This is an intriguing mystery full of mystery and unexpected turns. The premise is interesting. This book had me hooked from the beginning.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an ARC of Through the Mist.

This was a historical novel with a bit of the supernatural and cult references. Lovely writing of 2 strong women and people coming together to support each other and good conquering evil.

The story follows 2 women who move to the beautiful countryside of Cornwall:

Ellen and her new husband move into an old cottage which has caused tongues wagging and old rumours of something terrible that happened there to come out. Is her husband telling her the whole truth about the cottage and why he wanted to buy it? Drug use and cult brainwashing still have a hold on him and moving back to the cottage has stirred ghosts from his past.

Young Iris has ran away from home and seeks refuge in the place that holds happy memories from a time when her mother was still alive but she needs to hide her identity as residents of Cornwall knew her family when she was a child. She is worried she will be discovered and her father or the police will find her. Hearing stories of the cottage and its involvement in her mother's passing, She needs to find out the truth but will the cottage allow it?!

I'm still not totally sure how I feel about this book after finishing it. It moved a little cautiously at first, but it picked up speed fast. I enjoyed the author's portrayal of the area as well as the landscape in Cornwall. Ellen exudes strength of character, and I found her admirable. Iris wasn't exactly my style, though. She appeared a little naive, so I wasn't all that interested in her or her quest to find out what happened to her mother. Tony seemed to only be seen briefly, but even so, I thought his character had a lot of depth. I could have understood his motives and background better. All in all, I enjoyed reading this. That didn't seem like anything very notable to me

Through the Mist was an intriguing read. Set in post WWII Cornwall, Ellen and Tony Wylde are newlyweds who have purchased a dilapidated cottage. The cottage is a bit sinister and there seems to be a history of strange happenings when the occultist Aleister Crowley lived there. Ellen finds weird images and a creepy doll in the house. Iris Birch is a young girl who has run away from home to come to Cornwall to investigate her mother’s mysterious death 9 years earlier, a death that coincided with Aleister’s tenure at the cottage. The story weaves between the different time periods and unravels the mystery of what happened. The story is loosely based on a real mysterious death and it was an interesting read. I found Ellen to be a bit too trusting, Tony a bit too unlikeable and Iris a bit too naive.

Thanks to Netgalley, Lake Union Publishers and the author for the chance to read and review this ARC.

Through the Mist by Lindsay Jayne Ashford is an entertaining mystery filled with intrigue and twists and turns.
This book kept my interest from start to end.

Thank You NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

After finishing this book, I'm not entirely certain exactly how I feel regarding it. Though it started out a little cautiously, it quickly gained momentum. Cornwall's scenery and the author's description of the region were both appealing to me. Ellen has a strong personality, and I admired her. Nonetheless, Iris wasn't really my style. I wasn't especially keen in her or her journey to find out what happened to her mother, and she seemed a little naive. Although we seemed to only get a brief glimpse at Tony, I found his character to be compelling. His intentions and background would have been more understandable to me. I found this to be a pleasant read overall. I didn't find anything particularly noteworthy about that. I am grateful to NetGalley for providing me with an advance reader copy of this book.

I requested Through the Mist because I'm a big fan of Barbara Michaels' old gothic occult romantic novels from the 60s and 70s and I hoped that Ashford would give me the same type of story. Through the Mist was advertised as a historical thriller with mentions of Aleister Crowley and his cult set in post-war Cornwall and the book is very readable and I flew through it in a couple of days. However, it left me really wanting more and I wasn't satisfied with the structure and how the story was told.

The book introduces us to two main characters, Ellen Wylde and Iris Birch. Ellen is recently married, and her husband was keen to buy a little out of the way cottage in Cornwall. Iris is a runaway searching for clues to her mother's mysterious death up at the same cottage. The setting was appropriately menacing and the Cornish coast was used to great effect. What I didn't like about the POV was that we weren't just limited to Ellen and Iris, but rather had Tony Wyle and his painting friends interspersed with POV to drive the story forward. This type of structure left me wanting more because the reader knows more than the main characters and the story just loses that sense of urgency that was driving it toward the climax.

Ashford also uses characters based on real life people who were friends or compatriots of Aleister Crowley, sometimes changing names and backgrounds, and sometimes not. The ceremonial magick that Crowley practiced was documented in Through the Mist, but it didn't have the same power and mysticism and was almost told as a straightforward lecture so it lost some of the menace and Ellen's reactions seemed over the top. Her sense of dread and fear just didn't seem warranted and those parts where she's lost and afraid and distrusting of her husband really felt like Ashford was telling rather than showing. Ellen didn't seem to have any cause for alarm and it really just made me roll my eyes and turn to the next page. A book should not give this type of reader reaction.

Suffice to say, I was unimpressed with Through the Mist and I don't think I'll check out anything else from Ashford.

Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Press for the arc for review purposes.

Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for this arc.


