Beneath Beauford Grove

by E. Denise Billups, Virginia Ferguson (Narrator)

For fans of Anne Rice's 'The Witching Hour', Silvia Moreno-Garcia's 'Mexican Gothic', and Tananarive Due's 'The Good House'

The curse flows through her veins, but so does the cure.

Dr. Evangeline Beauford thought blood held no secrets from her.
As one of Boston's leading hematologists, she's dedicated her career to studying blood's mysteries—until a posthumous letter from her estranged sister draws her back to Beauford Grove after eighteen years away.

The family's olive plantation shouldn't exist in Alabama soil. The trees shouldn't weep crimson sap. And her own family's blood work shouldn't show impossible anomalies that her scientific mind can't explain.

But as Evangeline uncovers centuries-old diaries hidden in the grove, she learns the devastating her mother didn't send her away out of rejection—it was protection from a sinister blood pact forged between French colonists and enslaved practitioners of powerful African and Haitian magic.

The plantation's unnatural prosperity came at a price paid in blood and bound both bloodlines to the land through ancient rituals. Now, with the pact demanding its due, Evangeline must confront her family's dark legacy and her own dormant power.

Her medical expertise may be the key to breaking the cycle—or the final sacrifice it demands.

Genres: Horror

Audible Audio

Published December 18, 2025

About the author

E. Denise Billups is an American author born in rural Alabama, raised in New York City, formed by a multicultural environment. Previously a Wall Street Portfolio Analyst, Denise now writes haunting paranormal mysteries, suspense, and thrillers. The rigors of ballet shaped her childhood and earlier years — a discipline she carried into her writing. Today, Denise lives in New York City, where she’s a fitness fanatic by morning, a writer by day, and an avid reader during her free time. When she’s not penning her next thriller, she’s lost in the pages of a book, indulging her passion for literature or surrounding herself with friends and family. For more insight into Denise’s world of fiction, visit her website at edenisebillups.com.

Reviews

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beneath Beauford Grove is the latest paranormal suspense novel from E. Denise Billups, an author whose work I've been reading for close to a decade. Often magical, always ethereal, the plots and characters are vivid and memorable. In this release, Evangeline returns home upon learning her sister has passed away, to find a path forward for her grief and the family olive tree farm and business. Trees that made them wealthy yet tragically bound to the past. As she settles in, things seem strangely familiar and unfamiliar all at the same time. Former friends and neighbors tell tales. Memories rise to the surface. Why was Evangeline sent away at such a young age?

Told across many centuries, the enigmatic blood of this family runs deep and connected to the lands. Powerful curses and promises wreak havoc on the men and women who came before Evangeline, but why? It begins with indentured servitude, slavery, and abuse. But it also begins with love. As the story unfolds, readers begin to immerse themselves in the oddities transcending all around the main character, yet it's hard to accept how generations tried but failed to break the curse. Miscarriages. Still births. Then a strong female child survives. Will the newest potential victim, Evangeline, be the woman who can finally succeed?

Ripe with tension, a bit of romance, and tons of suspense, the pages are quick and impactful. Billups always blends that fine line of reality and imagination, but what she consistently delivers on is those exceptional details that cause you to feel like part of the story, not just a watcher from the sidelines. Darkness and light balance the heavy storyline, but it's the ghostly haunting beneath the surface that enlighten the words. Can't wait to see what she writes next!

[Tiffany aka Chai Tea And Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a slow burn type of thriller, where you just have dread building up the whole time you are reading but you can’t look away. This was a great blend of science and magic, the paranormal and the normal threats adding up to a big ball of nope. It did take some time to get going, but it had to explain not only the paranormal side of things, but the blend as well. I did enjoy the flashbacks to the main character’s prior generations to help figure out what exactly she was up against.

Eva was sent from her home over a decade ago to live with her aunt in Boston. She has studied hard and become a hematologist. Considering her family’s legacy is blood magic, she wanted to figure out what exactly happens. And her blood? Not only has markers that shouldn’t be possible, but it healed Sophie, the child she is adopting who they couldn’t figure out how to save when she did an unsanctioned transfusion in desperation. But something else has gotten into Sophie with her blood. Sophie is seeing and drawing things she shouldn’t… couldn’t know. So Eva is going to have to go back home to save Sophie from the curse that comes with the blood magic in her family.

Thank you to Henry Roi PR for the copy, all thoughts are my own.

[Alexis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This genre-defying novel has a mix of everything. There’s mystery, suspense, science, magic, supernatural, and a hint of romance. It’s a roller coaster of a ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat. At its heart, it’s a story of family history and obligations that span generations.

The delicate balance between modern medicine and ancient ritual is flawless. Even though the story consists of supernatural aspects, the overarching theme of the struggle between deep-rooted family obligations and doing what feels right in your heart is easily applied to real life.

Eva, the main character, is likable and relatable. I quickly fell into her story and was rooting for her until the end. I especially loved the journal entries scattered throughout. They provided a deeper look into past generations and played a major role in understanding Eva’s family history.

Billups spins a beautiful, but haunting tale with lovely writing filled with vivid descriptions that made you feel a part of the landscape. The grove and town itself were effectively portrayed, creating an eerie and unsettling setting.

