When Jemma Barker leaves 1960s Chicago for a new life in New Orleans, she doesn’t expect to uncover centuries-old curses, deadly family secrets, and the brutal realities of colorism and privilege. In This Cursed House, Del Sandeen takes readers into the dark, secret-laden corridors of a New Orleans family through the eyes of Jemma Barker, a young Black woman fleeing her life in Chicago. Desperate for a fresh start and haunted by the spirits she’s always been able to see, Jemma accepts a job with the enigmatic Duchon family—only to discover that their charm hides centuries-old curses and shocking prejudices.
Sandeen’s debut is steeped in Southern gothic flair, with a plot that twists around supernatural secrets, family betrayal, and the fraught complexities of race. The novel does an especially striking job of exploring how white-passing Black characters navigate privilege and fear, often at the expense of their darker-skinned relatives. It’s a sharp and unsettling examination of racism, colorism, and the extremes some will go to protect a tenuous hold on societal acceptance.
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