My Five Word TL:DR Review : Gothic Victorian Mystery, Modern Style

The Secrets of Hartwood Hall by Katie Lumsden is one of my backlist books from the first half of last year.  I’m trying to read at least one book from my unread review books each month, two if I can manage it, so far so good.

This was a very easy read.  I liked the writing style and it was easy to sink into.

As the story begins we meet Margaret Lennox, recently widowed she has found herself in dire straits necessitating a return to the governess lifestyle she practiced before marrying.  Margaret is on her way to Hartwood Hall, set deep in the English countryside, where she will be responsible for her sole charge, Louis.  Lost in the woods the coachman stops at a local village to seek directions and it becomes obvious that the locals have nothing to do with the Manor or it’s mistress which immediately gives you a sense of foreboding.

I won’t give away too much of the story. We learn early on that Margaret’s employer has few servants working at the Hall, she is somewhat suspicious and in fact very protective of Louis making it very clear that Margaret must accompany him fastidiously.  On top of this, entry into one of the wings of the Hall is forbidden – well, in the interests of safety as it is in a state of disrepair.  The rest of the staff are very close knit and there is an overall feeling of secrecy and close lippedness that eventually makes Margaret somewhat paranoid.   The Hall is dark and poorly lit and there are strange noises at night which eventually lead Margaret into jumpiness and an overall feeling of fear of the house in general.

I liked Margaret but I didn’t get along with her totally.  She bonded really well with Louis which was a nice element to the story and felt very protective of him.  Margaret herself, still in mourning, is carrying a secret of her own that plays on her mind and makes her anxious.  Eventually, her story unfolds and it makes it a little more easy to understand the choices she makes.  She needs to work.  She has no other income and her lack of references for the more recent years plus the fact that she has problems hearing in one of her ears, following a childhood accident, limits her choices a little.  Eventually, almost because of her fear of the house Margarent finds solace in the arms of the gardener, a younger man who is very good natured but is also keeping things from Margaret.

Overall, I found this a very easy read.  I really enjoyed the writing.  There are clearly nods to classic gothic fiction although nothing that feels over referenced.  More a general feeling of an enjoyable gothic set in a slightly creepy manor house with a mystery surrounding not just the owner but a few of it’s occupants.  That being said, this story, whilst in some ways feeling reminiscent of Victorian novels has a more modern inclination.  The characters sometimes resort to more uptodate dialogue and the ending definitely feels more contemporary.  On top of that Margaret is a little more reckless with her reputation than you might expect from a story of this period – but, there are very few staff available who might witness her indiscretions – so, hidden silver linings.

My only issue with this book was the ending.  In some respects it felt a little rushed, also maybe a little busy particularly in comparison to the rest of the story and ultimately a little disappointing – or perhaps bittersweet might be a fairer description.  I think I found it difficult to swallow Margaret’s reasoning come the end but this didn’t stop my enjoyment of the story in general.

In conclusion, this was a compelling read, well written and very atmospheric.  I shall definitely read more by this author.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks.  The above is my own opinion.

My rating 3.5 of 5 stars (rounded to 4)