Estate Sale by Mia Dalia

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

It has been said that every small town has a house on a hill, the one the witch lives in.

But what if there is more to the story? The devil, after all, is in the details.

The old lady of the Koshmaroff estate is finally gone. In life, she was a mystery; in death, she leaves behind a house full of strange, yet seemingly ordinary objects. Objects, which the curiosity-driven locals rush in to buy, only to see their lives take nightmarish turns as a result.

No one knew the old lady's husband dabbled in dark magic. No one knew the two of them traversed decades and continents, hobnobbing with the most famous occultists of the 20th century and building their collection. They have acquired such terrible treasures along the way.

Come, see for yourself.

Step inside for the bargain of a lifetime.

Estate Sale was a surprising read. I don’t know what I was expecting but it certainly wasn’t this. The synopsis can only give you a guide, breadcrumbs if you will, it’s up to you to follow it and experience everything it has to offer. It’s a story at its heart about a love story. I loved the format this story took – It took the modern idea of short stories with the beating heart of a love that refuses to die. It’s a story where you feel it’s presence everywhere. It feels like a shadow constantly peering over your shoulder.

The book is split into the magicked items found at the deceased Mrs Koshmaroff’s estate. They have a power all their own – each having a devastating effect upon its new owner. The images conjured up by the author were vivid and shocking, just how I like it. I imagined their scared eyes, slack jaws, and painful ends. The reader’s time with the new owners were short but unforgettable. Each character had reasons for obtaining each item, but their end would come none the less. Nothing is as perfect as they may look.

The story between Anastasia and her husband moved me to tears. Although a relatively plain relationship, their bond and strength is plain to see. In just a few pages I realised that what they had was the real deal. It was simpler times and although their marriage started out as convenience, it was easy to see that their worlds began and ended with each other. Their story spans 100 years and they see Paris, The second world war, Aleister Crowley, The London Blitz, and the Bolshevik revolution.

Estate Sale is subtle in its horror but oh so fantastic. Is there gore and blood? Yes, you bet but it was perfect in the context of what was going on. I was moved by the narrative and the plot. Never did I think I would read a love story within a horror novel, it’s definitely a genre bender. The author has an uncanny ability to give the reader a clear picture of the story so you can make an informed opinion. This allowed us to build attachments and feelings towards characters in the strongest way possible.

Estate Sale is accomplished storytelling. Its desire soaked and richly imagined. A new take on horror and I’m totally here for it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mia Dalia is an internationally published author, a lifelong reader, and a longtime reviewer of all things fantastic, thrilling, scary, and strange. Her short fiction has been published by online by Night Terror Novels, 50-word stories, Flash Fiction Magazine, Pyre Magazine, Tales from the Moonlit Path and in print anthologies by Sunbury Press, HellBound Press, Black Ink Fiction, Dragon Roost Press, Unsettling Reads, Phobica Books, Psycho Toxin Press,Nightshade Press, and DraculaBeyondStoker Magazine.
Her fiction will be featured in the upcoming anthologies by WMB anthology of Lunar Horror, Wandering Wave Press, Off-Topic Publishing, and Crystal Lake Publishing.
Mia’s Noir tales have been published by Mystery Magazine and Bang! Noir Anthology from Headshot Press.
Her trio of novelette-sized nightmares: Smile So Red, The Trunk, And Spindel are available on Amazon.
Her debut novel, Estate Sale, was published by Black Ink Fiction in April 2023.
Find her at
Official website:https://daliaverse.wixsite.com/author
Twitter: @ Dalia_Verse
FB: DaliaVerse