Secrets of Rose Briar Hall by Kelsey James: Vivid & engaging
Secrets of Rose Briar Hall by Kelsey James is a vividly depicted historical gothic suspense novel filled with engaging twists and turns. Read my full review.
Secrets of Rose Briar Hall Publisher Synopsis
1908, Long Island: For Millie Turner, the young and beautiful wife of a powerful New York stockbroker, Rose Briar Hall—a gleaming edifice of white marble on the North Shore—is more than a home. Every lavish detail speaks of Charles Turner’s status and wealth, and its stylish interior is testament to Millie’s sophistication. All that’s left is to prove her worthiness to be his bride. What better way than to throw a grand party for New York’s social elite?
After painstaking planning, the night of the event arrives and all is perfection—until Millie wakes to a cold, eerily quiet house, and a gray cloud where her memory should be. Can it be true that she has been in and out of consciousness for weeks, ever since the party took a terrifying turn? Millie recalls nothing. But her friends have shunned her, and it soon becomes clear that if she can’t find out what really happened that night, much more than her reputation will be at risk . . .
As the house that promised so much happiness begins to feel more like a prison, Millie wonders whether a woman alone, even a wealthy one, can ever be entirely safe. And if she succeeds in finding the truth, will it bring relief, or shake her marriage, and her life, to the core?
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My Review
After being pleasantly surprised by Kelsey James’ debut historical gothic novel The Woman in the Castello, I had a hunch that in Secrets of Rose Briar Hall she would deliver readers something more vibrant and multi-faceted than the synopsis might suggest. And, that hunch proved correct. While there is indeed an overbearing housekeeper involved, this novel is more than a Rebecca retelling.
Once again, James’ prose is not necessarily literary or even close to perfection, but she depicts settings vividly, moods evocatively and her characters have presence. Lead character Millie is prone to action rather than simply overthinking, and this leads to an eventful story journey featuring many interesting twists and turns.
In Secrets of Rose Briar Hall we ride shotgun with the spirited Millie as she seeks to navigate a society ruled by men, high society gossip and opinion, and the grounds of her ivory castle with attack dogs (metaphorical and literal) at her heels every step. And, as if that’s not enough to keep our leading lady on her toes, James even throws a good-guy romantic suspense thread with depth into the mix.
It really is hard to say a lot more about this novel’s plot without providing spoilers. Ultimately, in Secrets of Rose Briar Hall Kelsey James has once again delivered a rollicking yarn; a narrative that is so easily readable that you look up from its conclusion thinking, did I really just read 304 pages? A great storyteller indeed.
My Rating
Story 4 / 5 ; The Writing 4 / 5
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I received an advanced reader copy of this novel from the publisher for review via NetGalley.