Harriet Fleet is desperate. Otherwise, on arrival at Teesbank Hall, discovering none of the locals will set foot on the property and her post of ‘governess’ is instead more of a nursemaid to a seriously troubled young woman, she would have turned right around and left again. But Harriet has no money and nowhere else to go, so she’s stuck. Trapped in a house of dark secrets and unimaginable cruelty, all Harriet can do is her best to be kind to her charge… who despises the very sight of her.
A very gothic Victorian tale, the story really started twenty years earlier, with the horrible murder of a young child, and the far-reaching effects on the whole family. There’s some pretty searing social commentary on the lack of choices afforded to women - of all classes in society - in this era of supposed enlightenment, and some real horrors in the way mental illness was handled, which was truly nothing short of torture.
A bunch of trigger warnings apply, not just for the aforementioned child death, but also sexual assault, coercive control, self-harm and self-mutilation, mental illness and barbaric medical practices. There are hints of the paranormal but nothing concrete, much of it proving to have been the work of human malice.
I guessed early on that the child of the woman convicted of the baby’s murder would come to play a part, because I knew the law wouldn’t allow a pregnant woman to be executed, but was completely wrong about who it actually was.
A bit to my surprise, because it’s not really hinted at in the blurb, there’s a heavy thread of romance here, with an actual happily-ever-after ending for Harriet and her love interest. It’s not quite enough for this to be an actual romantic suspense, but I don’t think romance fans will be displeased either.
A solidly written and engaging read, obviously well researched, it felt very accurate to the period. I’m happy to give it five stars.
Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this title via NetGalley.