Tag: Five stars

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2024 Readalong Support Debuts Tandem Readalong

READALONG REVIEW: Anna O by Matthew Blake

Published February 1st, 2024 by Harper Collins UK
Crime Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Medical Thriller, Psychological Fiction, Psychological Thriller,

Welcome to my review for Anna O, the phenomenal thriller that is set to be everywhere in 2024. Thank you to the Tandem Collective for arranging the readalong and offering me a place, and Harper Collins UK for the proof copy of the book.

********

SYNOPSIS:

ANNA O – THE WORLD WILL KNOW HER NAME

‘Certain to be one of the year’s best thrillers’ LEE CHILD

‘Reads like a dream but unsettles like a nightmare’ A J FINN

________________________________________________

*The instant global phenomenon*

*Publishing in over 30 territories*

*The thriller that will wake up the nation*

________________________________________________

ANNA O HASN’T OPENED HER EYES FOR FOUR YEARS

Not since the night she was found in a deep sleep by the bodies of her best friends, suspected of a chilling double murder.

For Doctor Benedict Prince, a forensic psychologist on London’s Harley Street, waking Anna O could be career-defining. As an expert in sleep, he knows all about the darkest chambers of the mind; the secrets that lie buried in the subconscious.

As he begins Anna O’s treatment – studying his patient’s dreams, combing her memories, visiting the site where the horrors played out – he pulls on the thread of a much deeper, darker mystery.

Awakening Anna O isn’t the end of the story, it’s just the beginning.

********

MY REVIEW:

“Anna O, Sleeping beauty, a figure of myth and reality.”

Anna O hasn’t opened her eyes since the night four years ago when her two best friends were found brutally murdered and she was discovered in a deep sleep. Anna is the only suspect but ever since the debate has raged: is she innocent or guilty? And was she sleeping or awake? Answers are needed and time is running out, so the Ministry of Justice charges Doctor Benedict Prince, a forensic psychologist and expert in sleep, with the task of finally waking Anna from her long sleep in order to get them. If he succeeds, his part in the Anna O case will be a defining moment in his career, but will his theory finally wake the woman her detractors call Sleeping Beauty? After all, waking Anna O isn’t the end of the story but the beginning… 

WHAT. A. BOOK! Quite simply, Anna O is a masterpiece. Sleeping Beauty meets The Silent Patient, this astonishing debut left my jaw on the floor. Deliciously dark, atmospheric and unnerving, this has bestseller and blockbuster movie written all over it. From the moment I first heard about Anna O I knew it was a book I needed to read so I jumped at the chance to take part in a 100-strong readalong organised by the Tandem Collective. Before reading we were asked to vote if we thought Anna was sleeping or awake. I voted for sleeping, but would I be proven right? Or was Anna actually awake that night?

There’s always a danger with a much-hyped novel that you will be disappointed, but this one exceeded all my high hopes. Matthew Blake writes like a veteran of the genre and I am still in awe that this is a debut novel. He expertly intertwines masterful storytelling, compelling characters and vivid imagery to create this tour-de-force. He then adds references to real crimes, Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood, Shakesphere, Hitchcock, and real conditions such as resignation syndrome that all add that feeling of authenticity, making it feel like you’re reading a true crime novel rather than a work of fiction. It is a Russian doll of a mystery; the many layers and multiple mysteries all hidden inside one another and then slowly revealed alongside the cleverly placed red herrings that held me in his thrall and kept me guessing. The multiple points of view and timelines in mixed media heightened the tension as Blake drops clues like breadcrumbs for us to follow. I HAD to know the truth and confess that I raced ahead of the reading schedule, but I was unprepared for a twist so shocking it threw me to the ground, stamped on me and left me for dead followed swiftly by that unforgettable finale. I’m still reeling.

Dealing with both the aftermath and build-up to a brutal crime, the book explores the ripple effect violent crimes have on not just those who knew the victims, but those who knew the person accused of the crime. A beautiful woman accused of a brutal crime and an enigma because she has been sleeping since that night, Anna is the epitome of a ‘femme fatale’ and leads perfectly into Blake’s examination of our prejudices and preconceptions about those who kill. He also examines our fascination with true crime, asking what it is that makes a murder capture the public’s imagination and attain infamy. Most unsettling of all, he shifts the fabric of our reality and turns our dreams into nightmares as he explores the things we don’t remember from while we are sleeping and the darker side of the human psyche. 

Suspenseful, twisty, cryptic and unputdownable, this phenomenal debut is destined to be THE thriller of 2024. A must-read for your TBR next year, pre-order this now to discover if Anna is innocent or guilty. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

********

MEET THE AUTHOR:

After discovering that the average person spends thirty-three years of their life asleep, Matthew Blake felt the pull of a story. He began extensive research into sleep-related crimes and into the mystery illness known as resignation syndrome, research that sparked a thrilling question: if someone commits murder while sleepwalking, are they innocent or guilty? And so his novel Anna O was born.

Before writing fiction, Matthew worked as a researcher and speechwriter at the Palace of Westminster. He studied English at Durham University and Merton College, Oxford and now lives in London.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*

********

Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

*All purchase links are affiliate links

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: Yule Island by Johana Gustawsson

Published November 23rd, 2023 by Orenda Books
Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Gothic Thriller, Suspense, Thriller, Hard-boiled Mystery, Horror Fiction, Occult Horror, Translated Fiction

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for the unsettling Yule Island. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part and to Karen at Orenda for the proof copy of the book.

********

SYNOPSIS:

An art expert joins a detective to investigate a horrific murder on a Swedish island, leading them to a mystery rooted in Viking rites and Scandinavia’s deepest, darkest winter. The Queen of French Noir returns with a chilling, utterly captivating gothic thriller, based on a true story. FIRST in a new series.
 
‘Gustawsson’s writing is so vivid, it’s electrifying’ Peter James
 
‘Remember her name. Johana Gustawsson has become a leading figure in French crime fiction [and] Yule Island is impossible to put down’ Le Monde
 
***Winner of the Cultura Ligue de l’Imaginaire Award 2023***
 
________

Art expert Emma Lindahl is anxious when she’s asked to appraise the antiques and artefacts in the infamous manor house of one of Sweden’s wealthiest families, on the island of Storholmen, where a young woman was murdered nine years earlier, her killer never found.

Emma must work alone, and the Gussman family apparently avoiding her, she sees virtually no one in the house. Do they have something to hide?

As she goes about her painstaking work and one shocking discovery yields clues that lead to another, Emma becomes determined to uncover the secrets of the house and its occupants.

