A Theory of Haunting

by Sarah Monette

Kyle Murchison Booth, archivist at the Parrington Museum, is drawn to the infamous Thirdhop Scarp, a house haunted by the brutal murder of the Cathcart family, whose patriarch was found cradling his daughter's heart. When the new owner, Marcus Oleander, gathers an esoteric order at the estate—including Miss Griselda Parrington, the museum founder's daughter—the museum director orders Booth to discredit Oleander's occult teachings. Reluctantly joining a weekend séance, Booth uncovers a decades‑long mystery that reveals the house itself is far more sinister than legend suggests, blending archival research, supernatural horror, and a chilling investigation into family tragedy.