Publication Date: July 15, 2025
1859. The village of Nomaton, Michigan.
After a reclusive childhood within the dank walls of Haggard House, Adam Bolton, at the age of eleven, is finally allowed to attend the village school, providing he obeys his mother, Sarai’s, injunction. Against all outward influence, he must: “Keep to the straight and narrow.” An easy bidding, until Adam meets Penny, his bright-eyed, bright-spirited classmate. Frightened of the consequences their friendship threatens, Adam builds another Haggard House—only this one in his mind—and keeps Penny there, safe from his zealot mother; safe from himself.
Only, secrets, Adam ought to know, belong to God. Restless and heartsore, Adam’s narrow path suddenly widens. Now a young man, he finds himself traveling West, meeting the world for the first time, a difficult place to keep promises.
Burning with the flame of free will, Adam can no longer restrain himself from the woman he loves. But as he returns to Nomaton, so does Sarai’s dark influence, and Adam is forced to face the decaying house within—a house ready to collapse at any moment.
Think of unwrapping a box only to find another wrapped box inside. Each unwrapping yields yet another box until finally…
That’s an apt description for Haggard House. It’s a rather quirky sort of story, unlike anything else, which is an accomplishment courtesy of author Elisabeth Rhoads.
On the surface, something seems rather odd about the story. Grammatically astute readers will certainly note the use of subject pronouns in the place of object pronouns and a peculiar use of “were” instead of “was.”
Set in the mid-1800s in Michigan, the story unfolds through the alternating perspectives of five characters. Adam Bolton, an 11-year-old boy, serves as the primary narrator.
His mother uses religion as a weapon to keep Adam in line, isolating the young boy from anything and anyone that could possibly lead him astray. It’s not until he attends the village school and encounters a young girl named Penny that his view expands.
As the story develops, readers get a peek into the Bolton family’s past and discover clues about how his mother’s extreme views have impacted both Adam and his father. Once Adam gets older, he faces a conflict between love and the lessons ingrained into him by his mother.
Haggard House offers a unique reading experience that brings the time period to life with memorable characters.
Elisabeth Rhoads is the author of numerous short stories. She holds a BA in Theatre and enjoys learning Japanese and fermenting foods of all types. Originally hailing from Michigan, she now lives in California with her husband. Haggard House is her debut novel.
