Return to Wyldcliffe Heights: A Novel BY Carol Goodman

In this modern gothic mystery from two-time Mary Higgins Clark Award winner Carol Goodman, a reclusive author’s past threatens to consume the present, blending elements of Jane Eyre and The Thirteenth Tale.

Agnes Corey, a junior editor at a small independent publisher, is tasked with transcribing the long-awaited sequel to Veronica St. Clair’s 1993 bestseller, The Secret of Wyldcliffe Heights. St. Clair, once celebrated for her Jane Eyre-esque novel, has lived in seclusion since the book’s release, which was marred by a devastating fire that left her blind and scarred. Agnes travels to St. Clair’s decaying estate in the Hudson Valley, a former psychiatric hospital for “wayward women,” eager to deliver the sequel to the author’s loyal fans.

As St. Clair dictates her story, Agnes uncovers unsettling clues embedded in the manuscript—clues that hint at the true, chilling events behind the original novel. The line between fiction and reality blurs as Agnes delves deeper into a dark, unresolved murder from decades past, uncovering connections to her own life.

With St. Clair’s increasingly disturbing tale infiltrating her thoughts, Agnes begins to doubt her own sanity and safety. To protect herself and uncover the truth, she must unravel the mystery surrounding St. Clair and the tragic history of Wyldcliffe Heights. In her quest for answers, Agnes seeks to free the stories of all the women victimized by the enigmatic estate, confronting a past that refuses to stay buried.