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Showing posts with label Gothic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gothic. Show all posts
Thursday, September 16, 2021
Gothic-y Mystery a Compelling Read
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I'm perpetually behind on reviews and this one is a good example. I read The Daughters of Foxcote Manor (also called The Glass House) by Eve Chase way back in April. While I enjoyed it, I really can't remember much about it. So, I'm going to cheat and use the official blurb:
Outside a remote manor house in an idyllic wood, a baby girl is found.
But within days a body will lie dead in the grounds. And their dreams of a perfect family will shatter like glass.
Years later, the truth will need to be put back together again, piece by piece . . .
From the author of Black Rabbit Hall, The Glass House is a emotional, thrilling book about family secrets and belonging - and how we find ourselves when we are most lost.
Thank goodness for GoodReads, where I faithfully record my impressions of a book right after I read it. Here's what I said about this one:
The Daughters of Foxcote Manor ticks all my favorite reading boxes: Gothic vibes, family secrets, atmospheric setting, interesting characters, etc. It's an engrossing novel with a strong sense of place, well-developed characters, and a plot that kept me turning pages. I loved Rita, although I wasn't as enamored of Sylvie. Still, they're both relatable, sympathetic characters whose voices kept me engaged in the story. While I guessed some of the book's plot twists, there were others that surprised me. Overall, then, I found this novel to be a compelling, satisfying read.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of other novels by Eve Chase, including Black Rabbit Hall and The Wilding Sisters)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (1 F-bomb—I think—plus milder expletives), violence, and mild sexual content
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Saturday, July 10, 2021
Goodman's Newest a Shivery Spine-Tingler
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For three years, investigative reporter Joan Lurie has been working on an explosive story about the sexual misconduct of a powerful New York City publisher. She knows there will be consequences for breaking the shocking news and she thinks she's prepared to deal with them. What she couldn't have foreseen was a brutal attack on her person that leaves her traumatized, both physically and emotionally. Utterly shaken, she retreats to the Refuge, an exclusive Manhattan apartment building that was once a Magdalen laundry. The place boasts top-notch security that should have Joan feeling completely at ease. So, why does she still feel unsafe? Is she imagining that things in her apartment have been moved around on her? Or is it just paranoia and frayed nerves, after effects of her attack?
Joan's not the only woman hiding inside the Refuge. Lillian Day hasn't left the building in over seventy years, not since the day she witnessed a shocking event that left her just as traumatized as Joan.
Then there's Melissa Osgood, who's reeling from her husband's betrayal and from a devastating reversal of fortune. She blames Joan Lurie and will stop at nothing to take revenge on the woman who ruined her life.
As the lives of Joan, Lillian, and Melissa intersect, they will learn some startling truths about themselves, each other, and the dark history of the building in which they all live. With danger still on Joan's tail, she has to find true refuge before it's too late...
I'm a long-time fan of Carol Goodman's twisty Gothic thrillers, so I always get excited when she publishes a new book. With its modern New York City setting (as opposed to the usual upstate locales) and its #MeToo movement premise, The Stranger Behind You—Goodman's newest—is a bit of a departure from her previous novels, but it's still a shivery, engrossing page-turner. While I saw some of the plot surprises coming, others caught me off-guard, keeping the story interesting throughout. Although there are definitely some elements of the tale that are illogical and far-fetched, overall I found it both compelling and satisfying. Not all of the book's characters are likable, but Joan is appealing enough that I cared about her plight. As with many of Goodman's books, my favorite aspect of The Stranger Behind You is the Gothic-y setting. The creepy building at its center as well as the story's constant, unsettling vibe make the book an entertaining spine-tingler. While this isn't my favorite of Goodman's thrillers, I enjoyed it overall.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of Lock Every Door by Riley Sager, Someone's Listening by Seraphina Nova Glass, and The Disappearing Act by Catherine Steadman)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (a couple F-bombs, plus milder expletives), violence, blood/gore, sexual content, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC of The Stranger Behind You from the generous folks at HarperCollins via those at Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Wednesday, April 14, 2021
Highly Anticipated 2021 Release a Disappointing Read
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When her documentary becomes instrumental in freeing a man she feels was wrongfully convicted of murder, filmmaker Tessa Shepherd is thrilled. She spent countless hours interviewing Oliver Barlow, even coming to think of him as a friend. Tessa believes—beyond a shadow of a doubt—that he's innocent, a victim of bungled policework. After fourteen years in prison, Oliver Barlow can finally return to his wife and kids. And he has Tessa to thank.
