It's 1875, and Alva Webster has perfected her stiff upper lip after three years of being pilloried in the presses of two continents over fleeing her abusive husband. Now his sudden death allows her to return to New York to make a fresh start, restoring Liefdehuis, a dilapidated Hyde Park mansion, and hopefully her reputation at the same time. However, fresh starts aren't as easy as they seem, as Alva discovers when stories of a haunting at Liefdehuis begin to reach her. But Alva doesn't believe in ghosts. So when the eccentric and brilliant professor Samuel Moore appears and informs her that he can get to the bottom of the mystery that surrounds Liefdehuis, she turns him down flat. She doesn't need any more complications in her life - especially not a handsome, convention-flouting, scandal-raising one like Sam. Unfortunately, though Alva is loath to admit it, Sam, a pioneer in electric lighting and a member of the nationally-adored Moore family of scientists, is the only one who can help. Together, the two delve into the tragic secrets wreathing Alva's new home while Sam attempts to unlock Alva's history - and her heart. Set during the Gilded Age in New York City, The Widow of Rose House is a gorgeous debut by Diana Biller, with a darkly Victorian Gothic flair and an intrepid and resilient American heroine guaranteed to delight readers.
As a lover of a historical novels, I was excited to be able to review this novel. Diana Biller is a new to me author, but I will tell you this. After reading this debut novel, she will definitely be one I will read again. From start to finish, she had me entranced with this novel.
I absolutely loved her characters! She chiseled Alva and Sam so perfectly. The fact that their story takes place in, shall we say a haunted house, really drew me into the heart of the story. I’m all about the paranormal! The details that Biller used to portray the “haunted” mansion was incredible. I felt like it was within the home myself! That was incredible!
Watching Alva’s past come to light really tugged at my heart. The past is the past and should be left there, but much like the house, it was determined to haunt her. But, seeing Sam’s feelings spark from the pages really made me smile. I loved watching them together!
For a debut novel, this exceeded my expectations. I am so happy to have had the chance to read this one! It’s worthy of 4 stars and two thumbs up from this reader. I am very much looking forward to seeing what Biller has in store for us with her next one! Well done!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Publisher, St. Martin's Press and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
Reading updates
-
Started reading
-
Finished reading
-
16 October, 2019:
Reviewed