Unfortunately this book was just no for me. I appears that most people loved and while it was enjoyable at time it just didn't wow me. I was hooked by the synopsis but it just fell flat and lost interest as each additional character was added.

I wasn't sure about this book going in, but I really enjoyed it. I don't like books that include too much of that ominous and frightening feeling that keep me up at night, but this had just the right mix of mystery and suspense with a little romance thrown it. I usually try to stay away from books that are too creepy or unsettling, so I was wary of this book, but it had the prefect amount of "scariness" without any of the unsettling feelings that lead to sleepless nights worrying about strange noises or dark shadows.
Carragh Ryan takes a temporary position at an old eerie Irish castle that was once home to one of her favorite Victorian authors. While her job is to catalog the contents of the Gallagher family's extensive and valuable library, she is actually hoping to uncover information about the lost years of the renowned writer who married the daughter of the house during the late 1800s. In doing so her true wish is to perhaps discover the author's lost manuscript about "The Darkling Bride," the unpublished novel supposedly written about his wife Jenny Gallagher and based on an ancient legend from the family's lands. Carragh must navigate around the complex family relationships between Nessa, the great-aunt who hired her, Aidan, the current viscount, and his sister Kyla, among others. These relationships are all tainted by the fact that Aidan and Kyla's parents were murdered in the house 30 years earlier. As information and secrets come to light, not only from Aidan's parents, but also from Jenny Gallagher and the original Darkling Bride, Carragh begins to feel more and more threatened. She cannot tell if the malevolence she feels is from one of the inhabitants of the castle--alive or dead.
I feel as though the author did a great job of telling the story of Deeprath Castle and the Darkling Bride. There were several different timelines and perspectives, but all the threads wove together well to create a nuanced yet complete story. Several references were made to traditional gothic tropes as well as authors such as Victoria Holt (who I read as a young teenager), which I think added a very slight hint of humor to the story. As Carragh is doing things like climbing a dark haunted tower she smiles as she realizes what a cliche she is, which made me smile as well. It was as if the author, through Carragh, was acknowledging the fact that she seemed to be living in a novel of gothic suspense and almost poked fun at that fact. As someone who has read almost all of Victoria Holt's novels, I enjoyed and appreciated that fact.
This was a really good read. It was fun, interesting, suspenseful, yet also light and not too frightening. It had all the gothic staples: the innocent (yet not at all helpless--it is 2018!) newcomer to the dark and foreboding castle, the handsome yet mysterious lord of the manor, the formidable and unwelcoming elderly female relative, the ancient legend of tragedy, a murder mystery, etc.. Yet the author realized all of these things and used it to her advantage. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys mystery and gothic romance. I was pleasantly surprised by this book and would read more by this author.

The Darkling Bride by Laura Andersen was an engrossing read that encompassed many genres: gothic, folklore, suspense, mystery, romance, historical fiction, modern day fiction. The setting is the beautiful Wicklow Mountains in Ireland near historic Glendalough, and the novel encompasses a vast sweep of Irish history. The novel opens in the present day, when scholar Carragh Ryan takes a three-week temp job which looks like the job of her dreams. She is hired to catalog the library of Deeprath Castle which has been home to the Gallagher family for 700 years. Besides the library being full of enticing books, Ryan hopes to discover a lost Victorian manuscript by an eminent author who married into the family. An author who was writing about a local legend—the Darkling Bride.

Carragh ends up becoming embroiled in a family squabble over whether to sell the castle, and a more modern mystery. Twenty years before, an unsolved murder occurred at the castle. This has resulted in the current Viscount Aidan Gallagher deciding to put the castle and its contents into the hands of the National Trust. But the castle also has mysteries from earlier centuries. There are flashbacks to two earlier time lines that help fill in what came before as answers are discovered one by one.

I quickly became so embroiled in the multilayered mysteries, that the novel was hard to put down. It was never predictable, and was full of a foreboding eerie atmosphere. It was also never obvious who was guilty and who innocent. The novel reminded me of Daphne DuMaurier, Mary Stewart, and Victoria Holt. It was the best gothic novel I have read for years, and set in such a beautiful place.

I highly recommend this novel and thank Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader’s Copy and for allowing me to review it.

I really enjoyed this book. The Darkling Bride tells the story of a multigeneration mystery set in an Irish castle. The framework of the narrative reminds me alot of Lauren Willig's Pink Carnation series: a bookish outsider comes in to unravel a centuries old mystery and also has a romance with the heir. Overall I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and romance. I received a copy of this book for review purposes.

This story has many qualities of classic gothic mysteries which I really enjoyed. There are multiple timelines, which in many cases can be hard to follow, but was not the case in this story. While I really enjoy Andersen's writing style I think this book was just a bit much for me. There was SO much happening and so many characters that I felt like I couldn't keep up and keep everything straight. Despite all of that it somehow also still felt slow and I struggled to want to finish. Overall I liked what the book attempted to achieve, the story just wasn't for me.

