Dark, complex, well researched and well plotted. Really appreciated it
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

A debut novel that predicts great things from Tess Burnett. The character development in this book is beyond compare to any I've read in awhile.....and I read alot. Whether its the 1700's Hettie Gale and her tormentors or the present day Alice as she searches for her cousin,Fleur, there's a 3 dimensional feel to all of them. The story evokes so many emotions it's a wonder I didn't throw my kindle at points. When you tie all of that together, you get a book that's very hard to set down and leaves you grateful you were not a young woman in the 1700s. 5 very BIG stars.

I liked the premise behind this novel, with its setting between the past and the present and the layered mystery.

Hettie’s story was heartbreaking, and showed the grim reality of life for women in the 1700s. Her story and voice was really interesting, and I’d have liked to hear a bit more of it.

Alice’s story in the modern day was interesting, and we got to see her finding more about Hettie and developing new relationships and reliving memories.

However, I didn’t feel like the stories of the three women always connected, leaving some gaps and questions. The novel’s subplots didn’t feel like they quite knitted together.

This was an entertaining and interesting read, but there were a few things missing for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Hanging of Hettie Gale by Tess Burnett is a gripping historical novel that delves into themes of injustice, resilience, and the fight for truth. Set against a richly detailed backdrop, Burnett masterfully brings to life the struggles of the protagonist as she navigates societal norms and personal trials. The narrative is both poignant and thought-provoking, with well-drawn characters that evoke empathy and understanding. This compelling tale keeps readers on the edge of their seats, making it a powerful and unforgettable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloodhound Books as well as the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
#NetGalley #BloodhoundBooks #TessBurnett #TheHauntingofHettieGale

Title: The Haunting of Hettie Gale
Author: Tess Burnett
Format: eBook
Publisher: Bloodhound Books
Publication Date: October 7, 2024
Themes: feminism, historical horror, family relationships,
Trigger Warnings: rape, incest, gang rape, hanging, child death, pedophilia,

I adored this. The story follows Hettie Gale (1700s) and Alice (present day) as their stories converge through Hettie’s journals that Alice finds while looking for her missing cousin. They soon realize their stories aren’t that different.

What a debut! This was a wonderful novel. The author demonstrates some serious writing chops, weaving her compelling characters together with her duel timelines. My heart broke for Hettie’s plight. There are some scenes of rape in this novel that are very upsetting without a lot of detail. It’s a very effective way to gain sympathy for the character without resorting to a lot of gory detail. The two characters, Hettie and Alice, are strong and compelling women. Each woman has her own distinctive voice and both are forces to be reckoned with. My only complaint about this novel is that I wish it were longer.


All in all, The author is one to watch. I can’t wait to see what else she writes. I highly recommend this novel!

Stomachs lurch, clench, twist, knot, flutter a lot in this dual aspect novel about an 18thC child murderess and a modern day woman whose cousin is missing on the Moors.
Over 50 mentions of tea and 50 of tears (fall, stream, prick, build, run down, flow, shed, sniffed back, wet, cloud, mingle, scald, escape) make this a rather moist story.
The plot itself will require the reader to abandon a fair amount of logic, mainly that a character that arrived to search for a missing person will instead go off and research an 18thC wrongly convicted woman: “(…)that she was becoming obsessed with something that happened centuries ago, something she could do nothing about, when she should be actively doing something about Fleur.”
Still, the story has a good pace and climactic reveal.

Thank you NetGalley and Bloodhound Books for this eCopy to review

The Hanging of Hettie Gale is an atmospheric and haunting story. Burnett weaves a tale that spans centuries, bringing to life the eerie, windswept moors and the chilling events that transpire there. Hettie Gale's tragic story, set against the backdrop of the 1700s, is compelling, drawing me into a world of superstition and injustice.

In contrast, the contemporary storyline featuring Alice McKenna's quest to uncover her cousin's disappearance and its connection to Hettie's fate adds a layer of intrigue and urgency that kept me on the edge of my seat.

Burnett's skilful storytelling, vivid descriptions, and characterisation make this novel a gripping read from start to finish. Each twist and turn left me wanting more, and the seamless blending of historical and modern elements created a rich, immersive experience.

The Hanging of Hettie Gale is a must-read for anyone who loves a good historical mystery with a gothic twist.