The one thing I struggled with, especially toward the end, was keeping all the storylines and characters straight from the family’s past.

I am fully invested in Eva’s future and can’t wait for the next chapter!

Thank you to the author for providing a free ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Angel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Medical science meets paranormal in this story, which was my favorite aspect of this book! When a leading hematologist returns home to her family’s Alabama olive grove (which itself defies logic) centuries of history collide with modern medicine and a bloodborne curse. Can science help break a curse? Can magic within her blood work miracles? I was asking myself questions and changing my mind about the answers with every chapter.

This story was chilling, gothic, and left me wanting more. The tension never lets up, and the complex mystery of the true evil stalking Eva’s family, from freedom into slavery and behind, is unveiled at a perfect pace.

Who can she trust? The deeply woven generational relationships in this community complicate her efforts to understand what’s happening. I’m not sure anyone really understood the whole story, or was ever entirely honest. Somehow, in spite of that, I loved all of these characters. In their ways they all wanted the same thing: safety.

Cousin Laurel shares a warning, “‘Some family histories,’ she’d said while steeping her special tea, ‘are better left unwritten.’”

Well, I am so glad Denise Billups chose to write this fabulous family horror story, and to have the chance to review it with the HenryRoi Black Tide book tour. This book is perfect for people who love dark stories with complicated relationships, ancient evil, curses, and unique plots that blend and defy common tropes.

[Bibiana Krall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beneath Beauford Grove is a haunting, finely-wrought tale from E. Denise Billups, an author whose work continues to evoke a rare blend of atmosphere and ancestral weight.

In this haunting Southern Gothic, Evangeline returns to her family’s Alabama estate after her sister’s death, only to find herself entangled in a legacy as deep and tangled as the roots of the olive trees that once made them wealthy.

Ms. Billups draws from Southern soil with reverence and honesty, capturing the beauty, pain, and complexity of a place often misunderstood. Her imagery of Alabama is not caricature, but inheritance: layered, lyrical, and alive with memory.

Spanning generations, the story unfolds in whispers, of curses, love, silence, and survival. It is as much a meditation on what we carry as it is a mystery to unravel.

Author Billups writes with grace and precision, moving between past and present, myth and reality, in a way that feels both grounded and otherworldly. The result is a modern novel that lingers, not just in the mind, but in the blood. I have read every book this aurhor has written and I cannot say enough how much I enjoyed this novel. If you love Southern Gothic literature, put this one on your list.

Oh and before I forget to mention it, the interior is drop-dead gorgeous!

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was hooked from the cover and description, it had that element that I wanted and enjoyed in the Gothic horror element that was going on. I was invested in what was happening and how the story worked in the genre. The characters were so well written and had that feel that I was looking for and had that spirit for the world and plot of the book. It was a strong start to the Beneath Beauford Grove series and had that overall opening chapter that I was looking for. E. Denise Billups wrote this so well and left me wanting to read more in this series as it was everything that I wanted.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Emmeline Everdeen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! Another fantastic story by one or my favorite authors. Billups has an ability to transport a reader into her stories, you feel the story take hold and surround you. Beneath Beauford Grove was a shinning example of this gift.

I love a story with a supernatural essence, steeped in ancestral roots that takes you through an experience you would never have, except in a book. This book definitely delivered!

The characters are fantastic and the MC is strong and relatable. The ancestral characters are woven in perfectly, fitting pieces of the puzzle into place. The journals were my favorite, as they gave you intimate glimpses into the past.

The plot grabbed me early, the mix of ancient magic and modern science. I loved how Eva approached everything with the dual mindset. And the Grove, along with the town, was such an eerie and intriguing setting, the hidden secrets it keeps, waiting to be explored.

I highly recommend all of Billups work and if you like a good story with a gothic vibe and full of old magic this book is a must read! Already excited for the next book!!

