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A Moonlit Path of Madness
Grief haunts her every step.
Inheriting a family heirloom in the form of an antique clock with a broken moon dial as well as a seaside house in Wales, Grace Morgan mourns the loss of her mother and dreads the manifestation of a family curse that threatens to lay claim to her and everything she holds dear.
Set around the turn of the 20th century, A Moonlit Path of Madness traces Grace’s journey from the United States to the distant parish of Newport on the West Wales coast. Partly epistolary and laced with Welsh folklore, this tragic gothic tale delves into the prevalent mental health challenges of the era in the face of unrelenting fear and all-consuming trauma, as Grace reckons with the insidious specter of her lingering grief.
Set around the turn of the 20th century, A Moonlit Path of Madness traces Grace’s journey from the United States to the distant parish of Newport on the West Wales coast. Partly epistolary and laced with Welsh folklore, this tragic gothic tale delves into the prevalent mental health challenges of the era in the face of unrelenting fear and all-consuming trauma, as Grace reckons with the insidious specter of her lingering grief.
335 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 11, 2023
3 people are currently reading
304 people want to read
About the author
Catherine McCarthy
31 books317 followersCatherine McCarthy is a Welsh working class writer who weaves dark tales on an ancient loom.
Her longer works include Immortelle, Mosaic, A Moonlit Path of Madness, The Wolf and the Favour, The House at the End of Lacelean Street and her most recent novella, Death of a Clown, which published May '25 through Sobelo Books.
Her short fiction can be found in various publications, including Gamut Magazine, Dark Matter Magazine and Haven Spec Magazine.
Time away from the loom is spent hiking the Welsh coast path or huddled in an ancient graveyard reading Dylan Thomas or Poe.
Her longer works include Immortelle, Mosaic, A Moonlit Path of Madness, The Wolf and the Favour, The House at the End of Lacelean Street and her most recent novella, Death of a Clown, which published May '25 through Sobelo Books.
Her short fiction can be found in various publications, including Gamut Magazine, Dark Matter Magazine and Haven Spec Magazine.
Time away from the loom is spent hiking the Welsh coast path or huddled in an ancient graveyard reading Dylan Thomas or Poe.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
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February 4, 2023I have no intention of reviewing, since I wrote it. I'd just like to say that having completed the final round of proof-reading I am still in love with this novel, and I hope readers will enjoy it, too. This one's from the heart.💖
Read
February 1, 2023Ah madness, where would the horror genre be without you? From Poe to Machen, or Du Maurier to Jackson, the theme of madness has run hand-in-hand with horror as it flees down a dark corridor, and author Catherine McCarthy carries that tradition forward with her new novel, A Moonlit Path of Madness.
Part Gothic, part tragedy, and part rumination on grief and loss, this is the kind of horror with heart that crackles with magic for me. Do you ever close a book and sit in a kind of awe that the book was somehow written just for you? I get that with McCarthy's stories, especially this one.
A death in the family, the reading of a will, and the unexpected inheritance of an old house on a distant shore. These are the elements that start the journey of Grace Morgan as she travels from the US to a quiet village on the Welsh shore, and the enigmatic Parrog House of her ancestors.
The sense of history to this place is palpable as the protagonist unravels the ghosts of the past and how that impacts her future. The lingering dread of family history and the idea on inherited curse pulses strongly through the story where the subtle use of the supernatural creeps in every shadow and behind every locked door.
Grace is a captivating protagonist, deep feeling and introspective, but with a taste for the macabre and morbid. Human in her faults, relatable in her fears, it is impossible not to root for her as she digs into the past, pulling the threads on old secrets and tragic legacies. Her erstwhile ally, Lilah, is an earthy, endearing counterpoint to Grace's increasing dread and questioning of her own sanity.
The setting becomes central to the story as McCarthy plants our feet firmly on the sandy shores of a seaside Welsh village in the early 20th century. Sensory details immerses her readers with the lap of waves on the shore to the smell of beeswax polish in a locked room. Or the grit inside the broken skull of a porcelain doll.
