DNF at 44%

Thank you Harper Perennial and NetGalley for the eARC of The Shadow Key. All opinions in this review are my own.

I loved Pandora by the same author so I was excited to read this one. The opening chapter lent the same amount of mystery and supernatural touch, but the rest of it didn't deliver. I waited until I at least finished the first part but unfortunately, I was forcing myself to continue reading this book.

I freaking loved this book, but sadly it gave me such a bad case of fertigbuchkummer. Every book I tried to read did not NOT compare to this book.

I read this book months ago and still am looking for a book that captures the historical setting with the arcane.

I hope hope hope that she writes more books in this vein.

A wonderful gothic tale with a completely stunning cover! This book kept me entertained and the writing style was fabulous.

I found this to be an enjoyable read. The writing style was exceptionally smooth and well-paced, even though the frequent use of parentheses and the slow build weren’t entirely to my taste. That said, the narrative remained clear and accessible throughout. The tone, pacing, and overall command of the story were consistently strong, which added to the experience.

Admittedly, I anticipated a queer romance subplot between Rowena and Linette, and I was slightly disappointed when it didn’t materialize. Their dynamic and interactions, such as Rowena stroking Linette’s cheek, seemed to hint in that direction. However, another part of me appreciated the decision not to go that route, as it serves as a reminder that not every "unladylike" woman (to use a term reflective of the story’s setting) is portrayed that way due to queerness. That said, I struggled with Rowena's characterization in her relationships. For instance, her eventual entanglement with Henry felt inconsistent, especially considering her apparent lack of guilt by the story's end. Her earlier reluctance to be with him seemed less about genuine hesitance and more like a calculated move to draw him closer. While this dynamic didn’t fully resonate with me, it left me with plenty to reflect on.

On the plot itself, while some developments were predictable, others—such as the revelation that Henry and Linette are twins—caught me by surprise and kept me engaged. In hindsight, that twist felt obvious, but its delivery was effective. I did, however, wish for more "spooky" elements to elevate the atmosphere. The red and blue lights, the mystery of the poison, the symbol, the club, and the mines were eerie and intriguing, but a couple of additional gothic or supernatural moments could have heightened the suspense. As it stands, the story read more like a mystery with a light atmospheric tone rather than the gothic suspense infused with Welsh folklore that I had hoped for.

Speaking of Welsh folklore, I found its presence in the story a bit underwhelming. While the narrative included some nods to it, I didn’t come away with a strong impression of distinct Welsh cultural or historical elements, which was disappointing given my initial expectations. On the bright side, I was thrilled to discover that Merlin survived! Additionally, the conclusion was satisfying, particularly in how it resolved positively for Henry, Linette, and their mother Gwen, which wasn’t something I fully expected.

In summary, this was a solid read—enjoyable, though not one I would go out of my way to recommend. It felt akin to a comforting homecooked meal: satisfying and worthwhile, but not quite as exciting as a favorite takeout dish. Still, it’s a reminder that not every book needs to be a gourmet experience to be fulfilling.

3.5 stars, rounded up.

The Shadow Key is a Gothic tale that takes into account Welsh customs and culture and that old, globally known villain called British colonialism.

Dr. Henry Talbot is dismissed from his post at a prestigious hospital in London and his reputation is now scarred. In these desperate times, he receives an offer of employment as a private physician from Lord Julian, lord of a rural Welsh estate. Henry accepts and when he arrives in Plas Helyg, finds that the villagers are downright hostile towards him. But when he discovers that the man who held the position before him died in mysterious circumstances, he vows to find out what happened to him, helped by Linette, Lord Julian’s cousin, a fierce but kind woman who takes care of the people who work for her.

Now, a lot works for The Shadow Key - be it the atmosphere it creates, the issues it highlights, debates about whether it is xenophobia or a fight against colonialism, superstitions and beliefs and how irrespective of whether or not they are true, one needs to not disrespect the people holding them. The characters are well-fleshed out and every reveal is logical in a way that makes you question history like never before.
This becomes even better towards the end when it builds up to a climax that is thrilling and revealing of so many layers of class and race privilege.

