This book was pitched as a Gothic Horror which was a mix of Crimson Peak meets Rebecca

With Crimson Peak being one of my favourite films, I definitely wanted to read this one

We join Jane, who approaches the reclusive Dr Lawrence for a marriage of convenience. Dr Lawrence agrees, but under a few stipulations, its a marriage in name only and she must never visit his crumbling family Manor, Lindridge Hall

As always with these things, it never goes as planned. On the night of Jane and Augustines wedding, a storm strands Jane at the Manor and with no other choice, she has to stay.

Jane stats seeing things in the Manor, and Augstine dismisses these, but also reminds her of their agreement.

I thought this was just going to be a ghost story, but it ends up so much more than that, delving into dark magic and life and death.

It is clear Augustine has many secrets, and will Jane survive to find them all...

This was a great read, definitely see the Crimson Peak vibes and the way it went after this could easier have been a continuation of the Crimson Peak storey, if Edith had made different choices.

I listened on audio and the narrator did a great job on this one in conveying the creepy atmosphere

If you're a fan of gothic horror with elements of psychological suspense and dark family secrets, "The Death of Jane Lawrence" offers a chilling and atmospheric reading experience. It delves into themes of fear, paranoia, and the blurred line between reality and the supernatural.

I really loved this book. Jane needs to find a husband, the doctor agrees but with one rule, she is never to visit Lindridge Hall. Test after an accident she finds herself at his doorstep. But all is not as it seems. The man she has married is acting like a completely different person.
Totally gripping and creepy read.
I would recommend this book.

A very chilling atmospheric book that once I picked up I couldn’t put down! I was instantly hooked. I’ve already recommended to a few people

I enjoyed this gothic novel but I would have liked it a little bit darker but a very gripping story that had me hooked.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

I sit to write this review upon finishing the novel, a big mistake. I made no notes throughout and the loudest thought I'm left with is.. what the hell was that?

Starling writes a great atmosphere and the setting is immaculate. The prose is thankfully not purple, the description enough to perfectly picture the time period, the surgery and the gothic Lindridge Hall in which The Death Of Jane Lawrence is set.

The new wife uncovering the secrets of the death of Dr Lawrence' previous wife whilst living amongst her ghost and his servants strongly echoes Du Maurier's Rebecca but this is where the similarities end.

Starling had me invest in Jane early in the story with the enigma of her initial banishment from Lindridge Hall to draw me in. I liked where this was headed.

It's hard to discuss without spoiling but my problems began once Jane learned of the history to Lindridge Hall. She sets herself to free her new husband from his peril and this is where it all fell down for me.

The Death Of Jane Lawrence is a very heavy read. Not emotionally but intellectually. Where I'd hoped for a plot we instead find chapter upon chapter of logic, mathematics, geometry and philosophy.
Much is repeated but very little made any sense at all, perhaps this is the intention, to further the idea of madness and desperation? Instead I struggled to keep track of anything, Jane cannot separate what is real from what is not and neither can we.

There is no semblance of any linear timeline, no clear line between truth and imagination and by the end I had no idea what had actually happened. I'm left so confused that I can't decide how much enjoyment I took from reading it.

Based upon my fatigue from attempting to unravel the story, my occasional frustration at the repetition and my overall confusion I'd be tempted to say I disliked The Death Of Jane Lawrence. However, I did care for the main character, I liked the setting, atmosphere and frequent doses of body horror and this certainly isn't a predictable story.
Starling has given me an average read with this novel, I'm not sure I will pick up her next.

Okay, I admit – the thing that had me instantly hooked on this book from the very first page was how much it reads like a Romance. Starling has expertly woven together the two genres, creating something that reads at first like Historical Romance, before shifting into more Gothic and Horror. Jane needs to get married, but she needs to ensure the match is someone who will give her independence and freedom, and she sets her sights on Doctor Augustine Lawrence, convincing him of how perfect the marriage will be, emphasising it is one of convenience – a business arrangement - and nothing more.

This world is a sort of alternate Britain/Europe during what we would recognise as the Victorian Era. It’s a post-war country, and Jane herself was directly impacted by the war, as her parents volunteered and left her with family friends. Her experiences of the bombing and shelling really impact how she reacts to some of the situations she later finds herself in, and her trauma is handled well by the author.

