I loved this gothic novel, gripping and entertaining.
The plot is dark, atmospheric and full of twists and turns. It never failed to keep my attention and I was hooked since the first pages.
I loved the creepy beginning as much i liked the character development. All the characters are fleshed out and well written, the MCs are likeable enough to make you root for them.
An interesting and engrossing read, highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I didn't love this one as much as I loved The Witch of Willow Hall (which was my ideal read, and I probably had too high expectations as a result), but it was still an incredibly gripping read! We follow Gabriel Stone, who takes a position as a minister in a small town called Pale Harbour after his wife dies, and Sophronia Carver, a local widow who is believed to have killed her husband and now runs his magazine from her home. The book was a bit slow to start with, and I would have liked a bit more build-up of the romance between Gabriel and Sophronia, as it felt rushed initially and I couldn't get on board with it right away. But once things got going, I was really swept away by both the mystery and how much the couple came to care for one another.

Strange events start to happen around Pale Harbour, all centred around Sophronia, and they gradually get worse, turning into murder. All of the mysterious events are done in homage to Edgar Alan Poe, with the suspect drawing inspiration from his writings. I thought this was such a fun concept for a gothic novel, and really gave it an extra edge. I'm a big fan of anything gothic, so the combination of the mysteries, the Poe references, and the settings (the small town, the lighthouse, the church, the castle) really made it come alive for me. I felt like I was reading a nineteenth-century gothic novel like The Moonstone or The Woman in White. I found it difficult to put down as more of the mysteries began to unravel, and the reveal/climax was brilliant – I didn't guess a thing (although I tried!). I would have liked Helen's spell/her witchcraft to have been explored a bit more as well, as there were questions I felt were left unanswered about this, but overall, the book was great, and the conclusion was so gripping and satisfying.

As usual, Hester Fox's writing is gorgeous and really suited to this type of dark story. I can't wait to see what she writes next!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I do love my fiction with a touch of the gothic (to put it mildly), and this book ticked so many boxes for me. It was moody and dark, with interesting characters, a bleak, evocative setting, and lots of mystery. I enjoyed the Poe references and the idea of the murders being based on his works. There was a good sense of tension that built as the story progressed.

I loved the scenery – I’ve never been to the USA, but New England seems very much like my kind of place! I enjoyed Fox’s descriptions of what was a very atmospheric setting.

I liked Sophronia (Sophy) immediately, and I was intrigued by Helen, her maid, and their relationship. I didn’t adore the romance between Sophy and Gabriel – I’m generally not a big fan of romance in books – but I didn’t hate it either. I did sometimes feel that it was a bit too insta-love, especially considering they were both carrying baggage from having been married (and widowed) previously, but it didn’t bother me too much or spoil my enjoyment of the story. I really wanted things to turn out well for them (especially Sophy!).

This was an ideal read for October, with the autumnal weather outside, and Halloween just around the corner. It was highly enjoyable, and I will definitely be reading more of Fox’s work in the future.

Sophronia Carver never felt welcome by the people of Pale Harbour. Her husband was cruel and when he died, the local people thought she had murdered him. They even think she might be a witch. Then strange things start to happen and the locals believe that Sophronia is behind it all. Sophronia leads a solitary life. She only has her maid, Helen for company. Then she meets Gabriel. Both are suspicious of each other but then they start to bond.

Set in Maine I 1846. It took me a little while to get I to this book. The pace is slow at first. With many twists, its shockingly dark and intriguing. I was second guessing everything. A gothic story with some romace thrown in. I did think this was more like a YA novel.

I would like to thank NetGalley, HQ and the author Hester Fox for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This wonderfully written, very Gothic story gets off to an extremely ominous start.  Dead and injured ravens are regularly turning up on the front path of Castle Carver. But are these simply the leavings of the house cat or something more sinister?  The lady of the house, Sophroina Carver, is convinced the ravens are warnings from the townsfolk who all despise her because they believe that she is a witch.  Didn't she murder her husband after all?  One night during a storm Gabriel Stone arrives at the town of Pale Harbour on the coast of Maine.  He has come to take up the position of Minister at the rundown church in town but he doesn't seem very earnest in his vocation, and has a propensity for profanity. 

Castle Carver is not the only place in town where unpleasant and gory items have been turning up.  There have been mutilated animals, strange dolls and other extremely unpleasant 'things', and everyone believes that the widow and her witchcraft is responsible.  But when Gabriel finally meets the lady he is unconvinced of her guilt and does not believe that she deserves the reputation the local folk have given her.  He cannot accept that such an enigmatic and alluring woman could possibly be wicked, though there is no doubting the fact that Gabriel is completely and utterly bewitched by the widow. 