The road to get there, however, is long and winding, and not in the best way. At least the first half of the book feels like wading through molasses, given how much time it takes for the setup itself. Be it the circumstances of Henry’s predecessor’s death or his interaction with the villagers or his doubts about Plas Helyg itself, there’s a nebulous quality to it all for a certain amount of time that, however intentional it may be, feels like a dull droning that will put you to sleep.

Having said that, if you manage to get through that part, then the payoff is pretty outstanding. There’s shock, there’s awe, there’s joy, there’s sorrow, there’s anger - it’s basically an emotion party happening inside your head, all dancing on this shaky floor called “I liked it but didn’t love it.”

I enjoyed this read. The writing style was exceptionally smooth and flowed well despite all of the parentheses, which I wasn't a huge fan of, and slow build. I never once felt like I couldn't understand the story due to the writing, and the tone, pacing and writerly authority were all consistent and in control.
I have to admit, I thought there would be a queer romance plot point between Rowena and Linette and was slightly disappointed that there wasn't one; it would have been very in keeping with the characters and events. However, another part of me was glad, because not every "unladylike" (to borrow a term from the time of the book) lady is unladylike because she's queer. I guess the issue I had with Rowena and Linette not getting together apart from Rowena stroking Linette's check, etc., is that then, of course, Rowena and Henry became entangled (at least, before she tries to kill Linette). Given that Rowena didn't seem to feel one ounce of guilt at the end, I was kind of confused by her reluctance to be with Henry earlier on in the story, but I guess she just pretended to be shy to make him want her more? Maybe I'm not putting my finger on what was off about the relationship dynamics as regards Rowena, yet there's undoubtedly something there that didn't work for me.
Moving on, though I could predict some of the plot, I couldn’t predict all of the main aspects—especially not that Henry and Linette are twins, even though in hindsight it seems obvious!—which was fun and kept me continually guessing! I could have used some more spooky happenings if I’m being honest; the red and blue lights were eerie, as was the mystery of the poison, the symbol, the club, the mines etc., but I would have loved maybe one or two more elements. Because of this, it read to me as more of a mystery that had a somewhat light, albeit gratifying atmosphere as opposed to a story rife with gothic suspense and full of Welsh folklore, as I had anticipated. (Admittedly, part of this might have to do with my love of anything by Laura Purcell and Stacey Halls and how I’ve become accustomed to their style of churning out one chilling gothic suspense story after another.) Speaking of Welsh folklore: I did think there was a slight lack of it in this story, or at least I don't feel like I'm walking away from the book with one or two identifiable and/or memorable aspects of Welsh history/culture ingrained in my brain. As I would have liked to, this is a bit of a bummer. On a positive note: I was thrilled to learn Merlin didn't die! And I liked how the book ended inasmuch as things working out for Henry, Linette and their mother Gwen, which I wasn't sure would be the case.
Overall: This was a good read. Solid. Not necessarily one I would recommend folks go out in search of, but I wouldn't not recommend it. In a way, it was like eating a nice homecooked meal. I'm happy about it, but would I have rather had my favorite take-out? Probably. But you can't have that every night of the week, so this was a fine substitute.

Henry Talbot accepts the vacant post of physician at Penhelyg, an estate in Wales. He has lost his status as a respected London physician and now must accept this humble position. The 18th century is the age of enlightenment, and Henry is a man of science, so facing the superstitions and legends in this small country village becomes his biggest challenge. Heiress Linette Tresilian runs Penhelyg. She is strong-minded and pragmatic, scandalously wearing her deceased father’s clothes. Devoted to her tenants, she works tirelessly on their behalf, trying to make amends for the past misdeeds of her ancestors. Linette’s uncle Lord Julian Tresilian, a shadowy and sinister character, and her mother Lady Gwen, lost to madness, both play significant roles.

At Penhelyg, Henry is faced with hostile servants and villagers, his life threatened, his gatehouse cottage vandalized beyond repair, a mysterious vial containing poison, the strange death of the former doctor, the odd behaviors of Lord Julian and Lady Gwen, and more. Henry and Linette team up to find answers to these numerous mysteries. They come across a library of ancient texts, secret symbols, cryptic pictograms, coded messages, secret societies, hidden passages, clandestine ancient rituals, sacrificial ceremonies, bizarre costumes, and so on. The novel is cluttered with so much going on, but it isn’t hard to follow.

