Estate Sale

by Mia Dalia

Every town has that house-the one on the hill, the one people whisper about. But what if the truth is far stranger than any tale ever told? When the enigmatic owner of the Koshmaroff estate dies, the doors of her crumbling mansion finally creak open. Locals swarm in, eager to sift through the relics of a reclusive life. But the estate sale proves more than they bargained for. Each trinket sold seems to carry a curse, and each buyer is soon caught in a waking nightmare.

No one knew the old woman and her vanished husband were collectors of forbidden things-objects bound to a legacy of ritual, blood, and power. From séances in Parisian salons to shadowy dealings with Aleister Crowley in Berlin, from the chaos of the Blitz to the quiet menace of upstate New York, the couple's story is stitched into every sinister item left behind.

Now, their collection is being dismantled. And evil never likes to be divided.

Mia Dalia's spellbinding debut is a work of historical horror steeped in occult lore and atmospheric dread. A sinister travelogue through time and terror-you won't leave empty-handed.
Step inside for a bargain of a lifetime.

"Estate Sale is a sweeping historical horror story rooted in global upheaval and a dark quest for occult secrets. Mia Dalia has penned an epic tale of undying love with bloody repercussions that echo across the centuries. This is one debut novel you don’t want to miss.”
—Douglas Wynne, author of Smoke & Dagger and His Own Devices

"Dark, brooding, and wonderfully creepy, this stunning debut brings to mind the best Gothic works of the past century while charting a territory that is entirely its own. A must for horror fans!"
—Jethro Wegener, author of Lost City Of Terror

"I loved it. A clever, erudite and thrilling book! Mia Dalia’s Estate Sale is an original and terrific take on the classic “cursed objects” trope. Blending real historical figures and events and pure occult tales, Mia Dalia weaves a convincing and powerful narrative, which is also a dark portrait of a woman of her times. A must-read for all lovers of literary horror!
—Seb Doubinsky, author of City-States series, co-author of Turning of the Seasons

Mia Dalia’s Estate Sale is at once a love story and a supernatural mystery shifting back and forth across time and geography. It spans various places and events of the past hundred years, such as Paris in the Jazz Age, Aleister Crowley in 1930s Berlin, the London Blitz, and Upstate New York at the dawn of the 21st century. The magical, occult journey of Ana and her husband Pavel begins in Russia on the eve of the Bolshevik Revolution, and a marriage of convenience between nobility morphs into true love. Pavel, a scholar of the occult, will do whatever it takes to spend eternity with Ana, even if it means imbuing items with magic that touches the lives of people in sinister, frightening ways. This is a fun, engaging, and mysterious read.
—Arthur Shattuck O’Keefe, author of The Spirit Phone

Mia Dalia has a richly vivid imagination, immersing you in two different worlds...the past and the present. When those two worlds collide, through magically imbued objects sold at an Estate sale, many lives are altered...for eternity!
Prepare yourself for a journey, transforming not only the reader, but redefining the horror genre itself!
—Suzie Lockhart, Independent Author & Editor of Killing It Softly I & II

Genres: Horror, Dark Academia, Fiction, Occult

236 pages, Paperback

First published April 26, 2023

About the author

Mia Dalia is an internationally published, Crime Writers Association-nominated author of all things fantastic, thrilling, scary, and strange. Her short stories of horror, noir, science fiction, mystery, crime, humor, and more have been featured in a variety of anthologies, magazines, literary journals, online, and adapted for narrative podcasts.

Featured publications:
Estate Sale (Lethe Press)
Tell Me a Story (Anuci Press)
Discordant (Anuci Press)
Smile So Red and Other Tales of Madness (Brigids Gate Press)
Arrakoth (Spaceboy Books)
Haven (CamCat Books)
Do You Know The Muffin Man? (Spaceboy Books)
Alakazam (PS Publishing)

Mia's work has been selected as Tales to Terrify's top ten best stories of 2023, shortlisted for the Crime Writers Association's Daggers Award 2024, and praised by authors and editors such as Michael Marshall Smith - "One of the best novels I've read in years", Stephen Jones - "tour-de-force", Clay McLeod Chapman - "every flip of the page leads its readers deeper into uneasy dream", Neil Sharpson, M.R. Carey, A.C. Wise, Edward Ashton, Christopher Barzak, Ian Rogers, and more.

Mia Dalia is represented by the John Jarrold Literary Agency. https://www.johnjarrold.co.uk/

Find her at
Twitter: @ Dalia_Verse
FB: Mia DaliaVerse
Instagram: daliaverse
https://linktr.ee/daliaverse

Reviews

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suspenseful!

