This has been on my TBR for a while!! I loved the premise of a fake medium (Genevieve) being rescued from prison in order to help a grieving man prove his dead wife-to-be was murdered and didn't commit suicide.

While this had tons of gothic 19th century murder mystery vibes and was good on audio, I struggled to really get into it until the dramatic (if a touch predictable) high stakes ending.

Overall still a great adult fiction debut for Canadian author, BR Meyers. The best part for me was the complicated mother-daughter relationship that sees Genevieve forced to come to terms with the lengths her mother went to for their survival.

I look forward to reading what the author writes next but this was mostly just an okay read me. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!!

This book was just ok. As others have previously said it felt more like a young adult novel. The gothic setting was good and the author did a great job with the atmosphere.

This book had me absolutely hooked! I love a good gothic mystery, and, oh my goodness, this one was equal parts chilling and compelling. I could not stop reading until I reached the end, and the romantic subplot was the wonderful cherry on top of an already wonderful read.

A Dreadful Splendor is one of those creepy, old haunted estates rife with mystery and family secrets. The story is fast paced and captivating, but the romance portion did fall a little flat for me. Excellent audio narration.

In this wickedly whimsical Gothic murder mystery brimming with romance, betrayals, and chills, a fake spiritualist is summoned to hold a séance for a bride who died on the eve before her wedding, but as secrets are revealed, the line between hoax and haunting blurs.

I really enjoyed this as an audiobook, and thought the narrators were the perfect voice for the story.

*many thanks to Harper Audio and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

This was a fun surprise and a splendid piece of slow burn Gothic fiction.

This book has a terrific set-up for a historical Gothic novel, and centers on a fraudulent spiritualist/thief who ends up in way over her head when she’s asked to deliberately fake a seance for very different purposes from her typical agenda.

The sense of place in this book is excellent, eerie and atmospheric and also an excellent choice for those who like the not too scary version of Gothic Horror.

It’s definitely a slow building story so beware if you’re a header who needs a lot of heavy action throughout the book, but as someone who loves a slow burn when it’s done right, I thought the pacing of this was excellent.

The mystery itself is also a good one, there isn’t too much schlocky romance in the book, and the story is populated by an interesting and nuanced cast of characters.

I highly recommend the audiobook version of this, which boasts an absolutely outstanding narrator who I wish read ALL of my audiobook selections.

Overall, a fun, engaging, and unique read that puts an interesting spin on some familiar genre tropes.

Yes - listen to it!

I enjoyed the audio book. The I felt the character voiced were strong. The story was not predictable which is kind of nice.

For someone who doesn't like scary books & movies, this was a nice listen to get a little more into the Halloween spirit.

Victorian seance meets Bridgerton. The anti-hero may not be who you think they are. While having the romance of the Victorian age, it also has a bit of Penny Dreadful. A light but fun read.

10/10

I loved the morally gray main character. I loved all the mystery. I did not see the sending playing out like it did. The last few chapters had me on the edge of my seat, and I love how it concluded. I think the story really embodies the idea that you never know the whole story and that we jump to conclusions based on the limited information we have. Author is an unreliable narrator, and I loved it.

I so enjoyed this murder mystery with a hint of pride and prejudice!

I picked up A Dreadful Splendor the minute it arrived at our house. The cover, the concept, everything - it was all there and it sucked me IN! I then got approved for the audiobook version and decided to start from where I left off so that I could finish it faster.⁣
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The main character was plucky and creative, the hero was dark and brooding, the atmosphere - perfection! As it neared the end I kept thinking "I wish there was another book". I'm not sure if it's going to be a series, but I would LOVE to read another one in this same world with these characters. I think it would create a long-running and fun series.

I definitely recommend this to fans of historical mystery!

My rating:
5*

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Thanks to the publisher for this gifted audio copy. All opinions are my own.

This was just an ok read for me. I thought the story drug out too long, causing me to lose interest although the ending was nice.

