Okay, of course there were a few shades of Rebecca here, but the author managed to write a still wholly original, Supreme Gothic novel. I literally fell asleep at night reading, then went right back to reading in the morning. Even though some of the characters were a little shady, you couldn't help but root for them. (Aside from Beatie June's gross brother, who took advantage of his sister being unwell).. I had a difficult time pulling myself away from this book, and was just overall infatuated with it. Easily 5 stars.

This is marked as a retelling of Jane Eyre but I wouldn’t have considered that true if I hadn’t read the blurb and some of the characters have names similar to that story. I might even have liked it better if I hadn’t been constantly comparing it to Jane Eyre. That being said, I really enjoyed the story. A down on her luck woman is presented with the opportunity to stay in a cottage on the beach in exchange for tutoring a teenage girl. The catch? The teenager’s father was accused of murdering his famous model wife (not the girl’s mother). Did he? Will the young woman fall in love with the father and investigate? You betcha. But I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

i liked the writing in this but the story really flatlined for me unfortunately. a loose retelling is fun in theory but it just wasn’t fleshed out enough

I mightily recommend anyone to read this retelling of the classic Jane Eyre. It is extremely rare to get a retelling of classics like Jane Eyre, much less a good one. It is one of those books that got obscure over time, and I don't hear about it as much as I do, say Pride and Prejudice or Wuthering Heights. Needless to say, I was excited to get this ARC. Here we see more of the familiar characters in a modern format, especially the most elusive Mrs Rochester. Absolutely enjoyed reading this.

I first read Jane Eyre in high school; honestly, it was the only bright spot in Regents English that year (barely an exaggeration--I still maintain that I became an English teacher despite that teacher; honestly, she was awful. Just thinking about her today still makes me rather rage-y). Reading Jane Eyre led to reading Wuthering Heights , which led to reading Pride and Prejudice , and really, the rest is history.

I re-read Jane as an adult, and was straight-up shocked to discover I'd completely forgotten about, oh, about half of the book--everything that happens after Jane leaves Rochester until the part just before the "Reader, I married him," line. All of that stuff she does in between? Blocked it out. And TBH, upon re-reading, I fully understood why I did. Jane's personal growth was lovely and all, but I wanted that portion to be a lot shorter. Even though Mr. Rochester is a somewhat problematic hero, I still wanted Jane to get to her HEA sooner rather than later without quite all of the (kind of aimless) wandering around in between.

I got my wish in Mrs. Rochester's Ghost!

Lindsay Marcott's refashioning of the story gives Jane a mystery to solve--did Evan Rochester kill his wife?--and though she does start investigating almost from the time she arrives at his estate, it isn't until she leaves him that her investigation really ratchets up. In true mystery/thriller fashion, resolving the mystery happens rather quickly--far less wandering around the countryside for this Jane!--and we get to our HEA without Jane almost getting engaged to any distant cousins (thank goodness, because, yikes).

As with any good retelling, I had a lot of fun seeing the tweaks that Ms Marcott made to the original, making this version of Jane and Rochester's story her own. That little a-ha! moment when you make the connection between what that Jane did/has happen to her and what this Jane does/has happen always gives me a little thrill. Like the best retellings, there were many clever twists and conversions here, and I really enjoyed reading this version of the classic story.

Is there really a Mrs. Rochester's Ghost haunting the grounds of Evan Rochester's estate? You'll have to read it yourself and find out, because I'm not going to tell you! Don't worry, though--even if you haven't read (or even-gasp!--did but didn't like) the original, this is definitely a strong enough story to stand on its own. I'll be keeping an eye on this author to see what she has in store for us next.

Rating: 4 stars / B+

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

I want it thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. A really fun mystery/drama/thriller book. Highly recommend. Might be a good read for Halloween Month 🎃!

This book was a unique experience - quite a thrilling read with the unreliable narrator and a lot of twists and turns with a generous serving of all-things-natural!

I am sorry for the lack of a stellar review, but I don’t think these books are the right fit for me at this time. I'm not really a fan of romance mixed with thrillers and would hate to have a preconceived bias toward this story before reading it. I wouldn't want my review to be tainted because of that. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience.

