The Witch of Willow Hall drew me in long before I started reading. I saw this gorgeous cover and of course it reminded me of the mid century gothic novels such as those written by Victoria Holt, Joan Aiken etc. which I am obsessed with. The stories usually centre around a spooky house in the country, a young woman and a mysterious powerful man. The Witch of Willow Hall at first might appear to fit into this pattern; Lydia Montrose and her family move to Willow Hall when rumour and scandal drive them from their Boston home. A runaway dog and a sudden rainstorm provide a suitably romantic meeting with their neighbour Mr. Barrett. Lydia is smitten but her older and prettier sister Catherine seems equally interested. Lydia has already begun to suspect that the house is haunted but a family tragedy seems to awaken a latent power in her. As Lydia feels herself more and more constrained by the house, her family's scandalous reputation and the scheming of those around her, her anger and her abilities develop. To say much more would be to spoil a fascinating and compelling book that echoes with Austen, Heyer and Du Maurier as well as New England history and folktale. A captivating first novel written with a nod to those authors of the past and those heroines trapped by circumstance. I'm delighted to be part of the blog tour. The Witch of Willow Hall is out now in e-book and paperback from HQ a division of Harper Collins. Thanks to Lucy Richardson for my copy.
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