The Witching House

by John Everson

Angry and alone, Gianna tests urban legend and writes the name Madelyn in blood on the mirror of the Witching House. When the ghost actually answers, she gains an unexpected friend. But soon Gianna learns friendship isn’t what the dead girl wants the most. Madelyn wants revenge for her murder. Can Gianna stop her before half the town is dead?

FLAME TREE PRESS is the imprint of long-standing Independent Flame Tree Publishing, dedicated to full-length original fiction in the horror and suspense, science fiction & fantasy, and crime / mystery / thriller categories. The list brings together fantastic new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices.

366 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 20, 2026

About the author

John Everson is a former newspaper reporter who writes thrillers filled with erotic horror and supernatural suspense. He is the author of the Bram Stoker Award winner Covenant, and finalist NightWhere, which reviewers called "50 Shades Meets Hellraiser!" He is also the creator of the characters Danika and Mila Dubov, seen in the Netflix series V-Wars, based on the books created by Jonathan Maberry. Booklist said his recent New Orleans novel, Voodoo Heart, "is a solid blend of supernatural horror and hard-boiled detective fiction, and should appeal to horror devotees as well as mystery buffs” while Living Dead Magazine called him "the master of dark and sexy."

Follow John on the BookBub: John Everson page for information on book sales and new releases as well as on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. For information on his fiction, art and music, visit John Everson: Dark Arts at www.johneverson.com.

Reviews

[andshe.reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

What’s the worst that could happen if you write a dead girl’s name in blood on a mirror?

Apparently… A LOT. 😳🪞

Gianna is lonely, angry & struggling since moving house. She finds herself at the abandoned house she can see from her new bedroom window & decides to test a local urban legend. All she has to do is write a name in blood on the mirror.

It's never going to work It's only a silly legend.. 
& then Madelyn responds. 

At first having a friend even if they are a ghost doesn't seem like the worst thing to happen. After all she keeps being shunned by everyone at her new school. However Madelyn doesn't want friendship, she wants revenge. 

I loved how creepy this was. There's something unnerving at the thought of summoning something or someone you think you can control only to realise you have opened a door you can no longer close. The deeper the story got the darker it got as Madelyn became stronger. 

Damn that girl can hold a grudge 🤣

To sum it up..

Creepy 
Witchy 
Urban legend 
Vengeful ghost 
Small-town secrets 
Blood-soaked consequences 

If you enjoy small town supernatural with abandoned houses, creepy vibes & a ghost hell bent on seeking revenge no matter what add this to your tbr. 

[Tarnavska Oleksandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s just something about creepy old houses, mirrors and ghost stories that I can never resist.

The idea of a lonely girl summoning a spirit by writing a name in blood on a mirror was such a creepy premise. Madelyn seems like the kind of friend you’d want by your side when everything is going wrong, but of course, things don’t stay that simple for long.

I really enjoy stories where something that starts as protection slowly turns into something much darker. And the whole atmosphere of this one feels perfect for a rainy evening when you just want to read something a little unsettling.