Eighteen months later, Tessa is shocked when Oliver posts a video online. In it, he confesses that he has kidnapped a young woman and plans to kill her. It's not long before a stunned Tessa is being vilified by the outraged public, all of them wondering how she could have been hoodwinked by a monster like Oliver. When he mentions her name in a subsequent video, Tessa feels not just trapped but also hunted. After the will of her recently deceased mother reveals that Tessa and her sister have inherited an old family home they didn't know existed, she decides to hide at Fallbrook. The crumbling mansion is the site of an old, mysterious tragedy. Now, it's inhabited only by ghosts. Its elderly caretakers know what really happened there, but they're not talking. Tessa is determined to unearth Fallbrook's secrets, no matter what it takes. What went on in the isolated home? What are the caretakers hiding? Tessa has always been adept at reading people, but she was oh so very wrong about Oliver ...
As you can tell from the plot summary, there's a lot going on in The Caretakers by Eliza Maxwell. I went into the book thinking it would be an intriguing family drama with a little mystery thrown in along with a lot of creepy Gothic atmosphere. So, I was a bit confused when the story seemed to center more on Tessa's investigation of Oliver Barlow. Frankly, I cared little about anything happening in her present; my interest was in Fallbrook. Unfortunately, Maxwell just couldn't seem to decide whether she was writing a cat-and-mouse mystery/thriller or a spooky drama/ghost story. The mash-up didn't work for me. The Caretakers ended up feeling unfocused, melodramatic, and weirdly paced. I still whipped through the novel in a day because I wanted to see what would happen next, but overall, the tale felt dissatisfying to me. This was one of my most highly anticipated novels of 2021, so I'm bummed.
(Readalikes: The Gothic-y bits remind me of novels by Carol Goodman and Emily Carpenter)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (two F-bombs, plus milder expletives), violence, blood/gore, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC of The Caretakers from the generous folks at Lake Union Publishing via those at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Thursday, March 25, 2021
McMahon's Newest Another Shivery, Shuddery Ghost Story
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Jackie "Jax" Metcalf has always lived in the shadow of her older sister's illness. She spent her childhood caught up in Lexie's manic episodes and depressive cycles, so focused on keeping her sister's moods balanced that she hardly had a life of her own. Now a psychologist and a social worker, 28-year-old Jax knows the value of boundaries. Living in Seattle helps her keep her distance—both physically and emotionally—from Lexie's constant drama.
When Jax finds a string of missed calls from Lexie on her phone, she figures her sister's off her meds again. The truth is much worse: Lexie is dead. Although she was an excellent swimmer, Lexie drowned in the spring-fed swimming pool at Sparrow Crest, the remote Vermont estate she inherited from her grandmother. Shocked and grief-stricken, Jax returns to the place where she and Lexie spent every summer, only to find the house littered with research materials about the Metcalfs and Sparrow Crest. Tempted to dismiss the project as another one of Lexie's many flights of fancy, Jax instead starts combing through the information, which reveals strange details about Gram's unique swimming pool. The murky water always held a strange fascination for Lexie; it gives Jax the creeps. As she's increasingly drawn to its eerie edges, the pool begins to reveal its chilling secrets, secrets it's kept for a very, very long time ...
Jennifer McMahon specializes in shuddery, suspenseful stories sure to send chills tingling down your spine. Her newest, The Drowning Kind (available April 6, 2021), is no exception. It offers an atmospheric Gothic setting, complex characters, and a riveting plot. I read it fast and furious, totally sucked in by McMahon's masterful storytelling. The ending surprised me and not necessarily in a good way. I didn't love it. Even though The Drowning Kind isn't my favorite of this author's novels, it's still an engrossing, entertaining read. If you like shivery ghost stories, definitely add this one to your TBR list.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of other books by Jennifer McMahon as well as those by Carol Goodman and Emily Carpenter)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language, violence, and depictions of illegal drug use (marijuana)
To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC of The Drowning Kind from the generous folks at Simon & Schuster via those at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Thursday, February 18, 2021
Newest Chiller is Sager at His Creepy-Crawly Best
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"'You want the truth? I'll give it to you. Things have happened in that house. Tragic things...And all those things, well, they...linger'" (130).
