Starts off slow as we get to know the MFC and her wanting to get married and learn of her arraigned marriage. Its set in the 1800's but this book def picks up toward the end and draws you in. Has gothic and supernatural vibes but overall a great book and very well written. Not my normal type of setting but the author drew me in and made me want to read more of her work. Some romance is in it. But this is overall a page turner to find out what happens in the Faraday House and why everything happens there.

As a child, I wasn't particularly interested in reading, but I distinctly remember being captivated by Charles Perrault's "Bluebeard." For some inexplicable reason, it became my favorite childhood story, and now I find myself drawn to anything related to this classic folklore. B.R. Myers' work on "The Third Wife of Faraday House" as a retelling of the Bluebeard tale was especially impressive to me.

"The Third Wife of Faraday House" tells the story of Emeline Fitzpatrick, whose life has always been marked by tragedy. When she is found in a compromising situation with the man she loves, her guardians are desperate to avoid scandal. They give her an ultimatum: join a convent or marry the mysterious Captain Graves. Emeline chooses the latter and embarks on a journey to Faraday House, where unforeseen obstacles await, marking the beginning of her struggle for survival.

As I delved into the story, I found myself experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions. Initially, I was filled with curiosity about the eventual outcome of the young woman's journey. However, as the narrative progressed, my curiosity gave way to a growing sense of fear. B.R. Myers masterfully creates a paranormal environment that gives the reader chills. This haunting atmosphere turns us into detectives, leaving us to wonder whether the malevolent forces emanate from the house itself or if the blame lies with the inhabitants.

"The Third Wife of Faraday House" is impressive because of the secrets that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. In the most unexpected and chilling twist, you discover that all the wives in Faraday House die one way or another.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me an ARC in return for an honest review!

Emeline Fitzpatrick is a product of her times, but she longs for romance, adventure, and a sense of self-worth. When her attempts to secure those things ends in disaster, she has no choice but to flee to a remote island and an arranged marriage. However, from the moment she arrives in Shoreditch, things begin to go wrong. What seemed like merely an inconvenient delay in the destiny she had planned becomes a terrifying, possibly deadly mystery. Can she save herself and create a life to match her dreams, or will she become another of "all the wives [who] die young at Faraday House"?

This book is a deliciously shivery, gothic mystery. With the secretive house help, tributes to the dead and almost dead, an unpredictable and possibly dangerous husband, and a huge house full of secrets, I was reminded strongly of Rebecca, The Fall of the House of Usher, and other tales of suspense. The setting, being in Canada in the early 19th century, adds some local and historical flavor that is off the beaten path and very welcome. Emeline is a believable and sympathetic character, and I appreciated that part of the plot misdirection was through her second-guessing her naive decisions. Nor was hers the only dynamic character; this book was much less predictable than I thought it would be, and it was a quick read for me because I was anxious to see the resolution to the many questions that ebbed and flowed like the tide that determined the fate of those on the island.

While the pacing is a bit slow, and the twists are a bit cliched and predictable the characters in the story are what makes this story enjoyable. The ending is satisfying and the journey was fun,

The story of a young woman who reluctantly leaves her soul mate behind to marry into money at the wishes of her guardians. Upon arriving Emeline discovers that the present wife of her betrothed is not quite dead yet...on her way out, but still very much alive. Well, that's awkward. The house and its inhabitants are filled with secrets that may threaten Emeline's very life. If you're a fan of gothic historical fiction, don't miss this one. It's my first by this author and I'm excited to find her. The story is original and the writing is definitely far above a lot of the drivel found in contemporary novels (if that makes me a book snob, so be it).

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review an advanced copy of this novel. I highly enjoyed it and will be recommending it to others.

The Third Wife of Faraday House is about Emeline, a young woman who gets entangled with scandal in 1800s Halifax, Nova Scotia. Needing to avoid the impropriety of her scandal and convinced her lover will come to rescue her, Emeline agrees to marry Captain Graves, a wealthy man who owns the mansion Faraday House on an island off of the remote coast. When she arrives, she realizes that the second Mrs. Graves is still alive, and that the house holds secrets of the previous wives of Faraday House.

After reading the blurb, this gave me Bluebeard vibes, which is one of the more chilling fairytales that I know. While this definitely isn't an exact retelling, but I felt like it was similar and wanted to give it a read!

Man, what a perfect book for the beginning of October! The Third Wife of Faraday House was the perfect combination of a cool setting, interesting characters, a chilling mystery, and some supernatural elements. Gothic horror is definitely the perfect description!

My two favorite things about the book are first, the characters. The characters are very multifaceted and morally gray in the way that humans really are. I liked that darker sides of characters were revealed without them being the final "villain." The same with good things, too. The second is the setting. Such a remote house by the sea had very unique spooky feeling that I really enjoyed.

I also early reviewed one of the author's previous books, A Dreadful Splendor, which had similar spooky vibes. I felt like the pieces of that book didn't quite piece together for me. This one really did. I'm looking forward to seeing what Myers writes in the future!

I had a great time with this book and recommend it for a spooky read! 4.5 stars rounded up to 5. Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the eARC, my thoughts are my own!

