Harkworth Hall, set in England of 1752, is a young adult mystery novel that follows Caroline Daniels, the daughter of a long-standing widow. While her father expects her to marry, as is expected of all fine ladies, Caroline’s brash attitude and boyish curiosity lead her down a different path.

This was a book I just could not put down. The writer had me hooked from start to finish, with quirky characters I came to love. My favourites were Caroline and the mysterious Mr Chase. While I adored Caroline’s refusal to obey society’s protocols for women and her level of determination and bravery, Mr Chase took this concept to a whole new level. They had a natural chemistry with Miss Daniel’s and appeared devoted to her from their first meeting. As a dark plot develops and blood is spilled, Mr Chase stops at nothing to warn Caroline of the dangers that lurk around Harkworth Hall.

The novel was written beautifully. It possessed an effortless grace when it came to the flow of the words, with non-stop action that keeps the blood pumping. The words themselves sing, the word choice perfect for evoking emotion within each and every scene.

I would recommend this book to both mystery and young adult book lovers. It was a true gem to read and I am thankful that the book was brought to my attention.

Easily rated 5 stars. ( )

This Gothic tale starts out like a romance. Strong heroine, an eligible bachelor and his interesting secretary. Then you notice that this is not your average romance, it's a Gothic tale with an interesting twist.
I truly enjoyed reading it.

This review is based on an ARC provided by the publishers. ( )