This is a book that starts strong and I was fascinated by the suspence and the atmosphere even if I didn't like Margaret.
The second part was a bit disappointing and wasn't a fan of the solution that I found a bit forced
Not my cup of tea
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

"You think you can save somebody, that you can protect them, that you can shield them from all the pain and misery and mess that is this world, and somehow – somehow the rot seeps in."

Margaret Lennox has only been a widow for two months when she accepts a position as a governess to a ten-year-old boy at the mysterious Hartwood Hall. It's 1852. Her late husband left her with nothing, but she's also looking forward to keeping busy.

However, Hartwood isn't all it seems. Villagers nearby are superstitious about the old mansion, claiming ghosts are haunting the place, and gossiping about the widowed owner, Mrs Eversham, and her handful of servants. At first, Margaret settles in well, so well that her interest in the handsome gardener, Paul, could result in her losing her position. But when she starts to see fleeting figures where there shouldn't be any, she begins to wonder – who exactly are the Evershams, what is the house hiding, and will her own secrets be discovered?

'The Secrets of Hartwood Hall' is a gothic tale about found family and friendship. I enjoy buildings that are like characters, and Hartwood Hall is certainly that. There is a gloominess, an uneasiness that pervades the book and it's rather creepy. What frustrated me was how all the reveals were crammed in right at the end. It felt rushed, like a solution to every mystery had to be disclosed all at once. It was weird for a book that was a slowburn, to become super fast-paced all at once.

Margaret seemed a little weak to me at times. Yes, she's had to deal with tragedy and she has a redemptive arc but I would have preferred her to stand up for herself more.

If you enjoy the gothic subgenre, you're likely to enjoy this one.

I loved this gothic story and found it very creepy at times. The main character was very good and I loved all the descriptions of the house and its surroundings. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

I absolutely adore Gothic mysteries and so was thrilled to have the opportunity to read The Secrets of Hartwood Hall.
It's 1852 and Margaret Lennox, a young widow, arrives at Hartwood Hall to take up the post of governess to 10 year old Louis Eversham. His mother, a solitary figure is largely absent and shunned by the local villagers. Ghostly figures seem to haunt the grounds and corridors of the Hall, especially the East Wing which Margaret is forbidden to enter.
I loved this novel and it has all the elements of a classic Victorian mystery. It's extremely atmospheric and the author really brings to life the period, the house and the characters who are so well drawn. It illustrates well the position of women in Victorian society, the power of men and the shame and fear of poverty that were never far away from many women's lives.
A fantastic addition to this genre and I'm sure this will be one of my books of the year.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

It’s 1852 and Margaret Lennox has just accepted a new position as governess at Hartwood Hall, following the death of her husband. Thinking this will be a fresh start, allowing her to move on from her troubled past she has no idea what she has walked into…

I loved it! I’m a sucker for most historical fiction set in 1800s but this one really blew me away. The writing is beautiful and the way the author describes the developing relationships between characters is so well done and true to life. I thought the suspense was perfectly written as well as the lingering feel of something not being quite right with the house or the Evershams themselves.

Margaret is a great narrator because she is so multi-faceted, with secrets of her own that are coming back to haunt her. I really enjoyed her perspective and interactions with the Eversham family and the other staff at Hartwood.

This book is also DRIPPING with gothic motifs like dark secrets, haunted hallways, strange illnesses and the paranoia that sets in when you feel you are being watched by someone (or something)👻

If you have enjoyed anything by Stacey Halls or Laura Purcell, add this to your TBR pile!

Thank you so much to @netgalley @katiejlumsden and @penguinrandomhouse for the e-ARC in exchange for my unbiased review 📖✨

I love gothic mysteries set in old houses and I couldn't put this one down! This was a five star read for me.

The story is narrated by Margaret Lennox who joins Hartwood House as a governess following the recent loss of her husband. Not everything is as it seems at Hartwood house. Charlotte Eversham is extremely over protective of her ten year old son Louis and isn't keen for him to leave the old mansion house or visit the town. The servants speak of ghosts and strange occurrences within the house. No one is allowed to enter the East Wing of the house under any circumstances.

This is such an atmospheric and creepy story. The characters are well written and I couldn't stop reading to find out more about the house and its occupants. There is mounting tension as the story progresses and a gripping resolution in the final pages. This is a brilliant debut and I'm looking forward to reading more by this author in the future.

Young widow Margaret Lennox needs to escape her past, so she takes up a job as a governess at the mysterious Hartwood Hall working for the elusive Eversham family.

Margaret soon discovers that something isn’t quite right about the house and the family…

The local town is filled with gossip about the family and there is something lingering in the forbidden east wing of the house that Margaret is determined to uncover.

