In 1853, President Franklin Pierce and his family are traveling to Washington, DC when a tragic accident occurs. Their train runs off the rails and the passengers are violently thrown around in the cabin. When the train finally settles, the only casualty is Bennie, the beloved son of the President. Franklin's presidency is tainted with sorrow and grief.
When Franklin arrives to the White House, he notices weird occurrences. There are strange noises coming from the walls and ceilings along with visions of spirits that perished in the White House. The First Lady Jane Pierce decides to bring in the noted Spiritualists, the Fox Sisters, for a séance. During the séance, the barrier between this world and the next is broken causing something dangerous to come through and take residence in the mansion. Franklin and Jane are overcome with grief but, they know they need to banish the dark presence before it takes over the White House.
The book had an interesting premise but, I think it lacked in execution. The author slowly built up the story but, it went nowhere. I quickly lost interest when I was seventy percent finished because the author was introducing creepy elements that didn't seem to have a purpose. I found the novel to be incredibly boring and couldn't be bothered to finish the rest of it.
