Review - The Secrets of Colchester Hall by Sophie Barnes

The Secrets of Colchester Hall by Sophie Barnes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received an advanced reader's copy of this novella via Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 / 5 stars -> rounded up because I know this genre is not typically my cup of tea and I probably have some bias.

The Secrets of Colchester Hall is a short, light novella encompassing the Regency-era romance of Lady Angelica and Viscount Sterling. The Viscount's home, Colchester Hall, is haunted by the spirit of his late wife who died under "mysterious" circumstances. Needless to say, the haunting places some strain on the courtship process.

This novel is well-paced and Angelica is overall very likable. Personally, I could take or leave Sterling. The romance is somewhat whirlwind, but this doesn't tend to peeve me as much in historical fiction compared to modern romance. Considering the circumstances, the protagonists share a fair amount of chemistry.

(view spoiler)[ Unfortunately, the "twist" in this novella -- that Mrs. Essex, the jealous housekeeper, murdered the late Lady Sterling -- is rather obvious from about the halfway point. A touch more subtlety or complexity to the antagonist's character could go a long way. I was also oddly thrilled when Angelica was thought to be "dead" in the final chapter. I found the prospect of her haunting Colchester Hall for the rest of eternity to be a sad, but romantic idea, perhaps somewhat in line with the gothic novels she loves so much. I felt like a bit of a sadist when I was disappointed she lived. (hide spoiler)]

Generally well paced, the length of this novella is perfect to convey the story. Some of the narration in the first chapter is awkward, but could be easily mended with some light edits. Unfortunately, I also really dislike the cover art. It comes across as cheesy and Angelica's dress is not period-appropriate.

Overall, The Secrets of Colchester Hall is a decent novella, but does not particularly stand out among the crowd, especially in a literary field dominated by writers such as KJ Charles whose stories have a bit more "bite" to them. If this is a genre you regularly enjoy, you may wish to pick it up as a comfy afternoon read.

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