The stories that stick with me are ones that don't tie everything up with a neat bow. After a powerfully emotional ending, McCarthy leaves us with questions and hints that lingers long after that last page is turned. Perfection, in my humble opinion.
Part Gothic, part tragedy, and part rumination on grief and loss, this is the kind of horror with heart that crackles with magic for me. Do you ever close a book and sit in a kind of awe that the book was somehow written just for you? I get that with McCarthy's stories, especially this one.
A death in the family, the reading of a will, and the unexpected inheritance of an old house on a distant shore. These are the elements that start the journey of Grace Morgan as she travels from the US to a quiet village on the Welsh shore, and the enigmatic Parrog House of her ancestors.
The sense of history to this place is palpable as the protagonist unravels the ghosts of the past and how that impacts her future. The lingering dread of family history and the idea on inherited curse pulses strongly through the story where the subtle use of the supernatural creeps in every shadow and behind every locked door.
Grace is a captivating protagonist, deep feeling and introspective, but with a taste for the macabre and morbid. Human in her faults, relatable in her fears, it is impossible not to root for her as she digs into the past, pulling the threads on old secrets and tragic legacies. Her erstwhile ally, Lilah, is an earthy, endearing counterpoint to Grace's increasing dread and questioning of her own sanity.
The setting becomes central to the story as McCarthy plants our feet firmly on the sandy shores of a seaside Welsh village in the early 20th century. Sensory details immerses her readers with the lap of waves on the shore to the smell of beeswax polish in a locked room. Or the grit inside the broken skull of a porcelain doll.
The stories that stick with me are ones that don't tie everything up with a neat bow. After a powerfully emotional ending, McCarthy leaves us with questions and hints that lingers long after that last page is turned. Perfection, in my humble opinion.
Read
March 24, 2023I had the privilege of an advanced read of McCarthy's tale of poignancy and pain. McCarthy has a deep appreciation of the gothic (both small "g" and large). Appropriately enough, protagonist Grace is navigating her life from a place of pain and loss that haunts her from the United States to an inheritance in Wales. This is a quiet novel, redolent with reflection, as Grace makes her wounded way to define who and what she is in the face of profound loss (I won't divulge any spoilers) that hangs over her days and nights like a funereal shroud.
The grandfather clock is itself a kind of character and/or McGuffin in the story akin to the Maltese Falcon, although in McCarthy's hands, it has a far more Poe-etic (hah -- she clearly enjoys Poe, which only makes sense) presence in the tale -- the clock is symbolic and potent in its presence, calls to mind my own childhood and the looming grandfather clocks in the houses of my grandparents, which were sources of awe and wonder and, yes, caution.
Grace is grounded in her relationship with Lilah, who has been employed by Grace's family for as far back as Grace can remember. Lilah offers a nice counterpoint to the more ethereal Grace (who offers the first-person narrative perspective, so the reader keenly feels her pain).
McCarthy's language is carefully considered and rendered in a stately manner well-suited for the time period of the story, which straddles the early 20th century with the ghosts of Victoriana looming madly throughout it. This is not a blood-spattered actioner, but is almost meditative in its melancholic musings, and I think fans of the Gothic (big "G", yeah) will find a lot to treasure in this novel.
This is not a lighthearted romp nor a rollicking, reimagined fairytale. But no prospective readers toying with the Gothic should ever expect that, whereas fervent fans of the Gothic should find it a pleasurably, even deliciously mournful tale of anguish, remembrance, and coming to terms (or not; again, no spoilers!!) with fleeting life and ever-present death. Weighty themes, impeccably conveyed, and there is a darkling magic embedded in the dusty, unforgotten corners of Grace's world, with all the peril implicit in such things.