A very small backstory:

An estate sale with different items ends up in the hands of different families and they go through all kinds of situations with the items.

Thoughts:

I know that was a very small backstory but I could not say more without spoilers so I just made it as short as possible like dangling a morsel out there to go read this book. There are two pov timelines as well - one pov timeline goes back in time when the items were first acquired by the owners and then there is an up to date pov timeline of what happens to the people that acquire the items from the estate sale.

There is lots of occult overtones to this story as the items within are not normal and I loved how the author writes two timelines of where the items came from and what happens to the people after buying them from the sale. There was quite a bit of suspense and tension weaved within the book keeping me glued to my kindle quite a bit and kept me wrapped up with lots of creepy shivering spooky vibes! Another excellent book by this author and I have a couple more books by this author which I will be stepping into soon. Giving this book five "Spooky Occult" stars!

[Jeffrey Caston · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed Estate Sale by Mia Dalia.

Estate Sale is the kind of story that makes you think. That’s a good thing. It’s not jump out of the darkness horror, slasher, or monster type stuff. Not that there’s anything wrong with any of those. Just that Estate Sale isn’t this. It’s a sort of intellectual horror with a gothic feel to it. I had to pay close attention and I love that. Having to—no, wanting to—piece together details in the story made it immersive and interesting.

For a relatively short book, Estate Sale feels epic in scope. Our two main protagonists, Ana and Pavel move throughout Europe during the early 20th century, finally landing in America. Pavel is on a quest of sorts and the results of that quest have heavy consequences. Ana and Pavel both exhibit a sophistication and intelligent that pervades their identity and makes them interesting to follow because their lives and identities are just so different from the average person.

Woven into Ana and Pavel’s journey are the stories of those who have acquired items at the couple’s estate sale. Imbued with some sort of eldritch powers, the consequences to the buyers/acquirers is equal parts eerie, fascinating, and disturbing.

And maybe best of all, there’s an indication that this might not be the end of the story(?). Not sure, but I guess time will tell!

I had hoped that there would be a bit more in terms of a connection why Pavel created the items sold in the estate sale. But that is a pretty soft issue since I think ultimately, the story is Ana and Pavel’s.

But I totally recommend reading this unique novel by this talented writer and storyteller. (4.5/5)

[Yvonne (the putrid Shelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Estate Sale was a surprising read. I don’t know what I was expecting but it certainly wasn’t this. The synopsis can only give you a guide, breadcrumbs if you will, it’s up to you to follow it and experience everything it has to offer. It’s a story at its heart about a love story. I loved the format this story took – It took the modern idea of short stories with the beating heart of a love that refuses to die. It’s a story where you feel it’s presence everywhere. It feels like a shadow constantly peering over your shoulder.

The book is split into the magicked items found at the deceased Mrs Koshmaroff’s estate. They have a power all their own – each having a devastating effect upon its new owner. The images conjured up by the author were vivid and shocking, just how I like it. I imagined their scared eyes, slack jaws, and painful ends. The reader’s time with the new owners were short but unforgettable. Each character had reasons for obtaining each item, but their end would come none the less. Nothing is as perfect as they may look.

The story between Anastasia and her husband moved me to tears. Although a relatively plain relationship, their bond and strength is plain to see. In just a few pages I realised that what they had was the real deal. It was simpler times and although their marriage started out as convenience, it was easy to see that their worlds began and ended with each other. Their story spans 100 years and they see Paris, The second world war, Aleister Crowley, The London Blitz, and the Bolshevik revolution.

Estate Sale is subtle in its horror but oh so fantastic. Is there gore and blood? Yes, you bet but it was perfect in the context of what was going on. I was moved by the narrative and the plot. Never did I think I would read a love story within a horror novel, it’s definitely a genre bender. The author has an uncanny ability to give the reader a clear picture of the story so you can make an informed opinion. This allowed us to build attachments and feelings towards characters in the strongest way possible.

Estate Sale is accomplished storytelling. Its desire soaked and richly imagined. A new take on horror and I’m totally here for it.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

ESTATE SALE is the debut novel by Mia Dalia. Including historical fiction, supernatural, death, and even a love story, this novel had a bit of everything. It takes the form of a "wraparound novel", where a central story encompasses several shorter stories, all stemming from the actions of the main theme.

Here, our main characters are Ana and Pavel--a married Russian couple that travel through countries, learning with people such as Alister Crowley, until finally settling in the US with their collection of artifacts. The shorter stories take place after an Estate Sale of the couple's belongings, and what those belongings are truly capable of.

"It seemed the dead spoke loudly here . . ."