When Maggie Holt was five years old, her parents bought their dream home. Built in 1875, Baneberry House was spacious, grand, and surprisingly cheap. Maggie's parents laughed off its sinister reputation and moved in, determined to turn the place into the warm family retreat they both desired. Less than a month later, the family fled Baneberry House in the dead of night, wailing about ghosts and threatening messages from the beyond. They never returned to the old pile, but Ewan Holt—Maggie's father—wrote a lurid tell-all about the family's terrifying experiences there. Like The Amityville Horror, it became a hugely popular bestseller, America's favorite ghost story.
Although Maggie's childhood was financed by the proceeds of Ewan's book, she has always detested living in the spotlight of its success. Especially since she knows the truth—her father made the whole thing up.
When Ewan dies, 30-year-old Maggie is shocked to learn she has inherited Baneberry House, a property she thought was sold long ago. With the keys in hand, she now has the chance to prove to the world—and to herself—that Ewan Holt was a liar, that his famous book is nothing but an imaginative hoax. It's not long after Maggie moves into Baneberry House, intending to spend the summer fixing up the place before she puts it on the market, that strange things start happening inside its walls. If Ewan was lying through his teeth, then what exactly is Maggie experiencing now, 25 years later? Is it possible that she has been wrong about her father? What if everything he wrote was the God's honest truth? What then? Baneberry House haunted Maggie when she was young—what if it's not done with her?
Like Ewan Holt, Riley Sager knows how to spin a deliciously terrifying yarn. Home Before Dark, his newest, is him at his creepy, spooky, scary best. The novel unfolds in alternating chapters told from Ewan's perspective (sections from his book) and Maggie's, 25 years later. It's an effective format, one which heightens tension and suspense throughout the book. Atmospheric and unnerving, the haunted house setting creates the kind of shivery vibe that has readers jumping at every sound and cowering under the covers. The fact that the book's already eerie cover glows in the dark is just icing on the creepy-cake. The best part about Home Before Dark, though, is that the story keeps you constantly off balance, wondering what is real and what is not. While I guessed some of its plot twists, others surprised me, making the book a fun, mess-with-your-head kind of read. I'm pretty wimpy, but I still enjoy a ghostly, hair-raising read now and then and this one definitely fits that bill. If you're up for an unsettling spine-chiller, I definitely recommend Home Before Dark.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of The Weight of Lies by Emily Carpenter as well as books by Simone St. James, Carol Goodman, and Jennifer McMahon)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (a dozen or so F-bombs, plus milder expletives), violence, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Saturday, November 28, 2020
Classic Or Not, I'd Give This Gothic Novel a Pass
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Mrs. Maxim de Winter was working as a lady's maid to a wealthy busybody on vacation in Monte Carlo when she met Maxim. Although she was shy and awkward, the dashing widower took an interest in her. In a surreal twist of fate, she found herself married to him just a few weeks later. Now, she's the mistress of Manderly, a sprawling mansion on the Cornish coast. With no experience as a wife or a woman with means, she's intimidated by both her formidable new home and her position within it. The housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers, is cold and unwelcoming, obviously finding the current Mrs. de Winter no match at all for her predecessor. Everyone, in fact, seems obsessed with Maxim's deceased first wife, Rebecca. Her successor becomes just as fixated. Who was Rebecca? Why does she still have such a hold over Maxim and his associates? Most importantly, what really happened to her? The new Mrs. de Winter would very much like to know ...
I'm always up for a creepy Gothic novel and Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier is a genre classic. I'd never read it before, but lots of people love it, so I finally decided to give it a go. It's definitely an atmospheric tale, with an eerie, unsettling vibe that kept me feeling on edge throughout. That was my favorite part of the story by far. Plotwise, Rebecca moves at a glacial pace, with so much extraneous information that I yawned through a good 70% of the book. It picks up toward the end, wrapping up with an odd, abrupt ending that had me wondering if my copy of the novel was missing some pages. The finale is satisfying, I guess, in that it's about unlikable people getting what they deserve. While Rebecca is more layered than it first appears to be, making some sharp and subtle observations about identity, marriage, and the subjugation of women, I found it to be a long, dull slog featuring repellant characters that I didn't care for at all. I didn't end up totally hating the book, but I certainly did not love it. Even if you adore Gothic novels, I'd recommend giving this one a pass.
(Readalikes: Reminds me a little of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for mild language (no F-bombs), violence, and sexual innuendo
To the FTC, with love: I bought a copy of Rebecca with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.
