Perishing Hill
A gripping domestic suspense novel with a storm at its heart.
By Lelia A. Piet
Genre: Domestic Suspense / Psychological Thriller Publication Date: June 24, 2025 Formats: Paperback (370 pages), eBook (401 pages) Paperback ISBN: 979-8-9882545-3-9 eBook ASIN: B0FCNPDG1B Publisher: Origins First Press
Why You’ll Love It
- A remote beach house reunion turns into a storm-lashed reckoning.
- Complex characters, buried secrets, and the fallout from a long-ago tragedy.
- Perfect for readers who love layered suspense and shifting alliances.
The Gist
Years ago, the residents of Perishing Hill shared more than just a neighborhood—they shared a tragedy that left fractures no one wanted to face. Now, Alyce Fischer has invited them all to Dune Dweller, a vacation rental home on remote Ocracoke Island, under the guise of reconnection and healing. But not everyone comes with forgiveness (or forthrightness) in mind.
As a tropical storm bears down and ferry service shuts off, the uneasy reunion turns volatile. Old betrayals simmer beneath polite conversation. Grudges reawaken. And as the pressure outside intensifies, so does the emotional unraveling inside.
Power flickers. Truths slip out. What begins as a coastal weekend quickly spirals into something far darker, forcing Alyce and her guests to confront not just the past, but the choices that have—and still—shape their lives.
What’s Inside
Tropes & Themes:
- Storm-isolated setting
- Reunion of estranged friends
- Past tragedy resurfaces
- Tense ensemble cast with shifting loyalties
- Secrets, trauma, and emotional reckoning
- Setting-as-character (coastal atmosphere, the lighthouse, the storm)
- Ghost lore (suggestive, not supernatural)
Read if you liked:
The Guest List by Lucy Foley — remote setting, stormy secrets, a reunion that turns dangerous.
The Last House Guest by Megan Miranda — coastal tension, buried trauma, and a woman caught in a web of doubt and deception.
The Housemaid by Freida McFadden — emotional suspense, twisted loyalties, and characters under pressure.
The Vacation by John Marrs — old friends, new betrayals, and a trip that unravels fast.
The Only One Left by Riley Sager — a cliffside house, ghostly whispers, and a truth buried beneath decades of silence.
If you’re drawn to high-stakes reunions, emotionally loaded secrets, and stormy coastal thrillers… Perishing Hill is calling.
Reader Praise
“This is the kind of psychological thriller I search for on Amazon—one packed with secrets, shifting alliances, and a setting that feels like it’s closing in. Perishing Hill had me on edge the whole way through.”
“A slow-building domestic suspense novel with real emotional stakes. If you liked The Last House Guest or Little Fires Everywhere, you’ll love the secrets unraveling at the heart of Perishing Hill.”
“I thought I had it all figured out—until the storm hit and the lies really started unraveling. This is a domestic thriller with depth, trauma, and a twist I didn’t see coming.”
“Perishing Hill blends the psychological tension of Megan Miranda with the dark emotional punch of Lisa Jewell. A remote setting, a tragic past, and a storm that won’t let go—what more could a suspense lover want?”
“Found this gem on KU and devoured it in a weekend. Twisty, atmospheric, and deeply satisfying—Perishing Hill is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers with strong female voices.”
Get Your Copy
Barnes & Noble (Paperback) Or request it at your favorite local bookstore.