Harriet starts work as a housemaid for an eccentric mistress and an initially absent master and even after reading about 25% of the book I was still regarding this as a cosy tale of employment in a 19th century country estate but then things gradually become more sinister.
Dark secrets start getting unearthed and Harriet becomes closer and closer to her mistress but still unsure of what to believe.
The second half of the book is like a thriller as the action ramps up leading to dramatic final chapters and an emotionally satisfying finish.
At 25% of the way through the book i wondered if i might lose interest but am very glad i persisted as i really enjoyed the read .

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

What a mixed bag! Had I bought this book I probably would have put it down after a couple of pages and never picked it up again. However when you’ve been gifted an ARC I feel duty bound to read it. The beginning I found so garbled and confusing that I tried to ignore it and just carry on. I’m so glad I did because it was a very good read. Trying to discover who was telling the truth and wondering how it would all end kept me gripped. At times there was a little too much detail about rather inane things but overall a good and very different book. Maybe three stars is actually a bit harsh as I would definitely recommend reading it.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins

All the authentic gothic ingredients emerge in this story. Chilling experience after chilling experience for housemaid Harriet. A country estate, strange servants, mistress and master: what is true and what is false? Creepy and really unsettling tale telling make this book a compelling read.

3.5 stars


At times this felt like the slowest of slow burns, would anything happen apart from domestic problems?
The answer is yes, and it's well worth hanging around for.
All sorts of foul play and lies and bad deeds kick in, all narrated by our loyal housemaid.

Some good characters to enjoy the ride with, and Harriet was the best of them all.
An enjoyable read.