This was such an immersive story! I loved the dual timelines and how in depth the story went, but I felt like this was much more historical fiction than thriller. While I had a good time with the actual story, I felt like the pacing was a bit chaotic. Overall, I think this would be a great rec for historical fiction lovers!

This was a pretty sad story with really unlikable characters but I actually couldn't stop reading anyway. The secrets and betrayals had me hooked

The Undoing of Violet Claybourne by Emily Critchley is a historical gothic style read. It centers around the lives of 4 young women. Gillian Larkin, the main character, has never felt like she belonged, she has always felt alone since her mother died during childbirth and her father having shipped her off because he never wanted to be bothered with her. While at boarding school she gets a new roommate, Violet, and they become fast friends. Violet comes from a well-to-do family that lives in an estate called Thornleigh Hall. She also suffers with a touch of OCD or something similar to that which is why she was sent off to boarding school. She has 2 older sisters, Emmaline and Laura. Gillian is invited by Violet to spend time with her family over the Christmas holiday. Gillian is enamored with these sisters and strives to be wanted and to fit in. It’s during this time that a horrible tragedy takes place which sets the stage for the rest of the story. This is a story of selfishness, family secrets and a down right dysfunctional family. The story covers many topics such as unwanted pregnancies, extramarital affairs and life in a mental institution. It wasn’t until almost the very end when several truths are exposed, which I had not seen coming, that brought the story together so it all made perfect sense. I was just amazed at how these sisters could be so cold and calculating towards each other all because of their own greed and selfishness. Although it was a sad, dark story, I really did enjoy reading it and I would recommend it to others. I’d like to thank the publisher, Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the arc to read and review. I’m giving this book a 4 star rating and would be interested in reading more by Emily Critchley in the future.

This book was a very interesting look into the power the upperclass have and how easy it is to convince women that they are insane. I loved how each character was flawed and wrong, and yet you can't help but feel empathy for them. The relationship between the girls, their desire for freedom, and how their secrets destroyed them.

It honestly was one of the best general fiction books I have read in it a bit. My only complaint I can't share without spoiling, but the ending was a little unsatisfying.

This is a book that has a bit of everything. Historical, suspense, mystery, friendship, a bit of gothicness and family. It had me from the start and I must say it was a great read. It's dark with some characters you like and some characters you really dislike! The story flowed well and was well written making it an enjoyable, entertaining and intriguing read.

There was a lot going on but it never got jumbled and everything just worked. A great read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

The Undoing of Violet Claybourne

All I need to see is gothic, and I’m sold. I grabbed this book so fast, and while it wasn’t exactly what I expected, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Part historical fiction, part suspense/mystery, it had everything I love—sisters, toxic behavior, overmedicated and disengaged parents, and Olympic-level manipulation and gaslighting. It was unputdownable. The whole time, I kept thinking, these girls are terrible...give me more.

And honestly, what does it say about me that the toxic behavior was bingeable? Some people binge reality TV—I binge deliciously messy fiction. No shame in that! 😆📖🔥

Thank you Sourcebooks and NetGalley for allowing me to opportunity to read and review.

I’m not sure what I was expecting from this tale, but it was really exceeded those expectations. It’s a gothic tale of three sisters and a visiting classmate during the holiday season. I couldn’t tell where the story was headed for awhile, but it took a hard turn and only got better from there. I loved the setting and the descriptions of the clothing from the time period. The twists at the end were VERY satisfactory and also somewhat emotional- something I didn’t expect. Overall an excellent read, only four stars because it was a little slow burn for my taste at the beginning.

Thanks so much to Emily Critchley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the advance readers copy!

The Undoing of Violet Clayborne is a story of secrets, ambition, and betrayal. The setting is Thornleigh Hall and the time is Winter 1938.

Gillian Larkin has been sent away to school. There she is befriended by her roommate, vibrant and spirited Violet Claybourne. As the holidays approach, Gilly can't believe it when Violet invites her to spend them at her family home, the crumbling Thornleigh Hall. When she arrives Gilly is dazzled by the family's faded grandeur and by Violet's older sisters who seem to accept her as one of their own. But then there is a terrible accident on the house's grounds. It becomes clear that the Claybourne sisters aren't what they first appear to be. What is really going on behind the walls?

This a dark story though and through. The story is full of unlikeable yet interesting characters. The book is well written and fully detailed.

Thank Sourcebooks Landmark, #partner, for the advanced e-copy of The Undoing of Violet Claybourne in exchange for my honest review.

