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White Flight
Joel and Willow Ward are white. Their Black teenage daughter, adopted at birth, was just killed by the police.
Now, their house is trying to kill them, and the grieving parents are trying to understand why.
And survive the night.
Early Praise for White Flight!
“White Flight by Peter O’Keefe opened with a roar and then I couldn’t work my finger fast enough to keep up. A married couple attempts to navigate an unspoken tragedy haunting every corner of their dream house - and every layer of their dreams. But there’s an undercurrent of racial disquiet lingering in the air that kept me on edge, like I was waiting on the other shoe to drop. O’Keefe deftly sets the landscape and paints a picture of a home wrapped in overwhelming sadness and dysfunction, but he also builds an unsettling suspense that makes you clench your throat because you just know there’s something else there. And there is...something else.” — Kenya Moss-Dyme, author of SEED
“This is not your ordinary haunted house story. It’s the starkly beautiful, heart-wrenching tale of a white couple who lose their black daughter in a tragic accident. A display of love so well-meaning that it becomes caustic, and even with the best of intentions, every decision they make leads to something more horrific than they could ever imagine. Peter O’Keefe’s book will wreck your soul, and you will stand up and applaud him fiercely for doing so!” — Jill Girardi, Author and Owner of Kandisha Press
“A brutal look at the tensions of American racism, O’Keefe’s White Flight is a lightning-paced haunted house tale that asks hard questions. The novella holds up a mirror to white America. Those brave enough to look are in for a hell of a ride.” —Elizabeth Broadbent, author of BLOOD CYPRESS
Now, their house is trying to kill them, and the grieving parents are trying to understand why.
And survive the night.
Early Praise for White Flight!
“White Flight by Peter O’Keefe opened with a roar and then I couldn’t work my finger fast enough to keep up. A married couple attempts to navigate an unspoken tragedy haunting every corner of their dream house - and every layer of their dreams. But there’s an undercurrent of racial disquiet lingering in the air that kept me on edge, like I was waiting on the other shoe to drop. O’Keefe deftly sets the landscape and paints a picture of a home wrapped in overwhelming sadness and dysfunction, but he also builds an unsettling suspense that makes you clench your throat because you just know there’s something else there. And there is...something else.” — Kenya Moss-Dyme, author of SEED
“This is not your ordinary haunted house story. It’s the starkly beautiful, heart-wrenching tale of a white couple who lose their black daughter in a tragic accident. A display of love so well-meaning that it becomes caustic, and even with the best of intentions, every decision they make leads to something more horrific than they could ever imagine. Peter O’Keefe’s book will wreck your soul, and you will stand up and applaud him fiercely for doing so!” — Jill Girardi, Author and Owner of Kandisha Press
“A brutal look at the tensions of American racism, O’Keefe’s White Flight is a lightning-paced haunted house tale that asks hard questions. The novella holds up a mirror to white America. Those brave enough to look are in for a hell of a ride.” —Elizabeth Broadbent, author of BLOOD CYPRESS
- GenresHorror
128 pages, Paperback
Published October 3, 2025
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32 people want to read
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October 27, 2025An original haunted house novella centered on grief and racism. Not easy to parse, not easy to make sense of, but extraordinarily well written and superbly conceptualized. White parents adopt a black baby girl; living in the suburbs, they fear their teenage black daughter won't get the chance to mingle with other black people; they move to a house in an area of predominantly black residents; the daughter discovers what "white privilege" means and starts acting against her parents' wishes - until a sad misunderstanding leads to her being killed by the police. The parents decide to sell the house and move elsewhere, but the house has other ideas.
This is a heavy-hitter by any standard, and delves deeply into issues of race and parenthood. It's not a simple display of unconscious and unintentionally racist conceptions; there's an undercurrent of permanent miscommunication among the family members, occassionally reflected in how the book is meant to be received by the reader. I personally doubt whether the text was fully accessible to me, as a white man I probably missed several significant points the author wanted to make. The portrayal of the angry house, however, was truly excellent: claustrophobic, disturbing, and often raising concerns about the mental state of the owners.
The book is trying to say something important, and I don't mean between the lines. It is making a statement. It should be read widely, both for the writing and the message. Highly recommended!
This is a heavy-hitter by any standard, and delves deeply into issues of race and parenthood. It's not a simple display of unconscious and unintentionally racist conceptions; there's an undercurrent of permanent miscommunication among the family members, occassionally reflected in how the book is meant to be received by the reader. I personally doubt whether the text was fully accessible to me, as a white man I probably missed several significant points the author wanted to make. The portrayal of the angry house, however, was truly excellent: claustrophobic, disturbing, and often raising concerns about the mental state of the owners.