I really enjoyed this audiobook. I had a bit of trouble getting into it at first, and then it started to get kind of creepy. That is when I literally could not stop listening to it. You couldn’t help but feel so terrible for poor Ginny. I really loved her character, she was so tough. I kind of wish there would have been a bit more of a romance aspect along with the mystery vibe. The ending truly shocked me! Overall, it was really good.

Loved this book. Just the right amount of paranormal and mystery to make a perfect blend. The narrator was perfect for the story.

This book has been on my radar for months and I was so excited to start reading it. I planned to read it when I had COVID but I couldn’t focus on anything and I ended up setting it aside and then I sort of forgot about it. Then when I was on my way to Cabo I thought this would be a great book to read on the plane so I picked it up on my way to the airport and was so glad I had it in my bag! I was hooked from the very beginning!

I love gothic tales and ghost stories and this book promised both as well as a little romance. Check, check and check! B. R. Myers is a new to my author but I saw she had written a few other YA books that have received some acclaim for and this book appeared to be her first more adult foray. She tends to write more spooky books from what I could tell when I was researching her and I love spooky reads!

This would probably have been a really good book to read during October, when it’s starting to turn colder and the storms are coming more often but it was still a great read sitting on a beach in Mexico in the 100+ degree weather. I found that it was spooky without being terrifying and I loved all the gothic elements and I certainly hope that Myers continues to write more and more books like this because I would absolutely read them! If you are a fan of gothic lit, you will want this one on your nightstand this fall!

Summary

In this spectacularly imaginative and ghoulishly fun Gothic murder mystery brimming with romance, betrayals, and chills, a fake spiritualist is summoned to hold a séance for a bride who died on the eve before her wedding, but as nefarious secrets are revealed, the line between hoax and haunting blurs.

Be careful what you conjure…

In Victorian London, Genevieve Timmons poses as a spiritualist to swindle wealthy mourners–until one misstep lands her in a jail cell awaiting the noose. Then a stranger arrives to make her a peculiar offer. The Lord he serves, Mr. Pemberton, has been inconsolable since the tragic death of his beautiful bride-to-be. If Genevieve can perform a séance persuasive enough to bring the young Lord peace, she will win her freedom.

Soothing a grieving nobleman should be easy for someone of Genevieve’s skill, but when she arrives at the grand Somerset Park estate, Mr. Pemberton is not the heartbroken lover she expected. The surly–yet exceedingly handsome–gentleman is certain that his fiancée was murdered, even though there is no evidence. Only a confession can bring justice now, and Mr. Pemberton decides Genevieve will help him get it. With his knowledge of the household and her talent for illusion, they can stage a haunting so convincing it will coax the killer into the light. However, when frightful incidents befall the manor, Genevieve realizes her tricks aren’t required after all. She may be a fake, but Somerset’s ghost could be all too real…

A Dreadful Splendor is a wickedly whimsical brew of mystery, spooky thrills, and intoxicating romance that makes for an irresistibly fun and page-turning read. (summary from Goodreads)

Review

While I loved the atmosphere and general plot of this book, I struggled with a few aspects of the larger narrative. Jenny was a great character that really brought the whole ‘medium’ plot to life. I loved reading about how she created a ‘presence’ and I liked discovering how and why she got into that profession. However, I don’t’ know that I needed her back story. Without giving much away, at the end of the main plot, we have a couple of chapters about her family and her mom. For me this didn’t really add or impact the larger story. Personally I found it distracting and her character and the story would have stood alone just fine without diving into her history. I would have liked to have just focused on the main story and characters rather than exploring much of the backstory with her mother and the mother’s family.