I was initially drawn to this story because of it’s cover…I mean between the purples and that spooky looking mansion – doesn’t it just evoke an atmospheric, gothic-type read? And luckily for me, it delivered on both accounts!

This is the type of book I love to read – where nothing is as it seems. It’s a dark read, with so many secrets and lots of suspense. Set in the England in the 1930s, there are strong themes of mental health, friendship, education and status. While I didn’t necessarily like all the characters, I was invested enough in what was happening that I couldn’t walk away until I reached the end. The way these characters manipulated each other really was disturbing and I needed to find out why this was all happening. It was so easy to become caught up in all that was going on at Thornleigh Hall – for good or bad.

THE UNDOING OF VIOLET CLAYBOURNE by Emily Critchley

Holy gaslighting!

There is no love or loyalty to be found in the Claybourne family, that’s for sure. However there’s plenty of trauma, betrayals, and secrets to go around. I was reminded of old VC Andrews novels (minus the incest, ha) as every member of the family was problematic, devious, and morally grey - love unhinged characters!

On another note, I liked how (at the beginning) Gillian was a good friend and understanding/accepting of Violet’s “rituals” (OCD) and social anxiety/awkwardness. That was her one redeeming quality otherwise she was such a pushover.

This was so darkly gothic and tragic yet entertaining - loved it! It’s a bit of a slow burn, but the twists and turns kept me interested and the ending was so satisfying.


Rating: 4/5 ⭐️

Pub Date: 03.04.2025

**ARC courtesy of Netgalley & SourceBooks.

If you are looking for an unputdownable book that will keep you up way past when you should go to bed and work the next day, this one’s for you! This was my first historical fiction thriller and I really enjoyed it! Page turning, twist after twist, beautiful scenery, this book has it all! Throw in morally grey characters and you’re in for a ride! Highly enjoyed this one!

The Gothic novel appears to be experiencing a resurgence. I am curious if there is a connection between the world as it now is and the choice of going on scary fictional journeys. In any event, those who like their fiction a bit dark may want to give this one a look.

The story takes place in 1938 (also a time of political foreboding). Two friends, Gillian and the Violet of the title, are visiting Violet's family estate. (Go back, Gillian!!). Much happens as Violet's sisters involve Violet in sinister plotting. What follows is violent and complicated.

Reading this, I realized that the Gothic may not fully be for me. If it is for readers though, this delivers in spades.

Many thanks to Sourcebooks-Landmark for this title. All opinions are my own.

1938. Gillian is in boarding school sent by her father who works in Egypt. She doesn’t quite fit in. The girls around her are upper class and seem to belong to another world, very far removed from Gillian’s working class roots. When she is befriended by Violet and invited to Thornleigh Hall, a crumbling mansion Gillian is delighted but overwhelmed, knowing she has to be on guard all the time.

The family dynamics are peculiar - the lady of the house is not keen on education for girls. All she wants is advantageous marriages. The father is kindly, but does not like confrontations and lets his wife have her way, Emmeline the eldest is holding out for a proposal from the eligible Hugh, rich and with piles of property. Laura the second is in love with Charlie, considered not good enough by Lady Claiborne and we have the youngest Violet who is the focal point in the story.

Machinations of a Machiavellian nature on the part of Emmeline who orchestrates it all, followed blindly by the girls, betrayal by Gillian of the deepest kind puts Violet in an extremely bad place. Everyone turns a blind eye to the reality and so many are damaged beyond belief.

The story told in two time frames show the damage that was done which led to the destruction of an entire family. Destruction that was deliberate, homicidal, psychotic and unbelievable.

The author brought the most improbable scenarios to the plausible, absolutely believable

Fabulous story telling capturing settings from the decaying grandeur of the Hall, to destruction of London during the war. The settings play a big role in this story. The characters were a story in itself. Each one was a separate story.

Rating: 4/5 Stars
Genre: Historical Fiction/Mystery

Gillian Larkin while away at boarding school in 1938 is assigned to be roommates with the peculiar Violet Claybourne. They quickly become friends, despite Violet's differences, and Gilly is excited when Violet invites her home to Thornleigh Hall for Christmas. Gilly is completely swept away by the grandeur of Thornleigh, as well as Violet's two older sisters, Emmeline and Laura. Gilly will do anything to fit in with them. Then a terrible accident occurs on the grounds, and Gilly begins to realize the Claybourne sisters aren't exactly who she though they were. And now she is forced to make a choice that will change everyone's lives forever.