The book is trying to say something important, and I don't mean between the lines. It is making a statement. It should be read widely, both for the writing and the message. Highly recommended!
November 21, 2025
What O'Keefe manages to fit into a single novella is impressive as hell. Grief horror that also gives an unflinching look at racial tensions past and present, a haunted house story like no other.
December 21, 2025
This short novella packed an incredibly powerful punch. An original take on the haunted house trope, the author tackles themes of racism (environmental, within the justice system, within policing, within real estate, gentrification, etc.) and grief. From the perspective of two white parents who adopted a Black daughter at birth, and then lost her to police violence as a teenager, this story hits a lot of difficult areas. As the parents go through an eerie, weird and haunting night in the house they purchased with high hopes of family unification, they also grapple with the past and their loss, coming to realize (or maybe they don't actually realize is the point) that they had lost their daughter a long time before she was murdered by the police. The writing is beautiful, the scares are plenty (there is one seen including a hand I cannot stop picturing and getting chills from), and the social commentary is deep and wide, leaving you at the end realizing there are multiple "monsters" in this story and sometimes the well meaning ones are the most horrific.
October 20, 2025
"You need to see me. I'm not your pet, or your project, or your protégé. I’m Black. That's not ever going to change." She was glaring at her mom as she framed her own face with her hands. "This. Is. Who. I. Am."
Wow. I had no words for days after reading this. I really had to pause and figure out how I was going to go about this review, because I have never read a story like this before. This is hands down the most unique haunted house type of story I have ever read. This book punched me in the gut over and over and put me in feels that I didn’t even know I had. There were so many times I wanted to crawl into my Kindle and insert myself into the story so I could talk to a character, etc., and I don’t know if I have really ever felt that way while reading a book… certainly not to this level.
WHITE FLIGHT takes on some really heavy topics. A white couple adopts a black baby at birth. When their daughter is a teenager, they move to a new house and area in hopes of seeing their daughter truly thrive. Unfortunately, she was killed by the police. BUT THEN, while mom and dad are going through every emotion possible… they realize they’re dealing with their house that also wants them dead, and they cannot figure out why.
O’Keefe does such an incredible job with this book from cover to cover. The way he takes on these topics was great, in my opinion. The tone was perfect. It was absolutely horrifying at times. What’s real, what’s not, why is this all happening?! So many questions, so much going on, but never once did I feel lost/confused in the storytelling. The entire vibe is extremely unsettling but incredible. I do think that this is going to be a book you see talked about often, and it is one I think everyone in this day and age should read.
Wow. I had no words for days after reading this. I really had to pause and figure out how I was going to go about this review, because I have never read a story like this before. This is hands down the most unique haunted house type of story I have ever read. This book punched me in the gut over and over and put me in feels that I didn’t even know I had. There were so many times I wanted to crawl into my Kindle and insert myself into the story so I could talk to a character, etc., and I don’t know if I have really ever felt that way while reading a book… certainly not to this level.
WHITE FLIGHT takes on some really heavy topics. A white couple adopts a black baby at birth. When their daughter is a teenager, they move to a new house and area in hopes of seeing their daughter truly thrive. Unfortunately, she was killed by the police. BUT THEN, while mom and dad are going through every emotion possible… they realize they’re dealing with their house that also wants them dead, and they cannot figure out why.
O’Keefe does such an incredible job with this book from cover to cover. The way he takes on these topics was great, in my opinion. The tone was perfect. It was absolutely horrifying at times. What’s real, what’s not, why is this all happening?! So many questions, so much going on, but never once did I feel lost/confused in the storytelling. The entire vibe is extremely unsettling but incredible. I do think that this is going to be a book you see talked about often, and it is one I think everyone in this day and age should read.
December 13, 2025
White Flight has something to say. It says it in the form of a haunted house. Intriguing? I thought so.
Joe and Willow have lost their adopted daughter, a now teen, named Diamond. She was black and her adoptive parents are white, as well as well-off. In an attempt to raise Diamond in an area more diversity-rich, they move into a new home in a not as great neighborhood. Diamond moved into a bedroom upstairs that has a terrible history, and from then on, Diamond is never the same. Joe and Willow don't understand why their beautiful daughter won't talk with them anymore, or why she's suddenly full of rage. Before they can figure it out, she is snatched away by death. And now their home is acting like it's angry, playing tricks on them, and making them see things. What is really going on here? This is where I usually say "You're going to have to read this to find out!" But I've read it, and I'm still not sure I know! LOL
What I liked most about this story is the haunted house aspect. This one was actually scary at times and its powers seemed to have no limit. It wasn't just limited to Joel and Willow either, at least one other witnessed it, and then got caught up in it. (I was rooting for him!)
