2023 HWA Debut Crown Award (shortlist)
A gripping and atmospheric debut that is at once a chilling gothic mystery and a love letter to Victorian fiction.
Nobody ever goes to Hartwood Hall. Folks say it’s cursed…
It’s 1852 and Margaret Lennox, a young widow, attempts to escape the shadows of her past by taking a position as governess to an only child, Louis, at an isolated country house in the west of England.
But Margaret soon starts to feel that something isn’t quite right. There are strange figures in the dark, tensions between servants, and an abandoned east wing. Even stranger is the local gossip surrounding Mrs. Eversham, Louis’s widowed mother, who is deeply distrusted in the village.
Lonely and unsure whom to trust, Margaret finds distraction in a forbidden relationship with the gardener, Paul. But as Margaret’s history threatens to catch up with her, it isn’t long before she learns the truth behind the secrets of Hartwood Hall.
Genre: Historical Mystery
Nobody ever goes to Hartwood Hall. Folks say it’s cursed…
It’s 1852 and Margaret Lennox, a young widow, attempts to escape the shadows of her past by taking a position as governess to an only child, Louis, at an isolated country house in the west of England.
But Margaret soon starts to feel that something isn’t quite right. There are strange figures in the dark, tensions between servants, and an abandoned east wing. Even stranger is the local gossip surrounding Mrs. Eversham, Louis’s widowed mother, who is deeply distrusted in the village.
Lonely and unsure whom to trust, Margaret finds distraction in a forbidden relationship with the gardener, Paul. But as Margaret’s history threatens to catch up with her, it isn’t long before she learns the truth behind the secrets of Hartwood Hall.
Genre: Historical Mystery
Praise for this book
"The Secret of Hartwood Hall is exactly the book you want on a cold, stormy night when the wind is sneaking in the cracks. A thoroughly impressive debut with fantastically timed surprises throughout." - Lyndsay Faye
"Incredibly rich prose in this absorbing, deeply atmospheric story of governess, Margaret Lennox. A brilliant love letter to classic Victorian fiction and a standout debut." - Hazel Gaynor
"Smart, atmospheric, gripping and full of surprises, this is a Gothic spine-chiller by an absolutely modern writer." - Maggie Gee
"I loved this fresh take on the gothic genre. Vivid, haunting, surprising." - Stacey Halls
"Dark, twisty, gothic and full of surprises ... a deliciously atmospheric page-turner." - Liz Hyder
"This book delivers HUGE Jane Eyre vibes, gothic and mysterious Victoriana. I LOVED it." - Sophie Irwin
"A brilliantly creepy and utterly compelling read, which put me in mind of Laura Purcell, Stacey Halls and Michelle Paver: it's up there with the most wonderfully engrossing and twisty gothic historical fiction." - Caroline Lea
"In her atmospheric debut, The Secrets of Hartwood Hall, Katie Lumsden enthralls us with a quintessential manor-home mystery. Fans of gothic literature will savor the peculiar characters, the abandoned corridors, the deceptions and twists behind every door... Ultimately a story about women and the haunting secrets they keep, Lumsden's debut reminds us never to trust first appearances. A mesmerizing debut!" - Sarah Penner
"With echoes of Jane Eyre but with a heart of its own . . . a suspenseful and beautifully crafted novel filled with atmosphere, rich characters and plenty of layers to keep a reader hooked right to the end." - Susan Stokes-Chapman
"A full-blooded gothic mystery with bite, great characterisation and heaps of atmosphere." - Emma Stonex
"Incredibly rich prose in this absorbing, deeply atmospheric story of governess, Margaret Lennox. A brilliant love letter to classic Victorian fiction and a standout debut." - Hazel Gaynor
"Smart, atmospheric, gripping and full of surprises, this is a Gothic spine-chiller by an absolutely modern writer." - Maggie Gee
"I loved this fresh take on the gothic genre. Vivid, haunting, surprising." - Stacey Halls
"Dark, twisty, gothic and full of surprises ... a deliciously atmospheric page-turner." - Liz Hyder
"This book delivers HUGE Jane Eyre vibes, gothic and mysterious Victoriana. I LOVED it." - Sophie Irwin
"A brilliantly creepy and utterly compelling read, which put me in mind of Laura Purcell, Stacey Halls and Michelle Paver: it's up there with the most wonderfully engrossing and twisty gothic historical fiction." - Caroline Lea
"In her atmospheric debut, The Secrets of Hartwood Hall, Katie Lumsden enthralls us with a quintessential manor-home mystery. Fans of gothic literature will savor the peculiar characters, the abandoned corridors, the deceptions and twists behind every door... Ultimately a story about women and the haunting secrets they keep, Lumsden's debut reminds us never to trust first appearances. A mesmerizing debut!" - Sarah Penner
"With echoes of Jane Eyre but with a heart of its own . . . a suspenseful and beautifully crafted novel filled with atmosphere, rich characters and plenty of layers to keep a reader hooked right to the end." - Susan Stokes-Chapman
"A full-blooded gothic mystery with bite, great characterisation and heaps of atmosphere." - Emma Stonex
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Used availability for Katie Lumsden's The Secrets of Hartwood Hall