What starts out as a fun weekend away for a quartet of couples turns into something far darker in THE ASTROLOGY HOUSE. Carinn Jade’s debut novel is a page-turning, gothic-tinged drama set in an old house complete with concealed rooms, hidden doors, strange noises and plenty of secrets.

Rini has turned her years of studying astrology and her background in the service industry into a thriving career as a B&B entrepreneur. Together with her sister, Andi, she’s transformed the rundown Long Island mansion they inherited into an Instagram-worthy vacation destination. Guests at Stars Harbor Astrological Retreat don’t just relax waterside with a glass of wine from a local vineyard. They also enjoy a catered astrological dinner, individual readings, couples compatibility readings, and even “astro-smoothies” at breakfast.

"Carinn Jade’s debut novel is a page-turning, gothic-tinged drama set in an old house complete with concealed rooms, hidden doors, strange noises and plenty of secrets."

For Margot, a type-A lawyer struggling with infertility, a weekend at Stars Harbor is just what she needs. When a weekend booking unexpectedly opens up thanks to a cancellation, she snaps it up, convinced that fate has brought her and her investment banker husband, Ted, to the retreat. Joining them are Margot’s older brother, Adam, and his momfluencer wife, Aimee; Aimee’s close friend, Farah, an OB-GYN, and her politician husband, Joe; and Ted’s coworker, Rick, and his wife, Eden, a wellness influencer.

Margot is a true believer in Rini’s astrological talents. Others in the group are more skeptical. But the enigmatic Rini herself is no charlatan. Her belief that the stars hold the key to understanding a person’s past and clues to seeing their future is genuine. But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t believe in free will. This weekend will test her ability to shape events that she believes have been preordained. It’s no accident that Margot’s group has arrived at Stars Harbor, though the true nature of their connection to Rini won’t be revealed until near the book’s end.

Jade’s cast of characters ooze with privilege and problems. Margot’s failure to get pregnant has her teetering on the edge of despair, despite the support of her loving and patient husband. Orphaned as a child, she’s also emotionally enmeshed with Adam, who makes his living writing bestselling romance novels under a pseudonym. Aimee is worried about a growing distance in her marriage, while Farah is navigating growing romantic feelings for her best friend while dealing with parenting and marriage challenges of her own. The thinly sketched Eden and Rick are happily polyamorous. Or are they?

Astrology lovers will appreciate the way Jade seamlessly integrates elements of the practice into the novel, while “Astro Cheat Sheets” for each character help orient those less familiar. Readers who don’t believe in the power of the stars and planets might be turned off by references to eighth houses and Mercury retrograde. But those willing to go along for the ride will be rewarded with a twisty, drama-filled mystery that will appeal to fans of Liane Moriarty and Shari Lapena.

THE ASTROLOGY HOUSE is told in alternating viewpoints from the perspectives of Rini, Margot, Adam, Aimee and Farah. Jade slowly ratchets up the tension as she peels away each person’s carefully constructed facade. Everyone at Stars Harbor is hiding something; their secrets will be revealed by the end of the weekend, with devastating consequences. The complicated interplay between the characters provides plenty of tension, but Jade amps things up even more in the final act with a tropical storm that conveniently changes course at the last moment, stranding this toxic group of guests at Stars Harbor.

As the storm rages, distressing truths emerge, ensuring that no one walks away from this weekend unchanged.