Many appealing characters will draw you in along with atmospheric and rich, descriptive nature writing of the Welsh countryside. As the novel progresses, it slides into bizarre, unbelievable territory. But after reading the Author’s Note, I gained a new appreciation for what the author has written. She acknowledges that this world of the occult is unbelievable but true; the history and how people fell into these beliefs are interesting. Her research was extensive and impressive. Readers who love all things around secret societies, cryptic signs, and the occult will sink in and enjoy.

I'm a sucker for a Gothic novel with interesting characters, which is what The Shadow Key certainly provides. The setting of Wales and the lyrical descriptions of the town were beautifully written. The novel takes its time setting up the story, but as with many other historical novels. I personally really enjoy that; exposition and nice descriptions are something that just add layers to the overall story. There was a lot of Welsh lore and influence, which was perfectly suited to the Gothic world that Chapman created.

I enjoyed Linette and Henry, although there was a lot of miscommunication that seemed a little to happen too often. I genuinely wanted to know more about their backgrounds and there were hinted threads about them that weren't explored.
Props to the Merlin the dog because who doesn't like a dog in any story?!

The ending left a little something to be desired. It wasn't bad, just felt a little rushed compared the novel up until then. It was a lot of info at the end and a villain speech before death can be enlightening but I didn't feel that with this one. Overall, I would give it a 3.5 because I did enjoy the novel and enjoyed it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Susan Stokes Chapman’s The Shadow Key transports readers to the eerie, mist-shrouded landscape of Wales, in 1783, where myth and magic seem to weave through every corner of Penhelyg.

Henry Talbot, a physician displaced from his prestigious London post, becomes the novel’s narrator as he navigates his way through the village of Meirionydd where suspicion, and secrets are abundant. When he discovers that his predecessor died under mysterious circumstances, Henry becomes determined to uncover the truth. Linette Tresilian, the novel’s other central character, —a fiercely independent woman who manages her family estate is haunted by her mother’s illness, isolated in her own existence and with her cousin treating her with cold disdain. As secrets are unearthed, Linette and Henry find their fates bound together in ways they never could have imagined.

While the ominous world-building and initial setup of the novel are captivating, the pacing falters as the story progresses. The tension that should build steadily throughout a Gothic mystery instead feels concentrated at the novel’s end, leaving much of the middle part as filler. Chapman reveals the biggest twists in kind of a dumping way towards the close, which, while shocking and well-executed, left me wishing that these surprises had been more evenly scattered throughout. A Gothic novel thrives on its slow-burning revelations, yet The Shadow Key keeps the reader too much in the dark for far too long.

As for the characters, Linette and Henry’s dynamic is intriguing, particularly in how they each navigate their loneliness. However, their development felt somewhat lacking. inette, for instance, is hinted to have a more complex sexuality, but this aspect of her identity is barely explored, leaving much for the reader to guess. Henry's backstory was however interesting and I wanted the author to kind of do something explosive with it.

Did the final reveal impress me? Ofcourse! I was thrown aback and that is why this one ended up being a 4 star. For all its pacing issues and a whole lot of info-dumping towards the end, Chapman does succeed in delivering a story with a twist! It’s just a pity that the pacing and character development didn’t quite match the brilliance of the ending—this moody, atmospheric Gothic mystery easily could have been a five-star read for me.

1783. Meirionydd, Wales. When Dr. Henry Talbot loses his job in a London hospital after a scandal, he has no choice but to work for Lord Julian Tresilian of Plas Helyg. What’s happening in Plas Helyg? Are the women as mentally ill as Julian claims? Is it just Henry’s imagination, or is he in danger?

Diving in, I expected something gothic and dark. The start was a bit slow but the writing was poignant and immersive. I like how the author creates the perfect setting for this novel - a countryside with a mine with a touch of Welsh culture and language. I love how she incorporates the Welsh history and folklore into the story and it makes it so fun to read.

The story flows smoothly with multiple characters You could really picture the landscape and the characters clearly as it was so well written and so descriptive. However, some characters lacked depth and were only explored towards the end of the novel.

The suspense was also well-built and the multiple twists left me reeling in the end. Some twists were predictable but I definitely did not expect the major twist.