The grandfather clock is itself a kind of character and/or McGuffin in the story akin to the Maltese Falcon, although in McCarthy's hands, it has a far more Poe-etic (hah -- she clearly enjoys Poe, which only makes sense) presence in the tale -- the clock is symbolic and potent in its presence, calls to mind my own childhood and the looming grandfather clocks in the houses of my grandparents, which were sources of awe and wonder and, yes, caution.
Grace is grounded in her relationship with Lilah, who has been employed by Grace's family for as far back as Grace can remember. Lilah offers a nice counterpoint to the more ethereal Grace (who offers the first-person narrative perspective, so the reader keenly feels her pain).
McCarthy's language is carefully considered and rendered in a stately manner well-suited for the time period of the story, which straddles the early 20th century with the ghosts of Victoriana looming madly throughout it. This is not a blood-spattered actioner, but is almost meditative in its melancholic musings, and I think fans of the Gothic (big "G", yeah) will find a lot to treasure in this novel.
This is not a lighthearted romp nor a rollicking, reimagined fairytale. But no prospective readers toying with the Gothic should ever expect that, whereas fervent fans of the Gothic should find it a pleasurably, even deliciously mournful tale of anguish, remembrance, and coming to terms (or not; again, no spoilers!!) with fleeting life and ever-present death. Weighty themes, impeccably conveyed, and there is a darkling magic embedded in the dusty, unforgotten corners of Grace's world, with all the peril implicit in such things.
May 30, 2023
Review in the June issue of Library Journal.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Gothic, immersive, quiet but w/ pervasive unease
GREAT COVER FOR DISPLAYS
Draft Review:
Grace, a spinster, living in Vermont in 1902, has been caring for her mentally ill, dying mother, but immediately upon her death, Grace begins to have visions and experiences similar to those that plagued her mother. In an attempt to get a fresh start, Grace and her maid move to Wales to live in the home her family left soon after her birth. Upon her return, however, the haunting nature of the family’s secrets, lingering ghosts, and sinister truth behind Grace’s inheritance more clearly reveal themselves alongside the phases of the moon. Readers will be drawn in quickly by Grace’s direct, honest, and unreliable narration, following the atmospheric burn eagerly, watching as Grace gathers more information and the pervasive unease, interesting characters, and moody setting build to a haunting resolution, one that will leave readers shaken but asking for more by McCarthy.
Verdict: A historical tale of psychological horror expertly rendered in the style of a classic Gothic novel from the time in which it is set, this small press title can be confidently suggested to readers who enjoy Jane Eyre by Brontë, The Unsuitable by Pohlig and anything by Jennifer McMahon.
Reading notes:
Psychological Horror/Ghost Story told in the style of the Classic Gothic from the turn of the 20th century when it is set-- 1902-3.
Vermont and Wales
Family secrets/curses, feminist, mental illness, ghosts, pervasive unease,
Moon metaphors, sea metaphors. unreliable narrator in the most creepy sense because Grace is the only narrator, all that we see. We see other's povs of what is going on but we are also stuck with Grace. Reader must follow her, even when we doubt her, even when we believe her. That unease is sustained very well.
Great sense of place. slow burn but compelling storytelling. Grace is driving the story and she keeps you reading.
This will be VERY popular with library patrons. It also has a great cover for display, but also the cover reflect both the mood of the story and the plot. A must add small press title to every library.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Gothic, immersive, quiet but w/ pervasive unease
GREAT COVER FOR DISPLAYS
Draft Review:
Grace, a spinster, living in Vermont in 1902, has been caring for her mentally ill, dying mother, but immediately upon her death, Grace begins to have visions and experiences similar to those that plagued her mother. In an attempt to get a fresh start, Grace and her maid move to Wales to live in the home her family left soon after her birth. Upon her return, however, the haunting nature of the family’s secrets, lingering ghosts, and sinister truth behind Grace’s inheritance more clearly reveal themselves alongside the phases of the moon. Readers will be drawn in quickly by Grace’s direct, honest, and unreliable narration, following the atmospheric burn eagerly, watching as Grace gathers more information and the pervasive unease, interesting characters, and moody setting build to a haunting resolution, one that will leave readers shaken but asking for more by McCarthy.
