September 2, 2024
Sandeen’s haunting if somewhat uneven gothic debut transports readers to 1960s New Orleans. Jemma Barker, a young Black woman, flees her previous life following her adoptive parents’ deaths and a violent clash with her boyfriend, but she can’t outrun the literal ghosts that linger in the corners of her vision. She takes a job offer as a tutor for the mysterious Duchon family, who live outside NOLA city limits. When Jemma arrives, however, there is no tutoring job, and the family pays her instead to stay in the house with them as a kind of companion. The Duchons’ oddness is immense, with out-of-date clothing, deep reclusiveness, and a vocal pride for their own Blackness and African roots—despite the whole family being very white-presenting. As Jemma grows uncomfortable with hearing hushed conversations about her behind closed doors, the reality of the situation comes to light: the Duchons are cursed, and they believe their last hope to break the spell is Jemma herself. After a slightly overstuffed beginning, this atmospheric tale finds its footing and brings a fresh perspective to the gothic horror genre. The author’s exploration of bloodlines, family, and race is complex and nuanced, and her heroine is easy to root for as she confronts ghosts both literal and metaphorical. Sandeen offers much to chew on.
March 1, 2025
In 1962, 27-year-old Jemma Barker abandons her life in Chicago, leaving behind nothing and no one. She accepts a job with the mysterious Duchon family who live just outside New Orleans. In her haste, Jemma didn't ask much about the new job and doesn't know what to make of the odd clan who greets her. She thought she was hired as a tutor, but instead she is told she is to be a companion of sorts, watched over by steely matriarch Honorine. As Jemma learns more about the job and the unsettling Duchon family, she realizes she must use a gift she's been hiding to help break the family's curse. Sandeen's debut is a complicated and atmospheric Southern gothic with many layers. Chant� McCormick provides a haunting narration of a family trapped by a curse--and its own demons--and a young woman forced to help. Her narration sets a menacing tone as the family gets closer to the truth. Listeners will be swept up in the secrets and lies of the Duchon family, unable to tear themselves away until the very end. VERDICT Enhanced by excellent narration, this stunning, atmospheric debut is as twisty as the family described within.--Elyssa Everling
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