‘A Gift of Poison,’ fourth in the Brönte Mysteries series by Bella Ellis, does not disappoint. It is a fast-moving, threatening and spooky tale of a murderer who may be innocent. Or not. Charlotte, Emily and Anne must investigate.
Based on a real poisoning case, The Haworth Poisoner, is a tale of innocent until proven guilty, of poison, of ghosts, of revenants returning from the grave to demand retribution. Abner Lowood – the choice of surname, echoing Lowood School, is pertinent as Charlotte is writing ‘Jane Eyre’ throughout ‘A Gift of Poison’ – appears at the parsonage in Haworth. He has heard that the sisters are detectors and he demands they clear his name. If they refuse to help him he will disclose their secret detecting to their father. Disgusted by Lowood but desperate to protect their father from more anguish given the rapid deterioration of Branwell’s health, they agree.
Proven innocent in court of murdering his wife, Lowood claims the continued gossip and rumour that he is guilty is ruining his life. The sisters, Branwell is now so lost and ill that he plays no role in detecting, detest and distrust Lowood. But, following the example set throughout their lives by their father, they give him the benefit of the doubt. If he has been wronged, they will prove it. But, they warn him, if they find proof that he is a murderer they will not hesitate to report their evidence to the police.
The sisters are ably assisted by Charlotte’s friend Ellen Nussey, who is staying at the parsonage when the action takes place, and by author Mrs Catherine Crowe. The latter arrives with her scientific equipment to prove that the revenant – Lowood’s wife Barbara, said to have risen from her grave to identify her murderer – is in fact a hallucination. The balance of science versus emotion, logic rather than emotion, is the first instinct of the ladies. Their search for the truth leads them to Scarborough – where a year later the real Anne Brönte was to die, and is buried – where the decision of one man holds the key.
This is a case of double bluff and triple bluff with added cruelty, deprivation and gothic hauntings. The story is set in 1847, a time when superstition was widespread. Woven into the fictional crime case are glimpses of real life. Bramwell really did set his bed on fire, while Charlotte watched Emily and Anne correct the proofs of their first novels – ‘Wuthering Heights’ and ‘Agnes Grey’ – soon to be published though her own ‘The Professor’ was rejected.
This is the last book in the series. In an Author’s Note, Rowan Coleman, aka Bella Ellis, says farewell to her detectors. “I chose to leave them here, for now, at the moment Charlotte is sending off the manuscript for ‘Jane Eyre’ and before the great waves of tragedy that were to follow all too soon, because although their lives have often been defined by sorrow, I want to celebrate the amazing victories and achievements they carved out for themselves.”
Quickly read and hugely enjoyed.
Read more of my book reviews at http://www.sandradanby.com/book-reviews-a-z/

Thank you so much for letting me review this amazing book! I absolutely loved the characters and the story! Had me hooked from the very beginning! I couldn't put the book down! I highly recommend this book to enjoy!!! You will love it too!

This was such an interesting read! I found myself so engrossed in the story, the characters had such incredible arcs, and I can't wait to follow this author's journey!

The fourth and final book in Bella Ellis’ Brontë sisters investigations series has a slightly more melancholy and ominous tone than the earlier stories, as the shadow of death looms over the family and the reader’s awareness of their imminent fates.

As the sisters look into the accusations against the very unpleasant Mr Lowood, under threat of blackmail, they are joined by some of the other strong, intelligent female friends they have made along the way: Catherine Crowe, author and psychic investigator; Celia Patten, a doctor’s wife who is medically knowledgeable in her own right; and Ellen Nussey, who provides moral guidance and emotional support.

I was particularly pleased that Reverend Brontë finally finds out what his daughters have been up to and loved his reaction to the news and his insistence on getting involved.

The storyline was somewhat more far-fetched than previous books, touching on some of the psychic and paranormal beliefs and practices of the time, but all of the gothic melodrama fit nicely with Charlotte’s writing of Jane Eyre in feverish stolen hours between the story’s action.

Branwell, at this point in the story and history, is a pitiable shambles, but the three sisters are as free-spirited (Emily), forgiving (Anne) and forceful (Charlotte) as ever, and I shall miss reading about their adventures in literature and detection.

This is the last book in the Bronte Mysteries and its a cracker.

The mystery itself is complex and fantastical. As always, it mixes historical fact with fiction with some mystism and magic. The writer blends the real and the imagined so well.

