The Ghosts of Waylow Plantation by Taylor Roberts #haunting #iam reading

"Come on, sweetheart," Damon Waylow coaxes. "Ya'll're gonna be my masterpiece." 

Damon sees ghosts from the past, previous residents of Waylow Plantation. They are his family, but his deceased grandfather is most annoying. In a way, he wishes his granddad had beaten the meanness out of him, but he hadn't, and that left him with the urge to collect. Damon is a meticulous gatherer of his obsession, human beings, his Objet D'art. Sorting through the population of  the Appalachian foothills has its drawbacks. But the Internet has provided him with pictures, making his job easier. Everything must be done appropriately and logged into his collection book. Damon takes care of his possessions, especially since one of them bit off his finger.  The pain is still with him though it has been more than a year, but it is a good reminder to take special care of his human collection. 
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Triss Highland left New York behind when her romance with Liz went sour. Commitments are not her forte. She sees herself as a strong woman, able to withstand anything life throws at her. But she misses Liz more than she anticipated. The struggle to prove her worth as a black gay woman in a small Appalachian town is difficult. Running is her way to compensate for the stress in her life. She loves the feel of the ground beneath her feet and the sweat banishes her fears.

Lately, Triss has been rethinking the move to Appalachia. Before taking her next run, she leaves a message on Liz's cell phone, asking her to call and perhaps to visit. Feeling better about herself and her future, she hits the road, seeking relief. Things are looking better, she thinks. Not perfect, but better. At least until she makes the acquaintance of  Damon Waylow.
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Damon watches Triss. He'd found her picture on the Internet and she was a perfect fit. She will be his newest collection. He will create a place for her and she will learn to obey him. Triss, on the other hand, will be no one's collection piece. In fact, she just might escape Damon's clutches, but first she will have to discover the meaning behind the ghosts of Waylow Mansion. Especially, Emmarie, a ghost who looks strangely like Triss though she lived more than one hundred years ago. 
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I thoroughly enjoyed The Ghosts of Waylow Plantation. The author captured the personality of a psychopath perfectly and the tension between the two main characters is clearly felt. The accent belonging to the slaves of the plantation took some getting used to, but eventually I got the hang of it and barely noticed the difference. The story is exciting and scary and will keep you reading into the night. The novel could use some minor editing but overall this was a really great read. I was sorry to put it down.