If you love gothic lit buy this one immediately. Ticks all the boxes: isolated manor, naive mc, creepy inhabitants in the manor, mental health issues abound, unsettling vibes,… I could not put this one down. Perfect for those dark cold nights coming.

The Whispering House is an incredible story about two people who are both haunted by their past and yet also determined to live their lives in the present. Freya is the narrator of this story and she has returned to Byrne Hall because she was at the cliff where Stella fell and saw something she didn't understand. She then meets Cory who lives in the house with his mother. He's also been looking after her mother who is ill.

Freya is confused about why she's there and what happened to Stella, but she can't seem to leave Byrne Hall. She finds out some things about Cory's mother that make her think he might be connected to Stella somehow, but there's nothing definite until later on in the story when things start happening around them which makes it even more confusing.

Freya Lyell is struggling to move on from her sister Stella’s suicide five years ago. Visiting the bewitching Byrne Hall, only a few miles from the scene of the tragedy, she discovers a portrait of Stella – a portrait she had no idea existed, in a house Stella never set foot in. Or so she thought.

Driven to find out more about her sister’s secrets, Freya is drawn into the world of Byrne Hall and its owners: charismatic artist Cory and his sinister, watchful mother. But as Freya’s relationship with Cory crosses the line into obsession, the darkness behind the locked doors of Byrne Hall threatens to spill out.

This was a very gothic atmospheric themed story. I felt it dragged a bit, but was still entertaining. The characters were well developed but I didn't always agree with Freya's decisions.

I was given a copy to review by the publisher and my opinion is my own.

This book moved to slowly for me. The author did a good job creating a gothic atmosphere but I just didn't connect with the main character of Freya. I was glad I was listening to the audiobook because I felt if I was reading it I would have skipped ahead chapters.

During a cousins's wedding, Freya sees a portrait of her sister hanging in the old mansion beside the wedding . The odd thing about that is, her sister died (by suicide) five years ago. Freya decides she wants to investigate why her sister's picture was hanging in Byrne Hall, the house that happens to be only a few miles from where her sister died. There she meets artist Cory and his watchful mother. Soon her relationship with Cory becomes intimate and Freya wants to know more about what Byrne Hall has locked inside it.

"The Whispering House" held it's own as a gothic novel, with it's bumps and scares, but it was a little too long at times.

Ever read one of those books where things are smooth sailing, you make a connection with most of the characters and think you grasp the story?
That's what happens to me with this book but all of the sudden pretty far in like maybe 85 % in things start to get a creepy tone.
Some books you read and a character is in rough shape mentally but then gets straightened out and makes a 360 getting their life on track. Well in this case the character in question is able to hide their true self, their mental illness,their creepiness.
When it comes out though, wow! Add to this a very atmospheric Gothic mansion that has secrets hidden that echo down it's dark corridors .
A dark,Gothic mystery that will keep you riveted and reading late into the night.

Pub Date 16 Mar 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book to review !

The Whispering House
by Elizabeth Brooks

Atmospheric gothic thriller/mystery. Byrne Estate, a huge mansion overlooking the waterway and near where Freya's sisters body was found after supposedly committing suicide. She wants to know what her sister was thinking, feeling. Freya is drawn to Bryne Estate and uncovers a mystery that was not expected. Will she fall into the same web of deceit? The Whispering House is a well written modern gothic horror novel that will keep readers guessing. 4 Stars !

I think this author has potential but this book isn't the full realization. The pace was good and it was plot driven so I wanted to keep reading just to know what was going to happen, but I wasn't actually enjoying the reading.

The Whispering House has a certain quality that I found completely captivating and features fantastic, lush prose. It's all about atmosphere and has detailed descriptions and a leisurely pace yet I could not put it down.

Freya visits an old estate close to where her sister died and finds a portrait of her on the wall. She's drawn to the home and its inhabitants and her life quickly changes. It reads more like hidden secrets waiting to be revealed than a true, capital M, Mystery book. It's somewhat predictable but rather than being an annoyance I began to eagerly anticipate when things would finally be revealed and how it would all unravel. It also managed to still feel uncertain... I felt like I knew who was "good/bad/right/wrong" in an overarching sense but not the specifics of what will happen or their intentions.