When the lifeless body of another young woman is found in the icy waters surrounding the island, Detective Karl Rosén arrives to investigate, and memories his failure to solve the first case come rushing back. Could this young woman’s tragic death somehow hold the key?

Battling her own demons, Emma joins forces with Karl to embark upon a chilling investigation, plunging them into horrifying secrets from the past – Viking rites and tainted love – and Scandinavia’s deepest, darkest winter…

********

MY REVIEW:

OMG. My mind is completely blown and I’m still trying to pick my jaw up from the floor after reading this mesmerising gothic thriller. Darkly atmospheric, unsettling and original, this is one of the best books I’ve read this year. 

Art expert Emma Lindahl has come to the manor house on the island of Storholmen to appraise the artwork belonging to the Gussman family. But that isn’t all this house is famous for. It is also the place where the infamous hanging girl was found nine years ago. A brutal murder that remains unsolved. And when the body of another young woman is found in the icy waters that surround the island, it looks like Detective Karl Rosen might have found a connection between the crimes. What follows is a breathtaking story of murder, dark secrets and Norse mythology that you won’t be able to put down. 

You know when you pick up one of Johana Gustawsson’s books that you should expect the unexpected; a heart-stopping thrill-ride that you can’t put down. Yule Island is all that and more. From the moment I read the author’s note at the start I was in Gustawsson’s thrall, feeling like I’d actually stepped inside the book as I read in breathless anticipation. Expertly written and cleverly plotted, this is a masterclass in storytelling. I was blindsided as she pulled the rug from under me again and again, not giving me time to catch my breath before delivering yet another shocking revelation. As 

tension builds, Gustawsson intricately interweaves meticulously researched Norse mythology and Swedish history to keep you on the edge of your seat. ‘The Queen of French Noir’ is living up to her title and it’s easy to see why this book has already received so much acclaim. 

Gothic fiction is one of my favourite genres and Gustawsson absolutely nailed the dark, gothic vibes of this story from the start: the cold weather, an isolated island shrouded in silence, an old, echoing manor house filled with mysterious residents and the trappings of faded opulence, the screams that can be heard randomly, and the haunting history of the hanging tree. Knowing that Storholmen is a real island and this is all based on a true story adds to the unease that permeates every page. This is one of those books that will have you looking for the monsters that lurk in the shadows and I loved every second. 

Told from multiple points of view, the characters are fascinating, relatable and richly drawn. The two protagonists, Emma and Karl, are very different in terms of age, circumstance and perspective. I enjoyed their distinct voices and seeing the investigation from both a professional and lay perspective. But they have similarities too: both are intelligent, determined and have a sober air that surrounds them. I enjoyed how Gustawsson slowly teased their backstories, allowing us to feel invested in their lives and root for them before making us question everything as we wonder if they are unreliable after all. There was a third narrator, Viktoria, who was a housekeeper at the manor. Her chapters gave us a glimpse of life behind the closed doors of the manor and added to the mystery that surrounds it. The background characters are just as well written and I loved the sense of community that existed on the island and how they welcomed Emma into their midst when a lot of small communities will make outsiders feel like just that. But it did make me wonder about the killer as it surely had to be one of the three hundred residents on Storholmen. Could one of them really commit vicious crimes like these while looking their neighbours in the eye? Or was there another explanation?  

Claustrophobic, eerie, sinister and unnerving, Yule Island is an absolute must-read. An outstanding Gothic thriller that is perfect for this time of year, I have no hesitation in highly recommending it.

Rating: ❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

********

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Born in Marseille, France, and with a degree in Political Science, Johana Gustawsson has worked as a journalist for the French and Spanish press and television. Her critically acclaimed Roy & Castells series (Block 46, Keeper and Blood Song) has won the Plume d’Argent, Balai de la découverte, Balai d’Or and Prix Marseillais du Polar awards, and is now published in twenty-three countries. The third in the series, Blood Song, was longlisted for the CWA International Dagger. A TV adaptation is currently underway in a French, Swedish and UK co-production. Johana lives in London with her Swedish husband, and three young sons, and is currently working on the book four in the Roy & Castells series. 

********

MEET THE TRANSLATOR:

David Warriner translates from French and nurtures a healthy passion for Franco, Nordic and British crime fiction. Growing up in deepest Yorkshire, he developed incurable Francophilia at an early age. Emerging from Oxford with a Modern Languages degree he narrowly escaped the graduate rat race by hopping on a plane to Canada – and never looked back. More than a decade into a high-powered commercial translation career, he listened to his heart and turned his hand to the delicate art of literary translation. David has lived in France and Quebec, and now calls beautiful British Columbia home.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

Orenda Books | Waterstones* | Amazon*

********

Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxx

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.

*These links are affiliate links

Categories
Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Bone China by Laura Purcell

Published September 19th, 2019 by Raven Books
Gothic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Horror Fiction, Ghost Story, Medical Thriller, Romance

********

SYNOPSIS:

A Daphne Du Maurier-esque chiller set on the mysterious Cornish coast, from the award-winning author of The Silent Companions.

‘Du Maurier-tastic’ GUARDIAN

‘Deliciously sinister’ HEAT

‘A clever, creepy read’ SUNDAY EXPRESS


Consumption has ravaged Louise Pinecroft’s family, leaving her and her father alone and heartbroken.

But Dr Pinecroft has plans for a revolutionary experiment: convinced that sea air will prove to be the cure his wife and children needed, he arranges to house a group of prisoners suffering from the same disease in the cliffs beneath his new Cornish home.

Forty years later, Hester Why arrives at Morvoren House to take up a position as nurse to the now partially paralysed and almost entirely mute Miss Pinecroft. Hester has fled to Cornwall to try and escape her past, but she soon discovers that her new home may be just as dangerous as her last.

********

MY REVIEW:

Laura Purcell has done it again. Gloriously sinister, gothic and eerie, Bone China is an unsettling tale from the queen of the gothic mystery. The Cornish coast and Morvoren House provide a haunting backdrop that is the perfect setting for Purcell’s unmistakable chilling and malevolent gothic style. You feel yourself in the grip of a master storyteller as she pulls you into the world she created with her meticulous and darkly poetic prose, compelling characters and strong sense of place. Filled with folklore, mystery, suspicion and foreboding, there’s a lingering atmosphere of unease and the sense of dread deepens as Purcell expertly blurs the lines between reality, imagination and the supernatural. All of this merged with the expressive narration of the audiobook to create a truly visceral and immersive experience. 

