Yesterday, she was Holly Smith, living a comfortable, middle-class life. Today, all that has changed. For Holly Smith is actually Holly Randall, born twenty-four years ago to a woman convicted of a heinous crime and given up for adoption as an infant. Now, the mysterious death of a great aunt she never knew has made Holly one of the richest women in America - and heiress to a magnificent Connecticut estate.

In the beautiful mansion above Long Island Sound, they are waiting for her. Uncle John and his imperious wife, robbed of what they believe to be rightfully theirs; the odd, reclusive great uncle, lost in his faded scrapbooks and disturbing memories of dark family secrets; the troubled young woman who roams the estate, murmuring cryptic warnings; the handsome servants' son to whom Holly is dangerously attracted; and the silent teenage boy who watches Holly's every move. But is he protector or predator, angel or devil? For Holly, the answer may come too late. From the moment she crosses the threshold, she sets in motion a series of tragic events that will reveal the true - and terrifying - price of the inheritance.