I found this is a really sinister page turner. The main character Amy Osbourne is grieving for her parents who have both died and is sent to stay with her uncle Alfred, who is very much under the thumb, and his evil wife who really doesn’t want Amy there. Their two sons are chalk and cheese and Amy then starts a relationship with one of the footmen, Matthew. Amy has been through so much but never gives up. Some of the characters were just so evil and creepy. Fast paced and just when I thought I knew what was going to happen there was another twist, There was a part that made me gasp out loud and curl my toes but what a brilliant ending!
Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Historic fiction at it's best. A really engrossing read which I found very hard to put down. A dark read with some fantastic characters and full of misdirection. I loved it!!!!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Oh. This book is dark. Think all the worst parts of Outlander kind of dark. It's a well written mystery and I believe the beginning of a series but the setting and time shouldn't fool you. I'm still disturbed after reading this; and the questions of nature vs nurture and the blackness of humanity are very much in play.

Well written with a compelling storyline and well developed characters taht are relatable and for the most part likable. There are some hard hitting issues within this book that may trigger some people such as rape, torture, mental health and so forth, I thought it was dealt with sensitively and as compassionately as possible and highlighted the times that the book was set in.
It was mysterious, unpredictable and even have supernatural elements which i loved.

This book was…..weird. And not in a good way.

Amy Osbourne’s parents are lost at sea prompting her to move from London to Edinbugh to live with her aunt and uncle at Alardyce House. The house is depressing and her aunt has mega control issues along with her son, Henry, who is a failed attempt at a broody Mr Darcy only meaner. Amy does get along with her uncle and the other son, Edward. Both men seem amiable and reasonable. Also, for added fun, there’s rumors of a serial killer on the loose with a taste for local, young girls and it would seem, has eyes on Amy for their next victim.

Intrigued? I sure was.

Set in Edinburgh in the 1880s, this story spans about 10 years, making both the story and book longer than it should have been. I usually like my stories to start with a jolt and then settle into the story - sort of like an espresso before my coffee kicks in. Unfortunately, there was no espresso and no coffee. Just lots of watered down tea.

And lots of missed opportunities for trigger warnings. So let me include those here. This book deals with lots of torture, mental illness issues, rape, BDSM and sexual addictions. I’m sure I’m missing a couple.

If you haven’t guessed it yet, I did not like this book. I’d never heard of this author before but, as this book was labeled as historical fiction and mystery, it never occurred to me there would be so much sex in it. Not a fan at all. Nevertheless, as I skimmed over those very unnecessary scenes, I found this story really wasn’t all that mysterious.

I gave it two stars for the writing style. The descriptions of the era and time were well done and nicely researched. I didn’t get lost in the language so while it was appropriate for the times, it was easy to read. The book also held a nice pace, for the most part. No lagging or sagging anywhere.

POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD - YE HAVE BEEN WARNED!!

For the characters, I couldn’t really find one with any redeeming qualities. Amy never really grew on me. I had a hard time seeing her as a heroine of any kind. Edward and Matthew turned out to be less than stellar men (and that’s putting it mildly), Lenore was a total witch, Arthur was a wet mop of a man and Henry really was so noodly that I couldn’t believe him at all as a hero.

Ok, for the story itself, much of it was predictable. Like, the quarterback-letting-everyone-know-the-play-before-he-ever-throws-the-ball predictable. For example, the second Amy mentioned being nervous about getting pregnant, I knew she would wind up pregnant. I also knew who the killer was before the killer was ever revealed so no surprise there.

What I wasn’t prepared for, outside of the all the sex, was the torture. It went beyond the extremes of human suffering and the level of detail was unnecessary. I had to skim over those parts as well as it was too disturbing.

As for the storyline itself, I couldn’t really understand what story was being told. The whole idea of a serial killer really was more of a backstory than a major part. Until the killer was revealed, which was half-way through the book, it really was more about Amy and how she was going to escape. So not a lot of mystery at all.

I also wasn’t a fan of how it ended. I would say more but it’s completely unbelievable to me that it could possibly end on the cliffhanger that it did. Unfortunately, as this was the first in a trilogy, I won’t be reading on to see what actually happens.

Overall, I felt like this has all the ingredients of great mystery and even a good ghost story but too many triggering elements plus all the sex and torture ruined it for me.

Really enjoyed this book historical fiction at its best. It kept me intrigued from first page to last.An author to follow.#netgalley #boldwoodbooks.

1878 Due to the death of her parents Amy Osbourne, is now under the guardianship of her uncle Sir Alfred Alardyce and his family. Knowing her past scandalous behaviour, and with no reputation to lose, they are eager to marry her quickly. But she soon hears of the rumours surrounding the family, can she survive long enough to escape.
Unfortunately I just didn't find Amy character that likeable and certainly not as intelligent as she believes herself to be. Overall it was an enjoyable gothic story, I just hoped to have more of a mystery to solve.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A very well written and interesting book. Lots of great historical detail and well developed characters made this an engrossing read for me. Although it was dark at times it contains many twists and turns making this an engrossing read for me. Highly recommend!

I really enjoyed this book! It had me hooked from the first chapter, and kept me on my toes the entire time!

In Victorian Scotland, a young woman without parents or a husband was deemed unable to care for herself. That’s how Amy Osbourne has ended up living with her cold and officious aunt and uncle. While her cousin Edward provides comfort with his friendship, his brother Henry is even worse than his mother. Kate’s aunt wants to get her hands on her niece’s inheritance and begins parading a slew of despicable candidates through the house and to make matters worse, there are rumors that there is a madman on the loose as local women begin to disappear. Henry is the prime suspect and Amy worries not just for her inheritance, but for her very life. This book is a real treat for those of us who miss Victoria Holt and Mary Stewart

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

I had not read any other books by this author but knew she comes highly recommended. The writing was indeed wry good, the plot quick moving and compelling, but the book just wasn’t for me. I read mainly for escapism, and this book’s plot was just too dark for that purpose as it centers on sexual and other physical abuse. Again, well written and suspenseful, just not my type.