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House of the Rising Sun by K'wan
Published by Akashic Books on May 5, 2026
Genres: Black & African American Mystery Thriller and Suspense, Black & African American Urban Fiction, Organized Crime Thrillers
Pages: 200
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When Artie Howell moves with his wife back to her sleepy hometown, he must protect their son Nicky from the skeletons coming out of the closets from both of their pasts
WHEN THE HOWELL FAMILY MOVES INTO A HOUSE on Heckler Lane, it causes quite a stir around the small town of Sunny Cove, Pennsylvania. Elise Howell, a well-known cardio surgeon, has returned home after fifteen years to fill her recently deceased mother’s position at Sunny Cove General Hospital. In a town this size, it’s big news. But it’s Elise’s new husband, Artie, who has the whole town talking.
Artie Howell is a man who always seems to be wearing a smile. He’s an accomplished crime fiction writer, a soccer dad to their young son Nicky, and he volunteers his weekends teaching creative writing to youths in the local detention center. When they first arrived at Heckler Lane, the Howells had seemed like a wholesome American family. Then came the murders.
A nun turning up missing from the Convent of St. Mary becomes the first in a string of unexplained tragedies that have befallen the town. Tragedies that all seem to be tied to scenes from Artie’s novels. The writer now finds himself as the prime suspect in an investigation that threatens to not only tear apart his family, but the entire town of Sunny Cove.
House of the Rising Sun by K’wan was one of those books where I intentionally avoided reading the synopsis because I wanted every twist, reveal, and moment of suspicion to unfold naturally as I read, and I honestly think that made the experience even better.
K’wan delivers a psychological thriller that constantly blurs the lines between fiction and reality. The idea of a crime writer finding himself connected to murders that mirror scenes from his own books was such an unsettling setup, and the story keeps playing with that tension from beginning to end.
On the surface, Sunny Cove feels like one of those quiet towns where everybody smiles, waves, and knows your business, but underneath all of that is paranoia, buried secrets, and the feeling that people are hiding far more than what appears to the naked eye. The story slowly pulls readers into that tension and keeps tightening its grip chapter by chapter.
At just over 200 pages, this fast-paced read kept me engaged. Listening to the audiobook heightened the story’s intensity, making some moments feel cinematic.
There were a few secondary characters and storylines that felt like there was still more left to uncover, but honestly, with the way this book ended, that may very well be intentional. The cliffhanger made it clear this story is far from over, and I definitely can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
Recommended Reading
Reviewed by: Orsayor
