The Mask of Merryvale Manor by Pete Sherlock

The Mask of Merryvale Manor

by Pete Sherlock

'We're actually all rather terrible.' 

On the cusp of the 1960s, when fourteen-year-old Ben moves into the ancestral home of his aunt and uncle, he is shocked by their wealth and glamour. Under the watchful eye of the Merryvale Mask, his sophisticated cousins teach him how to appreciate their languid opulence and draw him into the world of the elites. But five years later, when a woman's body is found on the estate, his new life begins to crumble. 

As the family is placed at the centre of a murder investigation, Ben starts to see their manipulative power in a harsher light. Placed on a collision course with his family, Ben faces a dilemma: how far is he willing to go to fit into their world?

Reviewed by annieb123 on

4 of 5 stars

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Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

The Mask of Merryvale Manor is an atmospheric, often creepy, psychological historical murder mystery by Pete Sherlock. Released 25th June 2024 by Fairlight Books, it's 320 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. 

A coming of age story set in the early 1960s, MC Ben comes to his aunt and uncle after the death of his mother. Having grown up in modest means, he's entirely unprepared for the indolence and opulence of the family, and is by turns fascinated and horrified by his cousins' attitudes of privilege and lack of compassion.

There are elements of gothic horror (a macabre mask positively *looming* throughout the story), bits of psychological thriller, standard English country house murder mystery, cold case disappearance, as well as being impressively redolent of the early 60s. Despite being a real mish-mash of genres, it manages to straddle them quite well and develops into a shocking denouement. There's not much resolution included here and it stops on a dime (quite effectively). 

It's not at all derivative, but there are flashes of Shirley Jackson and Susan Hill. 

For sensitive readers, there are mentions of casual sexual harassment, animal abuse (not graphic, just mentioned in context), political corruption, and war/PTSD. 

Four stars. Well worth a look.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes. 

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Reading updates

  • 4 September, 2024: Started reading
  • 4 September, 2024: Finished reading
  • 4 September, 2024: Reviewed