This author is new to me and although I did enjoy the book I thought that it was a bit drawn out at times.
Set in 1833, Doctress, Hester Reeves leaves the poor people of Kings Cross for an offer that she can't refuse, wealthy Gervaise Cherville needed her administrations and was prepared to pay handsomely for them.
Newly pregnant Hester needed the money to enable her to move her husband and her wayward sister , Wila, out of London to start a new life.
Life at Tall Trees was even worse than Hester imagined, the only good thing was Jenny, the housemaid, who became her friend and confidant. Margaret the austere housekeeper was totally different, she didn't like Hester, she resented her from the start, Margaret was very closet to the ailing Gervaise and was jealous of Hester and would do everything in her power to get her removed, even colluding with Gervais's greedy, playboy son, Roland.
Gervaise had an ulterior motive for employing Hester, he had another job for her, having been a slave owner he needed Hester to locate two slaves that he brought to England, two slaves who had escaped. Gervaise needed to salve his conscience to stem the nightmares but little did Hester know the cans of worms that she would uncover, revelations that would wreak havoc in London's high society and nearly destroy Hester's life.
This book covers the cruelty of slavery, the problems of the abolition, the lives of the girls that plied their trade on the grimy, ill lit streets of London, the diseases that were rampant.
Thank you to Net Gallery for my free copy of this book, my review is voluntary

This book tried too hard to be a number of different things, a mystery, historical fiction, historical fact, a voice for reparation and restorative justice but sadly didn’t really manage to completely fulfil any of these. If you are looking for something different to read, give it a try but don’t be surprised if you give up halfway through. My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC.

Tall Trees, the house of shade and darkness is where Hester Reeves, a Doctress in 1833, gets a commission to work with Gervaise Cherville. A sickly man Hester expects to nurse him in his dying days but he sets her a task to find slave women he mistreated. This task sets Hester on a momentous journey where she finds the truth has always been kept from her.
Not quite the book I was expecting from the synopsis but a good read nonetheless. A story of attempting to make amends and reconciliation for past wrong doings

Sadly DNF'd as expected a gothic fantasy from the description, which it didn't turn out to be.

A little flat for me.

An interesting tale of deception and redemption. I can't imagine that there were many black female doctors in the 1800's so that added to this historical tale. Very character based story with the backgrounds and motivations of the characters nicely fleshed out.

Interesting story of slave owning, syphilis, Victorian London and mystery. I enjoyed the first half but found the characters a bit wooden and I lost a bit of interest. Great idea, not so good execution.

A weighty and absorbing historical story about Hester and her new employer, a mill-owning syphilis-ridden former slave owner who is looking for his own redemption before death. Hester is employed for a high salary to ease her employer's suffering, but she isn't welcomed or thanked for the task by the household. She wants to make a new life away from bad influences for her own family, but in the meantime she becomes entangled in her employer's business and its consequences. I really enjoyed the book, well-written with sympathetic characters and a well-created chilling atmosphere that is ready to inflict damage at any turn.

I do love a good historical story about a woman in a big manor house with secretive staff and a hoity-toity owner. I've read a lot and I haven't come across one I haven't enjoyed. There's something so magically nostalgic about them and I find them so gripping.

Lianne has masterfully created such a habitable world. It's not always a good one or a pleasant one, but you can see it, you can feel it. The description of the walls in the house, the chill of the pantry, the smells in the kitchen, the lushness of the garden out front. It's all there so wonderfully depicted that you could become a character yourself.

I know we don't judge books by their covers (we totally do), but this cover was beautiful. Simple but striking.

It is a historical novel mostly, but it's thrilling, with a bit of romance, a bit of mystery and intrigue. I was expecting a bit more of the gothic nature that the cover and synopsis suggested. This doesn't make what's there bad, no, what's there is very enjoyable indeed. But there were times I wanted just a smidgen more darkness, and more twists and turns. But that's literally the only negative point I have. It's a well accomplished piece of writing, great characterisation, and an interesting plot.

