I enjoyed Beth Underdown’s previous novel The Witchfinder’s Sister. Like that, The Key in the Lock is creepy but due more to the people than the subtle hints of the supernatural. With its big house in Cornwall and an unsympathetic housekeeper, there is an obvious link to Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca. The story, however, is quite different. Middle-aged Ivy looks back on the events of her youth that affected everyone associated with Polneath.
I really liked the characters, especially Ivy. Her agency seemed realistic for the times and situations depicted. Unrequited love and suppressed emotions are used to good effect, as is the split timeline; details are held back so that when revealed they have a greater impact. I liked that the outcome wasn’t obvious but neither did it seem too contrived.
The only problem? I read it in proof copy on Kindle and I’ve just seen the hardback – it’s gorgeous!

I love a fantastic Gothic story and this is definitely that! Historical and emotional, it deals with grief in such a delicate way and weaves that through two time frames.

Mix in the engaging lead character Ivy, many a question that you must keep reading until its answered and a clever story - you have an ideal read for dark evenings. I've seen a few reviews that say The Key in the Lock has Daphne du Maurier vibes and totally agree - one to pick up if you're a fan.

Engaging and interesting with its use of a dual narrative but from the point of view of one character. I felt it was well paced and thoughtfully written. I've deducted a star as I felt the twist fell flat- but I'd still recommend as a compelling mystery.

If you’re hunting for a good gothic, historical novel to read early in the new year then you can’t go wrong with Beth Underdown’s The Key in the Lock. She delivers the complete package, with layers of mystery and intrigue, tragedy, villainy and romance neatly parcelled ready for you to unwrap with a degree of anticipation, relish and hopefully enjoyment. Set in Cornwall the novel centres around events at Polneath House owned by Thomas Tremain, home also to his son and heir Edward. This novel is remarkable for its terrific sense of time and place, the atmospheric narrative following events in 1918 and 1888. This is the first time I’ve read a novel by this author and I’m pleased to report that my overall impression was incredibly favourable.

We first meet our female protagonist, Ivy Boscawen in December 1918 mourning the loss of her only son Tim, whose death fighting in the Great War is clouded by uncertainty and suspicion. Wallowing in grief, it’s Tim’s unfortunate demise that acts as a catalyst for Ivy’s mind to wander back to a tragic event that occurred in 1888, one that affected the whole parish and has haunted her ever since. Ivy Cardew, a young unmarried woman living with her ailing father, the local doctor, was witness to a devastating fire that ripped through Polneath House, cruelly stealing the life of one young inhabitant. It’s the role she played in the immediate aftermath of this fatal fire that still disturbs her to the present day. Her decision to reopen old wounds and search for the truth surrounding the night in question stems from Ivy’s growing dissatisfaction with the assumptions made at the time and the conclusions drawn at the inquest. Plagued by guilt and tormented by nightmares Ivy is of the belief that somehow Tim’s death is her comeuppance for all that has followed in the intervening years. Now that her husband’s health is rapidly deteriorating Ivy finally summons the strength and courage to investigate because without answers she cannot hope to find peace. It is her pursuit of the truth that forms the mainstay of this novel.

This is a well written tale in which the past holds immense power over the grief stricken Ivy. The fire at Polneath House may long be extinguished but behind the derelict facade secrets still smoulder. The atmosphere is dense with danger, dark and brooding, the descriptions of the nearby deserted powder mills adds to the potentially explosive storyline. As evidence of sinful, tyrannical behaviour and tensions between the Tremain family above stairs and their servants below stairs gradually emerge this has the hallmark of a terrific mystery full of plot twists, intrigue, thwarted love and deception. Sadness, despair and guilt cling like stubborn cobwebs to the narrative whose tone is sombre, reflective and awash with previously unresolved, conflicting emotions. There’s layer upon layer of tragedy to unpeel in this novel affecting not only Ivy and the Tremain family but the servants too. My favourite scenes were those set in 1888 particularly the ones featuring the inquest but I also liked discovering the true nature of the working relationships that exist between the servants as well as those between employer and employee.

Beth Underdown does a tremendous job in portraying Ivy as a tragic figure trapped and tortured by memories of the past, living in an apparently joyless, loveless marriage. She’s rather like a Miss Havisham character, someone for whom time has stood still, destined to live out her days according to the constraints of the time, secretly pining and yearning for her one true love. Hers is most definitely a life half lived which does render her rather frustrating. As a mother burdened by guilt and lamenting her loss her hand wringing and self recrimination lend her the air of a wilting wallflower, that is until she suddenly rediscovers her backbone and appears to come back to life, shrugging off the malaise that has afflicted her for far too long. In many ways I much preferred the younger Ivy before her hopes and dreams become shattered but held a grudging respect for the older woman who finally manages to see through the fog of lies, revealing certain individuals true colours. Every character is well drawn from the coroner leading the inquest, Ivy’s father struggling to perform his duties, the servants caught up in the middle of this tragedy to the two Tremain gentlemen who don’t always see eye to eye.