In between the stories we have the tale of Pavel and Ana, their adventures, misfortunes, and the love they shared throughout their lifetimes.

"And what if you're wrong?"
". . . but the real question is what if I'm right?"

A solid debut!

Recommended.

[Cranky Commentary (Melinda) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You can’t judge a book by its cover”. That’s what they say. This will be my first review beginning with my thoughts on the book cover. It must have been drawn by a very talented artist. But. For some reason, and it’s probably just me, the book cover doesn’t prepare the reader for the quality of the writing it contains. I hope the cover doesn’t throw anyone off reading this gem, because this book should not be passed over by anyone who enjoys classic horror!!

I thought I was going to read a light run-of-the-mill scary story about a haunted object bought at an estate sale. “Unusual” objects are part of the story but they vary, as well as the characters (and their circumstances) who possess them. Each character’s story is engaging by itself, but woven between them is the story of Anastasia, who married an older Russian count approximately eighty years ago. The couple became world travelers, moving to different homes located in different lands not only to pursue business and studies but also to stay away from areas where there was much conflict during WWII. I was enthralled! For me, it was like visiting each country they lived in!

This has everything from gothic horror to historical fiction. So many actual historical events and famous (as well as infamous) occult names were involved that the story came to life.

That’s the end of this review!! I could go on, but I have no time! I’m too busy putting all of Mia Dalia’s other books on my TBR! Highly, highly recommend!

[Char · Rating 4 out of 5]

ESTATE SALE is the debut novel by Mia Dalia and I already count myself as a fan!

There's a house on a hill in a small town and it has a history. As that history is told, the chapters alternate between that and objects being sold from the estate sale in the present day. It's a very cool concept and I was on board with it from page one.

I think my favorite object was the telephone, but I also enjoyed the typewriter tale as well. Actually, I enjoyed them all. As the history of the house's late owners is told, we learn how the objects were originally procured and I think that helped to give this tale depth as well as adding a love story to the mix.

All of this was deftly handled by Mia Dalia. She's put this together in a way that seemed effortless to this reader; everything flowed in the same direction, (something I stole from the novel.)

I thought ESTATE SALE was a great story, well told, and certainly an impressive debut novel. I'm excited to see what she does next!

Highly recommended!

[Letícia Peregrino · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book never ceased to amaze me.
I started reading expecting one thing and received something completely different, the story's main relationship was the most surprising and also the element I loved the most.
Mia Dalia's debut intrigues, surprises and might even get you a little emotional (I may have cried a couple of times).
I definitely recommend.

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mia Dalia’s debut novel ‘Estate Sale’ is brimming with talent and intelligence. There’s a diversity of styles, voices, themes, as well as time periods and perspectives on life, death, love, and history. This stunning variety is not forced on the story; on the contrary, holding everything together is a sort of love story, the journey of a married couple of Russian emigres through place and history. The husband is obsessed with magick, horror fiction, and the occult; the wife, a very mysterious personality, sophisticated and wise beyond her years (and whose origins are not revealed till the last few pages of the novel), follows her wealthy husband around Europe, ending up in the US after several decades. Their wanderings throughout Europe gives them to chance to meet several well-known personages of the occult in the 20th century (Crowley and Blavatsky, for instance), artists and intellectuals as well; this allows Dalia to naturally drop some very interesting and quite subtle details concerning the story, preparing the ground for the couple’s stay in the US.

This narrative is certainly gothic in character. I’m still at a loss to explain how Dalia managed to avoid populating her novel with those terrible info-dumps, having to explain everything to her readers. The perfect, effortlessly balanced pacing and the nuanced, multilayered story of the couple’s married life is fascinating, at times a slow burn, often very fast and a bit disturbing.

However, this is just one plotline in the novel – admittedly, the most important one. The husband keeps collecting historically significant objects, and when the time comes to leave this plane of existence, his wife inherits the collection, and when her time comes to go, the collection is sold at their estate sale. Neither the buyers nor we the readers realized that these innocent-looking objects, ranging from a typewriter to a telephone, have been imbued with magick; and Dalia intersperses her main story with short tales about what happens to the buyers (or anyone who interacts afterwards with the objects) once they’ve acquired, unawares, the item. The varied personalities involved provide the diversity mentioned above, in voices and themes. These tales are original, unsettling, sometimes horrific but also bright and hopeful, though it’s impossible to avoid the feeling that these items are sinister, perhaps wholly evil; dealings with them always threatening to go Faustian. Dalia’s treatment of magick considers it as something atavistic and ancient, something that goes beyond the rules and the desires of humanity.