For me, the most interesting aspects of this book was the way in which the relationships between the Brontes themselves develop and evolve. With Anne and Emily about to be published, Charlotte is suffering – mainly from jealousy rather than a lack of confidence. She begins writing a new novel that is convinced will make her name. That novel is Jane Eyre.

Branwell’s physical and mental health is continuing to decline and taking a toll on the whole family. The prospect of losing their brother and thinking ahead to the death of their father means that the sisters have real challenges ahead of them if they are going to survive.

They all agree that this will be their last mystery. Increasingly concerned about the impact their sleuthing will have on their reputations, they are desperate not to upset their father. Fate intervenes, and this becomes a full-scale family investigation.

I won’t spoil the mystery for you. But it is a fascinating glimpse into some of the beliefs of the people of Victorian Yorkshire, their attitudes to the supernatural, and their morality. It’s dark and evocative and complex.

This is a fitting end to a great series. It leaves the sisters at a turning point in their lives. Publication and acclaim are heading their way, they are positive and confident. Tragedy and heartache still await around the corner, but they are not for now. The sisters are full of love and happiness.

I have really enjoyed this series and highly recommend it to any Bronte fan.

Thank you to Netgalley for my gifted digital copy of A Gift of Poison.

https://lynns-books.com/2023/04/20/a-gift-of-poison-by-bella-ellis-bronte-sisters-mystery-4/
4 of 5 stars
My Five Word TL:DR Review: Fitting conclusion to mystery series

And so another good series comes to an end. I’ve really enjoyed the Bronte sisters mysteries. They’re a lovely combination of family affairs, gothic mysterious endeavours and period drama with a great injection of detail from the Bronte sisters body of work. To be fair, I love the Bronte sisters and so I’ve really enjoyed reading these dark mysteries that take inspiration from their novels. Just to be clear though, I’m certain that these can be read without any prior knowledge of the Brontes so don’t be put off if you’re not familiar with their work – these make wonderful period mysteries and the sisters are entertaining detectives who often find themselves in bother.

In this particular instalment the women are called upon by a cruel man recently acquitted of poisoning his wife. An attempt on his own life has since been made and although the sisters are reluctant to take on the case they eventually come to the conclusion that they would, indeed, be best placed to solve the mystery one way or the other.

As I mentioned above this has been a series that I’ve really enjoyed. It contains so many winning elements for me as I do love a good mystery and although you wouldn’t call these cosy mysteries the period feel, the restrictions of the time, the dialogue and the family dynamics all come together to provide a comfortable setting even when things take a darker turn.

I loved the sisters and the way they interact. This particular instalment started with the three being somewhat out of sorts due to sibling rivalry, not to mention the horrible realisation that they were all beginning to come to terms with that their brother was unlikely to recover from his malaise, but, they eventually band together and each contributes to the eventual reveal.

The mystery here is intriguing. It has a supernatural feel to it, dark in places and really quite gripping. The sisters seem to move closer and closer to danger and I was absolutely intrigued about what was really going on here. Eventually, rational explanations are found but not without a struggle.

I thought this was a really fitting end to the series. Yes, of course I would have liked more, but at the same time this feels like the appropriate place to conclude.

I definitely recommend this series to murder mystery lovers who enjoy gothic period dramas.

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

I would like to thank Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I love this series and the world that the author has created. The final scene of this book was a perfect place to leave it

The final chapter for the Brontë detectors. In the summer of 1847 there are highs and lows for the sisters. Anne and Emily had had their books accepted for publication, while Charlotte's has been rejected, and their once beloved brother Branwell is drinking to forget his failures in life.
After the stress of their visit to London the year before they have put aside detecting, but find themselves blackmailed into investigating one final crime which takes them close to the supernatural world.
Reading through this book I was struck by how much it mentions death and the foreshadowing of the destinies of the family. Although a rational reader would look for explanations of what seem to be paranormal events, our knowledge of the future makes them seem plausible. There is also a theme of how nurture and nature affect a personality, not just within the family but for those characters they are interacting with. Abner Lowood seems a shameless villain, but his family background shows that there was a time he might have taken a different path.

I am sorry this series is ending, the concept is improbable but I think it really sheds light on the Brontës over four books in a way that a more straightforward telling of their story would not.

I had a copy of this book early through Netgalley

This is the fourth book and probably the final one, in which the Bronte sisters occasionally aided by Branwell and friends, take on detecting to pass the time. Set in 1847 I cannot imagine there will be another book but I have enjoyed this rather different look at the sisters. I feel that maybe they should have just said 'no' to this one but enjoyed all the 'ghosts & gothic'. Thanks to Netgalley.

I can't begin to say how disappointed I am that this is the last Brontë mystery novel. I'll hold my hands up and admit I thought it was a daft idea. But then I saw who the writer was and knew I was going to be proved wrong. The whole series has been a fantastic love letter to that family, and I, for one, will miss them.

In this last chapter, two of the sisters have been published, and things look promising for the girls. But definitely not rosy as their brother continues his descent into an early alchoholic grave. But then a local man, Abner Lowood, approaches them with a request to clear his name. He's notorious as been wrongly acquitted of poisoning his wife. The sisters are sure he's guilty and baulk at the idea, but his request is backed with blackmail. If they do not help him, he'll reveal all about their previous adventures. They have no choice but to pull on their dectorist hats one last time.

This novel was quite disturbing in some ways, not so much because the crimes are shocking (they are) but because of the genteel world they are set in. Add a dash of creepiness and paranormal, and you've got a gothic tale any Brontë would have been proud of.

Another welcome instalment into life in Haworth, it’s been lovely reconnecting with Anne, Emily and Charlotte as they solve a grizzly, spooky murder.
It’s quite disturbing as many of the previous books are, but the insights into their world are delightful.

An interesting story very ably told. The Brontë sisters taking to sleuthing was an interesting concept, and the story format of chapters told from the point of view of each of the different sisters worked extremely well. The story was quite credible, even though the sisters' reason for helping the odious Abner Lowood instead of telling him to go to the devil was somewhat tenuous. The story was steadily paced and then main characters well developed and likeable. The villain was somewhat obvious, but the story was no less enjoyable for that, and the whole thing was a most satisfying read.

This is an excellent series and this book matched my very high expectations as I loved the previous instalment.
The mix of historical fiction, mystery, gothic and a touch of paranormal makes this story a compelling and riveting read.
The Bronte family is as fascinating as it was in the previous books, each member with a disting voice and personality.
The mystery is solid and well plotted, it kept me guessing and I liked the solution.
I understand this is the last book in the series and I will miss these stories.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

I loved the premise of these books, the Brontë sisters as detectorists, and lady detectorists to boot.
I have to admit I have only read Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. These two books gripped me as I was growing up.
This story has a man accused of murder and to everyone’s surprise, he was acquitted. He now wants his name cleared and to find out who is poisoning him, so he turns to the Brontë girls. However, instead of asking them, he threatens to tell everyone their secret. Reluctantly they agree to him to protect their beloved father and to some extent, their brother. They begin to realise that their brother is now beyond help.
All the girls have secrets they are desperate not to let out.
The ending was unexpected and a shock to me to be honest. These books are gripping and I would love for the sisters to have really done this work.

This time of year has become my Bronte time and i've been restless waiting for this one to come out. Last time we were in London and i missed the Brontes home dearly so i was very satisfied to have another detection back at their roots.

This tale was excellent i enjoyed the story greatly. It really difficult not to praise the parts i loved the most without any spoilers! As for the relationships between our characters: Branwell is getting sicker so he needed to rake a step back. I knew this would be coming and i miss him and i'm as infuriated by him as the sisters are. Lucky Ellen was able to not stand in, but not take his place. Sadly this is a reminder that the series must end but hopefully not quite yet! I've fallen in love with these books a lot more than i was expecting. The blend of historic fiction, mystery and character development is outstanding. I dont want this series to ever end.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Haworth 1847 & it has been just over a year since the events of The Red Monarch. Anne & Emily have had their first books accepted for publication, whereas Charlotte's first manuscript 'The Professor' has been rejected. Still, a visit from her friend, Ellen Nussey, can always be relied upon to raise her spirits, plus she has recently had the idea for a new book, one that she knows will be successful. The Rev. Patrick Brontë has had a operation which has restored his sight, but young Branwell is continuing his decline into drink to forget his disastrous love affair with his employer's wife.

The sisters are approached by a man notorious in the area for being being a wife beater, & the recent trial which acquitted him of murdering her by administering poison. Abner Lowood declares that he is innocent but that people still suspect him, & wants the Brontë sisters to clear his name once & for all - otherwise he will tell their father about their 'detecting work'. The sisters do not want to work for Lowood especially given his abusive affair with an innocent young girl which has ruined her reputation forever, but feel they have no choice given his threats, & perhaps they will find the evidence along the way to prove his guilt beyond doubt.

Like the previous books in the series, I love the way that the author weaves people & actual events into her narrative, especially as both Rev. Brontë & Arthur Bell Nicholls played larger parts in this story. As always, Emily is by far my favourite character. The mystery itself I wasn't so keen on, I found it waffled a bit & my attention wandered a couple of times. The author's strength in these books is definitely their ability to capture the Brontës as I would have imagined them to be. It seems that this is sadly the last in the short series featuring the siblings. There's more than a touch of pathos evoked in the reader, knowing that less than 18 months after the ending of the book, 3 of the 4 siblings will have died, leaving Charlotte alone to care for their ailing father before her tragic death in 1855. 4.5 stars (rounded down).

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Hodder & Stoughton, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this exceptional book

well the bronte sisters do it again...detectoring... and this case could prove to be dangerous to them all...

a very evil man has been accused of murdering his wife when he is acquitted the whole country is up in arms but he bribed the bronte sisters after an attempt on his own life, he tells them that the person who tried to poison him also poisoned his wife and he wants them to find out who it was so he can meter out his own punishment....

this one is full of intrigue and mystery and danger and as the body count rises can the bronte sister prevail

this is the last in the series and i have loved every one that i have read.... it gives a little insight into the life and times of the bronte sisters with a little bit of make believe,

Out of all of Bella Ellis’s Bronte mysteries, the fourth and final one A Gift of Poison is the absolute best!

The chapters focusing on Charlotte Bronte writing Jane Eyre and what Jane meant to Charlotte, made me cry.

Rowan Coleman writing as Bella Ellis, brought out all the stops bringing in Charlotte Bronte’s oldest friend, Ellen Nussey for a stay at Haworth along with new friend and published author Catherine Crowe also staying at Haworth.

Gothic in nature and tone, there is a murder and a court case where nothing is as it seems and families hold all the secrets.

A Gift of Poison is pure joy!

It’s forever a pleasure to return to the cobbled streets of Haworth for the fourth book in the Brontë Mysteries series. The sisters each have their own personalities, displayed in their varying works and I love seeing all them work together to find out who the Haworth poisoner is (based on a true story, no less). There’s clues and biographical detail peppered all over the novel, the poignant visit to Scarborough, particularly for Anne and the memories of their last detections in London which made such a marked impression on Emily and her sheltered life prior to this. And Charlotte striving to make her way in life by becoming the author she knows she holds inside her. I could read and reread these books forever. They’re a must-have for every bookshelf.

Thank you @netgalley for the ARC of this book which is out Thursday February 9th 2023.

Once more with feeling - the Brontë sisters are back for their final detective outing. It's not a total surprise - we've come up against 1847 and any further adventures would be overlapping far too closely with tragedy. Despite its lean towards the macabre, this has always been a series more about froth and fun than fatality and this final appearance is likely a wise choice. But will the trio be bowing out of crime-solving with a whimper or with a song?

The novel opens with its usual prologue in 1853, with a grief-stricken Charlotte contemplating the publication of Villette without her siblings. From there we flash back to 1847, with the siblings having foresworn detection after their fateful London expedition. More troubles lurk on the homestead however with Branwell still no better and poor Charlotte smarting after her novel The Professor was rejected for publication while Anne and Emily's were accepted. She suddenly has two obedient and highly respectful sisters as they try to be mindful of her feelings. Yet in the background, Jane Eyre is in gestation.

Stepping into this hive of literary production however is one Abner Lowood, odious and awful former workhouse master. Recently acquitted by the courts of killing his wife, he is nonetheless believed to be guilty by all and sundry. With an attempt recently made on his life, he demands assistance from the sisters and insists that whoever is responsible for his poisoning is also his wife's killer. Disgusted by his manner, they make excuses that they are done with detection but he spits back that if they refuse, he will disclose the secret of their crime-solving to all the county, including their father. With blackmail on the table, the sisters must turn investigator again.

The series has taken a turn since its last instalment. Branwell is no longer an active participant in the operation, too gin-sodden to be able to take up a disguise and mostly collapsed in a mumbling heap in the corner. Tabby is still a glorious supporting character but we also see a return appearance from the fabulous Mrs Catherine Crowe along with a surprise addition of Ellen Nussey to the detective squad roster.I had mixed feelings about her joining the team because her general lack of discretion in most other matters related to the Brontës rather burst the suspension of belief bubble. We are reminded in the author's note at the end that although there is no evidence that the Brontës solved crime, there is equally no evidence that they did not. But if they did and if Ellen Nussey had known about it, she would definitely have spilled the beans. And if they had solved crimes and she had actually got to join in too? Ever the fourth sister wannabe, she would have literally never shut up about that for the rest of her earthly existence. I did like the observation however that Ellen took detailed notes. Of course she would.

Another strange one was how Arthur Bell Nicholls took on a more significant role. My favourite aspect of the series has always been how amidst all the absurdity of the over-the-top Gothic crimes, Coleman (or rather Bella Ellis) has managed to somehow capture the dynamics of the family in a way that felt disarmingly 'true'. Tabby veers from affection and being aghast at the family's latest madcap plan. Emily comes in and wants to speak to Charlotte about something but glimpses her through a doorway utterly absorbed in her writing. Emily does not realise that she is witnessing her sister producing Jane Eyre but she does recognise someone deeply absorbed in creation and so she does not disturb. It was thought-provoking to imagine these three powerful writers in one house, understanding and respecting each other's processes and in that moment, Ellis conjured it up vividly. Similarly, I had read before about Bell Nicholls' crusade to stop the housewives of Haworth from drying their laundry in the church graveyard but Ellis' depiction of one such confrontation made it suddenly real. I was less convinced though by her version of his early declaration of his feelings to his future wife. Charlotte's description in her letter of his eventual proposal was very powerful - her sudden realisation, his emotion and her embarrassed response - and I felt that this 'prequel' lessened its impact. Real life was stronger than fiction.

As always, the mystery is not the meat of the book but rather a side dish to the lives of the family themselves. The Lowood case owes some inspiration to the case of John Sagar, Keighley poisoner and a real life example of a man who likely escaped justice. Four books in though, I did find myself wondering if the sisters ever could have been involved in anything even remotely similar. I do believe that women have always had informal networks for providing aid. Never the innocent flowers that Charlotte (and Mrs Gaskell) would have pretended they were, the sisters do seem to have been pragmatic about the perils into which unprotected women could fall. They had the example of their brother but they also lived in a town with a high rate of illegitimate births. In letters, Charlotte openly discussed the unfortunate Mrs Collins, unfortunate wife of a drunken curate who gave her a venereal disease. Patrick Brontë advised her to leave her husband and she eventually visited to let them know that she had escaped and set herself and her children up respectably. Anne's writing makes it explicit that she believed it better to remain a spinster than shackle oneself to an unworthy gentleman and she also showed great sympathy to wives who quit their married state if their husbands made their lives unbearable. It would not surprise me if the sisters and their father had provided assistance to women in need and that these discreet acts had simply passed beyond history's record.

A Gift of Poison feels like a stronger novel than the original instalment, perhaps because it is back on the home turf of Yorkshire. Indeed, they are so close to home that the sisters are unable to carry out undercover work because everyone knows them. But it is also their station in life which is undeniable. When they meet a 'lady of the night', she recognises them instantly as unmarried clergyman's daughters. Perhaps this was deliberate, Ellis demonstrating that they can no longer hope to keep their detecting secret. There is also the further question of the sisters' literary future. If their books succeed and they become well-known, how can they possibly maintain both a literary and detective incognito? With so many looming complications, it feels right that they lay down their gumshoes.

Ellis walks something of a tightrope in this book, trying to end on a cheerful note while also foreshadow the impending tragedy. Branwell's steady decline can be seen by all but Emily also has an uneasy sense of what may be in store. At one point, the siblings discuss the forms that their ghosts might take. 'Your ghost will always be in the pub, Branwell," Emily said. "And yours up on the moor, singing with the wind," Branwell said, fondly. "Charlotte will be ordering everyone around, absolutely furious that no one is paying her any attention," Emily added. "And Anne will just be Anne, a light for others always.' I have such affection for Ellis' writing for the respect she gives to Anne in particular, always my favourite of the sisters. But I like to imagine that whatever shade of them remains - and truly, I wish for them only eternal rest - that they might look upon this highly sympathetic reimagining of their lives and find some enjoyment here. I am always apprehensive about reviewing Brontë-related books since whenever something strange happens related to this site, the answer is usually 'A Brontë fan did it'. But rather than the well-known schisms within the fandom, Ellis's novel ends with the reminder that above their writing, their walks on the moors and all the other parts of their myth that we remember, they were siblings who loved each other dearly and who passed their lives ensemble. I will miss The Brontë Sisters Mysteries - a gleaming jewel in the genre of historical crime.