[Joey Madia · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly four years since I reviewed E. Denise Billups’s Civil War/modern era ghost story Tainted Harvest. Since that time, the author has written two more books in the series and fourteen overall.
I’m delighted to have the opportunity to read and review her latest.
Similar to Tainted Harvest, this book, Beneath Beauford Grove, is also a ghost story, although with significant additional paranormal and horror elements. It takes place in multiple timelines in three locations—Haiti (not long after the slave rebellion that gave Saint-Domingue its independence from France and a new name), the fictional Beauford Grove in Alabama (in the 1800s and forward to the present), and modern-day Boston. It’s in Boston that the book opens, where the protagonist, Evangeline (Eva), is a hematologist struggling with a desperate pediatric case that calls for equally desperate decisions.
The story unfolds primarily in third-person present. Some readers find this disconcerting, although it’s a choice that suits this particular work quite well, given that the novel moves through timelines and multiple character perspectives through the use of first-person present through diaries, letters, and an assortment of documents. The traditional third-person past would have made the transitions less smooth, and the fluidity of the frequent shifts in the timeline is one of the novel’s major strengths.
The book itself is visually appealing, with enriching graphics in red and black used for chapter titles.
Eva’s chosen profession is anything but arbitrary. Themes of blood and land (blood and olives) gird and drive the narrative, related to generations of Haitian and Creole women versed in the dangerous arts of blood magic and crossroads contracts. The Haitian rebellion and Southern plantation make physical, emotional, and psychological slavery and servitude ever-present spectres. Keys and ciphers are another prevalent theme—maps, chemical compositions, landscape layouts, architecture, and even birthmarks and other bodily patterns reinforce and broaden the central theme.
I was not far into the novel when I realized it is very much in the tradition of Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches trilogy and the further Mayfair books that merged with the world of the (in)famous vampire Lestat. If you loved those books and lament that there will be no more with Rice’s passing, you’ll welcome the evocative and sensual descriptive/immersive prose of Beneath Beauford Grove. While, like its predecessors, it melds spirituality/ancient ritual and science (“and certainty” as Billups writes), an entity attached to many generations of women in a Gulf state, and a driven scientist protagonist, there is one major difference—Eva is infinitely more likable than Rowan Fielding/Mayfair. As for the entity, it is every bit as deceitful, ruthless, and evil as the Taltos. The price this family has paid for keeping the olive grove thriving is truly horrific in its accounting of sacrifice, manipulation, and blood.
A great strength of this Southern gothic novel is the intertwining of time, place, and character to amplify the spiritual/science nexus, manifest in the images of Celtic-like olive roots that match platelet aggregation patterns. The core themes of the novel, mirroring those of the central characters, are consistently expressed. Even the local bank traffics in blood debts and digital currency.
The inciting incident, a letter tied to an impending death (which is compelling, classical, and clean) conjures questions of the futility of attempting to escape one’s destiny. The deep blood bonds and inheritance of a cursed/infested place are similar to those in Stephen King’s short story “Jerusalem’s Lot” and the television adaptation with Adrian Brody, Chapelwaite (New England Gothic).
These are potent narrative formulas and Billups makes the very most of them.
Supporting the themes and locations are an interesting array of characters, the vast majority of which are drawn inexorably up and into the fate of the olive groves and the women who sacrifice to keep them, and the town, thriving. There is layer upon layer (like rich, loamy soil) of metaphor and meaning at work here. Like in the stories of Master Poe, many of the characters are delightfully untrustworthy. One in particular, who is constantly offering a variety of beverages to Eva, called to mind the conniving neighbor played so beautifully by Ruth Gordon in Rosemary’s Baby (Manhattan Gothic). Throughout, Billups brings these characters to life with dialect and healthy sprinklings of Creole, expertly contextualized or organically translated. She’s also versed in Vodou (and although unstated, the related practice of Obeah), including legbas, the nature of crossroads, the mixing of potions with plants and herbs, and grimoires.
With multiple timelines and character voices to manage, Billups has employed a variety of techniques to deliver information. A beautifully rendered grimoire is one of several examples, which also include diaries and letters. House and grove staff speak freely of history and legend, and there are the requisite whispered conversations between conspirators.
Like the olive grove, the family home is encoded. The nursery, a forbidden wing, a root cellar, and several bedrooms offer clues to the larger story. Eva also gleans information from visits to the town cemetery (where the Beauford women have buried all of their prematurely deceased husbands) and that bastion of data in any mystery thriller, the local café.
In the end, this Southern Gothic masterwork is a love story as deep and intertwined as the soil and trees of the grove. Do we have the right to bargain away future generations’ lives and freedom of choice for our own immediate, egocentric needs? What price do we put on the lives and futures of our loved ones? How many secrets can we bear? In myriad sectors of life on this planet, from macro to micro, the outcomes of these choices have been dire.
Billups, while entertaining us, gives us much about which to think.
Beneath Beauford Grove is not the end of the story for Eva, the entity, or the engaging assortment of supporting characters that enrich and enliven this novel. If you’d like a taste of what’s to come, Billups offers interested readers several pages of the sequel.

[SHARON · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Eva (Evangeline) Beauford is a hematologist at Boston Mass General Hospital. She’s made it her mission to save people who have potentially deadly diseases of the blood. This is something she knows only too much about. Her familial line carries a blood curse that has endured for generations on her family’s estate in Alabama. She is the next generation in line to come under the curse, and she wants none of it. She is a woman of science and determined to end the destruction that has plagued the firstborn girl of each generation since the 1800s.

Beneath Beauford Grove by E. Denise Billups brings science and blood magic into a family saga with all the swagger of Don King leading two champions into the ring. What a fight this should be.

As family histories go, this one’s got all the earmarks of a good thriller, as a young girl and her parents, wealthy plantation owners in Saint-Dominigue, set sail for American shores in the early 1800s to escape an entity that has taken over their plantation. Sadly, since the family is dark-skinned, her parents are killed and thrown overboard, and young Celestine is sold into the slave market when the boat reaches New Orleans.

As if Celestine’s short life hadn’t been harsh enough, it doesn’t take long to realize that the entity has followed her to the new lands, for it is bound by blood, not land. Her blood has an amazing ability to heal and to produce excellent yields of the crops. Thus, through a bizarre series of circumstances, she finds herself no longer a slave, but the matriarch of a long line of cursed women to come. Women who will bear the heavy weight of success on the plantation and throughout the town. The plantation has switched from the traditional cotton and sugarcane crops and is now the only supplier in the area for olives; from trees that shouldn’t be thriving in the red clay of Alabama.