This was a good one! I could definitely see where it was a retelling, but it also had its own modern spin on things also. It does work well as a standalone though. I will be reading more by this author! 4 stars.

I loved this modern re-telling of Jane Eyre.

Fans of the original will recognize familiar characters made over into unfamiliar guises. The imposing Thornfield Hall in England becomes the modern Thorn Bluffs in California. Jane goes from meek governess to script-writer-turned-tutor-for-the-summer. Mr. Rochester becomes a dashing young millionaire, and the part of Mrs. Rochester, rather slight in the original, comes to the forefront in the guise of Beatrice McAdams Rochester, former supermodel, who suffered from bipolar disorder and schizophrenia right up until the day she walked into the ocean and drowned.

Or did she?

This is the question Jane must ask herself as she spends time at Thorn Bluffs. Did Mrs. Rochester kill herself... or did Mr. Rochester murder her... or, given the strange sounds and sights that Jane sees in the woods and caves of the estate, is the beautiful Beatrice really dead at all?

Filled with all the Gothic drama and romance of Charlotte Bronte's classic, updated for the modern reader and full of modern-day problems, this story will appeal to both lovers of the original and anyone seeking a good dramatic and thrilling mystery-romance.

This modern retelling puts a spin on the classic Jane Eyre. When you basically lose everything what do you do? Jane is offered a new start with a cottage overlooking Big Sur for tutoring the teenage daughter or Evan Rochester, so she takes the opportunity to get a fresh start. Now begins a new set of problems once she moves to the Rochester estate… Jane is falling for what might be a man who murdered his wife?! Then there’s the ghost that leaves Jane looking for answers and truths but to what end and at what cost?? The story unfolds from Jane and Beatrice’s (Evan’s late wife) POV and in the chapters told from Beatrice’s POV it is a mess, manic, and delusional it seems so. It has been so long that the classic is a bit fuzzy for me with details, but I enjoyed this reimagining! Thank you NetGalley for the copy!

Book 17 of 2022

If you’ve been around here for awhile you know I have an obsession with Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre. I nerd out when I find re-telling of this novel and need to read them all. Needless to say, I was super excited when I got a copy of Mr. Rochester’s Ghost by Lindsay Marcott.

In this modern retelling starts with Jane who is down on her luck, lost her mother to cancer, found her boyfriend cheating and the show where she was a writer on cancelled. When the opportunity to work with her flaky friend Otis on a giant estate in California, she does not hesitate. But Otis has told more than a few lies and Jane finds herself in basically a shack, a rude boss who is haunted by the suicide of his famous model wife Beatrice.

The chapters in this book alternate between Jane and Beatrice. I honestly could have done without Beatrice’s chapters. They did not leave you feeling sympathetic to her and I think her character would have been served best if we didn’t get any insight. Otherwise I really enjoyed this book, it was gripping and exciting and I think Marcott achieved a story that stayed close to the original but took enough creative license to keep you guessing.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas&Mercer for this copy

With JANE EYRE being my favorite novel, it is only natural that I would want to read modern retellings to see how authors try to breathe new life into a classic. And Marcott did just that. This story is compelling and wonderfully constructed to give all the thrills and chills I want in a gothic suspense. Also, the author was smart to take just a few turns away from the original to create something new from the old.

Stevie‘s review of Mrs. Rochester’s Ghost by Lindsay Marcott
Contemporary Gothic Suspense published by Thomas & Mercer 01 Aug 21

I’ve had a fondness for Jane Eyre since I first read the book for school, more so after I realised how many connections it has to the area where I grew up. However, I’m well aware of the story’s issues and limitations, especially when compared to books such as The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. On the other hand, I never did get along with Wuthering Heights and plenty of people love that one, irrespective of how they feel about its problematic themes. I’m also a great fan of pastiche and retellings of classic novels, so this updated version should have been right up my street. Of course, some suspension of disbelief may be required when classic stories are reset in the present day.


