A review by mibookobsession
The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Wow, what did I just read?! Set in a fictional world, similar to our Victorian Era, this is Gothic horror, supernatural and strange, with just a hint of romance thrown in. 
Jane Shoringfield, accountant and lover of all things numbers and math, has calculated that her best chance of survival is a marriage of convenience. She creates a list of her most eligible men, none too handsome or young so as to limit competition from other women. Bachelor #1 is Dr. Augustine Lawrence, country doctor and surgeon with a large estate in Larrenton called Lindridge Hall. At first skeptical of the match, he is soon convinced when she steps in to assist him in an emergency surgery without fainting or squeamishness. His only condition... that she stay at the surgery in town and NEVER visit his estate, where he will stay every night. But things go awry the first night when the wedding crowd delivers them to Lindridge. Are the whispers of ghosts and strange things in the house true? Why does she see the reflection of a blond-haired, red-eyed woman when she looks at a dark window pane? 
I found myself deliciously scared by the strange things happening in this book. At first just seeming like a nightmare, then I thought maybe Jane was losing her sanity and these were the workings of a psychotic mind. I honestly got a bit lost for a while with all the strange things going on, but it all added to the foreboding atmosphere of the story.
I received an advance reader copy of this book through NetGalley. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.
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