The Secrets of Hartwood Hall by Katie Lumsden

This was absolutely unputdownable I spent the last 48 hours either reading it or thinking about reading it. Thank you to Dutton for providing an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am excited for future books by this author. I’d highly recommend this book if you enjoy dark gothic tales. They went from an intelligent, rational person to doubting what was right in front of them. Really my only criticism is that one of the characters allowed themselves to be gaslit so easily. The main character is deaf in one ear, and it seems to be presented realistically without being a plot device. Perhaps if I had tried to work everything out, I would have guessed the twist, but I just sat back and enjoyed the journey. I thought it was going in one direction and was surprised when it didn’t. The eerie setting rounded out the gothic feel as well.

The characters were all well-developed, whether they were lovable or not-so-lovable. It reminded me a bit of The Silent Companion and Jane Eyre. This gothic tale is entirely from Margaret’s pov. However, she tries to get on with her work teaching Louis, her ten-year-old charge, who has immediately captured her heart.īut the past catches up with Margaret, and it becomes impossible to ignore the strange occurrences in the house. Margaret doesn’t believe in such superstitions, but she can’t deny the noises she hears at night, nor the flashes of something seen and then gone. There are whispers that the house is cursed. Margaret quickly learns that the villagers avoid the house and its inhabitants. Margaret Lennox, recently widowed, has taken up a governess position at Heartwood Hall under the employ of Mrs. The Secrets of Hartwood Hall is an atmospheric and compelling gothic mystery.

The Secrets of Hartwood Hall by Katie Lumsden