The Shadow Key was an interesting read. I wasn't quite sure where the story was going some of the time, but I think it opened itself out in the end. I don't think I would read it again, but I don't regret reading it either.


Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks | Harper Perennial for the early review copy. All opinions are my own.

4 star. Dark and gothic read. As a mood reader I wish I read it in the fall (let's be real I'll probably reread it during that time of year to "set the scene". I can't say I"m always a historical fiction girly, but I enjoyed reading it. The premise totally drew me in and the characters? Absolutely well done and I enjoyed the complexity of the character design. Honestly love a gothic twisty historical fiction.

Again all I needed was a cozy sweater, some candles and apple cider.

Gothic, atmospheric, creepy! Definitely a different style read for me. I couldn’t put it down! Thank you NetGalley for the generous arc!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial, and Paperbacks for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!
This book was a delight to read and had me hooked! I loved the mystery and the way that the story unfolded. I give this book a solid 4 out of 5 stars. I very much look forward to reading more of Susan Stokes-Chapman's works in the future!

Set in the 1700s this was a gothic novel about a doctor who goes to London and gets into some murder mystery going on that actually almost gets him killed.

The story was a bit slow for me and i do not know or could understand the language they were using which I think was welsh. But it picked up in the end and the secrets were revealed, I couldn’t put it down the minute i got it. It was a perfect gothic historical book and it was spooky with magic and superstitions and mystery.

Thank you NetGalley.

The Shadow Key

I struggled through the first half, it felt slow but once the whole done it murder plot started I felt like I had a reason to keep reading.

The fact I know zero welsh didn’t really hinder me as I felt as clueless as Henry. I can see that slowing down some readers or maybe turning some away since there are so many lines in welsh.

The last 20% was quick and I enjoyed how everything wrapped up even if the reveals were a touch predictable.

Henry, once a renowned physician and teacher, is unable to find work in London. In disgrace, he accepts a job in Wales as physician to miners and the family that owns the mine. When he gets there, he is looked at with dislike and in some cases, hatred. As he tries to find a way to provide care to the miners, the niece of the landowner attempts to help him. A bond forms between them but trust issues threaten that bond. Rowena, a pretty healer, is also getting close to Henry. Meanwhile sabotage, murder and HellFire Societies threaten all their lives. Full of suspense, set in the late eighteenth century, the book is suspenseful and atmospheric. Spooky! Gothic! Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the complimentary digital ARC. This opinion is my own.

The Shadow Key by Susan Stokes-Chapman is an entertaining historical fiction that I enjoyed.

This is a nice balance of historical fiction, Welsh history and folklore, and mystery, with a gothic atmosphere and backdrop that was quite entertaining.

This was a collection of complex story lines and characters that weave in and out of the narrative…some wrapping up at the end better than others. It did keep me intrigued, some minutes a bit more engaged than others, and the conclusion did help answer many of my questions.
This was definitely more than just a gothic mystery, and that in itself makes it above the average in its field.

3.5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks | Harper Perennial for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 9/10/24.

#netgalley

Thanks to netgalley and HarperCollins for the ARC of The Shadow Key.

This book surprised me with interesting characters, a decent twist at the end, a somewhat unique setting (rural Wales), and the ambiguous genre. I thought this would fall soundly into fantasy-horror, but it was actually much more of a murder mystery. I don't even know that the bits and bobs of fantasy-ish elements are enough to name this as fantasy. But, the tone was engaging, and the plot was different enough to be somewhat refreshing.

What begins as a bit of a murder mystery (in what seems to be the 18th century) becomes a more complex series of mysteries. There is a disgraced doctor, a horrible rich guy, a fanatical group obsessed with the occult, a grimoire written in blood on vellum from an unknown source, a "mad" woman locked away from society, a herbalist, and hints at Welsh folklore. I enjoyed the lack of a central love story, and appreciated the depiction of the main character as a "strong and independent woman." This is done both in the character's dress and person. At times dressing a woman in men's clothes to make her seem radical seems a little cliche or obvious, but it works here for me.

The only thing that was a challenge for me was the pacing. I think this could have, and maybe should have, been a novella. Some pieces of the story dragged, and others seemed a little too convenient. There were also a couple of story lines that seemed like the would go somewhere but didn't. But, overall it worked for an entertaining and satisfying read.

The Shadow Key is a gothic, atmospheric thriller about a doctor in London who uncovers secrets that might just get him killed. Involving superstitions, magic, and other things he doesn't believe in, he has to become a believer quickly in order to survive. He has an unlikely companion in Linette, who lives as a spinster in a house and with a mother long haunted. Together they have to come to terms with each other and their beliefs in order to survive.

I'd like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book.

I will say this - I really, really like the way the author writes. It's to the point and she invokes some gothic traits / tropes for sure.

I just wish there was something going on in this book! I was enjoying the doctor heading to this estate, finding that something was wrong with his reason for being there and working with the daughter on finding out what's wrong with the mother. I just feel like the little bits and the side-plots weren't well done.

There is the character Rowena who the ML starts hitting on. She is bland, bland, BLAND and yet he is drawn to her. His love for her kind of drops into the story out of nowhere. It isn't really built up well. The way that the author built up the FL (since some chapters are focused on her) you would think that she is the love interest. There was one point that the FL and Rowena are talking amongst one another and the author makes you think that Rowena may be gay for the FL. That's when I realized, oh, the author is trying to tell us that the FL is gay and Rowena (because she falls into bed with the ML) is straight.

The end of the book was when the story came together, which was satisfying (because I never would have guessed what the real outcome of why the ML was brought to the estate), but I would have liked more creepy things built up around this group / cult.

Anyway, 3/5 romp.

This was a good book. It had a unique story and it was interesting to read. It was not my favorite story. But I think that a lot of people will love it!