Parting the Veil: A Novel

Some houses hold secrets that are meant to be kept forever…When Eliza Sullivan inherits an estate from a recently deceased aunt, she leaves behind a grievous and guilt-ridden past in New Orleans for rural England and a fresh start. Eliza arrives at her new home and finds herself falling for the mysterious lord of Havenwood, Malcolm Winfield. Despite the sinister rumors that surround him, Eliza is drawn to his melancholy charm and his crumbling, once-beautiful mansion. With enough love, she thinks, both man and manor could be repaired.Not long into their marriage, Eliza fears that she should have listened to the locals. There’s something terribly wrong at Havenwood Manor: Forbidden rooms. Ghostly whispers in the shadows. Strangely guarded servants. And Malcolm’s threatening moods, as changeable as night and day.As Eliza delves deeper into Malcolm’s troubling history, the dark secrets she unearths gain a frightening power. Has she married a man or a monster? For Eliza, uncovering the truth will either save her or destroy her.

Historical Novel Society

“Well-written, the novel admirably recalls Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights and Henry James’s Portrait of a Lady.”

Booklist

“Complete with LGBTQIA+ inclusivity, the suspenseful story will delight fans of historical fiction, horror, and mystery with twist after twist after twist.”

Megan Chance, author of A Splendid Ruin

“A beautiful, crumbling mansion in the English countryside; a charming but enigmatic viscount; ghosts; rumors; and a labyrinth of dark secrets, lies, twists, and well-executed turns…As if that wasn’t enough, add rich atmosphere and an American-heiress heroine determined to settle her own future. Kennedy has crafted a delicious, romantic gothic mystery that will keep readers guessing even as they’re feverishly turning the final pages.”

Jo Kaplan, author of It Will Just Be Us

“I was riveted by Paulette Kennedy’s Parting the Veil, a dazzling debut that hearkens to the best of the classic gothic tradition but with a sensibility that will appeal to modern readers. Kennedy writes with compassion, attention to detail, and the confident prose of a seasoned writer. Deliciously eerie, passionate, and suspenseful, this book is an emotional roller coaster that kept me turning its pages long into the night.”

Barbara Davis, bestselling author of The Last of the Moon Girls

“If you love a gothic tale full of twists and turns and things that go bump in the night, Paulette Kennedy’s Parting the Veil is a not-to-be-missed treat. This debut is the perfect book to curl up with on a stormy night, but don’t expect to put it down easily. And don’t forget the Earl Grey and biscuits.”

a ruined mansion, family secrets

“An American heiress with a scandalous past meets a mysterious British lord in this swoon-worthy gothic thriller. Parting the Veil takes familiar plot elements

Kim Taylor Blakemore, author of After Alice Fell

“Parting the Veil is a gothic romance full of sly and sometimes shocking twists and turns, with the requisite crumbling manor house, loads of secrets, and long, haunting shadows of grief. Kennedy spares no mercy for a bucolic English village that teems with lies, forbidden desires, and murder.”

Elle Marr, Amazon Charts bestselling author of The Missing Sister and Lies We Bury

“Atmospheric and cleverly plotted, Parting the Veil grabbed me from the first page and tightened its grip with each immersive chapter. Whenever I thought I knew how it would end, Kennedy’s haunting debut surprised me, while delivering gothic chills alongside each captivating twist. Clear your schedule to read in one sitting like I did.”

Laura McHugh, award-winning author of What’s Done in Darkness

“Absolutely enthralling. This sultry, mysterious, and immersive tale had me in its grasp from page one.”

Hester Fox, author of The Witch of Willow Hall

“Brimming with dark atmosphere, ghosts, and tragic family secrets, Kennedy’s debut is a Gothic masterpiece that had me holding my breath until the last page.”

Lydia Kang, bestselling author of A Beautiful Poison

“A headstrong American heiress with her decidedly non-British ways finds herself in England, in love, in trouble, and possibly being haunted. A lush, gothic tale that will keep readers flipping the pages.”

Kris Waldherr, author of The Lost History of Dreams

“A darkly romantic old school gothic novel with a gasp-inducing twist that’s decidedly new school. In this lushly detailed page-turner, Paulette Kennedy piles on all the haunted house tropes you could hope for, and then some. Read this one with the lights on.”

From the Publisher

Parting the Veil is an intoxicating, sensuous mystery unlike anything I’ve read before. Author Paulette Kennedy delivers the classic gothic elements—a crumbling mansion, family secrets, ghostly whispers, shocking twists and turns, and a tragically handsome enigmatic viscount. But best of all, Kennedy gives us our heroine, the incomparable Eliza Sullivan. Eliza is no shrinking violet. It’s 1899, and she’s a modern American woman, not at all interested in marriage or societal norms. Looking to escape the guilt and grief of great loss, she sails to England, determined to start over in the house she’s inherited. Unfortunately, within days of arriving, she learns that in order to lay claim to the estate, she must marry an Englishman within three months. The idea is utterly repugnant to Eliza—that she should have to trade her freedom for what is rightfully hers. But then she falls for Malcolm Winfield, lord of disgraced Havenwood Manor. Malcolm is devoted yet mercurial, and he harbors secrets of his own. When Eliza realizes she’s in great peril, she does what any modern woman would—she takes matters into her own hands. And that’s what I love most about this book—Eliza fights fiercely for what she loves. In doing so, she conquers the guilt that has plagued her since losing her loved ones, and she’s finally able to truly start anew. —Jodi Warshaw, Editor

About the Author

Originally from the Ozarks, Paulette Kennedy now lives with her family and their menagerie of pets in a quiet suburb of Los Angeles. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her tending her garden and trying to catch up with the looming stack of unread books next to her bed. You can connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Reviews

News