The Cruel Dark is a spicy dark gothic romance/mystery with Jane Eyre vibes. And the plot...It just doesn't make sense...until it does. Despite the fact that our FMC was allegedly hired for a job she has zero qualifications for (decoding Old Gaelic Fairy Tales and assisting organizing notes for some relevant research?), she never seems to work, constantly taking days off to recover from sleepwalking sexy encounters with her boss in a dilapidated (but fancy when there's a party!) estate. I spent most of this book wondering what on earth was happening here, but the book is short enough that I stuck it out. If you are reading this and wondering, stick it out and you will be rewarded with a hell of a twist ending.
A note about the audiobook: both Madison Mitts and Theodore Zephyr were great, but I did not love the formatting of MM narrating and voicing all of the female roles and the audio abruptly switching to TZ for the male dialogue only. It felt disjointed though I got used to it over time. I wish there was a way for it to sound more fluid and cohesive.

Thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing for this advanced listening copy to review!

Also, side note: this story is set in Massachusetts, and the FMC's last name is Foxboro. Go Patriots!

The following review is for The Cruel Dark from Audio ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op

I want to first start by saying I genuinely tried to get through this book and enjoy it. In terms of the audiobook itself, I thought it was fine although I found it a bit jarring that there was another narrator to voice the male lines. I've listened to plenty of audiobooks that have multiple narrators, but typically that is where say chp 1 is from the prospective of charter 1 and read by narrator 1, chp 2 is character 2 read by narrator 2. The fact that the book is by Millie's perspective and read by 1 narrator, but any line by a male counterpart was read by a different narrator kept throwing me off. Especially when it seemed his lines were often played too quietly.

To the story itself I very much struggled with it. I was expecting a mystery horror element set in the early 1900s. I wasn't expecting smut but i also enjoy smut so that in itself isn't a negative. With that, 30% through the book I wanted to stop. I felt like absolutely nothing happened and it was extremely drawn out. Sometimes books can have a slow start but again I felt like nothing. It gave me beauty bad the beast vibes but not inherently in a good way. 61% the first steamy scene happened but it felt cringy. I don't see how there has been any romance or relationship building or connection established so it just felt forced. At 68% I just had to stop. It again felt forced, nothing happened.

Overall Millie felt extremely argumentative which she wouldn't be if she were in that situation of being employed by someone. I just don't see what could happen in the story that would make me interested. Imporantly the steamy scenes left me feeling uncomfortable and I just don't want to continue that.

Left reviews on goodreads and amazon

This is one of the easiest five stars I’ve given this year.

I honestly think listening to the audiobook it made the experience more enjoyable. The two narrators interpreted the voices well- the female voices having that breathy 1920s quality and the male voices were purposefully deep. My only qualms are that Millie’s narration was extremely slow. Callum’s voice was deeper than I would have interpreted it, but I loved his voice by the ending. The narration of a certain side character was perfectly maniacal.

Regarding the story- holy. Moly. This was a venture outside my normal genre that was well worth it. The gothic atmosphere was perfectly set. I was unsettled at the horror aspects, as I should be. The mystery behind the plot kept me wondering until the epilogue. I could not truly figure it out until the very end. The romance was beautiful. Just the perfect amount of yearning and blush worthy bits. I never found myself bored at any part in this novel.

The Cruel Dark reads like a classic novel and should honestly be considered one. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you NetGalley for the audioARC.

Bea Northwick's "The Cruel Dark" plunges readers into a gripping tale of suspense and horror that leaves an indelible mark long after the final page is turned. With masterful storytelling and vivid imagery, Northwick crafts a narrative that is as haunting as it is compelling.

The Cruel Dark is a stunning gothic thriller with plenty of spice and apprehension to go around. The creepy manor and unkempt grounds were immaculately described and the imagery as Millie sought to make Willowfield her home was written utter perfection. I was immediately pulled in and engrossed with her explorations and her work with the grieving professor who employed her. The story was so immersive and the vibes so suspenseful that I found myself hanging on every word and catching my breath around every corner. The ending completely blew my mind to bits, and I am still reeling from the blow. The only hangup that I had while reading was that the relationship felt a bit too much like insta-love for my taste. After the ending I wasn't bothered at all by it, but while reading I will admit that the 'mad with grief" professors sudden infatuation with Millie after barely a glance was a bit off-putting. His pursuit of her as she found herself in his company late at night after only a few exchanged words made him seem disingenuous and rakish. I will admit that initially I formed a deep dislike of his character because of that. I felt that there was no true relationship development between them and the progression of their affections was too sudden, especially considering the time period. I understand why I felt that this was the case after reading the ending, but I think that if a bit more time was dedicated to the professor wooing Millie at the beginning, I would have loved this story even more than I did. The spice was boiling hot between them and the chemistry would have been off the charts with a bit more attention devoted to simmering their affections. I would highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a heart-racing thriller with steam and suspense in spades.

