After finishing this book I’m still unclear on whether it aspired to be a mystery or a ghost story, but unfortunately it failed at both.

I love Victorian mysteries and most ghost stories and I’m not terribly picky about either, so this one should have been a slam dunk. Alas, the book is nothing like what it was purported to be.

I find misleading publishers summaries to be one of the most irritating things in the world, and this one was especially off the mark. I was gearing up for a slightly creepy historical mystery helmed by clever protagonists.

What I got was a bleating, absurdist mess mostly comprised of incessantly bickering characters that was clearly intended to be funny but was instead exceptionally obnoxious. So obnoxious that the story itself (which might actually have made for a fine mystery) became completely irrelevant.

I don’t love absurdist humor, largely because most authors aren’t good at it, and this book was sadly no exception to that rule. And of course, despite being so prevalent as to take over the book, there wasn’t even a hint of this in the summary or I would have steered far clear of it.

I also don’t love an out of left field supernatural element tossed into an otherwise reality-based mystery, but this book lost me far before that even came up.

For audiobook readers: This format didn’t help and may have made it worst. The narrator’s exaggerated vocalizations for the absurd arguments between characters make them even more cringey than they already are in written form.

So grateful to HighBridge audio and NetGalley for this audio book. This is such a breath of fresh air. If you are sick of girls locked in basements with serial killers, WWII heroines, or teenagers who are mad at the system, this book is fo you. Gabriel Bliss goes to find his uncle, a clergyman, but instead runs into a drunken sargent, and ends up working for Scotland Yard under Cutter. The dialog between them is great. They are looking for men who are killing young women who have an aura. Enter Octavia, a plucky reporter and London society, and you have a great mystery book. This is the first in a series and I can’t wait for the sequel.

If you are a fan of Sherlock Holmes and last year's novel, Things in Jars, I think you will really enjoy The House on Vesper Sands. Set in Victorian London, some missing girls and a stitched message on a seamstresses arm sets off a hunt to solve a mystery. Inspector Cutter and his Sergeant Gideon Bliss (but not really a sergeant because he is really a theology school dropout) must figure out what happened to the missing girls and what they all have in common. Along the way their paths cross with Octavia Hillingdon, a female journalist determined to tell important stories rather than just fluff pieces. Part mystery, part supernatural, the story is solidly built around strong characters.

This story was fun to listen to for me. The audio reader has a great accent and did multiple voices for the various male and female characters so the listener could easily follow along. Some parts of this story were a little slow for me and I found myself drifting off a few times. Maybe it was the melodic British accent? It was a good story and I enjoyed it, but I'm not sure how much it will stick with me over time.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me access to a free copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

This isn’t your standard Victorian Gothic novel, part mystery, part fantasy. When a seamstress falls to her death a police investigation is launched and a newspaper woman, a theology student and a determined, brusque police detective are sent into a hunt for men who are turning women into ghosts. As I write this, my description doesn’t sound that appealing, but believe me, once the reader is enmeshed in the story line and the interesting set of characters, it turns into a compelling read. It is tense and well paced, and the quiet, almost monotone voices the narrator gave to some of the characters fit will.

I received this and as an eARC to read for free in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for giving me access.

London in the 1890's with a mystery? Yes please.

Listening to The House on Vesper Sands was an experience. Not in the fact that it was full cast -- because it wasn't -- but because I just absolutely love the era in which it takes place.

Although I usually am reading about a woman in the MC's place of a story like this, O'Donnell still keeps me captivated with Gideon's character.

This was, overall, a very enjoyable story with a smidgen of darkness to please my soul.

I don’t read much historical fiction or Victorian mysteries, so I wasn’t sure if I would like this book going into it. I’m so glad I took the chance on it, though, because I really enjoyed it! The atmosphere of this wonderful spooky mystery pulled you right into the London fog.


I thought the characters were incredibly well-written. The banter between Cutter and Gideon had me chuckling out loud, and provided comic relief to the heaviness of the topic. I enjoyed Octavia as well as the dogged reporter.

The plot was interesting, but as I haven’t read much in this genre I don’t have much to compare it to. I’m still undecided on how I feel about paranormal novels, but I believe it worked in this case. As a police procedural, it was entertaining but left a little to be desired as far as suspense and how the information was presented.

