A bit of a curate's egg this one. Written in the voice of a Victorian narrator but peppered with speech and idiom of the 18th Century, the book is clever in terms of language and the writer obviously wants this to be an 'authentic' pastiche. However this also makes the book hard going for the reader and the convoluted plot means that this is not a quick read. I admired it rather than loved it!

I really wanted to love this book, but I couldn't even get past the first 10 pages.
The writing is just all over the place. It doesn't seem to focus on any one point, and so as a reader, you struggle to focus on the plot.

An atmospheric paranormal historical twister with Book Thief vibes........

The Infernal Riddle of Thomas Peach is set in 1785, narrated from the perspective of third party that we never meet. The story centres around Thomas Peach, a gentleman who is cut off from his family's money, and must find a way to establish a new income. The story twists and turns through various puzzles, what is wrong with his mysterious wife? What are the books he keeps locked away? What is the nature of a young woman whose path he continues to cross?

I started this book with high hopes, it gave me instant Book Thief by Markus Zusak vibes. The narrator is apart from the story and talks directly to the reader like in a comedy sitcom when they break "the 4th wall". I liked the style it was written as well, though the Victorian English was difficult to follow at times, I liked how this added to the character of the book and added to the creativity. I think this does set it apart from other stories of this nature. I also liked the premise of the novel, I haven't read anything where the paranormal themes are interlaced to the narrative as a secondary plot line, and used more as character development than to move on the story itself. I'm also a fan of when authors don't feel the need to spell out every little nuance to the reader, so I liked the relationship development between Clary and Jem, and how Mr Peach was none the wiser of the physical nature.

Unfortunately, there was also a lot that I didn't like. I'm an avid reader, and although I am very busy, I have been known to finish several books in a week, and the fact that this one book took me over a month to read speaks volumes. The story was not fast-paced enough to hold my attention for a long period of time. The stylistic nature took too much emphasis and therefore it affected the flow of the narrative. There were some really good ideas that just weren't followed through to their full potential, and as I said above, were pushed aside too much as side plots. I quite often see the twists coming in books, and I saw these coming from so far off that I didn't expect them to be an actual twist, and that they'd be more coming! This was hugely disappointing, and I do think more could have been made of the ending.

On the whole, it was ok. I'd try something else by the same author, but wouldn't necessarily recommend to my friends.

This book does contain themes of murder, the supernatural and light racism (though I guess sadly a sign of the times in 1785).

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is an unusual novel, the story is told through a third person narrator. The story itself is charming and often witty, with some great characters, but I found the ramblings of the narrator distracting and took something away from the story for me.

With Thanks to Jas Treadwell and Hodder & Stoughton for an advanced readers copy of this book.

3*

This intriguing and atmospheric novel set in 1785, follows the story of Thomas Peach a former country hermit who along with his sick wife (who no one has seen or heard a peep from) lived on the generosity of an uncle. When that money is suddenly cut off Peach must, with wife in tow, go out to find a new life. The Novel is full of fun and witty character development, and beautiful world building.

So with all that said why such a low star rating?

Simply this book was very hard for me to read. That is no failing on Treadwell's part, but more a stylistic choice. Our 3rd person narrator is a Victoria story teller, the story is told in Victorian English with a spattering of Georgian spelling and phrasing. It is a "product of it's intended time". With this in mind to another reader this would be a very well received book. Unfortunately the struggle of the language took me out of the story a lot.

The year is 1785, and Thomas Peach, a gentleman of modest means, moves to a small village in the West Country, bringing with him a steamer chest of clothes, some books - and, apparently, his wife, Mrs Peach, who quickly becomes a source of fascination and suspicion to the villagers. Why is she never seen abroad? Why does Mr Peach refuse entry to her bedroom to their maidservant, who is unable to detect even a whisper of breath at Mrs Peach's door, try as she might? Does Mrs Peach even exist? And if so, is she the victim of her husband's cruelty?

This is an excellent mix of historical fiction and fantasy that keeps the reader hooked. The author does an amazing job at world-building and character development, as well as an engaging and fascinating plot. The archaic language used is part of the charm of this book. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

3.5/5.

