The Secrets of Hartwood Hall by Katie Lumsden

Published: February 28, 2023Publisher: DuttonAuthor: WebsiteInfo: Goodreads

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. (goodreads.com)

THE SECRETS OF HARTWOOD HALL is an incredibly atmospheric book that sets the tone from page one. A widow with a questionable past and a maybe suspicious death of her husband. A creepy old house with figures lurking in the shadows. Conspiring servants that promise to make life difficult. It's a lot for one person to handle, yet I think Margaret handles it quite well, all things considered. I'm not sure if I would have let Susan get away with the things she did, but social conventions and hierarchy in the household are things I don't have the best grasp on with this particular setting.I loved the underlying thrum of creepiness Lumsden created with the setting. That even despite a sunny day, there's almost something sinister and looming about Hartwood Hall, the people living in it, or the townspeople looking at it with fear. She mounted that well throughout the book, creating an ambiance of distrust with the reader, making them question whether Margaret is a reliable narrator or not. And as a reader, you honestly don't know until the very end of the book where everything comes to a head.A part of me wants to say that Paul wasn't that necessary of a character, and that whole plotline wasn't very needed. At the same time, the emotional growth Margaret got out of it was integral to her character arc, and I'm not sure how else that specific growth could have been done. Granted, there wasn't much buildup to that pivotal moment when she has that awakening. It seemed sudden and not out of nowhere, but they weren't thoughts in Margaret's head until Paul forced them in there, which makes it seem kind of out of nowhere where that plotline went. At the same time, it's completely relatable, because I've found myself in certain relationships where one person thought waaaaaaayyyy beyond what I did and his ideals weren't in alignment with mine. It just wasn't a conversation we thought to have until that final moment. So with that in mind, it is a rather realistic moment.LOL glad I could talk myself in a circle there!I enjoyed what I was reading in THE SECRETS OF HARTWOOD HALL. The story had me hooked, and I wanted to know how everything was going to come to a head. Are there really ghosts in the manor, or is it something else? Something far more sinister? That absolutely kept me going. But also the evolution of Margaret. And the honest emotions of her, especially in regard to Susan. I liked how she wrestled with those. It lent realism to her situation and her emotional growth.I don't want to say much else because it may spoil things, but I liked the ending. It wrapped up in a very satisfying way that had me on board with every character in the story. It's a good book, and I think it would do well as a read on an overcast, rainy day or a fall evening when the wind is blowing and the leaves are rustling. Get that extra-sensory mood in there as well.4I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.