Under The Apple Tree
A Paranormal Tale of Love and Suspense
Recently divorced from a suffocating marriage, Kate Ecklund is determined to make it on her own. She buys an old abandoned Victorian manor with plans to restore it and turn it into a bed-and-breakfast. But she soon discovers that the house is haunted by the ghost of the previous owner, Blossom Thatcher, an aged recluse who died alone in the moldering mansion. Even in death, Blossom’s spirit awaits the return of her lover who tragically vanished over eighty years ago. Curiosity and compassion compel Kate to unravel the mystery and bring peace to the grieving ghost. To do this, she must seek clues to the past, which ultimately lead to a hidden map to a lost gold mine.
As the plot unfolds, two men come into Kate’s life. One sweeps her off her feet with his good looks and amorous style, while the other amuses her with his wit and engaging repartee. The story is told through chapters that alternate between Kate in the present and Blossom in the past. Set decades apart, the two unique love stories are inexorably entwined, shrouded in mystery, touched with humor, and imbued with elements of the supernatural.
“Easley’s novel offers romance, a ghost story, a mystery, a lost treasure map, and even some home renovations … This ambitious blend of genres results in a tapas-style sampler of delightful morsels that will leave readers hungry for more… The characters are well drawn and the pacing is brisk, but it’s the setting that’s the star of the show: Like Louise Penny’s Three Pines, Salmon Falls has a small-town charm, surrounded by natural beauty, that makes it easy to pass the time there. A fast-paced, romantic supernatural puzzler, nestled in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest.” —Kirkus Reviews
"Loved it! A gothic suspense novel that deftly spans two timelines to solve a buried mystery." —Reedsy Reviews
"I fell in love with the characters, the story, and everything about this book.” —The Mystery Review Crew
“Easley’s novel offers romance, a ghost story, a mystery, a lost treasure map, and even some home renovations … This ambitious blend of genres results in a tapas-style sampler of delightful morsels that will leave readers hungry for more… The characters are well drawn and the pacing is brisk, but it’s the setting that’s the star of the show: Like Louise Penny’s Three Pines, Salmon Falls has a small-town charm, surrounded by natural beauty, that makes it easy to pass the time there. A fast-paced, romantic supernatural puzzler, nestled in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest.”
—Kirkus Reviews
"Loved it! A gothic suspense novel that deftly spans two timelines to solve a buried mystery."
—Reedsy Reviews
“I fell in love with the characters, the story, and everything about this book.”
—The Mystery Review Crew