Saturday, December 14, 2019
Eerie House of Echoes an Enjoyable Gothic Romp
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"Ben had wanted a house with a story, but this one had too many of them" (326).
The Tierney family is in desperate need of a change. Ben's struggling to get his third book written, mercurial Caroline's just been laid off from her New York City banking job, and 8-year-old Charlie is being bullied at school. It seems like the perfect time to make a move. When they find a decaying 200-year-old mansion in the small Adirondack town of Swannhaven, they purchase the home with the aim of renovating it themselves and turning it into an inn. The more they settle in, however, the more strange things begin to happen in the house and the deep, dark forest that surrounds it. As the Tierneys unravel their house's mysterious history, unlocking chilling secrets from its past, they realize their dream home might just become their worst nightmare ...
All a designer really has to do to draw me to a book is put an old, crumbling house on the cover. If the plot summary mentions a creepy forest, the possibility of ghosts, and/or the discovery of juicy secrets, I'm a goner. House of Echoes by Brendan Duffy grabbed my attention with all of the above. It didn't disappoint with its creepy, atmospheric setting; its sympathetic, intriguing characters; and its surprising, twist-filled plot. Even though it's not exactly an edge-of-your-seat, adrenaline-fueled thriller (at times it's unnecessarily wordy), House of Echoes had me burning through its pages to find out what was going to happen next. I have some issues with the ending, mostly because it left a lot of questions unanswered. Goodreads shows that Duffy has an upcoming novel called Louder Echoes. I can't be sure it's a sequel, but I'm seriously hoping it is. I need answers! All in all, though, I enjoyed this one. I'll for sure keep an eye out for more from this talented author.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of The Shining by Stephen King, The Invited by Jennifer McMahon, and The Widow's House by Carol Goodman)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (no F-bombs), violence, blood/gore, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: I bought a copy of House of Echoes with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.
Thursday, December 05, 2019
Newest Not My Favorite Kelly Novel, But Still An Engrossing Page-Turner
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Sometimes reinventing the wheel by writing my own plot summaries for the books I review doesn't make any sense, especially when a novel's back cover copy describes it in a way that's both succinct and brilliant. Such is the case with Stone Mothers, the newest thriller from British crime writer Erin Kelly. Check it out:
You can't keep the secret.
You can't tell the truth.
You can't escape the past...
Marianne was seventeen when she fled her home in Nusstead – leaving behind her family, her boyfriend, Jesse, and the body they buried. Now, thirty years later, forced to return to in order to help care for her sick mother, she can feel the past closing around her. And Jesse, who never forgave her for leaving in the first place, is finally threatening to expose the truth.
Marianne will do anything to protect the life she's built, the husband and daughter who must never know what happened all those years ago. Even if it means turning to her worst enemy for help... But Marianne may not know the whole story – and she isn't the only one with secrets they'd kill to keep.
I find books about the early treatment of mental illness both fascinating and horrifying. Even if I hadn't already been a fan of Kelly's, then, I would have been eager to read Stone Mothers. Turns out, this isn't my favorite of the author's books. Still, as with all of Kelly's work, this one kept me burning through pages to see what would happen next. The characters are complex and intriguing, the plot is fast-paced but contemplative, and the vibe is gothic and eerie. With plenty of twists to keep things interesting, Stone Mothers is definitely an engrossing page-turner. It's also sad, depressing, and not my favorite Kelly novel. Overall, though, I enjoyed it.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of The Other Mother by Carol Goodman; Woman 99 by Greer MacAllister; and a little of The Bright Unknown by Elizabeth Byler Younts)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language, violence, sexual innuendo/content, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Monday, November 18, 2019
Deliciously Spooky Murder Mystery Enthralls and Entertains
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For the last five years, 45-year-old Clare Cassidy has been teaching English at a West Sussex high school. One of the perks of the job is access to the historical home of R.M. Holland, a Victorian writer best known for a chilling story called "The Stranger." An expert on the author, Clare is working on a biography of Holland in between teaching teenagers as well as an adult creative writing class.
Everything is going along swimmingly until Clare's colleagues start dying in brutal ways that seem to echo "The Stranger." It becomes clear that the victims were killed by someone who knew them and someone with a passion for R.M. Holland. Desperate to figure out what is going on before she finds herself in prison for crimes she didn't commit, Clare decides to make notes about the murders in the diary she writes in regularly ... which is when she notices a message in her journal in penmanship that is decidedly not hers. "Hello Clare," the note begins. "You don't know me." Spooked beyond measure, she now knows what she had only suspected before—"The Stranger" is happening right here, right now. If Clare can't get to the bottom of the situation, hers may be the next corpse to show up in R.M. Holland's possibly (probably) haunted house ...
