The new high-concept thriller fiction project for 2026

When Dan Barker inherits a house in Serenity Falls, he is perplexed. He's never heard of 'America's most idyllic town', built fifty years ago by the owner of the famed Winsome theme parks, and has no idea why his late mother might have owned a house there. With its beautiful surroundings, blissfully happy residents, and zero crime, it offers fresh start for Dan and daughter Sadie. But as soon as they arrive, the town's perfect veneer begins to crack. Why are there so many empty houses, abandoned by their owners? Who is the figure that Dan keeps seeing on the security camera? And why do 'missing' posters keep appearing for a child who drowned thirty years ago...?What secrets are the residents so desperate to keep hidden?