3.5

It has been complicated for me to put my thoughts and feelings into words. I was interested because it's labeled an historical mystery, but it didn't come off as one. Clara didn't start investigating until nearly halfway through, and then societal norms for a single woman in the 30's didn't really come into play. They got brought up, but it didn't hinder Clara in any way that they would and should have. So personally, I would consider this a ghost or haunted house story instead of historical mystery.

Admittedly, I didn't like Clara for the first quarter of the book and a couple moments later on. I get that she has a strong, independent nature, which would be needed given the times, but to me she just came off harsh [b-word-y] for no reason. The romantic subplot, one second being attracted to someone to then suddenly being rude, didn't help matters. I did end up liking her in the end, though, it just took some time to warm up to her.

The pacing in the beginning was a little off and repetitive as things were being set up, however, it did settle nicely once all the main pieces were finally in place.

The mystery itself, I enjoyed. As someone who reads a lot of mysteries, parts were predictable, but others were not, which was nice. While this is as listed as the first book in a series, everything gets wrapped up nicely that it could be read as a standalone, making it perfect for someone who may be getting into mysteries for the first time.

DNF at 31%

I could not get into this book. It was marketed as a gothic suspense mystery and West did make some scenes suspenseful/creepy but then it was negated by the over thinking of the main character, Clara. It wasn't horrible but mundane is the best way to describe the plotting and characters and would fit better in a book that isn't supposed to be a thriller-esque type of book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

In 1933, Clara is living her life, struggling to make ends meet from day to day, dreaming of a better life to come. As she's working in her typewriter position, she's called to the front desk to meet an officer who wants to see her. He gives her the news that her father is dead. She needs to call the funeral home to make arrangements. She swore years ago that she wouldn't even attend her father's funeral, now here she's expected to make the arrangements herself. Days go by as she ignores her thoughts on her past, and she receives a letter that she's the sole inheritor of Hollowfield House. She didn't even know such a thing existed. She decides to drive the several hrs to see the place in hopes that she can sell and get back on her feet. When arriving at Hollowhield she's greeted with many things but none of them are really good. Has she just inherited an unsellable haunted house? How about the handsome man who claims he's the grounds keeper? Can she trust him?
Debut Novel by Amelie West. I'd put in the gothic suspense, historical mystery reading genres.

Thank you to Amelie West, and NetGalley for allowing me this eversion arc in exchange for my opinion.

In 1933, Clara Dawson inherits Hollowfield House when her estranged father dies, and she travels there with the hope that it will provide a potential escape from her financial troubles. However, eerie encounters—a mysterious locket, an unsigned letter, and someone watching her—leave her questioning her sanity and her estranged father’s sudden death. As she delves into the inn’s dark past, Clara uncovers sinister secrets and faces a chilling force determined to keep the truth buried at any cost.

So, when I began this, I expected it to be gothic in the sense that strange things happen but have a rational explanation. I wasn’t expecting it to be paranormal with actual ghosts. That is not my type of book, so my opinion is colored by that fact.

The first part of the book set up a sense of suspense. Clara has to face the shadows of her past. There is a bit of a romance with the caretaker of the inn, but I wasn’t pulled in. I also didn’t understand the leaps in understanding Clara made as she tried to learn the truth.

Readers who like paranormal historical mysteries will probably appreciate this one more than I did.

This isn’t a mystery—it’s a thriller. It starts out fine, but once Clara gets to her father’s house, the story stalls. Pages and pages of Clara trying to figure out whether the woman she keeps seeing is real or a figment of her imagination, with nothing else really happening. DNF.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I don’t know where to begin!!!
This takes place during the prohibition era in the US (30s) and the FMC finds herself in a creepy small town because her father died and an inn he owned now goes to her. Clara plans to sell the house though, because girl’s got to pay her bills in that Depression era!
Who would’ve known that paranormal and creepy stuff would throw the biggest of wrenches in her plan?!?!
This was suuuper creepy to read. I loved the writing style and the FMC’s personality (kind of unlikable but also strong AF given the times). It also had a dash of romance (small dash, a teaspoon if you will) which was nice! The ending was satisfying as well. Big bow on it and call it a day.

I recieved a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Okay, so the short of it is. The book was okay. It wasn't my favorite but I didn't hate it either.

