When Helena is offered the position of governess at Archfall Manor, she is given the opportunity to investigate the mysterious disappearance of her father. In order to do so, she must ingratiate herself with the infamous Cauldwell family and avoid the murderer killing members of the household.

A gripping, gothic whodunnit, H. F. Askwith once again writes a dark story, inspired by invention. I would say it is very similar to ‘A Dark Inheritance’, which was released in early 2023, sharing very similar themes. I enjoyed the flow of the story and the creativity behind Archfall Manor, the Cauldwells, and how the story flowed. I personally prefer ‘A Dark Inheritance’ as I found this one a bit more predictable.

I would recommend for fans of gothic mysteries, and especially the author’s earlier work.

I thoroughly enjoyed H.F. Askwith's previous offering , A Dark Inheritance, so thought that I would enjoy this one too. I actually liked this even better, deliciously gothic with the odd touches of gruesome. A deeply immersive book, once I started to read it was difficult to stop. I think that I might have found a new favourite author.

Thank you Penguin Random House and NetGalley for the arc of A Cruel Twist of Fate by H F Askwith in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

If you’re looking for a YA gothic, locked room, whodunnit mystery then you won’t go wrong with A Cruel Twist of Fate!

Askwith delivers a mysterious house, occupied by a secretive and mysterious family on a tidal isle that will draw you in and have you trying to decipher the plot and work out whodunnit from the start. The book itself uses reasonably concise, so you can enjoy the plot twists and turns without becoming too frustrated but, also immerse yourself in the whodunnit mysteries from both past and current timelines.

Askwith has built a mini world set within the Cauldwell home on this isolated tidal island that is both intriguing and foreboding. Sprinkle in a feisty and strong female character - Helena, and a smattering of romance that doesn’t overwhelm or distract from the plot and you have the makings of an enjoyable YA gothic mystery that I really enjoyed.

My only caveat is that with such a short book, some areas of plot and character yet are less fleshed out than I would like but, this is understandable with the length of the book. If you love a mystery with a hint of YA gothic spookiness, you’ll enjoy A Cruel Twist of Fate.

This was a nice, short and quick read but had plenty of twists still. I felt the ending was very abrupt but feel it would appeal to the YA audience well

An enjoyable YA thriller set in the Scottish Highlands. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC

A dark, chilling gothic tale that cleverly mixes the supernatural with family crime drama and a hint of science-fiction. The characters engage and the plot unfolds in a familiar but intriguing way. Genre is currently very popular. An unchallenging but gripping read that is ideal for winter nights

A Cruel Twist of Fate is a Gothic, dark mystery with the signature Askwith flair and generic mixing.

I adored the way Askwith brought in some unexpected elements to a fantastically plotted mystery in A Dark Inheritance and she pulls it off again with aplomb here. It is such a wonderful way to explore grief and forever wanting to be able to revisit the moments of our memories - to talk to that loved one again. Also, it is an ingenious addition to a classic murder mystery plot with the abandoned, crumbling and cut-off Gothic mansion to boot. The writing thrives on the chilling atmosphere of it all and sends shivers down my spine. Right from the first page, you know blood will be spilt and you are invested in uncovering the truth hidden within this intriguing mystery.

Also, I really enjoyed Helena as a protagonist. Above all, she just wants to save her mother and has experienced some dire circumstances. That will to survive is embedded deep within her, yet there is still such a lightness and sense of hope around her. That positivity in the face of adversity is admirable, as is her dogged search for the truth amongst the lies. Her motivations are sometimes slightly more muddied, but always reasonably understandable. You can see exactly why she has had to make that choice, but I loved that Askwith ensures that actions have rippling consequences though and there is always a price to pay. Not all is as it seems at Archfall Manor and the incoming storm will bring death and destruction but it will also reveal all.

A Cruel Twist of Fate is a perfect read to curl up with through the dark wintry nights. Let Askwith transport you to the dingy decrepit halls of Archfall Manor and unveil the secrets buried within.

This is a very comfortable take on YA gothic mystery. Locked room whodunnit on a tidal isle? Count me in.

The book benefits from being quite short, so you don’t have to wait very long before the answers to the mystery make themselves known. There are enough twists to keep it exciting (even though the identity of Helena’s father was so obvious in my opinion) but not too many that you get lost trying to follow them.

