This is a ghost story and love story all rolled into one. A tale about life coming full circle on itself. The chapters alternate between the storyteller, Hannah and the history of a family that touches Hannah’s life one summer in a small town in Maine.

The history starts in the early 1800s when Claris Osgood is 10 years old and already feels completely different than her close, loving family members. She meets a boy named Danial Haskell and they fall in love. They marry against the Osgood’s wishes. Danial lives on the island and the Osgoods don’t want Claris taken so far away from them. They question how well Danial will treat her. They want what’s best for Claris, but she won’t hear any of it.

Claris soon finds out Danial isn’t the person she thought he was at all. He is cold and heartless. Claris loses her first two daughters in a miscarriage and when she finally has a son, Amos, he is her pride and joy. Danial never cared much for Amos mostly because he reminded Danial of the Osgoods. He was musically talented, but Danial would have no music in the house. A few years later, Claris has another child, a girl named Sallie. Sallie takes after her father’s side and it is apparent her mother doesn’t love her as much.

Hannah Gray tells the story of one summer spent in the small town in Maine where Claris once lived. Her stepmother doesn’t care for her and her father is never around. Hannah’s mother grew up in this town and everyone sees fit to tell her how much she looks like her mother.

Hannah begins to see a ghost in her summer home. The ghost is always weeping, but it isn’t to be pitied. It’s ugly with piercing eyes and Hannah is very clear that it is a THING, not a person. She spends the summer investigating the origin of her house, which used to be the schoolhouse on the island. She finds out about the Haskell’s and about the strange events that led to Danial Haskell’s murder.

On her journey, she comes across a young man named Conary Crocker. They are immediately taken with one another and quickly fall in love. Conary has run into the ghost before as well and is the only person Hannah can turn to with her findings.

This is their story, as it is the story of the Haskells. What happened that summer and what happened long ago and how they are connected. The book ended with me wanting more. I wanted to know more about Hannah’s life after that summer and more about the motivation behind the Haskell’s. A very quick read, not scary at all for a ghost story and highly recommended!

creepy…loved it