The Dead Souls serial begins with the very first book, in which Kate Langley arrives on the island of Thaxos for a vacation she never wanted in the first place. Before long, Kate learns that she's not the only recent arrival. Edgar Le Compte has come to Thaxos in order to reclaim his family's long-abandoned ancestral home. Many of the locals are dismayed by the return of the Le Compte name, and it seems as if the entire island is gripped by paranoia. When Kate finally meets Edgar, she's surprised by his friendliness. But dark secrets lurk in the shadows, and when Kate receives an unexpected job offer that could keep her on the island, she's forced to decide whether or not she believes some of the wilder and more fantastical claims about the Le Compte family. This is the first part of an ongoing serial, therefore it has a cliffhanger ending that is resolved in book 2. Each part of the serial is approximately 20,000 words.