This was such a gothic, atmospheric read! I don't know why I wasn't expecting it, but it really was a nice surprise. Lots of dark secrets and suspense. Loved the setting in 1938 in England and exploring the themes of mental health, status, women, and education during this time. The characters were purposely unlikeable, but the book was still very enjoyable. That deep human need to be accepted and twisted into how it can also be dangerous was done so well with this book. Violet's character, especially, intrigued me so much and when you find out the double meaning of "undoing" in the title -- so interesting!!

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

2.5 - The story was well-written and interesting, but I really did not like the characters. There was so much heaviness with very, very little to balance it out.

No other way to say it - this book is dark. The mystery and secrets at the heart of this novel are hard to stomach, surprising and shocking. Critchley successfully builds a world in which Gillian, friendless at boarding school until the new girl Violet Claybourne arrives, travels home with Violet to her family's crumbling estate for the 1938 Christmas season. To say much more would spoil the surprises Critchley has in store. Critchley is an expert at conveying pre-and post- WW2 London and Oxfordshire, the mores and foibles of the British upper class and the youthful feeling of needing to belong. Highly recommended for fans of tragic British historical mysteries. Thank you to Sourceboooks Landmark and NetGalley for the DRC.

The Undoing of Violet Claybourne is a haunting exploration of acceptance from family, from society, and from ourselves. It delves into themes of belonging, friendship, mental health, and trauma, asking just how far one might go to find their place in the world.

Set across different timelines, the story follows Gillian, a girl longing for family, and Violet, a member of the titled class whose mind often wanders. When Violet invites Gillian to spend Christmas at Thornleigh Hall, Gillian is captivated by its grandeur. But appearances can be deceiving. As the layers of Thornleigh Hall’s past begin to unravel, Gillian is forced to make choices that echo for generations.🏘

🏕This gothic, atmospheric story is chilling in so many ways. Each character has their own reasons for their actions, but beneath it all lies a deep yearning for acceptance and belonging. The psychological manipulation in this book is disturbing, yet the reasons behind it that is revealed later are heartbreakingly understandable. I couldn’t help but wish someone had shown compassion to these girls. Their pain, their trauma that is hard to read at times, and even harder to forget.

This is a novel that's hard to put down, not just because of its chilling twists, but because you become deeply entangled in the world of Violet Claybourne.🏕

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for this atmospheric read.

CW: Some topics in this book can be disturbing, so caution is advised.

This atmospheric novel is full of intrigue and unsavory characters. I went in blind and was a bit surprised by the dynamic. The story follows Gillian who befriends the eccentric Violet Claybourne who Gillian is very pleased to have made friends with because she usually goes unnoticed and left out. When Gillian is invited to spend the holidays with Violet and her family, we begin to see that this story seems to be about social status. Gillian is enthralled by Violet and her life as she is much wealthier. When Gillian is invited to Violet’s estate she is enthusiastic until she finds out that all is not what it seems with the Claybourne family. There are many betrayals and hidden family secrets. Despite realizing that the Claybourne family is not what she imagined, she still feels as if she needs to become like them to fit in. Gillian is thrilled to be accepted by Violet’s sisters and feels a sense of belonging that she hasn’t felt before. This book nods toward the social class structure and the “haves” and “have-nots” of society. There is also mental health representation in this novel that I can appreciate. While this wasn’t a book I absolutely loved, I did enjoy some parts and understood the main theme(s) within the story. I think this book would be a great read for anyone who enjoys historical fiction and the YA category.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

An interesting take on gaslighting and a solidly written Gothic suspense novel.

I liked the premise for this book a lot, a bit of an original twist on the gaslighting of a central character in a Gothic setting.

The atmosphere and eerie slow build here are well-rendered, as is the book’s macabre and isolated sense of place.

The story unfortunately fades a bit down the home stretch, building to what you expect to be an impressive denouement but is instead more of a slow deterioration. Still, that’s not to say that where the story goes is at all unsatisfying, and it does serve a bit of justice in the closing chapters, futile though it may be.

For the most part I enjoyed this, and it’s probably a four star read in terms of quality of story. That said, as per personal policy, I knocked off a star for the needless inclusion of an upsetting pet murder.

Critchley has written a rich gothic tale in 'The Undoing of Violet Claybourne.' While there are no supernatural elements, there is a feeling dread and foreboding throughout the novel. The novel follows Gillian and the Claybourne sisters, and what Gilly is willing to do to fit in. The novel is very atmospheric, especially when considering the mansion and grounds. 5 stars.