Millicent Foxboro is haunted by her past, recently she was released from a mental ward due to an episode of traumatic amnesia. This has made it difficult to find work in the 1920’s, as a woman who is deemed tarnished by society. So when Millie is offered an assistant job working for a mysterious Professor in a decrepit mansion she turns caution to the wind and accepts the job.
Upon arriving at the gothic estate she is overcome with a sense of dread, but her curiosity prevails when she meets the elusive Professor Callum Hughes. Millie soon learns that Callum’s late wife has died following a series of cryptic events. As Millicent starts to see ghost like figures roaming the halls and a mystical laughter that echoes in her dreams, she is determined to find out what happened to the late Mrs. Hughes. However, she is soon sidetracked by the unnerving chemistry she and the Professor have, leading to a slow burn gothic romance. Will she find out what happened to his wife, or will the same grave fate take her?
Overall rating 5/5
This book is Crimson Peak meets Diavola and I LOVED IT! To say I loved this book is an understatement. I felt intertwined with Millie as she struggled with the horror she faced but also the desire she felt towards her employer. Northwick does such an amazing job describing the atmosphere that I felt as though Millie and I were in on this adventure together. Northwick’s gothic styled romance was one I didn’t know I so desperately needed. I was a little distracted by the male narrator, Theodore Zephyr. I felt his caricatures were overly dramatic and distracted me from the great narration done by Madison Mitts.

*Thank you to Bea Northwick, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op
and Netgalley for the audio copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

"The Cruel Dark" by Bea Northwick offers readers a unique blend of "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Haunting of Hill House." The main character, Millie, finds herself assisting a mysterious master of a dark manor in translating ancient Irish folklore. As her relationship with Callum blossoms, tension within the house starts to escalate. Millie experiences multiple close encounters with the ghost of the manor's previous lady, leading her on a chilling search within the house. The plot thickens as the narrative progresses, with subtle clues masterfully interwoven into the story. The book excels in creating an aura of suspense and mystery, urging readers to discover what Millie uncovers about the house and, intriguingly, about herself. However, the true star of the book is the haunting atmosphere, which adds an extra layer of complexity and fear. "The Cruel Dark" is a compelling read that keeps you on edge, wondering if Millie will unravel the sinister secrets before it's too late.

I truly enjoyed this gothic story. It gripped me from the very beginning and it kept me interested throughout.

This roller coaster of a read had me questing decisions, mocking peoples actions, and creating theory after theory and never sure when I was right or wrong but loving the story as it played out. Millicent Foxboro takes on a job that seems too good to be true and very questionable, to assist a dark and broody (and handsome) Professor with his project in a dark gloomy house with a very standoffish staff. Oh and also ghost stories of a dead previous mistress and the delusions she experienced. When Millie starts seeing ghosts everywhere and memories of her mothers voice she weighs her own insanity against her desire for the Professor of the house. Millie starts to investigate things while accepting what is, but not everyone in the home is willing to do the same.

If given the choice between listening to the audiobook or reading the book, do yourself a favor and go for the audiobook.

I tend to switch back and forth, typically because I have a long commute, but I listened as I painted my living room. The narrators are perfect, but be prepared to blush as you listen!

The genre of this is hard to pin down. It is certainly romance and gothic historical fiction, but there are some other vibes: some thriller, some horror, and a feeling of the paranormal. The twists and turns kept me guessing, and while I had figured out pieces, I was still surprised at how masterfully it all came together.

I am not a huge thriller fan, but one of my book clubs loves thrillers, and I think this would be a great book for them!

This book had strong Beauty and the Beast vibes with some Jane Eyre and Rebecca thrown in for good measure.

I am excited to read whatever Bea Northwick puts out next!

Thank you to Victory Editing Net Galley Co-op and Net Galley for the audioARC! All opinions are my own.

I am extremely grateful to have received this arc of the audiobook for The Cruel Dark. I really enjoyed the dual narration, and I liked the FMC's voice. Her voice felt appropriate to the setting and story, and I thought she did a good job at portraying the feelings the FMC was having during this gothic thriller. The MMC voice only narrated quotes by the male characters in the book, and while I didn't mind his voice he came across as a much older than the FMC.

I enjoy a gothic setting, so I enjoyed the set up and rich descriptions of the house and setting. However, I never felt connected to the story, and I really did not feel connected to the romance. I felt like we went from 0-100 in the relationship without any emotional connection or relationship development. I guessed the twists early on, but the plot development felt very choppy. We went a long time without movement in the story, and I still don't understand what the professor was researching? Really why he needed an assistant, etc.

Overall I liked the vibes and narration, but unfortunately this story wasn't for me. I will definitely give Bea Northwick's next novel another try, especially if it's a gothic horror romance. I love the idea of a dark mystery with smut!

I have to say I really enjoyed this book! The vibes are 1920's gothic manor in the middle of nowhere with a skeleton crew due to an untimely death. I loved how the author chose to make the staff small because no one would work there. I feel like I have read a few where the owners want everyone out. It was a refreshing change to see that people did not want to be there! Anyways, a blunt FMC gets offered a job by the MMC to catalog his research and she is thus whisked away to this nightmare of a situation.