This gave me what I wanted from Mexican Gothic but didn't quite get. Its tone and feel is like a mix of Rebecca and Wuthering Heights... it's brooding and curious but has an intoxicating, compulsive quality. I walked away feeling like it could be both a 3 star and a 5 star but this intangible addictive edge will make it linger in my memory so I push it more towards the latter rating (4.5). I think readers will either love or hate this based on how much you enjoy dark, haunting slow burns and can tolerate naive characters.

Recommend for: Fans of the gothic novel and atmospheric reads

May not be for you if: You prefer plot driven stories or likable characters. Stay away if naive characters bother you.

Byrne Hall is a gorgeous estate that sits atop a hill overlooking cliffside beaches and the ocean. Its gardens are lush, vibrant and the house itself is looming and filled with history. Any who see it are overcome by its beauty. Freya is no exception. Not since her sister’s death a few years earlier, and especially since Byrne Hall sits on the very cliffs from which Stella fell to her demise.

During a wedding event on the estate, and before she can stop herself, Freya finds herself creeping into the foyer of Byrne Hall. Still filled with a longing for her sister, and maybe a few too many glasses of champagne deep, Freya is convinced she has just seen a portrait of her dead sister hanging there in the house. But how and why?

Filled with a deep curiosity of Byrne Hall, the circumstances surrounding her sister Stella’s death, and the possibility of a portrait in such an unlikely place, Freya sets out for Byrne Hall and answers. She is invited to stay a few days by Cory, the handsome young owner of the estate and his ailing mother. Freya accepts, despite the darkened halls and the chill that creeps beneath her sweater.

A few days turn into weeks, then months. Freya becomes bewitched by Byrne Hall and Cory. The house seems to be filled with secrets unspoken, almost silently whispering to its occupants. Little by little, the idyll Freya had created for herself at Byrne Hall is revealed for the grotesque, flawed, and ugly truth.

Elizabeth Brooks is an English author with only two other publications. This is her most recent, and, quite possibly, her best novel yet. The Whispering House is a gothic mystery reminiscent of Daphne du Maurier or Agatha Christie. There is a strong Rebecca vibe that comes from this where the house feels as though there is a feeling of life in it, even though that life is supposedly gone. Also, Agatha Christie had a way of making houses come to life around the characters, almost as if the house itself were its own character. Brooks does an excellent job of bringing that same life to Byrne Hall.

The Devon coast really seems like a place I want to visit! This book was moody and atmospheric which was perfect for a story about a mysterious death and a mysterious house. I felt like Freya was a little stereotypical and naive but it was a real page tuner.

I was bored through most of The Whispering House and about 65% of the way through, I gave up and decided not to finish it. As much as I wanted to like it, I just didn't.

2/5 Stars

I was very excited about the chance to read The Whispering House. I had heard some buzz on this book and since I am a fan of gothic reads, couldn't wait to get my hands on it. That being said, I had a hard time sinking into this book and feeling involved in the story. I enjoyed the gothic elements of both character and place but in the end, the story left me wanting. Thank you to NetGalley, Tin House, and Elizabeth Brooks for a chance to read this ARC. I look forward to future works from this author.

I really enjoyed the gothic setting of the story, but the actual plot was only okay for me, I didn't feel that connected to the characters or the mystery of the sister. I needed a little more background or information, maybe? The writing style was good, again especially with the setting.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley and Tin House in exchange for an honest review.

This was almost the gothic novel I wanted it to be, almost. Unfortunately it never quite got there and the climax felt like it came out of nowhere so it was somewhat disjointed and confusing. Every aspect was there for this to be a great gothic novel, but it felt like a rough sketch version of gothic tropes rather than fully fleshed out characters.

This book started off pretty slow for me and I had to take a break before diving back in. The premise intrigued me but the story fell a little flat. The writing itself was well done!

The Whispering House is a gothic style novel that takes you into the strange world of Byrne Hall a manor house on the English coast, The novel starts with Freya Lyell partcipating in a cousin’s wedding at Byrne Hall, the only issue is that the Hall is near the spot where her sister Stella commited suicide 5 years before, or did she? Freya’s father is distant and does not want to drag all that back up again, During the wedding Freya sneaks into the house, which is off-limits to wedding guests, and see a portrtait that resembles her dead sister. Then Freya meets Cory Byrne and his mother Diana the owners of Byrne Hall. Freya finds herself immersed in the mother/son and their strange relationship. Did Cory or his mother have anything to do with Stella’s death? What is the strange attraction Freya feels for Cory and what does his mother know that she is not saying. The book had a dream like atmosphere that became darker as the story progressed. The ending was a bit predictable, but the story to get there was intriguing.

