Dual timeline spanning over 100 years with an eerie house in the Scottish highlands at the centre of both.

Descriptive and character driven, with ones you can’t help fall in the love with. Which is hard as you know this is going to be a tragedy from the first line.

I loved the excerpts at the start of the chapters and found out a lot regarding medicinal plants.

I did mostly enjoy this story, however there was one timeline I definitely preferred coming back to.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing
4/5 ⭐️

I'm not really sure why this book didn't quite work for me. It has all the elements I love in historical fiction. It has a duel timeline and POV, family secrets, tragedy, ghosts, and the healing power of herbs. I liked all of its pieces, but for some reason, it seemed disjointed.

I enjoyed both narratives but ultimately would have preferred just Kitty's story. It felt to me that there was something missing connecting the two timelines. It was, however, beautifully written.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Absolutely the best mystery I have read all year! The plot and characters are absolutely amazing. An absolute must read. Love that the ginger cake recipe is included at the end of the book. Will definitely be making that!

A dial timeline novel set over 100 years apart set in the Scottish Highlands, this is a solid read for the autumn, Kitty was my favourite character as a forward thinking woman in the 1880s who reminded me of my grandmothers.A book focused solely on her story would also have been interesting.

I did feel this book is less about the gothic aspect of the location and more about emotions and for me that aspect was less successful but overall this is an enjoyable read to get lost in and transported to Scotland.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for a digital e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. This is a lovely, engaging, dark novel that takes place in the Scottish Highlands. I love the scenery, imagery, and story that unravels. This was a good read, with some bits that felt like they should've been explored more. It was enjoyable, but there was a lot of untapped potential too.

"Two small lifeless bodies lay on the sand, arms carefully placed by their sides. On the other side of the loch stands an imposing house. It's almost as if it gives a silent howl of distress, echoing over the hills, making the birds turn their gaze down to the beach where the two bodies lie, awaiting discovery."

With an blurb like that how could I not want to read this book. And what a book it is. Dual Timelines, 1889 and Kitty Gray, a woman with dreams as well as 2003 and Caitlin Black, a woman on a mission to restore the mansion and gardens she bought to turn into a retreat. But what will be uncovered and what secrets lie beneath.

This is a story that will take you on a journey and have you on the edge of your seat. It is a book about women, about loss and about family and taking what you have and making it work for you. It is a wonderful story and is so well written, descriptive and the characters are so true and real.

This is a great story and I loved every minute of reading it. 4 1/2 stars from me.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

The Herbalist’s Secret is a dual timeline following two women: Kitty Maclean, a Scottish woman coming to live in the mansion of her new husband in the 19th century; and Caitlin Black, and American in 2003 who purchased the house with the dream of restoring it and turning it into a retreat.

Kitty Gray dreamed of attending university and becoming a doctor, until she is married off to Charles Maclean, one of Glasgow’s richest and most eligible bachelors.

Exiled in her new remote home in the Scottish Highlands, with its gargoyles and gothic arches, Kitty is given the task to design and build an herb garden for her husband’s house. Combining her medical knowledge and recent fascination with herbalism, Kitty spends her days in a world of herbs and their healing properties, until tragedy strikes.

Jumping in time to 2003, Ardbray House has been unoccupied for nearly 50 years, and it has earned a ‘bad luck’ reputation.

When Caitlin Black sees the house, she is drawn to it, hoping to restore the crumbling mansion and rebuild Kitty’s walled garden.

She enlists the help of long-time housekeeper Greer Mackenzie. But as Caitlin learns more about the history of the house, she uncovers a past haunted by misfortune and grief.

The truths that have held Ardbray House apart and unoccupied for so long surface when a human skull is unearthed from beneath the blood-red roses that climb beside the bay window of the drawing room. The heart-breaking secret of the herbalist who once was exiled there is finally uncovered.

This book is about loss and what allows us to resume our lives afterwards. All the women in the story have suffered professional and personal losses, but they find a way to turn toward family and love, and that effort helps them heal.

The description of the people and places kept my interest. I could imagine the remote, stately house and a woman trying to make the best of a marriage that was arranged for her, with no concern for what would stir her heart and make her happy. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical novels with a slow-burn mystery.

I will update my review after finishing it, but as of right now it's only 3 stars. It's slow going, the atmosphere is very gloomy and grey (which I'm sure is the point, but makes it even more slow and not exactly compelling to pick up.) The description of the book makes it seem like right away we'll learn about murder and ghosts, but I'm over 30% in and nothing much has really happened. I like Kitty well enough, but the chapters are very long and nothing in the modern day ones really say or indicate much, and the ones set in the past are only starting to get good. Maybe we're supposed to be as bored as Kitty is in her day to day life and it will slowly start to blossom. We shall see, and I will update as I go.

