Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington, for my free E-book for review.

In "The Lonely Hours" by Shannon Morgan, is one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and this book did not disappoint.

The setting is as atmospheric as they come - a clever combination of a haunted castle on an isolated island, steeped in a tragic past. But this is more than just a tale of ghosts haunting a castle.

Written in dual timelines, both past and present, the narrative kept me glued to my seat. The past, split into two parts - one ancient and the other surrounding the Maundrel family - is rife with drama and tackles social issues that are still relevant today, such as the treatment of homosexuality and people with autism. It also delves into the harrowing medical practices used to "treat" autism, which are equally shocking and disturbing.

At the heart of this story are the complex family dynamics, particularly the mother-daughter relationships. The contrast between the two is striking, and the experiences of the main protagonists, Edie and Neve, are remarkably relatable. I found myself rooting for Edie to uncover the truth about her ancestry and her parents.

Morgan's writing has a way of pulling at the reader's emotions, and I was deeply moved by the plight of the younger Maundrels - Mungo, Charlotte, Percy, and Ashely - who were subjected to the misguided matriarchal system.

This book is a multifaceted gem, brimming with atmosphere, social commentary, and deeply resonant family drama. I highly recommend "The Lonely Hours" to anyone seeking an engrossing and poignant read.

When Edwina Nunn inherits Maundrell Castle, she and her teenage daughter Neve are thrust into a world where past and present collide in shadow-filled corridors and there are quite literally ghosts around every corner. Morgan deftly navigates between timelines, unraveling a mystery that spans generations and centers on the enigmatic Maundrell Red diamond. The castle itself becomes a character (albeit sort of a Scooby Doo character), its history seeping through ancient stones and into the very bones of the story. While ghost story tropes abound, Morgan infuses them with fresh energy, exploring themes of generational trauma and mental health with a nuanced touch. The relationship between Edwina and Neve provides a grounding counterpoint to the supernatural elements, though Neve's often shitty attitude towards her mother can grate on the nerves. It's a slow burn at first, but once the plot picks up steam, you'll find yourself deeply immersed in the gothic soap opera-esque twisted tale of the Maundrell family.

In the Lonely Hours was another well done book by this author. In this modern ghost story we follow the new inhabitants of an old castle that's on a remote island in Scotland but they also must confront it's tragic past and the terrifying history. This author did a compelling job writing this but it also showed a great look into mental health and generational trauma. I loved the world building in this has it showed the legends surrounding the lake and island. The imagery was so great in this book and I loved the characters in this book especially Edie. In the Lonely Hours will have you turning pages from beginning to end with the well written plot but also the twist and turns. This is a gothic novel with a mystery that has ghost, legends and so much. I absolutely loved this book and can not wait for the next book this author writes and would recommend this to anyone but especially to any reader who loves a good ghost story, gothic horror or mystery. Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Publishing and the author Shannon Morgan for this amazing book in exchange of my honest review of In the Lonely Hours.

I couldn’t put it down. I usually read at night but found myself sneaking to read every free moment I had. Edie and her daughter, Neve inherit a castle full of ghosts, from a relative Edie didn’t know she had. The setting is in the Scottish Highlands and the atmosphere is just as we all imagine it to be, snowy, windy, beautiful loch and drafty castle. There are a host of characters in the small town and a missing red diamond that everyone including the ghosts want to find. You will love and hate some characters. Some will fill your heart and some will break it. A true family saga full of bumps in the night. Thank you for the ARC for an honest review. Love it!

This had all the spooky atmosphere, ghosts and mysteries. Such a fun time. No need to wait for Samhain to enjoy this one!

