Belladonna by Adalyn Grace

Here is a summary with spoilers of Belladonna

At a lavish party in Foxglove Manor, wealthy socialite Rima Farrow introduces her newborn daughter, Signa. But as Signa watches, the figure of Death looms over the revelers—the wine is poisoned. As guests collapse, Death collects their souls, pausing when he reaches Signa. Shocked to glimpse her future, he spares her and vanishes, leaving her alone in the manor.

Nineteen years later, Signa reflects on her strange bond with Death. Though she has seen him take countless relatives, he never claims her—instead, he heals her wounds and leaves. Desperate for answers, she attempts to ingest belladonna but is stopped by her aunt Magda, who fears her powers. After years of being passed between greedy relatives who all died mysteriously, Signa is eager to turn twenty and claim her inheritance.

Determined to confront Death, Signa swallows belladonna berries. When he arrives, she demands to know why he haunts her. Receiving no answer, she stabs him, only for the blade to pass through. But Death never comes empty-handed—when Magda enters the room, she dies at Signa’s touch. Her spirit curses Signa, who realizes the magnitude of what she’s done. Death promises to return in two days to prove he is not her enemy.

Magda’s death stirs fear among the neighbors, and Signa begins to suspect her own touch is lethal. She tests this by holding a baby bird, which lives—until she slips between life and death again. This time, the bird dies. Signa now understands her power.

Signa knows spirits remain where they die unless their bodies are burned. Magda’s lingering presence convinces her to accept an invitation from distant relative Elijah Hawthorne to stay at Thorn Grove. Two days after Magda’s death, she is escorted there by the aloof Sylas Thorly. He informs her that Elijah’s wife, Lillian, recently died and their daughter Blythe is gravely ill.

On the train to Thorn Grove, Signa loses Sylas in the bustling station but makes it onboard just in time. She finds him curt but not unkind and learns he once worked in the gardens—until Lillian was buried there.

At Thorn Grove, Signa is struck by the family’s immense wealth, built on Elijah’s success as the owner of Grey’s, a gentleman’s club. Sylas leaves her with the butler, Charles Warwick; the governess, Marjorie Hargreaves; and her cousin, Percy. While being shown to her suite, she encounters a man named Byron, who warns her not to linger upstairs.

Signa is captivated by the luxurious estate, but a raucous party downstairs unsettles her. Sneaking a look, she finds the guests ignoring propriety, including Elijah, who drowns his grief in excess. Percy, furious at his father’s behavior, catches Signa spying. Fleeing, she gets lost and feels Death’s presence until she stumbles into Blythe’s room. A strange force draws her to her cousin, who grows agitated at the mention of Lillian. As Blythe’s condition worsens, Signa races to find help.

Elijah, when he finally meets Signa, seems irritated but is stunned by her resemblance to Lillian. Signa fears Death will soon force her from Thorn Grove, as he always has. That night, she sees a spirit—the ghost of Lillian. When it traps her outside, she threatens to burn its remains. Lillian, unable to speak, writes a message in the dirt: “Come to my garden and save her.” Signa realizes Blythe’s life is at risk, and if she can save her, maybe Death will finally leave her alone.

The next day, Signa trades her mourning clothes for a new wardrobe and attends lessons with Marjorie, where she meets Percy and Blythe. When Lillian’s wailing disrupts a piano lesson, Blythe reacts, confirming she hears it too. With this eerie sign, Signa resolves to follow Lillian’s warning.

Riding Lillian’s horse to the estate’s locked garden, Signa finds Lillian’s spirit lingering near belladonna berries. Taking it as a sign, she eats one to slip into the space between life and death. Death appears, revealing that her abilities mirror his own. He explains that life and death must remain balanced—when Magda died, Blythe’s life was spared. If she believes she can pass through the gate, she will.

Inside the garden, Death leads her to Lillian’s grave. He warns against interacting with angry spirits, but Lillian communicates that she was poisoned and her killer now targets Blythe. To save her cousin, Signa must uncover the truth.

Exhausted, she returns to Thorn Grove with Sylas, who shares rumors of a crying woman haunting the estate. He reveals that Elijah had many mistresses while Lillian had admirers—one of whom was Byron. Despite Elijah’s grief, he refuses to relinquish control of Grey’s to Byron or Percy.

Now, Signa must unravel the mystery of Lillian’s murder before Blythe becomes the next victim.

Signa navigates the secret tunnels of Thorn Grove and emerges in the kitchen pantry in the middle of the night. As she returns to her room, Elijah intercepts her and invites her to play chess. During their conversation, Elijah warns her about wandering Thorn Grove at night and mentions hearing Lillian’s ghost. Signa begins to see Elijah in a new light, understanding that he is not cruel but deeply grieving his wife’s death.

After leaving Elijah, Signa encounters Percy, who had been eavesdropping. He opens up about his strained relationship with his father, and Signa reassures him that grief affects everyone differently and that Elijah may return to his old self in time.

Marjorie arranges a tea for Signa with young ladies of her age, but Signa is more interested in seeing Blythe, who has only been with Elijah and the doctor. To prepare, Signa sneaks a copy of A Lady’s Guide to Beauty and Etiquette. At the tea, she is surprised to recognize her childhood friend Charlotte Killinger. Their friendship had ended in scandal when Charlotte’s mother had an affair with Signa’s uncle, leading to tragic deaths and disgrace for both families. Another guest, Eliza, gossips about the Hawthornes, and Diana shares rumors that Lillian died by suicide after Elijah’s many affairs. Though Signa remains polite and compliments the Hawthornes, she is eager to learn any rumors she can.