It is more character than plot, which is a plus for me. The plot is fine, but I actually found more interest, more intrigue, more secrets through getting to know the characters and how they interact with each other than what they were actually doing. I also felt the house became a character in itself, which is what I want from a book of this genre.

There aren't many characters, or not many that I felt were key players, but I'll mention a few important ones here. We obviously have Hester who was a very intriguing main character and I really adored her and felt she carried the story well. We also have Jenny, the kitchen maid, young, trustworthy, and someone Hester could be honest with. Margaret, the housekeeper, who is brash and rude and almost acts like she is on the same level as the family she serves rather than the rest of the staff. And then you have Gervaise Cherville himself. At first I was mixed, he was clearly unwell and so I felt empathy towards him, but he was a bit rude, but there was a complexity within him and he ended up being far more interesting than I thought he would be. And finally we have Rowland, Gervaise's son. He wasn't in it much, more so towards the end, but he was very slimy, very cocksure, and I really didn't like him, but he was very well written.

To read a book about a black female doctor in the early 1800s...I mean, I don't know much about the period but I assume there weren't many female doctors, or black doctors, so to have a black female doctor, it had this importance that carried through the story that I'm not sure would have been achieved if it had been a white female or a black male.

It's extremely easy to read. Some historical novels are so bogged down in information and detail that it can feel a slog to get through. But Lianne has managed it. I acknowledge I am a quick reader, but I picked it up between work tasks and before I knew it I was 100 pages in. It flows well off the page, in terms of the actual words used and sentence structure, but also the characterisation and the plot. It has relatively short chapters which I enjoyed. I read it all in less than 24 hours, it was so addictive.

I will be absolutely honest here and say Lianne's previous book, Theatre of Marvels, wasn't for me. I know I'm in the minority here and that's fine. But even then I could see that she was a very talented writer and I was keen to see what else she created. Even though it wasn't for me, I did recommend it to others though as objectively I can say it was a well written book, but just not to my tastes. But this proof has been sat on my shelf since November 2023 that I couldn't resist any longer.

This book has proved my reasoning for trying another book of hers. Don't write authors off just because you didn't like one of their books, because you might just be missing out on a gem.

**PLOT SPOILERS*** I want to say that although I'm giving it 3 stars. It's not a bad book. It just felt a little heavy handed towards the end. It seemed so convenient that the twist was related to Hester and how her mother was related to the owner of the book. I think that it took a really interesting perspective on the gothic novel focusing on race, slave ownership and women. It was also interesting how Hester was viewed very differently by the rich and the poor and what her skills were seen as. I think the characters were great and there was good tension. I just felt disappointed in the twist as it felt a little forced.

"House of Shades" by Lianne Dillsworth is a captivating tale set in London in 1833 that delves into the dark secrets and hidden truths of the Cherville family. Centred around Doctress Hester Reeves, a strong and determined protagonist, the story unfolds as she is tasked with a life-changing commission at the foreboding Tall Trees house in Fitzrovia.
The novel takes readers on a journey through a complex web of secrets and lies, with the backdrop of the historical context of slavery and the repercussions it has on the characters' lives. As Hester delves deeper into the mysteries of the Cherville family, she uncovers a legacy of pain, guilt, and atonement, leading to profound and unexpected events.
Dillsworth does an exceptional job of weaving historical elements into the narrative, shedding light on the impact of slavery and the complexities of guilt and redemption. Through Hester's perspective, readers are immersed in a world of deception and intrigue, where nothing is as it seems, and the truth lies buried beneath layers of deceit.
The characters in the story are well-developed, each with their own motivations and inner struggles. From the ailing Gervaise Cherville to the enigmatic Rowland Cherville, the family members come to life on the page, adding depth and complexity to the plot.
While the story follows a somewhat formulaic gothic structure, with its array of friendly servants, hostile housekeepers, and sinister family members, it still manages to deliver unexpected twists and turns that keep readers engaged. The themes of slavery, guilt, reparation, and atonement are skilfully interwoven into the narrative, offering a thought-provoking exploration of moral dilemmas and the consequences of past actions.
Overall, "House of Shades" is a compelling and immersive read that blends historical fiction, mystery, and drama. With its richly detailed setting, complex characters, and themes of redemption and forgiveness, this novel will surely captivate readers from start to finish.

