Books: A Good Daughter's Ghost

A babysitter faces the horror of longing for a life that might destroy her in this haunting debut for fans of Trang Thanh Tran.

Sixteen-year-old Rachel Bei comes from a family of mediums and spiritual practitioners—and she could not care less. Yes, there was that time she thought she saw her beloved wàipó not long after her death. But that was back in fifth grade, and grief does funny things to people. Now Rachel isn’t just a skeptic; she’s embarrassed by her mom’s beliefs. That’s one reason babysitting for the Morin family is so appealing. Their immaculate house and home-cooked dinners feel like an escape from Rachel’s messier life with her mom. The Morins may be moving through grief of their own, but Rachel is impressed by the sense of normalcy they’ve maintained for their daughter, Blythe . . . at least until Blythe tells Rachel she’s been speaking to her dead sister Maddie, and her ghost does not want Rachel in the house.

Drawing on Chinese folklore and suffused with a creeping dread that builds to a gruesome climax, this darkly immersive novel confronts family secrets, the stunning audacity of whiteness, and the ghosts we carry with us.