The Scandalous Star : The Haunting of Hexen House

by Rachel Graves

A Haunted House. A Murdered Star. Secrets Worth Killing For.

Widowed, evicted, and drowning in debt, middle school English teacher Gwen Flewellyn hits rock bottom when her overbearing mother-in-law threatens to take custody of her son. With no other choice, Gwen accepts a risky inheritance: Hexen House, a cursed home infested with ghosts and, maybe, hidden treasures.

One ghost is the glamorous spirit of an actress murdered decades ago. For years, treasure-hunters have tried to breach the house’s defenses to find the star’s missing diamond necklace. With nowhere else to live, Gwen agrees to solve the mystery in hopes of putting the ghost to rest and ending the attempted burglaries.

As Gwen digs into the past, she discovers a web of secrets, betrayal, and scandal. Desperate, Gwen must the solve the murder and uncover the truth to protect her family from the dangers lurking around Hexen House.

282 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 16, 2026

About the author

Rachel Graves writes mysteries that blend the supernatural with steamy, sexy scenes. Her work explores the many shades of gray found between the lines of right and wrong. Rachel's books focus on strong heroines who take charge of their own fate, their friends, and their families. Rachel is a member of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and uses research skills honed getting a graduate degree in psychology to seek out rare folklore and magical creatures. Her writing incorporates popular monsters like vampires and werewolves as well as diverse creatures like selkies and yuki onna. Rachel has lived in a cursed town, taken far too many ghost tours, and counts down to every Halloween starting in November. You can read short stories and learn more about her on her website: http://www.rachelgraves.com/.

Reviews

[Allie Green]

The Scandalous Star was such an enjoyable read. I loved the author’s writing style. The story flowed effortlessly, and I was completely hooked from the first chapter. I ended up reading the entire book in one sitting.

One of my favorite parts of the book was the setting. I’m always a sucker for a haunted Victorian house, and Hexen House was everything I hoped it would be. I also loved that the ghosts weren’t simply there to haunt the halls. Each one had a story to tell and unfinished business that needed someone willing to listen, which gave the mystery even more emotional depth.

While I really enjoyed the mystery itself, the characters were the strongest part of the book. Their growth felt natural, and I became genuinely invested in them. Buck, Gwen’s neurodivergent seven-year-old son, completely stole the show for me. He reminded me so much of my own oldest son, who just turned six, and every scene with him was a joy to read. He was funny, sweet, and wonderfully authentic.

Gwen, the FMC, was another character I found myself rooting for. I have to admit, her relationship with her overbearing mother-in-law hit a little too close to home. There were several moments when I wanted Gwen to stop giving her so many chances, but as a mom myself, I also understood why she kept trying. Wanting your child to have a relationship with their extended family, even when it’s complicated, is a difficult balance to navigate. I thought the book captured that conflict with a lot of honesty and empathy.

Overall, this was a wonderful start to the Haunting of Hexen House series. Between the haunted Victorian house, ghosts seeking justice, layered characters, and an engaging mystery, it was exactly the kind of cozy paranormal mystery I enjoy. I’m already looking forward to seeing what book two has in store.

Thank you so much to the author and to BookSirens for providing me with an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Lori S.]

Gwen Flewellyn is recently widowed, has been evicted from her apartment and her seven-year-old son has inherited a haunted house. Life's a bit tricky these days, especially when money is tight. The house is really tempting but there are those who try to dissuade her from moving in. Turns out the family uncle who lived there previously collected ghosts in a way but there seem to be some deadly side effects. What is one to do?

This story has some villains along with the good people Gwen relies on to keep her going. I think the biggest villain is her mother-in-law who seems to have a habit of making her life difficult. On the surface, it seems the MIL is just unlikeable but there may be other issues at play. Obviously, communication is not a strong point. There's also the historical stuff, which is where the ghosts come in.

To be honest, the blurb was really interesting, but the book was all over the place and didn't flow as well as I would have liked. In this respect, I felt it got a bit slow in places where it might have gone better with a bit more attention to detail. We never get much insight into the motivations of the characters, aside from the uncle who owned the house and the mother-in-law. In the world building, it's not really clear why asking ghosts for help causes damage to those around the home's owner. And it's never quite clear how the ghosts appear here when this house wasn't built until decades after they became ghosts.

That's not to say this was a bad book, just not a fully developed one. I did enjoy the relationship with Gwen's best friend and I enjoyed the tiny glimpse of Darius, who was a colleague of Gwen's late husband.

