Atmospheric and tense, this book follows Norah as she leaves Glasgow in the late 19th century for Corrain House in the far north east of Scotland. Her purpose is to marry Lord Barland - a man she has never met before, but who held the majority of her late father's debt. Used to the noise and gossip of the city, she knows it will take time to adjust to her remote and austere home, with superstitious villagers and desolate surroundings.

But her new husband is remote and vague, despite the friendship they had struck up over correspondence before the marriage was agreed. She can't make out if the housekeeper, Agnes, wants her there. The house is forbidding. And she starts having disturbing dreams...

Gothic horror isn't a genre I turn to often, but this book is very readable and once I'd started I'd often do 'one more chapter' when I should have been putting it down. The undercurrent of dread as Norah becomes more sure something is wrong gradually cranks up the tension, and her relationship with Agnes is well drawn. I could almost smell the misty landscape and dark, damp house as I read. The ending felt a little rushed, but it might just have been that I wanted to spend more time with the characters.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

It is the story of Norah who is to be married to the Baron Alexander Barland and starts living in his mansion that is deteriorating slowly. The odd atmosphere and her husband behaviours make you wonder what secrets the mansion and the husband are keeping…

The whole atmosphere remained odd and fuelled the suspense around the mystery of the husband and the house. The letters were a good addition, especially as it gave more information on Norah’s life. I found the writing to be good and I didn’t expect the end.

I would rate this one a 3 stars though. The book felt too long. I don’t know if it’s because it was slow paced or because I was not really in the mood for it, but my reading experience was a 3 stars.

3.5 🌟

Great opener, setting the scene nicely on this dark, isolated dismal location.
The house and its few occupants do a great job of creating a claustrophobic feeling.
There were a few spooky moments that kept me on my toes.
I felt it hit a bit of a lull mid way, but that was just a brief moment of relaxation before the gears were upped and we went forth into the final thrilling chapters.
Very enjoyable.