A best-selling author spins one of the most breathtaking stories of her career: a Gothic saga of lust, greed, and betrayal. When beautiful, dirt-poor Ruth Yancey rises to become mistress of Sparta, Georgia's finest mansion, she reveals a heart of pure evil. For three generations, she rules the mansion through cruel manipulation and insinuation, breaking hearts and shattering souls-until one courageous woman decides to match her madness.