Verdict: A historical tale of psychological horror expertly rendered in the style of a classic Gothic novel from the time in which it is set, this small press title can be confidently suggested to readers who enjoy Jane Eyre by Brontë, The Unsuitable by Pohlig and anything by Jennifer McMahon.
Reading notes:
Psychological Horror/Ghost Story told in the style of the Classic Gothic from the turn of the 20th century when it is set-- 1902-3.
Vermont and Wales
Family secrets/curses, feminist, mental illness, ghosts, pervasive unease,
Moon metaphors, sea metaphors. unreliable narrator in the most creepy sense because Grace is the only narrator, all that we see. We see other's povs of what is going on but we are also stuck with Grace. Reader must follow her, even when we doubt her, even when we believe her. That unease is sustained very well.
Great sense of place. slow burn but compelling storytelling. Grace is driving the story and she keeps you reading.
This will be VERY popular with library patrons. It also has a great cover for display, but also the cover reflect both the mood of the story and the plot. A must add small press title to every library.
July 14, 2024
A Moonlit Path of Madness by Catherine McCarthy
I’m greedy when it comes to Catherine McCarthy’s stories. I try my hardest not shovel her stories into my eyeballs at speed, but they are so hard to resist. Catherine writes with such lyrical tone, that before you realise, you have been taken by the hand and dreamily, gently, pulled along that moonlit path.
With gorgeous gothic vibes, a historical setting in Wales, and an element of mystery, A Moonlit Path of Madness is a richly crafted, haunting story of grief, family tragedy and creepy uncertainty.
Inherited old house? ✔️
Locked room? ✔️
Ghostly apparitions? ✔️
Family secrets? ✔️
Lush descriptions? ✔️
Creeping fear-factor? ✔️
A Moonlit Path of Madness has everything I look for. I knew I’d love it, but I didn’t realise quite how much. Thank you, Catherine, for sending me an early copy, it will be forever in my heart.
I’m greedy when it comes to Catherine McCarthy’s stories. I try my hardest not shovel her stories into my eyeballs at speed, but they are so hard to resist. Catherine writes with such lyrical tone, that before you realise, you have been taken by the hand and dreamily, gently, pulled along that moonlit path.
With gorgeous gothic vibes, a historical setting in Wales, and an element of mystery, A Moonlit Path of Madness is a richly crafted, haunting story of grief, family tragedy and creepy uncertainty.
Inherited old house? ✔️
Locked room? ✔️
Ghostly apparitions? ✔️
Family secrets? ✔️
Lush descriptions? ✔️
Creeping fear-factor? ✔️
A Moonlit Path of Madness has everything I look for. I knew I’d love it, but I didn’t realise quite how much. Thank you, Catherine, for sending me an early copy, it will be forever in my heart.
July 12, 2023
𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠… 𝗜 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝐚 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗽𝘆 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸.
It's 1902 and at the beginning of the Book. 28 year old Grace Morgan lives with her widowed mother Marta and their maid Lilah at their home Woodleigh House in Fair Haven, Vermont.
Soon enough grace inherits her beloved grandfather clock and the family's home in their ancestral home lands.
Before Thanksgiving arrives Grace and Lilah travel to the old World, to live at the seaside facing Parrog House in Wales.
𝓒𝓻𝓸𝓮𝓼𝓸 𝓲 𝓖𝔂𝓶𝓻𝓾
Grace yearns for a fresh start with her confidante Lilah, but soon enough things change for Grace as she sees, hears and even smells things that she shouldn't be able to.
Before long we meet different people in this little welsh town and everyone, above a certain age, seems to know Grace's family far better than she ever did herself.
But what about the silver trinket Box, which Grace finds in her late mother's posssesions?
And the moon phases on her grandfather clock? Why did they stop working?
Is Grace reading too much into the town's tattle or is she onto something?
¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦
I am so very happy I was able to read an advance copy of this.
