Nathaniel Hawthorne 
House of the Seven Gables 

In an old, gloomy New England mansion, a woman opens a shop to support her brother, recently returned from prison. She takes on a border, and a distant relative—a beautiful, lively young woman—comes to live with them as well. The fragile bond between this group is shaken by the secret history of the house and their wealthy cousin who wants to take it from them.