If I have any criticism to make it’s that the pace of the narrative is on the slow side and it took a little while for me to become fully engrossed in life at Polneath but I’m glad I persevered. Although I initially preferred reading of the events of 1888 towards the end when the pace naturally quickens there are some surprising revelations in store which overall make the wait worthwhile. I think the beauty of this novel lies in its haunting atmospheric setting, the largely forlorn and despondent air that hovers over many of these characters complimenting the overwhelming tragic nature of this great little mystery. Well worth a read.

My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.

Having read the author’s previous book, I was very pleased to be approved for this review copy.
Absolutely superb, gripping and extremely well-paced plot. We meet Ivy as a young woman in 1888, when she is supporting her Doctor father in the village, then as she approaches 50, with the weight of family and wider tragedy on her shoulders. Her life has been entangled with the Tremain family and their servants for the intervening time and she has been married to the local solicitor, becoming Mrs Boscawen.
It’s difficult not to give spoilers, so intricate is the plot, but themes of loss, unrequited love and the duty of women to carry burdens created by men run through every chapter.

I really do enjoy historical fiction and I have only somewhat recently discovered this genre and this book did not disappoint.

I absolutely loved this book, it was enthralling from the start and I was dissapointed when it finished, I would definitely recommend this book, one of the best I have read this year

A wonderfully evocative,atmospheric novel set at the end of the 19th/ beginning of the 20th century, simmering with hidden love, betrayal, burning homes and a bereaved mother's pain.
The writing is so elegant but captures IB's heart breaking loss and seething resentment so well. A fantastic story about the strength of women in a society where they had very few rights. If you love Stacey Halls, then you'll love this book too.

Historical fiction is one of my favourite genres. Unfortunately, thia book didn't grab my attention how I expected as the timelines were quite confusing and slow. I didn't feel the gothic vibes and I didn't like the characters. Many people have enjoyed it, though! It wasn't for me but it might be for you.

Thank you for the opportunity of reading this one!

I received an invitation to review The Key in the Lock because I previously enjoyed The Witchfinder’s Sister (link to my Goodreads review). To be honest, even with such a positive experience, I almost DNF-ed The Key in the Lock because it wasn’t quite what I was expected. But I’m glad I decided to give it another go because it turned out to be a very captivating read.

The Key in the Lock starts with Ivy losing her son Tim in war. His death isn’t clear cut or honourable – why did he suddenly stand up while in the trench? While she’s mourning the loss of her son, she’s thinking of her past, when William, the little son of Edward (the man she has a crush on), also died under mysterious circumstances.

With two deaths being revealed so early on, the book should have gripped me from the start. Instead, I found myself feeling rather disengaged and confused. I think it’s because Ivy’s narrative style is the same in the two time periods, and if you miss the year at the start of the chapter (or if you forget the year), things can get confusing quickly. Plus, I did not understand how William and her son’s death were related, that one brought back memories of the other.

But for some reason, I decided to go back to the beginning of the book and try again. This time, I managed to read a good portion of the book and about a third of the way in, I started getting interested. Who really killed William? Why would Ivy think that she caused her son to die? The questions started getting more insistent and the information was slowly being revealed.

Once the book found its stride, it was absolutely captivating. I didn’t think of this book as a mystery at first, but the last half of the book was filled with enough revelations that I started thinking of this book as having two mysteries. I went from wanting to stop reading to being unable to put down the book.

Even the fact that Ivy wasn’t the most sympathetic character did nothing to slow me down. While I occasionally found Ivy’s rose-coloured view of Edward and her coldness to her husband to be irritating, because I didn’t share her view and because I thought she was old enough to know better, I appreciated the fact that it led to a natural character growth for her. For her sake, I wish that she learnt this lesson earlier, but at least she learnt it.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! While the starting was a bit slow for me, I am glad that the story paid off and that I didn’t give up on it.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This is quite a sad story full of grief and reflection but it isn’t until you finish the story and look back on it as a whole that you truly appreciate how well the story was crafted and how poignant it is. It is a slow story that switches between two timelines as the secrets of the past are gradually revealed. As you look back you realise how perfectly understated the reveals are as this is all about the characters and the people they really are. The character development in this story is brilliant as you follow Ivy from a feisty but naive teenager through to being a grieving mum who wants the truth. This story is about family, friendships and relationships and a reminder that life is for living.