Told in three timelines we follow Hester Why in the present as she arrives at Morvoren House to take up a position as Lady’s Maid and Nurse to Miss Pinecroft, the strange and reclusive Lady of the house. A second timeline flashes back to Ms. Why’s past and slowly reveals her secrets. Lastly, we go back forty years before Hester’s arrival at Morvoren House to follow the story of Miss Louise Pinecroft and her father, Dr. Ernest Pinecroft. The Pinecrofts have come to Morvoren to continue his quest to perfect his radical cure for consumption. Purcell seamlessly weaves the many threads together, holding me in her thrall and keeping me guessing right up until the end. 

Purcell’s research is detailed, delving into Cornish folklore and the origins of bone china, which are surprisingly morbid. Integral to the story are the unsettling local tales of changelings and faeries, seen as a serious matter at the time. Faeries were dark and dangerous creatures with limitless power and were blamed for everything and anything: pregnancy loss, stillbirth, disability, famine, mental illness, and sickness, such as tuberculosis which is a central part of the storyline. Then known as consumption, tuberculosis is the illness that shattered the Prichard family which has led Dr. Ernest Prichard to Morvoren House so he can perfect his innovative cure with the assistance of his daughter, Louise. It was hard to read about the barbaric ‘cures’ people were subjected to in the name of so-called modern medicine at that time knowing it was based in historical fact. 

The characters are intriguing and well-written. Purcell allows us greater insight into who many of them are by having them appear in multiple timelines so we really get to know them and their backstories. While the characters appear very different, they are all deeply flawed people who are consumed by guilt and inner turmoil. Hester is a secretive, impulsive and obsessive young woman who oozes desperation. We know she’s fleeing from a tragic event and is plagued not only by regret but also fear of being discovered. I found her intriguing but was frustrated she refused to learn from her past mistakes and kept going in circles. Miss Pinecroft is a much more sympathetic character with a moving backstory. But it takes some time to unravel that and in the present we see her as a feeble and mute old woman who is confined to her bed or the parlour. Flashbacks tell us the fascinating story of an intelligent and determined young woman who is working hard to overcome the tragedies she has lived through and help others through working with her father on his cure for consumption. But the character who stood out most for me was Creeda, Miss Pinecroft’s servant who has been at Morvoren house for many years. Creeda is well versed in folklore and wholeheartedly believes the stories are true. In her world there are faeries waiting to steal people and changelings live amongst us. Needless to say, she’s a strange character. She is also shrouded in mystery and seems to be at the centre of everything that happens at Morvoren House, adding to the overall feeling of unease that surrounds her. I loved that the more we learned about her tragic past the more unnerving she became and her backstory was one of my favourite storylines.

Darkly atmospheric, insidious, menacing and utterly magnificent, Bone China is a DuMarier-esque gothic novel that is one of Laura Purcell’s best books yet. Highly recommended, especially on audiobook. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

********

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Laura Purcell is a former bookseller living in Colchester, Essex with her husband and pet guinea pigs.

She began her career with two historical novels about the Hanoverian monarchs, Queen of Bedlam and Mistress of the Court before her break-out Gothic ghost story The Silent Companions.

The Silent Companions won the WHSmith Thumping Good Read Award in 2018 and was shortlisted for the Goldsboro Glass Bell. It was selected for both the Radio 2 Book Club and Zoe Ball’s ITV Book Club.

The Shape of Darkness won a Fingerprint Award for Historical Crime Book of the Year 2022 and was shortlisted for both an Edgar Award and a Dead Good Readers’ Award.

Laura’s short stories have been published in a number of collections including the Sunday Times best-selling The Haunting Season. She recently worked as lead writer on Roanoke Falls, a Realm podcast executive produced by John Carpenter and Sandy King Carpenter. It won a silver Signal Award for Best Scripted Fiction.

Please note that in the USA Laura is published by Penguin Books, where The Corset is titled The Poison Thread and Bone China is called The House of Whispers.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*

********

Thanks for reading Bibliiophiles xxxx

*These links are affiliate links

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: Upstairs at the Beresford by Will Carver

Published November 9th, 2023 by Orenda
Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Horror Fiction, Horror Parody, Satire

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for this deliciously diabolical thriller. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part and to Orenda for the proof copy.

********

SYNOPSIS:

Hotel Beresford: a grand old building, just outside the city, where any soul is welcome, and strange goings-on mask explosive, deadly secrets. A chilling, darkly funny sequel to Will Carver’s bestselling The Beresford…
 
There are worse places than hell…
 
Hotel Beresford is a grand, old building, just outside the city. And any soul is welcome. 
 
Danielle Ortega works nights, singing at whatever dive bar will offer her a gig. She gets by, keeping to herself. Sam Walker gambles and drinks, and can’t keep his hands to himself. Now he’s tied up in a shoe closet with a dent in his head that matches Danielle’s broken ashtray. 
 
The man in 731 has been dead for two days and his dog has not stopped barking. Two doors down, the couple who always smokes on the window ledge will mysteriously fall.
 
Upstairs, in the penthouse, Mr Balliol sees it all. He can peer into every crevice of every floor of the hotel from his screen-filled suite. He witnesses humanity and inhumanity in all its forms: loneliness, passion and desperation in equal measure. All the ingredients he needs to make a deal. 
 
When Danielle returns home one night to find Sam gone, a series of sinister events begins to unfold. But strange things often occur at Hotel Beresford, and many are only a distraction to hide something much, much darker…

********

MY REVIEW:

“But this is Hotel Beresford. 
It lives, it breathes, it gets to know the people inside.
It knows what has to be done.”

Hotel Beresford is a strange place. Anyone is welcome at the grand building just outside the city, but not everyone can leave. There are many rumours that surround The Beresford, but the truth is more ominous than anyone would imagine. And it is all  observed by Mr. Balliol, the mysterious resident of the Penthouse suite. And we watch with him, seeing snapshots from the lives of some of the staff and residents of the hotel, witnessing the best and worst of humanity as Balliol searches for the souls that offer him the perfect opportunity to make a deadly deal.

He’s done it again. A standing ovation to Will Carver for crafting another deliciously diabolical tale that is impossible to resist. Carver is a genius and he just gets better with every book. He is a master storyteller and dark dream-weaver, making the fabric of reality shift and crack around you as he merges the everyday with the sinister and unexplained to create a world straight out of our nightmares. And he knows exactly how to pull the reader into that world and make them lose themselves there. His writing is sharp, searing, smooth and seductive, striking a resonant chord as he weaves social commentary and complex social issues into this creative and thought-provoking twist on the well-known good vs evil trope. It made me laugh out loud one moment, seethe the next, and kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. 