What a fabulous debut novel.
Incredibly emotive, but with a fast pace and a fantastic dual timeline that is the epitome of a brilliant historical mystery!
I adored this. Some scenes broke my heart to read, but it made it all the more powerful. I'm a huge dual timeline fan, and this was executed perfectly.
Bravo, Tess Burnett!

Tess Burnett's debut book is everything you could want in a Gothic story~ Murder, revenge, ghosts, vengeance, and retribution. I loved this book and it is perfect for fans of C.J. Cooke and Simone St James.

It's difficult to put into word just how much I enjoyed this book. A beautifully written tragedy. The dual timelines are so skillfully interwoven coupled with the dual narrative. The description of the setting drew me in. I was so intrigued with Hettie's story which was definitely what kept me reading and trying to finish the book in one sitting. A fantastic read.

The Hanging of Hettie Gale was a wonderful supernatural mystery.

Alice has always been fascinated by the tale of Hettie Gale a young woman accused of murdering her son and hanged in 1776. Alice spent her summers as a child visiting the moors where Hettie was hanged. The cottage her family stayed in belonged to her wealthy aunt and uncle. Now her aunt and uncle are dead and her selfish, difficult cousin Fleur has disappeared. The local police contact Alice and she returns to the cottage to help in the search for her cousin. Fleur is not the only person to have mysteriously disappeared over the past 200 years. As Alice searches for her cousin, she finds herself drawn further and further into the story of Hettie. She feels the spirit of Hettie guiding her on her quest. Was Hettie really guilty of killing her young son? Or was she the victim of a corrupt court and townspeople? With the assistance of diaries from the women of the Denny- Hurst family, the family from the local manor house, Alice starts to piece together what really happened to Hettie and all the missing people over the past two centuries. The Ghost of Hettie is felt throughout the book and the horrors that she endured are the reason why she and her son cannot rest. From the 1st page we see the atrocites committed against Hettie and understand why her soul is not at rest. I loved this book, The mystery of what happened to Hettie and her son, the diaries of the Denny-Hurst women, women trying to make a mark in a man’s world were fascinating. I enjoyed the build up to the resolution of what happened to Fleur and all the other missing people over the years. I look forward to the next book by this author,

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher Bloodhound Books and the author for the chance to read and review this book.

If I could, I would love to give Tess Burnett’s “The Hanging of Hettie Gale” more than five stars. This paranormal and ghostly historical fiction tale certainly deserves a lot of attention.

“The Hanging of Hettie Gale” is set in The Moor of England in the late 1700s and introduces us to such an outstanding character, Hettie, but under absolutely horrific circumstances. From the very first chapter, we are with Hettie in what you think is one of the worst moments of her life. Life is certainly not easy for Hettie, and it is heartbreaking and devastating to read. It left me with all sorts of emotions. She is such a kind soul and becomes such a loving and protective young mother. Her voice is reflective of the time period, setting, and her lack of education, which really made her character come alive for me, and I love her even more.

With only a few years of being a mother to her golden child, an abominable and heinous crime is committed against Hettie, yet she is charged with murder - leading to her conviction and hanging.

Jurors, judges, soldiers, and neighboring families have their secrets to keep. History has a tale that survives centuries.

And now, The Moor is known to be haunted, and bodies continue to disappear in the last place Hettie’s son was known to be alive in 1772.

In a dual narrative set centuries apart, Burnett weaves another storyline into Hettie’s. It’s present day, and Alice is returning to their family cottage in The Moor to search for her missing cousin. They spent their childhood summers at Crag Cottage and grew up reading stories about Hettie, who lived not far from their cottage, and the ghost who drowns their victims in the surrounding waters.

Alice has always felt this strange connection to Hettie since she was a young girl. Ever since she first read her story and visited the tiny barn, she lived in so long ago with her young child. She always wondered more about her. Alice always felt a cool breeze and would notice black crow feathers as if Hettie was there, trying to tell her something. And now that she’s back to find her cousin, who was last seen walking towards The Moor, these feelings and connections to Hettie are even stronger.

The storyline weaves between Alice and Hettie as Alice meets with locals, visits museums and libraries, and reads through old diaries and deathbed confessions to piece together what really happened that dreadful day that Hettie was charged with murder. She realizes that if she can solve this mystery, she may be able to find her cousin.

