The Witch House of Persimmon Point
Page 28
“Ms. Palmieri’s authentic dialogue, and ability to paint a family in crisis, is both charming and layered. If you’re a lover of Southern fiction, magic in its many forms, and the kind of storytelling that keeps you turning the pages, you’ve come to the right place, y’all.”
—Lesley Kagen, New York Times bestselling author of Whistling in the Dark
“Magic weaves its way through this beguiling Southern gothic, swirling from the moss-laden trees around the Big House through the misty and menacing Belladonna Bay, and settling into the hearts of Bronwyn and her niece, Byrd, whose Strange Ways most people just don’t understand. Reminiscent of Sarah Addison Allen’s Garden Spells, this bewitching tale of ghostly mystery, love and family ties will enchant you from the very first page and linger in the air around you long after the last.”
—Wendy Webb, bestselling author of The Fate of Mercy Alban
“All of Suzanne Palmieri’s novels cast a spell, and The Witch of Belladonna Bay is no exception. Palmieri delivers a rich and magical story about the two most powerful forces in life: family and love.”
—Elin Hilderbrand, New York Times bestselling author of Beautiful Day
“Suzanne Palmieri has crafted a riveting tale that will keep you up late at night guessing what will happen next. It is a story that will intrigue both male and female readers. Guys, don’t let this one slip past you.”
—Jason Mott, New York Times bestselling author of The Returned
Praise for The Witch of Little Italy
“Palmieri’s enthralling debut will make adult readers nostalgic for beloved books from their childhoods. Abundant with secrets, hidden passageways, magic, and several enchanting mysteries, it’ll keep you on the edge of your seat until the end. The magic and witchcraft elements are subtle, enhancing the overall effect of this clever, beautiful novel.”
—RT Book Reviews
“In her debut novel, Palmieri has combined romance and mystery, folklore and psychology to create a jigsaw puzzle of family secrets and tragedies, losses and loves, guilt and forgiveness.… Entertaining.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Charming and enchanting The Witch of Little Italy drew me in from page one. A magical story of family, secrets, loss, and rediscovery written in beautiful prose and sprinkled with effervescent characters you won’t soon forget. Palmieri nimbly blends the past and present to concoct a delicious spell of a story that will appeal to fans of Sarah Addison Allen and other fabulously entertaining novels.”
—Karen White, New York Times bestselling author of The Beach Trees
“The Witch of Little Italy is a warmly enchanting debut that will have you believing in magic and craving homemade Buccatini Amatriciano.”
—Susanna Kearsley, New York Times bestselling author of The Winter Sea, Mariana, and The Rose Garden
“I was utterly enchanted from the first page, and found myself continually marveling over the effortless grace with which this story unfolded. The Witch of Little Italy is a complex, richly textured tale that practically sings with magic, and I know Suzanne Palmieri has a long and brilliant career ahead of her. In a word: I was charmed.”
—Donna Ball, award-winning author of The Lady Bug Farm series
“An enchanting debut, Palmieri’s plot makes for a wickedly good read!”
—Melissa de la Cruz, New York Times bestselling author of the Blue Bloods series
“The Witch of Little Italy had me spellbound from the very start. Suzanne Palmieri has created a poignant, beautiful tale of love, magic, history, and family where all are deeply connected and interwoven.”
—Joanne Rendell, author of Crossing Washington Square and The Professors’ Wives’ Club
“A mystical family secret hidden in a spicy Italian stew.”
—Kelly Simmons, author of Standing Still and The Bird House
About the Author
SUZANNE PALMIERI is the author of The Witch of Little Italy, The Witch of Belladonna Bay, and The Witch of Bourbon Street. She also writes as Suzanne Hayes and lives in a haunted farmhouse in North Branford, Connecticut, with her family. You can sign up for email updates here.
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Contents
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Author’s Note
Permanent Geranium Lake
1. Journal Entry on the Night of the Biggest Doom
2. Eleanor in the Brownstone with a Wrench
3. Maj in the Witch House with a Crayon
4. Byrd in the Kitchen with a Candlestick
The Book of Nan: 1900–1910
5. Nan Amore
6. Nan in the Barn with a Boy
7. Lady Liberty on the Hudson with a Torch
8. The Fortune-Teller in the Library with a Revolver
9. Gwyneth in the Turret Room with a Lighter
The Book of Lucy: 1910–1940
10. A Spirit in the Parlor with a Slice of Toast
11. Nan in the Witch House with a Bible
12. Lucy in the Gatehouse with a Gun
13. Vito in the Alley with a Machine Gun
14. Gavin on the Docks with a Bastard
15. Maj in the Backseat with the “What If” Game
The Book of Anne: 1940–1999
16. Intermezzo
17. Lucy in the Bedroom with the Crucifix
18. Nan in the Kitchen with a Wooden Spoon
19. Anne in the Bedroom with a Jar of Spiders
20. Anne in the Closet with a Rope
21. Jude in the Ruins with Himself
22. William on the Playground with the Truth
23. William on the Beach with Coppertone and a Kiss
24. Cupid in the Garden with a Hatchet
25. Anne in the Garden with a Train Ticket
26. Anne in the Moonlight with the Trick
27. Anne in the Field with Spiders in Her Hair
28. Eleanor in the Library with a Pencil
29. Lucy in the Mental Ward with a Match
30. Dominic in the Kitchen with a Crucifix
31. Miss Anne in the Kitchen with the Mushrooms
32. Anne in the Kitchen with a Smile
33. William on the Porch with the Truth
34. Anne on the Stairs with a Dress
35. Gavin in the Witch House with the Letter
36. Anne in the Witch House with Despair
Cornflower Blue or The Book of the Beautiful Bones
37. In the Cellar with the Psychopath
Epilogue. On the Night of the Biggest Doom
Acknowledgments
Also by Suzanne Palmieri
Praise for The Witch of Bourbon Street
About the Author
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
THE WITCH HOUSE OF PERSIMMON POINT. Copyright © 2016 by Suzanne Palmieri. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
www.stmartins.com
Cover design by Young Jin Lim
Cover photographs: sky, house, crows, woman, and red hair © Shutterstock; girl’s dress and marsh grass © Trevillion Images
The Library of Congress has catalogued the print edition as follows:
Names: Palmieri, Suzanne, author.
Title: The Witch House of Persimmon Point / Suzanne Palmieri.
Description: First edition.|New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, 2016.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016014364|ISBN 9781250056184 (trade pape
rback) | ISBN 9781250091925 (e-book)
Subjects: LCSH: Domestic fiction. | BISAC: FICTION / Contemporary Women. | FICTION / Romance / Gothic. | FICTION / Family Life. | GSAFD: Gothic fiction.
Classification: LCC PS3616.A353 W574 2016 | DDC 813/.6—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016014364
e-ISBN 9781250091925
Our e-books may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact your local bookseller or the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945, extension 5442, or by e-mail at MacmillanSpecialMarkets@macmillan.com.
First Edition: October 2016