Haunting Adeline

AN INSTANT NYT BESTSELLER, USA TODAY BESTSELLER, AND AMAZON TOP 5 BESTSELLER!

“I’ve chased you across time and space, and you’ve never been able to get away.”

For Adeline Reilly, moving back to Seattle was supposed to be the perfect fresh start. With her flourishing career as an author, and the inheritance of her late grandmother’s gothic mansion, there is nothing to stand in her way.

But Adeline isn’t alone in Parson’s Manor.

It isn’t the angry souls haunting the hallways of her childhood home that Adeline fears–it’s the mysterious break-ins, roses appearing, and threatening messages that somehow sound more like eerie promises.

Adeline has a stalker.

Yet, she quickly discovers she’s not the first person in her family to fall victim to a shadow in pursuit.

Left behind are her great-grandmother’s haunting journals detailing the story of her own phantom, and subsequently, her brutal murder.

Parson’s Manor now holds more than just Adeline’s memories—it houses a grim future that could lead to history repeating itself.

If she doesn’t fall in love with her stalker first.

H. D. Carlton is a New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author. Her books have been translated into 25 languages with over 12 million copies sold worldwide. She lives in Oregon with her husband, two dogs, cat, and Bigfoot. When she’s not bathing in the tears of her readers, she’s watching paranormal shows and wishing she was a mermaid. Her favorite characters are of the morally gray variety and believes that everyone should check their sanity at the door before diving into her stories.

“The dark and sensual allure of becoming the target of one man's dangerous obsession is on graphically raw display in this compelling read.” ―Zoe Blake, USA Today bestselling author of the romantic suspense saga The Cavalieri Billionaire Legacy

“Haunting Adeline is a dark, riveting tale, that creeps into your mind and stays with you for days after. If you're a fan of ANYTHING dark then this book is a MUST read!! H. D. brings the grit, the steam, and did I mention STEAM?! I need my own personal Zade!!” ―Josi Beck, USA Today bestselling author

“This book was everything I have ever wanted in a stalker romance. The suspense, the mystery, the multitude of emotions. It pulled me in a million different directions, each one even better than the last.” ―Marie Ann, author

Haunting Adeline by H. D. Carlton is a dark romance that blends psychological suspense, mystery, and obsession into a story that constantly blurs the line between fear and attraction. The novel follows Adeline Reilly, a successful author who inherits her late grandmother’s Gothic mansion after her death. The house is beautiful but unsettling, filled with hidden passages, old journals, and whispers of a tragic family history. While settling into her new home, Adeline learns about the mysterious disappearance of her great-grandmother, Gigi, whose story has remained unsolved for decades. As she explores the mansion and reads Gigi’s diary, she begins uncovering secrets that have been buried for generations.

Not long after moving into the house, Adeline realizes she is not alone. Someone has been watching her from the shadows. At first, the signs are subtle—objects mysteriously moved, windows left open, and the constant feeling that someone is nearby. Eventually, the stranger reveals himself in unexpected ways, leaving roses, handwritten messages, and signs that he has been inside her home without permission. Although terrified, Adeline cannot deny the strange curiosity she feels about the mysterious man who seems to know everything about her.

The man stalking her is Zade Meadows, a powerful and highly skilled vigilante who secretly leads an organization dedicated to rescuing women and children from human trafficking and bringing dangerous criminals to justice. While publicly known as a wealthy businessman and philanthropist, Zade operates in the shadows, using illegal methods to dismantle criminal networks that law enforcement cannot reach. His work has made him both feared and respected, but his obsession with Adeline becomes deeply personal. He has watched her for months and believes they are destined to be together, even if his methods are disturbing and morally questionable.

Adeline initially resists Zade’s advances and is horrified by his invasive behavior. She repeatedly demands that he leave her alone, but Zade refuses to disappear. Their encounters are filled with tension, arguments, and an undeniable attraction that confuses Adeline as much as it frightens her. Over time, she discovers that beneath his cold and intimidating exterior is a man driven by a strict personal code. Although he is ruthless toward criminals, he never harms innocent people, and his dangerous lifestyle exists largely because of his mission to protect vulnerable victims.

Meanwhile, Adeline continues investigating her family’s past through Gigi’s diary. The diary tells the heartbreaking story of a young woman who also believed someone was watching her many years earlier. As Gigi fell in love, she eventually found herself caught in a web of manipulation, violence, and betrayal that ended with her mysterious disappearance. Adeline notices eerie similarities between Gigi’s experiences and her own life, making her question whether history is repeating itself. The deeper she digs into the mystery, the more she realizes that powerful people have been hiding the truth for decades.

As Adeline and Zade spend more time together, their relationship becomes increasingly complicated. She begins to see another side of him beyond the obsessive stalker who invaded her privacy. Zade protects her from real dangers she never knew existed, and Adeline gradually understands that she has become the target of individuals connected to criminal organizations. Although she continues to struggle with the morality of his actions, she also recognizes that his feelings for her are genuine, even if they are expressed in deeply unhealthy ways. Their relationship develops through emotional conflict, intense attraction, and repeated tests of trust, forcing Adeline to confront her own fears and desires.

Outside their complicated romance, the novel shines a light on the horrifying reality of human trafficking. Zade and his organization conduct dangerous missions to rescue kidnapped women and children while exposing influential people involved in these crimes. These operations reveal the brutality of the criminal networks they fight and demonstrate the emotional toll that this work takes on everyone involved. The contrast between Zade’s compassion for victims and his merciless treatment of criminals adds complexity to his character, making him neither a traditional hero nor a simple villain.

As Adeline uncovers more about Gigi’s disappearance, she realizes that the mystery is closely connected to the present. Hidden secrets within the mansion, forgotten documents, and long-buried betrayals gradually expose what really happened decades earlier. The truth reveals how abuse of power, corruption, and violence destroyed lives across generations. Adeline comes to understand that her great-grandmother’s fate was shaped by the same darkness that continues to threaten people today.

The danger surrounding Adeline grows steadily throughout the story. Her investigation attracts unwanted attention, and enemies connected to trafficking organizations begin viewing her as a threat. Zade becomes even more protective, using every resource available to keep her safe. Together they face increasingly dangerous situations that test both their courage and their complicated relationship. While Adeline becomes stronger and more determined, she also realizes that surviving requires accepting difficult truths about both the world around her and the man she has allowed into her life.

By the end of the novel, many of the mysteries surrounding Gigi’s story are brought to light, though not every question is fully answered. Adeline gains a clearer understanding of her family’s past and emerges more confident after confronting the darkness surrounding her inheritance. At the same time, Zade’s battle against human trafficking continues, reminding readers that the fight is far from over. Their relationship remains passionate but complicated, built on trust that has been painfully earned rather than freely given.

The novel concludes with major developments that resolve some immediate conflicts while introducing new threats that set the stage for the sequel. Adeline and Zade’s story is far from finished, and the ending leaves readers anticipating the next chapter in their journey.

Haunting Adeline is ultimately a story about obsession, trauma, survival, and the lasting effects of violence. It combines romance, suspense, mystery, and action into a fast-paced narrative that explores both the darkest and most resilient parts of human nature. While the relationship at its center is intentionally controversial and morally complex, the novel also emphasizes themes of courage, healing, and fighting against exploitation. Its atmospheric setting, emotionally intense characters, and shocking twists have made it one of the most widely discussed dark romance novels in recent years.