Fiercombe Manor by Kate Riordan

Final Rating: 4/5

 
In the summer of 1933, a near forgotten mystery waits...

   A harmless distraction soon becomes a vivid obsession for a young woman in this atmospheric suspenseful tale that is sure to excite those who love the classic Gothic genre. In Fiercombe Manor, we are first introduced to Alice Eveleigh who explains her situation and moves on to the events that led her to the door of Fiercombe Manor and the summer of 1933. From her first view of the butter colored ancestral English manor she means to learn more about her temporary surroundings and soon her raw curiosity leads her into a near forgotten mystery that has been waiting regarding a respected beauty named Lady Elizabeth Stanton. Immediately Alice's benign interest seems to wake the manor and something else takes an interest in her as the charming facade of the welcoming stones falls away and uncovers something that will not be ignored ever again. As the pages turn we follow Alice as she sinks deeper into the dark secrets and ill-fated history of this neglected manor its shadowed grounds and reveals the story of Lady Elizabeth Stanton and a granite residence called Stanton House. It seems Alice has unclasped a malignant trove of secrets and lies and what that is finally exposed may cost her dearly.

   In the end, this one is a keeper. It may have started out deliberately slow and paced and unfortunately I was more interested in the past versus the present narration and couldn't wait to find another chapter regarding Elizabeth; it still ended with a resounding finish though and I am excited to recommend this read. This read captured all the allure of the some of the greats of the classic Gothic genre and even managed to stand apart from its obvious inspiration and grip this reader with a haunting story that continues to unveil different hidden topics and messages days after I have finished. Not only did Fiercombe Manor capture my interest with traversing the suspense, little psychological webs of lies and forced obligations and expectations of the eras but to my complete surprise this read touched an overlooked portion of medical history and malignant malady that brought depth to the characters and had this reader eagerly reaching for her kindle as soon as real life allowed and that is what makes this read not just a good read but a great one. I will definitely be reading another novel by this author.

* I would like to thank Harper and Edelweiss for the opportunity to read and enjoy Fiercombe Manor