The House on Vesper Sands reminded me a bit of The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, if only because I don’t often read books from this time period. The audiobook styles were similar as well (perhaps even the same narrator? I should check). I regretted listening to Evelyn instead of reading a physical copy, but Vesper Sands was much easier to follow. I could also see this appealing to fans of Tana French.

It seemed like the ending left an opening for a sequel, and I would love to see these characters again in another novel.

Historical mystery is one of my favorite genres, and this is exactly the type of book I gravitate toward within it. Though it was a bit slow to start , once it got going I found the pace and the story to be quite enjoyable. This definitely could have been 4 stars from me, but it took so long to hook me it’s closer to 3.5.

I listened to this as an audiobook and the narrator was pleasant and enjoyable, I’d definitely recommend listening to this one.

This Victorian mystery gives us a crazy trio of characters. Gideon Bliss is a Cambridge dropout, who purposely allows a case of mistaken identity to pretend to be a police sergeant. His motive is so he can track down a young lady who has gone missing. He’s working with Detective Inspector Cutter, who is researching the suspicious death of a young seamstress. And then, there’s Octavia Hillingdon, a young reporter who’s tired of reporting on “women’s issues”. O’Donnell gives us a great atmospheric mystery with overtones of Sherlock Holmes. There’s a wry humor to this story, especially when Cutter is at the forefront.
This isn’t a fast paced story and at times, I felt it could have done with a better editing job. But then, those golden age detective stories never were fast paced. Be aware, there is a supernatural element to this story. I am not a fan of the paranormal, so I wasn’t enthralled by this aspect of the story. The plot hinges on it, so there’s no escaping it.
Charles Armstrong is the narrator and he perfectly captures the tone of the story.
My thanks to netgalley and Highbridge Audio for an advance copy of this audiobook.

Thank you NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for allowing me to listen to the audio version of this book. This book is outside my reading norm and after being introduced to all the characters, and having time to get acclimated to the accents, I was thoroughly hooked. The relationship between Inspector Cutter and Bliss made me laugh out loud. I would have liked to read more from Octavia’s point of view as I found her to be tenacious in her curiosity and truth seeking. At about the 3/4 mark the story got a little too supernatural for me and I wasn’t sure I was going to stick with it, but I’m glad I did as the action picked up nicely at the end. This book left the ending open enough for another book with the same characters, and I would enjoy reading with them again.

The House on Vesper Sands by Paraic O’Donnell

First, the disclaimer: I received this as an audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions that I express are my own and are not influenced by having received this ARC for free.

The good: This is a classic-style mystery set in Victorian London, so get prepared for a wonderfully atmospheric gaslamp setting. The characters are the cookie-cutter characters that are part of the allure of classic-style mysteries though and I was able to delight in them. Inspector Cutter, Gideon, and Octavia are all quite likable and there are some amusing exchanges between long-winded Gideon and gruff Inspector Cutter.

The bad: The plot was a little thin to me as a mystery due to implausible coincidences and supernatural occurrences. I did not realize that this would be part Victorian mystery, part gothic, and part fantasy when I started reading this book, but to me, it felt as though the book didn’t quite know what it wanted to be.

Who should read this?: I think that fans of Stuart Turton would also likely enjoy Paraic O’Donnell’s writing. They both seem to specialize in genre mash-ups.

CAWPILE Total: 43
CAWPILE Average: 6.143
Star Rating: 3.5 stars

READ ON AUDIO ARC – 10 hrs. 21 mins. / 406 pages

The characters are what made this story interesting for me. Gideon is smart, but trips over himself when he gets flustered. He's in love with a woman and is willing to do whatever it takes to find her after she goes missing. Inspector Cutter is great, he's an amazing detective with no patience for others and I really enjoyed his back and forth with Gideon. And best for last, Octavia. She's a journalist trying to break big stories in a time where women weren't even really working in professional settings. Octavia never gives up and I want to be her sidekick!

The plot was a bit difficult to follow at times and I wasn't sure if there were paranormal things happening or not. Some of the side characters were hard to keep straight and the ending to the mystery left me with questions.