Andersen combines multiple layers of history in this suspenseful novel that explores the dark legacy of an Irish family. I enjoyed learning more about Irish history throughout the novel, as the sins and secrets of the past come back to haunt the present. A great read!

I really enjoyed this brooding gothic mystery set in the Wicklow mountains of Ireland. I have visited that area before and the wild beauty of the place came alive for me in this book. A fun read!

This was a surprisingly quick read despite its many, many plot points. An adopted archivist, who is currently renovating her grandmother's house, gets a short-term job making a catalog of a seemingly cursed family's library. Once there, she meets the current, very hot, homeowner and his family, all while the police start looking into the cold case of his parents' deaths. It is interesting and quick to read.

A decades old murder, and a abandoned tower that holds more than just memories...

Carrah has landed her dream job. She has been tasked with working through the library at the Gallagher castle. As they prepare to turn the castle over to the National Trust, a full inventory must be made of all the books. While she prepares to begin the monumental task of going through the thousands of books in the room, she meets the Lord of the Castle. Aiden is not your normal Viscount. He is a Detective Inspector in London, and has no time for the memories that are held within the castle walls. It might have been his inheritance, but he wants nothing to do with it.

Decades earlier, his parents were murdered in the castle. Only ten years old at the time, Aiden and his sister Kyra went to live with their Aunt Nessa in Kilkenny. The castle was shut up, except for a few workers who have maintained the home, no one has been there in years.

Carrah knows that Evan Chase, one of her favorite authors, had spent time at the castle. He married Jenny, daughter of the viscount, and agreed to remain there with her, due to the "delicate health" that she suffered from. But Jenny begins to lose her grasp on reality, and refuses to accept her son as such. She is convinced that he is a changling, an imposter. Nothing her family can do can change her mind about the child. When Jenny commits suicide, Evan leaves the castle for London, abandoning the book on the Darkling Bride that he had been working on.

The Darkling Bride - an old Irish legend which haunts the castle. Happiness never seems to last for the Gallaghers who reside within its walls, and the Darkling Bride is always lurking within the mists surrounding the castle.

As Carrah and Aiden become closer, the castle begins to share some of the secrets held within. As they work together to solve a riddle that his mother had left behind decades earlier, they find a lot more than a birthday present stashed away....

Murder, family secrets, and intrigue come together to weave a spellbinding story - one that you cannot walk away from until you have finished! I can not say enough about this book! I LOVED IT! I have a book hangover from reading through - it was that good! Grab your copy today and get lost in the Irish legends, a haunted castle, and one explosive secret...

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book, for an unbiased review.

I always like books that have a century old mystery with ties to the present day to solve, and in a haunted old castle! I like the way the author keeps you going with little clues here and there. This book has 3 of my favorite things: mystery, history and romance! Great read, highly recommend!!

I grew up reading Victoria Holt and Phyllis Whitney books as fast as I could get one from the library. This book brings back all of that love. The mystery from the past, the brooding, handsome Count, and the sinister, dark castle. Laura Anderson brings it together in a wonderful book.
Thank you to Ballentine Books and Netgalley for the free copy of this book for review.

This book took me by surprise! I was thinking it would be a comfortable historical fiction novel I would enjoy and it was so much more. The atmosphere is very Victorian Gothic. The story was non-stop in a good way. I couldn't get enough of this book! I need this physically on my bookshelf!

First of all everything is centered on a gorgeous 700 year old Irish castle. Then there's the legend of The Darkling Bride, a ghost who stirs up all kinds of trouble if the legends are true. Then there's the murder mysteries. They seem to line up every hundred years for the past three hundred years.
Carragh gets caught up in it all by agreeing to catalog the extensive book collection at the castle and meets the son of one of the murder victims. Now she's trying to figure out everything and trying not to fall in love with Aiden. Will justice be served or will murder and mayhem strike again?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

A gothic tale set in an Irish castle - Deeprath
Carragh Ryan loves books and she is hired to catalog the library at the castle. She claims she is there for the books, but she becomes entangled in legends, a murder mystery, and more.
~
This one has an intriguing story line, but a confusing timeline (three) and quite a few characters turned out to be too distracting. I think a faster pace and less detailed accounts of the backstory would have made this more enjoyable. I struggled with the writing style, but loved the story elements and atmosphere created.
~
If you’re in the mood for a gothic mystery with tons of surprises, then check this one out!

Dark, funny sounds, shadows everything to make this a gothic novel. I really loved this tale of fear, danger, and intrigue. Lord Aidan Gallagher hadn't been back since his parents died, twenty-six years ago. he was there to sign away his heritage to the National Trust. Carragh Ryan was hired to work within the library, to catalog it.
the center stage is the legend of the darkling Bride even though the were other legends but the bride held the most interest.
Some thought she was a fae, The characters are great and help the story flow well. The plot is complicated but interesting and intriguing. The picture of Jenny in Carragh's room. It was painted so it looked as though she had 2 sides. The dark one was in the lake and darkish while the other was light and dressed in white
I highly recommend this book, It is so worth the time.
I received this ARC from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed it..