“READER! Good-day to you! And good-morrow, too! for our acquaintance is destined to be long. We are sure of it. We see it in your eye.”

My thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Infernal Riddle of Thomas Peach’ by Jas Treadwell in exchange for an honest review. I complemented my reading with its unabridged audiobook edition, narrated by Fenella Woolgar.

This was an unusual novel in both plot and structure. It is written in the formal style of the 18th-century, as its omniscient narrator addresses the reader directly, breaking the Fourth Wall.

In the year 1785, Thomas Peach, a gentleman of modest means, has left London and rented a property in Somersetshire, where he plans to look after his ailing wife.

Yet soon tongues begin to wag about the Peach household. What does he keep in the locked chest under the stairs? What is the nature of his wife’s illness? Why has no one ever seen her? Then a letter arrives that threatens the livelihood of the Peach family.

While Thomas Peach seeks ways to save them from penury, he receives a bizarre request to examine a mysterious young woman, a rich man’s ward, who has been confined to a madhouse. Over the course of the novel, their paths become further entangled.

Throughout the novel its narrator teases the reader with snippets of information though eventually the secrets of the past (and present) are revealed.

I was totally entertained by this novel and appreciated its atmospheric setting and eccentric cast of characters. It was deliciously Gothic with a touch of the dark arts. There are also elements of social satire running through the narrative. Its intervening narrator has a razor sharp wit.

There is a mystery as to the identity of the author, who is as enigmatic as their creation, Thomas Peach. The publishers only say: ‘a phantom – a cipher – A mere NAME, assumed like a mask! and signifying, nothing at all –“. Curious and curiouser though very much in keeping with this extraordinary novel.

Highly recommended.

I love quirky historical fiction with a Gothic edge and that’s what drew me to this book. However, it didn’t quite pan out as I’d hoped.

In 1785, Thomas Peach is an affluent but mysterious man living in the West Country with stacks of books, a couple of servants and apparently an ailing wife who no one but Mr Peach has ever seen or heard. As a liberal, thoughtful man, Mr Peach joins a society of men and becomes aware of a young woman apparently possessed by a demon. As Mr Peach takes the woman into his care, his former life in London starts to catch up with him.

The narrator describes themselves as a ‘necromantic historian’ resurrecting the story of our protagonist. We never find out exactly who the narrator is but their character comes through very strongly and they act as our tour guide through the plot. The narrator paints a vivid picture of who Mr Peach is and who he isn’t. It’s a fun voice to read from but I think I did find the chipping in to the story quite jarring the longer the novel went on.

There are also footnotes which the narrator adds in to give us extra information or added context when it’s needed. There are a lot of references to 16th century literature and not all of it is mainstream, so the footnotes are necessary. I really wish I knew Clarissa by Samuel Richardson because apparently there are a lot of parallels between that narrative and Clary’s story. Alas, I think I missed a lot of the connections and therefore a lot of context.

The mystery of Mr Peach’s wife is probably the most intriguing part of the whole novel. I had a feeling that he had somehow conjured her ghost and was being secretive about it but I wasn’t sure. I had an idea that there might be a kind of madwoman in the attic situation going on that lends itself well to the Gothic vibes of the book. I enjoyed guessing which form Mrs Peach was in and was quite disappointed when the answer revealed itself quite early on.

What’s heartbreaking is that you can see how much love there is between Mr and Mrs Peach. This reinforced the idea that she wasn’t really there because I couldn’t believe that Mr Peach would keep such a beloved wife trapped in a single room, no matter how ill she was. It was far more believable that in his grief, he continues to talk to her and ask her for advice when he needs it than the idea of him holding her captive.

Of course with sick and unstable women everywhere in this book, there is some commentary on the 16th century’s expectations of women. Despite having been treated terribly by men, Clary is expected to remain obedient and quiet. Mr Peach realises that she deserves a little more liberty and understanding, making him a much more empathetic soul than the other men around him.

