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  • The Secrets of Hartwood Hall

  • By: Katie Lumsden
  • Narrated by: Olivia Vinall
  • Length: 9 hrs and 54 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (108 ratings)
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The Secrets of Hartwood Hall

By: Katie Lumsden
Narrated by: Olivia Vinall
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Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

It's 1852 and Margaret Lennox, a young widow, is offered a position as governess at Hartwood Hall. She quickly accepts, hoping this isolated country house will allow her to leave her past behind.

Cut off from the village, Margaret soon starts to feel there's something odd about her new home, despite her growing fondness for her bright, affectionate pupil, Louis. There are strange figures in the dark, tensions between servants and an abandoned east wing. Even stranger is the local gossip surrounding Mrs Eversham, Louis's widowed mother, who is deeply distrusted in the village.

Margaret finds distraction in a forbidden relationship with the gardener, Paul. But despite his efforts to reassure her, Margaret is certain that everyone here has something hide. And as Margaret's own past threatens to catch up with her, she must learn to trust her instincts before it's too late...

The Secrets of Hartwood Hall is a chilling gothic mystery, and an authentic and atmospheric love letter to Victorian fiction.

©2023 Katie Lumsden (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"I loved this fresh take on the gothic genre. Vivid, haunting, surprising." (Stacey Halls, author of Sunday Times bestsellers The Familiars, The Foundling and Mrs England)

"A full-blooded gothic mystery with bite, great characterisation and heaps of atmosphere." (Emma Stonex, author of Sunday Times bestseller The Lamplighters)

"A brilliantly creepy and utterly compelling read, which put me in mind of Laura Purcell, Stacey Halls and Michelle Paver: it's up there with the most wonderfully engrossing and twisty gothic historical fiction." (Caroline Lea)

What listeners say about The Secrets of Hartwood Hall

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant book!

A fantastic book - the narration was excellent. Really tense and gripping, perfect for anyone who is a fan of historical fiction or mysteries!

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Spoilers **

I loved so much about this. It was a great story with a mystery that slowly unveiled itself.
But I couldn’t quite get over the ending for one character.
Spoiler below ***

Why did Paul’s story end that way?! He lost his baby, the love of his life, his home, his job, a family of 7 years and his father was dying. His character was lovely and kind and deserved so much more than this heartbreaking ending. Lovely ending for Margaret but it felt marred for me and I actually felt genuine sadness finishing this. It felt like the author ran out of steam at the end. The way he was written out made me feel a little less for Margaret too. I get the “not get married again” thing but he still could have gone. They were all going on to a life loving outside of society so he could have gone and they wouldn’t have to get married. Suddenly the story felt like it unravelled there and like it wasn’t properly thought out

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Disappointing

After reading the reviews, I was excited to read this book, it had promise. Such a thin storyline, with continued scene & dialogue repetition throughout. If it wasn’t for the excellent narration, I wouldn’t have finished this book.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Too long for so little development

I had this book on at night before sleep and honestly if i fell asleep before the timer, I felt like I didn't miss much. This book was far too long for the content it presented leaving many pages just to turn without saying much at all. Was it good? Kind of. It is not memorable or something I want more of in the future but I did finish it.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant, one to lose yourself in.

What a great storyline, I can honestly say it was not was I was expecting which is such a breath of fresh air.
It kept me absorbed so much that I didn’t want it to end. The narration was first class, I really feel it can make or break an audible book. Thank you for an excellent listen and looking forward to your next book. X

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic

Really brilliant book with twists, turns and absolutely oozing atmosphere.

Excellent performance really heightens it!

Thoroughly recommended!

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Disappointing ending to an otherwise promising story

The story was engaging overall, but I found the main character less and less likeable and understandable as the story progressed. So much so, that by the end of the book I had lost almost all sympathy for her because of her unkind and selfish treatment of one of the other, most likeable characters in the book.
A main theme of the book is bad marriages and the cruel treatment of women by their former husbands, but then the main female character turns out to be equally as heartless as the man she has escaped!
I can’t understand the authors decision to end the book the way she did. There are so many other possible options for endings that would have maintained real sympathy for the main character.

Although the story was quite good overall, the ending absolutely ruined the book for me and left me feeling sad and annoyed. I won’t be rushing to read another book by this author unfortunately.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

The intrigue of what would happen

Liked the narrator, found her voice calming but engaging. Whilst the story was good I felt it lost its way towards the end, and became a bit silly if I’m honest. I was engrossed but found as the story went on less so. The main character started to really grate on me and I found her annoying almost I really didn’t care what happened to her, this does not normally happen the only character I did enjoy was poor old Paul. Would I listen to another story by the author perhaps although I wouldn’t be in a hurry. Would I listen to the narrator again absolutely.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A well deserving 5 stars. Thoroughly enjoyed.

I discovered this author by accident and I’m so glad I did. I devoured this title within 48 hours. I listened at every opportunity . It had me gripped from the start to the very end. I enjoyed the narrator and really did find this little gem by accident. I’m now looking for the authors next read but it’s not released until the middle of July which is a shame. I have added it to my wish list so I can’t forget about it. It’s not my usual type of listen but I’m so glad I took this chance and got it. Not returning it. I want to add it to my collection. A very well deserving 5 stars overall. I wish I could give it more. Be brave and grab a copy.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

well read but found it tedious

Not my cup of tea. Slow burning plot but I didn't see the twist coming. OK but not outstanding as a story

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