As Margaret becomes more intertwined with the family, her own secrets threaten to become exposed.

This book is so good! It’s creepy and eerie paying homage to classics such as Jane Eyre and Rebecca. The plot kept me guessing the whole way through so I don’t want to give too much away, I went in totally blind.

I really enjoy historical fiction novels set in creepy old houses where you’re not quite sure whether they’re going to take a supernatural turn or not (i’ll let you read this one yourself to see if it does!)

the secrets of Hartwood Hall.

There couldn’t have been a better choice for a squad of female bookworms than this gothic mystery, full of spooky incidents, forbidden love, an orphan governess and within a house that holds many secrets. There was such a Jane Eyre feel about the book and also a Daphne Du Maurier opening as our narrator looks back to the hall’s approach.

‘when i think of Hartwood Hall, there are moments that come back to me again and again, moments that stain me, that cling like ink to my skin. My first view of the house: a glimpse of stone, of turrets and gables, tall windows and long grass’.

Our heroine is Margaret Lennox, recently widowed and forced to find paid work when her husband leaves his estate to his mother. She is offered a post by the mysterious Mrs Eversham, to educate her son Louis. This could have been a moment of freedom for Margaret, but she notes the strange mood of the coach driver as soon as they enter the boundaries of the hall. Local people do not come near here. There is also a very clear rule: do not enter the East Wing of the house, because it is no longer used. As Margaret starts to find her way in the house and enjoys her time with Louis, she does notice a few strange things. She seems under suspicion from one of the existing staff, Susan. She has noticed Margaret’s response to a letter she receives at the breakfast table and is keen to find out more. Stranger than that, she has seen a distance figure in white out in the gardens and followed a figure with a candle down the stairs and towards the East Wing. Maybe the house is haunted, but there are other mysteries too such as what happened to Mr Eversham and why do people in the village treat this woman and her boy with such superstition?

I was hooked with his story straight away. Just like the author, Jane Eyre was the first grown up book I ever read and I was enthralled with it as a gothic story, years before I started to deconstruct it’s complexity at university. I was also hooked by the Sunday teatime BBC series starring Timothy Dalton as Mr Rochester. It’s the perfect mix of ghostly mystery, intrigue and romance. This book was inspired by the classic but breaks new ground of it’s own in terms of forbidden relationships, marital abuse, and freedom. The freedom of women making their own choices, having freedom of sexual expression and to earn their own living. The governess has always been a liminal figure in literature because they are educated more than other servants and the woman of the house. They are usually single so have more freedom in their lifestyle and finances. Here Margaret is a widow, she chooses her own destiny and can shape her life as far as choosing where she works and for whom. She also has the choice of what to do with her spare time, no household chores or husband and family to consider. We learn that Margaret’s marriage was not a happy one and she has never felt the love that’s spoken of in literature and poetry. In fact she is surprised to learn it exists and it is joyous to watch her explore that chemistry, even if I did fear for her recklessness. She also becomes the face of Hartwood Hall in the village, choosing to take Louis to church and sit in the hall’s pew, where the gardener sits with his family. She even makes friends with the minister’s wife, although the rest of the village seem to treat them with suspicion and fear.

As always in these mysteries Margaret is drawn towards the very part of the house she is told not to enter, in fact it is a perfect way into the house after the main doors are closed. She is sure she’s seen a candle moving around the rooms when walking in the gardens one evening. There are also noises in the dead of night that can’t be accounted for, but for me the tension really arises at less mysterious points in the novel. The sly, unpleasant Susan really made my pulse race at points and her blackmail of Margaret feels grubby. She really enjoys the power of knowing something that gives her power over the other person and she seems to enjoy taking something valuable or precious from her victim. The way she commits little acts of dissent when Margaret is looking, such as stuffing bacon in her mouth in the breakfast room shows resentment about her position. As I could see Margaret settling and enjoying her new pupil I desperately didn’t want Susan to ruin it. The period where both Louis and Susan are ill was truly tense as the whole house waits for the fever of the measles virus to pass. The isolation of Mrs Eversham and her boy is brought into stark relief when they can’t secure a nurse from the village to care for the patients. Mrs Eversham is in despair:

‘So these people will let a child and a young woman die because they suspect me, because they distrust this house? […] Because they believe in ghosts and spirits and curses? Or because they think I am a woman of low character, that I have never had a husband?’