What a book! Stunning cover, amazing writing. The best gothic novel I’ve read in such a long time. For anyone who enjoys this genre I urge you to read it.

Thanks so much to Penguin for letting me read The Key in the Lock by Beth Underdown! I have no idea why I requested this, given I find a lot of recently published historical fiction be incredibly samey, but I am glad I did. This is a gothic house mystery set in Cornwall between two time periods – 1888, when Ivy rushes up to the grand house at Polneath to find a fire broken out in the servants' wing, and 1918, when Ivy is a married middle-aged woman struggling with the recent death of her son. I really liked Beth Underdown's writing – she has the perfect mix of description, atmosphere, action and character detail, and this is so perfectly plotted and paced that it was a real pleasure to read. It might have been a 4.5 star read if not for the melodramatic tinges of the last fifth of the book. Said succinctly, there was a twist, and I did not buy the twist. Without giving anything anyway, let's just say I did not understand one of the character's motivations, and I would love to discuss it with anyone who has read this book! 4 🌟

Personally, I found this book too slow, though many others have clearly enjoyed it. I also found it hard to connect with any of the characters, though you have to feel sorry for Ivy losing her son in the war. The dual timelines were frustrating and there were too many spoilers, making it fairly easy to work out the mystery of the earlier boy's death. Shame, because I usually enjoy gothic novels and books by similar authors, such as Sarah Waters.

I’d be tempted by this book based on the cover alone. Like the contents, it’s detailed, mysterious and filled with dark secrets. It’s the first title I’ve read by Beth Underdown, but it won’t be the last. It’s beautifully written, the plotting is skilful and the central character ties everything together superbly. The setting is haunting and immediately dramatic but the events that shape the story are revealed layer by layer in a timeline that moves between the late 1880s and 1918.

It’s haunting and eerie, but the plotting is skilled and the pace never falters. Certainly shades of Du Maurier in setting and attention to character detail. It’s a story that stays with you and although it explores themes of grief, tragedy and loss, it’s not depressing. Really enjoyed it.

My thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley.

This is my first book by Beth Underdown and it definitely won't be my last! Gothic feels and stories of grief set over a dual timeline. I felt like I really connected with Ivy, who lost her son Tim in the Great War. I have sons myself who would now be old enough to be called up to war. so it really made me think. There was no news on what exactly had happened to him, how he had lost his life, and she was determined to find out. The earlier timeline was set around the local big house, Polneath, and how the house came to be destroyed by fire in the 1880s, with the grandson of the household perishing hiding under a bed.

The book is essentially a haunting, absorbing mystery, looking into what happened in both cases, and it really kept me guessing until the end.

Despite being well-written with a few twists, this book wasn't for me. It was so slow that I couldn't connect with the characters and the jumping of timeline was mildly annoying. Judging from the majority of 5* reviews, most people enjoyed it.
This is an honest review of a complementary ARC.

A good Gothic historical mystery which keeps you guessing until the end! I loved the two timelines of 1888 and 1918 and how the story weaved between them both. I enjoyed the parallels between each timeline and how the story gripped you from the start.

Interestingly gothic with a touch of Daphne du Maurier this is a long novel constantly switching between time frames. Everything I read at the moment seems to switch between time frames or characters. I'm getting a little yeah, yeah about it.

The different time lines are handled pretty well here (I often find them particularly difficult on Kindle).

In terms of the likeability of the characters often a good guide as to how involved you will get there I didn't find anyone massively sympathetic. But, the characters were well drawn and thought out.

What the author does particularly well is bring to life the claustrophobia of the period, the social mores and how difficult it was for women to do anything without the permission or approval of men.

It's a well plotted and well written novel that somehow didn't quite grab me into intense involvement. Maybe because it's possibly trying a little hard with the twists and turns of the plot line.

I absolutely adored this novel. I had read previous works from this author so had high standards but this book blew me away.

Until the last page the reader is kept guessing at the events that happened at Polneath. There are twists and turns, and secrets aplenty. I found every single character to be written so well. All of them with their own needs and agendas. And all described to us via the narrator Ivy.

I loved the narration in this novel. It switches between timeframes, Ivy as a young unmarried woman and Ivy as a Mrs. By the end of the book I was crying for characters I thought I would dislike and cursing those I had disliked. We the reader are deceived as our narrator is and I really loved that about this book. I couldn’t put it down, I was gripped until the last page trying to discover the whole truth alongside Ivy.

I would recommend this book, and would read again.