“There are still rumours about the place. Bundy hid out here for a few days, once, while evading the cops. There’s a tunnel underneath where Kennedy or The Beatles could sneak in through the back. Urban legends that lend an air of mystique to Hotel Beresford. 
But now reality is superseding the myth.”

The second in Carver’s The Beresford Trilogy, Upstairs at the Beresford is edgy, original, unsettling and addictive; a macabre conundrum you are powerless to resist, much like those who signed away their souls to Balliol. It starts out strong, diving head-first into the action from the first page and never lets up, forcing you to just hold on and enjoy the bumpy ride. The hotel is a cesspit of people who are merely existing rather than living and there’s dark secrets, peculiar happenings, nefarious characters, inhumanity and far more death than is normal for any hotel. The desperation, danger, duplicity and dysfunction oozes from every crevice, the lives of those inside becoming one with the building itself. And this is not a building like any other. Beresford is alive. It seems to breathe and feast on the souls of those that cross its threshold, either keeping them for itself or changing them forever and unexplainable occurrences are par for the course for its staff. I loved how it was so creepy, unpredictable, absurd and yet also totally plausible. 

There is a compelling mix of characters in this book that range from the relatable, recognisable, lovable and quirky to the deplorable, menacing and vile. They all have their moments where they shine, but there were a few who I particularly enjoyed reading. Young Odie first comes to mind with his love of books and sweet nature. He was far too good for The Beresford and it was impossible not to love and root for him. I also liked Carol, the widowed hotel manager, and Mrs. May, who I enjoyed learning more about after enjoying her character in the last book. The biggest villain for me was without a doubt Danny. That man gave me the ick and I was rooting for him to get his dues. 

Outstanding, alluring, inventive and devilish, Upstairs at the Beresford is a must-read. And while you’re at it, go and read Carver’s backlist too. I promise you won’t regret it. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

********

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Will Carver is the international bestselling author of the January David series and the critically acclaimed, mind-blowingly original Detective Pace series that includes Good Samaritans (2018), Nothing Important Happened Today (2019) and Hinton Hollow Death Trip (2020), all of which were ebook bestsellers and selected as books of the year in the mainstream international press. Nothing Important Happened Today was longlisted for both the Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award 2020 and the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award. Hinton Hollow Death Trip was longlisted for Guardian‘s Not the Booker Prize. He spent his early years in Germany, but returned to the UK at age eleven, when his sporting career took off. He turned down a professional rugby contract to study theatre and television at King Alfred’s, Winchester, where he set up a successful theatre company. He currently runs his own fitness and nutrition company, and lives in Reading with his children.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

Orenda Books | Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*

********

Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the tour.

*These purchase links are affiliate links

Categories
Beat the Backlist book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: Fyneshade by Kate Griffin

Published May 18th, 2023 by Viper Books
Gothic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Supernatural Fiction, Mystery, Suspsense

Today I’m sharing my review for this gorgeous gothic novel. Thank you Viper Books for the proof.

********

SYNOPSIS:

*A SUNDAY TIMES HISTORICAL FICTION BOOK OF 2023*

‘A dark, inventive story’ – SUNDAY TIMES
‘A gloriously foreboding Gothic tale’ – HEAT

Many would find much to fear in Fyneshade’s dark and crumbling corridors, its unseen master and silent servants. But not I. For they have far more to fear from me…

On the day of her beloved grandmother’s funeral, Marta discovers that she is to become governess to the young daughter of Sir William Pritchard. Separated from her lover and discarded by her family, Marta has no choice but to journey to Pritchard’s ancient and crumbling house, Fyneshade, in the wilds of Derbyshire.

All is not well at Fyneshade. Marta’s pupil, little Grace, can be taught nothing, and Marta takes no comfort from the silent servants who will not meet her eye. More intriguing is that Sir William is mysteriously absent, and his son and heir Vaughan is forbidden to enter the house. Marta finds herself drawn to Vaughan, despite the warnings of the housekeeper that he is a danger to all around him. But Marta is no innocent to be preyed upon. Guided by the dark gift taught to her by her grandmother, she has made her own plans. And it will take more than a family riven by murderous secrets to stop her…

Perfect for readers of Laura Purcell, Jessie Burton and Stacey Halls, Fyneshade is a dark and twisted gothic novel unlike any you’ve read before…

‘A thrillingly dark page-turner’ – MAIL ON SUNDAY
‘Marta is Jane Eyre’s black-hearted alter ego’ – THE TIMES

********

MY REVIEW:

“Many would find much to fear in Fyneshade’s dark and crumbling corridors, its unseen master and silent servants. But not I. For they have far more to fear from me.”

Atmospheric, haunting and disquieting, Fyneshade is, quite simply, one of the best gothic novels I’ve ever read. 

This is a story of dark secrets, betrayal, temptation, and the supernatural. It’s a game of smoke and mirrors; a cryptic maze where the monsters don’t only lurk in the shadows, but inside our own minds as others try desperately to keep the truth hidden. This was my first time reading a book by Kate Griffin and I am in awe of her talent. She is an exceptional storyteller who weaves together darkly poetic prose, evocative imagery, compelling characters and a chilling atmosphere to cast a spell on her reader. I was transfixed and would have devoured it in just one sitting if exhaustion hadn’t forced me to tear myself away. 

Marta is a fascinating protagonist and I loved reading her. Intelligent, determined, wiley and sensual, this complex character is the antithesis of the innocent, meek and trusting protagonist we often see in gothic fiction. She knows how to play the game and isn’t afraid of using her dark craft to do so, making her more than a match for the untrustworthy staff and residents of Fyneshade. We understand that it is these parts of her personality combined with the suspicion, desire and secrecy surrounding her that motivate her actions and allow us to keep rooting for Marta even as she plotted deeds that were increasingly dark. 

Fyneshade is an ancient, bleak and decaying house located in the wilds of Derbyshire. Isolated and eerie, it is the kind of place where the walls bleed malice and the air is thick for foreboding. It feels alive, chilling your bones and sending fear up your spine. I would have been out of there before the first night fell. And the unsettling atmosphere that surrounds Fyneshade only increases with the mystery that surrounds the house, its history, and those who live there, creating a heart-pounding, edge-of-your seat read that I was powerless to put down. 

Bewitching, claustrophobic and deliciously diabolical, Fyneshade is a literary gothic masterpiece that will linger long after reading. Perfect for Halloween, this needs to be on your TBR! 