But I’ll let you catch up on all the past history of Beauford Estate when you read the book. It’s really the present that’s most alarming. Because Eva can no longer hide in Boston and pretend to ignore the call of the groves. She must return to the olive trees that have a hold on her. Especially now that she is the only surviving member of the family. She’s just discovered that her sister Solange has mysteriously died because of the cursed olive grove. Eva must return and attempt to end this dreaded curse without destroying the grove, the workers, and the town that thrives because of The Olive and Vine Colony.

There’s so much here to unpack, and simply not enough time to do it. After all, it seems like a crazy idea to me to write a book about a blood curse that has extended for generations, into the 21st century, and still demands its price. But Ms. Billups has woven the ages and generations together in a way that allows both mysticism and science to intertwine. Only one woman has the knowledge, skill, and ability to bring this curse down. But it seems Eva is going to have to face down evil from every corner, even those she considered lifelong friends. As she sets her feet back on the soil of her ancestors, she realizes she can’t trust anyone.

Eva is a dynamic character, and quite likable. She is smart, confident, and determined to bring this madness to an end. There is no room for such things in her scientific world. But she soon learns she can’t ignore the old ways- she must knit her knowledge of past and present together to create a solution. But will it be strong enough, and will it be in time?

Billups has created a fine cast of characters to carry the plotline forward. Through flashbacks, we get to know her sister, Solange, and the boy Rafe, who they played with as children. Celestine, the original woman cursed, holds her own in this tale as well. But for all the richness of the characters, it’s easy to find comfort in the man young Rafe has now become. He, like Eva, wants nothing to do with a blood curse. But he has also been tied to it since birth, and, as with Eva, has tried his best to stay away from the estate altogether.

Readers will find themes of family sacrifice, loyalty, duty, and revenge in this novel. While this falls squarely into the genre of gothic horror, it feels like a supernatural thriller as well. There is also a place for romance here, as well as the strength of those who must become the unwilling heroes to break this generational curse. Readers can look for symbolism in the broody Spanish moss that adds atmosphere and mystery to the estate, as well as the heavy symbolic nature of the blood used in sacrifice. “…Spanish moss hangs from the live oaks, while a mockingbird calls beyond.” The clingy decay and predatory nature of the South’s most prominent contradiction evoke the curse, as the mockingbird hints that a new voice might be coming to break the generational silence and speak up for those oppressed. The olive grove itself speaks to the unnatural interloper—one who should not thrive here. The author is excellent at casting a broad net of sensory experiences through her scenes. Not only do visual cues abound, but sounds and smells are often prevalent as well.

I found myself thoroughly enjoying this tale — one that has one foot in ancient beliefs and the other squarely planted in modern times. Emotions run high at times, and tension keeps its taut grip on the reader throughout this Southern Gothic beauty. Billups’ pacing is well done, and the buildup to the final chilling showdown is fraught with a myriad of possibilities. Yet, when dealing with an ancient blood curse, one simply can’t anticipate everything, and that will bear out as we realize Ms. Billups has more tales to tell about the magical ancient olive groves at Beauford Estate.

Readers who enjoy horror with supernatural intrigue, as well as fans of historical fiction, thrillers, family sagas, and tales of suspense will enjoy Beneath Beauford Groves by E. Denise Billups. I’m excited to have read this first book in the series and anxiously await the continuation of this intricate and visceral tale. There’s more to this, and that’s great: bring it on!

Leave A Co

[Rose Auburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Evangeline “Eva” Beauford was sent away at the age of ten by her mother without explanation from the family's olive plantation in Alabama, Beauford Grove, to live with her cousin in Boston, she felt abandoned and confused.

Eighteen years later, Eva is a successful hematologist, studying the vagaries of human blood, and her own is yielding more questions than science can answer. When she receives a mysterious posthumous letter from her sister, Solange, Eva decides to return to Beauford Grove to make sense of Solange’s strange words, her mother’s rejection, and to discover why the groves flourish so abundantly in the poor, Alabama soil…

Beneath Beauford Grove is a beautiful horror, steeped in ancestral blood magic, Southern Gothic, and dark Haitian diabolism. It’s the third book from Billups I’ve read, and although all strong, I think this might be the best, so far.

The novel opens with a Prologue, in which Eva remembers her ten-year-old self with her Grand-mère Marie deep among the olive trees at Beauford. Within a few sentences, Billups effortlessly conjures up the unnerving impression of something preternatural and antediluvian within the groves, which is connected to Eva’s blood and that of her maternal ancestors.

This disquieting sense of the unearthly is carried forward to present-day Boston, where Eva has successfully carried out a transfusion of her own blood to that of a young orphan girl, Sophie, with a deadly anemia diagnosis. Sophie improves miraculously but also begins to exhibit an unexplainable telepathy with Eva’s history at Beauford Grove.