Jane is intelligent and determined, fully believing the best thing to do is marry for a lifestyle, as a business arrangement rather than considering marrying for love, but Starling does an excellent job when she pulls together Jane and Augustine, laying the groundwork for what comes later.

The ‘magic’ itself is darker, and the version that comes with a price. Jane witnesses this first-hand with the first patient she helps Augustine with, though she doesn’t understand initially what the strange growth her soon-to-be-husband pulls out of the man’s stomach. It sets Jane off on a path that takes her deeper into Augustine’s life and home than she ever intended.

The relationship at the core feels completely grounded in Romance, and all the more effective for it. These two characters, too, feel crafted from the genre, like Starling has created them from Romance, picked them up, added a scar or two and dropped them into a deeply horrifying situation.

The Gothic atmosphere is heavy, and pierces through the novel as Jane sees more of the house and its inhabitants, and as she’s driven into doing something dangerous.

The only slight niggle I had was the book itself felt too long. There are parts where it really does drag, especially when it transitions to the house itself. Some of it just felt a tad unnecessary.

But overall, this is definitely a really good horror novel that delves deep into darkness and guilt. Well worth a read.

I have read this book as a part of the gothic marathon reading challenge - however, I was a bit dissapointed as I was hoping for more chills and mysterious atmosphere. I couldn't connect with the main characters but I liked the trope used (marriage of conveinice) and a craziness buildup.

I fell in love with the gorgeous cover and was attracted by the by the blurb that made me think of Bluebeard and the Angela Carter's The Bloody Chamber.
I appreciated the first part then i felt confused and the story didn't keep my attention.
Not my cup of tea
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

Huge thanks to the lovely people at Titan for my gifted review copy of 'The Death Of Jane Lawrence' which is out now!

So Jane Lawrence is dead-or is she?-is she dead dead or metaphorically dead and as she starts the book as Jane Shoringfield, this means she gets married and holy shit will you look at that glorious cover?!*

*This was all before I started the book and delved deep into it's glorious gothic layers of subversion, subterfuge and wantoness.

That is , to quote my daughters, a lot.

I was sold on the notion of Rebecca crossed with Hill House ,but this book is so much more than thar.

The mysteries are teasingly stripped in front of the wary reader's eyes, the sheer strangeness of the plot reflected in its dystopian setting of Grand Beltain, a place where religio has crumbled yet social structures stand firm. As such, a woman without a family, without a husband like Jane,must seek one out with the highest scrutiny.

And in Dr Lawrence she finds the perfect match-she can carry on with her love of numbers, be an accountant without having to account for her ambition, will kill about 50 birds with her stone of a marriage proposal to a man who needs a wife in name alone.

His family seat is where he resides,the surgery is where she will live . The children and social standing she never desired will pass her by, he will have a faithful wife , everyone is happy,yes?

Until circumstances bring them to a place where neither can escape their essential selves,magic and mayhem intrude and begin to warp the weft of reality.

A breathtaking exploration of what it means to be free and escape literal and physical oppression this is a truly wonderful book which will become an instant classic.

I received a copy for free in exchange for an honest review; my thanks to NetGalley and the author.

Not really my favourite genre, but a well-written book nonetheless. Recommended.

A marriage of convenience with a simple rule - Jane must never spend the night at Lindridge Hall.

In an alternative England, reminiscent of post-WWI trauma, Jane enters an agreement with the town's well respected doctor, Augustine, to marry so that she may retain her independence. After terrible weather forces her to break the one rule she agreed to, Jane learns that things are not all as they seem and Augustine is hiding a secret.

Deeply atmospheric and lingeringly haunting, Starling's novel is a love letter to classic gothic horror with its own unique twist.

I felt like I was constantly sitting on the edge of my seat while reading this novel, the sense of foreboding seemed to crawl over me and I found it genuinely disturbing at times.

The author is a wonderful storyteller and to be expected with any horror story, I never knew who or what to trust.

The Death of Jane Lawrence is a beautifully written novel that is enticing and enthralling from the offset and absolutely perfect for the spooky season.