Overall, I would rate this 2.75 stars out of 5. Thank you to BookSirens and the writer for the free review copy. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

[Nikki Jordyn]

Thank you to BookSirens for allowing me to read an advance copy of The Scandalous Star by Rachel Graves, the first book in the Haunting of Hexen House series. This book delivered everything you would expect from a paranormal cozy mystery and more. The haunted house atmosphere, supernatural mystery elements, and small-town secrets made this such a fun and bingeable read.

Gwen was a strong and enjoyable main character to follow throughout the story, and I thoroughly enjoyed every character in this book. Not only that, I just found Gwen to be a super likable character. I really loved the balance between mystery, humor, and paranormal elements, and I also appreciated the ghosts, hidden treasure storyline, and the overall cozy-but-mysterious atmosphere woven throughout the story.

Overall, this was such an entertaining start to what feels like a very promising series, and I’m already excited to see where the ghosts and supernatural elements go in future books. I will say, this book delivers 100% on what you expect it to if you are a reader who loves:

✨ Cozy paranormal mysteries
✨ Haunted houses with secrets
✨ Ghosts looking for justice
✨ Amateur sleuth heroines
✨ Small-town mystery
✨ Hidden treasure legends
✨ Family stakes and found strength
✨ Historic scandals and long-buried secrets

Again, I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Mountain]

Gwen Flewellyn is a dedicated mom and teacher. But add being a widow and recently (inexplicably) evicted, and life is looking tough. However, a possibility opens up for housing for Gwen and her son - a chance to put down real roots - but it comes with a caveat. It's a house AND all the ghosts therein...

This was my first time reaching one of Rachel Graves' books, and it was wonderful! Excellent writing; I really felt as if I was in the neighborhood with Gwen, seeing old homes and watching tree leaves dance in the wind.

I truly enjoyed all of the characters in the book, particularly Gwen's friends, and I loved the growth that characters experienced throughout the novel (the back story for Barb was fantastic because it really gave her so much more dimension). Gwen had some real moments of introspection and indecision, which while understandable did have me frustrated occasionally as a reader (I just wanted her to take the house and start solving mysteries, lol)

I thought the mystery was handled very well, and I wasn't able to name the killer right away, which I always appreciate! There were definitely spooky vibes and some tense moments, which was fun.

All in all a great read for book lovers who enjoy a dash of macabre, a MC you just want to hug, and a mystery with a happy ending.

I received an advanced reader copy of this novel for free (thank you BookSirens!), and all opinions here are my own, not AI, and of my own volition.

[Rebekah Price]

ARC Review: The Scandalous Star by Rachel Graves ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I originally picked up this ARC because of its gorgeous cover, but I quickly discovered a wonderfully engaging story inside. The Scandalous Star is a cozy paranormal mystery with the perfect balance of intrigue, character development, and supernatural elements. It had just the right amount of pages to create a well-paced story while also building a strong foundation for what promises to be a fantastic series.

The characters were one of my favorite parts of this book. They were thoughtfully developed with enough complexity to help readers understand their motivations, choices, and behaviors. I became deeply invested in the story of a widowed mother who is struggling financially and homeless, leaving her with no choice but to move into a haunted house inherited by her young son.

I loved following along as the mystery unfolded and piecing together the clues to help solve the murder of one of the ghosts haunting the home. The combination of the paranormal elements, family struggles, and mystery created a story that kept me turning pages.

The depth of the story and the emotional connection to the characters made this such an enjoyable read. I’m very excited to return to Hexen House and see what comes next in the series!

#TheScandalousStar #TheHauntingOfHexenHouse #RachelGraves

[Brianne Sisk]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I absolutely loved The Scandalous Star! 👻🖤
I finished this in two days (and honestly, that’s only because I started it late Saturday night 😂). Once I started, I didn’t want to put it down!
⭐
After losing her husband, Gwen inherits a haunted house in hopes of starting over with her son. Instead, she finds herself unraveling the decades-old murder of a famous starlet, searching for a missing diamond necklace, and uncovering secrets someone desperately wants to keep buried.
🏚️
💜💙 The characters were so well developed. I found myself tearing up in one chapter and wanting to strangle Barb in another! 😅 Rachel Graves did such a beautiful job weaving together a compelling mystery with grief, healing, and navigating life as a widowed single mother. Gwen was such an easy character to root for.
📖
The mystery kept me guessing until the very end, and I loved uncovering the secrets hidden within Hexen House.
👻
And that cliffhanger around the garage... IYKYK. 👀 I need book two immediately!
⭐
If you love haunted houses, ghosts, hidden secrets, and cozy mysteries with heart, this one is absolutely worth picking up.
Thank you to Rachel Graves for this ARC, all thoughts and opinions are my own!