This is a wonderful, atmospheric, spellbinding story full of mystery and romance.  The romance was a little on the heavy side for me, if I am being completely honest, but the characters are all very well developed with Gabriel in particular playing the romantic lead extremely well.  

A perfect book to curl up with on darker evenings that will particularly be enjoyed by fans of Gothic romantic mysteries and the works of Edgar Allan Poe.

4.5 STARS

The Widow Of Pale Harbour, by Hester Fox is gloriously Gothic, deliciously dark and magnificently mysterious. With secrets, murder and isolation, this book is creepy and captivating.

The Widow Of Pale Harbor, by Hester Fox follows the story of Sophronia 'Sophy' Carver and Gabriel Stone.

Gabriel arrives in Pale Harbor, a small remote village, as their new minister- a position he has taken as penance and as a way to deal with his past. Gabriel is struggling after having lost his wife in the past year, for which he blames himself, and see's Pale Harbor as a way to move on and pay honour to her. However, upon arriving he soon begins to realise that this small, sleepy town is much darker than it seems. With strange occurrences and the rumour of the witch who killed her husband filling the town, Gabriel ends up becoming part of a much bigger, and more sinister mystery.

Meanwhile, Sophy is already at the core of the mystery. She is the widow that Gabriel has heard about. Sophy spends her days hidden away in her home, though it is more like a castle, where it is Safe. Safe from the townspeople, Safe from the rumours, but more importantly, Safe from whoever keeps leaving dead ravens on her doorstep. With only her maid, Helen, as company, Sophy finds herself feeling isolated and victimised, and then she meets Gabriel. Suspicious of each other until they begin to bond, the two end up facing the deadly mystery of Pearl Harbor together.

As the secrets begin to unravel you are left wondering, did Sophy kill her husband? And who is terrorising Pearl Harbor?

Well I have been so lucky this year with some amazing Gothic novels having been released (also as eARC's via Netgalley) and I have had the honour of reading them! And The Widow Of Pale Harbour was another Gothic delight that I thoroughly enjoyed!

Hester Fox's novel The Widow Of Pale Harbor was a wonderful and creepy read, perfect for October. It had so many trademark Gothic elements, but the book itself was completely original. The setting of the novel, starting with Pale Harbor, was well crafted and I really could feel just how small and isolated this village is, while also respecting the close knit community - which made the rumours surrounding Sophy even more interesting and the horrifying happenings even more harrowing. The other primary setting that added wonderfully to the Gothic infused horror was Sophy's home, Carver Castle, the largest house in Pale Harbor. This took me back to the roots of Gothic and horror literature, while maintaining a fresh perspective! The house itself creates suspense with it being so large and isolated, inhabited only by Sophy and Helen- Helen is a suspicious character from the start with her use of herbs bordering on witchcraft- and it sits on a large piece of overgrown and dense land, adding to the lonely but creepy atmosphere.

I adored the settings used in the novel, they were creepy, added suspense, and made me really connect with the story.

The story/plot itself was very interesting and I was in constant suspense- in fact I actually ended up reading this in almost one sitting (darn sleep getting in the way)! Despite drawing from traditional horror and Gothic elements, this was definitely an original and unique story with the traditional elements actually aiding the story's individuality. The separate elements of the story such as, Sophy's past (what really happened is she guilty? Is she innocent?), Gabriel's loss, Helen's obsession, and the current torment that is rooted in Pale Harbor, all comes together extraordinarily well with it driving the characters emotions and actions, as well as setting up for the unexpected ending. This story had so many elements that were interesting ranging from romance to horror that it hit the mark on almost everything you could want from this genre.

The horror elements of the story, with some (Minor Spoiler) .... Edgar Allen Poe influences... (Spoiler over), were very well crafted, very creepy and definitely rewarded the build up of suspense, and maintained that suspense throughout the novel. The horror was unpredictable and horrifying - just how I like my horrors- and the gradual increase in the awful nature of these events worked very well and had me super anxious as to what they tormentor would do next! The suspense of the novel was also aided by the mystery that surrounded Sophy. The town banding together and spreading rumours as to her past and her witchy ways makes the reader question whether we can trust her- while I never thought she was doing these strange things in the village (because they were mostly targeting her), I did question her innocence regarding her husband and was conflicted as to whether or not she was capable of the murder the villagers were so quick to blame her for. This made her narrative fun to read and very interesting to think about.