It's advertised as a paranormal mystery/thriller. But it's not thrilling and the mystery is drug out way too far. It takes almost half the book for them to start investigating anything, and even then their efforts are unproductive. The mystery is solved suddenly and not wntirely due to the MC's efforts. These two were terrible investigators. There are questions that are never answered fully. The MC just decides it must have been this way. I don't want to assume how X or Y was involved! I want details, I want to know, I want to be shown. I didn't get that, the mystery is solved and the remaining details are written off in one paragraph. I didn't like that.

I also didn't like the authors use of "Overwhelm." It's was strange and pulled me from the story. "She felt a sense of overwhelm." It's used multiple times and isn't fluent reading.


The MC is a bit of a jerk to her friend Mabel. You have literally one person who cares if you live or die, just one. Why would you treat that person like garbage?

The romance was incomplete. I really wished there'd been more resolution there, though maybe I'll find it in the next book. For all of my griping, this was a fairly enjoyable read and I'll continue the series.

Oh, the amount of people keeping secrets. I get the other characters but the MC just accepting Tuck keeping everything to himself was irritating. Like no, girl. You're being haunted and you've known this guy two days. I hated that part. It's also never explained why the entire town treated her so oddly. I get she was a newcomer but goodness gracious, you'd have thought she had the plague.

Also, I called the bad guy the second he's mentioned because duh. Also, why would that person do that to interrupt his own operation. Like he couldn't have done something underhanded and avoided this whole thing? Didn't make any sense to me. I can't gripe too much without revealing spoilers.

Posted to Goodreads: 1/10/2025

If you are looking for a 1930s, chilling mystery, look no further. West does a great job of creating a spine tingling atmosphere, as well as letting the story unfold with new details and events that drive the plot. This is a book that truly grabbed my attention within the first few pages, and kept it throughout the entirety of the story. I was given the opportunity to review this book through NetGalley, and I hope it finds readers that will appreciate the story as much as I did!

A gothic tale that is so beautifully written- with a story SO hauntingly engaging, you won't want to put this book down!

Clara inherits her estranged father's inn after he passes and she absolutely wants nothing to do with it. Her plan is to drive down to the small town he moved to decades ago and sell it to pay off her debts. However, once she arrives, strange things start happening. At first she wishes to flee- but once she dives in to her father's belongings left at the inn, she discovers some unsettling details that REALLY freak the reader out, and rightfully so. Her father was a terrible human being while he was alive, so what really happened? You'll have to read to find out!

I was extremely captivated by this read, and adored how West wrote such an atmosphere that I felt like I was Clara, creeping through the inn and woods at night myself. I am very excited for more Clara Dawson books to come out!!

Thank you to the author and Net Galley for this advanced reader copy!

This book was delightfully spooky and brilliant. For the first book of the series, I thought this was well-written and had a Gothic vibe. I loved the characters in the book and how they interacted with each other. Clara was a person who wanted to get to the bottom of why the Inn was so haunted. However, her investigation seemed to have started later in the book than I expected. This book brought emotional baggage for Clara and I thought that it was perfect that we saw a main character that wasn't perfect. Clara and Tuck's romance seemed to grow a little too quickly and there wasn't one particular moment when I realized that these two had a thing for each other. Despite this being the first book of a series, I feel like this could have done better as a stand-alone book as the ending did tie in some loose ends. The era was well-researched and the book is perfect for a Halloween read.

Clara is struggling financially. She learns that her estranged father has passed away and unexpectedly inherits Hollowfield House, a remote inn at the edge of a small town that she’s never heard of. She intends to sell the inn but when she arrives she comes face to face with the chilling mysteries that haunt it’s halls.

The spooky vibes were immaculate here. I enjoyed the mystery aspect. Although I struggled with the pacing at times and predicted the “villain” pretty early on, I did enjoy the story nonetheless. Clara is a character that you can’t help but root for and the slow-burn romance was a nice addition to the story.

Read if you like eerie historical mysteries with a bit of paranormal activity.

Many thanks to Victory Editing Netgalley Co-op for the ARC!

3.75 Stars! I love historical fiction laced with romantic tension and gothic suspense, so An Insidious Inheritance was right up my alley. Set in upstate New York in 1933, it follows Clara Dawson, who inherits a mysterious inn she didn’t even know existed. The eerie vibes of Hollowfield House were perfection—just the right amount of creepy and atmospheric.