To descend with Grace into, that which would become a sad yet eerie gothic piece… it was hauntingly beautiful.
The writing was fitting of the time and it kept me turning the pages.
I lay in bed late at night and could not put this away, because I really needed to read another page… and another, and yet another one!
The Author, Catherine McCarthy, had me wrapped me around her little Finger with each word and unfortunately all too soon it ended.
And HOW it ended!? Silently, timidly… yet indescribably satisfying yet somehow unsatisfying.
I wanted more, and more. Though, at the same time I just knew I got served my share.
Thanks to the Author's description and Google Maps I felt as if I knew where this story might have taken place. ;)
As a Mediengestalter I love³ the design of the Book. The typefaces and illustrations. It gave off the feeling of reading a Book set around the late Victorian Era! Well done!
I give this a well deserved 4.7 which I will put to a full 5 Star Rating here on GR!!!
𝑰 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆 𝒂𝒕𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒑𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒂 𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝑮𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒄 𝑯𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒓!
If you're interested which song I mostly listened to for a proper mood while reading the Book.
Sarah Slean - The Gypsy
Here a few of the Books 'more important' characters…
-Grace Morgan, the main character
-Lilah, Lithuanian-American Maid of the family
-Marta & George Morgan (Manager at Granville Slate Company). Grace's Parents
-Jonathan & Eva Morgan with their daughter Helena. Grace's older Brother and his family in Rutland, Vermont
Some minor characters…
Ewan Bevan, the caretaker of Parrog House in Pembrokeshire, Wales
Gruff Lewis with his dog Bran (Bronwen's son)
Mr. & Mrs. Jones, their son Rhys & daughter Ffion. The family running the Draper's shop called 'Ffabrigau pili pala'
Aelwen & her daughter Lowri from the Inn called 'The Ship Afloat'
Tomos Evans, local clockmaker
Siôn Jenkins, chimney sweep
The unnamed Librarian Lady
On another Note…
Welsh = Pili Pala
German = Falter
Lazca = ფარფალი (Parpali)
Wie ich es liebe, Sprachen! ❤️
It's 1902 and at the beginning of the Book. 28 year old Grace Morgan lives with her widowed mother Marta and their maid Lilah at their home Woodleigh House in Fair Haven, Vermont.
Soon enough grace inherits her beloved grandfather clock and the family's home in their ancestral home lands.
Before Thanksgiving arrives Grace and Lilah travel to the old World, to live at the seaside facing Parrog House in Wales.
𝓒𝓻𝓸𝓮𝓼𝓸 𝓲 𝓖𝔂𝓶𝓻𝓾
Grace yearns for a fresh start with her confidante Lilah, but soon enough things change for Grace as she sees, hears and even smells things that she shouldn't be able to.
Before long we meet different people in this little welsh town and everyone, above a certain age, seems to know Grace's family far better than she ever did herself.
But what about the silver trinket Box, which Grace finds in her late mother's posssesions?
And the moon phases on her grandfather clock? Why did they stop working?
Is Grace reading too much into the town's tattle or is she onto something?
¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦
I am so very happy I was able to read an advance copy of this.
To descend with Grace into, that which would become a sad yet eerie gothic piece… it was hauntingly beautiful.
The writing was fitting of the time and it kept me turning the pages.
I lay in bed late at night and could not put this away, because I really needed to read another page… and another, and yet another one!
The Author, Catherine McCarthy, had me wrapped me around her little Finger with each word and unfortunately all too soon it ended.
And HOW it ended!? Silently, timidly… yet indescribably satisfying yet somehow unsatisfying.
I wanted more, and more. Though, at the same time I just knew I got served my share.
Thanks to the Author's description and Google Maps I felt as if I knew where this story might have taken place. ;)
As a Mediengestalter I love³ the design of the Book. The typefaces and illustrations. It gave off the feeling of reading a Book set around the late Victorian Era! Well done!
I give this a well deserved 4.7 which I will put to a full 5 Star Rating here on GR!!!