Jane – we never learn her last name – has been unemployed since the TV series on which she was a writer wasn’t renewed for another season. She’s more or less exhausted her savings and is feeling sorry for herself, when an old friend calls her with a potential job offer as a tutor to the daughter of his semi-reclusive employer. Otis Fairfax – very few of the names in this story have had more than the slightest of tweaks – works for Evan Rochester (we later learn that Rochester’s middle name is Edward), who has made his name and fortune in bringing on start-up companies, but who is also suspected by the press and public of murdering his wife the year before. Beatrice Rochester was a former model who had suffered a breakdown due to her drug use and bipolar disorder. She is believed by the authorities to have drowned on her wedding anniversary, but her body has yet to be found.

Realising she has no other options, Jane uproots herself to the remote Thorn Bluffs estate, which seems to have almost as many dogs as staff – almost too many of the former and definitely not enough of the latter – and meets first her pupil and then her employer. Sophie is sulky and resentful, although she slowly warms to Jane, while Evan is as gruff as the original Rochester, though less prone to keeping secrets. There’s no sign of anyone currently imprisoned in the attics, but Evan admits to having restrained Beatrice in the house at times for her own safety – and the house and grounds have a number of secret passages.

Jane becomes convinced that Beatrice, or at least her ghost, is still wandering the grounds, and her suspicions that Beatrice’s death was not accidental are fuelled by encounters with Beatrice’s brother. None of that stops Jane from falling for Evan, of course, nor does Jane’s discovery that Evan was having an affair with a business associate both before and after Beatrice disappeared. The only thing that slightly prevented me from really disliking Evan is a set of chapters giving Beatrice’s side of the story, mostly covering the day of her disappearance.

That wasn’t enough to save the book for me. I’m giving it a slightly higher grade than I might have otherwise, just because of how I feel about the original, and because I liked some of the secondary characters who had no equivalents in Jane Eyre.

Grade: C

I found this to be an enjoyable read, keeping me on my toes throughout. The storyline was written well and flowed seamlessly. I look forward to reading more by this author!

Mrs. Rochester's Ghost is the rare retelling of a well-known, beloved classic that genuinely delivers on the 'retelling' part while still managing to be an engaging, enjoyable story in its own right. The modernizations range from details like name changes to more fundamental elements such as the intermingled business/romantic relationship of Rochester and Blanche's potential marriage - and they all work. Most of all, whether you're a Jane Eyre fan or have never read it, Mrs. Rochester's Ghost is an intriguing thriller, with richly drawn characters hiding all kinds of secrets, a haunting atmosphere, and moody yet well-paced plot. A few quibbles - the chemistry between Rochester and Jane doesn't work on quite the bone-deep level it needs in order to make sense of her choices, and I'm not sure all the Beatrice chapters really...work? But it delivers on mood, it delivers on mystery, and I was left guessing right up to the end. Satisfying both as a domestic thriller and as a retelling of a classic I've loved ever since I can remember.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the advance review copy!

This book was described as a modern retelling of Jane Eyre. I absolutely fell in love with our main character Jane. This book hooked me right from the start. After janes mother passes. A horrible betrayal by her best friend and boyfriend. Her show that has ended. An old friend invitees her to CA to tutor the bosses daughter. She will have a place to stay. And. Money. However. Mr. Rochester is suspected of killing his wife. And. Her ghost still haunts the property. Found out what happens in this twisty turn book and get ready to fall in love. Laugh. Cry. And gasp. As you lose yourself with #mrsrochestersghost #lindsaymarcott #thomasandmercer #netgalley #bookstagram #bookreview #readersofinstagram #bookrecommendations #indiebookstore

I really wanted to love this book as I have read Jane Eyre in the past and really enjoyed it. I was a little bit leary about the connection with the classic, but entered with an open mind. I felt that Jane was a weak character in this book. She is brought in to tutor the daughter and falls for the rakish, lying, dismally developed, Rochester. There was no appeal to this man. I think the most interesting part was the ghost and I kept rooting for her to show herself. The end was just confusing. Everything ends looking positively into the future. I was confused because this did not correspond in any way to what had happened during the book. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for sharing this book. All opinions are my own.
Modern adaptations of classic novels, when well written, can provide insight and nuance into the original story that enhances the experience. This book was a highly enjoyable read, with thrilling elements that reflect Jane Eyre's gothic background.