You always know when you have read a good book, because you are devastated it had to end, this is one of those books. It's atmospheric, creepy, haunting and it gave me serious heebie jeebies. Rebecca Netley certainly knows how to take a reader out of their comfort zone and place them in a old mansion with crumbling walls, dark corners, creepy floorboards and all the usual horrors of ghosts, mystery, suspense and plenty of hair raising bump in the nights. The characters are believable and the relationship between Elspeth and Mary is one of love and sorrow but slightly creepy until the end when all is revealed. The ending was unexpected with a wicked twist and I was rooting for little Mary to speak all the way through and when she finally did I was so happy and scared at the same time. This is a brilliant, clever, scary book and I can't wait to see what Rebecca writes next because this one is horror writing at it's best. LOVED IT, LOVED IT, LOVED IT!.

Beautiful, atmospheric prose and a wonderful setting. The storyline intrigued me right from the start. However as the plot progressed I found my mind wandering and overall it didn't leave the lasting impression that I had hoped for.

If you love a good gothic spooky tale then this book is definitely for you. Well-written, a likeable and relatable protagonist and a satisfying conclusion - this book does what it says on the tin.

If I was to be slightly picky it would only be to say that it would have been more of a standout read for me if it had brought another layer to the simple tropes that have been used many times before. But an atmospheric and fun read.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this honest review in exchange for digital ARC.