I also felt like the romance part of this book could easily have been discarded. The chemistry between Jenny and Mr Pemberton was lukewarm at best. I didn’t feel like they had much of a connection beyond employer and employee. Personally I would have liked to have seen less of Jenny’s backstory and more time spent developing the romance parts or just leave it out all together. The story itself was strong enough on its own to be interesting and entertaining for readers. All criticism aside, this was still an excellent book. I loved the plot twists and turns and was surprised to see how things turned out in the end. I loved exploring the family history and secrets as well as the forbidden romance etc. The paranormal elements were fun and enough to give me some spine tingles!

I was going to give it a 5 star rating but the last couple of chapters about Jenny’s life just left me feeling a little blah about that part so I went with a 4 star rating. The ghost story and investigation into what happened to the late mistress of the house was well written, spooky, and interesting. I loved the alternating parts of the main story and the past diary. It really kept things moving along and interesting. Overall I am excited for more books similar to this from Myers and I think historical fiction fans as well as fans of spooky gothic lit will love this one. I would certainly recommend it to my readers!

Book Info and Rating

Paperback, 416 pages

Expected publication: August 23rd 2022 by William Morrow & Company (first published July 12th 2022)

ISBN 0063209837 (ISBN13: 9780063209831)

Free review copy provided by publisher, William Morrow, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.

Rating: 4 stars

Genre: historical fiction, gothic lit

Author B. R. Myers has spun a slow burning mystery/thriller/romance that has me wanting more.

From the book blurb: Be careful what you conjure... In Victorian London, Genevieve Timmons poses as a spiritualist to swindle wealthy mourners—until one misstep lands her in a jail cell awaiting the noose. Then a stranger arrives to make her a peculiar offer. The lord he serves, Mr. Pemberton, has been inconsolable since the tragic death of his beautiful bride-to-be. If Genevieve can perform a séance persuasive enough to bring the young lord peace, she will win her freedom.

Narrator Olivia Vinall's reading was absolutely perfect for this locked in mystery at a creepy Victorian mansion. I could hear the floorboards creeping and smell the salty air. There were plenty of roller coaster moments and red herrings, leaving me wondering “Who isn’t a suspect?” I was guessing up until the final reveal.

For me, this is more of a period piece than a gothic story. A Dreadful Splendor focuses on the mystery and a cast of finely crafted characters instead of gore. Myers balances supernatural and interpersonal elements in this fast-paced, intricately plotted mystery that will have readers eager to find out not only if Jenny will get her happy ending, but if anyone else deserves one.

A ghost story held in a damp 1850s' London gothic home, secret tunnels, a con man, the foreboding housekeeper, betrayals and a multitude of agendas - whats not to love? This book has it all covered!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Harper Audio and B.R. Myers for a creepy tale thats a great addition to everyone's spooky fall reads list. If your looking for a well written mystery with some romance woven though, then this book is for you! I look forward to reading more from B.R. Myers.

Perfect book for the spooky season. Narrator was perfection. A bit predictable but the formula always works.

This was moody mystery with an unexpected twist. This book was absolutely a page turner as you guess the motives of the morally grey characters. This was a great book to kick off the spooky season.

I really didn't love this. While the narrator was good, the story itself was just okay. This is also barely romance so I would discourage anyone who is reading it for that. Predictable ending, and about 10 hours too long.

Thank you for the advanced reader's copy!!

Let's start with the good stuff. The book itself! Omg it was so good! I was scared and had no idea who did what the entire time. I listened while at work and had to take multiple breaks just to chill out! I enjoyed the characters and their development throughout the story.

Now the bad. The audio was pretty good except for at the beginning of many sentences it was like the narrator just turned the dial of her voice down and then back up. I don't know if this is a netgalley issue or the actual audiobook, but it was annoying.

Other than that it was so good!

This may end up being the only book I read in August and I'm not sad about it. Jenny is a flawed narrator and surrounded by liars and unlikable characters but I still enjoyed the story and the twists and turns. It was a very good audiobook and I enjoyed the Gothic flavors as I embroidered late at night. It didn't change my life but it amused my soul.