Today I’m joining the blog tour for Thornby Manor. My review is written with thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me on the blog tour and to Orenda Books for my copy of the book.

Blurb:

There – suddenly – was Thornby Manor.

I would never forget the first time I saw it…

A talisman of darkness, an emblem of death.

Warwickshire, 1891. Recently orphaned and left destitute, Briar Monroe accepts the protection of Lord Danville and the shadowed sanctuary of Thornby Manor. The great house looms above a mist-shrouded lake, its corridors heavy with secrets – not least the mysterious death of Lady Elizabeth Danville, and the unspoken tensions between her formidable widower and his magnetic son, Gabriel.

As Briar navigates the undercurrents of a household ruled by watchful servants and locked doors, she is drawn ever deeper into a web of suspicion, desire and fear. Whispers in the night, figures at windows, and a constant sense of being watched leave her questioning not only the truth about Thornby, but her own safety within its walls.

Atmospheric, intoxicating and laced with peril, Thornby Manor is a gothic tale of betrayal, obsession and a house that never forgets.

A simmering, haunting debut for readers who loved Jane Eyre, Rebecca, The Woman in White and The Silent Companions.

Review:

I’m always a bit trepidatious when I read historical fiction, and I don’t know why. Thornby Manor is the perfect example of why I shouldn’t be. From the very first page, I sensed the gothic, foreboding atmosphere and I couldn’t wait to find out more about life inside Thornby Manor. I loved the nods to Rebecca, which is one of my favourite novels of all time. Stephanie Bramwell-Lawes is an exquisite writer and her vocabulary was perfectly chosen to transport me to both the nineteenth century and the house – which is a character in itself. 

The protagonist of Thornby Manor is Briar Monroe and I knew I’d be rooting for her almost immediately. She’s intelligent and outspoken, and this makes her stand out amongst other women at the time at which the novel is set. I really enjoyed her relationship with Gabriel and the way they supported each other. The characters who live at Thornby Manor, such as Lord Danville and Marie Clara are also very well constructed with interesting stories and I was fascinated to discover what made them tick. 

It’s clear from the beginning that most of the characters have secrets, both from the reader and from each other. I loved the sense of tension around the house and I couldn’t wait to uncover what had happened previously at Thornby Manor. Stephanie Bramwell-Lawes’ writing is so compelling and I found it really difficult to put the book down! 

It’s astonishing to me that Stephanie Bramwell-Lawes is a debut author and I can’t wait to see what she does next! 

Thornby Manor is available from Amazon.

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