Overall, this is a fun read. If you're looking for a slow-burn, gothic mystery with some elements of Welsh folklore, then this is your call. Thank you so much @harperperennial and @netgalley for a copy of this book

Thanks to NetGalley, Harper Perennial and Susan Stokes-Chapman for an ARC of the Shadow Key! A perfect gothic tale for spooky season.

Henry, a disgraced doctor from London, is invited (read: not really given a choice) to take a position at a remote estate in Wales, where he will be employed by the Tresilian family. We meet Julian, the smarmy landowner who oversees the mines and helps manage the estate for his cousin, Linette. Linette, a headstrong, obstinate girl (respect), eschews the constraints of pleasant society by dressing like a man and actively assisting her tenants and villagers (god forbid). As Henry slowly begins to unravel the sudden death of the prior physician and the villagers vehement dislike of outsiders, he and Linette start to uncover a sinister plot behind the scenes.

The pacing of the first half of the book is a bit slow and plodding. I did wish that there was more of an engaging plot to begin to really pull in the reader create a compelling case to finish the book. The second half starts to snow ball and once it gets rolling, it doesn't stop! I really enjoyed the big reveal at the end, as it wasn't one that I saw coming. Overall this was a great follow up to Pandora and a stronger story!

This was an enjoyable read witha disappointing ending. Despite not delivering on any dark and horrifying vibes, the atmosphere was appropriately isolating and eerie. There are plenty of possibly supernatural events, completely convoluted plots, and exaggerated responses to events to keep anyone entertained, not to mention the absolute James Bond villian level of monologuing. I don't often read stories set in Wales, so this was a wonderful treat.

The writing style in this was AMAZING! Right from the first chapter, I was drawn into a gothic atmosphere, which I love. It had a great storyline. I could have used more romance. Also, it was not really a dark gothic novel. I will definitely be reading more by this author.

This is a pretty standard Gothic that moves very slowly (even by subgenre standards), and will likely appeal more to those who haven’t spent much time reading this type of book.

I don’t mind Gothic novels that aren’t terribly unique as long as they’re well crafted, but this one would have needed something new to make it stand out, because the way it employs standard genre tropes isn’t especially interesting.

The writing is fine and the plot is predictable but okay enough, but the story lacks the requisite atmosphere that makes for a truly good Gothic novel, and lacks any true sense of pleasant eeriness. The plot tries to manufacture this with at least some success, but ultimately without better sense of place, the story would have needed to be far more compelling for the book the succeed.

This book was so perfect for me to read going into this Fall/spooky season! I loved the gothic vibes and how atmospheric the overall writing was; the author did a great job at detailing scenes so vividly, the setting truly felt like a character all on its own. Our two MCs were also very interesting as individuals, though I did wish they had more chemistry with *each other*, as there were times it did feel a bit forced/flat. I also don't like Miscommunication trope very much, and seeing it happen here so much kinda took me out of the book sometimes. Lastly, I enjoyed the mystery aspect of this book but felt like sometimes all the little clues or red herrings were spoon fed to us, when really it would have been more engaging had they not been there. Overall still a solid read, so I'd def recommend checking it out!

Dr. Henry Talbot is offered employment off in a village of Wales, and while he doesn’t relish leaving London, he has zero prospects otherwise. But the village is openly hostile to him, and he has to parse out whether the lady of the house is mad—and if her daughter Linette, who befriends the staff and tenants and wanders around in her father’s clothing, has inherited her condition.

What I loved about this:

-Dual narratives. We went back and forth between Linette and Henry, getting pieces of the story from their vantage point. Neither one seemed to overwhelm or over-balance the other but rather worked well in tandem.

-The author has a very deft hand with language and can skilfully paint a scene to evoke the atmosphere to the point I feel I am there as well. Long paragraphs build to a crescendo punctured by the next paragraph being a single sentence.

-The fact that it deals with the supernatural and it teases that perhaps unexplainable things could and did happen in the story, like with the corpse lights or the smell of sulphur at the end? I LOVE when stories do this.

-The mystery was engaging and twisty, and I had fun reading along and trying to parse it out without getting impatient because I had already solved it or it took to long to deliver.