Edie Nunn knew she was adopted, she grew up in an orphanage. So when a lawyer from a family she never heard of told her she was inheriting a castle. She was a bit thrown off. As where her daughter Neve was excited and couldn't wait to THEIR castle.
Before leaving the lawyer, he stated to Edie. She should sell the castle at once and be done with it. He couldn't answer any of her questions as to who was her parents only that one of them was a Maundrell.
Edie and Neve set for Scotland and their castle. Edie wanted to see the state of it and find clues as to who were her parents. Neve wanted to know more about it being haunted.
You got glimpses of the past with Alice, Jasper, Lottie, Mungo and Bitsie. Oh dear gravy Bitsie!! Yeah she's a piece of work. I loved Lottie, and Mungo. Mungo you will see has a disability and in the 60's it was treated very differently than it is today. Even with Percy who likes men. In those times it was a crime to like the same sex.
Mungo was sweet, caring and funny at times. He also go into trouble because he really didn't understand things well. Lottie AKA Charlotte took care of him. They were cousins.
Bitsie was all about The Red, The Maundrell Red. It was a diamond? Anyhow, it was cursed as family would say.
As the day's go by Neve and Edie learn about some of the castle's history. Ghosts, witches, curses and what really happened back in 1965!!
Love a good ghost story and hauntings. There were a few stories to take away from this book!
I loved it and wanted to take my time, yet I wanted to get to the end to see if Edie found out who her mother was.
Yes, Edie found out. No I am not going to say. You need to read this book!

I read this on a dark, stormy weekend when it felt like spring might not ever arrive which was so fitting for the story. I loved the setting - big fan of books set in Scotland, a country I love to visit. Found the writing style a bit hard to get into - a bit overly "romantic" for my usual preference but I appreciated the moving between the past and the present and thought this was done successfully. I only wish I'd read this while visiting Scotland but it has inspired another visit. Thank you for the opportunity to review this novel.

I loved the setting of this book. A mysterious, massive castle in a remote part of Scotland? Perfect! When Edie and her teenage daughter, Neve, decide to get the castle ready to sell after inheriting it, they get much more than they bargained for.
The history of the Maundrell family was interesting!

I loved this book. Having been to Scotland within the last year I truly felt like I could picture everything so perfectly and understand how the past has such an impact on how people see and believe things. The mother and the ghost she was able to see/connect with, were my favorite characters. I will say the ending was different than I expected but it made it such a wholesome story at the end even though the story had revolved around ghosts and hauntings.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an advanced copy of In the Lonely Hours in exchange for an honest review.

Edie Nunn grew up never knowing her biological family. Years later, she inherits a cursed, haunted castle from family she didn't know existed. Bringing along her daughter Neve for support, Edie travels to a remote island in Scotland to visit the castle and learn about her past.

I really loved the gothic atmosphere of the castle and remote island. I feel like the author did a fantastic job of creating this beautiful and haunting setting. It was creepy, but also a very well-written cozy mystery.

The story jumps back and forth between the past and present, leading up to the tragic events on Halloween decades prior. In the past, you learn about the Maundrells and their dysfunctional family, including the extremely toxic matriarch who's greed led to the family's demise. In the present, Edie and her daughter interact with the ghosts haunting the castle, along with some of the few people who take care of the castle. Edie tries to find out where she comes from, while her daughter wants to solve the mystery of this family curse. I was definitely more invested in the chapters from the past, because that's where the true horror happened. I had more of a connection and investment in those characters, rather than Edie and her daughter. The story was slower-paced but kept me interested, and I enjoyed how it came together in the end; however, I did find myself looking forward to the flashbacks more than the chapters set in present time.

This would be a great read for the fall, with the gothic setting and curse set around Halloween. It would be perfect to cozy up to on a gloomy fall day! Highly recommend if you're into atmospheric ghost stories with a little bit of mystery.

I just finished In The Lonely Hours by Shannon Morgan and Kensington Books. This was a great ghost story and tale of tragedy, fate, and consequences. The setting was atmospheric and full of lore. The characters were layered and complex (after I figured out everyone in the 1960’s timeline). There were several twists and I noticed myself holding my breath with some of the suspenseful scenes.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

“In the Lonely Hours” by Shannon Morgan is a hauntingly story that weaves together the melancholic allure of Scottish lore with the modern-day struggles of inheritance and identity. Set against the rugged backdrop of a remote Scottish island, the novel invites readers into the eerie Maundrell Castle, now owned by the unsuspecting Edwina Nunn and her daughter Neve.

Morgan’s narrative is a blend of gothic horror and historical mystery, where the castle’s austere beauty is as much a character as the people within its walls. The story unfolds with a gripping pace as Edie and Neve grapple with the castle’s spectral inhabitants and the legends that shroud the island. The Maundrell Red—a cursed diamond whose disappearance decades ago marked the beginning of the family’s tragedies—serves as the heart of this chilling mystery.

