The life of the fictional John and Ellen Rimbauer and the construction of their mansion, Rose Red, in the early 20th century. Built on an old Indian burial ground, Rose Red is considered haunted and mysterious tragedies occur throughout the mansion's history. The novel is written in the form of a diary by Ellen Rimbauer, and annotated by the fictional professor of paranormal activity, Joyce Reardon. The novel also presents a fictional afterword by Ellen Rimbauer's grandson, Steven. A recurring theme in the book are the many missing people associated with the mansion. Several servants disappear shortly after the mansion's building in 1906, followed by the disappearance of Ellen's 6-year-daughter. In the 1940s, two of Ellen's suspected lesbian lovers disappeared without a trace. Ellen herself disappeared in 1950. A tourist disappears in the early 1970s, while visiting the mansion. The mansion is eventually demolished after the deaths of paranormal investigators who tried to find answers to its mysteries.
