The House of Dust

Broyles debuts with a slightly overwritten haunted house story that draws on Southern gothic staples. A split structure juxtaposes a purported true crime exposé written by the central character, Brad Ellison, and third-person narration from a kaleidoscope of perspectives. Brad and his fiancée, Missy Holiday, rent a moldering plantation house in rural Tennessee while researching a nearby town after Brad has an eerie, drug-addled encounter with its residents. Was it just a Prozac overdose, or did Brad witness a dead woman’s eyes open as dirt was shoveled into her grave, while the townsfolk stood by and watched? As he digs further into the town’s history, he discovers more than he bargained for. There’s fine description throughout, but the choppy structure and disregard for realism take the edge off the chills. Still, it’s a worthwhile first outing from an author with potential. (Sept.)