There were elements of clever foreshadowing, vibrant scene/character descriptions, *spice*, and an interesting twist at the end! The people who say they figured it all out need to stop being so serious. Let the book take you and you might enjoy it more!

Overall, this was a delicious read by Bea Northwick.

Audio ARC:

First of all, if this story sounds like something you enjoy I would recommend picking this up either as an ebook or a physical copy. I love a good audiobook, but the narration of this story was not for me. There are two narrators for this book. The male narrator only read the dialogue lines of the male characters, and the voice he uses for Professor Hughes felt much more like a Santa Claus impersonation than a sexy professor. Toward the end of the book the voice changes a bit and feels like a better fit for the character. The female narrator uses a breathy “bedroom” voice through the entire book. Seriously, if you don’t like to hear every time the narrator breathes I would recommend you get this in a different format.

The story itself was fine, dark academia vibes with a little spice. There isn’t a whole lot that happens in the first half of the book. Things really only pick up in the last 20-30% and the twist was predictable. was hoping for more of a fantasy/mythology element but it was very light on that and mainly had brief descriptions of the paranormal.

2/5 ⭐️

4.5 ✨
🌶️🌶️

This was such a good thriller! I’m not usually genuinely freaked out by a haunted house, but this one got me. I never knew what would happen next and the ending had me on the edge of my seat.

The audiobook did have some strange pauses in it where there’s just a slight pause where they cut the audio together. This could be due to the fact that this was arc and overall the audio was good and the narrator enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley & Victory Editing for the audio arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was not what I was expecting at all and I was so pleasantly surprised! This book is a horror mixed with a romance mixed with magical realism, it seriously has everything!

I listened to the audio and honestly jumped in a few parts. The “ghost” story was so unique and it fit perfectly in the storyline once you know the ending. I seriously felt like the whole book was this way, nothing truly makes sense until the end. That being said, It was such a fun, quick read that it comes up fast and I did not expect the ending at all!

I definitely recommend!

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

Read this if you like:
👻 Gothic horror mixed with romance
👻 Clue
👻 An Unexpected ending

Thank you Netgalley, Victory Editing Netgalley Co op and Bea Northwick for the audio Arc of The Cruel Dark.
.Narrated by Madison Mitts and Theodore Zephyr

I really enjoyed listening to this dark fantasy thriller surrounding Millie and Callum Hughes. The narrative itself was slow to medium paced which allowed for great character development. I loved the historical gothic atmosphere of this book, having been set in the 1920s. The romance side while spicy, was nicely entwined into the error twists. Madison Mitts and Theodore Zephyr brought the whole story out with their wonderful narration .

3.5 stars rounded to 4

This was a foray into an unusual genre for me. A bit macabre for a comic romance/horror. I enjoyed the setting of the 1920s, on a large dilapidated estate called Willowfield. A slow romance evolves between Millie, who was given a job on the estate, and Professor Callum Hughes. The twist at the end was not surprising but a solidly tied the story together. I listened to the audio production of this novel which was performed exceedingly well. Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for allowing me to listen to this audiobook in exchange for my personal review.

I loved this book and I love the audiobook even more! The Cruel Dark swept me away with its captivating dual narrative, all from a single perspective. The narrators did an awesome job of capturing the tension and bringing each characters to life with depths and emotions. Imagine peeling back layers of mystery and emotion as you're drawn into a hauntingly beautiful world. The storytelling is masterful, weaving past and present seamlessly, unveiling secrets that send chills down your spine. Millicent Foxboro's journey is both heart-wrenching and exhilarating, filled with love and eerie twists that kept me guessing until the very end. The book is rich with Gothic charm, setting the perfect stage for dark secrets and passionate encounters. If you're looking for a book that blends romance, suspense, and a touch of the supernatural, this is it. It's an amazing read that lingers long after you've turned the last page. Thank you Bea Northwick and Netgalley for an ALC in exchange for an honest review!

Maybe I've just read too many gothic mystery books in my day? The story was enjoyable enough - hence the 3 stars. The writing and the vibes were fine.

I just feel like I've read this story already? Within the first couple of chapters I'd already guessed the conclusion - so that was a little bit of a let down.

I received the audio arc and while the female narrator was enjoyable, the male narrator was horrible. The ick for real.


❥・ Gothic
❥・ Mystery
❥・ Spicy
❥・ Dark Academia
❥・Dark secrets
❥・Distressed heroine
❥・Emotional scars
❥・Grieving lover
❥・Sinister circumstances
❥・Creepy House

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bea Northwick for the complementary audio copy in exchange for my thoughts. 🖤🏹․ ⁺ ⊹

First off, the male narrator sounds a lot like Armie Hammer, and that took me a lot to grow accustomed to. I don’t know about you all, but the sound of a cannibal’s voice does not intrigue me too much haha. Once I was able to disassociate the two voices, I liked this book enough. The author has a promising debut novel, and her talent is commendable. I will definitely be reading more stories by her, but I never found myself enthralled with this story. It was only just alright. The twist about her was really obvious, and I think it deterred me from a truly immersive experience.