Despite pressure to “grow up,” Tim Ellison just wants to spend his days surfing, working in his father's restaurant, and dreaming about getting back together with his ex-girlfriend, Lilla. When Lilla kicks him out of her apartment so she can have privacy with her new boyfriend, she finds him a rental deal like no other. Anna London, the 20-year-old agoraphobic owner of a mansion called Fairview, is in need of a roommate and only charging $100 a month. Tim jumps at the chance to share the huge house, close to the beach, with the beautiful and strange Anna. But Fairview proves scarier and Anna more enigmatic than Tim had anticipated.

Strange events, mysterious relationships, and the twinned themes of loss and love are at the heart of Rebecca James' new novel, SWEET DAMAGE.

"Intriguing and entertaining with richly drawn characters, SWEET DAMAGE is more of a psychological tale than a traditional thriller or chiller, but makes for a good winter's read nonetheless."

Soon after settling his scant belongings into his new room at Fairview, Tim begins to notice that beyond her fear of leaving the house, Anna seems troubled in other ways. She is mostly quiet and reserved but snappish at times. Her only real companions seem to be the equally odd siblings Fiona and Marcus, who are fiercely protective of Anna but still emotionally distant from her. Tim learns that Anna's parents died three years ago in an accident, but her grief doesn't shed much light on the way she lives: eating little, never leaving the house, and spending most of her time alone in the attic.

When a series of incidents occur, like messages splashed in red paint of the walls of the house, angry wreckage left in the kitchen and late-night knockings on his door, Tim begins to rethink living at Fairview. But he is drawn to Anna, compelled to feed her good meals, spend time with her and, as his affection for her grows, even protect her from the increasingly hostile and vindictive Lilla.

As Anna begins to let Tim share some of her secret emotional burden, they allow Lilla to stay with them and the tensions increase. It turns out that Anna is not the only one hiding something, and buried truths are revealed as characters clash in a violent confrontation.

SWEET DAMAGE is mostly told from Tim's perspective, and readers witness his curiosity about Anna turn to apprehension, followed by interest and then love. Tim is a good guy, a likable character, if a bit simple at times. James also gives readers a glimpse into Anna's point of view with short chapters from her perspective. Her fear, sadness and paralysis are as apparent as Tim's kindness and open-heartedness. Fiona and Marcus remain shadowy figures for much longer and, along with Lilla, drives the plot forward with the potential for damage and the promise of conflict. The story moves along at a brisk pace and has some interesting twists and surprises, as well as some predictable elements.

Intriguing and entertaining with richly drawn characters, SWEET DAMAGE is more of a psychological tale than a traditional thriller or chiller, but makes for a good winter's read nonetheless.