Kikic's love for Croatia and its stories comes through in every beautifully crafted sentence. Rich in atmosphere, chemistry, and creeping dark, this is an absolute tour de force of gothic romance."
--Marielle Thompson, author of The Curse of the Cole Women "A captivating debut that delivers all the atmosphere, romance, and haunted history gothic fiction lovers desire. Kikic expertly weaves her Croatian heritage into this intertwining tale of two young women, centuries apart, bound together by a cursed legacy. The Haunting of Lavender House is richly imbued with stunning detail, and soars with confident prose. You'll be transfixed!"
--Paulette Kennedy, bestselling author of The Artist of Blackberry Grange "There is much to savor in Kikic's debut novel, which successfully weds an atmospheric gothic with Croatian folklore in a fast-paced story that delivers both unnerving chills and a satisfying emotional arc for her protagonist. Recommended for readers who enjoy gothic horror/romance blends such as Isabel Cañas's The Hacienda."
--Library Journal "This gothic romance with horror elements is a strong debut from Kikic; readers will be drawn to her thoughtful use of Croatian history, language, and mythology."
--Booklist