Thanks to Netgalley, Elizabeth Brooks and the publisher for the chance to review this book.

A slow burn narrative that fails to captivate or surprise. To it's defense, the writing was, at times, genuinely beautiful. The first pages of the novel were stirring and some of the imagery was crisp and effective. However, the strong introduction slowed to almost a complete halt by the end of the first quarter of the book. The rest of the novel dragged its feet terribly. The mystery of the novel is so incredibly predictable that the novel's pacing only worsened the slow ride from point A to a very obvious and somewhat cliched point B.

Though very much aware of gothic tropes, this novel does very little to capture what makes gothic horror so fascinating - the twists were hardly twists at all. The protagonist was so overly naive and slow on the uptake that I really struggled to like her or feel invested in the novel. This author is clearly talented on the level of language and imagery, but I wanted something more.

Meek young adult Freya is trying to figure her life out in the wake of her larger than life wild sister Stella's mysterious death. She finds her self inexorably drawn to Byrne House (the house itself is one of the main characters) in the seaside town of Bligh a stones throw from the location of Stella's apparent cliff jump suicide . In a drunken stupor she finds a painting in the house that looks like Stella. We later meet Cory the neurotic "artist" son and his fatally ill mother Diana living in run down Byrne House. An odd romance- (if you can call it that) ensues between Cory and Freya. The story is eerily told and reminded me of nightmares that I had after watching Hitchcock's Psycho...weird mother/son relationship included! I mean how many clues do you need before you get out! Trigger warnings for controlling codependent relationships.
Well, written with excellent dialogue. I would recommend this book to anyone seeking a gothic psychological Thrill!

*Thank you to NetGalley, Elizabeth Brooks and Tin House for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Previously posted on https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/the-whispering-house/

The Whispering House is a gothic suspense whose principal character is a house: Byrne Hall. Likened to “Sleeping Beauty’s Castle,” the house has a grand facade and beautiful, well-kept gardens. But enter the house and there is no mistaking how different it is. Byrne Hall is empty of most furniture, the wallpaper is peeling off the walls, and the floor tiles are popping up. Dust and broken things are everywhere.

Freya and her father, a renowned art critic for the London Times, are attending a wedding of a distant cousin at Byrne Hall. Upon arrival they realize that Freya’s sister, the loquacious and coquettish Stella, committed suicide very near this spot. Though all signs indicate “stay out,” Freya enters the hall, hoping for a respite from the overwhelming heat. There she discovers a painting of Stella in the front room, torn to pieces, and put back together like a mosaic. Up until now, her sister’s suicide has remained a mystery. But after seeing that painting, Freya is determined to find out what happened.

Once back home, Freya decides to return to Bligh to see if she can get some answers. Once she arrives, she encounters Cory, a childlike man who asks to draw her. She meets him again once she is in Byrne Hall. He is the son of Diana, a now frail and ailing woman who was once a very famous artist. Diana is now reliant on her son to care for her. She immediately warns Freya of Stella, however, cannot finish her thoughts when Cory arrives. Her voice is heard throughout The Whispering House as “She – Diana – had become the whispering voice of the house. No, more than that, she had become its mind and soul.”

With Cory’s invitation to stay at Byrne Hall and Freya’s desire to find out what really happened to Stella, they fall into an uneasy and complicated relationship, fraught with cruelty and possessiveness. Cory believes he has inherited an amazing talent for drawing and seeks Freya’s help to set up an art show in Byrne Hall, asking her if she can invite her father to review the show for the London Times. Despite her misgivings about his possessiveness, Freya basks in his constant attention and adoration, and is eager for a respite from her boring life in London. Almost too late, she realizes she has fallen into a trap Cory has set, and the plans she puts in place for her escape bring The Whispering House to its shocking conclusion.

Elizabeth Brooks is a genius at creating atmospheres and locations that haunt the reader. With the constant rain and the darkness of Byrne Hall, we are constantly looking around every corner with goosebumps, waiting for something new to come out and scare us. As all the pieces of the puzzle come together at the end, the reader is increasingly aware of a devastating end, with Byrne Hall crumbling all around them.