When I heard that Girls of Brackenhill by Kate Moretti was set in an old castle in the Catskills, I knew I had to read it. I’ve always loved psychological thrillers, but with a setting like that, there was no way I was passing this one up!
Synopsis: “When Hannah Maloney’s aunt dies in a car accident, she returns to her family’s castle in the Catskills and the epicenter of a childhood trauma: her sister’s unsolved disappearance. It’s been seventeen years, and though desperate to start a new life with her fiancé, Hannah is compelled to question the events of her last summer at Brackenhill.
When a human bone is found near the estate, Hannah is convinced it belongs to her long-lost sister. She launches her own investigation into that magical summer that ended in a nightmare. As strange happenings plague the castle, Hannah uncovers disturbing details about the past and startling realizations about her own repressed childhood memories.”
*I received this book for free from the publisher (Thomas & Mercer/Amazon Publishing) in exchange for an honest review.
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Girls of Brackenhill by Kate Moretti: My Thoughts
Girls of Brackenhill checked a lot of boxes for the mystery lover in me:
- Mysterious castle with grounds that stretch on forever ?
- Locked & hidden rooms ?
- Coming-of-age sisters ?♀️
- Secretive, remote small town ?
- Sleepwalking & strange memories ?
The setting here was so satisfying, and I loved getting glimpses into the castle’s (and town’s) past. This story is slightly reminiscent of Home Before Dark, treading the line between reality and spooky. I love when books can do that in a subtle way! Another thing I enjoyed: going back and forth between Hannah’s past and present, a clearer picture slowly coming into view.
It did go a little off the rails toward the end (some of the writing felt rushed). And there were a lot of different threads to follow, which I felt complicated the story a little more than necessary. But overall, the atmosphere and narration was so engrossing that I always wanted to keep reading!
Rating: 3.75 (out of 5) stars
Publication date: November 1st, 2020
Looking for more great book recommendations? Check out my list of my most-anticipated November 2020 book releases!