Although the curious subplot involving Sophie runs beneath the main narrative and is pivotal toward the end, the majority of the novel is set in the fantastically imagined, chimerical world of Beauford Grove.

Billups carefully works her often quite complex story, layer by intriguing layer, using Eva’s fractured memories and disconcerting observations as she reacquaints herself with the sinister Alabama estate and discovers her ancestors' journals.

Each of Eva’s recollections is weighted with significance for her in the present, and the chapters that unfold the story of her Haitian fourth great-grandmother, Celestine, and François Beauford, are beautifully wrought and haunting to read.

Indeed, Billups's lavishly detailed and elegantly embroidered prose, which is as adroit and sinuous as the groves themselves, is spellbinding, soaked in magical realism and alive with sensuous rhythm. There is a lush, dreamlike quality to her writing that whispers compellingly to the reader, as the groves whisper to Eva.

She is a strong protagonist. The close third-person perspective that Billups uses ensures the reader feels intense immediacy with her heightened emotional state and the nightmarish, visceral manifestations that she experiences.

Additionally, there is a gripping level of unpredictability in her actions, and Billups is masterful in building nerve-shredding suspense and creeping unease, especially in Eva’s rekindled relationships with Beauford Manor’s baleful housekeeper, Ernestine, and the duplicitous Adelle, scion of the Durand family, who are obligated to serve at Beauford.

Adelle’s brother, Rafe, provides romantic interest. The attraction between him and Eva carries a strange psychological charge shot through with an undercurrent of violent eroticism which, as events progress, becomes forcefully driven by the malevolent entity to which the Beauford women are bound.

As this is the first book in a series, there is no final conclusion. Nonetheless, there is a dénouement of sorts as Billups hurtles the reader into a grotesque ritualistic tableau that has a whiff of Rosemary’s Baby about it, lending the novel a touch of fantasy and taking the narrative in a bold, unexpected direction that promises much for the second instalment.

Darkly enchanting, wondrously imaginative, and utterly chilling, Beneath Beauford Grove is another stunning work of speculative fiction from Billups. Highly recommended.

[Don Anelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the whole, this was a rather strong and effective story. Among the better attributes here is the central storyline that paints an incredibly effective setup for what’s happening. With the amount of information we’re given here about the history of the family’s bloodline and their connection to the property with how they have a near magic-like quality to control dirt, earth, and soil with just a few drops of their blood, there’s a fun setup about her and her relatives at the house that starts this off nicely. Going from that to her calling as a blood specialist makes plenty of sense, especially with how that comes into play once she returns to the house and begins looking into the past. The idea of this all hints at something happening in the gardens and other locations around the house, as it signals the burgeoning mystery that unfolds in the second half of the book.

This second half picks up immensely with the discovery of diary entries detailing how her past gets flipped around the more she looks into it. While the first half is an exploration of her past, blood-study career, and the early stages of the family curse that is explored with rather in-depth work on the history of the family’s presence at the location, that does make for a stilted experience where her interactions with everyone do well at spelling out her past, yet keep the pacing down at first. That does get fixed significantly with more secrets being revealed about why she was called back in the first place, what her presence there entails, and how the pieces come together, setting some intriguing work into play as she struggles to unravel her mother’s writings to her and what it all means.

As it gets deeper and more intriguing about how her cursed bloodline ties her to the house and the rest of the community around them, there’s some entertaining work at play, exploring how it all comes together with the immensely immersive writing. The detail and action employed here are adept at bringing a wholly thrilling experience with the in-depth way it explores the growing revelation of how her family set her up to be the next in line to perform these ritualistic means of honoring this curse, yet that also signals the main issue here. This gets somewhat complicated with the intricate writing style putting these various storylines together, where it's an overlong presentation during the middle chapters, recalling all these secrets and different factors of the story, which can make it feel somewhat overlong. Beyond this factor, though, there’s not much to hold it down.

4.5/5

[pastiesandpages - Gavin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to @booktoktours for the ebook for review.

Dr Evangeline Beauford is a hemotologist, working in Boston, and her study of blood has led her to give a dying young girl called Sophie a transfusion of her own blood which she's found to have unique properties.
She's soon to discover exactly how unique as a posthumously received letter from her sister draws her back to Beauford Grove to find out what happened and to claim her inheritance.

She's not been back to the Grove in eighteen years since her mother sent her away.
Her return starts to bring back memories of her childhood and leads her to discover why her mother took such drastic action.

The grove is in Alabama and the family business is an olive tree plantation. A tree that shouldn't be thriving on Alabama soil. But that's not all. Olive trees don't normally bleed a blood-like sap.

The story sees Eva delve into her family history which involves Haitian roots and slavery.
The Beauford family has a gift which is also a burden. A link in the blood of the first born female of each generation forms a strong bond of blood magic. The land may be fertile but at what cost?

This paranormal mystery thriller/horror is absolutely gripping. Fantastic characters, incredible atmosphere, an unpredictable plot with a great ending that also sets up for the story to be continued.

Creole and Haitian culture in the American South. Alabama gothic.

[Kiki · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Desperate attempt to reverse a curse leads to many secrets unfolding.