I had no idea that this is actually based (somewhat) on a real event. The start is a bit slow but I can understand why. There is a lot going on, many pieces to the puzzle, and I appreciate that everything isn’t dumped on the reader at one time. Some clues only become important in the final stretch but I said “Aha!” several times. Another reason that struck me is that the leisurely beginning might be because the main characters have no idea what is going to happen and keep trying to explain away the strange feelings and sense of doom they feel.

There are many characters and I was surprised by a few of them. Who is the villain and who is the innocent bystander? Some people have done things in the past and lived to regret them while others are still caught up in what happened eight years ago. Miscommunication is also thrown in and I finally just had to sit back and wait to see what would happen.

I like that the book can be viewed as religious or not. There are possible explanations to what happened and is happening that could go either way. The Vicar is an interesting character whom I came to admire while not all of the artists are as bad as they might initially appear. Ellen and Iris are women forging their own paths and artistic freedoms. I felt that Ellen and Tony’s relationship was a bit flat and struggled to see why Ellen married him so quickly.

Yes the start is a bit stately but the intensity ramps up fairly steadily until by the end things are galloping along. It’s not surprising what happens but I was still reading intensely to see how all the various twists and turns of the plot would be worked together. While this isn’t something that I think will bother my sleep, I can easily see how it might have affected people eighty years ago before the counterculture drug age and when artists were still seen as being sensitive and easily overset. B-

Thank you Netgalley & Lake Union Publishing for an eARC ♥️

Honestly, I was a bit meh about this book at first. But then I got a few chapters in and I was totally hooked. It's like a mashup of all the good stuff - history, drama, murder, spooky vibes, and thrills. And it's set in post-war England, which is pretty cool.😍

So, the story's about Ellen and Iris who get tangled up in a mystery surrounding this house. It's like, a big ol' web of secrets and lies and stuff. And just when you think you know what's going on, something new pops up and it keeps you guessing.

I love how Lindsay Ashford jumps back and forth between past and present(my favourite in books 😍,dual POVs). It's like, you're trying to piece together this puzzle, and it's so much fun.

Anyway, I'm super glad I gave this book a chance. If you're looking for something that's got a little bit of everything, you should totes check it out😊

"Two women disturb the dark history of a deceptively quiet postwar Cornwall village in a haunting novel by the bestselling author of A Feather on the Water and The Woman on the Orient Express.

It's winter 1947 when newlyweds Ellen and Tony Wylde move into an abandoned Cornish farmhouse overlooking the sea. For both, it's a new beginning in the country, and together they're bringing Carreg Cottage back to life. Yet Ellen can't hide a creeping unease. There's the ominous iconography painted on their bedroom ceiling, the sinister doll hidden away in the chimney. And Tony seems more familiar with the peculiar villagers than he's letting on.

Meanwhile, after nearly a decade away, young Iris returns to Cornwall seeking sanctuary in memories and longing for what she lost as a child. It was here that her mother died on the moors under a shroud of mystery and rumor - and was last seen alive in the isolated, long-shuttered cottage the Wyldes now call home.

Discovering more about each other and themselves, Ellen and Iris soon unite in a quest to uncover every dark secret this village - and the West Country mist - holds before it destroys them."

At doll hidden in chimney I would be already moving.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC.

I am a lover of historical fictions, but throw in a little mystery, and I am typically in love. While I enjoyed Through the Mist, I found it didn't quite hit the mark in some areas. The premise gave the idea that this book would give the reader a haunted atmosphere, or possibly a small town village with hidden secrets, but unfortunately, these elements felt like they were missing throughout the novel. There were too many scenarios that felt forced (i.e., Iris & Dan's relationship) which affected the pacing of the overall story. The writing was lovely, but the author tried too hard to make the story appear more mysterious, and ended up overshooting the intended goal.

I appreciated the elements of art that the author wove throughout the story, especially with the beautiful background of Cornwall. I also enjoyed Ellen's toy shop and could just picture it nestled in a small downtown area with a beautiful window display. These were nice touches.

What I struggled with the most throughout this book was the storyline and the characters. Ellen and Tony's relationship had no chemistry whatsoever. It was hard to believe that Ellen agreed to marry Tony without so much as knowing much of his history. I'm sure this was typical for that time period, and the mystery behind his background is what helped propel the story forward...it just felt forced and flat without the chemistry.

This book could have benefited with a few twists to keep the reader guessing. I found that every member of Cornwall was willing to divulge secrets of the past and the only two people keeping the mystery up were our two female protagonists, Ellen and Iris. Each woman took it upon themselves to investigate the history of past secrets but neglected to share these with each other. Once again, I believe this was to help move the story along and provide that element of mystery, but it was done out of convenience for the story.

Overall, the story was interesting, albeit very slow. The characters were very one-dimensional, and many elements including the multiple POVs were included for convenience. If you are just here for vibes, or you like all things occult, then this book may be for you.