Thank you so much to @titanbooks and @netgalley for allowing me to read an early copy of this creepy tale!

I really enjoyed the beginning of this book - the gothic feel to it, it seemed totally realistic and authentic to me. However around the 30% mark, the story slowed down to a near standstill and I struggled from then on in. Unfortunately this book wasn't for me although I appreciate the opportunity to read and review it.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Death of Jane Lawrence was a captivating, atmospheric horror novel, infused with a sweeping Gothic love story.

The book follows Jane Shoringfield, who proposes a marriage of convenience to the local doctor Augustine Lawrence. By marrying him, she will be able to pursue her work as an accountant and, in return, she will do Dr. Lawrence's books. Reluctantly, he agrees, under one condition: Jane will never stay at night at his estate, Lindridge Hall. When chance does put Jane under Lindridge Hall's crumbling roof, Jane soon realizes something there is very, very wrong and her new husband might not be who she thought he was.

I had a great time reading this book. The atmosphere and themes fit nicely with other Gothic classics such as Rebecca, Jane Eyre, and The Haunting of Hill House (both the books and the Netflix show!), while still being unique. Jane, the main character, is a pragmatic and independent woman, who, at the beginning of the book, simply wants to pursue her career and be independent from her guardians. Yet, she finds herself charmed by Augustine. So much so, she ignores his strange request of her never stepping foot in his estate.

In a lot of ways, the beginning of the book reminded me of Jane Eyre and Rebecca. We have a crumbling mansion, an eerie atmosphere and a wide-eyed heroine falling for an older man she barely knows whose estate hides some dark secrets. I, for one, believe Mr. Rochester doesn't deserve shit. So naturally, I was a bit frustrated at Jane's naivete. Likewise, I found Augustine to be pathetic and Jane deserved far better than him. Thankfully, she realized that too in the course of the book. Jane's perception of Augustine changed as soon as she found out more about his past. I loved that we finally had a Gothic heroine that raged at her love interest, that was horrified at the things her husband hid from her.

Now, I'm a wimp. I get scared by horror very easily. In this instance, I was fine, however. Aspects were spooky and some parts featured a lot of gore, but I wasn't terrified. The author definitely delivered on the atmosphere of dread and the feeling of being haunted. As a Gothic fiction fan, I was having a blast. The gore-y parts during Augustine's operations added some interesting characterization for both Augustine and Jane. A comparison to both Frankenstein and Crimson Peak seems apt.

The ending of the book was where the story took a dive for me. I liked that, in contrast to Rebecca, for example, there was an actual haunting and actual magic here. But the way magic worked here honestly went over my head and I wasn't quite following the ending. With that being said, I still enjoyed the conclusion to the book and will pick up the author's other books for sure!

I gave The Death of Jane Lawrence 4/5 stars and recommend it to fans of Gothic fiction like Jane Eyre and the Netflix show The Haunting of Hill House.

I really enjoyed this horror novel. That characters were well written and each had their own quirks, I found Jane very reasonable at the start and then her descent as her household became more and more terrifying really well done! I also found the plot developed very fluidly. Can't wait to see more from this author I. The future!

This started off really well, lovely little gothic horror, big spooky mansion, lots of creepy stuff going on, and then it quickly escalated into a constant fever dream. I feel like there were too many good ideas, all thrown together into a big rushed scattered plot. I can see how some would love it but unfortunately, it just wasn’t for me.

I really loved The Death of Jane Lawrence. It’s got that good old fashion horror story feel to it plus dark gothic overtones. The book starts off innocently enough with Jane’s practical proposition to Dr Lawrence. She doesn’t know him or his past so has no idea what she’s getting into. Things start to take a dark turn when she’s forced to spend the night at his family estate, a place he has told her is out of bounds, piquing her curiosity. I was hooked within a few pages and couldn’t wait to find out the dark secrets or Dr Lawrence and Lindridge Hall. This is a fantastic read.

Jane Shoringfield must marry, and having no interest in a traditional marriage, she seeks a man who will let her continue her accountancy work, with no expectations of a marital bed or children. Dr Augustine Lawrence fits the bill perfectly, he professes no interest in a standard marriage and actually insists they sleep in separate houses and that she must never visit Lindridge Hall, his family seat in the countryside.