I think there's some great potential for more crime solving with Cutter, Octavia, and Gideon as a team. They have a nice dynamic and if there are more books, I will check them out!

<i>I received a copy of this audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>

I enjoyed this dark mysterious gothic tale set in Victorian London. Gideon Bliss was a delightful character. This story has a touch of humor.

Having a hard time downloading. I have a Kindle (cannot figure it out), an IPad (Its too full), and my PC.
Thanks for sending the book. I will keep trying. I still have my IPhone to go.
Sally Gawne

Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for the audiobook. This is a haunting Victorian mystery that is the perfect listen on a cold winter’s night. Gothic and suspenseful, this mystery is both clever and eerie. The narration adds the spooky element that compliments the story perfectly. Supernatural elements and slow burn tension are expertly crafted, creating a compelling journey.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The narrator, Charles Armstrong did a great job with this story, however some chapters or parts of the story were monotone which led to me being disinterested. I kept listening in hopes that would improve because I enjoyed Gideon and Cutter, they were very snarky/witty and there was a lot of banter that had me laughing.

The interactions between the characters went back and forth between bland to hilarious.

I recommend The House on Vesper Sands.

Thank you Netgalley and HighBridge Audio for the audiobook ARC! All opinions are my own.

I'd like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the audiobook to listen to. This is an honest review.

Right now, late 1800s British crime novels seem to be my wheelhouse, and this one is an incredibly enjoyable addition. The novel was very atmospheric, giving the listener the sense of being in the smoky London streets. I enjoyed the supernatural aspect since that isn't something I have come across in the other books I have read.

There were a few drawbacks for me however. The pacing was a bit uneven, and there were some moments when the storyline slowed, and my mind began to wander. I also didn't feel that the character of Inspector Cutter was particularly original. A snarky cop who tears people down but also has a bit of a soft side? I feel like those are a dime a dozen.

However, I did really enjoy Gideon and Octavia, who also could be considered cliche. I just feel like they're a little less common.

This book would be more of a 3.5 for me, but since I am looking forward to the next book featuring these characters and because the narrator was great, I'm rounding up.

The House on Vesper Sands is a Victorian mystery that follows hapless gentleman and unwitting detective Gideon Bliss and society columnist and amateur journalist Octavia Hillingdon through the streets of London on their separate searches for the truth. The relationship between Gideon and Inspector Cutter had me chuckling throughout the book and provided just the right touch of humor to propel me through the suspense and supernatural elements of the mystery. Though the pace slows a bit in the middle of the book and the conclusion left me with some questions and a slightly un-satisfied feeling, I finished it in three sittings because I couldn't get enough of these characters.

Thanks to NetGalley for this audiobook ARC!

Well done Victorian mystery set in foggy London with a touch of spiritualism thrown into the plot. Together cranky Scotland Yard Inspector Cutter, and a young Oxford student, Gideon, attempt to solve the disappearance of several young women, find Gideon’s missing uncle, a middle aged minister, and investigate the suicide of a young seamstress. Strong plot, characterization and setting make The House on Vesper Sands a suspenseful, moody diversion.
Recommended.

I listened to the audiobook of The House on Vesper Sands. Although I think that Paraic O'Donnell has an amazing way with words, he tended to be so wordy that the story fell flat for me. The characters seemed to get lost in the atmosphere that he was describing. The only character that I was interested in was Inspector Cutter, as his personality was always apparent. I kept hoping that Octavia would do something interesting, but outside of the seace that she attended, she was rather disappointing. It was probably due to Charles Armstrong's brilliant narration that I was able to finish this book, as I love a good English tale, but unfortunately, this was not the one for me. Thank you #Netgalley and #HighbridgeAudio for the opportunity to preview this book in exchange for an honest review.

I got the audio version of The House on Vesper Sands by Paraic O'Donnell from #NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I enjoy historical fiction and a good mystery so you would think this would be the book for me. Unfortunately, it was not. I can't quite put my finger on the reason, I do know that it didn't hold my interest and I often found myself thinking of other things while listening. I know others have given this book stellar reviews but I just can't. Sorry but #TheHouseonVesperSands, wasn't the book for me, at least at this particular time in my life.