An undying girl. A young man destined to devour her. A town shrouded in mystery.
Nicholas Hemming has been caged his entire life. But in 1992-after a fire at the nightmarish ranch he called home in California-he moves to the Ozarks with his aunt Valerie to start over. The last thing he expects to find in the cemetery bordering his new home is the red-haired girl who has haunted his dreams for years. Sorina Oleksander has lived in the grand house bordering Hart Hollow for decades, waiting to exact revenge on the being who stole from her. However, when Nicholas moves to town, she knows her days are numbered. And despite knowing his existence will be her undoing, she enrolls in the local high school to get closer to him. Foretold to be each other's ruin, Nicholas and Sorina begin to play games in the night. But when the body of a young preacher's daughter is found, Nicholas knows he and his new group of misfit friends have to find out who's stealing girls in the night. Can Nicholas convince his aunt Valerie to stay away from the enigmatic Deacon who watches over the town? Can they find the creature from his nightmares before it kills again?
Steeped in mythology, The Girl Next Door is a tale of omens, morbid bloodlines, revenge, and forbidden love that takes root in the darkest of hearts. This gothic tale is perfect for fans of Stranger Things, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and the early '90s The Last Vampire series by Christopher Pike.