Rating: 🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️

********

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Kate Griffin was born within the sound of Bow bells, making her a true-born cockney. She has worked as an assistant to an antiques dealer, a journalist for local newspapers and now works for The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings. Kitty Peck and the Music Hall Murders, Kate’s first book, won the Stylist/Faber crime writing competition. Kate lives in St Albans.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*

********

Thanks for reading Bibliohpiles xxxx

*These links are affiliate links

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2022

BOOK REVIEW: The Bleeding by Johana Gustwasson

Published September 15th, 2022 by Orenda
Gothic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical Thriller, Mystery, Noir Fiction, Hardboiled Mystery, Horror Fiction, Occult Horror, Translated Fiction

Today I’m sharing a review for a magnificent gothic thriller that’s perfect for spooky season.

********

SYNOPSIS:

Queen of French Noir, Johana Gustawsson returns with a spell-binding, dazzlingly dark gothic thriller that swings from Belle Époque France to 21st-century Quebec, with an extraordinary mystery at its heart … FIRST in a bewitching new series
 
**Shortlisted for the CWA Crime in Translation Dagger**
 
`A wonderfully dark, intricately woven historical thriller spanning three generations … it will have you hooked from the very first page’ B A Paris
 
`A gripping story of murder and black magic …Gustawsson slowly weaves together three seemingly disparate strands of her narrative with a skill that shows why she is such an admired crime writer in her native France´ The Times BOOK OF THE MONTH
 
`Intriguingly dark and vivid, and so cleverly told through three different time frames´ Essie Fox
 
________________
 
Three women
Three eras
One extraordinary mystery…
1899, Belle Époque Paris. Lucienne’s two daughters are believed dead when her mansion burns to the ground, but she is certain that her girls are still alive and embarks on a journey into the depths of the spiritualist community to find them.
 
1949, Post-War Québec. Teenager Lina’s father has died in the French Resistance, and as she struggles to fit in at school, her mother introduces her to an elderly woman at the asylum where she works, changing Lina’s life in the darkest way imaginable.
 
2002, Quebec. A former schoolteacher is accused of brutally stabbing her husband – a famous university professor – to death. Detective Maxine Grant, who has recently lost her own husband and is parenting a teenager and a new baby single-handedly, takes on the investigation.
 
Under enormous personal pressure, Maxine makes a series of macabre discoveries that link directly to historical cases involving black magic and murder, secret societies and spiritism … and women at breaking point, who will stop at nothing to protect the ones they love…

********

MY REVIEW:

“It’s like in Macbeth. Everything begins with an encounter, a prophetic encounter with a witch. If Macbeth’s path had never crossed that of the three witches, he would have never killed King Duncan. Lady Macbeth or no Lady Macbeth.”

Halloween is almost upon us and we’re almost at the end of Orentober, so I thought this was the perfect time to finally read The Bleeding, which I’ve been highly anticipating for a long time. I mean, just look at that cover. How was I supposed to resist such beauty? And those spredges! Absolute heaven. But it wasn’t just the outside of this book that drew me to it. The synopsis immediately grabbed me and I’ve been even more excited to read it since having the pleasure of author Johana Gustawasson talking about the book at an event last year. And what a book! Reading anything published by Orenda is always a joy, but this is an absolute masterpiece. Unnerving, haunting, and macabre, it is one of my favourite books this year. 

This is a story of three women in three different timelines who are all connected by a single thread. Paris, 1899, Lucienne is devastated when her two young daughters are believed dead after a fire burns her mansion to the ground. Searching for certainly, she is introduced to Spiritualism by one of her society friends. Then in post-war Quebec, teenager Lina is an outcast at school who strikes up a friendship with an elderly resident at the rest home where her single mother works that will have life-changing consequences. In 2002, a famous Quebec university professor was found brutally murdered and his wife, a former schoolteacher, is the only suspect. Detective Maxine Grant is called in to investigate the baffling and bizarre crime, making a series of gruesome discoveries that raise more questions than answers. 

“Don’t be expecting to unearth a logical reason for their barbaric acts. This quest sheds light on just one aspect of their psychopathy… a psychopath’s logic is theirs and theirs alone. And it defies all other logic.”

Though I own many of Ms. Gustawasson’s books, I’m ashamed to say that this was my first time reading one of them, and I’m so mad at myself for sleeping on this author for so long. She is a master sinister storyteller, living up to her title of the Queen of French Noir as she weaves a cunningly crafted gothic thriller laced with emotion, drama, secrets, and the supernatural. Gustawasson pulled no punches as she dived head-first into the action and I was enrapt from start to finish. The characters are memorable and compelling, and I loved the unique voices of each narrator. They were a trio of troubled, fractured women who draw the reader into their stories and make you care what happens to them. I also loved Pauline’s character who is an enigma. To Maxine she’s her kind, former teacher, but there are horrific discoveries made at her home that she may have been part of. Her refusal to talk only adds to the mystery and I could never be sure if I sensed a darkness about her or if she was in shock. I had my suspicions, but for most of the book I had no idea if they were correct, adding to the tension and making Pauline a stand-out character even though she barely utters a word. 

This is definitely one of those books you need to read with the lights on. Darkly atmospheric, ominous and forbidding, fear snaked its way up my spine as I searched the pages for clues that would connect the women and timelines. But I was stumped for the most part, Ms. Gustawasson proves herself to be a master of misdirection and disguise as she slowly weaves her intricate, tangled web. The story is shrewdly choreographed and only gives up its secrets when Gustawasoon decides the time is right, delivering jaw-dropping revelations that hit me out of the blue. Of the many scenarios I had in my head I never came close to guessing the truth and I’m still reeling.

Bewitching, eerie, unsettling and sinister, The Bleeding is a phenomenal gothic thriller that I can’t recommend highly enough. So if you’re looking for a witchy or supernatural read that’s perfect for the spooky season, read this book! 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

********

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Born in Marseille, France, and with a degree in Political Science, Johana Gustawsson has worked as a journalist for the French and Spanish press and television. Her critically acclaimed Roy & Castells series (Block 46, Keeper and Blood Song) has won the Plume d’Argent, Balai de la découverte, Balai d’Or and Prix Marseillais du Polar awards, and is now published in twenty-three countries. The third in the series, Blood Song, was longlisted for the CWA International Dagger. A TV adaptation is currently underway in a French, Swedish and UK co-production. Johana lives in London with her Swedish husband, and three young sons, and is currently working on the book four in the Roy & Castells series. 