To conclude, I might add that though this is a very gentle story (is there a better adjective to describe Dalia’s prose?), it's also insightful and perfect for readers with a penchant for detail. I was enthralled with this little jewel of a book. Recommended!

[Jethro Wegener · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. So much.

But you should read it with the lights on. I mean it.

However, before I go further, I noticed that there's one review on GR complaining about grammatical errors, and I'd just like to say that that is absolutely untrue. This book is brilliantly written and well edited. There are no errors that I could spot. And I am a published author myself.

Now, back to the review...

Merging short vignettes with an overarching plot full of mystery and menace, Estate Sale takes its readers on a decades-long trip through several time periods, peppered with appearances by people like Alistair Crowley himself. To say any more about the plot would be spoiling.

Suffice to say, this is my favourite kind of horror fiction. The kind that maintains a brilliantly creepy tone throughout, while taking you on a journey that doesn't stop. Like being on a spooky carnival ride or playing Silent Hill 2, the atmosphere creeps under your skin, invading every inch of the room you're in.

The mystery is well done, too. It pulls you along, each new chapter making you wonder about the strange events that are being documented before your eyes. It keeps you turning pages effectively, which is exactly what you need from a book.

The prose is neither flashy nor pretentious, every word carefully selected to serve the tone and story. It flows beautifully, and I wouldn't be surprised if you finish this rather long work in one sitting. It had the quality of Michael Ondaatje to it, where it is so easy to read that you just cannot stop.

Estate Sale is why I read horror fiction. Not for splatter thrills or cheap scares, but because good books are the only media besides video games that can so effectively get to me. And Estate Sale is an excellent example of that. If you like horror fiction or historical fiction, Estate Sale will scratch that itch.

Mia Dalia has easily moved into the ranks of my top 5 favourite authors, and I eagerly await her next one.

[Patrick McNulty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into the ESTATE SALE with a clean slate. No synopsis was read. No spoilers revealed. And I’m so glad I did. What I discovered was a love story threaded through a horror story unlike no other. Two lovers who spent their lives living and dying for each other left in their wake a treasure trove of cursed objects. Designed to grant wishes and destined to end in tragedy. This was by far a huge surprise and an amazing read. It made me laugh, it made me cry (for real) and it was terrifying! As always it was beautifully written and put together by a master. if you haven’t discovered this gem of a writer find her now - you’re welcome. She is a force in the genre and a master of her craft! Highly recommend.

[Suzie Lockhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Redefining Horror

Mia Dalia's 'Estate Sale' redefines the horror genre, when magically imbued objects sold at an Estate sale alter lives in shocking....and in some cases, catastrophic...results.
Mia takes the reader on a journey through time, intertwining the past and the present in unimaginable ways, and leaving the reader guessing until the very end.
I loved every moment of this unique book!

[Lizzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh this was so so close to five stars! I wanted it to be five stars!
Initially, I found it a little difficult to get into 'Estate Sale' as I found the format being based around shorts of links to different items and then a longer overarching story on different chapters a little challenging. I thought it was a little jumpy. But once I got into it it was an incredible examination of some of the creepier aspect both of the 20th century and the modern day and the memory of objects.
The character building was brilliant, slow but complex which I love, and the various settings were described to the point required by the story and by narrators with ulterior motives.
The individual shorts were compelling, as was the longer story which built to a great moment in the final chapter.
Then I read the final final 'Coda' chapter. I had been hoping the author would not do what they did, but they did. It was disappointingly predictable and, for me, took something away from the story, making it far more generic. I debated decreasing it to three stars but ended up remembering all the things I liked earlier in the book and so felt it would not be fair to decrease it further.
Overall, an amazing book, until the final chapter! Would recommend!

[Emily Haynes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sale

A love story that spans the ages. Items purchased at an estate sale have their own unique frightening powers. These objects are not normal. They were looked for because their original owner wanted items that were rumored to be cursed. What awaits the people who buy the objects? Spellbinding read.

[Dez Nemec · Rating 4 out of 5]

After Anastasia Koshmaroff dies, her estate is sold off to the people in her town. Unfortunately for them, her missing-and presumed deceased-husband dabbled in black magick. Many of the seemingly ordinary items are not as ordinary as one would think. Now the townsfolk have their treasures...and must deal the the consequences.

I thoroughly enjoyed this. Each chapter about an enchanted item is followed up with the ongoing story of Anastasia and her husband Pavel's lives. And what lives they led - meeting Aleister Crowley and Madame Blavatsky, spending time in Paris during the height of the Jazz Age, hanging out in London at the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and escaping right before the Blitz. Both the enchanted item chapters and the life recap chapters were fascinating.

