It suddenly came to me; that I’ve never talked about this book at length. I was talking to one of my friends who's a good novel author and he was asking for book recs, which included dark romance,like really really dark. I gave him a lot of recommendations and then one that held my ear down a bit was Haunting Adeline. It’s been two years since I read the book and for some reasons, it still had that presence. Haunting Adeline didn’t impress me, I did not get the hype when it was trending on bookstagram and booktok but I loved the character, even though it is a difficult task to pick out who isn’t psychotic and stupid in the whole book.
And now, I’d like you to go with me on a quick dive into Haunting Adeline, its concept, plot, characters and writing style. I do this a lot but sometimes, I do not think I do it a lot. I am grateful for books, for the ability to express oneself and bleed on paper, for the endless worlds given to us to just dive in, without being physically affected. I am grateful for it all. But that’s beside what I was about to say a moment ago. What tense do you prefer? Do you prefer reading a book in the present tense or past tense? If I am to answer that question; I don’t think I know, they both overlap each other and when you’ve been submerged under the story’s plot, you don’t know the difference. I’ve read a ton of books, written in both styles and yes, the present tense can be a bit weird at first but it hits better when it comes to feeling things the characters are feeling. In a way, it is like you are there at that moment, you can be sad, be afraid, be disgusted, be loved, in a much more intense way than the present tense.
Haunting Adeline, yes, that's what we’re here for. Haunting Adeline is part of the Cat and mouse duet book series. This book series is made of just two books; the first one being Haunting Adeline and also being Haunting Adeline. Although, I did see something new some days back from good reads. The series has a bunch of build up books(novellas) in it. I didn’t read that though, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t but it doesn't change the story plot or keeps you in the dark or anything. Phantom, Satan’s Affair, Haunting Adeline I, Haunting Adeline II, Where’s Molly?
The cat and mouse duet is a book series written by HD Carlton and it revolves around Adeline. Adeline Reilly inherits her grandmother’s sprawling Victorian mansion, Parsons Manor, and immediately feels the weight of its dark history pressing down on her. The house whispers secrets through creaking floorboards and shadowed corners, and as she explores dusty rooms filled with antiques, she discovers old photographs and diary entries that reveal her grandmother Gigi’s passionate, dangerous love affair from decades past.
Strange things begin happening almost immediately. Roses appear on her doorstep, gifts materialize in locked rooms, and Adeline feels eyes watching her every move. The sensation crawls under her skin, making her question whether the isolation is driving her mad or if something far more sinister is at play. The truth is both terrifying and intoxicating: Zade Meadows has been watching her, learning her routines, studying every detail of her life with an intensity that borders on worship.
Zade isn’t just any stalker though. By night, he’s a vigilante who hunts human traffickers and pedophiles, delivering brutal justice to those who prey on the innocent. His methods are merciless, his dedication absolute, and his obsession with Adeline consumes him completely. He leaves her notes, breaks into her home, and slowly begins inserting himself into her world whether she wants him there or not.
What disturbs Adeline most isn’t just Zade’s presence, but how her body responds to his attention. Fear mingles with arousal in ways that shame and confuse her. The parallels between her situation and her grandmother’s mysterious romance become impossible to ignore, as if the house itself is orchestrating history’s repetition.
The cat and mouse game between them escalates when Adeline discovers Zade’s true identity and the extent of his vigilante activities.This should be where the series got its name. He’s horrified by his capacity for violence, yet drawn to his unwavering protection of the innocent. The moral complexity tears at her, especially when she realizes she’s falling for a man who could destroy her completely.
Everything changes when Adeline gets pulled directly into Zade’s world of shadows and blood. A powerful trafficking ring discovers Zade’s interference in their operations, and they target the one thing they know will break him: Adeline. The psychological warfare becomes physical as dangerous men close in around them both.
Zade’s desperation to find her consumes him entirely. His vigilante network mobilizes, his methods become even more brutal, and his sanity begins fracturing under the weight of losing the woman who became his entire world. The hunt for Adeline reveals the trafficking ring’s massive scope, reaching into the highest levels of society and government. They finally reunite after it all, but they are both damaged and would need some time trying to figure themselves out again.
The mansion that started it all becomes their sanctuary as they work together to bring down the remaining members of the trafficking network. Gigi’s love story finally makes sense as a blueprint for loving someone dangerous, someone capable of both devotion and destruction. Although, this entirely didn’t make sense, it made the story sound thrilling in the book one and it was like a dead sub plot. The only thing I see it did was to add a bit of thriller to the book and it worked, it worked well.
Shpuld I rate it? I forgot to add, that some things in this book can be really intense, frightening even and very dark. Some questionable, immoral and things they might make you throw the book away are in those book pages. And now, I sound like I’m saying something scary, aren’t I?
Anyways, thanks for reading and it’s an okay good, to say the least.
Image created using Canva
