A wonderfully atmospheric read.

Thomson has written a gripping, dark, well paced Victorian gothic horror that I couldn't put down. The characters were excellently written and I loved that Sutherland was an unreliable narrator - this really added to the tension of the story.

Highly recommended.

This was a breath of fresh air in the world of ghost stories. Beautifully written in a Victorian gothic style, Hawthorn delivered hauntingly dark, gripping, and suspenseful read. Although the book begins slowly, I was absorbed by the bleakly atmospheric and eerie setting. Very well structured. I took away half a star, purely for the time I spent looking up various Scottish terminology.

I would award this 4.5 stars. Great read!.

Just the right amount of "is there something happening here, or is he mad?" going on, to have me wondering all the way through.
The story has plenty of atmosphere, and enough secrets to unravel to keep everyone happy.
An enjoyable read.