Liane Dillsworth's House of Shades is a gothic historical drama that blends themes of resilience and identity. Set against the backdrop of Victorian London, the story traces the experiences of doctress Hester Reeve, who has been offered a life-changing commission. But arriving at Tall Trees, she soon discoveres that not all is as it seems and dark secrets await. 

Dillsworth’s prose is richly descriptive, bringing to life the grime and glamour of the era in equal measure. Every detail feels painstakingly researched. The characters, too, are complex and compelling. 

That said, the pacing was occasionally too slow, and I thought the novel suffered from mis-marketing to tap into the popular genre of pseudo-historical haunted house gothic novels - it seems to promise a dark, mysterious, gothic tale centering around a possibly haunted house, but the story that unfolds is merely historical, about the secrets of the family that lives there. As such, the book did not quite meet the expectations I had going in, and I have to admit that I was partly a little bored of the story. 
And while this is a personal preference and does therefore not influence my rating, I also do not enjoy the kind of historicising novel that uses a thoroughly modern heroine and puts her into a corset and frock to push a feminist message before a Victorian background. Your mileage here will vary. 

Aside from that, House of Shades is a well-written novel that will appeal to fans of historical fiction with a (very) light touch of the gothic and spunky heroines. Liane Dillsworth has a keen eye for human vulnerability and a talent for crafting a story that is both gripping and emotionally resonant. 

I want to thank NetGalley and Random House for a free copy in exchange for a free review. All opinions here expressed are my own.