There's a possibility I read the description of this book being 'a dark, Victorian mystery' wrong, but I was expecting more mystery, more twists and turns and excitement. So I went into this expecting something very different, alas the writing was beautiful and the story flowed well but it needed something more thrilling for me to rate this higher. A great book for those who prefer a simple story that includes events and elements that have happened in history. Also, love the cover.

I don’t understand why some reviewers have called this ‘Gothic’. It’s early 19th century and it’s got a bit of intrigue, but it’s not a Gothic mystery as I understand them. An interesting topic to write about and I liked Hestor being a healer. But overall the book lacked something for me. It was a disappointment. With thanks to NetGalley, the publishers and the author for an e-ARC to read and review.

I think this book has a solid plot. The 'reveals' were easy to see coming, but that didn't lessen the enjoyment of the read. The writing was easy to read as well. I think my only complaint about the writing/story is that a lot of it felt very fast. Things happened very quickly once the main character starts at the house, which on a whole isn't too offensive to the read, but coupled with some of the relationships being at the extreme with no real build up made the book feel a bit rushed at points. For instance, the relationship between the two sisters felt very extreme. You know that Hester made a promise to her dying mother to look after her sister, but Hester just sort of comes across as obsessed with her and is constantly at the extreme with it. I think a bit more of a slow build might have been better. (Hester's husband is concerned her sister is coming between them and frankly, I agree with him. She was way too concerned with her sister - more than seemed healthy.) The housekeeper also was immediately rude and dismissive of Hester, which is somewhat explained by the fact that she was uninformed Hester was coming, but again, it just feels like too much too soon. (Also the amount of times the housekeeper and son call Hester a charlatan without her really refuting that made me mad. Fight back, Hester!) I think the first sentence/para wasn't needed (the whole 'let me tell you my story' bit) and it could have just started with the story proper.

Overall, I really liked the plot and I think it really brings up some interesting topics. The characters were generally likeable (well, the likeable ones at least) and the writing was good. I think some aspects just seemed a little extreme without the reader feeling that had been earned.

Loved this book and it's gothic portrayal of a strong black female character called Hester. She is a doctoress, having learned everything she knows from her Mother. She is well known in London for treating ladies of the night. Being offered the opportunity to look after a rich homeowner called Gervais Cherville she grasps the opportunity in order to earn a life changing sum of money to make a better life for her, husband Jos and her headstrong sister Willa.
She goes to live at Tall Trees and struggles with the dark overtones of the house and the attitude of the main housekeeper, Margaret who takes an immediate dislike to her. Whilst in the house, she gradually uncovers dark secrets and struggles with moral dilemmas, family loyalties and betrayals. A very entertaining read.

"House of Shades" is not the genre of books I would normally read, however I was swayed by the description and the cover. The story was not what I expected it to be. There are some twists in the story line but not enough to keep me interested. Not a book for me I am afraid.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the advanced copy of this book.

House of Shades delves into Victorian London's murky depths, weaving a tale of a female doctor's moral dilemma. Hester Reeves grapples with her conscience as she navigates the treacherous waters of Gervaise Cherville's dark secrets. Lianne Dillsworth deftly explores themes of slavery, redemption, and familial betrayal against a backdrop of societal upheaval.
While the narrative may not fulfill every gothic expectation, it offers a compelling portrayal of historical injustices and the human cost of silence. House of Shades is a poignant reminder of the shadows that linger in the corridors of power and the courage required to confront them.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an electronic ARC of House of Shades. I give this book 3 stars.

