I Am Dust

This disturbing tale of ghosts and theatrical ambition from British author Beech (Call Me Star Girl) opens in 2005, when three teenagers at a theater camp—Ryan, Chloe, and Jess—decide to “play a game” with an improvised Ouija board. Flashbacks to 1999 reveal that Jess and Chloe saw the premiere of the musical Dust starring Morgan Miller, who was found dead in her dressing room a few days into the run. Miller’s murder remains unsolved. Then, in 2019, a revival of Dust is about to open in the same theater where it premiered. Chloe is working as an usher, and Jess, who has assumed a stage name, is playing the lead. Chloe and Jess haven’t seen each other since they were teenagers, and their renewed relationship stirs up long-forgotten memories, some of them terrifying, as well as malignant spirits once conjured by the Ouija board. Ryan, who last saw the women when they parted as teenagers, is in the audience opening night. A murder soon follows. Readers should be prepared for a lot of chat about the afterlife. Fans of paranormal mysteries will be satisfied. (Oct.)