Overall, the stories were woven together perfectly. What a great debut novel.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was great! I loved how it switched from past and present, how each item had a story, and how it all of it was interwoven. Very gothic feeling with an amazing mixture of modern and early to late 20th century.

[susan gobis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book!

I enjoyed reading this book. Took a while to read. Estate Sale is a really good book. Took a bit to figure it out. Awesome!

[Erin Redman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this and how the stories connected between the past and present. Well written and fast read.

[Mark Redman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mia Dalia’s Estate Sale is a book that fuses historical fiction, gothic horror, and occult suspense into a haunting narrative that spans continents and centuries. At its center is the enigmatic Koshmaroff estate. When Anastasia Koshmaroff dies, her possessions are sold off, but each seemingly ordinary object carries a dark, magical charge. What follows is a series of interlinked stories that trace the chilling fates of those who purchase these cursed relics.

What I enjoyed was Dalia’s storytelling it is both inventive and immersive. She shifts between voices, eras, and formats with confidence, creating a layered reading experience that was engaging throughout. The heart of the novel lies with Anastasia and her occult-obsessed husband, Pavel, whose journeys through Bolshevik Russia, Jazz-Age Paris, and encounters with figures like Aleister Crowley infuse the narrative with a sense of historical weight and sinister glamour. The result is a book that captures not only dread, but also love, obsession, and legacy.

If you love gothic and literary horror you will appreciate the novel’s atmosphere: dread that creeps rather than shocks, romance that deepens the tragedy, and prose that is accessible yet intelligent. The story is made up of small vignettes which offer its own story flavour, and the connections between them are rewarded by careful reading, making the novel feel as much like a puzzle as a ghost story.

That said, the book’s structure may divide readers. Its got an episodic format, while clever it sometimes creates a sense of detachment. I found that not every tale lingered long enough to satisfy as some were too short. Some characters, served more as vehicles for the cursed objects than as fully developed individuals, and this also left me wanting more depth. If you prefer visceral or fast-paced horror then you will find the slow-burn unease less immediate.

Still, these minor quibbles and do little to dim the enjoyment. Estate Sale is a bold, atmospheric, and deeply original debut equal parts chilling and poignant. If you like horror with intelligent, layered, and rooted in history, Mia Dalia’s novel is a discovery worth making.

[Sara Ferrarese · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written and engrossing

I have a friend who recommends Mia Dalia every chance she gets, so I took her advice and read Estate Sale. And she is not wrong about Dalia's talent. This book was beautifully written and had me utterly sucked in from the very first page. Mia Dalia wove so many historic names and events into the story that it felt like a history lesson, but in a good way. I will say that it felt like it went on slightly too long, but the ending was perfect. I would definitely recommend this book.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a debut novel of gothic horror, with historicl characters also. A creepy feeling and dred throughout. ** I met the author 11 years ago.....well done Mia.

[Lachlan Finlayson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have enjoyed short-form work from this author, so was delighted to find “Estate Sale”, her first novel. And I loved it ! The story surrounds a modern-day Estate sale in the United States, and the unsettling effects the house has had on local people over the years right up to the present-day and the title event. These largely separate tales, which have some elements of short-form writing similar to the authors previous work, are all connected to the long-time owners of the house, European émigrés, who are no longer present.

The alternating chapters are labelled ‘Before’ or ‘After’, placing events in the distant past or more recent times. ‘After’ is mostly the recounting of the impact of the house, the contents and the inhabitants. Chilling, ominous unrelated tales that will delight any reader who has enjoyed the authors short-form work.

It is the ‘Before’ chapters that I found most memorable. These tell the tale of a man and a woman from Eastern Europe, beginning in the early years of the 20th century. The chapters follow their lives as they meet, marry and grow together over the decades amongst the turbulent times throughout the Continent. It is quite a moving relationship; an older, slightly distant husband with exotic, unusual interests and an unworldly, artistically-inclined younger wife. They grow together, sharing individual but overlapping interests. And the warmth and affection between them grows into an ever-lasting love. The author takes her time building this relationship, recounting with intimate thoughts and experiences as they travel. They are not blessed with children. They change country frequently and encounter all sorts of interesting people along the way, eventually ending up in the United Sates occupying a large house in a small town. The ‘Estate’ of the books title.

The overall plot is credible, somewhat driven by the fact that many of the supporting characters are historically real people, some of whom will be well-known to the reader. Perhaps not well-known, but at least somewhat-vaguely-known. Many are from the world of art, culture, literature, science and various overlapping, offshoot or fringe elements. And then there are the truly weird, wonderful, slightly sinister characters the author introduces. Surely these are not real people, I thought to myself time and time again. But searches in Wikipedia soon showed these unknown characters were indeed real people ! Goodness me ! Truth really is stranger than fiction. And it speaks to the considerable research the author has undoubtedly undertaken in writing this book.

