Source: Purchased
Description: Bryony Ashley knows that her family's grand estate is both hell and paradise -- once elegant and beautiful, yet mired in debt and shrouded in shadow. Devastated by her father's sudden strange death abroad, she is nonetheless relieved to learn the responsibility of running Ashley Court has fallen to a cousin. Still, her father's final, dire warning about a terrible family curse haunts her days and her dreams.
Genre: Fiction
Why I Picked This Book: I'm slowly reading my way through Stewart's books and this is the most recent one I picked up.
My Impression: While this one won't be on any favorites list I did enjoy it overall. Bryony was a solid likable character and the Ashley family definitely has its oddities and stories. There's a touch of supernatural that leans more towards to telepathy than ghosts and I'm still not entirely sure how I felt about it. Ashley Court is an interesting setting and Stewart excels at making settings really come to life. There is definitely something ominous lurking in the shadows and Bryony can't be sure what direction its coming from.
Overall, this was fine. I liked the characters and the setting and I was happy with the ending but it wasn't one that will stick with me or that I will go out of my way to recommend.
Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Yes, I'll read another book by her in 2026.
Would I Recommend this Book? It's definitely not a must read but if you find a copy it's worth giving it a chance.
Would I Recommend this Book? It's definitely not a must read but if you find a copy it's worth giving it a chance.
My mother read all of the Mary Stewart mysteries/Gothic novels, so I am quite certain I read this one when I was a teen. The plots seem to run together sometimes---a calling to a big old house, a mysterious man, a young female main character---but Mary Stewart's books were much better written than some of the others I read. I think my mom loved it that they all sort of had the same plot.
ReplyDeleteI have definitely read this one more than once, but I can't exactly remember much about it. I loved many of Mary Stewart's books. OK, looking back, I reread it in 2019 and before that in 1998 and I'm sure before that as well. I keep thinking I'll read some of those Gothic thrillers again - one day....
ReplyDeleteI am sure I read this years and years ago, but now have no recollection of it. I did love her books and at times when books were scarce at least I could find hers. (no library where I lived growing up). Anyway if I were reading her books now I thin I would give this a go.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I read this author before. I'll have to check out her books.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about this one; there I things I like about it, but it's not one of my favs of hers.
ReplyDeleteIs it Gothic in tone?
ReplyDeleteThis author is new to me. I do like the supernatural aspect.
ReplyDelete