This speech reveals another possibility about their isolation, that Mrs Eversham’s widowhood is not what it seems bringing another layer of mystery to the story. It also shows me that Mrs Eversham has a different set of morals to the Victorian norm, she is wiling to set aside ideas about impropriety when it comes to saving a life. Margaret is so relieved when Miss Davis appears from nowhere, claiming she’s come from the further village of Medley because she heard there was a child who needed a nurse. Yet the other servants seem uncomfortable and even Mrs Eversham seems on edge. Margaret wonders whether Mrs Pulley knows something troubling about this young woman. This brings another yet another avenue to the mystery of this house: why isn’t Miss Davis as prejudiced against the hall as the locals? Where did she spring from so quickly? By this time I was fascinated and couldn’t stop myself from picking the book up at every opportunity to resolve all these suspicions. Needless to say that when the truth comes out, it was nothing I expected and I loved it! I loved that these strong, determined female characters were living according to their authentic selves. There’s a lot of discussion around the ending of Jane Eyre, I’ve even had an argument about it at a literature talk. A woman said that she felt let down by the ending and Jane’s choice to return to Rochester, because it betrayed her feminism. I argued that she goes back a different woman, with her own money and able to make her own choices. Rochester is her choice and their relationship is on her terms. The ending of Hartwood Hall definitely goes further. It was really tense, but also satisfying. Both Mrs Eversham and Margaret make their own choices and decide to live life on their own terms. I throughly enjoyed this atmospheric gothic mystery and it’s strong, forward-thinking, female characters.

1852 - recently widowed Margaret Lennox is offered the position of governess to a young boy named Louis Eversham at Hartwood Hall. On the journey there, the carriage has to stop in the nearby village, & Margaret notices that the villagers seem to be rather unfriendly when she mentions Hartwood Hall. Putting it down to coincidence, she soon starts to settle in. There are few servants at the Hall & one in particular is rather impertinent & out to cause trouble. Margaret finds herself drawn to the gardener, Paul, who is from the local village but lives onsite at the Hall.

Margaret grows fond of her young pupil, but starts to think that there is something not quite right at Hartwood. The east wing is off-limits & yet candlelight is seen flickering there, Margaret sometimes sees a shadowy figure by the summerhouse, & the locals seem to have taken against the family. Louis & his mother, Mrs Eversham, are kind but they are definitely keeping secrets, but then again, so is Margaret.

I really enjoy gothic mysteries set in old houses & this looked perfect. I liked the first half, the author nicely built up the tension & mystery, & also threw in a few possibly supernatural elements. The second half frustrated me though, mainly because of the main character, she was so irritating: "should I go do something to help Louis, my pupil that I keep saying I'm so fond of & who might be in danger?.......No, I'll go bang the gardener instead". Also inconsistent, one minute standing up to her employer to be allowed to take Louis to church, the next she can't say boo to a goose. So although I liked the premise, I can't rate this higher than distinctly average.

TW: miscarriage, controlling relationship

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Michael Joseph/Penguin Random House, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Thank you Net galley and Penguin for this eCopy to review

This was very atmospheric with lots of twists and turns, I didn’t expect to love this as much as I did it was very gothic thriller vibes I enjoyed it so much! I love a historical fiction and find a lot take time to get in to but this wasn’t like that I got through it quiet quickly and didn’t expect it! Which I love as a predictable read is extremely boring!

I got in to this from the first chapter and was hooked was an easy 5star read for me.

A wonderfully atmospheric gothic novel, it is a beautifully crafter debut novel by other an added bite

Gorgeously gothic!

Recently widowed Margaret Lennox takes a position as a Governess at Hartwood Hall for a fresh start. When she arrives she finds a very small household comprising another widow and her young son, with only a few servants, but a lot of strange, unexplained things happening, especially in the forbidden East Wing.

The local villagers are all suspicious of the big house, with its ghostly reputation and reclusive widow who won't allow her son to mix with other children. When illness hits the house a mysterious lady arrives to nurse the patients, but nobody seems to know where she has come from or her connection to the family, and even greater danger lies in store for the whole household...

As with many great gothic novels this has the house as a central character alongside the people! We only resolve the mystery of the East Wing quite late in the book and there are some great twists and the ending is just as you'd hope for a Jane Eyre inspired novel. A cracking read!

This is a really enjoyable, page-turner of a gothic, historical novel with intelligent, thought-provoking discussion and meaning. An accomplished debut.
The plot kept me engaged most of the time and the twists were unpredictable and enjoyable. The historical context was well-developed without interrupting the flow of the storyline or writing.
But, for me, the most enjoyable part was the way it referenced Jane Eyre, and other classics to a lesser degree, but flipped them on their heads with a relevant, interesting new approach.
A brilliant first novel by an author I will definitely read from again.
This honest review is given with thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

"Of course I did not believe the house was cursed - but when people feared a place, there was usually a reason."