I was fascinated by Burnett’s skillful storytelling, intricate plots, and connecting details to piece together the mystery.

I feel the need to touch on Hettie once more. The author’s writing creates a compelling and emotional character in Hettie. There are so many lines I would love to quote here, but there is a paragraph towards the end where Hettie (as a ghost) talks about watching the others who came to the pond over the years, die. And how maybe (as a ghost) she could have saved them, but she watched them die and then wondered if that made her a bad person. And what she says after that about being watched herself by the soldiers, during her sentencing, while she stood at the Hanging Tree, and while she died while they cheered, was so very profound and moving. I didn’t want the story to end - simply for this character.

Thank you, #NetGalley, #TessBurnett, and #BloodhoundBooks for eARC in exchange for my honest review. I absolutely loved this book!

TRIGGER WARNINGS: Incest, gang rape, sexual abuse, thoughts of pedophilia by a character, child death.

I absolutely loved this book. The characters captured my imagination and I could really get into them and as for the storyline it kept me interested from start to finish. First by this author for me and I will 100% be reading more. As an arc I am pleased to have had the opportunity to read and review this book. I don’t feel my words would do this book justice. What an absolutely fantastic read this book turned out to be. I couldn’t put it down so I didn’t and finished it in the day devouring every page turn.
The 243 year old unsolved crime, wrongly accused and hanged young Hettie Gale the tortured soul still roaming the lands trying to get justice.
Alice , living in London lost after the death of her mother, receives a call asking for info on her missing cousin. Cousin Fleur whom Alice as a child had spent holidays with at Fleurs family cottage has disappeared and Alice makes the decision to travel to the cottage to help the Police find Fleur.
Alice becomes enthralled in the history of the village particularly the death of young Hettie who was sentenced to death by Hanging at a young age for the murder of her 3 year old son.
The story takes Alice through a ghostly dark past bringing everything to the present.
Will Alice solve the mystery and rewrite history and will Hettie story surprise and shock everyone and as for Fleur what does become of her???
Give it a read to find out you won’t be disappointed !

This was such a good book, I couldn't believe it was over already. The way it was written, it was so detailed I felt like I could actually see what was happening

I highly highly reccomend it!

I finished this book more than a week ago but I’ve been trying to think of how to describe how intricate and detailed this book was. I haven’t read a book like this in some time. The author took their time connecting all of the pieces of the story. The details were interwoven with perfection!

The story of Hettie Gale is a historical fiction story taking place simultaneously in modern day and 28th century England. In the beginning, we are introduced to Alice who has come to search for her missing cousin at their childhood cottage in a small town in England. We are introduced to the story of Hettie Gale, a young woman living in the 18th century, she endures abuse and abandonment from a young age and is left to fend for herself and her young child. Although, she experiences some kindness from neighbours, her life is hard and she abandoned and neglected by her family. Hettie’s life is cut short when she is falsely accused of murdering her child. The novel has a supernatural element as the main character uncovers the truth about Hettie Gale; her family’s secrets, the injustice she faced, and uncovering the truth of what really happened that day.

My favourite part was when Alice was reading the journals passed down by the mistresses who lived in a local house. I loved hearing bits of their stories and the clues they revealed that allowed Alice to investigate her cousins disappearance. Thank you for NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced reader copy. My opinions are my own. I really enjoyed this novel!

Warning The Hanging of Hettie Gale deals with dark matter such as rape.

The start of this novel is exceptionally jarring to read. We are thrown right into a horrific expierience for this young woman that changes her life forever and brands her as an outcast from not only friends but her family. We travel back and forth through the chapters with Alice who is in present day. Alice has learned that her cousin Fleur has gone missing on the moors, someplace Alice knows for a fact that Fleur hates to be at. So off she goes to the moors to try and find out what has happened to Fleur and in the process finds herself pulled into the myths that surround the very moors that she herself loves. As a child visiting her Aunt and Uncles cottage on the moors she loved to lock herself away in the attic and read one of the books that told stories and poems about the moors. The book would always fall open to the same poem everytime about a mother who kills her child and it hung. It has always sat wrong with Alice this story of this young mother. In the process of searching for Fleur learns of Hettie Gale the young mother that was sentenced to hang for a crime Alice doesn't believe she commited. Looking into Hettie's history she notices a disturbing pattern of peopledisappearing ont he moors that seem to coinside with the men who were on Hettie's jury.

