MT Maliha's "Waverly Estate" Revives the Gothic Ghost Story, Examining Life and Death

Sept. 27, 2019 - PRLog -- More than one hundred years after The Revolutionary War, Waverly Estate continues to whisper of battles won and lost; of death and vacuous halls and hearts, and of treacherous deeds committed. Its residents are not troubled by the dead alone. Far more ghastly are the living. It is the year 1858 and Garson, the pitiless master of Waverly, lies dying. A magnificent dome above him boasts paintings of Rene Bonhomme, a French artist who covets more than Garson's wicked wife, Hannah. Death hides in the beauty of both his wife and art, and trickery awaits his last breath. Ancestors compose a chain of errors when they fail to consider Amelia, the long dead daughter of butler James. When crossed, she unleashes ghastly reminders that she is ever present.

Waverly Estate is not just a ghost story. Though it plays with Gothic philosophies and descriptions, it is at its heart a transformative tale that—apart from its ethereal contemplations on the past and humanity—also crosses the boundaries of time, spirituality, and mortality to challenge its reader's perception.

Maliha's story is a classic: her characters are endearingly recognizable, and the story procures a perfectly unsettling mood. However, each sentence of this epic tale is imbued with studied, aesthetic detail, which cultivates its very own ghostly world around the reader. This adept balance of historical accuracy and the spectacular tension of family secrets, betrayals, and revenge will attract everyone from the disciplined history buffs, to the most twisted fans of horror, psychological thrillers, and the paranormal. Waverly Estate's pensive storytelling obscures the border between life and death and summons the best of its Gothic time period, offering a transportive novel, both thrilling and reflective.

Maureen Maliha is a writer, photographer, and musician. She is a recovering family Therapist and Mediator. She spends her time wandering the Catskill Mountain landscape with her dog Micah, when she isn't working on her next photographic project, book, or artistic endeavor. For additional information, contact media@touchpointpress.com. Bulk orders: info@touchpointpress.com