Review: The Widow of Pale Harbor

The Widow of Pale Harbor by Hester Fox
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

3.5 Stars

The Widow of Pale Harbor is an atmospheric gothic novel by Hester Fox, the author of last year's The Witch of Willow Hall. Sophronia Carver, the titular widow of the tale is a lovely and kind woman whose physically abusive husband died under complicated circumstances. The locals of Pale Harbor, Maine blame her for his death and many call her a witch. Living like a recluse in Castle Carver with only her loyal housemaid Helen for company, the new minister Gabriel Stone, a man with his own secrets and history, is drawn to Sophronia and her plight. Just prior to his arrival in Pale Harbor, a series of messages (including dead ravens) begins to terrorize Sophronia and Helen. As their intensity in horror steadily increases, the widow and the minister seek answers to who is menacing Sophronia and why. Links to Edgar Allan Poe stories, published in a magazine her husband published and which she now maintains, provide some clues but the couple are still at a loss for why she is being targeted.

With twists and turns aplenty, this is a clever gothic mystery. I found the romance elements a little over the top, but otherwise enjoyed the setting and Fox's clever use of Allan's work and the local New England setting.

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