I enjoy the authors writing style. Sometime exhibiting a dry-humour alongside the slowly growing sense of dread. She describes the struggles of a budding writer thus:

“ The words themselves show up and sit on the page uselessly, refusing to add up to coherent thought”.

I find it delightful when the author provides inanimate objects or concepts with human characteristics:

“…the garden gnome looked at her with no apparent interest…”

or

“…the tree branch decided to rudely barge in and introduce itself…”

The European couple interact with such fascinating people and at such interesting times. Societal changes in Russia, the inter-war years in various European capitals, World War II and a final move to the United States. One would think that these world events and rapidly changing times in many aspects of life would be enough for anyone, but the couple, particularly the husband, is drawn towards the occult and numerous fringe movements, experiences and experiments. Authors, scientists, researchers and others inhabiting the fringes of ‘polite’ society. Men and women of undoubted intellect although arguably questionable judgement. I hope readers of this book take the occasional detour to learn more about some of these characters, their movements, inspirations and ideas. This grounding in reality provides the plot with a certain credibility resulting in an (almost) entirely convincing storyline.

The United States provides the couple with a safe haven after the decades of disruption they have endured throughout Europe. In some ways their life settles down, leaving their weird and wonderful European friends behind. But in other ways their destiny continues as their new homeland provides numerous equally colourful (colorful ?) characters. The United States is foremost in a world of rapidly evolving science and discovery as societies negotiate the post-World War II era and the global concerns associated with the Cold War.

The closing chapters of the book begin to merge the ‘Before’ with the ‘After’. Our Europeans are a private couple having few interactions with their neighbour or community. Nevertheless, the author writes some moving and memorable scenes, some inhabited with characters related to the ‘Old World’. The Europe not only of wars, but other violence, targeting certain communities. One local character who interacts with the Europeans thinks to himself:

“I’m older now than I ever though I’d be…older than either of my parents were when they died..”

This elderly character inhabits a merging of the Before/After scenario, and provides a chapter that is quite memorable. A story of love, togetherness, contentment and acceptance. “Estate Sale” isn’t all sinister shenanigans ! It is also a book that makes you think about memory, posterity and ‘what-if’ scenarios.

The young European woman, now elderly and a much changed person reflects on her relationship with the elderly American:

“There was a nice, calming presence…To her surprise, she didn’t mind having him around”

I loved the books ending. Loose ends were tided up. Mostly. And some surprises are revealed. The ups and downs of an extraordinary life is concluded. Satisfying and sad at the same time. This is much more than a horror story, in fact such elements are limited and inferred rather than presented directly. It is the story of a lifetime of two people, over nearly a hundred years of change, conflict and increasing complexity. A life in which people learn to cope in different ways amongst love, loss and relationships; with a sprinkle of the occult, odd-bods and related shenanigans thrown in for good measure !

In closing, this is a book that is satisfying and quite memorable. History and fiction blurred to the extent that is hard to unravel. And a Coda ! A fine way to end before the beginning, before this all began…

I wish the author and publisher all the very best with this updated, reissue of ‘Estate Sale’.

[Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first, I didn’t know how I felt about the format of the book. It’s a frame story with vignettes interspersed throughout. It definitely grew on me as the book went on, as the frame story drew me in. I enjoyed the book more and more as I read it. It’s creepy, heartfelt, and full of glimpses into as century of esoteric occult figures and knowledge. Highly recommended

[Aimee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book so much this review might sound like a love letter to the author, so I apologize in advance.
I picked this book up, thinking it would be a few tales of cursed objects from an estate sale. That sounds good enough, understated and unambiguous, but I'm down. Little did I know how sneaky and magical this book would become.. Not only did I become invested in any of these minor characters that would come in after a few chapters, switching between heartwarming and downright horror, but it kept bringing me back to a historical drama/love story set during WW2 between Anastasia and her magickal occult loving husband as they gallivanted around the world, rubbing shoulders with the Fitzgeralds and other aristocratic families. There are so many easter eggs to look for with name drops, references, and a boundless amount of banter. I wish I had my Kindle for this one because more than a handful of quotes left me wishing I could buy the book to highlight and annotate it to no end. This author could write in the most bizarre situation but somehow interweave it into the story so that no clunkiness can be detected and keep the perfect pacing throughout. It falls into a weird category of just "good." I don't know how you would define the genre because it has a mix of everything: slight horror intermingled with historical drama enmeshed with fantasy.

