The House on Biscayne Bay by Chanel Cleeton #bookreview #audiobook

Thank you PRH Audio for the ALC of The House on Biscayne Bay in exchange for my honest review.

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Published: April 2, 2024

 

Summary:

As death stalks a gothic mansion in Miami, the lives of two women intertwine as the past and present collide in New York Times bestselling author Chanel Cleeton’s atmospheric new novel.

With the Great War finally behind them, thousands of civilians and business moguls alike flock to South Florida with their sights set on making a fortune. When wealthy industrialist Robert Barnes and his wife, Anna, build Marbrisa, a glamorous estate on Biscayne Bay, they become the toast of the newly burgeoning society. Anna and Robert appear to have it all, but in a town like Miami, appearances can be deceiving, and one scandal can change everything.

Years later following the tragic death of her parents in Havana, Carmen Acosta journeys to Marbrisa, the grand home of her estranged older sister, Carolina, and her husband, Asher Wyatt. On the surface, the gilded estate looks like paradise, but Carmen quickly learns that nothing at Marbrisa is as it seems. The house has a treacherous legacy, and Carmen’s own life is soon in jeopardy . . . unless she can unravel the secrets buried beneath the mansion’s facade and stop history from repeating itself.

 

My thoughts:

I am still relatively new to Chanel Cleeton’s books, this being my 2nd time reading her, however I am most definitely a fan! I loved Next Year in Havana and while I am excited to continue on with that series, I could not resist picking this new one up…a gothic historical mystery is everything I love!

I found myself completely immersed in this story right from the start and I loved that. The story is so atmospheric and I loved that the mansion itself, called Marbrisa, is like a character in the story. The use of the dual timeline really kept me engaged and guessing as to how the story would unfold, especially with the mystery of the murder – I had my guesses as to what had happened but never did I quite get there. The hints that the mansion might be haunted, or even cursed, really adds a layer of tension to the book and I loved that there were bits of history woven in as well.

I loved the characters that we meet, all so richly developed and I found myself equally drawn to both timelines, wanting more from each every time we would switch. Secrets abound in this story and I loved how things are most definitely not what they seem.

As I already mentioned, this is only my second time reading this author, but I love how I have already picked up on some of her signature styles and cannot wait to pick up more of her books. I have a feeling she is quickly going to become a favorite author!

 

Audio thoughts:

I loved the way this was narrated, with two different narrators, one for each timeline. Both Caroline Hewitt and Frankie Corzo did such a great job with their parts, their voices different enough that I never had trouble differentiating what section I was listening to. It really was a great book to listen to, due in part to their stellar narration!

 

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