The narrator occasionally goes on tangents that aren’t really relevant to the story but are somewhat amusing. It adds character to the actual book and therefore, I understand why they’re there. However, the writing style is difficult to penetrate at times and that means that these irrelevant interludes can make the whole thing a bit of a slog to get through. If you’re used to reading classics of this period, then you probably won’t have a problem with it but it has been a while since I read a book in this fashion.

The Infernal Riddle of Thomas Peach is a difficult book to review. Sometimes I enjoyed it but other times it was a chore to get through. I think you certainly have to be in the right mood for it because it’s a challenging book just to read. There are Gothic elements but I would have loved to see these better developed and I think I could have probably done without the necromantic narrator. Treadwell is clearly having a great time mimicking the style of novels written 300 years ago but it certainly shows why novel writing had to evolve.

"READER! – Good-day to you!
And good-morrow, too! for our acquaintance is destined to be long. We are sure of it. We see it in your eye – "

Who is Thomas Peach? Why has he fled London to take up residence in a quiet country village in Somerset? What is in the locked chest he keeps hidden beneath the stairs? Why does Mrs Peach never leave her bedroom and why is she not permitted visitors? Does she even exist – and if not, who is it that Thomas talks to at night, when the curious maidservant stands with her ear to the bedroom door?

These are the questions our narrator, an unnamed person who describes themselves as a necromantic historian, sets out to answer in this strange and fascinating new novel by the equally mysterious Jas Treadwell. By the end of the book, we have answers to these questions, as well as some others that are raised along the way, but what makes this such an intriguing and entertaining read, in my opinion, is not the plot so much as the style in which the book is written. Not everyone will agree, of course; I think whether or not you will enjoy Thomas Peach could depend on how you feel about the sort of book it is parodying – the 18th century novel.

Set in 1785, the book imitates the fiction of that time, with the narrator speaking directly to the reader, commenting on what has happened and what is about to happen and providing footnotes where they feel further information is necessary. If you’ve read Susanna Clarke’s Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, you will have an idea of what I mean, although the narrator in this book is much more intrusive and is there with us through every turn of the page. Chapter Ten, for example, begins like this:

"Like the rustic, who closes his eyes at sun-set, after his day of wholesome toil, and wakes again with the dawn, we omit the night altogether, by the simple method of opening our new chapter upon the following day."

This is probably the kind of writing you either like or you don’t; it does require some patience, as those 18th century authors never used one word when they could use ten! Treadwell draws heavily on the literature of the period and there are lots of references to Samuel Richardson’s huge 1748 epistolary novel Clarissa (which I was glad I had read, as it meant I knew what the narrator was talking about without having to rely on the footnotes!) as well as books by other authors such as Henry Fielding and Tobias Smollett. You don’t actually need to have read any of these books, but a familiarity with some of them will add to your experience of the novel.

Due to the leisurely pace of the novel and all the diversions and digressions, Thomas Peach’s story unfolds very slowly – and when his secrets do eventually begin to be revealed, I felt that beneath the clever writing, the plot was less complex, less magical and less satisfying than I had expected it to be at first. Still, I enjoyed meeting Thomas Peach and the other characters, particularly Clary, a young woman about whom I can’t really say anything at all without spoiling the surprise! Although I couldn’t read a lot of books like this as the style would quickly become irritating, this one kept me entertained.

Dear reader The Infernal Riddle of Thomas Peach will challenge your skills, you need your wits about you but you will experience a satisfying, entertaining read. Set in 1785 the story of Thomas Peach is told through the perspective of a third person narrator, this tool is used to divulge the plot to the reader, with hints of what may occur and what has occurred, this device was used in the 18th century to tell a tale is is put to good purpose by Jas Treadwell.

So who is Thomas Peach? What is going on with the mysterious Mrs Peach? What is going to happen to them owing to the fact that Thomas is running short of money, will their rural idyll be destroyed? What is locked in the trunk hidden under the stairs, are they books as Mr Peach claims or is there treasure tucked away. There are so many unanswered questions you will have that will be answered from the omnipotent narrator as the tale moves on.