𝑰 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆 𝒂𝒕𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒑𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒂 𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝑮𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒄 𝑯𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒓!
If you're interested which song I mostly listened to for a proper mood while reading the Book.
Sarah Slean - The Gypsy
Here a few of the Books 'more important' characters…
-Grace Morgan, the main character
-Lilah, Lithuanian-American Maid of the family
-Marta & George Morgan (Manager at Granville Slate Company). Grace's Parents
-Jonathan & Eva Morgan with their daughter Helena. Grace's older Brother and his family in Rutland, Vermont
Some minor characters…
Ewan Bevan, the caretaker of Parrog House in Pembrokeshire, Wales
Gruff Lewis with his dog Bran (Bronwen's son)
Mr. & Mrs. Jones, their son Rhys & daughter Ffion. The family running the Draper's shop called 'Ffabrigau pili pala'
Aelwen & her daughter Lowri from the Inn called 'The Ship Afloat'
Tomos Evans, local clockmaker
Siôn Jenkins, chimney sweep
The unnamed Librarian Lady
On another Note…
Welsh = Pili Pala
German = Falter
Lazca = ფარფალი (Parpali)
Wie ich es liebe, Sprachen! ❤️
June 9, 2023
A Moonlit Path to Madness builds and builds to an ending so satisfying that I couldn’t pick anything up for days. A story like a poignant poem, its elegance leaving you stunned.
Let’s be very clear from the offing – A Moonlit Path to Madness is a phenomenal book. McCarthy has captured everything I love about Gothic Horror. It’s quietly disconcerting and wholly compulsive. It’s a story that will not leave you, its imprint etched into he chambers of your heart, a permanent marking from a long-ago era.
Catherine McCarthy’s writing is both eloquent and devastating. She has a firm reputation within the horror community for being supportive of other indie authors but also for being a genuine force with the written word. A story captured within the Victorian era isn’t an easy task to get right but McCarthy nails it. The language, the dramatic nature of their actions and the macabre and me giggling with glee. I was transported back in time and the imagery was fantastical. It’s no secret that I love Wales and now that I know roughly where this was set, I just have to witness it for myself during our next escape.
Vermont. Where it all begins. Grace Morgan’s mother is dying. Her parent’s emigrated from Wales many years previously and settled in the States. Alongside the families help, Lilah, they try to make her passing as comfortable as possible but Grace is haunted by something she says – everywhere. What on earth does she mean? As is known about people in the Victorian era they do have a touch of the dramatic, so I don’t immediately read too much into the word but as the story evolves and takes shape I am gobsmacked at the weight of the words. Like an anchor thrown overboard, if you aren’t careful, it can pull you under to a watery grave.
Her brother Jonathan reads the will out to her detailing everything that was left to them. He was to receive the family home and her, their father’s much loved Welsh home, Parrog House. It’s a shock but she decides to start a new life with Lilah. It could be everything she ever dreamed of. A rare opportunity to escape her dead mother’s melancholy. She can’t wait for the walks in the countryside and a chance to find out more about her heritage.
The descriptions of the area, the weather and women’s plight during this time were exquisite. I imagined the lovely big windows, the range cooker and the aroma of the food cooked, I was in readers heaven. I knew that whatever came next, the immersive narrative style would keep me hooked for the entirety. I was right. The characters, Grace and Lilah have just as much emotion packed into them as the storyline – the balance was just right. I know you’ll want to know more but you’ll just have to preorder the book. Some things deserve not to be spoiled; you’ll want the full immersive experience too.
The whole storyline feels like a gradual drop into darkness. You feel unfooted but you aren’t quite sure why this is the pure skill that McCarthy possesses. A discovery here, a shadow there, until you realise that coincidences don’t exist – everything happens for a reason.
Let’s be very clear from the offing – A Moonlit Path to Madness is a phenomenal book. McCarthy has captured everything I love about Gothic Horror. It’s quietly disconcerting and wholly compulsive. It’s a story that will not leave you, its imprint etched into he chambers of your heart, a permanent marking from a long-ago era.