We learn of Hettie through her own words as we travel back through time in the chapters of the book and learn about what befell poor Hettie and her golden haired child. All Hettie wants is justice for herself and her boy. She will stop at nothing to get it even if that means haunting the moors long after she is gone until she feels her and her son can finally rest. 7 jurors on her jury then and she will have a new 7 now that shall judge her fairly this time.

I want to thank #Netgalley for the chance to read #TheHangingOfHettieGale by #TessBurnett in return for a fair and honest review.

When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it! The way Hettie told her story in her own tongue of 1772 felt really authentic and beautifully sad alongside the dual timeline of modern day Alice as she delved deeper into the mysteries and history of The Moor. I loved the pull and connection between the two of them.

I loved the journal entries from the women of 'the big house', I loved how atmospheric the settings were and I loved how each character from days gone by were really given their own depth of realism..it truly felt like I was reiving history with the discovery of the story.

A really great story...and that's a fact !

"But I have my health and I have my boy, and I can find joy in my heart and in the beauty of the world that we live in, and that’s more’n some folk have."

Hettie Gale abused by her father and abandoned by her family she has to build a new life for herself and her son. Until an encounter sees Hettie sentenced to death.

Alice's cousin has disappeared from her cottage. Alice returns to the village to help find Fleur but becomes increasingly obsessed with the legend of Hettie Gale. She discovers some old journals and begins to piece together the mysterious disappearances that have happened on the Moors.

This is a historical fiction with a paranormal element and Tess Burnett fits the two together perfectly. Told in dual timelines the characters are well developed and likeable.

Hettie's side of the story is where I was pulled the most her circumstances are harrowing for a girl of her age. Justice for her and her child is what she seeks from beyond the grave.

This was an absolutely fascinating read and it is a must for any historical fiction fan and perfect for spooky season.

I recieved a copy of this story from Bloodhound Books and Netgalley in return for an honest review.

"Love will never die. A mother's fury will live forever..."

Set on the Moors in the 18th century, the story tells the tale of Hettie Gale. Abused and abandoned by her family, Hettie carves out a new life for herself and her son.
When Hettie is then assaulted and the men who carry out the attack lie about the event, it is Hettie who is sentenced to death.

In the present, Alice recieves a call from the Police to tell her that her Cousin Fleur has gone missing from her home, Crag Cottage on the Moors. Having spent many summers there with Fleur, she decides to go back and help in the search for her cousin.
She heads to the village, where she becomes engrossed in the legends of Hettie Gale.
She happens upon a set of journals that slowly reveal clues as to what has happened to the large number of people who have mysteriously gone missing on the Moors over the years.
Alice wonders if there could be a perplexing link between what happened to Hattie, and Fleur's disappearance. She aims to find out.

A ghostly tale, I loved this book from the first page. What first grabbed me was the inspirational way the author chose to write Hettie in the dialect of18th century England. This made her character come alive. The way that the author described the abuse dished out to Hettie was gently put even though the event was sordid.
Alice's memory of her holiday and the family's happy times at Crag Cottage are what bring her back, not it seems, the missing cousin whom she dislikes intensely. I found her a little selfish and judgemental, so didn't quite warm to her as much as I maybe should have. She spends little time searching for her cousin and more time trying to uncover the truth of what happened to Hettie. But as the story goes on, Alice becomes more likeable, she has a determined streak that gives her character substance, and in the end, I found myself admiring her tenacity.

The author has given a lot of thought to the story, and this is evident in the way the story gradually builds, whilst giving the reader time to make their own judgement. I found myself excited to read on, but at the same time, I didn't want the book to end.

For lovers of mystery, historical fiction, supernatural fiction.

This is a dual timeline book that goes from the 1700's where we find Hettie Gale trying to make a life for her and her son in the Moor but life is not like it should be. Then we come to the present day where we find Alice returning to the Moor to find her missing cousin and while there becomes obsessed with the story of Hettie. Is there a link in this mystery?

I love this book, the mystery, how the stories intwine and the emotions within the pages of this book. It is a story you can delve into, immerse yourself in and become a part of. It is so well written , the characters are well developed and the story flows well making it easy to read and follow. There is a lot of interesting and intriguing things going on in this book and I enjoyed reading it and highly recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley and Bloodhound Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.