I also liked the social commentary going on. I imagine that it must be difficult for white parents to adopt a baby of color. Their love isn't in question, but other questions do arise. Should that child be raised in a neighborhood of their color/culture? Will that child have difficulties in school because their parents are of a different race? Can parents go overboard in their attempts to do the right thing? There are all kinds of things to think about with such an endeavor, and this novella is written in such away that I know I will be mulling it over in my mind for some time.
Lastly, guilt and grief are heavy here. These parents are up against them, hard. What could they have done differently? Why did their daughter change so much? Why, oh why, is she gone? I almost feel like the house sensed their weaknesses and played to them. (Or not.) That was my take on it, anyway.
This is my second read from Peter O'Keefe and I enjoyed them both. This one stands out more because of how it made me think and consider the issues. That combined with a terrifying haunted house made this a quick, scary and deep novella. I already know I will read it again.
Highly recommended!
*ARC from author
Joe and Willow have lost their adopted daughter, a now teen, named Diamond. She was black and her adoptive parents are white, as well as well-off. In an attempt to raise Diamond in an area more diversity-rich, they move into a new home in a not as great neighborhood. Diamond moved into a bedroom upstairs that has a terrible history, and from then on, Diamond is never the same. Joe and Willow don't understand why their beautiful daughter won't talk with them anymore, or why she's suddenly full of rage. Before they can figure it out, she is snatched away by death. And now their home is acting like it's angry, playing tricks on them, and making them see things. What is really going on here? This is where I usually say "You're going to have to read this to find out!" But I've read it, and I'm still not sure I know! LOL
What I liked most about this story is the haunted house aspect. This one was actually scary at times and its powers seemed to have no limit. It wasn't just limited to Joel and Willow either, at least one other witnessed it, and then got caught up in it. (I was rooting for him!)
I also liked the social commentary going on. I imagine that it must be difficult for white parents to adopt a baby of color. Their love isn't in question, but other questions do arise. Should that child be raised in a neighborhood of their color/culture? Will that child have difficulties in school because their parents are of a different race? Can parents go overboard in their attempts to do the right thing? There are all kinds of things to think about with such an endeavor, and this novella is written in such away that I know I will be mulling it over in my mind for some time.
Lastly, guilt and grief are heavy here. These parents are up against them, hard. What could they have done differently? Why did their daughter change so much? Why, oh why, is she gone? I almost feel like the house sensed their weaknesses and played to them. (Or not.) That was my take on it, anyway.
This is my second read from Peter O'Keefe and I enjoyed them both. This one stands out more because of how it made me think and consider the issues. That combined with a terrifying haunted house made this a quick, scary and deep novella. I already know I will read it again.
Highly recommended!
*ARC from author
October 31, 2025
Peter O’Keefe’s "White Flight" is a harrowing and original exploration of psychological horror embedded within America’s ongoing confrontation with race and privilege. Through a protagonist whose experiences in white-dominated spaces unravel both personal and collective trauma, the novel skillfully layers suspense, introspection, and sociopolitical commentary.
The horror in "White Flight" is never simply atmospheric. O’Keefe renders the insidiousness of white supremacy as a force that warps identity, relationships, and history. The protagonist’s journey uncovers not only present-day manifestations of exclusion and violence but also the intergenerational wounds that shape both victim and perpetrator. The use of psychological discomfort as both theme and tool highlights the subtle and explicit pressures faced by those navigating spaces where belonging is measured by proximity to whiteness.
O’Keefe’s writing is taut, evocative, and informed by both literary tradition and current sociological research. The narrative moves beyond mere allegory, engaging with the specificity of particular places and people while gesturing toward broader patterns of American society. Scenes are constructed to evoke dread and self-reflection in equal measure, prompting readers to consider the invisible architectures of prejudice and the costs of confronting them.
Academic readers will find "White Flight" fertile ground for analysis along multiple axes: its contribution to horror literature, its engagement with race and identity, and its ability to evoke empathy even as it unsettles. The novel’s willingness to expose uncomfortable truths, challenge easy narratives, and place personal horror within systemic context marks it as both timely and timeless.
Ultimately, "White Flight" is a testimony to the power of genre literature as a vehicle for social critique. The book’s refusal to flinch from difficult realities, combined with its psychological acuity and narrative skill, makes it not just a story to be read, but a challenge to be accepted by those invested in pushing conversations about race and fiction forward.
