Circle of Darkness is a beautifully written story set during the 1930s at an upscale Louisiana Inn, located near the site where the Norwegian Wood Plantation once existed. The spirits of the people involved in a tragedy at that plantation, decades earlier, have a presence in that area.

Sonja Shivera is a twenty-four-year-old woman who supports herself as a paid companion to a mean-spirited elderly woman. They don't like each other but Sonja needs the job and the woman, Althea Stone, needs someone to help her with daily tasks such as dressing. They are staying at the Moorcroft Inn where Althea enjoys playing cards and talking with her friends. Meanwhile, Sonja meets some people closer to her age. Among those are two men she finds interesting, Freddie Marsh, who seems to like her, and Hajime Tanaka, a mysterious figure who floats in and out of her presence. There's also a woman named Anya Cambion whom Sonja finds disturbing.

Sonja has unusual qualities. She often drifts off into her thoughts, losing touch with the world around her. Here's a section describing her first conversation with Hajime Tanaka:

My movements as well as my thoughts were burdened by a confusing fogginess. When I glanced toward the other diners, it appeared that a pale, shimmering mist separated our table from theirs. I blinked to dispel it and made an effort to focus on Mr. Tanaka's words.

Circle of Darkness is filled with complex characters and Sonja is certainly one of them. I loved her realistic relationship with her employer and with Freddie. I also loved the slow build of the writing as Sonja discovers her role in the mysterious events occurring around her.