The author’s prose is atmospheric, painting each scene with a brush that brings the misty lochs and shadowy corridors to life. The novel’s strength lies in its ability to transport readers to a place where the line between the living and the dead blurs, and where every whisper of the wind carries the weight of centuries-old secrets.

As the narrative races towards Samhain, the Scottish Halloween, the tension mounts.

Unfortunately, this book wasn't quite my cuppa, the prose was too flowery and romantic to this fan of hard boiled police procedurals. I found the content hard to follow, which could have been because I didn't find the characters particularly likeable, which is essential to my "buy-in" to a novel.

That said, you might find it outstanding, it is a worthwhile effort in this genre.

Two things about this book appealed to me: the setting in a very old Scottish castle and the ghost story. I like Gothic novels and was hoping to read a good one.

But this one didn't quite work for me. I found the writing quite awkward at times. For example, "The air still withered with the menace of Lady Elizabeth. A moan slipped from Edie, not daring to move." How does air wither? What is not daring to move - the moan or Edie? I can't picture this sequence easily and trying to do so took me out of the story. This happened to me frequently, nearly every page. As a result, it was a slow read, as if the events of the story were happening in slow motion. In the end, I never felt all that invested in the characters or the plot. If I hadn't been reading an ARC and felt obliged to leave a review, I probably would have abandoned this one. The author might have preferred that, but here we are.

That being said, although I couldn't quite picture the layout of the castle, I did get a good feel for it. I also think the Scottish dialect was done well, and I know that's not an easy thing to do. The character of Mungo was my favorite, as other reviewers have mentioned. He's based on the author's own son. I didn't care for Edie or Neve, which is unfortunate as they were are the main characters. There are also two storylines, one in the past, with Mungo, and the present story, with Edie and Neve. I found the past story to be much more interesting, but it is the smaller part of the book.

After I finished this, I checked out the publisher's website and concluded that I'm probably not the intended audience for their books.

Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books for providing the ARC in return for an honest review.

I just finished reading, started it about 5am this morning . This is a new to me author and I definitely want to read her other books. The story explores the dynamics of family drama/trauma with sensitive subjects such as autism, parental cruelty and abuse, and homosexuality wrapped up in a historical fiction ghost story

On a small island in a remote corner of northwest Scotland lies Maundrell castle, owned by its wealthy namesake family for centuries—until now. Edwina Nunn is shocked to learn a relative she never heard of has bequeathed the castle and its land to her. What awaits Edie and her teenage daughter, Neve, is even more startling, for the castle is home to a multitude of ghosts.

Yet there’s a strange beauty in the austere architecture and the eerie, bloody waters of Loch na Scáthanna, the Lake of Shadows. Beguiled by a frightened ghost who gazes longingly out of the castle’s windows, Edie and Neve are drawn to the legends shrouding the island and the mystery of the Maundrell Red—a priceless diamond that disappeared decades before.

Is the gem really cursed, and the cause of the family tragedies that have all occurred on Samhain—Scottish Halloween? As Samhain approaches once more, Edie and Neve race to peel back the dark secrets entwining the living and the dead—a twisted story of bitter cruelty and hidden love—or they will become another Maundrell tragedy trapped in the lonely hours . . .

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Kensington and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5 Stars
This author has successfully done it again, written an entrancing and mystical gothic ghost story that's part historical fiction and part social commentary. The plot is chilling (and sad, especially the historical treatment of people with autism), the setting is a character unto itself (I still love you Scotland), and rife with familial trauma. The story gradually builds and intensifies exponentially for the last third of the novel. I'm extremely selective with reading choices for ghost stories/horror, but I'll keep this writer in my "must read" group. If you liked Her Little Flowers, you'll want to pick this one up as well.

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Do I want a haunted Scottish castle after reading this? Yes, absolutely. This is the second Shannon Morgan book I've read. I love her approach to houses, like they are characters in themselves. I live for descriptions of rooms and furnishings. I will be googling castles and taking virtual tours after this. I love how the characters treat the ghosts as well. Actually attempting conversation and understanding, instead of running away like most book characters. The mystery and twists, along with some of the messed up stuff people used to do, made the story super interesting. The dynamic of the main character and her teenage daughter was done really well. As a middle aged woman (also going through menopause) with a 17-year-old daughter, I felt seen.