Thank you to E. Denise Billups and Booksirens for the ARC of this book which i received for free and im leaving this review voluntarily.

This is really 3.5 stars, but I couldnt justify giving it 4 stars.

This book took me about 25% in to get really into it. Navigating the history, the curse, and present day was a little struggle for me at first. Once I got that down, I was hooked. Eva is trying to break a family curse that has taken everyone she loves and her ancestors. We dive into the rituals and stories of her ancestors past to help figure out how she can break the curse now. For awhile I didnt like anyone Eva came in contact with when she arrived back at the Grove. To be honest, im still not sure I like anyone there, including Rafe. LOL
I think this book is good, but not something I'd rave about to everyone. I enjoyed it for what it was but I found the characters weren't lovable and the plot didnt have enough action. The most action was in the last 10% of the book. Im curious enough to read books 2 when it comes out and see if it gets better and how some characters play into the story.

[Christine Choptovy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this fantasy book that’s also grounded in science. Dr. Evangeline (Eva) Beauford is a hematologist who works in Boston, treating patients with severe blood disorders. One of her patients is a young girl named Sophie, who’s on the verge of dying. In a last chance attempt to save her, Eva (without notifying the hospital) infuses her own blood into Sophie. This action ends up saving Sophie’s life. However, Sophie starts having disturbing visions about Eva. Meanwhile, Eva is notified that her Mom has died and that she must come back home managed the family’s olive groves. Eva learns that black magic is responsible for her family’s success. Interestingly, it’s the blood of the female descendants that’s a crucial component of the “magic”. Now Eva has to see if there’s a way to rid herself of this not so nice magic. This is the first book in a series and I can’t wait to read the next book!

I received an ARC of the book and this is my personal opinion.

[Josette Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was not only beautiful; this book was amazingly written. This story combines folklore, supernatural entities, medical terminology and family curses that come alive from the opening chapter to the thrilling cliffhanger ending. Once the reader learns of the generational curse, the story takes on a whole new aspect of horror. The way the author describes how the olive branches and vines reach for Eva is not only creepy but horrifying. The words began to affect me in a way I have not felt before. I felt transported to the Beauford plantation, both the coffee and olive land. I found myself calling out to Eva when she was about enter a dangerous situation. I have always had a deep respect for any type of ritual practices. As Eva tried to find a way to break the covenant, Eva discovered so many inconsistent stories that I, too,had trouble deciding who could be trusted . I just wanted for Eva to be able to save little Sophie’s life and thrive on her plantation without fear for her descendants.i need book 2 in order to find out if the ritual worked.

[NatalieSWrightBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beneath Beauford Grove

The story begins with Eva being sent away by her mother, when she’s only 10yrs old. With no explanation, Eva leaves her Beauford Grove home, in Alabama, to the city of Boston.

18 years later, Eva is a successful hematologist, studying the vagaries of human blood. But Eva finds that her own blood is yielding more questions than her science can answer.

Following a mysterious letter from her sister, Eva decides to return home to Beauford Grove, to try to find answers. She discovers that her mother sent her away as an attempt to save her, and to break the bond between family blood and…”the entity”.

The author writes with grace and passion and moves between past and present with ease. The poetic writing style is captivating.

The setting adds a great atmosphere to the novel and the story gives you plenty of suspense, eeriness and the supernatural, giving you just enough of darkness and light.

A thrilling and exciting read, a definite page turner.

[MaRissa Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this as an ARC through BookSirens.

Firstly, this was a wonderful book with a good plot, brilliant writing, and great word building.

I will say my only complaint is I couldn’t for the life of me get into it at first. But once i understood and got that bit out of the way, I was very interested then. It just kind of felt dragged having to understand the curse, history, and present.

Other than that, I was invested then after. I loved the Gothic horror magic vibe. The characters and details were very well written, and the plot was also brilliant. Eva is a beautifully written out FMC that is trying to break a curse,

Now I am wanting more to this book, and can’t wait to see what this author writes next!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Zsa Zsa · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

I don’t usually read supernatural thrillers, but this author—whose past work I’ve truly enjoyed—made it easy to step outside my comfort zone, and I’m so glad I did.

A gripping, atmospheric blend of science and ancestral magic that hooked me from the first page. Dr. Evangeline Beauford’s return to Beauford Grove unfolds like a haunting puzzle.

The writing is rich and evocative, and the story honours cultural roots with depth and care. Even though this genre isn’t my usual pick, the author’s signature emotional insight and compelling storytelling shine through. It’s a powerful, genre-defying tale that proves this author can master any narrative they take on. A mesmerizing read that lingers long after the final page.

[Diamanti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hello, people!
This is my first reading contact with the author's writing. I wonder why I hadn't noticed the author and why I hadn't read any of her books before. The truth is that this book literally chose me. The cover was calling me to read it and fortunately I listened. I am very happy that I read it and got to know an excellent writing pen, which I didn't know. Furthermore, I think it is one of the most beautiful and best covers I have seen in recent years.
This is one of the best books of its genre. Tension, suspense, mystery, the unexpected and curses coexist with love and abuse.
Her world building is captivating, the plot is full of mystery and imagination, the reader bites their nails from the suspense and the heartbeats that rise and break the counters.
I really liked the fact that she presented the past through the existence of a diary. I found it very clever because it did not have the usual backtracking that most authors do in their books.
Her writing is lively, enjoyable, dark and bright at the same time, captivating, rich and shocking. Finally, the book reads breathlessly and this is another feature that made me love it.

