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Paper Ghosts
Not yet published
Expected 1 Sep 26The highly anticipated new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Other Birds hailed as “whimsical, wise, and delightfully mysterious.” (Real Simple)
In a small North Carolina town, Wester House has stood in its richest neighborhood for decades, and the Wester women have held the town enthralled for generations. Some folks love them. Some folks fear them. But no one truly understands them. Why does a rainy season cause so much anxiety and dismay among them? Why do they know so much about those who live near and around them? Why is no one allowed inside the house and why does Willamena Wester want to bring her granddaughter, Bailey, back into the fold?
To understand the Wester women, you would have to meet Willamena fifty years before, when a love-struck girl made a fateful choice that trapped her in this house forever. The Wester women have always balanced their need for control with their desire for love, and when that balance is off, disaster happens. At age eighteen, Bailey Wester left town amid scandal and heartbreak. But now the pull of family is drawing her back, and old ghosts are stirring to life. Can curses be broken? Do ghosts find rest? And what does it take to become the woman you were always meant to be?
Sarah Addison Allen’s stunning prose will transport you to a place where enchantment is around every corner, and love finds a way of bringing us home.
In a small North Carolina town, Wester House has stood in its richest neighborhood for decades, and the Wester women have held the town enthralled for generations. Some folks love them. Some folks fear them. But no one truly understands them. Why does a rainy season cause so much anxiety and dismay among them? Why do they know so much about those who live near and around them? Why is no one allowed inside the house and why does Willamena Wester want to bring her granddaughter, Bailey, back into the fold?
To understand the Wester women, you would have to meet Willamena fifty years before, when a love-struck girl made a fateful choice that trapped her in this house forever. The Wester women have always balanced their need for control with their desire for love, and when that balance is off, disaster happens. At age eighteen, Bailey Wester left town amid scandal and heartbreak. But now the pull of family is drawing her back, and old ghosts are stirring to life. Can curses be broken? Do ghosts find rest? And what does it take to become the woman you were always meant to be?
Sarah Addison Allen’s stunning prose will transport you to a place where enchantment is around every corner, and love finds a way of bringing us home.
288 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication September 1, 2026
11826 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Addison Allen
41 books18.5k followersSarah Addison Allen is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of eight novels. A native of Asheville, North Carolina, Allen is credited with bringing "Southern Magical Realism" to a mainstream audience. Her work, characterized by its romantic, lyrical prose and its exploration of family dynamics through a supernatural lens, has been translated into more than thirty languages and sold millions of copies worldwide.
Allen’s debut novel, Garden Spells (2007), became a breakout success and an indie bookseller favorite, spending weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Her subsequent works—The Sugar Queen (2008), The Girl Who Chased the Moon (2010), The Peach Keeper (2011), Lost Lake (2014), First Frost (2015) and Other Birds (2022)—have each been bestsellers, garnering acclaim for their quiet magic and subtle, folkloric elements integrated into contemporary Southern life.
The daughter of a journalist father and a mother who was a celebrated cook, Allen grew up in a household where storytelling and food were the primary love languages, elements that now define her fiction. She attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, graduating with a degree in Literature. At age 39, Allen took a hiatus from publishing following a diagnosis of late-stage breast cancer. Her return to writing was marked by a shift toward more poignant narratives.
Allen’s most recent project, Paper Ghosts (2026), continues her tradition of blending mystery with the supernatural. She currently resides in Asheville, North Carolina with her family.
Allen’s debut novel, Garden Spells (2007), became a breakout success and an indie bookseller favorite, spending weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Her subsequent works—The Sugar Queen (2008), The Girl Who Chased the Moon (2010), The Peach Keeper (2011), Lost Lake (2014), First Frost (2015) and Other Birds (2022)—have each been bestsellers, garnering acclaim for their quiet magic and subtle, folkloric elements integrated into contemporary Southern life.
The daughter of a journalist father and a mother who was a celebrated cook, Allen grew up in a household where storytelling and food were the primary love languages, elements that now define her fiction. She attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, graduating with a degree in Literature. At age 39, Allen took a hiatus from publishing following a diagnosis of late-stage breast cancer. Her return to writing was marked by a shift toward more poignant narratives.
Allen’s most recent project, Paper Ghosts (2026), continues her tradition of blending mystery with the supernatural. She currently resides in Asheville, North Carolina with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Want to read
February 8, 2026I can't wait. Sarah Addison Allen is my absolute favorite author. Her books are just delightful and anyone who loves her work should follow her social media. From time to time she writes tiny, whimisical snippits of stories that brighten any day.
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March 1, 2026Judy Sebastian from Eastham Public Library
I’m always excited when I get to read anything by Sarah Addison Allen, even her short paragraphs based on photos. She has a way of writing magic realism that delights and allows me to sink into the story, eager for the next page. The women of Wester House have always been feared in their community. They isolate themselves but seem to have some sort of magic ability to know everything about everyone in town. But their personal lives are never complete, so when Willa’s granddaughter Bailey comes back to be raised, Willa plans to do everything in her power to not make the same mistakes her grandmother made with her. Lyrically written and not to be missed, although some things are not completely explained which leaves me with questions. Loved it.
I’m always excited when I get to read anything by Sarah Addison Allen, even her short paragraphs based on photos. She has a way of writing magic realism that delights and allows me to sink into the story, eager for the next page. The women of Wester House have always been feared in their community. They isolate themselves but seem to have some sort of magic ability to know everything about everyone in town. But their personal lives are never complete, so when Willa’s granddaughter Bailey comes back to be raised, Willa plans to do everything in her power to not make the same mistakes her grandmother made with her. Lyrically written and not to be missed, although some things are not completely explained which leaves me with questions. Loved it.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
The women of Wester House have always been feared in Hen Town. It starts like a story about witches, but it ends up being a story about love and misunderstandings and ghosts. It also reminds us that history doesn't repeat itself, but it rhymes.
Thank you to Edelweiss for an advance copy of this book.
Thank you to Edelweiss for an advance copy of this book.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews