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Another cracking gothic tale from Rebecca Netley- after her debut The Whistling, I jumped at the chance to read The Black Feathers.
Annie's marriage to widower Edward Stonehouse brings security and a massive Yorkshire estate. But it also means Annie must cope with the guilt of a secret and the strange atmosphere of the house. And soon, things get very creepy indeed...
I loved this- it feels like a combination of Jane Eyre, Rebecca and Bluebeard. As a reader I felt like I was on shifting sands, never quite sure where the author was taking me, which was exhilarating. In a book time of gothic fiction, Rebecca Netley has a rare gift when it comes to writing stories that thrill and surprise.
I highly recommend this novel as we go into spooky season. But maybe don't read it late at night....
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When Annie marries the rich and talented artist, Edward Stonehouse, it should be the perfect union. But Annie holds a secret that could destroy all her happiness and tear the marriage apart. However, on arriving at Guardbridge, Edward’s isolated home situated on the Yorkshire moors, Annie discovers that she is not the only one with secrets to hide, leaving Annie wondering who she can trust. Who is the strange child leaving behind black feathers? How did Edward’s first wife and son really die?
With echoes of Jane Eyre and Rebecca, The Black Feathers is a perfect Gothic delight. A traditional ghost story with twists and turns that constantly tantalise until the final reveal.
The characters are wonderful: Annie, the strong young woman coming to terms with tragedy and adapting to a new life, Iris, her new sister-in-law with her macabre hobbies and Edward Stonehouse whose enigmatic, brooding presence pervades even in his absences.
The moors are the perfect atmospheric setting, the isolation and desolation conjured brilliantly by Netley’s writing. The names Stonehouse and Guardbridge add to this sense of claustrophobic imprisonment, leaving Annie no means of escape.
Unravelling the mystery and revealing the truth becomes complicated and seems to take a while, mainly because it is delivered through a lot of dialogue, but the ending does not disappoint, especially if you like all the loose ends tied up.
The Black Feathers is an ideal read for the upcoming cold, dark months. I recommend lighting candles, cosying up and just enjoying this haunting ride.
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Atmospheric gothic piece of Victoriana, with some echoes of Rebecca, arguably with a modern understanding of the impact of grief and loss:. Feels like a good autumnal / winter book - wrapped up warm by a log fire on a cold day, with some shivers up the spine.
If I were to criticise, the climax is perhaps a bit anticlimactic- there’s an awful lot of expositionary “you’ve got me bang to rights, here’s what I did” in one chapter. It works, and allows the supernatural elements to keep playing through to the end but I did raise an eyebrow…
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This was a haunting read I didn't want it to end!
Alice marries widower Edward and moves to his home Gaurdbridge on the Yorkshire moors. When Alice arrives she meets Edward sister Iris a taxidermist and medium who also resides at Gaurdbridge. Alice who hopes her own secret is left in the past soon finds out that her new family have their own secrets.
Rebecca Netley has wrote a truly wrote an immersive read as Alice walked through the corridors of Gaurdbridge and out in the rain on the moors I felt like I was right beside her. I was not expecting the twist at the end I was really shocked. I am looking forward to reading more books by Rebecca.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the digital copy.
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The Black Feathers is a brilliantly written gothic mystery, set in the perfect setting of an old, eerie mansion, on the wild and windswept Yorkshire moors. Our protoganist Annie has recently arrived at the house, after marrying the widower Edward Stonehouse. Annie is introduced to the rest of the household and
is startled by the discovery that her new sister-in-law, Iris, does not, ever, leave the house. Though Iris is partial to organising a séance and this is where Annie's troubles begin. After all, the sudden presence of a black feather can only be a portent of danger ahead.
There is a growing sense of unease in the storyline, a sense that leads the reader to fear for Annie and immediately to distrust the other characters. The story is mainly told from the third-person, with the occasional viewpoint of Iris, adding to the disturbing atmosphere and gothic vibes.
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When the spirits call ★★★☆☆
Newly married and with a young baby, Annie finally arrives at Guardbridge in the Yorkshire Moors to live with her husband Edward and his sister Iris.
Yet the loss of Edward’s first wife Evie and son Jacob is keenly felt and Iris is an agoraphobe who holds seances and claims to speak to the dead.
When Annie starts to find black feathers at odd moments, Iris tells her she’s been visited by a spirit. Annie is convinced that Jacob is haunting her.
Already haunted by her own painful past, Annie becomes increasingly afraid of what really happened to Evie, Jacob and Edward’s and Iris’s mother and whether she and baby John are in danger.
I didn’t enjoy this as much as the author’s debut The Whistling (2021) as the pace was slower and I felt less connected to the characters.
A slow burning Gothic read of loss and manipulation.
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Set on the Yorkshire moors The Black Feathers ticks all of the boxes for fans of gothic/supernatural novels. At it's heart is Annie who to escape her family and past life marries a widower who is dealing with his own personal tragedies. She goes to live at Guardbridge where her painter husband is often away and so Annie is left in the company of her husband's sister Iris. Annie finds out that Iris is attracted to the supernatural, she wants Annie to attend seances, something which unnerves Annie.
The Black Feathers is densely packed with atmosphere which draws you into Annie's world. The book focuses on the female characters and you get glimpses of the men, Annie's father ; there are subtle references to his make up and Edward her husband doesn't come into his own until the end of the novel which is a shame. Overall this is a novel worth picking up off the book shelves.
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What a cracker of ghost story! The Black Feathers had me gripped from the beginning. Some stories skirt around the supernatural, merely hinting at strange goings-on, but this was a full immersion.. Superb writing, whole and fully formed characters (loved Iris!) and the pacing was just spot on, in fact I loved the pacing so much I ignored my children on several occasions because I was so absorbed and had to read the next chapter.
This had real 'Rebecca' vibes for me, and think fans of Mrs England by Stacey Halls and The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell will love it. .
A brilliantly written gothic ghost story - perfect reading for a stormy night by the fire,
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Dark, mysterious and haunting!
From the author of 'The Whistling', comes this gothic ghost story set in the Yorkshire Moors. Think Wuthering Heights meets Rebecca.
It's 1852 and a young woman, Annie, escapes her small town, and her secret, into the convenient arms of a wealthy widower, Edward Stonehouse. He owns a grand estate on the Moors called Guardbridge. Annie's parents are relieved to have secured her future, erasing her secret. For Annie, who narrates most of the story, it's an attempt at a new start, but she is haunted by her past and cannot let go.
Rather like Manderley, Guardbridge is a character in itself: it's dark and brooding. Isolated on the Moors, it creaks and howls, bearing the storms and it too hides deep secrets within its walls, in hidden compartments and forgotten wings. It also holds captive Iris, Edward's sister who is unable to even walk outside.
Ghostly shadows dance along the corridors as Annie explores her new home. She sees portraits of the first Mrs Stonehouse - Evie - and her son and wants to know more, but everyone is reluctant to talk.
Iris befriends her, keen to show her the collection of birds she has preserved, unable to let them go, willing them back to life. But it's not her hobby as a taxidermist, which disturbs the nights Annie is now spending at Guardbridge, for Iris is also a psychic.
Annie is now convinced all is not what it seems, when she hears strange noises and discovers several black feathers left near where she has been. Can she really trust her husband after all? Who can she trust, as the story twists and turns? How did Evie and their son really die? Might she be facing the same fate?
Netley's descriptive prose immerses you into the atmosphere of Guardbridge, as if you are walking the corridors with her, afraid to peer around the corner. Tension builds as Annie discovers more about the past, is haunted by her own and leaves the reader unable to stop reading.... so don't!
Curl up in a cozy corner, with the lights turned down low and follow Annie along the halls of Guardbridge as she tries to unravel the truth, before it's too late!
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I enjoyed this. I didn't guess the biggest twist but I anticipated the rest, but it was still enjoyable. There were times when it seemed poorly written but I believe another edit should sort this out.
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I loved this book! I raced through it in two days, one of which I spent reading well into the middle of the night while outside it was raining and the wind was howling - I couldn’t have requested a more atmospheric setting!
Intriguing characters, complicated families, lies and twists and a dark supernatural presence - it had everything I wanted!
Brilliant, highly recommend!
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First of all thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced readers copy.
Gothic is my favourite genre and I was so excited to receive this.
This is a dark and atmospheric piece of writing which is mysterious and chilling. The writing was gorgeous and the characters and setting felt very real
I loved every minute of this and found it hard to put down! With echoes of Rebecca, which is my favourite book of all time, this would appeal to anyone who loves dark, gothic fiction with elements of the supernatural
I’d love to see what this author does next
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Set in the 1800's on the bleak Yorkshire Moors, this is a very different story than I was expecting to read.
Rather than a very Gothic haunting, instead it was a poignant story about how grief, jealousy and anger distort people and cause them to behave in ways that surprise and shock people.
The setting is wonderful, the isolation of being a lone house in the middle of a vast Moor does wonders to capture the imagination.
The characters were ok, I felt they all needed fleshing out, especially Edward who I barely knew by the time the book ended.
It wasn't as scary as I'd hoped it would be however there were moments when it did feel chilling to read.
Overall I enjoyed this book and I'd definitely read something else by this author.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read and review this ARC.
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Book Review 📚
The Black Feathers by Rebecca Netley - 4/5 ⭐
A fantastic gothic mystery set in the 19th century. It's a good pace and keeps you intrigued whilst trying to figure out the truth along the way. Netley has done an amazing job of mixing together gothic mystery into the Victorian era. It's a wonderfully written book.
There's a whole range of characters, with no two being the same personality. They are both straightforward and confusing at the same time. Netley knew what she was doing with each and every character. The Favourite for me was Iris. She's so strange but in a likeable way and I loved her character.
The description throughout is beyond fantastic, really giving off an eerie and ominous feel the entire time. Between the characters and world building there is great description and it helps your imagination bring the story to life. The mystery to the plot really is a phenomenal story line which you try so hard to figure out straightway. It's not as easy as you think.
Thank you to NetGalley and Michael Joseph for allowing me to read this ARC - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion.
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Me, enjoying another gothic Victorian novel? It's more likely than you think.
Having read Rebecca Netley's previous book, I knew I had to get this one too. And honestly? It's even better than The Whispering. This is a very atmospheric book, unnerving in subtle little ways and with a setting that feels almost more like a character than a setting. Ghostly happenings, a mysterious sister-in-law, seances, the creepy moors - it's a wonderful setup to an intriguing mystery.
Annie's a likable character with an intriguing past. The second-person narration is beautifully, and tragically, used. The mystery itself draws you in, and the resolution is definitely not predictable and boring. The ending broke my heart, just a little. In a good way.
What prevented this from being a five full stars is mostly minor things. Iris' POV sequences felt a bit jarring in my opinion, and didn't feel properly incorporated into the novel. I also have a few question marks about some aspects of the ending, but overall, I really enjoyed this.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC, I'm lucky to have got to read this early in exchange for an honest review.
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What story lies behind that tantalising cover? Well, I can tell you it’s one I find hard to put down.
Annie marries wealthy widow, Edward Stonehouse and is heading to Guardbridge, his estate on the Yorkshire moors. She hopes for a fresh start, a chance she grabs to lay the past to rest. There, waiting to greet them, is Edward‘s sister, Iris, who later confesses to Annie that she is a psychic and medium. She invites her to attend her monthly séances which always coincide with a full moon. What does the black feather that seems to have attached itself to Annie’s dress portend? Is it a harbinger of doom or just a feather?
What could be better for creating the perfect atmosphere for a Gothic mystery in a large, somewhat dilapidated and spooky house on the Yorkshire moors? It’s a match made in… well, not exactly heaven, but the moors often have an eerie, isolated, ominous and looming presence with accompanying wild weather to add an extra layer to the storytelling, if indeed you need it! The house exudes an atmosphere all of its own, it’s vast, it creaks, in places it’s damaged, it’s cold, and does it have ghostly presences of previous occupants? As soon as Annie steps into it, she feels an unease which grows increasingly ominous in tone. It feels secretive and at times malevolent, on occasions the atmosphere strays into the scary and macabre, with tension and suspense, and on a couple of occasions, there are some jaw dropping revelations. The mystery that surrounds both Annie herself, and those that precede her at Guardbridge, grows in intensity. Who or what should Annie fear? Wherein lies the deceit? Who can she trust as the plot builds and the depth of betrayal is revealed?
The characterisation is very good as several characters are puzzling enigmas, especially Edward Stonehouse. Iris is fascinating, she is very likeable but strange and you wonder at the source of her odd behaviour. Annie’s past emerges a bit at a time so you grow to comprehend why she holds so much back and her fascination for Edward’s first wife is very understandable.
This is a good Gothic mystery with the author capturing the 19th century originals in both tone and the way it is written. The pace is good throughout, and it keeps my attention until the end, desperate to glimpse the truth. When you do it all slots nicely into place.
Overall, this is another good read from a talented author who can is able to create a gripping Gothic mystery.
With thanks to NetGalley, and especially to Michael Joseph for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
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A great atmospheric setting, and a cast of characters that all have baggage...its a classic set up.
This does give a new spin to some things though.
There's a few creepy goings on , but mainly, it's the not knowing who you can trust, including yourself, that sets the tension.
It sets a nice pace until the ending is in sight, then I felt like a lot happened. A lot.
All in a good way.
Enjoyable.