Youtube Review: https://youtu.be/fpOeG0_gWEg

"The Moors" meets "Crimson Peak," Through the Mist is a mystery-filled, well-paced, crime novel that takes you on so many twists and turns, that you're not sure when you'll come out the other side...until you do!

In late 1940s Cornwall, newly married Ellen moves into Carreg Cottage, inherited by her husband, to start a new life.

Meanwhile, Iris returns to Cornwall as a runaway to learn more about her mother’s death in the hills by that same cottage.

The cottage has a dark and disturbing past of dark magic and occultism. Ellen senses something malignant in their new home, and her husband Tony’s behaviour is becoming increasingly strange.

As Ellen and Iris find out more about the past they find themselves both at risk of something dark and deadly.

A spooky and compelling mystery with well-developed characters.

Thanks to Netgalley for my copy.

Where to start with the book. To be honest, I wasn't too sure about it when I started reading. The blur was good enough, but I wasn't sure where It was heading. A few chapters in, and I couldn't put it down.

It is a story with a mix of everything, history, drama,murder supernatural, and thrills. Based on my part of the world the Westcountry was also a major plus, too.

I loved the fact that thus was set in post-war, too. Many books with this kind of setting tend to be based on the modern day, but I loved how it all came together.

Two women who lives become entwined because of a house and work together to solve a mystery keeps you on the edge of your seat I can't say too much because it will give the story away but it's definitely worth a read. I'm now hoping to read more by this author .

A family drama and a secret from the past. Well, there are thousands of novels like this out there, nothing new.
A murder mystery with a supernatural twist? Why not?
Let's add true events! Let's add real-life people!
Result: a slow, claustrophobic story tangled in mist and anxiety.
A young couple moves into a cottage. A young woman, a girl actually, runs away from home. These people are about to start a new life in a small town. But this isn't a town like any other. This place has a secret, maybe many secrets. Special places draw in, just like magnets, special people.
What was going on in this town remains a mystery. What we do know is interesting. Please google names such as Lady Frieda Harris and Barbara Hepworth. Have a look at the Toth pack of Tarot cards.
This book has a few weak spots. In my opinion, the writing isn't the best, some dialogues aren't convincing, etc. But this doesn't stop me from liking the story. It kept me engaged which is quite rare for me these days. The fact that the author mixed real events with fiction so well deserves to be acknowledged.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC. The premise of this book immediately pulled me into historical fiction based on the eerie events of a small Cornwall village that could possibly involve dark magic. Told through the POVs of two women, Lindsay Jayne Ashford created such an atmospheric book that I couldn’t (and didn’t want to) put this one down.

When you hear that a book is all about vibes and atmosphere, people are referring to what this book is all about. Ashford brought to life a sleepy fishing town that reeked of dark magic, sinister plots, and hidden secrets. As both Ellen and Iris arrive in the town on unrelated visits, it becomes clear that their paths are fated to intertwine in ways that I could not even predict.

The twists in this book are subtly placed in the plot, but wow, do they pack a punch. I wanted to know where this one was headed, and when I reached the climax, I couldn’t believe actual people inspired this story.

The pace holds steady until the last 15% when the climax hits a crescendo, and all hell breaks loose (seriously, though). The twists are not shocking, but I didn’t see them coming, and I commend Ashford for somehow creating a book that had me on the edge of my seat simply because of the setting she magically weaved together.

I wholeheartedly recommend reading this book. It is spooky, subtle, gripping, and based on true events with real people, which the author describes heavily in the afterword. If you are looking for nonstop action, you may be disappointed, but the twists and plot progression are certainly worth the read.

I like the atmosphere of this novel, the discription of Cornwall took me back there. I was intrigued by Ellen's story and the mystery was compelling. It has a dark atmosphere but but I didn't really feel that it was that unnerving/haunting but maybe that's just me,the weird things weren't very original. I thought that Iris and Ellen wee strong characters who I liked.
I did enjoy this book and found it compelling, I liked the mystery and the atmosphere of Cornwall but the pace and viewpoint changed weren't to my taste and it didn't really stand out. Not sure if this is a spoiler:

It was both interesting and disappointing to read the authors note at the end to discover it was all based on true events, interesting because I didn't know and it's a little spookier than I found the story to be. But disappointed that it wasn't all from the authors imagination which might've been better if it meant less viewpoints creeping into the story. It also explains why the weird stuff weren't very original if it's from the past

It's an intriguing, atmospheric novel. The writing is good; the vivid description of the place is really nice. However it was too slow for my liking. Several chapters go without any significant incident or cliffhanger, which was a bit disappointing for this genre. Also, it tries to be spooky but for me, it wasn't.
Overall, an average read.

This was a decent atmospheric mystery set in Cornwall that had just enough of a paranormal twist to keep it interesting. It was slow-paced and descriptive, and at times, felt almost too wordy. I was hoping for a bit more to the climax, especially with the build up, but it was still engaging enough to be a decent spooky mystery. #throughthemist #lindsayjayneashford #netgalley #goodreads