The Secrets of Hartwood Hall. Ooooh, there are so many.

 The Secrets of Hartwood Hall has more twists and turns than the spooky old mansion it takes place in. What's a gothic novel without twists and turns, creepy houses, ghosts real or imagined, and a romance thrown in for good measure? Add this to some strong women characters and a hunky gardener (got to have a hunky gardener) a particularly nasty villainess, plus the overthrow of the patriarchy. and you have Hartwood Hall. Did I forget anything? Oh, a sickly but sweet little boy.

Nothing is as it seems, including the kid's hair color. Oh, what tangled webs we weave. The family is isolating themselves but at what cost?

I read this in two days because it galloped along at brisk pace. So many secrets. So many dastardly deeds. (Victorian gothics have to have dastardly deeds.) So many meals of cold meat and cheese. Footprints in dust. And lots of mud. Mrs. Lennox spends a lot of time getting her boots and dress muddy. There's even a romantic encounter in mud and I don't even like to think about where that muck ends up.

Murder or not? Ghosts or not? Mistaken identity or not? Cold meat and cheese for dinner again?

I enjoyed The Secrets of Hartwood Hall even if almost every character bit their lips at some point. I had to get out my lip-bite-o-meter even though I put it away for the holidays.to make room for the tree. 

Thanks to Dutton and Netgalley for allowing me to enjoy and review The Secrets of Hartwood Hall.

Nice cover, too.