********

MEET THE TRANSLATOR:

David Warriner translates from French and nurtures a healthy passion for Franco, Nordic and British crime fiction. Growing up in deepest Yorkshire, he developed incurable Francophilia at an early age. Emerging from Oxford with a Modern Languages degree he narrowly escaped the graduate rat race by hopping on a plane to Canada – and never looked back. More than a decade into a high-powered commercial translation career, he listened to his heart and turned his hand to the delicate art of literary translation. David has lived in France and Quebec, and now calls beautiful British Columbia home.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

Orenda Books | Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*

********

Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

*These purhcase links are affiliate links
 

Categories
Book Features Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2023 Squadpod Squadpod Book Club Squadpod Recommends Squadpod Reviews

SQUADPOD REVIEWS: The Birdcage Library by Freya Berry

Published June 22nd, 2023 by Headline
Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction

Welcome to my review for the gorgeously gothic The Birdcage Library. This was one of our summer Squadpod Book Club picks, so I’m late with this review. But this book was more than worth the wait for me. Thank you to Headline for the proof copy of the book.

********

SYNOPSIS:
Dear Reader, the man I love is trying to kill me…

A mesmerising tale of buried secrets and dark obsession with shades of Daphne du Maurier, The Birdcage Library will hold you in its spell until the final page.

‘A delicious page-turning mystery within a mystery’ LIZ HYDER
‘A twisty treasure hunt of a novel… Utterly beguiling’ LIZZIE POOK
‘It glistens with a hint of the danger that lurks within‘ CHARLOTTE PHILBY
‘Dark, claustrophobic and clever storytelling’ JANE SHEMILT
_________

1932. Emily Blackwood, adventuress and plant hunter, travels north for a curious new commission. A gentleman has written to request she catalogue his vast collection of taxidermied creatures before sale.

On arrival, Emily finds a ruined castle, its owner haunted by a woman who vanished five decades before. And when she discovers the ripped pages of a diary, crammed into the walls, she realises dark secrets lie here, waiting to entrap her too…

********

MY REVIEW:

“Welcome, dear reader. You have found me, and I you. The diary you hold in your hands is a treasure map. It will lead you to what you ought to seek. Like all such maps, the trail is cryptic. The reason for this is simple. The man I love is trying to kill me.”

Gorgeously gothic, dark and forbidding, The Birdcage Library is an absolute masterpiece. Set in 1930s Scotland, Botanist and Adventuress Emily Blackwood is about to begin a new commission cataloguing the collection of creatures for sale. When she arrives at Castle Parras she finds a remote and ruined place inhabited by a peculiar nonagenarian and haunted by the memory of a woman who disappeared fifty years ago. After finding the pages of an old diary hidden in the walls, Emily sets out to solve the mystery in its pages. But alongside its secrets, a darkness lurks in the crevices of this old castle. Can she discover the truth before it entraps her?

Enthralling, eerie and suspenseful, this had everything I want in a Gothic mystery. This was one of our summer Squadpod Book Club picks so I’m late reading it, but it feels perfect for this time of year. Castle Parras is a cold, uninviting place but it lures you in, tempting you to try and be the one to make it give up its secrets. There’s a hint of malevolence and a nameless dread that hovers over the pages, making tendrils of fear creep up your spine as you read. With her exquisite storytelling and evocative imagery, Freya Berry takes you on a literary treasure hunt that wrenches you out of your own world and into the one she’s created as you try to solve the decades-old mystery. I was utterly captivated, not wanting to put the book down even to sleep as I desperately needed answers. 

“The summer solstice, with its sliver of dark, seemed a strange time of year for a haunting. But perhaps it was not the creatures of night that were most terrifying – at least with those you knew that day would come. Worse, perhaps, were the monsters that rose while the sun was high.”

Emily and Hester were great protagonists. While they lived very different lives fifty years apart there were many similarities between them. Both women are strong yet vulnerable. They are plagued by inner torment, fear, and regret while also possessing a fierce resolve and determination. They are also both surrounded by mystery. For Hester, this is her disappearance, while for Emily it is her past and the secrets she’s keeping from the reader. While you are never completely sure if either woman is a reliable narrator, they are easy to like and I was cheering them on at every step. We can’t talk about the characters without mentioning Heinrich Vogel, Emily’s employer and Hester’s brother-in-law. The nonagenarian is a strange man who gets increasingly creepy as the story goes on. I didn’t trust him or his nephew, Yves, one bit, and was worried for Emily’s safety as she’s trapped in the castle with them.

“The best most of us can hope for is to find comfort in our cages.”

One of the themes running through this book is cages as Berry explores the ways in which they are a metaphor in our lives. She discusses how we can be caged by society, relationships, or even ourselves, vividly capturing how it feels to be trapped in an invisible prison, being desperate to escape but having no idea how to free yourself. She also weaves in literal cages in the form of the castle walls, birdcages and the boxes that hold the various creatures, both alive and dead, adding to the claustrophobic feeling radiating from the pages.

Darkly atmospheric, chilling and immersive, this clever and twisty puzzle gets all the stars. One of my favourite books so far this year, The Birdcage Library is a mesmerising gothic mystery that will haunt you long after reading. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

********

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Freya Berry worked as a journalist at Reuters, covering everything from corporate M&A to Brexit. After a stint in New York reporting on the 2016 US election she left to write her first novel, The Dictator’s Wife, published by Headline in 2022. She received a double starred first in English from Trinity College, Cambridge and her writing has appeared in the TLS, the Guardian, the Independent and the Mail Online among others. She also works as an investigative corporate researcher. Her time is split between London and the Welsh coast, where she spends an inadvisable amount of time in the sea.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

Watertones* | Amazon* | Bookshop.org*

********

Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxx

*These links are affiliate links

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: The Takedown by Carlie Walker

Published October 3rd, 2023 by Orion
Romance Novel, Mystery, Romantic Comedy, Holiday Fiction

Today is my stop on the blog tour for this funny, sexy and addictive debut. Thank you to Becca at Orion for the invitation to take part and my copy of the book.

********

SYNOPSIS:

MISS CONGENIALITY meets Emily Henry with the spice of MR AND MRS SMITH in this fun, sexy and absolutely irresistible romcom.

