The Beholders by Hester Musson

The Beholders by Hester Musson
UK Publication: January 2024
Reviewed by: Book Worm
Rating: [★★★★]

This ARC was provided by 4^th Estate (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.

Two word review – Gloriously Gothic

Synopsis from Goodreads: SOME HOUSES ARE HAUNTED BY THE LIVING June, 1878. The body of a boy is pulled from the depths of the River Thames, suspected to be the beloved missing child of the widely admired Liberal MP Ralph Gethin. Four months earlier. Harriet is a young maid newly employed at Finton Hall. Fleeing the drudgery of an unwanted engagement in the small village where she grew up, Harriet is entranced by the grand country hall; she is entranced too by her glamorous mistress Clara Gethin, whose unearthly singing voice floats through the house. But Clara, though captivating, is erratic. The master of the house is a much-lauded politician, but he is strangely absent. And some of their beautiful belongings seem to tell terrible stories. Unable to ignore her growing unease, Harriet sets out to discover their secrets. When she uncovers a shocking truth, a chain of events is set in motion that could cost Harriet everything, even her freedom…

My Thoughts: This is a debut novel and all I can say is wow this is definitely an author to watch.

This story is deliciously dark. We have a master the world seems to love. A mistress who seems to be unstable. A house populated with good looking servants, although their tenures tend to be short. And of course the baby. But what is the true story behind the body in the river?

Harriet is newly arrived at the house and as such is free from its sinister influence, through her diary the reader is drawn into a world of secrets, bullying, blackmail and manipulation. Luckily for this reader Harriet is a great observer and journalist and within minutes I had fallen under the spell of Finton Hall and Victorian London.

Who would like this? Love Gothic Fiction go for it. Love strong female characters go for it. Love mystery and intrigue…you guessed it go for it!

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