As the conversation continues, the room suddenly grows cold, signaling the arrival of Death. He taunts Signa telepathically while the other women subtly mock her lack of social refinement. When the guests leave, Signa confronts Death, who explains that he is at Thorn Grove because Blythe hovers between life and death. He criticizes Signa for seeking approval from shallow acquaintances and urges her to embrace who she truly is. Despite her reluctance, he insists on giving her lessons in wielding her powers, beginning at midnight.

Determined to save Blythe, Signa investigates her medicine and tastes belladonna in the tea. She warns Blythe not to drink the tea Elaine, her lady’s maid, brings her. Signa questions Elaine about her relationship with the Hawthornes but does not believe she is the culprit. The maid also tells Signa about a male ghost seen in the library. That night, Signa receives a letter from Sylas, asking her to meet him at the stables.

Sneaking out, Signa encounters Byron Hawthorne, who lets her pass when Marjorie appears. At the stables, Sylas reveals that he overheard Byron telling Marjorie about a secret meeting at Grey’s gentleman’s club. Determined to uncover the truth, Signa and Sylas ride to Grey’s before Byron and Marjorie arrive. They hide in a coat closet and overhear Byron pressuring Marjorie to seduce Elijah and secure control of Grey’s. Marjorie refuses, and Byron threatens to ruin Percy if she does not comply. After Byron strikes her, Marjorie storms out.

Exploring Grey’s, Signa and Sylas find a letter from Lillian urging Elijah not to ruin the business for Percy’s sake. Back at Thorn Grove, Signa is late for her midnight meeting with Death, who scolds her. She resists embracing her powers, but Death reveals that he has protected her by killing her cruel and selfish relatives. Though conflicted, Signa realizes she is drawn to Death. He teaches her how to access her abilities without belladonna, awakening her connection to the spirit world.

The next morning, Signa finds Blythe’s real medicine and continues her dance lessons with Marjorie and Percy. Elijah and Byron argue over Grey’s, with Byron demanding control and Elijah insisting that Percy stay uninvolved. When Signa visits Blythe, she learns that despite avoiding the poisoned tea, Blythe’s condition has not improved. Blythe confides that her father has neglected Grey’s since Lillian’s death. Signa, determined to save her, seeks an antidote in the library. Sylas helps her, and a ghost named Thaddeus Kipling aids in finding the necessary book. They discover a plant that neutralizes belladonna and plan to retrieve it from an apothecary.

Signa and Percy travel to town, where they acquire the antidote despite Percy’s skepticism. They encounter Eliza, Charlotte, and Lord Everett Wakefield, a wealthy bachelor. Signa senses the stark contrast between societal expectations and her true desires. Upon returning to Thorn Grove, she administers the antidote to Blythe, who begins to recover. Marjorie sees them and is pleased when Signa credits a library book for the cure. Marjorie discusses Signa’s upcoming debut and an approaching masquerade ball.

That night, Death reveals the vastness of his world to Signa, showing her the souls awaiting passage and the bridge to the afterlife. He confesses that he rarely crosses it because Signa’s mother constantly asks about her. He also admits that he altered Fate by taking an elderly man instead of Blythe, resisting his usual role. Overwhelmed, Signa finally surrenders to her desire for Death, realizing she cannot live the normal life she once thought she wanted.

Signa and Elijah suspect Marjorie was not acting alone in the poisonings. When Byron angrily confronts Elijah about selling Grey’s, he denies involvement in Lillian’s death but admits he loved her. Signa realizes that Marjorie’s journal never explicitly named Elijah as the man she loved—she had a son with him: Percy.

When Percy begins seeing Lillian’s ghost, Elijah believes him and leaves in distress. Percy sneaks out on horseback, and Signa and Sylas pursue him. Charlotte reveals that Lillian was once escorted to her grave by a stable boy. Signa starts suspecting Sylas and rushes back, only to see a fire in the garden. Percy, with a tinderbox, confesses he burned Lillian’s body to stop seeing her ghost and poisoned himself to eliminate the antidote. Overcome with rage, Lillian’s spirit possesses Signa and demands the truth. Percy admits that he intended to kill Marjorie, ashamed of his illegitimacy.

Percy attempts to stab Sylas, but the blade does not harm him. Signa watches in shock as Sylas transforms into Death. He offers her a choice: let Percy face a public trial and execution or take his remaining years to save Blythe. Choosing the latter, Signa traps Percy in the burning garden, sealing his fate.

Lillian’s spirit thanks Signa before departing with Death. Elijah arrives to witness the aftermath, feeling Lillian’s presence as she bids farewell. Later, Death reveals to Signa that he posed as Sylas to stay close to her. Though hurt by his deception, she cannot regret her choices. She tells the Hawthornes that Percy fled upon learning of Grey’s sale and keeps the truth from Marjorie.

As Blythe recovers, Death warns that they will rarely see each other now that Thorn Grove is no longer surrounded by death. Though he urges her to live her life, Signa refuses to lose him entirely. They continue to communicate telepathically. At her debut ball, Signa encounters Everett and Charlotte. As Blythe enters, looking healthier than ever, Signa is relieved—yet wary that Charlotte might know the truth about what happened that fateful night.