What I didn’t love about this:

-The author loves Wales, and that’s clearly infused in the text. There are numerous words and even whole phrases that are voiced in Welsh. There is a glossary at the beginning to help with the pronunciation, but nothing else. That doesn’t help with all the Welsh that pops up; it’s understandable that Henry as an outsider would not understand, and it helps to ground that he’s an outsider as the villagers are spitting words at him he doesn’t know, but it’s frustrating as a reader when it happens often, even when in Linette’s perspective. A little thing at the back to consult would have helped tremendously.

-One character really ruffled my feathers, but in the interest of spoilers, I shall not go further into it.

So where does that leave me? Four stars! It was a fun read and I was curious to see how it panned out. This book is PERFECT to pick up for an autumn read (even if it’s set in the summer), possibly around Halloween, especially if you like historical fiction.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Super fun gothic read full of twists and turns - had me engaged but at times felt a bit like points of the book were had way too much going on/were dumpy while other parts felt just right.

The author very clearly did research of the culture and area which lead to a beautifully written story that felt like I was actually present and there for.

I would’ve given the book 5 stars but I was majorly disappointed by and did not love the ending.

Still a solid, fun read I’d absolutely recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this lovely book for my honest review.

"On an isolated estate in late-eighteenth-century rural Wales, a young English doctor uncovers dangerous secrets that may threaten his own life in this spellbinding Gothic tale from the bestselling author of Pandora.

Dismissed from his post at a prestigious London hospital, Dr. Henry Talbot has little choice but to accept a mysterious offer of employment as a private physician from an inscrutable lord in rural Wales, Lord Julian. Arriving at Plas Helyg, the isolated estate, Henry can't speak the language and finds himself treated with hostile suspicion by superstitious villagers, whose beliefs in myths and magic he's inclined to dismiss. But when he discovers that his predecessor died under peculiar, inexplicable circumstances, his determination to uncover the truth leads him down a path fraught with danger - made all the more perilous by his headstrong, reluctant ally Linette, Lord Julian's cousin.

Linette has lived a lonely life as Plas Helyg's unconventional mistress: Julian treats her with disdain, her father is long dead, and her mother, long plagued by strange spells and believed by everyone around her to be deeply unwell, spends most of her time locked away in her rooms. Fiercely self-reliant, Linette refuses to wear women's clothes, has no interest in marriage, and takes an interest in the welfare of the men working in Lord Julian's mines, against his wishes.

Linette has always suspected something is not quite right in the village, but it is only through Henry's dogged investigations that the dark truth about those closest to her will come to light - a truth that will bind hers and Henry's destinies together forever in ways neither thought possible."

Something's not right down the mine?

In 18th-century Wales, disgraced physician Henry finds himself in a remote village where superstition and mystery abound. He encounters Linette, a strong-willed woman who has long suspected something is amiss. As Henry investigates the death of his predecessor, he uncovers secrets that connect him to Linette and force them to confront the darkness that has plagued their lives.

This gothic novel is deliciously dark and twisty. The story is rich and complex, the mystery unfolding gradually while the suspense remains high throughout. I enjoyed the audiobook narration.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

The Shadow Key is set in the late 1700s and takes us to the village of Penhelyg, where Dr. Henry Talbot finds himself after losing his prestigious job at a London Hospital. Henry quickly finds that he is not welcome by the villagers and uncovers a murder and mysterious going-ons at Plas Helyg, where he is now serving as a personal physician to the Tresilian family.

There were so many things that I loved about The Shadow Key. It has a Gothic mystery setting and a great mix of characters. The mix of belief in superstition/folklore, faith, the supernatural and science was an interesting storyline for the book.

Linette and Henry’s characters were well done. I liked Linette’s refusal to fall into the stereotype of what women were supposed to be during that time period. And Henry was a great opposite to Linette, leaning heavily on his background in science, not able to understand the belief that Linette and the villagers held about superstition and old folklore.

I really loved the twist near the end of the book and the way it played into Julian’s schemes. It was fun to meet a calm, cool and collected Julian at the beginning of the book, and to see how he changes throughout the story.

The Shadow Key is an intriguing read, and combines a Gothic feel with a mix of historical fiction and I would highly recommend it.