Thank you very much to the author and BookTok Tours for the eARC!

This is my honest review!

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first time reading this author. And I must say this book was amazing. I quickly became immersed in the world of Beauford Blood and the magic within. Ernestine and Adelle and their complicity angered me. I wanted Eva to break their bondage of the blood curse. From the shores of Haiti to Alabama, I felt as if I were traveling throughout time from the beginning to the present. This was such a great read, and I am looking forward to continuing the series.

[Ava D. Elliott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beneath Beauford Grove is beautifully atmospheric and unsettling in the best way. The blend of Southern gothic mystery, bloodline secrets, and ancestral magic kept me hooked. Evangeline’s journey back to Beauford Grove is both haunting and empowering. Perfect for fans of Mexican Gothic and The Witching Hour.

[Casey Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story spans across many generations with Eva at the forefront. You meet many interesting characters while learning about powerful curses, the history of Beauford Grove and the Olive Trees that call in the whispers. This has all the elements that make a book worth reading; suspense, a bit of romance, tension and a ton of details on the pages. Those details grab you and keep you watching like you’re part of the story. The writing is done well and tells a story of survival, love, loss, pain and the meaning of understanding your ancestral roots.

[LV · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first time reading this authors work, I was impressed her poetic style. The discriptive verse of the impact of blood magic was captivating.

Although unique It definitely had a feel of Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches and southern gothic.

The plot is one of discovery, self idenity and generational curses told through magic, with a touch of romance.

Eve, a hemotolgist, suffers from the feeling of abandonment, as she was sent away from the family as a child. She discovers it was an attempt to save her, and break the bond between the family blood and the "entity". The messages and texts of her family come alive under her fingertips creating a map of self discovery. Their attempts to fight the entity and break the curse are full of tension and atmosphere. Nor does it end as the reader is giving a sneak peak at the next book in the series which I look forward to reading.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Bethany Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beneath Beauford Grove uses one of my favourite types of magic: the earthy, rich, dark, bloody kind. We jump straight into the action in the first chapter, following Eva's realisation that giving her blood to a young patient is having miraculous healing effects. Having left the family olive grove a a young age, her sudden return allows the reader to explore and learn her family's legacy and secrets along with Eva, and the grove does not just appear creepy and invasive; it is creepy and invasive.

I loved Eva as a protagonist. The internal conflict between seeing what is wrong and what is planned for her and wanting to run, as well as the inherent desire to investigate and learn more about the magic in her veins that comes froim her background as a scientist, made for fantastic reading. The use of different accents and characters who slipped in and out of different accents was brilliant, and gave each individual character their own unqiue identity. Poor Sophie, terrified by nightmares and dragged into a blood feud without her knowledge, with Eva too far away to comfort her. I would've liked to see more of Sophie on-page, rather than updates from her caregiver, but I suppose that will come in the sequel.

The prose itself is great. I think the beginning was a little rushed, as it would have been nice to see Eva in her everyday environment before diving into the magic. The book is very well-written and the descriptions are beautifully poetic. This, combined with the depth of the story, makes for a stunning, unputdownable reading experience.

I'm not sure how to classify this book, but I think Beneath Beauford Grove could be considered eco-horror. The book certainly presents an interesting depiction of evil and perversion through the antagonist (no spoilers!) and how the trees themselves are manipulated. Regardless, with such an ambiguous ending, I am keen to see where this story goes.

[Tawny Molina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beneath Beauford Grove by E. Denise Billups is a trip through history that is both exciting and a reminder of darker times. We follow the exciting journey of Eva as she searches her family’s dark path through history. Twisted magics and dark family secrets pull her from a cozy life as a doctor in Boston to the southern heat of an Alabama plantation where her relatives once toiled in the dirt. There are great and terrible things in Beauford Grove.

Beneath Beauford Grove is an interesting story. A thrilling horror with beautifully described prose. Billups’s descriptions are detailed and gripping, and the Beauford Grove that our author has created is certainly one of the better-written locations created for a novel as the small town and plantation feel alive in the description. The foul magic and the area the author has created stand out brilliantly and fit well into an Alabama setting. My only complaint comes from the author’s choice in the point of view used in her prose. The story is written in the third-person present tense, with excerpts from family documents that are written in the first-person view. My complaint stems from the third-person present text feeling a bit jarring at first. I got used to this unexpected point of view, however, and was able to enjoy the book.

Overall, Beneath Beauford Grove by E. Denise Billups is a wonderful book that can be enjoyed by most fans of horror and thriller genres. Just be prepared that point-of-view writing can be a little jarring if you are used to third-person past-tense novels.

[Michele Northwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beneath Beauford Groves.