This is a clever, literary historical fantasy, think Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. Jas Treadwell brings to life the characters, the period and the enlightenment's way of thinking. So enlighten yourself with this immersive read.

An excellent mix of historical fiction and fantasy that kept me hooked.
Great world building and character development, an engaging and fascinating plot.
The archaic language is part of the charm of this book.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Thomas Peach. Who the deuce is he? We are told he has 35 years of age and he is married. The rest is a mass of contradictions and guesswork.
Not poor, but neither ostentatious. Not trade, but not quite a Gentleman. Frugal in habits, but, keeps a good table. Liberal in views, but not political. Loves his books, but therein lies a mystery to be discovered within these pages.
Nobody has seen Mrs Peach, she keeps to an upstairs bedroom with some uncertain malady that affects her. Both she and her husband lead a quiet rural life, until a letter arrives telling Mr Peach, that an inheritance is to be cancelled, forthwith. He goes to Bristol to seek help from his fellow members of the Anti- Lapsarian Society, which also includes his landlord, to beg a few months grace in order to pay his rent.
However, a favour is asked of Mr Peach, that sets off a long and complicated series of events, actions and meetings, that will confuse, bewilder and entertain the reader.
Each chapter is fully explained, using knowing asides and much familiarity. The writing style is cod 18th century and is perfect, being theatrical and so overblown , the enjoyment the author has for this historical period shines through, and the many twists and turns are fun, alarming, and slightly preposterous!! .
When is a person like a book? That was the part of the story where I thought I had completely lost my grip on this tale, it shook me out of my gentle appreciation of the absurdity of what I had read, and I believe my jaw dropped. It is a fantastical and subversive tale, novel, unbelievable, yet so appropriate for this story!!
The book is wordy, but not excessively so, the language flows and you will find yourself absorbing some of the quaint remarks, pon my word, you will. It fits in so well with the era it seeks to represent.
I have been deliberately vague about the story, no spoilers here!! I loved it and I’m sure it will make a huge impression upon publication. Plainly put, it’s fun, so socially aware, and it deserves to be a success. Not quite Vanity Fair, but of that ilk and genre. Whip smart and alarming at times.
A five star rating. Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for my advance copy in return for my honest review, which I am delighted to give. I will post further reviews later.

Thomas Peach lives a quiet life in the country on an allowance doled out by his uncle with his poorly wife who he is devoted to but no one has ever seen her, the servants haven’t been heard her. Does she even exist? The. The uncle decides he’s not going to give them the allowance anymore so Thomas has to go in search of funds. I’m doing so he comes across Clary an adopted daughter brought up completely modelled on the the fictional character Clarissa as an experiment. When she comes of age however she becomes possessed, or does she?
The premise of this book is interesting but it’s hard to get into because it’s written in the style of the period which is some achievement (pats of the back all round) but there’s a reason why the narrative form has moved on. The style is dense, I found myself speed reading a lot of unnecessary waffle and didn’t find that it made me miss any plot points. It also keeps the characters very two dimensional I never got to know Thomas in any significant way and so did not invest much in him. Clary was more interesting overall and I’m still not entirely sure what was going on there but then she’s a riddle isn’t she ?! We’re not meant to know for sure. It’s a bit like a writing exercise that got out of hand. I admire the craftsmanship but am not overly sold on the product.

I really wanted to like this. It appealed to me because I'm a fan of historical fiction, the supernatural and mystery. Unfortunately I found it difficult to read and enjoy. The style of writing, the lack of speech marks and the layout left me having to re-read parts to try and understand what was dialogue, who was saying what and what was action or filler. As much as I wanted to se what would happen in the story, it made me not want to pick it up to carry on.
I did finish it and thoroughly enjoyed the story and the character of Thomas Peach, sadly I just couldn't feel immerse myself in it

What’s inside his chest, locked beneath the stairs. Where is his wife that nobody has ever seen. Who is Thomas Peach, and what dreadful secrets does he keep.