I enjoyed this book but the blurb is very far off the mark, it’s not gripping and full of mystery, intriguing at best.

The timeline is a little odd, her pregnancy is very early stages but over the course of a couple of weeks, makes you think she’s jumped from 4mths to 8mths based on the language used and it never added anything, in fact, probably could have left it out and bumped up some more character development. I liked Hester, but there was no real depth to any of the characters so the book for me, all too one dimensional and was more of a sun lounger read, a book you find on the shelf at your hotel when you forgot all your books and it’s just a ‘nice read’.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book with no obligation to review.

I quite enjoyed this, a very quick and easy read with various things to think about . I can't think offhand of any other book I have read which is set in the 19th century with a black woman as the main character. .

Hester, Jos and Jenny are likeable characters but I would have liked some of their backstory, I was not entirely convinced by Gervaise's desire to make reparation to the former enslaved people, especially those in far away Honduras but I suppose it was possible. I was also not convinced by Rev Bright falling in love with Artemis and remaining close to Gervais after everything that happened. I was intrigued by Aphrodite "passing" and would have liked to have known more about how she did this and what happened to her after her secret was exposed.

It was always my understanding that black people faced a lot of racism in those days but in the book, this does not seem to be the case.

Although the book is a good enough read, I feel certain aspects could have been fleshed out more and again, given the lack of women's rights in those days, I wonder how likely or even legal it would have been for Hester to have been appointed an executor of a will.

Not a 4 star for me but I have given 3 stars to books I have enjoyed less.

House of Shades by Lianne Dillsworth

Hester is a doctoress, using her mother’s skills and recipes to treat the ladies of the night around her Kings Cross home. She’s offered a commission to work in the Fitzrovia home of Gervaise Cherville, a rich factory owner with declining health.
If Hester can diagnose and treat his illness he will pay her ten pounds, a life changing amount of money in 1833. Thinking that the fee will help them move to a better area of London, she leaves behind husband Jos and slightly wild sister, Willa, to work at Tall Trees the Cherville mansion. However there’s a dark energy in this old house, as if there’s a curse on Cherville and his mansion.He asks if Hester will track down two women who worked in the house - Aphrodite and Artemis. However, they weren’t servants but slaves and Cherville’s treatment of them torments him and keeps him awake at night. If Hester can find the women, allowing him to make reparation before he dies, he will raise her fee to twenty pounds. Hester is torn, twenty pounds would allow them to move to the country, removing Willa from the temptations that keep her out at night. Yet, will these women want to found, especially given Cherville’s abuses of power? Also, can Hester as a black woman, put another black women in danger without the consequences being on her conscience forever?

Inheritance is a huge theme in the novel and especially, the way in which characters receive their portion. Of course an inheritance isn’t always financial and the intentions of the giver play a large part in what it can do. Hester’s mother has given her an incredible inheritance, her doctoress’s bag of herbs and potions that can ease sicknesses of the mind and body. This of course helps her earn a living, tending to the prostitutes around their part of town at night. Kings Cross is known as a red light district and Hester tends to their venereal diseases, but also their bruises when men take what they want without paying. However, she also has the keeping of her younger sister Willa which isn’t easy. Willa is wild, easily led and naive when it comes to the intentions of men. Hester’s husband Jos finds it difficult living with Willa, especially when the sisters are at odds with each other. Willa works at the Cherville’s factory and has been noticed by Gervaise Cherville’s son, Rowland. It’s clear to Hester that his intentions aren’t honourable, but can she convince her headstrong sister that he isn’t as in love with her as he claims? When working at the Cherville’s house can she stop Rowland from recognising who she is, while also taking care that he doesn’t put undue influence on his father. Rowland isn’t happy with Gervaise giving away ‘his money’ in reparations, after all their plantation has hundreds of slaves and where will his charity end?

