A review by theoverbookedbibliophile
The Cruel Dark by Bea Northwick

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.75

 
1928, Boston: Twenty-six-year-old Millicent Foxboro quits her job at a bookshop in Boston to accept a position to assist widowed Professor Callum Hughes in his research, a position that would require her to move to his estate in Willowfield. Millicent lives with a big gap in her memories. She remembers her traumatic childhood and the tragic episode that destroyed her own family but is unable to recall the events of the years preceding her being admitted to the hospital. With this new assignment, she hopes to earn enough money to turn her life around. But after a somewhat cold reception and the strange behavior of the staff, Millicent begins to suspect that Willowfield and her new employer harbor deep secrets, the eerie occurrences and the journal of her employer’s late wife only adding to her fear and unease. Is the estate haunted or is she being targeted? Who would want to harm her and why?

Though the premise or the major plot points won’t strike you as anything you haven’t read before, as a whole I did find The Cruel Dark by Bea Northwick to be an engaging read. The intriguing premise, the atmospheric setting, well-developed characters and the Gothic elements paired with a few surprising revelations (among the more predictable ones) kept me interested in the plot as it progressed. the narrative, which flows well, is presented from Millicent's first-person POV. I loved the sections on Celtic mythology and appreciated how the same was incorporated into the narrative. The ending was exciting and overall satisfying, though I was left with a few questions. Overall, this was a well-written, absorbing novel. Fans of Gothic romance (with a healthy dose of spice) and mystery would definitely enjoy this one.

This is definitely a promising debut and I look forward to reading more from this author.

I paired my reading with the audiobook narrated by Madison Mitts and Theodore Zephyr, which made for an engaging immersion reading experience.

Many thanks to Northwick Books for the digital review copy Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ALC via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.