Meaty, gothic mystery spanning several generations and story lines that all interconnect. Unsolved crimes, family tragedies, romance, long-lived legends, possible hauntings, and I could go on...

I am a big fan of Laura Andersen's historical fantasy novels, so I was a prime candidate to read this one. I did enjoy it very much. There was a lot going on here, but you know (or hope anyway) that it will eventually connect and be brought altogether. There are 3 main story lines/time periods involving the Gallagher family that are alternating as the voice of the book: 1880s, 1970-90s, and 2015. Deeprath Castle is central to all, and becomes like a character itself. It has very atmospheric writing with great descriptions of Ireland that will make you feel as if you are there yourself. One little bonus that I loved was the castle Library! It sounded most amazing, and it gave the book a little added zing for booklovers. I would recommend this one to gothic readers!

**Many thanks to NetGalley, Laura Andersen, and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for an ARC to read and honestly review**

This is a haunting mystery tale. I loved that the castle was a character. I think it added a lot to the book.

I received this from netgalley.com in exchange for a review.

Book lover and scholar Carragh Ryan is hired to take inventory of Deeprath Castle's historic library. But after meeting Aidan, the current Viscount Gallagher, and his enigmatic family, Carragh knows that her task will be more challenging than she’d thought.

Queue up the creepy gothic music? Nope. The ingredients were there, ancient creepy castle and the owners are a creepy family with dark, creepy secrets but the story barely held my interest. It rambled here and there and was hard to keep track of ... too many timelines and characters.

3☆

While the writing is good and the premise is interesting, I just did not connect with this book. It was nothing against it, I plan to reread it in the future to see if my opinion improves.

Atmospheric and suspenseful, this modern day gothic mystery has it all: a centuries old castle, a ghostly presence, family secrets, mysterious deaths, local legends, and yes, even a little romance. The Gallagher family has owned Deeprath Castle in Ireland for centuries, but the current owner, Aiden, has decided to sign it over to the National Trust. A young woman, Carragh Ryan, has been hired to take inventory of the castle's massive library.

Aiden’s parents died under suspicious circumstances at the castle 20 years ago, leaving him and his sister in the care of his stern Aunt Nessa. The case has never been solved but the case has been reopened and is is currently being investigated by local police. Adding to the mystery of the castle, in the 1800’s the wife of a famous author died under mysterious circumstances at Deeprath. Local legend has it that the Darkling Bride who haunts the castle is behind the deaths. While cataloguing the libraries contents, Carragh finds clues that may be the key to solving the mysterious deaths. She and Aiden team up to uncover long buried secrets.

There was a lot going on with three story lines set in three different time periods, as well as a current police investigation. Unfortunately, it was just a bit too much. As a result, character development suffered a bit, and the requisite romance was lukewarm and unconvincing. Everything started to merge together and sometimes found it difficult to keep all the stories straight. I would have preferred if the book had focused on only one or two of the plot lines.
I would recommend this one for ardent fans of gothic mysteries!

*thanks to Netgalley, Ballantine Publishing, and Laura Anderson for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review

I originally thought that The Darkling Bride was going to be a ghost story, something out of my comfort zone but so tantalizing that I was willing to try. Turns out it's a little bit about a ghostly legend and mostly about bizarre family events that only add to the legend.


There are three timelines and several points of view working in tandem to bring this incredible story to life. I love a good mystery and so happens I love one that involves uncovering family secrets. Carragh takes on a temporary job to archive the Gallagher family's library before the castle is put in a trust. Aidan, the current Viscount, has no desire to hold on to the castle where his parents were murdered. What few memories he has are too painful and since not everyone in his family is in agreement with his plans, their discord grows as time wears on. Carragh gets to be an unwilling witness to the family's drama but doesn't allow that to distract her from doing the work she was hired to do. She's also doing a bit of her own research into one of the family's most famous ancestors and her perseverance leads her to information that could help resolve not only the mystery of Aidan's parents' deaths but another one from a couple of generations back.


With so many characters and details involved Andersen has paced the story perfectly with concise chapters and just enough breadcrumbs to keep both the plotline and reader moving forward. The only problem I had was with real life constantly interrupting my reading bliss. The Darkling Bride fits a certain kind of mood and I was craving a mystery like this that would remove me to another setting and time period. I was mesmerized by the story and enjoyed the various characters even when they were at their most vulnerable. If I could make a wish, I'd love to see the detective, Sibéal in another story. Strong and skilled at her job, it would be fun to see her work another mystery but as I said, that's just my wishful thinking.


~ Bel