First time visitors to the American West, Delia Hager Duval and her French husband, Jean-Paul, accept an offer of an old Santa Fe adobe house for the Christmas holidays. But something is terribly wrong. Previous tenants have fled and their house is said to be haunted. Then a malevolent stranger invades and a teenage girl is murdered, turning dark and evil tales into reality. Caught in a web of suspicion, murder and terror, can they unravel the mystery before further tragedy occurs? Includes Readers Guide. * * * * * * Helen Lamberton Gates, a born storyteller, offers readers a thrilling mystery set in the rich traditions and natural beauty of New Mexico, where the real and the surreal have mingled together for centuries and contemporary crime reaches international proportions. Born in Washington, DC, Helen Lamberton Gates graduated from Sarah Lawrence College where she studied with Joseph Campbell, and went on to earn a degree in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia. She later discovered New Mexico, and was captivated by its natural beauty, cultural diversity and artistic energy. Her writing reflects her fascination with myth, psychology and art. She and her husband, William, live in Santa Fe where their children grew up.