An evocative and unforgettable mystery set in the wild and beautiful Scottish Highlands.A physic garden is a type of herb garden with medicinal plants. Modern botanical gardens were preceded by medieval physic gardens, often monastic gardens.Certainly the founding of many early botanic gardens was instigated by members of the medical profession.The naturalist William Turner established physic gardens at Cologne, Wells, and Kew; he also wrote to Lord Burleigh recommending that a physic garden be established at Cambridge University with himself at its head. The 1597 Herball, or Generall Historie of Plantes by herbalist John Gerard, was said to be the catalogue raisonné of physic gardens, both public and private, which were instituted throughout Europe.It listed 1,030 plants found in his physic garden at Holborn, and was the first such catalogue printed.The garden in Oxford, founded by Henry Danvers, 1st Earl of Danby, with Jacob Bobart the Elder as Superintendent, dates to 1632. Begun in Westminster and later moved to Chelsea, the Apothecaries founded the Chelsea Physic Garden in 1673, of which Philip Miller, author of The Gardeners Dictionary, was the most notable Director. By 1676, the position of "Keeper of the Physic Garden" was held by the Professor of Botany at the University of Edinburgh.Hilda Leyel (née Wauton; 6 December 1880–15 April 1957), whose nom de plume was Mrs. C. F. Leyel was an expert on herbalism and founded the Society of Herbalists (later the Herb Society) in England in 1927, as well as a chain of herbalist stores called the Culpeper House herb shops.Leyel was the author of a book on herbalism, called Elixirs of Life,among other works on the subject, as well as the cookery book The Gentle Art of Cookery.Achfary (Scottish Gaelic: Achadh Taigh Phairidh) is a hamlet in the Scottish council area of Highland and also contains the Reay Forest Estate's offices.Lairg is a village and parish in Sutherland, Scotland.Hopetoun House and Culzean Castle are historical country homes and castles in Scotland.

This dual timeliness mystery set in the Scottish highlands is absolutely perfect! I lived every word of it. It was so freaking good! I loved the writing style and the Gothic setting. It was perfect.
I just reviewed The Herbalist's Secret by Annabelle Marx. #TheHerbalistsSecret #NetGalley
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Thanks NetGalley for giving me a copy of the herbalists secret. Wow, what a fabulous book. Couldn’t put it down. Loved everything about it. The story, the characters, the location. Just a great read. Highly recommend this book and will be telling all my friends to look out for it when published

The Herbalist's Secret is a beautiful and eerie atmospheric tale told from two points of view situated in Glasgow and the Scottish Highlands. Kitty McLean is a woman who is well ahead of her time. Kitty aspired to be her own woman and become a doctor despite growing up in a 19th-century environment when women having an education or doing anything considered 'un-ladylike' was frowned upon. Unfortunately for her, she was married to a wealthy man, and she eventually found herself shut away in their Highlands mansion, where she began her lifelong study of Herbalism. Greer MacKenzie grew up with Kitty McLean, the recluse known as the "Herb Lady." She has been tasked with caring after the house that Kitty adored, just as her grandmother and mother before her had. Both women demonstrate a strong attachment to the beautiful home of Ardbray, but both struggle to leave it.

When it comes to our key characters, Kitty, Greer, and Caitlin Black, you have a strong sense of redemption throughout the novel. Caitlin is being introduced to us as a potential buyer of Ardbray by Greer. All three women must give up something of themselves in order to overcome the obstacles that are preventing them from discovering what they were genuinely meant to achieve with their lives. The home also has a sense of mystery and great grief that pervades the pages, particularly when it comes to the spirits of the children that haunt the hallways and grounds.

This is a dramatic and evocative story about perseverance, courage, and finding peace in the midst of tragedy or when what is expected of you falls apart. Kitty McLean will be staying with me for a while.

A Beautifully Written Novel.

I Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It has lovely characters, and this book is a beautifully written novel. The novel is told from two viewpoints: Kitty in the past 1889 and Greer who is the housekeeper set in the present 2003. Caitlin lands at Ardbray House on a mission to renovate the crumbling mansion and its gardens with the help of Greer.
This magnificent story is set in the breathtaking Scottish Highlands and captures your heart from the very first page to the last. The dual timeline narratives work well side by side and come together seamlessly at the end. The plots are fascinating with one series of events beginning in the past but continuing to have lasting effects in the present.
Thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers of this book for giving me a free advance copy of the book to preview and I am leaving this review voluntary.

“The Herbalist’s Secret” is a brooding tale set in the Scottish Highlands during two different time periods. I really enjoyed this one. It was just haunting enough without being too creepy. The perfect fall read. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers and of course the author for gifting me this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was thrilled to receive an earlier copy of this historical fiction book. Following the lives of Kitty, Greer and Caitlin who each play an important role in the story, with Kitty who has a passion in herbalism but has to keep it a secret as it is forbidden as it is deemed to not be a ladylike profession to follow. However as Kitty is forced into marriage to a wealthy man and whilst living in their home in the highlands of Scotland, she decides to pursue her passion anyway.