Catherine McCarthy’s writing is both eloquent and devastating. She has a firm reputation within the horror community for being supportive of other indie authors but also for being a genuine force with the written word. A story captured within the Victorian era isn’t an easy task to get right but McCarthy nails it. The language, the dramatic nature of their actions and the macabre and me giggling with glee. I was transported back in time and the imagery was fantastical. It’s no secret that I love Wales and now that I know roughly where this was set, I just have to witness it for myself during our next escape.
Vermont. Where it all begins. Grace Morgan’s mother is dying. Her parent’s emigrated from Wales many years previously and settled in the States. Alongside the families help, Lilah, they try to make her passing as comfortable as possible but Grace is haunted by something she says – everywhere. What on earth does she mean? As is known about people in the Victorian era they do have a touch of the dramatic, so I don’t immediately read too much into the word but as the story evolves and takes shape I am gobsmacked at the weight of the words. Like an anchor thrown overboard, if you aren’t careful, it can pull you under to a watery grave.
Her brother Jonathan reads the will out to her detailing everything that was left to them. He was to receive the family home and her, their father’s much loved Welsh home, Parrog House. It’s a shock but she decides to start a new life with Lilah. It could be everything she ever dreamed of. A rare opportunity to escape her dead mother’s melancholy. She can’t wait for the walks in the countryside and a chance to find out more about her heritage.
The descriptions of the area, the weather and women’s plight during this time were exquisite. I imagined the lovely big windows, the range cooker and the aroma of the food cooked, I was in readers heaven. I knew that whatever came next, the immersive narrative style would keep me hooked for the entirety. I was right. The characters, Grace and Lilah have just as much emotion packed into them as the storyline – the balance was just right. I know you’ll want to know more but you’ll just have to preorder the book. Some things deserve not to be spoiled; you’ll want the full immersive experience too.
The whole storyline feels like a gradual drop into darkness. You feel unfooted but you aren’t quite sure why this is the pure skill that McCarthy possesses. A discovery here, a shadow there, until you realise that coincidences don’t exist – everything happens for a reason.
July 18, 2023
This one won't be for every reader, but lovers of classic Gothic and Victorian literature who don't mind a bittersweet and ultimately exquisitely melancholy take on the genre will find lots to love here. The use of flowery language and epistolary passages are very much in keeping with the mood the author is going for, as is the inclusion of such classics as mysterious ghostly visitations, a haunted seaside dwelling, and the push and pull between madness and reality. Is Grace Morgan following her mother's dark path of mental illness or is there something more to the horrific visions that plague her?
I enjoyed the characters and especially the relationship between Grace and her faithful maid turned companion Lilah as it developed over the course of the story. The Welsh setting and folklore set the properly atmospheric tone and the author does an accomplished job of keeping the tension and sense of unease going through to the very end. Catherine McCarthy has become one of my favorite horror authors because I always feel confident I am in very competent and creative hands when I pick up one of her books. If you love novels like The Woman in Black and other modern Gothics, I think you'll enjoy this!
I enjoyed the characters and especially the relationship between Grace and her faithful maid turned companion Lilah as it developed over the course of the story. The Welsh setting and folklore set the properly atmospheric tone and the author does an accomplished job of keeping the tension and sense of unease going through to the very end. Catherine McCarthy has become one of my favorite horror authors because I always feel confident I am in very competent and creative hands when I pick up one of her books. If you love novels like The Woman in Black and other modern Gothics, I think you'll enjoy this!
August 17, 2023
Grace Morgan, freshly reeling from the death of her mother, is booted from her Vermont family home by her older brother. Luckily, Grace has inherited another family home, all the way in Wales. So, with her faithful maid, Lilah, she sets off to Newport for a new life. However, an array of tragic family secrets drag Grace into the past.