Moreover, her housemaid, Helen, was also suspicious and shrouded in mystery. She uses herbs for spells, as protection for Sophy, has a questionable background and hates everyone but Sophy. I immediately did not trust her and as the book went on she added to the suspense with her spells, her obsession and her cold demeanour. Her character was the perfect addition to maintain the novel's suspense but also to add a slight supernatural element as we never know for certain whether or not Helen's spells actually worked- and the predictions she made for if the spell was broken made me question the fates of each character and kept me anxious enough that I needed to keep reading.

The romance element of the story, surprisingly, I quite enjoyed. I do not hate romance, but it is not my first choice of novel, however, when it is incorporated into a story I don't mind it. My only issue with the romance in The Widow Of Pale Harbor was it was almost 'insta-love' and, since one of the characters is recovering from a loss this seemed a little too quick for me. However! I did not hate the 'insta-love' entirely as the story already had some spell casting and witchy atmosphere thus, I can accept that the love between the two worked extraordinarily well in regard to threatening Sophy and her protection spells. Moreover, once the two started to get to know each other, and trust one and other, the love between them was better (imo). I liked how they had feelings for each other but, for their own separate reasons, could not give into them - the conflict here was interesting to read and added a new dimension to the novel- and I enjoyed watching their relationship develop despite the views of the village and the secrets they were keeping. Furthermore, the slightly steamy scene in the midst of the chaos in the novel gave the characters the chance to break free from their past shackles and allow themselves intimacy they had denied for so long.

The ending and build up of the novel did surprise me. I did not guess who the tormentor was until right before the reveal- which was nice as I was still surprised with a hint of satisfaction -and the end sequences were really interesting! Also kind of mad at the way Hester Fox played me at the Bluff scene - I won't go into details because spoilers but man did that mess with my emotions! I loved it because it was emotional, suspenseful and horrifying all at the same time. The ending for the tormentor (a little hint of classic endings) was interesting and the reveal very surprising (I certainly did not guess the motive) and the overall ending was sad but sweet - I appreciated the determination and sense of home created at the end.

The characters were incredibly well developed and I could easily connect with them, despite them being questionable, and the little hint of narrative we get from characters other than Sophy and Gabriel was delightful and a clever addition to the novel. Sophy's character was intriguing to me as she was both the damsel in distress but also the independent and strong-willed heroine - the development was extraordinary and well written. Gabriel was also an interesting character, with his past and his own secrets he was also well developed and easy to connect with. Helen, Tom, and Fanny - other characters who we see relatively more of than most were also individual and in-depth despite not all being central characters and I enjoyed reading about them and their interactions with other characters. The ending for all of these characters worked very well for this novel.

The Widow Of Pale Harbor, by Hester Fox was a wonderful story of loss, torment, mystery and secrets. All of which were cleverly explored through the romance, horror and Gothic elements in the novel.

This was definitely a perfect October read which I recommend to anyone who loves creepy, spooky and harrowing novels!

*I received and eARC of #TheWidowOfPaleHarbor by Hester Fox from #Netgalley, @HQStories and at @HQYoungAdult HQUK in exchange for an honest review.*

Posted on Goodreads/My Blog (Both linked) and a link on my twitter @Bookreviewskb

