Review: The Witch of Willow Hall

The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hester Fox's debut novel The Witch of Willow Hall is the perfect gothic ghost story for October book clubs looking for a creepy October read. Set in Massachusetts in the Era of Good Feelings (the period after the War of 1812), it tells the story of the Montrose family along with that of their ancestors, the Hales, and Prestons. The protagonist, Lydia, is the middle sister and has occasionally seemed to possess some interesting ability to both see and do things. She dotes on her younger sister Emeline but struggles to relate to her beautiful older sister Catherine, and her older brother Charles. After a scandal not involving Lydia, the family is forced, without Charles, to move to New Oldbury (a name that Catherine ridicules) to her father's recently purchased estate of Willow Hall. There Lydia meets John Barrett, who recently sold Willow Hall to Mr. Montrose but seems shocked that the family is moving there permanently. Montrose and Barrett have a mill business together. (Of course, given the date of 1821, you can guess where all that cotton is coming from...)

You attract them. Some mean you harm. Be prepared for what lies ahead.

Lydia has visions of what appear to be ghosts and receives cryptic warnings written on steamy mirrors or heard in voices that others seem not to hear. When stressed, intriguing things happen around Lydia. Her gift is both frustrating and protective, as she forges a path through mysteries and tragedies in her own family and that of John Barrett. Lydia is a fairly likable, if self-doubting heroine. Her relationship with her younger sister is especially well written and poignant. Not being much of a romance fan, her relationships with her potential suitors, Cyrus and John, struck just the right balance for me.

The novel is well written and plotted. It's evident that Fox researched her subject and the region of New England. Although some of the character interactions feel a bit anachronistic for the era in tone and language, the book is still quite enjoyable for readers of historical fiction. If Jane Austen, Louisa May Alcott, and Alice Hoffman had a book baby/project, it could be this book!

All in all, I'd recommend the book for those looking for a light witchy read for October for their book club. I do have a trigger warning mentioned below the image, in a spoiler...*

Image Copyright Lucz Fowler

*SPOILER* Trigger Warning: This book contains a subplot with incest.

I received a Digital Review Copy and a paper review copy from Graydon House/Harlequin, a division of Harper Collins, in exchange for an honest review.

View all my reviews