I am so glad I found this new author. She, like me, grew up reading mysteries and this one she wrote is an ABSOLUTE gem. Though I did think the story dragged a bit at times, overall this is a real “ interest grabber” that won’t let you go. I normally can guess who the villain is at least half way through the book and was shocked to realize I couldn’t pinpoint the one until the big reveal. I adored Diana and her ,”where there is smoke, there is fire” attitude. Her investigations were well written and her mistakes very human. The Captain was equally enthralling with the guilt he was carrying. I felt so much for Miss Emma and how the author wrote about her issues and the way Diana helped her was positively divine! I could feel Emma’s pain and angst and Diana’s frustration. The curse was an interesting part of the story, as was the lawyer. Pulling it all together is a testament to this author’s abilities and I will be reading her again!

I received this story for free and these are my own views.

This was definitely more mystery and slice of life than Romance, I would actually say it was quite light on the Romance but I enjoyed this book a lot. This reminds me of one my favorite books I read as a child (I never read Jane Erye so I cannot make the comparisons there). It was defiantly a little spooky with the legend and I think the final chapter set up the remainder of the series as we didn't really see her sisters till then. But the mystery was interesting, the spooky things happening around the castle had me nervous. I liked seeing how much Diana really loved teaching and how much thought she put in to finding the right way to get through to her charge, it was endearing. Our Captain was in the book but really very much a secondary character and this was single POV so we never really saw his side except when it was told to Diana. I liked this book a lot and I hope the next comes out soon.

This book is a perfect read for fans of Jane Eyre, Northanger Abbey, or Rebecca. It has an intriguing mystery at the center of its plot along with romance, friendship, and character growth - all of my favorite things in a book! Diana and William are both great characters, and the side characters are all wonderful as well: a colorful cast that will leave you guessing about “whodunit.”

There was one small plot event that didn’t make sense to me and there were a few phrases that felt too modern, but otherwise, this was basically a perfect read! I recommend this book to fans of historical mystery with closed-door romance. I will definitely look for more from Syrie James.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dragonblade for the free eARC. I post this review with my honest opinions. It is cross-posted on Goodreads, and will be posted on Amazon and Instagram upon the book’s publication.

Content notes: discussions of suicide, including characters who believed it was a mortal sin; past death of a parent; learning disability; mentions of blood and injury; relationship between a governess and master (but the power dynamics aren’t too icky)

Syrie James is an author whose books I read and loved way before bookstagram. I was enthralled with this gothic tale from the very beginning and it had me on the edge of my seat until the end. The book is filled with clever nods to Jane Eyre, but is entirely a unique tale of gothic suspense all its own. This was such a satisfying reading experience! Great reveals and an intriguing mystery! I’m eager to read the next book in this promising series

. Good to Know:
A couple of instances of mild profanity, reference to infidelity, kisses only romance

Thank you, Dragonblade Publishing for a complimentary copy of the book via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Diana and her sisters have had changed circumstances and she is now serving as a governess.
Diana’s godmother asks her to go to Pendowar Hall and investigate the unusual events surrounding her brother’s death.
Diana reluctantly agrees and travels to the Hall to become a governess.
Captain William has inherited the Hall.
Mysterious happenings abound as Diana tries to figure the mystery.
Twists and turns with characters being well written.
Romance also creeps in to complicate the issue.

I thought this was a great start to the series. It introduces the recurring characters and their background but leaves a lot of room for more development of the two sisters who are not the focus of this book. The ending also leaves a little hint at what might be ahead for Athena and Selena in the next book. There is a lot going on in book 1 and I never felt like the author was trying to do too much. Each aspect of the story gets just the right amount of attention and development. I enjoyed how Diana was able to grow and learn to be more flexible in how she worked with Emma and in helping Emma and William forge their own bond. It was also really interesting to see how dyslexia may have been considered in the 19th century. I thought the mystery part was really well done - there were plenty of twists and turns and red herrings to keep me guessing. I was so sure I knew who the murderer was right up until the truth about that person came out. I did not see the actual murderer coming until they were revealed to Diana. The character of William was also more than just a secondary character/love interest for the heroine and since the entire book is told from Diana's point of view, we as the reader get to learn about him at the same time as Diana - which keeps you guessing as to what his motives are in some situations. I'm curious to see if Diana will appear in the future books and in what capacity since her sisters only make a short appearance through letters and then at the end.

This was such an enjoyable read. I really enjoyed myself. It was a fantastic Gothic victorian mystery, with some lovely and swoony romantic elements added into it. Perfect read for anyone that is looking for a more adult version of Enola Holmes, or other historical mystery heroines. I can't recommend this book enough, it was so much fun.