I found this story to be very atmospheric and quite haunting and definitely the involvement of 'children' throughout the story added the additional haunting atmosphere. However the story really underlies a powerful sadness and really shows how the journey to self discovery is tightly interwoven with finding peace despite the challenges.

Kitty’s dreams do not come true after her marriage. Eventually, sent to Ardbray House in the Scottish Highlands, Kitty begins to find her true passion through growing and working with herbs.

Today – Caitlin Black wants to buy Ardbray House to turn it into a spa – a refuge from society. Greer, the caretaker of the house for decades, is not sure about Caitlin’s ideas for the place. Greer has been protecting the house and caring for the spirits that haunt it since Kitty’s death.

The Herbalist’s Secret is an interesting story that draws you in and keeps you interested. I will definitely look for more books in the future by author Annabelle Marx.

This is one of the most beautiful and thought-provoking books that I have read in a long time. It’s a powerful, evocative story that kept me reading, never letting me go until the end. It’s vividly descriptive, beautifully written, and has a cast of characters that I immediately engaged with. The story flows seamlessly between the two timelines, and I love a dual timeline! It’s a haunting story, very atmospheric, and is ultimately heartbreaking. Kitty Maclean is a character that will stay with me, and her story broke my heart! I didn’t want to reach the end of this fabulous story, and highly recommend it.

This is an accomplished debut that left a lasting impression on me. I adored the character of Kitty MacLean who was the first lady of Ardbray, a Highland residence in Scotland. Many generations later and Greer Mackenzie is responsible for housekeeping at Ardbray, as were her family before her ever since it was built in the 1880s; the house has been on the market for fifty years with many mysterious reasons why each sale has fallen through.
The stories interweave from past to present as Kitty's haunting experiences at the house are a very real problem for Greer trying to move on and for potential new owner Caitlin Black.
This novel delivers ghostly apparitions, herbal anecdotes, and beautiful Scottish charm in an atmospheric, powerful story across generations on a path of revenge, love and redemption.

Set against the backdrop of the late 1890s, it delves into discussions about history and women's rights, particularly within the textile industry. Kitty Gray, later known as Kitty Maclean, initially marries a man with the hope of pursuing her medical dreams. However, after their wedding, she discovers his true intentions of desiring a conventional, decorative wife to impress his unscrupulous business partner, John Hardgrove. Kitty was eventually banished to Ardbray House in the Scottish Highlands, where she forms a profound bond with the house and the breathtaking Highland landscapes. Her journey unfolds as she nurtures a remarkable garden and gains recognition as an herbalist.

Caitlin Black, from a renowned family, embraces her role as the black sheep. Her purpose at Ardbray House is to purchase it and transform it into a haven away from the modern world. Greer, who has dedicated five decades to caring for the house and its resident spirits, hesitates to part with it, as her identity is intricately tied to the house.

At its core, this narrative explores the theme of loss and the catalysts that reignite life. All the women in the story grapple with significant professional and personal setbacks, yet they persist in their quest for family and love. It's within the bonds they forge with one another that the healing process takes place. While the presence of ghosts adds a supernatural element, the story ultimately concludes with a satisfying resolution.

The novel artfully weaves the past and present, drawing intriguing parallels between the two timelines. Despite its well-rounded nature, the initial half of the story can be perceived as somewhat drawn-out. It occasionally leaves the reader wondering about the narrative's direction and when the mystery will unfold. Trimming some of the background details or commencing the story with Kitty already married could have streamlined the pacing.

This is less of a cozy mystery and more of a general women's fiction. There also are some trigger warnings: child death and suicide.

Nevertheless, it remains an engaging narrative and a promising debut.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the electronic ARC

Thank you to the Annabelle the publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

This is an exciting and intriguing book with two timelines. The early 2000s and the late 19th century. We have Kitty in the 1880s who is married to a man only really interested in his business, who is banished to his grand mansion in the Highlands and Greer who lives there in the 2000s, hoping to find a buyer for the house.

Kitty is really the main character and her chapters are the most fascinating. We follow her from a young girl with a burning intelligence to a neglected wife and a caring mother, to an old eccentric lady. I really loved her story arc, and I felt the ending of her story was simply beautiful.

I wasn’t quite so keen on Greer or on Caitlin who is the buyer in the more modern timeline as we spend less of the book with them and know them less well. Also the main action happens in Kitty’s period.

Hers is a tragic story with heartbreaking difficulties and a gentle haunting. The ghosts here are not scary or comical, just endearing and believable. I felt some of the touches about them, especially the ending revelation was brilliant. And not a little heart wrenching!

The descriptions and gothic touches are well considered and perfect for a cosy autumn evening. Annabelle’s clear love of the highlands comes through and makes you want to go there quite desperately.

It also made me fascinated by herbs and the power of them. And whilst I find the topic of epilepsy difficult personally, I was captivated by the idea that people in the past tried to conquer it’s terrifying symptoms with the power of plants.

Overall, a captivating and gripping read. It definitely deserves to do well!