I loved the double meaning of the title House of Shades; the shades or ghosts of the past play their part here, especially in the mahogany furniture Cherville had made from the trees on the plantation. However, it also refers to shades of skin colour. I loved how the author explored the concept of passing, especially in the light skinned Lady Raine, and colourism. Hester herself is very dark skinned, a colour that immediately places her in an unusual category. Her position as a doctoress situates her somewhere unexpected, far higher in a house’s hierarchy than we might expect. There would be darker skinned slaves on Cherville’s plantation who are confined to working in the fields and bear the brunt of the ill treatment meted out whereas those slaves considered lighter skinned might get to work in the household. Traditionally house slaves were thought to be higher in status than field workers, but whereas field workers get to leave the crops and spend time with their families in the village in he evenings, house slaves are at the beck and call of their master or mistress and even sleep in the house away from their families. There is a moment where Margaret is startled when she bumps into Hester on the landing, lurking in the darkness. She would only expect to meet servants of her own status on the master’s floor, not a black woman with her herbs and potions. I wondered how light skinned Willa was, to make her ‘palatable’ to Rowland Cherville, who appears to think slaves are expendable. He certainly doesn’t want them taking ‘his’ money.

Reparations are a huge theme in the novel and potentially the cause of Gervaise Cherville’s illness, as he admits the concerns and guilt around his treatment of slaves. Could his disturbing symptoms of insomnia, hallucinations and sleepwalking be put down to the end stage syphillis he’s suffering, or are the women he’s wronged in that house haunting him? When Hester first finds a dark, cold room off the kitchen she feels straight away that this isn’t a cold larder. There’s something about the space that she can feel and isn’t remotely surprised that slaves were sleeping in there, deemed unfit to be housed in the attic rooms with the servants. If all he wants to do is make reparations and apologise would it help the women to hear it? Or will the mention of their former master be so terrifying it disturbs their lives and leads to them fleeing once again? I suspected Gervaise hadn’t told Hester all that transpired between him and the women, in fact I doubted he even fully understood the extent of what he’d done. Yet it was Rowland Cherville who made my blood run cold, not only is he entering into exploitative relationships with young women who work in his factory but he doesn’t appear to have any empathy at all. His entire focus is on his own needs. He refers to his father’s money as his own, even though his father is still alive, and seems to have no feeling for his illness or imminent death. In fact he’d rather his father died, before he’s able to give all his money away. He also cares nothing for any of the slaves on whose backs the factory, Tall Trees and his inheritance have been built. They’re simply incidental to his own plans.

I really enjoyed the way this novel took me into the reality of Victorian England for black women. It gave me a new perspective, after her first novel which looked at the rise of freak shows and the display of black women’s bodies. This felt like a more insidious and secret experience, rich men using women as domestic slaves and the objects of their desire behind closed doors, while seeming like a respectable businessman to society. One of the things I hate most is the taking away of identity, so the way Cherville gave his slaves the names of goddesses made me shiver. It shows his desire for them on one hand, while keeping them in a cupboard, locked away all night like animals. While Hester is searching for them I was wondering whether they’d found that identity again, reclaimed their names and found a space to be relatively free. I feared that they’d had to adopt yet another identity to disappear, constantly looking over their shoulder. Hester is a heroine that it’s easy involved with and I really sympathised with her feeling of being in-between: torn between being a wife and a sister; being between her patient and her fellow women; not a servant, but not entirely free either. There’s even a revelation that draws her even further into the history of Tall Trees. I wanted a happy ending for Hester, that she might be able to leave London and live that simpler life she and Jos have been craving. This is another triumph for Lianne Dillsworth and neatly places her on the list of authors whose books I would buy without question in future.

A Victorian mystery following a black doctress. A case of the blurb being about what the writer wanted the book to be rather than what it actually is. I was expecting a dark gothic chiller full of twists and turns but instead got a fairly bland Victorian drama with clunky writing and a predictable plot. Not one for me.