What can I say? I LOVED this book! I’ve read several novels by this author, and this is my favourite.
From the moment Evangeline steps back onto her home soil after her mother sent her away many years ago, she senses, as does the reader, that something ethereal and sinister is wrapping itself around her. The house seems alive, and watching her every move. Childhood friends, now grown, have a much deeper understanding of what is now expected of her, and she is unsure of whom she can trust.

When Evangeline discovers old diaries dating back hundreds of years, she learns the truth about her family’s past, her blood inheritance, and what she must do to maintain the land, her family’s business and the town. It alarms her more than she cares to admit, but if she refuses to fulfil the family legacy, everything and everyone she holds dear will be destroyed.

Billups has a wonderful flair for descriptive writing. The house, seems alive; the grove is foreboding, spooky and nail-bitingly malignant. And as she wanders the land, you sense the trees lying in wait, reaching out to take what is demanded, and what she must freely provide.

The clever mix of magic and science, plus the well-researched link to blood and her profession kept me captive within the pages of Beauford Grove. I’m sure you will also feel the same.
A solid five stars from me.

[Jina Bazzar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the privilege of reading an early copy of this book, and as always, I wasn’t disappointed.
Author E. Denise Billups has the talent to create vivid worlds with evocative plots. Her stories never failed to make me bite my nails and bring me to the edge of my seat, and Beneath beauford Grove is no different.
Evangeline is a relatable protagonist haunted by her mother’s abandonment and the mysteries of her family. A doctor by profession, she remembers enough of her past to question her blood, unraveling secrets and the need to discover more. Going back to her family’s ancestral home after her sisters mysterious letter was supposed to be a quick trip, but Eva ends up torn between her wants and duty, her blood and the curse that runs in her veins … a frightening legacy that has the potential to destroy everything she holds dear.

The mix of magic and science is what drew me in from the opening chapter, and it kept my attention all the way to the end.
The journal entries were gripping, giving me an insight on Eva’s Haitian ancestry—the triangle between slave and master and the entity that cursed them both.

This book is suspenseful, mysterious, creepy at times, and absolutely unputdownable.

I highly recommend it to readers who enjoy gothic books with a southern setting and a touch of romance.

[Amys Bookshelf Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

E. Denise Billups writes a captivating tale with Beneath Beauford Grove

In Beneath Beauford Grove, the reader is brought into the life of Eva Beauford, a hematologist who returns to her hometown in Beauford Grove, Alabama, after the death of her sister, Solange. I am a HUGE fan of E. Denise Billups and want to read whatever this author writes. This author has a grand imagination, and talent for showing the story. Eva comes home, and while mourning her sister, she dives deep into her family's history, dark legacy. It's a wonderful kind of eeriness, where the story isn't one note, it's suspenseful, and it brings in the supernatural, a perfect blend of story showing. Yes, showing. The characters have multiple layers, and the setting adds as another character, because it affects the lives of the characters. It's a hauntingly grand story, and I just couldn't put it down. I love how there is a mix of light and dark, because even the darkest stories, need a bit of light. What a compelling story. Unpredictable, with twists all the way to the end. A reader can get lost in the story. It is always an honor to read E. Denise Billups' books. Beneath Beauford Grove is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews. I read this book to give my unbiased and honest review. Amy's Bookshelf Reviews recommends that anyone who reads this book also write a review.

[BookboundandBlushed · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Dark, Atmospheric & Refreshingly Different

This book was such a cool surprise. I haven’t picked up a paranormal suspense/thriller in a while, and the blend of modern science with old-world blood magic, Haitian, Creole, and French influences was so well done. The concept alone pulled me in immediately, bloodlines, ancestry, curses, and a scientific mind trying to explain the unexplainable? Yes please.

The story flowed really well, no major plot holes, and it stayed engaging the whole way through. I especially loved the exploration of heritage and inherited power, and as someone who’s bilingual, seeing French and Creole woven into the story added an extra layer of authenticity that made it even more immersive and fun to read.

That said, I really wished the book leaned harder into the darker blood magic and ancestral elements, there was so much potential there, and I wanted more depth in that area. I also wouldn’t have minded a bit more payoff at the end (some characters deserved what was coming to them), but I’m holding out hope that book two will dig deeper and answer some of those lingering questions.

Overall, the characters were relatable, the premise was unique, and the atmosphere was moody and compelling. A strong 4-star read for me, and I’m definitely curious to see where the story goes next.

Sonya
BookBound and Blushed

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A powerful supernatural Gothic horror mystery, this book will quietly surround you with its olive branch tendrils and have you wrapped in its enthralling embrace. Eva is a marvelous and empowered female lead as she tries to get a rein on the reality she's inherited (as the first born female child). There is a duality in her struggles as she sees the prosperity that the community receives all the while knowing the price that success costs (or believing she does). The deeper into the mystic of the curse she searches, the more secrets are revealed.
This is a beautifully written book that pulls the reader into the story, gets into your head, and has you thinking about it even when your not reading. The hauntingly realistic characterizations and descriptions serve to perpetuate this feeling. It does end in a cliffhanger - so don't be expecting a clean resolution when you've finished reading. Just be ready for the next book!

I was gifted a copy of this book and voluntarily provided this review. Happy Reading Y'all 📚