CW: Violence, blood, assault, death, descriptions of dead bodies, descriptions of injuries, terminal illness

The Third Wife of Faraday House is a gothic mystery that follows Emeline Fitzpatrick as she struggles to unravel the curse of Faraday House.

After reading A Dreadful Splendor, I had high hopes and much excitement about The Third Wife of Faraday House. Unfortunately, I think I set too great of expectations. Although I enjoyed the book, I found it very slow paced and struggled to favor any of the characters. Moses, the dog, was my favorite character and I enjoyed the small humorous moments that Emeline had while he was around. Additionally, the timeline was occasionally difficult to follow when it jumped into hauntings/visions.

As with A Dreadful Splendor, I would recommend this to friends, but I'm not sure I will reread. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This was a very unique book that I'm not sure quite how to categorize it. I think my students will like the blend of regency meets romance meets mystery meets maybe a ghost story. It's a great example to provide to my students of how different genres can blend together to create an entertaining story.

This historical mystery is a slow burn – fair warning. It reads more like historical fiction with splashes of mystery but loads of gothic vibes. The atmosphere of the house and the grounds of Faraday House were crafted to perfection – I could see the holes dotting the grounds beneath the gloomy trees and smell the salty wind-whipped sea air.

In the end, I wound up liking Emeline’s character, but it was a struggle for the first quarter of the book. I think that is what pulled me out of the story the most. While I understand Emeline clinging to Frederick because of the events that transpired, he didn’t deserve it. Her many letters and thoughts about him were tiring, tedious, and detracted from her character. Thankfully, she grew as a person throughout the book but it took her too long to accept reality. Reverend Pellerine was my side character, I don’t think Emeline would have grown as a person without him or Georgina.

"I wanted to swallow all the rocks to weigh myself down so I could walk along the bottom of the ocean.

I’d creep among the seaweed until I reached Bermuda. With putrefied skin covered in barnacles and starfish clinging to my hair, I’d emerge from the turquoise waters to claim a terrified Frederick. His screams would be my lullaby as I dragged him back to the ocean, keeping him tightly in my arms as he drowned. Both of us resting at the bottom in an eternal watery embrace."

Many thanks to William Morrow for the opportunity to read this moody historical mystery. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy historical fiction and atmospheric reads with a splash of mystery.

A fantastic historical fiction Gothic reimagining of the Rebecca story that sees a young Halifax socialite sent off to a distant island to become the third wife of a ship captain. The catch is when she arrives it's to discover that the second Mrs Faraday is still alive but ailing terribly and the one man she's hoping will come rescue her is not able to be reached. Chilling and great on audio, this had creepy vibes, ghosts and lots of secrets and misdirections. Highly recommended! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

📗+ 🎧-The Third Wife of Faraday House-a standalone

✍🏾 By: B.R. Meyers-new to me author

🗣️Narrator: Imogen Church voices all characters. The narrator's voice fit the characters with standouts from Emeline, Georgina, and Pellerine. The reading style brought the text to life, and the author and narrator worked together perfectly. The pacing and flow allowed me to get lost in the story. The narrator paused and announced new chapters and there was a table of contents which helped me follow along with the E-book and audiobook.

Page Count: E-book 352

Run Time: 12:24

Publication Date: 8-20-24 | Read: 9-19-24

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow | William Morrow Paperbacks for this ARC💚! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Genre: Gothic Romance, Historical Fic/Romance, Mystery, Fantasy, Paranormal

🌍 Setting: Canada 1816

Tropes:
👰🏾slow burn
👰🏾ghosts
👰🏾atmospheric/supernatural
👰🏾female friendship
👰🏾arranged marriage
👰🏾surprise pregnancy

⚠️ TW: death of spouse-H, death of parents-h, visions from the dead-h, murder-poisoning, shooting

POV: single, 1st person h

💭💭💭 Summary: Emeline is looking for a way out of Halifax. She has a secret lover who plans to marry her and whisk her away to Bermuda, but she gets caught in a scandal. Her guardians arrange a marriage with Captain Graves at Faraday House, or she will be shipped off to a convent. Once she arrives at Faraday, she discovers there's a curse on Faraday women and she starts seeing visions of the past. Will she marry in peace or is there something sinister going on?


🚺Heroine: Emeline Fitzpatrick- 20, naive, innocent, beautiful

🚹Hero?: Captain Edgar Graves- retired shipping merchant in trading and sawmills.

🚹Reverend Pellerine- has weekly visits Faraday House to give private sermons. He wanted to be Emeline's rescuer, asked to marry Emeline but she turned him down.

🎭Side cast:

•Esther-1st wife, deceased.

•Georgina-2nd wife, alive but sick

•Judge and Mrs. Shackleton-Emeline's guardians

•Hettie-housemaid @ Faraday House

•Reverend Pellerine-mysterious stranger who works for Capt. Graves but tries to help Emeline.

