The Agony of Her: An Ohio Gothic by Cassandra L. Thompson

1981. Historical home renovator Lori Greene can’t believe her luck when she inherits Haite Hill, a seemingly abandoned Victorian Gothic tucked deep in the Cuyahoga Valley. Like the mysterious manor on the hill, the forgotten company town below it has its own fair share of secrets, and as Lori and her daughters begin to experience nightmares and other strange occurrences, she quickly realizes its history is more brutal than she ever could have imagined.

1910. Recently betrothed Ada Haite is sent to her nefarious husband’s summer home under the pretense of her mental health. But he has also abandoned both his daughters from other marriages there with her, and as horrible night terrors threaten their lives, Ada soon discovers the house’s grisly intent.

Two stories, each at a different point in time, weave together as the women grapple with their ideas of motherhood while being confronted with things both sinister and ancient, as Haite Towne and its house on the hill reveal the story of a place built on women’s agony.