A suspenseful, contemporary Gothic coming-of-age tale set against the sun-soaked backdrop of the French Riviera, where long summer days bring ease, glamour, and decadence—but also dark shadows lurking beneath the surface.
Welcome to the Chateau des Sètes, a jewel of the Cote d'Azur, where the wealthy can indulge in bad behavior without consequence. For Ruby Ashby, the chateau has always been a cherished sanctuary, but this August, unexpected guests descend upon it, transforming the atmosphere. The adults revel in excess while the girls are treated as playthings or abandoned, and a simmering tension grows between the families. The chateau begins to feel more like a gilded cage than a haven.
Over two decades later, the chateau is for sale, its days of splendor long gone, leaving behind a terrible history. A young widow seeks to purchase it despite her shocking memories of that fateful summer. But another person, equally haunted by the chateau's past, also wants to reclaim it. Who will set the chateau free—and who will become yet another of its victims?
With riveting psychological complexity, The Ruins captures the tangled legacy of abuse, the glittering allure of the Mediterranean, and the unsettling secrets that wait in the shadows. This twist-filled novel is perfect for fans of Patricia Highsmith and Atonement.