“The evening spider made its visit some time later—when Martha was almost five months old. I know Matthew saw that spider. I know it was na product of my imagination.”

In this compelling mix of psychological suspense and historic true crime, two young mothers—130 years apart—are haunted by the same house.

1885: From inside a New England mental hospital, Frances Barnett recounts the months that led to her hospitalization. She believes that her pregnancy, the birth of her child, and the first days of motherhood may have impaired her sanity, and she has come to distrust her own memories. She escaped the monotony and isolation of her daughter’s early months by following a local murder trial, and as her story unfolds, Frances must admit that her obsession with the details of the murder was not entirely innocent.

Present day: Abby Bernacki has been adjusting to motherhood smoothly—until odd sensations and dreams began to unsettle her while home alone with her baby. When she stumbles onto the timeworn diary of Frances Barnett, Abby is surprised to see how similar their situations are. But as she reaches the diary’s disturbing final pages, she becomes obsessed with the idea that a supernatural influence might be inhabiting her home.

With each passing day, Abby feels her own grip on reality slipping—and most troubling of all, she fears for her baby’s safety.