Bound and Unbound: A paranormal novella duology
Ali Hazelwood
The Two Deaths of Lillian Carmichael: A Novel
by Paulette Kennedy
About this book
A young woman, perceived dead, plots to reinvent herself in a gripping historical gothic about secrets, superstition, and murder by the bestselling author of The Devil and Mrs. Davenport.
South Carolina, 1853. Lillian Carmichael, privileged daughter of a disgraced Charleston family, is due to be hanged for the murder of her sister when fate gives her a second chance at life.
After a catatonic episode on the long walk to the gallows, Lillian is declared dead and entombed in the family mausoleum. She awakens days later, buried alive, and flees to the Lowcountry marshes to survive on her wits and reinvent herself. All the while, a series of exsanguination murders holds the terrorized city in thrall—as do the superstitions that the vanished Lillian is some craven creature, resurrected and out for blood.
Lillian finds sanctuary in a crumbling former plantation and a friend in Kate O’Malley, a charismatic actress adept at fashioning new identities. The two form an intimate and powerful alliance, but as the body count rises, the manhunt for Lillian reaches a fever pitch. It will take both women’s cunning for her to escape the gallows again, and to find her freedom, Lillian must first cross paths with the real killer and confront her own family’s deepest, darkest secret.
- Publication Date
- May 25, 2026
- ASIN
- B0FNRWSQS7
Reader Reviews
April 12, 2026
The first chapter of this book reached out and grabbed me by the throat. What could be more compelling than a young woman in jail, hours away from being executed for murdering her sister--a crime she did not commit? What excites me just as much is the Southern Gothic atmosphere. You will smell the same smells as Lillian, hear the same things, and feel the same fear and grief. Kennedy is highly skilled at immersing a reader in the time and place of the novel, in this case, South Carolina, 1853....
April 12, 2026
March 18, 2026
I do love stories with a gothic vibe, and there is just something about Paulette Kennedy's writing that is extremely atmospheric. The premise of her newest story The Two Deaths Of Lillian Carmichael sounded absolutely fascinating, and I loved the sound of that 1853 South Carolina setting as well. I've been looking forward to pick it up, and I what I can say is that it definitely satisfied my southern gothic craving! Dark, atmospheric and beautifully written; this book has only put this author...
May 19, 2026
The graphic lesbian sex scenes practically in the middle of the book really made me mad because it was a good book up until then & I had to skip over so much filth that it kind of ruined the rest of the book for me. WHY did you have to put those parts in there?😡 )
April 20, 2026
Another winning novel by Paulette Kennedy! The Two Deaths of Lillian Carmichael was beautifully written with lush prose that fully immerses the reader in the gothic setting. I was hooked immediately by Lillian's story, and her journey kept me turning pages, as did the mystery surrounding the killer's identity. This was the perfect mix of swoons and twists, and another 5-star read from a phenomenal author! ) One person found this helpful