A few of my favorite quotes

Page 102 · Location 932
"Anastasia," he sighed, "people say things. People—" he said it as if it were a derogatory word "—have never found a man of new ideas they didn't want to tie to a tree and set on fire."

"And then the thrill began to ebb, as thrills are wont to do. The novelty wore off as time marched on, producing nothing to show for its progress. The increasingly unkempt man occasionally making an appearance in the kitchen for provisions, offering no updates, no attention, barely a conversation, became more and more difficult to think of as a writer and easier and easier to think of as a neglectful spouse. When she talked about him to her friends now, she couldn't hold the bitterness and the sarcasm out of it and, though she tried to cover it up in jocularity, it never quite took. The next great American mediocrity, if ever it should be"

"Sometime into my seclusion I became obsessed with time. The concept of time. Not time in general, more like the fleeting aspect of it. They say we are the only animals aware of our own mortality, but I think what they mean is that we are the only animals aware of time, because what is mortality but terrible awareness of the limitations of one's time, of the terminal trajectory of one's lifetime. You'd think it wouldn't matter so much to someone like me. Someone who doesn't have a lot to live for, a lot to look forward to, and yet it does. It matters greatly.
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I want more time. I do. Selfishly. In hopes of having more to show for it someday. In hopes of minimizing regrets. In hopes of lightening the crushing bulk of the looming end. Am I alone in this?"

"Mountains of Madness, she thought, enjoying the Lovecraftian reference. This was her grandfather's madness. What was he looking for? What did he think he could acquire that would compensate for the loss of his wife, his loving, faithful companion of forty-some years? These old newspapers? These stacks of water-damaged magazines? This collection of TVs that looked like a weird technological progress display in some anthropological museum? It boggled Darcy's mind. "

"It was just as he had always imagined in appearance, like something grand undone by age and neglect, but the atmosphere inside was darker, thicker than he could describe. As if it had its own gravitational force, making him remember all of his father's lessons. Here, at last, was the great cosmic darkness that would suck you in and never let you go. It warped time. It warped his mind. He didn't think about what he was doing or looking for, but it was only ever the one place, it was only ever the one thing. The room with the perpetually unlocked window, the swirling dervishes of dust motes, the eerily undulating curtains....."

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I find it difficult to explain Mia Dalia’s writing. She writes with passion and it is easy to tell that she puts a lot of work into her stories. There is no way to put her writing into one genre. If I had to summarize Estate Sale, I would say it is historical fiction, occult, mystery, science fiction and a touch of romance.

Alternating between ‘before’ and ‘after’, we follow Pavel and Anastasia over the course of their marriage and their travels. While they traveled and moved throughout the world, they collected many items, which we find out have a history of their own, which feels very science fiction to me. When they both have passed away, an estate sale is hosted. For some of these items, we read who picks them up and the story of the item’s gift, along with how it affects the person who bought it. Most of these items are linked to a specific person in history, giving us the historical part of the story. The occult in this story is a kind of underlying addition to the novel. Don’t let the romance turn you away from reading this. What I mean by romance is that the love between the characters of this novel is felt. Dalia does not tell us about the love, she gives us the feeling of love, thus the romance.

While reading Estate Sale, it is obvious Dalia is gifted in writing in first and third person. There are many layers to Dalia’s writing and the range is unique. I imagine writing in alternating voices such as a man, a woman, same-sex couples, and the elderly — all in one novel — is challenging. However, Dalia makes it seem effortless. Not once did I ever get lost in the alternating characters and timeline.

It is amazing that this is Dalia’s debut novel. I know she has some short stories and a novella, but to put out a novel of this magnitude is amazing. This can’t have been an easy undertaking. The imagination, along with the character building and scenes, is impressive. There is a lot to unpack in this story. I closed the book satisfied, loving the entire story. It ended perfectly, and I experienced this book, which is one step up from reading it.

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to do a Beta read of Mia Dalia's debut novel, Estate Sale about a year ago. This story has stuck with me ever since, and I am so delighted that it is finally out in the world for others to enjoy. It is a brilliant novel. There is a dual timeline that is executed perfectly and really pushes the narrative along. Occult horror is one of my favorite subgenres, and this one really delivers. As entertaining as the story was, I also learned a lot about the origins of Occultism and the pasts of some really notable Occultists. The main characters, Ava and Pavel, were really well written. I loved them both for different reasons. Their part of the story sent us all over the world, meeting and interacting with real life artists, scientists and occultists. Fascinating! Pavel is an author that becomes obsessed with immortality, aligning himself with some questionable geniuses from the past. Throughout his life and travels, he collects certain objects that contain magical powers. All in the hopes of cheating death.