—

‘Fun, flirty, and fabulous!’ LAURA JANE WILLIAMS
‘A hilarious, smart and swoony joy of a romcom’ CRESSIDA MCLAUGHLIN
‘The heat between Sydney and Nick is a literal inferno right off the bat’ LIZZY DENT

He wants to take her out. She wants to take him down…

Sydney’s mission is simple:

1. Stop her little sister from marrying a notorious criminal
2. Seduce his bodyguard to gather intel for the FBI
3. Definitely do not fall in love…

Agent Sydney Swift is going home for the holidays. She’s just discovered that her younger sister, Calla, is engaged to Johnny Jones – the heir to the nation’s most notorious crime dynasty – and she’s determined to stop their perfect winter wedding at any cost.

But gathering incriminating evidence on Johnny isn’t as easy as she’d hoped, especially as her biggest obstacle is Nick, his infuriatingly handsome and charming bodyguard!

As Sydney spends more time with Nick, lines begin to blur, and while seducing him to gather intel was bad enough, falling for him is even worse.

Soon Sydney is faced with a difficult decision – one that certainly wasn’t covered in her training . . .

********

MY REVIEW:

A female spy on a mission to gather intel on the notorious crime lord engaged to her younger sister by seducing his bodyguard. What could go wrong?

The Takedown is one of the best romcoms I’ve read in a while. Addictive, fun, witty, mysterious, and red-hot, Carlie Walker gives us a masterclass in romcom storytelling with her swoon-worthy debut. It had me hooked from the first page, the tension indisputable as the family gathered together the night before Calla and Johnny’s wedding. It then jumps back to a few days earlier when Sydney first learned about her sister’s engagement and then follows on as she attempts to carry out her mission.

Romcoms generally take a predictable route that we all love and while this one did to some degree, it was also an original take on the stories and tropes we’re familiar with. Firstly, we have a female spy as the central character, and secondly, she has to spy on her own family. It is also filled with surprising twists along the way that keep the reader on their toes and make it all the more entertaining to read. I also enjoyed that although this is technically a holiday read, the Christmas side of things isn’t overbearing. I love a Chrismassy read, but sometimes you aren’t in that mood, and I liked that this one could be read whatever mood you’re in or at any time of year.

What isn’t there to love about a bad-ass female CIA Agent who can take down (like what I did there?😉) criminals with ease? Sydney is a great protagonist. But inside that hard shell is a woman who is a hot mess. Her job is a way to run from her past family traumas and prevent anyone from getting close to her. She’s barely been in touch with her Grandmother or her sister in the last three years and while on this mission she finds it increasingly difficult to balance her past and present colliding. She’s having an internal crisis while trying to save her sister and bring down a crime lord. It’s a lot. But it all helps to make her relatable to the reader and I really liked her and was rooting for her. The background characters were also brilliantly written and I had a real soft spot for Grandma Ruby. What a woman she is! But for a romcom to work you need a believable love interest and Nick is a dreamboat. The chemistry between him and Sydney is undeniable from the start, just like his charm. It was so hot in places that I needed suntan lotion and I loved their effortless banter. You can tell where this one is going for sure. Or so you think…

So if you’re looking for a different kind of romcom and holiday read, then The Takedown is for you. Hilarious, sexy and suspenseful, you won’t be able to put this one down.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

********

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Carlie is a big fan of rescue dogs, 90’s rom-coms, and books with happy endings. She lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia. The Takedown is her first novel for adults.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*

********

Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the tour.

*These links are affiliate links

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: You’d Look Better as a Ghost by Joanna Wallace

Published September 21st, 2023 by Viper Books
Thriller, Mystery, Dark Comedy, Ghost Story, Satire

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for this darkly funny debut. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part, and to Viper Books for the finished copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

********

SYNOPSIS:

‘Refreshingly original and laugh-out-loud funny’ – CLARE MACKINTOSH
‘Delightfully shocking and irreverently funny’ – JANICE HALLETT

I have a gift. I see people as ghosts before they die.
Of course, it helps that I’m the one killing them.

The night after her father’s funeral, Claire meets Lucas in a bar. Lucas doesn’t know it, but it’s not a chance meeting. One thoughtless mistyped email has put him in the crosshairs of an extremely put-out serial killer. But even before they make eye contact, before Claire lets him buy her a drink, before she takes him home and carves him up into little pieces, something about that night is very wrong. Because someone is watching Claire. Someone who is about to discover her murderous little hobby.

The thing is, it’s not sensible to tangle with a part-time serial killer, even one who is distracted by attending a weekly bereavement support group and trying to get her art career off the ground. Claire will do anything to keep her secret hidden – not to mention the bodies buried in her garden. Let the games begin…

Dexter meets Killing Eve in this superb thriller, perfect for fans of How To Kill Your Family and My Sister, the Serial Killer.

‘I doubt I’ll read a more original thriller this year’ – JACK JORDAN
‘If Bret Easton Ellis ever went to grief counselling, this would be just the kind of brilliant book he’d write’ – PHILIPPA EAST

********

MY REVIEW:

“I have a gift. I see people as ghosts before they die.
Of course, it helps that I’m the one killing them.”

Have you ever heard a better tagline? I don’t think I have. And that title is probably my favourite of all time. Whoever came up with it deserves a raise as even without reading the synopsis I was desperate to read it. Add the striking purple and red cover, sinister tagline, and a hammer-wielding murderess, and I was all in. But be warned; this isn’t for the faint of heart. 

I’ve been in a very murdery mood lately, and this darkly funny, deliciously unhinged, and devilishly addictive debut was just what I was craving. Joanna Wallace’s storytelling is scalpel-sharp, funny, and compelling, and the plot is mysterious, vengeful and macabre. It’s my idea of book heaven and I couldn’t get enough of Claire’s deadly deeds. I haven’t loved a serial killer so much since Rhiannon and the Sweetpea series and never wanted the book to end.

“… I smile, enjoying my favourite part of the process. The part when I know they’re going to die soon. The part when I can anticipate every moment of their deaths. The part when I already see them as ghosts.”

I love an anti-hero, and with her murderous rage, bloody hammer, and body parts hidden in her garden, Claire certainly fits that bill. She’s feisty, sassy, sarcastic, witty, intelligent, doesn’t take anyone’s crap, and I loved her. Murder is her coping mechanism. Her way of chasing away the pain and finding peace among the chaos. And she’s totally blase about it. Unapologetically herself as she revels in being a predator and feeding on the fear of her victims as she slowly tortures and kills them. Wallace has written her brilliantly, refusing to create a caricature of a killer, instead writing a morally complex, nuanced and deeply human character you won’t be able to forget. The flashbacks are a vital part of this as they give us a glimpse into how she became the killer she is today. We learn that her father was her only real parent and that her mother should never have had children. I loathed that woman and really wanted to slap her! Another aspect I liked was the humanity we see in her grief after her father’s death. After all, we expect serial killers to be emotionless psychopaths not struggling to focus and attending bereavement groups.