4.5 stars.
I really loved The Witch of Willow Hall when I read it last year. So much so that I was really looking forward to more of the same from this author. Sadly, although a thoroughly decent read in its own right, for me, it didn't quite hit the heady heights set by its predecessor. The balance between the spooky and the romance wasn't quite where it should have been for me to turn the book from a good book to a great read. That said, it did hold my attention nicely throughout and left me, on the whole, satisfied at its conclusion.
Pale Harbor is everything you need to make a small town spooky. A derelict church, a strange widow ensconced in a mansion and a cast of weird and wonderful characters. Sophronia, the widow of the title, has pretty much hidden herself away since the death of husband Nathaniel. She spends her days with her maid/friend Helen, filling her time by reading submissions for the magazine she inherited from her husband. This isolation from the rest of the town doesn't do her any favours with the rumours that she was responsible for the death of her husband and this has pretty much fuelled the vicious cycle of fear and hatred towards her. So much so that fingers are always pointed her way whenever strange things happen - which they have started to do again. Until, that is, when new, transcendentalist minister Gabriel Stone arrives in Pale Harbor. Upon meeting her, he is immediately smitten and wants to get to know her further. But the strange things that have been happening suddenly escalate and it soon becomes evident that lives are at risk. With scenes from the spooky stories in Sophy's magazine being played out in real life, can Gabriel get to the bottom of things in time to save both himself, the one he loves, and indeed the town from the grip of the evil that haunts them?
I've lost count of the number of books I have read this year that either include or allude to the works of Poe. I think someone is trying to tell me that I really should read some of them for myself! Maybe, if I already had, I would have connected to this book all the more better. No point wondering though. It is as it is.
I'm not sure whether it was my high expectations that made the book fall a little flat for me. Maybe I wanted a bit more spooky than I got. I don't know. I definitely loved the intrigue along the way but, at the end of the day, when all was revealed, I felt that I wanted a little more. Deserved a little more from how the whole thing was built up. That said, it's definitely a very decent read in itself and would probably have warranted five stars from me had I not expected more.
Characterisation was excellent. As was the interaction between them. It was a very clever thing to add a lighter character to complement the book getting darker towards the end, thus saving it from becoming too dark and unbalanced. Humour was nicely interspersed throughout the narrative and also kept the book going during the darker spells. I have to say though, the romance progressed a little too fast for how I would have expected the characters to act, given their quite similar pasts. I guess that when the lightening strikes sometimes people are powerless to resist but personally I would have welcomed a bit more angst to fit with the claustrophobic theme running through the book. That said, it's just my personal opinion and I guess there are those who would disagree. At least the romantic parts are written well and don't labour the point as much as they could have.
All in all, a thoroughly decent read that, along with the previous book, has catapulted this author onto my watch list. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

In a small coastal town, a widow is a recluse and the townspeople call her a witch, accuse her of murdering her husband, and tell the new minister to avoid her. The new minister is not really a minister, but in homage to his dead wife, took an opportunity to fill the shoes of the man who was supposed to be the new minister but died in transit. Of course after all the warnings, he goes straight up to visit the reclusive widow.

It doesn't take long before an attraction forms between him and the widow, portending the romantic nature of the tale ahead, but it is also a mystery with various parts of the widow's history coming out in drips and drabs and reports of her by her staff that conflict with what the townspeople have to say.

I have to admit that this story balances between Romance and Mystery genres. I'm not a big fan of Romance for exactly many of the elements included in the plot, especially the sudden reveals at the end that had no real foreshadowing and the absolute stupidity of some of the choices the main characters make.

From a Mystery point of view, it has some strong merits, especially in that guessing who the culprit is could keep a Mystery reader's mind busy, as the whole town hates the widow and it could literally be anyone. There's also a secondary mystery about what exactly happened to the widow's husband. The reader gets a lot of teasers about this before it is finally revealed.

There was a lot to like about this story, but it lacked subtlety in both the romance and mystery aspects. The detailed clues were too sparse and the blossoming romance feels rather contrived. The connections at the end reminded me of an American soap opera, where suddenly you learn things that had no build up of any kind.

Having said that, it was easy to be sympathetic with the characters and there was good pacing to the plot and some drama at the end which while fairly predictable, kept my interest.

This is an atmospheric, gothic, spooky and well crafted novel. The story flows well. It’s not the type of book I normally pick so this was a little out of my comfort zone.
Sophronia is the Widow of Pale Harbour, her husband had died brutally four years earlier, despite the fact she has lived in Pale Harbour for many years, the town believe she murdered he husband, and that she is a witch. Gabriel Stone moves to Pale Harbour after his wife dies in child birth, to take up the post of Minister, which is what his wife had always wanted him to do. Sophy has cut herself off from the towns people and lives in a self imposed seclusion with her dear friend an housekeeper Helen.

A number of carcasses, and cryptic notes, are being passed around, making the people of Pale Harbour believe even more that Sophy is responsible for everything that is happening, and reaffirming their beliefs that she is a witch. It’s down to Gabriel and Sophy to find the person doing this. The crimes mimic the tales of Edgar Allen Poe and whoever is responsible is very twisted and needs to be stopped.

You gradually get to know the past trauma’s of both Gabriel and Sophy. There is an attraction between them, although it seems that neither of them fully trusts the other. Gabriel also feels guilty for having romantic feelings for another woman after the death of his wife.