[Chere Gruver]

A really beautiful ghost story!

This story is not what I expected for a ghost tale. Not at all. I was expecting a young woman moving into a haunted house and dealing with a ghost. I did not expect to read about a single parent, a widowed teacher with a son and a mountain of debt. When this woman is offered a house as an inheritance, she is questioning it, only because of the haunted house aspect. After all, she’s worried about her son. The fact I was not expecting this particular story, made it even better in my opinion. I really do hope she continues working with the other ghosts with her journalist friend. I truly enjoyed this story. It’s full of friendship and family and a wonderful sense of right and wrong. The principle was a bit on the creepy side. It’s well written and kept my attention throughout.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Stacy71]

This is the first book in the Hexen House series, so it establishes the history of the town and people in it without feeling like it’s too deep. You learn that our FMC Gwen has just returned to town with her kids following a divorce. The kids are just learning about their magical heritage. They are dropped right into a boiling cauldron of town trouble.

I enjoyed the relationships between the family members. Who doesn’t love a momma bear? Gwen is someone who you root for and are happy when good things happen to her. I like the supernatural elements of the book and the mystery is intriguing. I am interested to see where this series goes in the future – with the characters, haunting, magic, and secrets.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Laura]

Review of Advance Copy – 2.5 Stars

Unfortunately, this book wasn’t the right fit for me. I found the plot very slow-moving and, at times, unnecessarily complicated, while the storytelling itself felt overly simplistic.

For a book of almost 300 pages, I didn’t feel there was much payoff for the reader. Very little seemed to happen, and I struggled to stay engaged throughout.

That said, if you enjoy cosy, atmospheric ghost stories with a slower pace, I can definitely see this appealing to you. Personally, I found myself wanting it to end and came close to DNFing it on two separate occasions.

I’m giving it 2.5 stars because, while it wasn’t for me, I can appreciate that other readers may enjoy what it offers.

[Penny]

I sometimes lose track of an author, and when I find them again, I am a little upset at myself that I lost track of them. Yes, this is one such author. In this series opener, we are introduced to Gwen, a down-on-her-luck mom whose son inherits a house and maybe some ghosts. I was immediately drawn into the book, and I happily read along. While the author set up the world, I was starting to worry that I would get bored. Nope, by the middle of the book, I was frantically “turning” the pages because I was so absorbed in the story. I don’t know why I lost track of this author, but it definitely won’t happen again. Loved this series opener, and I can’t wait for more. Highly recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

[Shannon]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I love a cozy paranormal read, and this one delivered all the cozy vibes. Our female main character is lovely. She is trying hard to be the best mom for her son, and because she is widowed, it is a struggle. She is a down to earth woman who didn't believe in ghosts until this house became hers. There is an uneasy undercurrent of mystery that keeps you turning the pages.

This book gives a found family vibe, possible trust issues with people that may not be all that they seem, and hope for a fresh start. I absolutely enjoyed this read, and was sad it was over when I got to the last page. Cannot wait to read the second one!

[Reda]

The Scandalous Star was my first book to read by Rachel Graves, and I really enjoyed it. It's the first book in a new series that crimefighters meets ghostbusters meets small town secrets. And the heroine is a recently widowed single mom just figuring it out. If it sounds off the wall, it totally is, but in the best way. The characters are fun and the story engaging. The characters feel like real people with real baggage, and this is the kind of mystery where there are clearly still plenty of puzzles to solve by the end. I'm certainly looking forward to the next one!

Many thanks to BookSirens for an ARC in exchange for my honest assessment of this work.

[Calley]

So very surprised and pleased with this blind pick. This was a fun read. I was trying to figure it out ahead and each clue gave me an ah ha moment but it held my interest and kept me up way too late reading. Ghosts is a new paranormal for me - enjoyed this authors take a lot. Buck is adorable! I hope his character continues to flesh out and we hear about testing and results soon! I would definitely be interested in reading book two as I am invested!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Nordiana Baruzzi]

As a book setting the bases for a new series, this is a bit slow to start off. The first third of the story only deals with Gwen's personal misfortunes (widowhood, eviction, poverty…) and when the mystery part of the story comes out, it's a century old murder.