•Lt. Frederick Fletcher-Emeline's 1st love, in British Navy

•Mrs. Clayton+ Mr. Clayton- works for Faraday House, caretaker for Georgina

🤔🤔🤔My Thoughts: This was a good, haunted house mystery. It reminded me of Rebecca and the movie Crimson Peak. Emeline tried to correct her mistakes and gain her independence. She underestimated herself believing her only asset was her beauty, just as her guardians told her. She was strong, intelligent, and resourceful in dealing with the staff, Graves, Reverend, Esther, and Georgina. She discovered self-love, protected herself, and found her HEA!

Range of emotions:
🌶️ : Spice 1/5-kiss only
🗣️️: Narration 4/5
😭 : Emotion 3/5
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 : Couple 3/5
️✨: Rating 4/5

Like the synopsis says, for people who love Gothic novels, you're going to be jazzed about this! Lots of the Gothic novel characteristics and settings -- a great fall read.

1816

Emeline Fitzpatrick, 20, has lived with Judge and Mrs. Shackleton as their ward for the last 10 years. They do not approve of her and she fears they will send her to a sanatorium. They are searching for suitors for her but she is in love with Lieutenant Frederick Fletcher and writes him numerous letters hoping he will propose to her.

Mrs. Shackleton wants to marry her off to Captain Graves who it is said has outlived two wives who both died in childbirth. The man is a retired shipping merchant, owns two sawmills, and has a large estate. After Emeline is discovered outside at a ball with Frederick, Mrs. Shackleton decides to send her to Captain Graves.

Enroute to his home, the carriage wheel breaks leaving her alone until the driver returns. Then the Reverend Pellerine drives by and takes her to the Graves house, He said he is heading there to perform last rites of the second Mrs. Graves!

As Emeline tries to settle into the house, she meets Georgina and wonders at her fragility and if she is being poisoned. The house is cold and dark with the winter weather closing in. The housekeeper and her husband work there and there is only one other maid. Strange things happens in the house that scare Emeline and she only wishes that Lieutenant Fletcher will come and rescue her. Will he make it in time?

This book is really creepy and we have a ghost too. The dark atmosphere is described very well and the coldness of it all can be felt by the reader. Brrr! I liked Georgina, but Emeline took a bit of time to figure out. However, this is a spooky read that I’m sure readers who like a scary story will enjoy.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is an engaging book with lots of spooky autumn/gothic vibes. It starts out like a Regency era Bluebeard retelling set in Canada, but the story soon develops plenty of twists, turns, and secrets. Not to mention a ghost of two. I thought the creepy moments were well done. It’s a great read to get you in the spooky season spirit.

I haven’t read many books set in early 19th century Canada. I liked how geographical locations and historical events were woven into the story.

Emeline Fitzpatrick finds herself in quite a pickle - an orphan whose guardian is ready to marry off to the most appropriate suitor. Unfortunately, she is not interested in those chosen for her, as her heart has already been claimed by a military man in her town. When things go a little haywire, she finds herself instead engaged to Captain Graves, a widower who owns his own island, on which sits Faraday House, his expansive but somewhat worndown mansion. Emeline finds herself feeling quite alone in the house, even though the staff, Captain Graves himself, and (possibly) some ghosts appear to be around to keep her company. Can Emeline find her way through the dreariness of Faraday House to return to her love? Or will Faraday House claim another victim?
I enjoyed the mysterious setting, the cast of unreliable characters, and Emeline's ability to stand up for herself in a world in which women were not supposed to share their thoughts or concerns. Her relationship with the local reverend was her only true friendship, and watching their care for each other bloom amidst so much adversity was enjoyable. With a few twists along the way and a HEA for our FMC, this was a fun, moody romp.

Thank you to B.R. Myers, NetGalley, and William Morrow for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Gripping with a wild amount of suspense.

I was on the edge of my seat for most of this story. The intrigue was amazing. A whodunnit, mystery, love story all rolled in to a great tale.

The pacing was spot on and I found myself reading into the night to learn what is going on.

Well done!

I might come back to it and update review… for now though…
⭐️⭐️.8 (2.8)
It’s not the worst I’ve read by any means, maybe I’m just too old?(27F) idk.. I did enjoy the ambience and I think the author is good at writing. I think it’s just not my pace/style.
I wanted to love it, I certainly didn’t hate it. But I’m honestly more of a instalove or at least looking for a bit of quicker resolution. It reminded me of Jane Austen so like a gothic Jane Austen in a way?

I DNF’d at… 45% I might come back though and I’ll update my review then!

I took a chance on this, never having read this author before, just based on the fact that it was a gothic theme, which I love. I have to say that even though I loved the author's writing style in general, I just felt it to be a bit underwhelming. I guess I expected a more creepy, dark novel, which this really wasn't. It felt more like a cozy mystery to me. 3 stars.

This book was decidedly Not For Me.
The main character Emeline is self-centered and immature, which, while I think is intentional, makes a 1st person POV insufferable. She's 21, but reads like she's 16. The mystery of the Island and of Faraday House is about why the wives die young, and it's set up like a gothic mystery, but the POV took away the gothic atmosphere for me.

This may hit better for fans of gothic mysteries. Sadly not for me.