In the Lonely Hours by Shannon Morgan was a ghoulishly thrilling novel set in the highlands of Scotland. The novel dances between different time periods showcasing the unusual, tragic, and often secretive lives of the Maundrell family members. With Edie and Neve, we experience the loving bond between mother and daughter that at times can be contentious and awkward. We also experience the tense and emotional family dynamics between the ancestral Maundrells. Overall, this book was a winner and I would recommend to any lover of ghost stories, Scottish folklore, and gothic novels.

Thank you Kensington Books and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This multi-layered book blends historical fiction, Scottish folklore, a dysfunctional family saga with members who harbor many secrets, and thriller, horror, supernatural elements that describe the haunted Maundrell estate with its creaky halls, shadows lurking around corners, dusty walls, and labyrinthine rooms.

Alongside historical fiction and horror genres, it perfectly explores the dynamics of family drama with sensitive subjects such as mental health, parental cruelty and abuse, autism, and homosexuality.

We move back and forth between present time and 1965, where we’re introduced to the Maundrell clan including the uptight, cruel grandmother Bitsie, her daughter Alice who is becoming a minion of her mother, and little Dottie and Mungo, the grandchildren exploring the secret parts of the estate. Especially Mungo steals your heart as the most adorable and likable character of the book, suffering from autism and forced to undergo electroshock treatments.

In the present time, we meet Edwina Nunn in her late forties, recently widowed, raising her fifteen-year-old rebellious, eccentric daughter Neve who curses like a sailor and acts immaturely from the beginning, rubbing me the wrong way in several instances. They are informed that Edwina has inherited Maundrell Castle, located on a small Scottish island. Edwina thinks there must be a mistake because she was raised as an orphan by nuns and never thought she had her own family. Now she realizes she’s the last descendant of the Maundrells, a family she never heard of, and decides to check out the castle she inherited, which was abandoned after estate developers tried to turn it into a hotel and museum, but both plans failed for mysterious supernatural reasons. Now Edie and her daughter are alone in the place until unannounced visitors join them.

Overall, this book started a little slow, but instead of putting it down, I patiently continued, and it picked up the pace, combining different genres and timelines perfectly with Christie-style twists and a satisfying conclusion. Although I had a hard time connecting with the characters, I liked the storytelling execution, and the dark atmosphere of the Scottish setting makes you hyperventilate, gasping for air!

I’m rounding up my 3.5 stars to 4 ghostly, haunted castle stars and looking forward to reading more works by the author.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for sharing this supernatural thriller's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I give this a 4.5 star. The first few chapters were slow and I wasn’t sure if I was going to get thru the book. But I stayed with it and I’m so glad I did.
If you like a good ghost story with some folk lore added in this is most definitely a book for you.
A story of a family so worried about stature that they are willing to do whatever it takes to portray a normal family!
You really get drawn into some of the characters. Especially the character of Mungo and autistic boy who is treated like a thing not a person for his disability.
But the story definitely draws you in. You won’t want to put it down.
A perfect Halloween story.

ARC by NetGalley and the publisher.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

Edwina Nunn has never had much connection to her family lineage. So when she is contacted saying a long lost, relative has left her a castle she is beyond shocked. She never had any knowledge of her family or a castle and the small island it rests upon. Immediately, following the shocking news Edie and her teenage daughter, Neve, head to Maundrell castle to explore. However, what they find is anything but glittering halls and grandeur. Instead they are greeted by creaky halls, family secrets, lost cursed jewels, and ghosts.

In the Lonely Hours is a gothic haunted house tale filled with supernatural happenings and long held family secrets. I have to say the setting of this book was by far my favorite aspect. The scenery of this desolate island in Scotland enhanced the overall gothic haunting atmosphere. Add in the history of Maundrell castle and this story had all the ghostly vibes. The plot unfolds and is told through two timelines, one from present day and also the past in 1965. While this book does have hauntings and curses at the core it is a book about family dynamics, generational traumas, and mother and daughter relationships over the years. While I did enjoy the premise and setting of the plot the characters either were lack luster or completely terrible human beings which ultimately affected my enjoyment of the book. Overall I found this book to be spooky, heartbreaking, and thought provoking.

In the Lonely Hours comes out July 23rd, 2024.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.