I enjoy Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway series, so I was excited to pick up the author's newest book, The Stranger Diaries. Although the novel has been billed as a standalone, it appears it's actually the first in a new series featuring DS Harbinder Kauer. Sections of The Stranger Diaries are indeed narrated by Kauer, who's investigating the murders, while alternating chapters are captained by Clare and her 15-year-old daughter, Georgia. The women are all complex and interesting, the plot is compelling, and the vibe is deliciously spooky. Griffiths throws in twists that kept me guessing throughout, leaving me surprised by the killer's identity. That doesn't always happen when you read as many mystery/thrillers as I do, so I'm inordinately pleased when it does! All in all, then, I greatly enjoyed The Stranger Diaries, which kept me totally enthralled. You better believe I'm looking forward to the next book, The Postscript Murders, which comes out next year.
(Readalikes: Reminds me a little of The Widow of Pale Harbor by Hester Fox)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (1 F-bomb, plus milder expletives), violence, innuendo, and mild sexual content
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Monday, October 28, 2019
Shivery Sophomore Novel A Liked-It-Didn't-Love-It Halloween Read
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A year after his wife died in childbirth, Gabriel Stone is still wracked with grief. Desperate to make a new start away from the memories that haunt his every step in Massachusetts, he accepts a position as a minister in the small town of Pale Harbor, Maine. Hiding his own secrets, Gabriel soon becomes acquainted with the village's biggest mystery—Sophronia Carver. The young widow, who's rumored to be everything from a witch to a heartless murderer, hides away in creepy Castle Carver, with only a gruff spinster housekeeper for company. Intrigued by the sinister stories surrounding her, Gabriel seeks out Sophronia, who surprises him with her kindness, beauty, and intelligence.
When strange things start happening in Pale Harbor, the townspeople know immediately who's at fault—Widow Carver. Gabriel doesn't believe it for a second. Someone else is scaring people with Edgar Allen Poe-ish tricks. Gabriel must find out who before all of Pale Harbor comes for Sophronia with pitchforks and torches. They don't know her like he does, or do they? What is the widow hiding? And who is really behind the macabre doings in town? Gabriel won't stop digging until he finds the truth.
I loved Hester Fox's debut novel, The Witch of Willow Hall, so when I was offered an early copy of her sophomore book to review, I accepted eagerly. While The Widow of Pale Harbor shares many elements with its predecessor—a shivery, atmospheric setting; strong, creepy Gothic vibes; and a cast of interesting, sympathetic characters—I didn't enjoy it nearly as much. I'm not sure why, but Fox's second effort just didn't impress me like her first did. I still liked The Widow of Pale Harbor, I just didn't love it.
(Readalikes: The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox and The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (no F-bombs), violence, sexual content, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of The Widow of Pale Harbor from the generous folks at HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Halloween Horror Novel a Shivery, Spine-Tingling Read
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After a traumatic childhood under the chaotic care of his flighty, hippie-dippy mother, Will Conner flees his hometown with no intention of ever returning. When she falls down a flight of stairs, however, he's forced to take a leave of absence from his job as an English professor in New York City to care for her. As soon as Will arrives in Cape Ann—a small village north of Boston—the inherent strangeness of the place overwhelms him, flooding him with memories of the night one of his mother's spirit circle rituals went horribly wrong, leaving one man dead. At five years old, Will didn't understand what was happening. He still doesn't. All he knows is something sinister was released that night almost thirty years ago, a malevolent presence that still has Will in its clutches. If anyone can help him get rid of it, it's the witchy women of Cape Ann.
Despite constant warnings from the townspeople to go back to the city, Will can't leave his childhood home without getting some answers. He's desperate to know what really happened the night the ritual went wrong, frantic to free himself from the presence that haunts him. Answers lie with the original members of his mother's spirit circle, many of whom have died mysterious deaths over the ensuing decades, but no one's willing to talk. With the help of Samantha "Sam" Hall, his odd childhood pal, Will is determined to get the answers he seeks. He's been warned that digging into old secrets could cause even more danger and pain, but he will not stop, no matter what new horrors he unleashes in the tiny, cursed town of Cape Ann, Massachusetts ...
