Sixteen-year-old Jarek Dorrell did not believe in ghosts. Or killing people. But when a man of God, dead for more than a century, wrapped his hands around Jarek’s throat, he knew he had changed his mind.

Reeling from personal tragedy, Jarek arrives at a remote New England boarding school hoping to move forward. Instead, his nights are consumed by vivid dreams of a Shaker village in 1866, where he labors beside strangers, witnesses ecstatic rituals, and stumbles into secrets not meant for outsiders. When an ancient book proves he isn’t dreaming, Jarek realizes he has been pulled across time by a hidden religious order, and that they expect him to save a life, no matter the cost. Set within the secluded world of the Shakers, Jarek’s journey draws him into a community governed by faith, secrecy, and strict obedience.

To right a long-buried wrong, Jarek must face a world of fanatical devotion, brutal repression, and escalating danger. As past and present collide and a violent reckoning approaches, he must decide how far he is willing to go for justice—and what he is willing to lose.

Why This Story

The idea for the novel began with a question about place and inheritance—what remains when one community disappears and another takes its place. That question eventually became a story about loss, resilience, and the quiet ways history continues to shape the lives of those who come after.

Release

Ebook: January 20, 2026

Hardcover: March 2, 2026