The House on Tradd Street

Table of Contents

 
“The enduring ties between two estranged sisters drive the darkly engaging latest from White….Careful plotting, richly flawed characters, and a surprising conclusion mark this absorbing melodrama.”

 
“In this moving novel, White explores the bond between sisters, the link between artistic genius and mental illness, and the keen hold a place can have on a person. She vividly describes the Lowcountry and the pull of the sea. A chilling revelation, a love story, and a bittersweet ending add to this gripping tale.”
—Booklist

 
“This story is as rich as its South Carolina Lowcountry setting and filled with sympathetic, endearing characters that resonate. It’s an engaging, deeply moving story.”
—Romantic Times
(4½ stars)

 
“Beautifully written and as lyrical as the tides.
The Memory of Water
speaks directly to the heart and will linger in yours long after you’ve read the final page. I loved this book!”

—Susan Crandall, author of
Pitch Black

 
“Karen White delivers a powerfully emotional blend of family secrets, Lowcountry lore, and love in
The Memory of Water
—who could ask for more?”—Barbara Bretton, author of
Just Desserts

 
Learning to Breathe

 
“White creates a heartfelt story full of vibrant characters and emotion that leaves the reader satisfied yet hungry for more from this talented author.”
—Booklist

“A can’t-put-it-down book by Georgia novelist Karen White.”

—
Southern Lady

 
“One of those stories where you savor every single word ... a perfect 10.”

—Romance Reviews Today

 
“Another one of Karen White’s emotional books! A joy to read!”

—The Best Reviews

 
Pieces of the Heart

 
“Heartwarming and intense ... a tale that resonates with the meaning of unconditional love.”
—Romantic Times
(4 stars)

 
“A terrific, insightful character study.”
—Midwest Book Review

 
The Color of Light

 
“[White’s] prose is lyrical, and she weaves in elements of mysticism and romance without being heavy-handed. An accomplished novel . . .”

 
“A story as rich as a coastal summer ... dark secrets, heartache, a magnificent South Carolina setting, and a great love story.”

—New York Times
bestselling author Deborah Smith

 
“As lush as the Lowcountry, where the characters’ wounded souls come home to mend in unexpected and magical ways.”

—Patti Callahan Henry, author of
Between the Tides

 
“The fresh voice of Karen White intrigues and delights.”

—Sandra Chastain, contributor to
At Home in Mossy Creek

 
“Warmly Southern and deeply moving.”—Deborah Smith

 
“Karen White writes with passion and poignancy.”

—Deb Stover, award-winning author of
Mulligan Magic

 
“[A] sweet book…highly recommended.”
—Booklist

 
“Karen White is one author you won’t forget. . . . This is a masterpiece in the study of relationships. Brava!”—Reader to Reader Reviews

 
“This is not only romance at its best—this is a fully realized view of life at its fullest.”—Readers & Writers, Ink

 
“
After the Rain
is an elegantly enchanting Southern novel.... Fans will recognize the beauty of White’s evocative prose.”—
WordWeaving.com

 
“In the tradition of Catherine Anderson and Deborah Smith, Karen White’s
After the Rain
is an incredibly poignant contemporary bursting with Southern charm.”

—Patricia Rouse, Rouse’s Romance Readers Groups

 
“Don’t miss this book!”
—Rendezvous

New American Library
Published by New American Library, a division of
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Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices:
80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England 
First published by New American Library,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. 
First Printing, November 2008

 
Copyright © Harley House Books, LLC, 2008

All rights reserved

REGISTERED TRADEMARK—MARCA REGISTRADA 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA:

 
White, Karen (Karen S.)
The House on Tradd Street/Karen White.
p. cm.

eISBN : 978-1-440-60243-6

1. Real estate agents—Fiction. 2. Single women—Fiction. 3. Haunted houses—Fiction.
4. Historic buildings—South Carolina—Charleston—Fiction. 5. Charleston (S.C.)—Fiction.
I. Title.
PS3623.H5776H68 2008
813’.6—dc22 2008025926

 

 
Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

 
PUBLISHER’S NOTE

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party Web sites or their content.

 
The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials.Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

As always, thanks to the usual suspects: Tim, Connor and Meghan for your cheerleading and your acceptance of an empty kitchen and pizza for dinner. To my editor, Cindy Hwang, and my agent, Karen Solem, for working tirelessly to help me create the best books possible, and to the rest of the well-oiled machine at Penguin, who do such a fabulous job of creating gorgeous covers and getting my books in stores everywhere.

Thank you to Pam Mantovani and Dianna Love for the initial brainstorming for the idea behind this book and for your enthusiasm that encouraged me to write it.

Thanks also to my critique partner, Wendy Wax, whose wisdom and support I simply couldn’t do without. To Nancy Flaherty, my lasting gratitude for her unflagging support and her graciousness in allowing me to use her name and golf habits. And a huge thanks to Robin Hillyer Miles, a Charleston native and tour guide extraordinaire who was kind enough to read this manuscript and point out facts that I didn’t have “quite right.” Any errors regarding the city of Charleston and its geography are entirely my own!

And no acknowledgment would be complete without thanking my readers. You make worthwhile every moment I spend in the solitude of writing.

P
ewter reflections of scarlet hibiscus colored the dirt-smudged windows of the old house, like happy memories of youth trapped inside the shell of an old man. The broken pediments over the windows gave the house a permanent frown, yet the leaf-filtered sun against the chipped Tower-of-the-Winds columns lining the side piazzas painted the house with hope. It was almost, I thought, as if the house were merely waiting for a miracle.

I studied the house, my Realtor’s mind trying to see past the wreckage. It was a characteristic Charleston single house, turned perpendicular to the street so that its short side abutted the sidewalk. The entry door, with an ornate cornice and Italianate filigree brackets, opened onto the garden-facing piazza, where I knew I would find the main entryway into the house. I wrinkled my nose, already smelling the inevitable decay I would encounter once I’d entered the house. Despite the enviable south of Broad location, any potential buyer for this property would have to be blind or incredibly stupid. In my vast experience at selling historic real estate in the city, I would bank on the latter.