Elisabeth Rhoads, "Haggard House" (Bodger Books, 2025)

New Books in Literature · Jul 28, 2026 · 21m

It’s the 19th century, and a village in northern Michigan is the setting for Adam Bolton’s strange, decrepit house, called Haggard House by the community. He’s eleven, and his strictly religious mother only allows him to attend the village school after he promises not to be friendly with the other children. They’re heathens, she tells him. Adam builds an imaginary house in his mind, so when he meets a little girl who likes him, he can imagine her there. His father is a respected carpenter who leads a sad life because of Adam’s over-pious, angry and bitter mother. As a young man Adam escapes…