Story Type: Novel Primary Genre: Fiction, Mystery | Thriller | Crime, Horror Age Group: 16+ Themes & Tropes: Gothic: Dark, eerie atmosphere in a small town hiding deep secrets. Mystery: Unraveling long-buried family and town secrets, with cryptic clues and growing tension. Psychological: Xavier’s internal struggles with returning to Crestwood, his fractured family, and mysterious happenings. Paranormal: Subtle supernatural elements in the form of haunted places and strange figures watching from the shadows. Dark: Unease and tension build as Xavier digs deeper into Crestwood’s past and his family’s role in it. High Stakes: As more clues are revealed, Xavier realizes the mystery could have fatal consequences.

Requirements & Requests

I’m looking for readers who enjoy atmospheric mysteries with a slow-burn supernatural element. Feedback on pacing, character development, and mystery-building would be particularly helpful.

Comparable Stories:

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson: Like Jackson’s gothic horror, the story centers around a haunted place (Crestwood) with dark, foreboding secrets. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater: A group of teenagers entangled in their town’s supernatural history, mirroring Xavier and his friends uncovering Crestwood’s eerie past. Locke & Key by Joe Hill: Similar use of an eerie, small-town setting with mystery and supernatural undertones.

Trigger Warnings:

Family conflict Psychological horror elements (e.g., feeling watched, haunted places) Mild violence (to be explored further as the story progresses) Death (implied, not graphic)