A young woman discovers the terrifying secrets lurking within the walls of a Beijing opera house, in this addictive Gothic horror novella inspired by Chinese mythology about the price of fame, and the bonds between mothers and daughters. Perfect for fans of Shirley Jackson and Cassandra Khaw.
Places like this have a history. Desires. And this one is famished.
Megan and her mom have escaped the clutches of an abusive man, who dragged them halfway across the world from Portland to Beijing. On the run and with few options, her mom turns to Wei, an old friend of hers and takes a job cleaning the Huihuang Opera house, a lavish theater in which she used to perform.
Rusty with her mandarin, and feeling like an outsider in the country, Megan soon finds a group of friends in a young troupe of performers, and especially in Kristy, who takes an immediate shine to her. Torn between a battered copy of Journey to the West and an awkward friendship, Megan begins spending more and more time with Kristy. Her love of singing brings out a whole new side of Megan, who finds a new purpose unlocking within the walls of the ancient building.
But the Huihuang Opera house has secrets. There are passages within the walls that shouldn't be there, and the more Megan delves into that old book, the more the myths begin to bleed into real life. As reality and folklore start to merge, and Megan finds it increasingly difficult to tell the two apart, she must uncover a decades-old mystery, and discover the true, horrifying secret of the Huihuang Opera house before it throws its hungry eyes to her.