Fyneshade: A Sunday Times Historical Fiction Book of 2023

Product Information

And the writing style is so good it draws you straight in to the spooky atmosphere of the house and keeps you there until the final page. The young girl is not at all what she expected and the house, Fyneshade, a mysterious and dark place, the staff mostly hostile. Marta's days are brightened by the arrival of Vaughan Pritchard the heir to Fyneshade, who spends his days as a falconer until his inheritance is released.

Having been read her future by her Grandmere, and having been taught her secrets, she believes this is her destiny. She’s been plotting and planning since her arrival at Fyneshade, using everything within her power to succeed. Marta finds herself drawn to Vaughan, despite the warnings of the housekeeper that he is a danger to all around him. Still, the twists are well-delivered (even if I saw some of them coming) and fans of the abovementioned Gothic comparators will enjoy this clever new take on the genre.There are also those Jane Eyre vibes to it with the house hiding secrets and a master of a grand house being hidden away. Grace is a treasure, and she can draw beautifully, albeit Marta will not be able to contribute much to teach Grace anything. On the day of Grandmere’s funeral, Marta discovers that she’s being sent north to Derbyshire and Fyneshade to act as Governess to Sir William Pritchard’s daughter. There were moments when I caught myself rooting for her (I feel low-key guilty about it) but generally she was not a character you want to relate to. Overall, then, great writing but a disappointing plotline that collapses in on itself - but I did skim-read to the end to find out what happens.

She quickly learns all in the beautiful house is not what it seems and is intrigued to find out what is really going on.After a few false starts, I was taken on as a trainee reporter by a local newspaper where I worked very happily for several years. With Fyneshade, Kate Griffin has crafted not only a true dedication to the legacy of gothic fiction, but also a modern addition to that great canon.