The horror in "White Flight" is never simply atmospheric. O’Keefe renders the insidiousness of white supremacy as a force that warps identity, relationships, and history. The protagonist’s journey uncovers not only present-day manifestations of exclusion and violence but also the intergenerational wounds that shape both victim and perpetrator. The use of psychological discomfort as both theme and tool highlights the subtle and explicit pressures faced by those navigating spaces where belonging is measured by proximity to whiteness.
O’Keefe’s writing is taut, evocative, and informed by both literary tradition and current sociological research. The narrative moves beyond mere allegory, engaging with the specificity of particular places and people while gesturing toward broader patterns of American society. Scenes are constructed to evoke dread and self-reflection in equal measure, prompting readers to consider the invisible architectures of prejudice and the costs of confronting them.
Academic readers will find "White Flight" fertile ground for analysis along multiple axes: its contribution to horror literature, its engagement with race and identity, and its ability to evoke empathy even as it unsettles. The novel’s willingness to expose uncomfortable truths, challenge easy narratives, and place personal horror within systemic context marks it as both timely and timeless.
Ultimately, "White Flight" is a testimony to the power of genre literature as a vehicle for social critique. The book’s refusal to flinch from difficult realities, combined with its psychological acuity and narrative skill, makes it not just a story to be read, but a challenge to be accepted by those invested in pushing conversations about race and fiction forward.
December 24, 2025
WHITE FLIGHT is a twisty story of a white couple whose adopted black teenage daughter is killed by the police and the ripple effects of this tragedy. This story is planted firmly in the haunted house subgenre. It takes advantage of that setting to mess with the reader’s sense of time and place.
Willow and Joel adopted D with the best of intentions. They wanted to live in an area where D would be surrounded by people of color, yet they sent her to a high-achieving school outside the neighborhood. When D becomes an angsty teen and makes a foolish choice, the intersection between who gets to make foolish teenage choices and who doesn’t is explored.
This is such a compelling read. Not to give anything away, but there is a twist (or maybe a reveal) that is very jolting, in a good way. It recontextualizes the story, making the reader confront hard truths IMHO.
WHITE FLIGHT is a thoughtful and harrowing look at race, gentrification, and the complexities of interracial adoption. The parents in this gothic horror must face their real intentions and how that may be the real horror in this story.
Willow and Joel adopted D with the best of intentions. They wanted to live in an area where D would be surrounded by people of color, yet they sent her to a high-achieving school outside the neighborhood. When D becomes an angsty teen and makes a foolish choice, the intersection between who gets to make foolish teenage choices and who doesn’t is explored.
This is such a compelling read. Not to give anything away, but there is a twist (or maybe a reveal) that is very jolting, in a good way. It recontextualizes the story, making the reader confront hard truths IMHO.
WHITE FLIGHT is a thoughtful and harrowing look at race, gentrification, and the complexities of interracial adoption. The parents in this gothic horror must face their real intentions and how that may be the real horror in this story.
October 11, 2025
**spoiler warning** NetGalley ARC
Willow and Joel are two white parents grieving the loss of their Black adopted daughter who was killed by a cop. The decision was made to sell their forever home. A home they’ve spent thousands remodeling. A home they picked in what was once a predominately Black neighborhood in the hopes of giving their daughter an environment she felt more apart of. It is also a home that seems to want to kill them.
This is a haunted house horror story, but it’s so much more than that. Uncomfortable topics surrounding race are met head-on and O’Keefe does an excellent job of making the reader confront their thoughts on these topics: Identity, belonging, prejudices engrained in us from childhood we’d quickly deny having, racism within police forces, gentrification, police brutality, interracial adoption, white saviorism.
Not knowing what Jacob was going to tell them will bother me for the rest of my life though.
Willow and Joel are two white parents grieving the loss of their Black adopted daughter who was killed by a cop. The decision was made to sell their forever home. A home they’ve spent thousands remodeling. A home they picked in what was once a predominately Black neighborhood in the hopes of giving their daughter an environment she felt more apart of. It is also a home that seems to want to kill them.
This is a haunted house horror story, but it’s so much more than that. Uncomfortable topics surrounding race are met head-on and O’Keefe does an excellent job of making the reader confront their thoughts on these topics: Identity, belonging, prejudices engrained in us from childhood we’d quickly deny having, racism within police forces, gentrification, police brutality, interracial adoption, white saviorism.
Not knowing what Jacob was going to tell them will bother me for the rest of my life though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2025
First time reading Peter O'keefe, and enjoyed this book. Dark book, with some uncomfortable parts. Will need to read more from Peter O'Keefe. #WhiteFlight #NetGalley
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews