Book Detail

Book One of The ARCHITECUTURE OF SECRETS SERIES

Why I Wanted to Write Where the Building Lies Most kids grow out of wanting to find a secret door behind a bookshelf. I never did. Growing up, I was endlessly fascinated by old houses, odd floor plans, dead-end hallways, and the strange feeling that buildings have memories. I spent hours sketching imaginary floor maps—houses with unauthorized additions, spiral staircases that led nowhere, and rooms tucked between walls where nobody was supposed to look. I wanted to believe that if you paid close enough attention, a building could tell you, its secrets. As I got older, that childhood curiosity evolved into a deep fascination with real architecture—not just as shelter, but as a language. I started noticing the intentional eccentricities in historic structures: a stair tread that was a fraction of an inch too short, a pilaster spacing that didn’t match the blueprint, a draft coming from a bricked-up fireplace. Where The Building Lies is the book I’ve been wanting to write—and read—my entire life. It’s a love letter to tactile history, Gilded Age grandeur, and the thrill of the puzzle box. I wanted to create a story where the setting isn’t just a backdrop where things happen, but an active participant, a mastermind, and a witness. Through Adrian Vale and Mira Calder, I wanted to explore what happens when your greatest passion—the love of old, forgotten places—turns out to be a trap. If you’ve ever stood in an old hotel, a historic library, or a grand ruin and wondered what these walls have seen… this book is for you. Thank you for helping me bring the Alabaster Hotel out of the shadows and onto the page.