There's nothing super original about Before the Devil Fell by Neil Olson, but it's a solid horror novel that would make for a shivery, spine-tingling Halloween read. The atmospheric setting gives the book an appropriately spooky backdrop. The tale also features interesting characters, a compelling plotline, and capable prose. While I can't think of any real stand-out elements that make Before the Devil Fell unique or really memorable, it definitely kept me turning pages. In the end, I liked it well enough, but I didn't love it.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of House of Echoes by Brendan Duffy)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (a handful of F-bombs, plus milder expletives), violence, sexual content, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of Before the Devil Fell from the generous folks at Hanover Square Press (a division of Harlequin) in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Tuesday, April 30, 2019
Creepy Scottish Mystery Offers a Shivery Spring Thrill
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After her mother dies, London tv producer Ailsa Calder inherits an imposing home in the Scottish Highlands known as the Manse. Although she lived in the house as a young child, the place gives Ailsa the creeps. Big time. Ailsa can feel it watching her, eyeing her every move with sinister intentions. Even the local wildlife and neighborhood pets refuse to set foot on the property. The townspeople whisper about the haunted Manse, saying it's a strange, in-between place where time moves differently. Crazy as it sounds, Ailsa almost believes them. If she had inherited the entire house, she would sell it without hesitation, but the other half belongs to her father—and he's been missing for 27 years. Before she can unload her unsettling inheritance, Ailsa has to prove her dad is dead.
For convenience's sake, Ailsa decides to live in the Manse while preparing the paperwork necessary to sell the old pile. Carrie, the half-sister Ailsa barely knows, becomes her erstwhile roommate. As the two women get to know each other and the locals—some of whom are kind and welcoming, others of whom view the sisters with suspicion and distrust—it soon becomes apparent that the Manse isn't the only entity that wishes Ailsa harm ...
I'm sure it's more than evident by now that I love me a shivery mystery/thriller featuring an ominous, atmospheric backdrop; an eerie old house; and a dusty old skeleton (literal or otherwise) hiding in a closet, just waiting to be discovered. The Missing Hours by Lexie Elliott has all this and more. It's a compelling and engrossing page-turner that offers mystery, suspense, and a hint of the supernatural. The plot is a teensy bit slow, but I didn't mind that a bit. The Missing Hours held my attention, keeping me feeling slightly off-kilter (in a good way) throughout. I didn't love Elliott's debut, The French Girl, but her sophomore attempt is much, much more to my liking. I very much enjoyed this creepy, entertaining novel.
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language, violence, blood/gore, references to illegal drug use, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of The Missing Hours from the generous folks at Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Tuesday, April 09, 2019
Shivery Psychological Thriller Boasts Gothic Setting and "I See Dead People" Vibe
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Mattie Lane loves volunteering with Sanctuary, a non-profit group which acts as a sort of Underground Railroad for women and children in need. The 59-year-old retired social worker has been working with the organization long enough to know its rules and protocols. Still, when she's sent to the bus station in the middle of the night to pick up a frightened woman and child, Mattie can't bear to send them on. Instead, Mattie breaks Sanctuary's rules and brings the pair home with her to her big, lonely house in the woods. What she can't quite admit, even to herself, is that the 10-year-old boy, Oren, reminds her of her little brother, who died more than 30 years ago. She can't help feeling protective, especially since something about the woman's story doesn't quite add up.
As a winter storm bears down on upstate New York, the three hunker down in Mattie's dilapidated home. Almost immediately, strange things begin to happen, things that have a still grief-stricken Mattie wondering if she's going crazy. Mattie knows Alice and Oren are hiding secrets, but is it possible something otherworldly is going on? Mattie's got her own secrets to spill—can she and her two visitors learn to trust each other enough to let them out? With the blizzard worsening around them and danger literally banging on the door, they will have to rely on each other to make it through the night alive.
I'm a fan of Carol Goodman's eerie psychological thrillers, especially the ones with Gothic overtones and a splash of the supernatural thrown in for good measure. The Night Visitors certainly fits the bill. The story is compelling, the plot exciting, and the characters sympathetic. Featuring a creepy old house, an isolating blizzard, and an "I see dead people" vibe, it's a shivery tale that kept me slightly off-kilter throughout. Although I saw some of the plot twists coming, I didn't see all of them, which kept the novel interesting. This isn't my favorite Goodman book, but it's a good one from an author who never fails to pull me into her stories and keep me hooked.
