Bucks County Idyll — Seidman J. Robert

From the author of One Smart Indian and Moments Captured comes the frightful story of a couple paid to occupy a mansion in order to discourage a possible burglary as they realize what was supposed to be a month-long vacation may turn out to be a much darker agreement. When Nick Young and Stephanie Harold are offered a monthly stipend and a year-long stay in a magnificent house on a country estate in the farmland of Bucks County, it is an offer they can’t refuse. A well-stocked wine cellar, a beautiful pool, luxury amenities, and one of the finest art collections in the country are theirs for the time, as long as they agree that one person will always be present in the house. Dismissing the request as upper-class paranoia, Nick and Stephanie find themselves living in a museum-like estate. But as they learn more about the sculptures and paintings that surround them, they become frightened and annoyed at the power the objects have over them. When Nick discovers evidence of a prowler, he begins to monitor the property nightly, developing an obsession to catch the intruder fueled by an urge to prove himself as Stephanie’s protector. Drawn deeper into the intriguing mystery of the house and its priceless art, Stephanie and Nick see aspects of each other that they had never seen before, finding themselves in a nightmarish test of their wits and stamina that threatens not only their relationship but also their lives.