I finished this book more than a week ago but I’ve been trying to think of how to describe how intricate and detailed this book was. I haven’t read a book like this in some time. The author took their time connecting all of the pieces of the story. The details were interwoven with perfection!

The story of Hettie Gale is a historical fiction story taking place simultaneously in modern day and 28th century England. In the beginning, we are introduced to Alice who has come to search for her missing cousin at their childhood cottage in a small town in England. We are introduced to the story of Hettie Gale, a young woman living in the 18th century, she endures abuse and abandonment from a young age and is left to fend for herself and her young child. Although, she experiences some kindness from neighbours, her life is hard and she abandoned and neglected by her family. Hettie’s life is cut short when she is falsely accused of murdering her child. The novel has a supernatural element as the main character uncovers the truth about Hettie Gale; her family’s secrets, the injustice she faced, and uncovering the truth of what really happened that day.

My favourite part was when Alice was reading the journals passed down by the mistresses who lived in a local house. I loved hearing bits of their stories and the clues they revealed that allowed Alice to investigate her cousins disappearance. Thank you for NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced reader copy. My opinions are my own. I really enjoyed this novel!

Warning The Hanging of Hettie Gale deals with dark matter such as rape.

The start of this novel is exceptionally jarring to read. We are thrown right into a horrific expierience for this young woman that changes her life forever and brands her as an outcast from not only friends but her family. We travel back and forth through the chapters with Alice who is in present day. Alice has learned that her cousin Fleur has gone missing on the moors, someplace Alice knows for a fact that Fleur hates to be at. So off she goes to the moors to try and find out what has happened to Fleur and in the process finds herself pulled into the myths that surround the very moors that she herself loves. As a child visiting her Aunt and Uncles cottage on the moors she loved to lock herself away in the attic and read one of the books that told stories and poems about the moors. The book would always fall open to the same poem everytime about a mother who kills her child and it hung. It has always sat wrong with Alice this story of this young mother. In the process of searching for Fleur learns of Hettie Gale the young mother that was sentenced to hang for a crime Alice doesn't believe she commited. Looking into Hettie's history she notices a disturbing pattern of peopledisappearing ont he moors that seem to coinside with the men who were on Hettie's jury.

We learn of Hettie through her own words as we travel back through time in the chapters of the book and learn about what befell poor Hettie and her golden haired child. All Hettie wants is justice for herself and her boy. She will stop at nothing to get it even if that means haunting the moors long after she is gone until she feels her and her son can finally rest. 7 jurors on her jury then and she will have a new 7 now that shall judge her fairly this time.

I want to thank #Netgalley for the chance to read #TheHangingOfHettieGale by #TessBurnett in return for a fair and honest review.

When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it! The way Hettie told her story in her own tongue of 1772 felt really authentic and beautifully sad alongside the dual timeline of modern day Alice as she delved deeper into the mysteries and history of The Moor. I loved the pull and connection between the two of them.

I loved the journal entries from the women of 'the big house', I loved how atmospheric the settings were and I loved how each character from days gone by were really given their own depth of realism..it truly felt like I was reiving history with the discovery of the story.

A really great story...and that's a fact !

"But I have my health and I have my boy, and I can find joy in my heart and in the beauty of the world that we live in, and that’s more’n some folk have."

Hettie Gale abused by her father and abandoned by her family she has to build a new life for herself and her son. Until an encounter sees Hettie sentenced to death.

Alice's cousin has disappeared from her cottage. Alice returns to the village to help find Fleur but becomes increasingly obsessed with the legend of Hettie Gale. She discovers some old journals and begins to piece together the mysterious disappearances that have happened on the Moors.

This is a historical fiction with a paranormal element and Tess Burnett fits the two together perfectly. Told in dual timelines the characters are well developed and likeable.

Hettie's side of the story is where I was pulled the most her circumstances are harrowing for a girl of her age. Justice for her and her child is what she seeks from beyond the grave.

This was an absolutely fascinating read and it is a must for any historical fiction fan and perfect for spooky season.

I recieved a copy of this story from Bloodhound Books and Netgalley in return for an honest review.

"Love will never die. A mother's fury will live forever..."