It is 1852 when recently widowed Margaret Lennox is offered the position of governess and she leaps at the chance - with little money and partially deaf, the odds are stacked against her. However it is not long before Margaret learns from the local villagers that her new employer, Mrs Eversham is viewed with suspicion and the house is believed to be cursed. Dismissing it as nonsense Margaret ignores the warnings and strives to do what is right by her young charge, Louis Eversham, but when strange noises and mysterious sights happen with ever frequent occurrence, Margaret must confront the question that is what lurks in Hartwood Hall?

A delightfully eerie novel that took me back to the pleasure of reading a good old-fashioned gothic tale, Katie Lumsden is an excellent storyteller.

From the moment that I was introduced to Margaret Lennox until its concluding pages I was gripped, reading well into the night, picking up at any moment that I had a spare second as it was very difficult to put down.

Each character fits their role to perfection. They are well developed and believable. I could feel myself standing alongside Margaret, holding my breath as she explored the secretive wing of the house, I felt the joy of Louis as he introduced Margaret to his personal garden, and I longed to wrap my arms around Mrs Eversham and comfort her in her most vulnerable moments.

The tension builds up tremendously well and while I found the conclusion unexpected, it was no less satisfying.

Vividly told, The Secrets of Hartwood Hall is one to keep reading well into the night.

An atmospheric read set in and around Hartwood Hall. With dark secrets being kept, a lot of mistrust, superstition, and a forbidden love. I was hooked from the start and loved it.

This was an enjoyable read. I love Jane Eyre so enjoyed the parallels between the two books. The author built up the tension well, and I didn't guess the reveal before it happened. There were moments that were really creepy, which added to the gothic feel which i loved.

I found the first half did drag a little, and there were some things Margarets character did that frustrated me. But it was an overall enjoyable historical fiction.

Marketed as a love letter to gothic fiction in my favorite era and place? There was no question I wanted to read “Secrets of Hartwood Hall” by Katie Lumsden!

From the start, I was hooked. The writing was beautiful and paced well for an homage to the Brontës. Jane Eyre and Mysteries of Udolpho fans are guaranteed to love the atmosphere of this story. Plenty of bumps in the night with questionable sights and sounds to keep you guessing.

The characters were well-presented except there were moments where what we knew about their personalities didn’t match up with their actions. I did, however, appreciate the real mystery behind the east wing at Hartwood Hall and why secrets had to be kept.

I felt like this was going to be my first 5 star review in a long time since it was ticking all my Victorian genre and quality writing boxes for me as I read along. Until the end arrived and hit me like a steamer trunk fallen off of a cart.

As someone who doesn’t usually need happily ever after romances to appreciate a good story, I was so disappointed by how Paul was treated by Margaret, especially since he was the one genuinely kind person on whom she consistently remarked how wonderful he treated and respected her. I literally read the last few pages with a “Nooo, there’s no way this is ending like this. No one who has been treated cruelly in their old life would ever act that way.” And then it did. She actually was that way.

To avoid spoiling, I lost respect for Margaret. Independent women forging their own path can still be a better human than what she ended up being. Insert a major disappointed sigh and thin grimace here.

If you love this British era of fiction, this will be a winner. Don’t get your hopes up for the ending though. Come for the atmosphere, but don’t stay for the conclusion.

Hopefully Lumsden’s next book will bring a better female protagonist to the table for whom I can authentically cheer and go “Yes! Live your best life!” Looking forward to what she writes next either way.

// Thank you so much to Netgalley and Michael Joseph for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! //

Thank you Net galley and Penguin for this eCopy to review

This was a very slow read and did not really bring anything new to the Gothic novel genre. A widow has to return to work as a governess to support herself. She has a secret she has to keep from her employer. Life at Hartwood Hall is very strange and lonely and full of secrets. Margaret falls for the gardener, what secret is he keeping? For all the description, I never really got a sense of the fear that Margaret is meant to feel.

The novel also contains domestic abuse and misogynists beliefs.

I was drawn into the secrets and hidden lives of the characters and the gothic setting, with nods to Jane Eyre and Rebecca, made this a joy to read.

This book is superbly atmospheric, with gothic and spooky vibes that really had me hooked. It's not as slow-paced as many historical gothic novels can be, with a constant flow of revelations and mysteries that kept me hooked. The main characters are keeping secrets, and it even becomes a bit of a ghost story for a bit!

The writing style flows really well, and the main characters are nicely fleshed out (though there are others who I feel remain underdeveloped). I liked some of the big reveals/twists more than others, so the resolution does bring down my rating, but I still found this a very enjoyable read and definitely recommend this to any fans of mysteries or historical fiction.