Clara was such a great FMC, and I loved rooting for her as she unraveled the inn’s sinister secrets. While some twists were a little predictable, the story was still super entertaining and a quick, easy read. The slow-burn romance added a nice touch, and I’m a sucker for a spooky yet cozy mystery like this. If you’re into gothic mysteries with a dash of romance and a historical twist, this one’s definitely worth picking up.

3.5 stars. This was a pretty good book with a creepy setting and a main character that you'll want to root for. It is a quick read and keeps you wondering how things will turn out for awhile, but gives enough clues to predict what will happen in the end. Recommended if you want a quick little mystery with a bit of a ghost story and romance.

*4.5 stars*

An Insidious Inheritance is a delightfully spooky mystery perfect for readers who like a hint of the gothic in their books!

Following her estranged father’s suicide, Clara Dawson inherits his inn in the small town of Hollowfield. Her only goal is to clean it up in order to sell it to pay off her debts; but strange things begin happening almost as soon as she arrives. Soon, Clara is wondering if this inn is haunted, and begins to search into the dark secrets of its past. But there are people in Hollowfield who don’t want anyone snooping into their secrets. Clara will have to determine who to trust, and use all of her wits if she doesn’t want to end up haunting the old inn, too.

I really, really enjoyed this book. Somehow, it managed to feel both spooky and cozy; the gothic atmosphere is wonderful, and the mystery reminded me of an adult version of the mystery series I loved as a teen. There is also a sweet slow-burn romance that I was very invested in. This is the first in a series, but it can also be read as a stand alone. I’m so excited it’s going to be a series though, and I can’t wait to see what mystery Clara Dawson finds herself in next!

I would recommend this to readers who like mysteries with a spooky or supernatural edge and a nostalgic feel.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an arc! All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

I LOVE clara, shes an awesome fmc,
this book is the perfect amount of creepy, twisty, and i love that it is set in a historical time period.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I like a good ghost story and I enjoyed this one very much. It reminded me a bit of Simone St. James and of Barbara Michaels, who was a favorite of mine back in the day. I will say that West doesn’t have quite St. James’ gift for writing historical fiction. This book was extremely atmospheric and creepy but, although I can’t point to any specific anachronisms, it really didn’t evoke the 1930s for me. Despite that little criticism, I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

This was my first time reading this author. I enjoyed the characters and the setting. I hope we get more about these characters. The mystery kept me guessing.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a fun book! I really enjoyed the characters, plot, and pacing throughout the novel. Some predictable twists but was overall a great read. Would definitely recommend for fans of this genre!

Clara Dawson learns that she has inherited property after her estranged father’s death. She decides to check it out and discovers she is the owner of a creepy old inn in a remote town hours from where she lives in Rochester. Immediately, Clara discovers that creepiness is in more than just the appearance of the building. Strange figures, odd noises, and a local population that seems to resent her, plague Clara. As she goes through the inn she discovers items that shouldn’t be there and raises questions about her father, the inn itself, and three missing girls. Clara soon learns that someone wants those secrets buried…at all costs.

“An Insidious Inheritance” is the first in the Clara Dawson series. It is a quick and enjoyable read with some paranormal activity and general creepiness. Clara’s motivations are clear, but sometimes her willingness to go it alone seems counterproductive (but maybe that’s the whole point). She is often described as feeling overwhelm (the word doesn’t seem to fit the 1930s), but pushes through the feeling because she has to.

This is a good story for those who enjoy historical mysteries with a bit of the paranormal.

Trigger Warning: vague descriptions of child abuse, domestic abuse, and suicide.

I received an advance review copy for free from Victory Editing Netgalley Co-op, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

📖An Insidious Inheritance by Amelie West📖

This book was so good!!

I opened this book and immediately felt like I Clara was on the other side welcoming me into her story.

Amelie West’s writing style is gripping, well-paced, and envelops you in a delightfully spooky mystery.

New York in the 1930s, inheriting an inn called “Hollowfield House” filled with mysteries. Sign me up!!!

I’m going to stop there so I don’t spoil anything. This book should be moved up to “up next” on your TBR. You don’t wanna wait any longer to read this book.

📆Release date: January 28, 2025

✨Read this if you like✨
👻 Spooky Inns
💪🏼Strong female lead
🔎 Mystery

“Hope was something she didn’t often allow herself to feel”