That said, the concept of a house haunted by "imported" ghosts trapped to serve the house's owner is a fresh novelty and it's intriguinly developped. I'll give this series a second chance when the next book comes out.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Mai]

This was an awesome book! The characters were compelling, the mystery was exciting, and all of the family - and other - dynamics were intriguing. It was also the perfect setup for more books with more mysteries. The whole idea of a house filled with ghosts and potential murders to be solved makes me wish the author had many more books in this series already written. At least I hope it is going to be a series!


I was given an advance copy of this book and this is my honest review, freely given.

[Stacy]

This was an easy read with an interesting story line. It starts off with some tragedy, family drama, and righting wrongs. The characters are so well written that you easily relate and get wrapped up in their lives and root for them.

The ending did not disappoint and made me look forward to the next one. I did struggle with how the ending came about as it felt rushed. The book was so informative and really took the time to tell you the what, why, and how that when the ending came it was like huh?! That's it??

[Naomi]

This is probably a 3.5 star book. Tiny spoiler adjacent comments below.

I guess that it’s a new generation or several when an “old” haunted house was built after you were born 🤷🏻‍♀️🤦🏽‍♀️😝
I also struggle a bit with poverty trauma tropes, that would have been avoided if a police detective had taken care of his insurance documentation. For someone who would have dealt with death as part of his job, it’s a bit hard to think of him as an ill fated hero.
But, I do enjoy this author, so will continue to read her work.

[Lorraine O'Connor]

I loved this story! It's perfectly written. Everything felt real with the characters. the plot was flawless. There were several openings for future stories. The other big Plus is it is a full length book, just like the ones we used to get in libraries. :) That being said this cannot be read in one sitting, so plan accordingly. I don't usually gush over books but this one is that good. Enjoy!
Read on 05/27/26.

[Christie]

I loved this book so much. I could not put it down. Gwen and her son, Buck, have had a rough year and are desperate for a place to live. So when they inherit a house, it is hard to say no, even though it is full of ghosts. I love how strong Gwen is, but how she also accepts help when needed. I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I can't wait for the second book.

[Janice Drake]

Good mystery. Gwen is reeling from one disaster to another and now has a haunted house on her hands. She has to figure out the murderer and release the ghost, if she can live that long. Interesting story. Gwen's anxiety started to get to me at one point, but she pulled herself up and did well. It's the first of a series and I think it will do well.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Lauren]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I very much enjoyed a fresh take on a haunted house. This house while being a blessing for Gwen and Buck it comes with a crazy past. This story had me wanting to read faster and faster to see what would happen. I don’t trust half the people in the town and I am now very suspicious of how Mike actually died. I want to know about poor Raymond and any other ghosts attached to the house!

[Sandy]

I was given a copy of this book via BookSirens and this is my honest review.

I read this book in one sitting, less than a day. I couldn't put it down. It has a great storyline and great characters. I enjoyed reading this book. I think this is a wonderful start to a new series. I'm excited to read book two.

[Callie Pyke]

It was a decent book that felt just a little long with some parts of it feeling very unnecessary. I feel like it could have been a good 50 or so pages shorter but the parts with the ghosts and mystery were very good and had me hooked just on that part alone.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jenn]

A ghostly murder-mystery story. I really enjoyed reading this book. The characters were easy to imagine what they look like and are easy to relate to, which drew me into the story. The pace of the book is well structured. This is a book that I had a hard time putting down because I had to know what was going to happen next in the story.

[Linda Hutchinson]

The Scandalous Star A Haunted House Paranormal Cozy Mystery

No bad, when I got into it. But why was she so bothered to take on the house!, She did not know about the curse, and she said she was not afraid of ghosts. So let's see how the next story goes.

[Phthon]

What a fun mystery! Sounds like Gwen has her future hobby cut out for her. I think she did a great job with Odelia. I wonder what Raymond’s story is! I can’t wait to read it!

[Ron]

Love this

Characters realistic, drama just right,story good. Very addictive. Must go to next chapter. Excellent writer. Glad I found this series.

[Ranger]

A promising start to a new series, I hope! Tense but not overly scary, sad but not maudlin, loving without being schlocky or sentimental.

[Jodi Sweet]

I could not put this book down! It was so good. I can’t wait for the next book to see which ghost Gwen tackles next!

[Angel Webster]

Read it!!!!

I absolutely loved this! It was hilarious with bits of mystery! It made me forget real like and be absorbed into the book.