Secrets
of Hallstead House
Amy
M. Reade
Genre:
Romantic Suspense
Publisher:
Kensington Publishing Corp.
Date
of Publication: July 17, 2014
eISBN-13:
978-1-60183-299-3
eISBN-10:
1-60183-299-0
ISBN-13:
978-1-60183-300-6
ISBN-10:
1-60183-300-8
Number
of pages: appr. 273
Word
Count: appr. 82,000
Formats
available: ebook, print-on-demand
Excerpt
I
went up to my room without meeting anyone. I was getting tired,
so
I didn’t bother to build a fire. I just crawled between the covers
and
was almost asleep when I heard a faint knock at my door. Concerned
that
Alex was ill, I jumped out of bed and went quickly to
open
the door.
Will
was standing there, still dressed in his dinner attire. As usual,
he
looked debonair and handsome. “I’m sorry to bother you so late,
Macy,
but I wanted to talk to you alone. May I come in?” he asked
politely.
Still
thinking that he might be here with information about Alex, I
let
him in. He sat down in one of the chairs before the cold fireplace
and
motioned for me to sit down too. I was getting impatient. “Is
Alex
all right? Is that why you’re here?”
He
sighed and passed his hand over his eyes. I noticed for the first
time
the ever-so-slight graying at his temples. “As a matter of fact,
Macy,
Alex is the reason that I’m here. Oh, she’s probably sleeping
peacefully
right now, so there’s no need for you to worry about her
tonight.
But I must tell you that I am starting to get a little concerned
that
your presence here is perhaps not in Aunt Alex’s best interests. I
have
noticed that she seems to be a little preoccupied while she’s
trying
to
work and now there’s this illness that seems to be affecting her.
I
am of the opinion that your notions of a quick recovery and
exhausting
physical
therapy are doing Aunt Alex more harm than good.”
I
was speechless. I certainly had not expected this kind of opposition
from
Alex’s nephew. I stared at him for a moment.
“Will,
I am sorry to hear that you feel this way. I’m here because
Alex
hired me to be her nurse. My job is to see that her doctor’s orders
are
carried out. As for my ‘notions’ of a quick recovery, don’t
you
agree that it’s best for her to begin her normal activities again
so
that
she can get back to her life? I’m not rushing her into anything.
This
is standard procedure for a patient of her age recovering from
hip
surgery. Furthermore, the illness that you feel she is currently
suffering
from seems to be no more than fatigue. It is common
among
surgery patients, particularly those who are almost eighty
years
old.”
Will
did not waver from his position. “But can you explain why
she
doesn’t seem to be able to concentrate on her work? I think I
know
why. It’s because you arrived here with your sad stories about
your
parents and you’ve dredged up all the unpleasantness about her
own
family—about Diana and Forrest and their deaths. It’s impossible
for
her to concentrate when she can’t get her own grief out of her
head.”
“I
happen to think that she’s dealing with her sadness in a very
healthy
manner. She doesn’t seem to be dwelling on the past, and she
seems
generally happy and content.”
Will
stared at me steadily. I met his gaze evenly, refusing to let
him
know that he was making me uncomfortable. Finally he spoke.
“I
can see that you’re determined to stay here despite Aunt Alex’s
best
interests. Fine. There are other ways to persuade you to go.”
Book
Description:
Macy
Stoddard had hoped to ease the grief of losing her parents in a fiery
car crash by accepting a job as a private nurse to the wealthy and
widowed Alexandria Hallstead.
But
her first sight of Summerplace is of a dark and forbidding home. She
quickly finds its winding halls and shadowy rooms filled with secrets
and suspicions. Alex seems happy to have Macy’s help, but others on
the island, including Alex’s sinister servants and hostile
relatives, are far less welcoming.
Watching
eyes, veiled threats…slowly, surely, the menacing spirit of
Hallstead Island closes in around Macy. And she can only wonder if
her story will become just one of the many secrets of Hallstead
House…
Available
at Amazon
About
the Author:
Amy
M. Reade is a debut author of romantic suspense. A native of upstate
New York, she grew up in the Thousand Islands region and was inspired
by the natural beauty of that area to write her first novel, Secrets
of Hallstead House. She now lives in New Jersey with her husband,
three children, a Bouvier des Flandres named Orly, and two rescued
cats who refuse to answer to their names of Porthos and Athos.
Upon
graduation from Cornell University and Indiana University School of
Law, Amy practiced law in New York City, but soon discovered that her
dream job was writing. In addition to volunteering with school,
church, and community groups, Amy is currently working on her second
novel, set in the area around Charleston, South Carolina.
Though
Amy lives within sight of the Atlantic Ocean, she is partial to the
blue waters of the Pacific and spends as much time as possible on the
Big Island of Hawaii, which is the setting of her as-yet-unwritten
third novel.
Website:
http://www.amymreade.com
Twitter:
@readeandwrite
Kensington
website: http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/author.aspx/29480
Thank you for hosting me today!
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