The House on Chestnut Circle
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Publication date: September 2, 2025
The house Trent Cooper just moved into holds a dark secret.
After pulling up stakes and relocating to be near his son, Trent takes up residence in a fifty-year-old house in an aging neighborhood. But the home on Chestnut Circle has a tragic past, and as questions about what actually happened there begin to gnaw at him, little does he know how profoundly it will impact his life.
Praise for The House on Chestnut Circle
“‘It might be true that we are all ultimately responsible for ourselves and our happiness, but sometimes … sometimes there’s a little bit of blame left to go around.’
Trent Cooper is hoping for a fresh start in his life, and the move into a new house is meant to signal a new beginning. He is still smarting from the collapse of his marriage to Missy, the demise attributed to infidelity on both sides. The hopes for stability and normalcy don't quite go as planned, as his new home comes with a troubled history. The previous owner took his own life amid questions about the disappearance of his girlfriend. Trent's nights become interrupted by troubling bouts of sleepwalking amid visions of a woman in distress. The sleepwalking even affects his son when he stays overnight at the new house. Trent begins to ask questions of his neighbors and believes that his new home holds the answers to the mystery of a disappearance from twenty-five years ago and the subsequent suicide of his home's previous inhabitant.
Trent is a man affected by the ghosts of the past in this sterling mystery narrative. The unsettled feeling that grips the protagonist is palpable as he questions whether his new abode was once a crime scene. Trent is portrayed as a fallible character, a husband who strayed from his marriage, to his regret, and now yearns for a second chance with his ex-wife. His quest to uncover the truth offers an opportunity for redemption, and his story is truly fascinating. Secrecy, infidelity, and betrayal emerge as the key themes in this novel, and they are played to the hilt. The plot unfolds smoothly, and the revelations are well-timed, culminating in both a thrilling climax and a satisfying conclusion. Fans of a suspenseful whodunit with elements of the supernatural will take to this book with enthusiasm.” — Philip Zozzaro, US Review of Books
“The House on Chestnut Circle is a richly atmospheric and deeply unsettling experience that pulls readers in from the very first page. With masterful pacing and a creeping sense of dread, the story layers emotional depth, small-town tension, and psychological unease in a way that feels both intimate and irresistible. Each revelation is handled with subtlety, rewarding readers who love smart mysteries that linger in the mind rather than rely on shock. The House on Chestnut Circle is a beautifully crafted, haunting novel that stays with you long after the final page.” — Kathryn Dare, Portland Book Review
“When recently divorced Trent Cooper relocates to Chestnut Circle to be closer to his son and his
ex-wife, he expects to get his freelancing career in order, get the house in good shape, and spend
time with his son. But between the scuffling in the attic, distressing phone calls at night, and the
nosy neighbor, Trent wonders if he made a mistake moving there. He knows very little about the man who had lived in his home before—only that he’d taken his life, and he’d been lonely and estranged from his girlfriend. But Trent senses there is more to the story when he finds out the girlfriend wasn’t estranged; she disappeared. The tight-knit community seems nervous and reticent to talk to Trent about it. Still, he presses on, determined to uncover what happened to this woman. But someone isn’t happy with Trent’s digging, and if he doesn’t watch his back, he’ll be next to disappear.
The House on Chestnut Circle by Sharon Mikeworth is a chilling thriller, teeming with
supernatural elements. Mikeworth has penned an absorbing novel that will keep readers up at
night, desperate to unlock the truth and trembling at every eerie noise. As Trent deals with the
crumbling of his marriage, he becomes entrenched in an unsolved domestic case that happened
right in his very home over two decades ago.
There are so many things to love about this book, but the author’s ability to build palpable fear is
unmatchable. The shuffling upstairs, the shrill of the phone ringing, and the chilling revelations
that Trent made captured my undivided attention, so much so that I only stopped reading when I
heard a peculiar thumping that gradually increased in volume. After a mini panic attack and
suspecting an intruder, I laughed at myself when it became clear that the aggressive pounding
was actually my heart hammering in my chest. Needless to say, I was completely invested in
Trent’s plight, and the author easily transported me to the frightening house on Chestnut Circle.
Beyond the creepy factor, Mikeworth has excelled at creating a well-developed, deeply flawed
main character who added dimension to the story. Trent wrestled with the guilt of his
indiscretions, ultimately leading to the breakdown of his family, and I couldn’t help but root for
him to make things right. Perhaps Trent’s shame subconsciously compelled him to become
immersed in solving this mystery as a way of redeeming himself. Trent has a marked character
evolution from a passive, self-pitying man to a man with considerable mental (and physical)
fortitude who faces obstacles head-on.
If you enjoy the adrenaline rush that comes along with thrilling whodunit books that send shivers
down your spine, Sharon Mikeworth’s The House on Chestnut Circle would be an excellent
choice. Mikeworth’s fast-paced plot, high tensions, and character-driven writing make for an
unforgettable reading experience. Propulsive, haunting, and immersive—worthy of five stars!”
— Stephanie Elizabeth Long, Reader Views
“The House on Chestnut Circle by Sharon Mikeworth is a haunting story that follows Trent Cooper, a former graphic designer seeking a fresh start in a small, aging neighborhood after leaving his tumultuous marriage. The move will allow him to be near his son, but moving into the fifty-year-old Lance Harrington’s house comes with surprises Trent never imagined. Trent becomes intrigued by the house’s dark history, particularly the mysterious disappearance of Lance’s girlfriend, Valerie Summers, who vanished without a trace twenty-five years earlier. As Trent explores the house and neighbors, he uncovers secrets, hears eerie noises, and faces unsettling truths about Valerie’s fate. He is a man wrapped in loneliness, grief, and guilt, but can he peel off the layers of betrayal, long-buried secrets, and the unresolved fate of Valerie?
Sharon Mikeworth’s novel was one of the stories I have read about redemption that kept me grounded in realism and gripped me with the hints of horror. One of the things that captivates about this novel is the imagery introduced by the setting. I was instantly moved by the eerie character of Trent’s new neighborhood, a place that speaks of old age and leaves you feeling as though life is dying around you. The House on Chestnut Circle presents characters that are quirky, believable, and elaborately drawn, and apart from Trent, who suffers from remorse and is driven by his desire for the truth, elderly neighbors like Patsy and Lorraine symbolize the quiet strength of a fading community. The author cleverly handles themes of deception, love, aging, and the haunting presence of the past, delivering a narrative that kept me awake through the night. While the story itself is enthralling, the well-executed first-person narrative voice, the gorgeous prose, and the superior storytelling are a bonus that make the story a must-read.”
— George Buehlman, The Book Commentary