Dark, chilling, gruesome, and laugh-out-loud funny, You’d Look Better As A Ghost is easily one of my favourite books of the year. Perfect for fans of books such as Sweetpea, My Lovely Wife, and Death of a Bookseller, this is an absolute must read. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

********

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Joanna Wallace worked as a solicitor until an autoimmune condition took away some of her sight. She now volunteers at a charity helpline and runs a family business with her husband. She was partly inspired to write You’d Look Better as A Ghost following her father’s diagnosis of early onset dementia. Joanna lives near London with her husband, four children and two dogs.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*

********

Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.

*All purchase links are affiliate links

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2023

REVIEW: Vita and the Birds by Polly Crosby

Published May 25th, 2023 by HQ
Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Romance Novel, Lesbian Literature

I’m finally sharing my review for the mesmerising Vita and the Birds, which is one of my favourite books this year. Thank you to HQ Stories for my gifted ARC.

*********

SYNOPSIS:

A haunting mystery for fans of Eve Chase, Kate Morton and Kate Mosse.

‘A poignant page-turning story, beautifully written’ Leonora Nattrass, author of Blue Water

’Hugely evocative and beautifully written’ Anna Mazzola, author of The Clockwork Girl

‘A thoroughly compelling mystery meets a poignant love story, all wrapped up in beautifully lyrical writing’ Frances Quinn, author of The Smallest Man

‘A beguiling mystery from a gifted storyteller’ Louise Fein, author of People Like Us

1938: Lady Vita Goldsborough lives in the menacing shadow of her controlling older brother, Aubrey. But when she meets local artist Dodie Blakeney, the two women form a close bond, and Vita finally glimpses a chance to be free.

1997: Following the death of her mother, Eve Blakeney returns to the coast where she spent childhood summers with her beloved grandmother, Dodie. Eve hopes that the visit will help make sense of her grief. The last thing she expects to find is a bundle of letters that hint at the heart-breaking story of Dodie’s relationship with a woman named Vita, and a shattering secret that echoes through the decades.

What she discovers will overturn everything she thought she knew about her family – and change her life forever.

‘Luminous and captivating … Polly Crosby’s shimmering writing veils a dark hint of the gothic’ Kate Griffin, author of Fyneshade

********

MY REVIEW:

“Rumours had always abounded. Of marsh spirits and witches, of people gone mad. Of sucking mud and drowning men and bog bodies being preserved in peat. It was an ancient place, the reed field where the cathedral stood, dangerous long before the glass house was ever built.”

Luminous, mesmerising, and hauntingly atmospheric, Vita and the Birds tells the story of two women whose lives are  inextricably linked by decades-old secrets. 

1938. Lady Vita Goldsborough lives an isolated and lonely life at the mercy of her cruel and controlling older brother, Audrey. But a chance meeting with local artist Dodie changes everything, and when the two become close Vita glimpses a possible chance of freedom.
1997. Eve Blakeney returns to the house on the coast where she spent her childhood summers to try and come to terms with her grief after her mother’s death. While there, Eve unexpectedly finds clues to a secret that will change everything she believed about her family. 

Polly Crosby merges historical fiction and compelling mystery with eerie gothic elements and a dash of romance to create an extraordinary story that I never wanted to end. She took my breath away with her atmospheric, unnerving, and evocative prose, painting a picture with words that made me feel like I’d tumbled into the story like Alice tumbled into the rabbit hole. Themes of mental health, coercive control, friendship, desire, and female empowerment and agency are explored as Crosby peels away the layers of this complex mystery piece by piece. I was hypnotised and completely in her thrall; torn between a need to devour the book whole and wanting to read it forever..

“But the thing that had given me the most purpose, was the mystery of my family, caught up in the birdcage and the letters and the sketchbooks. And all of it, I realised, was linked to the Cathedral of the Marshes, the secrets entwined together like the trailing vines that grew inside it.” 

Rumours of madness and murder have surrounded the Goldsborough family for decades, and the Cathedral of the Marshes – built by Aubrey Goldsborough in the 1920s – is the local haunted house that teenagers dare each other to enter. The Goldsboroughs and the cathedral are inextricably linked to the Blakeney family through the friendship between Vita and Dodie, as well as the secret they shared. Told in dual timelines, we follow Vita and Dodie as their friendship blossoms in the past, while in the present her granddaughter begins to unveil the truth that will change everything. I have to mention that I really enjoyed the author’s decision to set this in the 90s as it was a nostalgia-fest for me and I loved being transported back to what feels like a simpler time. 

The characters are all richly drawn and compelling, but the narrators both have a particular charisma that makes you root for them and care what happens to them. And while on the surface they couldn’t be more different – Vita is rich while Eve doesn’t have two pennies to rub together – we soon discover they have more in common than we thought. They are both trapped in cages just like Vita’s beloved birds. Vita’s cage is made from bars created by her cruel, vicious, and controlling older brother, Audrey, while Eve’s is made inside her own mind as she struggles with her mental health. But one of the most important ‘characters’ in this book isn’t a person. The Cathedral of the Marshes is at the heart of this story. Most of the time it looms menacing, dark and mysterious in the shadows, but there are times it is a sanctuary and an escape. It is a place long surrounded by local folklore and rumours of murders and missing children. And it’s this folklore, along with the vivid descriptions of the building and the feelings it conjures, that combine to make it feel alive; a sinister presence that permeates every page. 

Lush, hypnotic, poignant, and unsettling, this gorgeously gothic story consumed me. An absolute masterpiece that you won’t forget. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

********

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Polly grew up on the Suffolk coast, and now lives in the heart of Norfolk with her husband and son, and her very loud and much loved rescue Oriental cat, Dali. She is passionate about nature, and her writing is very much inspired by the local landscape.

After a whirlwind of a year which saw Polly receive writing scholarships from both Curtis Brown Creative and The University of East Anglia’s MA in Creative Writing, she went on to be runner up in the Bridport Prize’s Peggy Chapman Andrews Award for a First Novel.

Polly’s debut novel, The Illustrated Child, was snapped up by HarperCollins HQ in the UK in a 48 hour pre-empt, and a few days later by HarperCollins Park Row Books in North America. Her second novel, The Unravelling, came out the following year.

Vita & the Birds, her third novel, is out in May.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Amazon* | Bookshop.org*

********

Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

*These purchase links are affiiate links