The short stories imbedded between Ava and Pavel's epic life journey show us just how powerful these objects are. Upon Ava's death, all of these items are auctioned off in an estate sale. We meet multiple characters that have acquired these objects, and see what effect they have on their lives. These stories are always perfectly placed throughout the book, and add so much to Ava and Pavel's tale. Also, one of the characters that travels the globe with the couple is a delightful parrot named Diego. I absolutely adored him!

Highly recommend! Obviously!!!

I am about to start a re-read with Nightmares and Dreamscapes, I'm excited to revisit these characters and travel throughout history with them again!

[Arthur O'Keefe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is at once a love story and a supernatural mystery shifting back and forth across time and geography. It spans places and events of the past century such as Paris in the Jazz Age, Aleister Crowley in 1930s Berlin, the London Blitz, and Upstate New York at the dawn of the 21st century. The magical, occult journey of Ana and her husband Pavel begins in Russia on the eve of the Bolshevik Revolution, and a marriage of convenience between nobility morphs into true love. Pavel, a scholar of the occult, will do whatever it takes to spend eternity with Ana, even if it means imbuing items with magic that touches the lives of people in sinister, frightening ways.

Herein also lies the scary part of this novel. It is not things that go bump in the night so much as the moral and ethical dilemma Pavel faces: What is he willing to do to stay with his wife forever? “What would I do?” the reader may well think. This is is what makes the story so unsettling and fascinating, along with its deeply engaging internal monologues and compelling character interactions. This is a fun, engaging, and mysterious read.

Many thanks to the author for providing me with an advance review copy.

[Gabe Wandersee · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good story nearly overshadowed by grammatical errors and poor printing.

Starting with the good: I enjoyed the story. It held my attention and I was invested enough I wanted to read the ending; which was satisfying.

I liked the melding of the modern day short story anthology with the main historical fiction story arc, and how they met in the end.

The bad: if this book saw an editor's desk it wasn't for long. Grammatical errors, factual inaccuracies, and repeated use of unnecessary phrases. Seriously, "ma cherie," and misspellings of it, was used likely 100 times. To the point it was annoying.

Very poor print quality and type setting. Text was cutoff in some places, wasn't justified anywhere in the book. I'm done ordering books that aren't from real publishers. Amazon print-on-demand products are atrocious.

Overall, I'm glad I finished the story and would read something from her again. But, this would have been a 4 star instead of 3 if it had been published properly.

[Melody · Rating 4 out of 5]

Estate Sale reads less like a novel and more like a collection of dark tales. Each story centres on a strange object purchased at the eponymous Estate Sale of the strange lade Koshmaroff who lives in the strange house on the hill. Each customer is drawn to a particular item that will change their life in unexpected ways. These items include a special telephone, a mysterious pen, a haunted typewriter, and more. The stories are grim little horror nuggets and while some worked better for me than others, they were all chilling.

Weaving these vignettes together is the story of the lady Kosmaroff and her late husband. Their love and adventures take them all over Europe and throughout history as they accumulate their strange collection. Their story is the heart of Estate Sale and what kept me reading through to the end.

If you enjoy creepy little tales, historical fiction, the occult, and a timeless love, you'll enjoy this book.

[Gatorman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid tale from Dalia (first novel published) about Ana and Pavel, a Russian couple from the early 20th century, and Pavel's growing obsession with the occult and living forever with Ana, which leads to certain magical (or cursed?) items ending up in the hands or present-day, unsuspecting parties. The story travels back and forth in time to show the origins of the items affected by Pavel's occult studies and the current existence of those now possessing them. Dalia successfully blends historical fiction and horror to create a gripping narrative that kept me intrigued throughout. My favorite sections were those that focus on Pavel and Ana and their complicated and growing relationship. Well-written first novel from Dalia that shows she can handle the longer length stories as well the short story variety. 4.5 stars. Highly recommended.

[Danielle Yeager · Rating 5 out of 5]

Literary horror, historical fiction, high magick

The main storyline is a grand love story that spans eight decades in the lives of the wealthy globetrotting main characters, Anastasia and Pavel. It details their married life alongside renown artists, intellectuals, and occultists, and their acquisition of magickal objects later sold at their estate sale.

Interspersed with the main storyline are modern day stories about those objects and their effects on the disparate characters who interacted with them.

It is epistolary and atmospheric, the creep factor subtle-yet-constant, the prose erudite and evocative. I loved EVERYTHING about it! A stellar debut novel, Mia Dalia! Brava!