There’s a tiny bit of romance and fantasy sprinkled in that sets it apart from other YA gothic mysteries, but I do wish it was more fleshed out. This quote: “somebody must have devised a plan for it and calculated how to fit all the pieces together and then… found a way to make it work” from a character describing the featured inventions felt very “it just is, dear reader, please don’t ask” which was both amusing and annoying. Though may suit a YA audience (to which I am not the target.)

The book title also doesn’t reflect the ethos of the story imo - I think we’re all a bit tired of the samey book titles used to draw an audience. I miss the days of titles that accurately reflected the story.

If you enjoy slightly spooky, short mystery novels, you’ll have a good time with this one!

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I received an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
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The following are some of my favourite series or books, all of which I rate 5* to give weight to my rating:
* The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
* The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski
* Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
* Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas
* The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

I loved every second of reading this book. It’s very well written and you just can’t put the book out of your hand because you want to know how the story develops. I‘ m not sure if I like or hate how the story unravelles slowly. The author created a perfect mix between Gothic, Mystery and a bit of Crime so you won‘t get bored while reading. The only minor critic I have is that the ending was for my liking a bit sudden. I still have some open questions. But all in all a good book to read.

I really enjoyed this fast paced Gothic story and felt that it was something really new: I really liked the characters and couldn’t quite predict where it was going to go, only ever feeling half a step ahead of the protagonist. My only criticism would be the ending, which felt a little rushed and unfulfilling. I would have liked it to be spun out a little more and for there to be a deeper explanation of where Helena’s dad was and why he suddenly disappeared.

I absolutely loved the The Inheritance Games so I was really excited to delve into the world of this novel! I enjoyed it just as much as I thought I would, definitely recommend it.

Transported to a sinister world of mystery, intrigue and murder. This book was not hard to get behind! The gothic and eerie vibes envelop you as soon as you travel to Sighfeyre and Archfall Manor with our MC Helena. You have the feel that something is looming. Something is coming but you’re going to have to wait for it to be slowly unravelled … I loved that.

Helena is struggling, with her mother in debt and a sweet shop that isn’t quite paying its way, she has no choice but to take up a job as a governess to earn her way out of her troubles. It just so happens that it also provides Helena the chance to explore a mystery that has plagued her for a long time. Her father disappeared at that house, and maybe she can find out what strange things happened there …

The minute she lands, she knows there’s something off about the house. And the family. She’s working for a woman who has a reputation for killing husbands, an inventor who seems to bend the very nature of physics itself and then there’s the whispers in the walls…

Oooo the shivers. I really enjoyed this. The ending was a little of an abrupt halt and I would have liked it to last another few chapters! But I can’t wait to see what else this author will produce in the future.

Helena has run out of options: her mother will imminently be carted off to debtor's prison, their sweetshop livelihood is being repossessed and her father has been missing under mysterious circumstances for years. Saving her fortunes, she is accepted as the new governess of the infamous, secluded Cauldwell family, noted for their inventions, but connected to her father's disappearance. However, soon after her arrival, the house's inhabitants are being picked off, and the house itself is speaking to Helena, calling her into its darkest corners.

Ah, the disappointing grounds of a thoroughly meh book.

This story should not have been mundane- people are dying, there are fantastical creations, low-level magic and many characters to learn about. But, the deaths are unexplored, the inventions are repetitive, the magic dilutes the atmosphere and the characters are surface-level. It had a great set-up, that built the necessity and motivation for Helena to change her circumstances. It offered hints of compelling mystery and a rootable relationship. Then, it uses the word 'invention' far too casually, mentions atmospheric details like the storm only when it suits the plot and crowbarred in a fleeting romance between every character of the right age.

Everything included in the story can be countered with the query of, 'why?' and a solid third of the book could have been removed as it's just the protagonist hypothesising reasons behind prior events and the upcoming possibilities. Also, a book cannot be described as similar to And Then There Were None and still have characters living by the end.

This is a forgettable historical mystery with a fantasy element. The Williams reference near the end is nice, though.

A Cruel Twist of Fate begins with Helena losing all that she knows, her mothers sweet store is repossed and her mother ends up in debtors prison. Helena (fraudently, she uses her tutor's name and recommendations) responds to a notice for a governess on a mysterious island which people fear, such is it's reputation.
Upon her dangerous arrival on the island, Helena begins to encounter many bizarre and deadly events, however, she does find solace in a friend who is also serving the Caudwell family.
As many secrets begin to unravel and come to light, can Helena keep her head and will she reveal her own secret?

A twisty page turner which keeps the reader enthralled and hooked, right from the opening chapter. Perfect for those that like the Inheritance Games series.