Hypocrisy, witchcraft, murder and betrayal are the recurring themes in The House of the Seven Gables. It is the story of a curse. Moreover, it is based on the tradition of a curse pronounced on author's own family.

In mid-19th century Salem, Massachusetts, Judge Jaffrey Pyncheon is determined to find the property deeds of his rich uncle, seemingly murdered by his cousin Clifford. His machinations and their effect on the rest of the family, together with the consequences of past misdeeds that come back to haunt the action, make this great novel comparable to The Scarlet Letter.