Historical fiction that sucks you in and may lead to loss of sleep. Is she innocent, guilty, complicit in her predicament? You decide. ( )

An atmospheric story of lies and deception, told by an unreliable narrator, that kept me second-guessing as I read along. Always tricky to trust the story of a prisoner on death row. Through the use of flashbacks, we learn from Lucy the series of events - and the possible suspects - for the crime Lucy stands accused of. Cleverly written and steeped in vividly descriptive details, Blakemore gives readers an absorbing Gothic tale of jealousy, forbidden love and a cautionary glimpse into the precarious nature of the balance of power and false affections.

If you like your historical fiction stories to be dark, atmospherically Gothic and character-driven with a slow-building psychological suspense - think Daphne DuMaurier's Rebecca - this may be the perfect read for you! ( )

The Companion by Kim Taylor Blakemore

Well written, dark depressing story set in the mid 1800’s that is told by a woman sentenced to death by hanging for the murder of two women. The story begins with Lucy Blunt being employed by the Burtons to assist the cook. Her story is told from that day forward with segments of her life in prison interspersed. As there were no clues to indicate which portion of her life was being told it was not immediately known if she was in prison or back at the Burton home.

After finishing the book I have to say that I came away feeling unsettled. I never really could relate to Lucy or any of the characters in the story. I am still trying to figure out why the story was written and what message it was trying to relay. Lucy was not a good person but one who used her wits to survive...until her wits failed her.

Did I like this book? Not really
What was the quality of the writing? Very good
Would I read more by this author? Perhaps – I would not tackle one this dark and depressing, though

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Unioin Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.

2-3 Stars ( )

***Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***

Like "The Favourite", but with murder...

Maybe.

Lucy Blunt is our unreliable narrator of the events that take place while she serves the wealthy Burton family as a maid and companion to Mrs. Burton.

I am not a thief, though I have stolen.
I am not a murderer, though I have killed.

The language is beautiful and crafty, especially when describing people - People called her "sweet" and "helpful" and "cheerful". Drop those words in a pot and stir and they might congeal into the word "thick." - and the natural world that changes with the seasons.

The only rough patch for me was the romance with Mrs. Burton - I didn't feel any chemistry between her and Lucy (or her and Rebecca) and I didn't find her an attractive character. If you can accept that as part of the plot and move on, though, the rest of the story is enthralling.

(And chilling - I had a vivid dream about being hanged one night after reading this.)

Thoroughly recommend. ( )

The Companion is a top-notch piece of dark historical fiction with an unreliable narrator. Lucy Blunt tells us the stories of the murders she's about to hang for. She's not responsible for any of them. Or is she? As a reader I wanted to believe Lucy, but I also didn't trust her: there were so many troublesome loose ends and unlikely details. If you like historical writing, if you like mysteries that may never really be resolved, this is a book for you! ( )