Their attraction, and mutual admiration however does start to grow and after a night together at Landridge Hall, Jane starts to dream of this becoming a love marriage, until she suddenly discovers her husband acting half mad with fear and believing she is a ghost come to haunt him... Jane then comes to realise there are very dark shadows in her new husband's past which threaten their lives and sanity.

1/5 stars

For the second time, I’ve been deeply intrigued by one of Caitlin Starlings plots, only to be deeply disappointed by the execution in the end. I’m sorry to say, but I think this author and I just don’t match well…

In The Death of Jane Lawrence, Starling switches out the space-setting of The Luminous Dead for another horror-staple, in the form of a gothic manor, brimming with secrets, blood and occult magic. We follow practical, level-headed Jane who enters into a marriage of convenience with renowned but reclusive surgeon Augustine Lawrence. Their marriage is sealed with the single condition that Jane must never visit Augustine’s crumbling family manor on the outskirts of town. When on their rainy wedding night, an accident leaves them both stranded on the doorstep of Lindridge Hall, Jane is confronted with a dark mystery and a side of her new husband she didn’t anticipate.

What I liked:
Say what you will about Starlings stories; they know how to make an entrance. We first meet our protagonists Jane and Augustine being forced to work together in his surgery when a patient is unexpectedly wheeled in for an emergency procedure. Lacking an operation assistant, Augustine asks Jane to assist him in his attempt to save this unidentified man’s life. What follows is a genuinely tense scene in which the two perform a desperate surgery to remove a strange calcified object from the man’s abdomen. It makes for a wonderful set-up to the first of many mysteries, with a great dynamic between the two main characters sizing each other up in a high-pressure situation. After this scene, I was genuinely excited to get to the rest of the story; convinced I was in for a tense and gripping ride.

What I didn’t like:
Unfortunately, everything went downhill from there fast. And I mean that fast part literally. Jane, who is described throughout the story as level-headed, independent and rational above all else, falls head-over-heels for the dashing doctor in one of the worst cases of insta-love I’ve encountered recently. It’s one of my biggest pet-peeves when a character that is described to be one thing (especially a feminist, independent bad-ass), suddenly flips like a leave as soon as a love-interest is involved. Relationship- and character development are essential to my enjoyment of a story, and similarly to The Luminous Dead, I found that severely lacking here. Both Jane and Augustine felt incredibly juvenile and immature for their age, which I can overlook in a book targeted at a young-adult audience, but not in a book marketed as adult gothic-horror.
Additionally, the story itself became as unbalanced as the characters; trying to incorporate too many interesting ideas into what ultimately became a bit of a Frankensteinian patchwork of underdeveloped plot points and twists. The intention of creating a series mind-bending twists along the way, one following quickly after the other, were clear, yet the relentless hurry made it so none of them were developed enough to hold up to scrutiny. The entirety of the story takes place over a period of only two weeks, which feels ridiculous for the amount of progression forced into the story as well as the characters. A slower paced story with more time for development would’ve been more fitting of the gothic-genre, but also made for a better story in general.

Overall, The Death of Jane Lawrence made for one of my biggest disappointments of the years thus far; starting off with a very strong hook, but sinking like a stone.

Many thanks to the publisher Titan Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

trigger warning
<spoiler> trauma, grief, gore, mental illness, miscarriage, being drugged </spoiler>

When her guardians decide to leave town, Jane seeks a husband who is willing to treat the marriage as a business arrangement, beneficial to both but without intimacy.
She gets far more than she bargained for.

The setting is kind-of victorian england, only the country is called Breltaine. The capital is called Camhurst, all sounds vaguely british, but women are allowed to study, hold a doctorate and positions equal to their qualifications.
Even Jane herself <i>could</i> study should she so choose. Very un-victorian but welcome.

So, from the get go we get the vibes that Auguste Lawrence has something to hide, and the fun is to figure out what is is and how the problem can be solved. Typical gothic horror and heavily based on vibes and atmosphere.
In this, it was exactly what I wanted.

There is not much to say without spoiling anything, so I won't.
If you're into gothic horror or stories that rely mostly on atmosphere, you'll probably like this.

The arc was provided by the publisher.