(Readalikes: Other books by Carol Goodman)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language, violence, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC of The Night Visitors from the generous folks at HarperCollins via those at Edelweiss. Thank you!
Monday, April 08, 2019
Fourth Installment in Delightful Victorian Mystery Series My Favorite So Far
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Note: While this review will not contain spoilers for A Dangerous Collaboration, it may inadvertently reveal plot surprises from earlier Veronica Speedwell mysteries. As always, I recommend reading books in a series in order.
With her increasingly complicated feelings for Revelstoke "Stoker" Templeton-Vane clouding her normally rational judgment, Veronica Speedwell feels the need for some time away from the close quarters she and Stoker share as they work together in London. When Stoker's older brother, Tiberius, offers the lepidopterist an opportunity to travel to a remote island to study an almost extinct butterfly, she jumps at the chance. Even if it means posing as Tiberius' fiancée for a two-week house party. It's worth it to collect larvae for her vivarium—and get an up-close look at a regal Cornish castle that boasts its very own ghost.
Before long, it becomes apparent that their host, Malcolm Romilly, has ulterior motives for gathering guests to his home. Everyone in attendance, save Veronica, is connected to Rosamund, Malcolm's bride, who disappeared on their wedding day three years ago. Still tormented by grief, Malcolm is determined to find out what happened to his wife once and for all. He enlists the help of all present to solve the mystery, even though all but Veronica are suspects.
The shadowy castle, always the center of superstition and fairy tales, is the perfect setting for an intriguing ghost hunt. Veronica will do anything to help the grieving groom end his torment, even putting her life on the line to discover Rosamund's fate. As she fends off the attention of two ardent men, sorts idle village gossip from crucial clues, and scours the mysterious castle for answers, Veronica creeps ever closer to becoming the next victim of a cold-blooded murderer who will not hesitate to kill again.
The Veronica Speedwell mystery series by Deanna Raybourn is one of the most delightful I've ever read, so it's no surprise that I loved A Dangerous Collaboration. In fact, I think this fourth installment is my favorite. It's clever, it's fun, it's twisty, and it's entertaining. Veronica is, as always, a refreshingly forthright narrator. She's also a smart, spunky heroine who's brave, loyal, and compassionate. With its Gothic setting, ghostly happenings, and a surprise guest who keeps Veronica on her toes, this novel is simply a whole lot of fun. I adored it.
(Readalikes: Other books in the Veronica Speedwell series, including A Curious Beginning, A Perilous Undertaking, and A Treacherous Curse. Also reminds me a little of the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for brief, mild language (no F-bombs), violence, and sexual innuendo
To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of A Dangerous Collaboration from the generous folks at Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Thursday, March 28, 2019
Despite Appealing Pieces, Gothic Family Secrets Novel Doesn't Quite Come Together
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
10-year-old Virginia Wrathmell is glad to be out of the orphanage where she has lived since her parents died, but she's not quite sure what to think of her adoptive home and family. Salt Winds is a strange, lonely place. With its remote location on the moors, it feels otherworldly, sad, and somehow, dangerous. While Virginia's new father, Clem, is warm and kind, the same can't be said of Lorna, her new mother, whose glamorous facade hides a temperament as shifting as the tides. While she can't quite understand the tension in her adoptive parents' marriage, she knows it has something to do with Max Deering, the charismatic widower who lives nearby.
With war raging in other parts of Europe, it's only a matter of time before the conflict comes to Salt Winds. When Clem and Virginia spy a German airman making a risky parachute landing on their beach, Clem rushes to help him. His kind act sets in motion events that will rock young Virginia to her core and threaten everything she's come to love about the place she's just beginning to think of as home.
The Orphan of Salt Winds, a debut novel by Elizabeth Brooks, features some of my favorite fictional elements—a moody, broody setting; a haunting Gothic vibe; and family skeletons bursting from hidden closets. Unfortunately, for me, these appealing pieces didn't quite come together to create a satisfying whole. While I found the story compelling enough to keep me reading, I also thought it was cold, stark, sad, and depressing. Overall, I just didn't love it. It turned out to be an okay read, but definitely not a memorable or captivating one.
(Readalikes: The book's setting and premise reminded me of Kate Morton's novels, although the former lacks the warmth and charm of the latter.)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (a couple F-bombs, plus milder expletives), violence, sexual content, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
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