I enjoyed this book quite a lot but I did struggle with it as well. The entire tale is written from the perspective of a story teller using Victorian English with a blend of Georgian spellings. As such I couldn’t read this anywhere near as fast as I am used to. I do feel that this method took away from some scenes and resulted in a lot of “filler” ramblings that had nothing to do with the story itself, something the “story teller” seems very self-aware of and mentions a few times to cut themselves short. It’s entertaining to read thanks to the jovial nature of the “story teller” but you can easily read several pages without a single thing having happened.

But because the tale itself is still interesting enough to keep you wanting more I would give this a good 3.5 stars.

I have to admit that I found this one was a bit of a slog.

Though I’d have to add not because of any deficiencies on the part of author Jas Treadwell. The Infernal Riddle of Thomas Peach is an atmospheric, well-written tale that is often witty and is certainly full of great ideas.

So, what’s the problem?

It’s largely down to the style, I think. The novel is set in 1785 and takes great pains to mimic the literature of the times (or just before it). There are a number of direct allusions to Richardson’s Clarissa, most particularly in the case of the (possibly) supernatural figure of Peach’s maid Clary but the novel itself lacks Richardson’s tone of moral seriousness and often feels closer to the riotous and bawdy spirit of Fielding.

This is no bad thing in itself and both Richardson and Fielding are important and entertaining novelists in their own right. But both are writers at the start of what we generally (if contestably) consider the start of the English novel and their narrative techniques and strategies were somewhat different to how the form has subsequently evolved. This is most obvious in terms of how they dealt with the then-nascent problems of focalisation and POV.

This presents interesting problems for Treadwell as he hits some of the stumbling blocks that novelists since the 18th century have encountered and he does this by creating the conceit of the ‘necromantic historian’ — one which allows him to bypass any narratological problems, not to mention creeping anachronisms. Indeed, he seems to revel in these and takes great delight in referencing literary works, such as The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, neither of which had been written in 1785.

But despite the fun Treadwell is obviously having — a palpable enthusiasm that’s easily transferred to the reader on occasion — he does run into the same problems that necessitated the evolution of the novel over the last couple of centuries. Outside of English courses, Fielding and Richardson are no longer widely read, not because they’re not entertaining (which they are) but because their style strikes the modern reader as controlling and alienating. Few of the characters, including Thomas Peach himself, seldom lift themselves off the page and this tends to make Infernal a clever book rather than an engaging one. This is largely down to the limitations of the now-rare omniscient narrator — a device that requires the reader to sufficiently captivated by that narrator but, for me, our erstwhile necromantic historian came across as rather pompous, occasionally combative and often rather irritating.

Treadwell is not the first to employ such stylistic play and the book is at points strongly reminiscent of Susannah Clarke’s Doctor Strange and Mr Norrell and this is where an element of subjectivity comes in. Clarke’s book was deeply popular, although I too struggled with it and I’ve no doubt that Infernal will find a devoted readership too. But this kind of literary cosplay just tends to leave me cold.

Nevertheless, there’s some genuinely funny set pieces in here, although some come off feeling a little belaboured and there are some nicely bombastic Gothic turns to the narrative. The denouement, too, is satisfying and there’s much enjoyment to be had in Treadwell’s subverting of a highly moralistic period of literary history and peopling it with characters who are possibly some of the darkest and most amoral ever seen in a novel.

My thanks to Jas Treadwell, Hodder and Staughton and Net Galley for the ARC of THE INFERNAL RIDDLE OF THOMAS PEACH.
I began this novel a number of times, hoping I would find something new to appeal but unfortunately I could not get into it at all. The layout, dialogue etc. were rather confusing and I wasn't sure who to champion. Not for me this one.

Apologies, I just couldn't get into this book and I didn't finish it.

It might be that a physical book works better for me on this one as I found the layout in the ebook didn't really work with the writing style, it was difficult to follow.

I don't really feel I can offer any particular critique of the book as I didn't get into it.

An 18th century Gothic tale concerning the mysterious Thomas Peach, his even more mysterious wife and the engimatic Clarissa Riddle. The story had potential but personally I found the narrative style offputting and the pace too slow.
Full review is on my website.