New York Times bestselling author Connie Briscoe updates Daphne Du Maurierâs classic Rebecca in this chilling tale of domestic suspense centered on a spirited woman named Angel who marries a Black billionaire, only to discover that he remains haunted by his first wife who took her own lifeâor did she?
A mansion haunted by the ghost of a cool, charismatic first wife. A second bride from a small Southern town who may be in over her head. A brooding billionaire who grows icier the more his new wife questions him about the past.
In Connie Briscoeâs propulsive and entertaining novel, the elements of one of the most famous Gothic novels of all time is reimagined in surprising, yet still suspenseful, ways.
Angel is a private chef for the Harrisonâs, one of the most powerful Black families on Marthaâs Vineyard. Impossibly supercilious Jillian Harrison often spends the entire summer on the island, while her husband Irvin and their twenty-nine-year-old daughter Norma commute from Washington, DC, on weekends. They always join Jillian for the month of August, when the family throws a lavish garden party on the expansive lawn that is attended by nearly one hundred guests. This yearâs guests include Everette Bruce, an influential Black billionaire, still in mourning for his first wife, Chloe, who committed suicide.
To the imperious Jillianâs surprise, Bruce ignores her and instead becomes enchanted with Angel. Eager to get away from the controlling Mrs. Harrison, Angel accepts Everettâs invitation to become the private chef at Riverwild, his massive mansion along the Potomac River. Her meals and company provide comfort Everett, and soon he and Angel begin a whirlwind romance that culminates in marriage.
Though Angel is confident and strong, over time, she begins to feel the enigmatic Chloe's ghost. The houseâs staff, the head housekeeper Idaâa menacingly rigid thorn in Angelâs sideâand even Everett, cannot seem to let the dead woman go, nor explain why the wealthy, stunning woman would kill herself. The more questions Angel asks, the more melancholic Everett becomes, revealing a far less charming side of himself. Just how well does Angel know Everett? Did she marry in haste?
The answers lie somewhere in Riverwild . . .