Set on the Moors in the 18th century, the story tells the tale of Hettie Gale. Abused and abandoned by her family, Hettie carves out a new life for herself and her son.
When Hettie is then assaulted and the men who carry out the attack lie about the event, it is Hettie who is sentenced to death.

In the present, Alice recieves a call from the Police to tell her that her Cousin Fleur has gone missing from her home, Crag Cottage on the Moors. Having spent many summers there with Fleur, she decides to go back and help in the search for her cousin.
She heads to the village, where she becomes engrossed in the legends of Hettie Gale.
She happens upon a set of journals that slowly reveal clues as to what has happened to the large number of people who have mysteriously gone missing on the Moors over the years.
Alice wonders if there could be a perplexing link between what happened to Hattie, and Fleur's disappearance. She aims to find out.

A ghostly tale, I loved this book from the first page. What first grabbed me was the inspirational way the author chose to write Hettie in the dialect of18th century England. This made her character come alive. The way that the author described the abuse dished out to Hettie was gently put even though the event was sordid.
Alice's memory of her holiday and the family's happy times at Crag Cottage are what bring her back, not it seems, the missing cousin whom she dislikes intensely. I found her a little selfish and judgemental, so didn't quite warm to her as much as I maybe should have. She spends little time searching for her cousin and more time trying to uncover the truth of what happened to Hettie. But as the story goes on, Alice becomes more likeable, she has a determined streak that gives her character substance, and in the end, I found myself admiring her tenacity.

The author has given a lot of thought to the story, and this is evident in the way the story gradually builds, whilst giving the reader time to make their own judgement. I found myself excited to read on, but at the same time, I didn't want the book to end.

For lovers of mystery, historical fiction, supernatural fiction.

This is a dual timeline book that goes from the 1700's where we find Hettie Gale trying to make a life for her and her son in the Moor but life is not like it should be. Then we come to the present day where we find Alice returning to the Moor to find her missing cousin and while there becomes obsessed with the story of Hettie. Is there a link in this mystery?

I love this book, the mystery, how the stories intwine and the emotions within the pages of this book. It is a story you can delve into, immerse yourself in and become a part of. It is so well written , the characters are well developed and the story flows well making it easy to read and follow. There is a lot of interesting and intriguing things going on in this book and I enjoyed reading it and highly recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley and Bloodhound Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

4.5 ⭐️

I absolutely loved this story! A real page turner that’s extremely heart wrenching and sad in parts. I loved the dual timeline and I was so invested in Hettie’s story and discovering the truth about the mysterious disappearances. Great character development, great plot, great pacing and an immersive reading experience that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Highly recommend to anyone who loves a bit of historical fiction.

Set in two different timelines, this is the story of Hettie, accused of witchcraft in the 18th century and Alice, in the present. The two women are linked through the cottage where Hettie lived, and where Alice’s cousin has disappeared. Hettie’s story is by far the most interesting, and I would have liked to have had more scenes with her in them

Unfortunately I found parts of this book , mainly Alice, boring. The book also contains abuse in the first pages which I found hard to read. I preferred the timeline of Hettie and her story was much more interesting.
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

2.5 🌟


This one didn't really work for me.
It started off quite shockingly, then within pages we had Alice.
Alice was my main problem. I didnt like her, or understand the reasoning on her going to help the search.
Her story was predictable.
Hatties story though, that kept me reading, and I wish there had been more of it.
Some nice verse placed throughout the book, which was interesting.

As sad as Hetties story is this was a wonderful read.

Set in two timelines past and present collide when a finding of journals give mystery and history to the reader.

I loved the joining of Hettie and Alice.. their worlds were so different but her obsession with Hettie and life on The Moor was fascinating to read.

This is well written read and I especially loved the supernatural side of the story. I adored Hettie and felt for Alice in her search for answers.

I was hooked from the first page and thought the feel worked with the timelines. It uses the two time periods perfectly with Hettie as the link between the two. The plot was everything that I wanted and was engaged with how everything flowed together. The characters had that feel that I expecting and thought worked with the supernatural element to this. Tess Burnett wrote this perfectly and I wanted to continue reading this.