Return to Wyldcliffe Heights by Carol Goodman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Agnes Corey, a junior editor at a small independent publisher, has been hired by enigmatic author Veronica St. Clair to transcribe the sequel to her 1993 hit phenomenon, The Secret of Wyldcliffe Heights . St. Clair has been a recluse since the publication of the Jane Eyre-esque book, which coincided with a terrible fire that blinded and scarred her. Arriving in the Hudson Valley at St. Clair's crumbling estate, which was once a psychiatric hospital for "wayward women," Agnes is eager to ensure St. Clair's devoted fans will get the sequel they've been anticipating for the past thirty years. As St. Clair dictates, Agnes realizes there are clues in the story that reveal the true—and terrifying—events three decades ago that inspired the original novel. The line between fact and fiction becomes increasingly blurred, and Agnes discovers terrible secrets about an unresolved murder from long ago—which have startling connections to her own life. As St. Clair's twisting tale infiltrates Agnes's psyche, Agnes begins to question her own sanity—and safety. In order to save herself, Agnes must uncover what really happened to St. Clair, and in doing so, set free the stories of all the women traumatized and victimized by Wyldcliffe Heights.
I'm not even sure where to start. This book Was. So. Good.
The atmosphere, Agnes' own troubled past, the story-within-a-story, the weird mystery in the present that just slowly builds; I was absolutely blown away and glued to the pages of this novel, wondering what was going to happen next. And the interesting thing is that there are just enough clues for readers to guess some of the answers, but there are plenty of secrets left in the old mansion lurking around to leave you wide-eyed and shocked in the end.
All of the characters are fascinating in their own ways. Each has an extensive history and things are slowly revealed as the book goes along. It's like a foggy picture that slowly reveals itself over time (an apt description once you read the book.)
I'm not really one who yearns to comb the Hudson Valley, but after reading this book, I may have to do a haunted HV tour this fall….the book really could be a very convincing tourism piece for them.
If you love gothic mystery thrillers/legends and lore/thrillers in general, I highly recommend reading this one. I couldn't put it down. It's another contender for book of tge year in a year full of great reads.
Man, 2024 has been a literary treasure trove!
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