A recovering alcoholic engages in a passionate affair with a mysterious woman, reviving his writing career, only to find she's a ghost with sinister intentions, haunting his new home and jeopardizing his sobriety, marriage, and life.
In the quaint town of Cedar Lake, Harry Thurber finds himself at a crossroads. A struggling writer and recovering alcoholic, he has just moved into a new home with his wife April, hoping for a fresh start to salvage their crumbling marriage. Little does Harry know, the house harbors a dark secret – a supernatural totem discovered during the inspection, purposefully hidden from him.
Harry's life is a constant battle against temptation. His demanding sponsor, Ben, a man with his own checkered past, pushes him to stay sober and faithful. But with April frequently away on business trips to recruit high-profile clients like Reid Robbins for her publishing house, Harry is left to face his demons alone.
As he toils away at his novel and a mundane accounting job, a woman named Vivian appears, offering the ultimate seduction. She tempts Harry with the vices he's fought so hard to overcome – alcohol and infidelity – while simultaneously unlocking a torrent of inspiration that allows him to write like never before. Vivian, an admirer of the town's pristine lake, warns Harry that one cannot serve two masters in this life and must remain loyal to their true love.
In a whirlwind of chaos on his first day alone in the house, Harry encounters the housekeeper Marta and attends an important work Webex, all while being drawn deeper into Vivian's otherworldly allure. Together, they spy on the neighbor Gwen, witnessing her explosive fight with a mysterious boyfriend, followed by a torrid sexual encounter.
As Harry assists Marta with chores, Vivian vanishes, leaving him obsessed with unraveling her mysteries. He learns that Vivian was the previous resident who went missing under suspicious circumstances. Even more shocking, Vivian and Gwen were sisters and heirs to the polluting McMasters Paper Mill, with Vivian having an affair with Gwen's boyfriend and working alongside environmental activist Mort to expose the mill's wrongdoings.
Despite April's excitement over Reid's interest in Harry's writing, Ben insists he attend an AA meeting instead of working on his novel. This clash leads Harry to storm off and encounter Vivian once more, uncovering another clue about her disappearance.
As Harry delves deeper into Vivian's world, a chilling truth emerges – she is the ghost of a woman potentially murdered by her own sister. Vivian manipulates Harry's writing to craft the perfect plan for Gwen's demise. If he refuses to comply, she threatens to possess the bodies of his loved ones.
Caught in a harrowing predicament, Harry must choose between surrendering to Vivian's ghostly power over his writing or protecting his family at all costs. With the fate of his marriage, his son Roy's well-being, and his very soul hanging in the balance, Harry must confront the ghastly truth head-on. Only by banishing Vivian back to the abyss can he break free from her clutches and reclaim his life before it's too late.
If Harry fails, he will succumb to alcoholism and despair, in order to be with Vivian in the afterlife, leaving his wife and son devastated by his loss to the ghostly seductress forever.
TEMPTRESS
Some secrets are better left unwritten, and some muses are not worth following.
Copyright 2024 by Brefni O'Rourke. All Rights Reserved.
