Title: Girls of Brackenhill
Author: Kate Moretti
Published: November 2020, Thomas & Mercer
Format: ARC Paperback, 332 pages
Source: Publisher
Summary:
Haunted by her
sister’s disappearance, a troubled woman becomes consumed by past
secrets in this gripping thriller from the New York Times bestselling
author of The Vanishing Year.
When Hannah Maloney’s
aunt dies in a car accident, she returns to her family’s castle in the
Catskills and the epicenter of a childhood trauma: her sister’s unsolved
disappearance. It’s been seventeen years, and though desperate to start
a new life with her fiancé, Hannah is compelled to question the events
of her last summer at Brackenhill.
When a human bone is found
near the estate, Hannah is convinced it belongs to her long-lost sister.
She launches her own investigation into that magical summer that ended
in a nightmare. As strange happenings plague the castle, Hannah uncovers
disturbing details about the past and startling realizations about her
own repressed childhood memories.
Fueled by guilt over her
sister’s vanishing, Hannah becomes obsessed with discovering what
happened all those years ago, but by the time Hannah realizes some
mysteries are best left buried, it’s too late to stop digging.
Overwhelmed by what she has exposed, Hannah isn’t sure her new life can
survive her old ghosts.
My thoughts: I am such a fan of Kate Moretti’s books! She can sure write a twisted, thrilling story that leaves you
turning those pages, not sure where it is all heading as is clearly evidenced by this latest book.
I am always a fan of gothic novels and when you throw in deliciously twisted, well-developed characters that you aren’t quite sure you can trust, I am all in. Add in a haunted house and a family fueled by secrets and I couldn’t tear myself away. I loved how this whole book was narrated by our main character, Hannah – sometimes it’s a nice change of pace to just have one narrator rather than multiple ones.
This pacing of this story is just right and it is so atmospheric. The tension is so taut and there is a sense of creepiness to the book. Having the story move back and forth in time just amped up that tension as Hannah starts to remember what happened those summers she spent at Brackenhill with her sister.
This book is thrilling and downright chilling at times, and the twists and turns keep you turning the pages until you reach the conclusion. While I did figure a few things out, I was still completely drawn in and needed to see how everything fit together. I definitely recommend picking this one up!
Sounds very gothic, thanks for sharing your thoughts