Harold never thought of the house as being haunted. He dared not tell anyone that he shared his bed with his dead wife’s ghost, nor had he allowed anyone to enter or even look in the house after Maddy’s spirit came back.

In the span of twelve Adrestian hours, the Crystal Castle grew a dozen new sparkling rooms and four more iridescent towers.

“The MacRae sisters tell me you were the first one to spot the creature?” He sounded like he’d jumped straight out of the BBC Radio the boys had sent their father from Edinburgh.

People think OCD is hand washing and checking, counting and rubbing. That it’s all about cute quirks and endearing eccentricities. The compulsions. What bothered Helen most were the images.

The baby glared, the two half-moons of his mouth puckered indignantly. The midwife inhaled and forced herself to count. Five... four... Babies were adorable, she reminded herself. Three... Two... a deep breath.