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A review by beate251
The Ravenswood Witch by Jenni Keer
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC.
It's the year 1885 in rural Victorian England. A young woman on the run from a murder accusation trips over a man and breaks her ankle, just metres from the ferry that could get her to safety. But now Marcus Greybourne does something strange - he tells the police she's his reclusive wife of ten years Luna and to leave her alone.
He offers her temporary reprieve at Ravenswood Hall until her ankle heals if she keeps up the charade of being his wife so he can keep getting access to Luna's money. She accepts but soon fears she made the wrong choice. The dilapidated house is unsettling - the garden is in ruins, the furniture is destroyed, the scratched walls have weird symbols on them and there are only two servants left - the Webbers, a husband and wife team that has seen better days.
Also, where is the real Luna Greybourne, and is she really the Ravensbourne Witch? The superstitious villagers certainly seem to think so. At the very least she's mentally unstable, judging from the state of the house and garden.
So begins a story of secrets, lies and hidden identities. In a dual timeline we switch from the present to the past and learn what happened to bring the young woman to this spooky place. The story of Eloise Houghton who fell in love with unsuitable Daniel Thornberry is compelling. He seems to be very progressive for his time with his longing for equality to all men (women of course not included), his atheism, contempt for the monarchy and disrespect for "his betters". But it looks like his romantic entanglements will become his undoing.
At the same time we see how Luna settles into her new role, tames a lonely raven and makes friends with kindly Mr Findlay, a herbal healer with leanings towards the occult, whom her husband can't stand and forbids her from seeing.
The setting is atmospheric, gothic and eerie, just right for an autumn read coming up to Halloween. There are a lot of rational explanations given for spooky goings on and yet you know something isn't right and not explainable through conventional wisdom.
This is one of the most unusual and original stories I've ever read. It's a cross between a murder mystery, a supernatural thriller and romance in a historical setting. The characters are well-drawn and compelling. Marcus and new Luna are both lost and damaged souls managing to rescue each other in this unconventional set-up they have created. But something is threatening their new-found romance and wants to destroy everything. Can they find the culprit in time and repair Luna's reputation, meaning they can have a future together, or will their past demeanours catch up with them?
I loved how the story unfolded but particularly the two big twists about 75% in, which took me completely by surprise. Totally spellbinding. Read this in one sitting. Jenni Keer is an author to watch!
It's the year 1885 in rural Victorian England. A young woman on the run from a murder accusation trips over a man and breaks her ankle, just metres from the ferry that could get her to safety. But now Marcus Greybourne does something strange - he tells the police she's his reclusive wife of ten years Luna and to leave her alone.
He offers her temporary reprieve at Ravenswood Hall until her ankle heals if she keeps up the charade of being his wife so he can keep getting access to Luna's money. She accepts but soon fears she made the wrong choice. The dilapidated house is unsettling - the garden is in ruins, the furniture is destroyed, the scratched walls have weird symbols on them and there are only two servants left - the Webbers, a husband and wife team that has seen better days.
Also, where is the real Luna Greybourne, and is she really the Ravensbourne Witch? The superstitious villagers certainly seem to think so. At the very least she's mentally unstable, judging from the state of the house and garden.
So begins a story of secrets, lies and hidden identities. In a dual timeline we switch from the present to the past and learn what happened to bring the young woman to this spooky place. The story of Eloise Houghton who fell in love with unsuitable Daniel Thornberry is compelling. He seems to be very progressive for his time with his longing for equality to all men (women of course not included), his atheism, contempt for the monarchy and disrespect for "his betters". But it looks like his romantic entanglements will become his undoing.
At the same time we see how Luna settles into her new role, tames a lonely raven and makes friends with kindly Mr Findlay, a herbal healer with leanings towards the occult, whom her husband can't stand and forbids her from seeing.
The setting is atmospheric, gothic and eerie, just right for an autumn read coming up to Halloween. There are a lot of rational explanations given for spooky goings on and yet you know something isn't right and not explainable through conventional wisdom.
This is one of the most unusual and original stories I've ever read. It's a cross between a murder mystery, a supernatural thriller and romance in a historical setting. The characters are well-drawn and compelling. Marcus and new Luna are both lost and damaged souls managing to rescue each other in this unconventional set-up they have created. But something is threatening their new-found romance and wants to destroy everything. Can they find the culprit in time and repair Luna's reputation, meaning they can have a future together, or will their past demeanours catch up with them?
I loved how the story unfolded but particularly the two big twists about 75% in, which took me completely by surprise. Totally spellbinding. Read this in one sitting. Jenni Keer is an author to watch!