The Widow of Pale Harbour was a much-anticipated read after having read Hester Fox's debut novel, The Witch of Willow Hall, last year. It can be a little tricky to follow-up with an equally thrilling new release, but the author has pulled it off, again. Hester Fox is fast becoming a favourite author of modern Gothic fiction

Giving the reader the perfect mix of impending drama and dark mystery all wrapped up in delicious Gothic prose; with captivating characters and atmospheric settings, the author pulls you straight into the story. I found myself easily drawn to Gabriel Stone; a character who is not all he seems, with a history and mystery of his own, that he's hauling around much like a steamer trunk. His building relationship with the equally mysterious widow, Sophy Carver, had me screaming on occasions; "will you just kiss her, already." ...but remember this is historical fiction, so I had to pull my emotions in and let the love story set its own pace with some decorum.

Along with the tale of building love, The Widow of Pale Harbour has a trail of murders and mysterious dealing all with the hint of Edgar Allan Poe about them. I loved this literary aspect of the book and found myself looking up Poe stories and poems in my own sleuth-like mystery solving.

I would describe this is a journey rather than a destination. The ending had me slightly wanting more twists, as I felt I had 'figured it out' but the journey is most certainly one lavished with an eerie historical atmosphere that every good modern Gothic novel needs, making this well worth the read and a solid 4 stars!

After reading Hester Fox’s debut, ‘The Witch of Willow Hall’ I was eager to get my hands on her next novel.

Widower Gabriel Stone moves to Pale Harbour to start a new life. He soon learns of Sophronia Carver, a reclusive widow who the townspeople believe to be a witch, and likely murdered her husband. However, something sinister is going on. Incidents, inspired by the written words of Edgar Allan Poe, begin to take place. Unsettling, but seemingly harmless at first, they soon begin to escalate, and Sophronia and Gabriel know the culprit must be found before it’s too late.

The Widow of Pale Harbour conjures a creepy, historical mystery, which I found dark and enjoyable. Hester Fox is excellent at invoking the scene. A part of me wished I started this book last week when we had a smattering of unseasonal weather. I live on the opposite side of the Atlantic, and the cold, wet, misty weather in Pale Harbour was hauntingly familiar, along with its clique groups and gossiping locals.

The suspense slowly builds, and the incidents turn more violent and deadly. There is a good dash of romance thrown in too, but for me, it didn’t quite sit right. The style felt more suited to a younger couple, rather than two widowed adults both carrying a lot of emotional baggage. As the mystery progresses, we begin to pick apart our protagonists past. Did Sophronia really murder her husband, and is Gabriel the person he makes himself out to be?

Like her debut, it is a beautifully crafted novel, oozing atmosphere. There is a sprinkling of spookiness too, and as the tale unfolded, I found it difficult to stop reading.

Deliciously dark and foreboding, combining history and fiction with eerie gothic atmosphere to create this brooding tale of murder and mystery.

After the death of his wife, Gabriel Stone arrives in Pale Harbour to begin life as a transcendentalism minister to the small population, and no sooner has he arrived, one of the first things he hears is of the witch who resides at Castle Carver, the widow Sophronia Carver. The locals also believe her to have killed her late husband, Nathaniel, who was owner and editor of a magazine that published up and coming authors stories as well as publishing some of the more well known authors such as Edgar Allan Poe.

After the death of her husband Sophronia has not left the grounds of Castle Carver, she has stayed in the safety of the house, contented with her work reading and selecting the submissions for the magazine that was left to her in her husbands will. She has a few staff that attend to the grounds and a young woman comes from the village once a week to help with the house, and with Helen, her live in help and friend, she is as content as can be expected for someone rumoured to be a witch, as well as a murderer. That is until strange and sinister things begin to be left on her doorstep, and then the arrival of the new minister to her door brings about a change in her life, one that is both as welcome as it is terrifying.

With characters and settings both steeped in atmosphere this is a beautifully written novel that draws inspiration from Edgar Allan Poe’s works and with it creates Hester Fox’s own masterclass in gothic historical fiction.

You can feel the tension radiating from the pages as things begin to escalate in the town of Pale Harbour, and with characters that are as believable as they are haunting, this book had me hooked from the very beginning. The pace and the prose were perfectly executed, all leading up to a conclusion that was as unexpected as it was entertaining. I absolutely loved Hester Fox’s first book The Witch Of Willow Hall, so I was really excited about reading this one, and I can safely say, I loved this one even more!

The Widow Of Pale Harbour will be published here in the UK on 17 September 2019 and is available for preorder now.

A massive thank you to the author Hester Fox, publishers HQ and NetGalley for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest and independent review.