McCarthy’s writing style is full of warmth, even in the most terrifying of moments (and there are quite a few). Grace is a wonderful character, instantly compelling, and her relationship with Lilah is perfect. As an immigrant (though I went the other way, from the UK to the USA), I could appreciate the sections outlining Grace’s culture shock when she arrives in Wales.
The world McCarthy has created feels authentic; I genuinely did not want to leave these characters behind.
A gorgeous gothic novel with real heart.
McCarthy’s writing style is full of warmth, even in the most terrifying of moments (and there are quite a few). Grace is a wonderful character, instantly compelling, and her relationship with Lilah is perfect. As an immigrant (though I went the other way, from the UK to the USA), I could appreciate the sections outlining Grace’s culture shock when she arrives in Wales.
The world McCarthy has created feels authentic; I genuinely did not want to leave these characters behind.
A gorgeous gothic novel with real heart.
July 22, 2023
When Grace Morgan’s mother passes away, she inherits a clock and a house in Wales, a big move from America. After returning to the family home Grace starts to uncover secrets from her family’s past, but what will be the lasting impact on her?
A wonderful Gothic tale with plenty of Welsh folklore and explores mental health issues. A great read.
A wonderful Gothic tale with plenty of Welsh folklore and explores mental health issues. A great read.
July 4, 2023
"What is it I seek? To conjure some semblance of her back to life, or answers to questions I was never brave enough to ask while she lived?"
[3.5 stars] This is a macabre, atmospheric Gothic novel that straddles the Victorian concept of hallucinations, supernatural beings, and the human psyche, especially in regard to how women are often treated when perceived as "hysterical."
Grace Morgan, inherits a house in Wales after her mother's death and embarks on a new journey with her help, Lilah. Wanting her life to reset on a blank slate, she uncovers devastating secrets about her family and has to grapple with odd visions that only give the smallest glimpses into the horrors of her family's past.
McCarthy's prose is like a seemingly sweet, layered lullaby that only gets more sinister, with purposeful thuds that leave you questioning yourself and surroundings. It successfully captures that 20th century Victorian ambience, including its melodramatic dialogue. And while this is very clearly meant to be a horror novel that diffuses its brooding atmosphere by focusing on the characters' thoughts, there are still some aptly written scenes that are gruesome (particularly the scenes including the sexton beetles).
The only reservation I have is that its melodrama, while quite fitting for the time period and narrative, can be a little overbearing at times. The combination of the focus on the minutiae and the theatrics make certain parts of the story sound a little redundant. I was impressed by the ending, however, despite still having many questions about it, it has a way of making you feel like this is how it's supposed to conclude.
This is a novel to remember as far as new Gothic novels go, and I'll be looking forward to reading more of McCarthy's works in the future.
Thank you NetGalley and Nosetouch Press for the free copy, I'm leaving this review voluntarily.
[3.5 stars] This is a macabre, atmospheric Gothic novel that straddles the Victorian concept of hallucinations, supernatural beings, and the human psyche, especially in regard to how women are often treated when perceived as "hysterical."
Grace Morgan, inherits a house in Wales after her mother's death and embarks on a new journey with her help, Lilah. Wanting her life to reset on a blank slate, she uncovers devastating secrets about her family and has to grapple with odd visions that only give the smallest glimpses into the horrors of her family's past.
McCarthy's prose is like a seemingly sweet, layered lullaby that only gets more sinister, with purposeful thuds that leave you questioning yourself and surroundings. It successfully captures that 20th century Victorian ambience, including its melodramatic dialogue. And while this is very clearly meant to be a horror novel that diffuses its brooding atmosphere by focusing on the characters' thoughts, there are still some aptly written scenes that are gruesome (particularly the scenes including the sexton beetles).
The only reservation I have is that its melodrama, while quite fitting for the time period and narrative, can be a little overbearing at times. The combination of the focus on the minutiae and the theatrics make certain parts of the story sound a little redundant. I was impressed by the ending, however, despite still having many questions about it, it has a way of making you feel like this is how it's supposed to conclude.
This is a novel to remember as far as new Gothic novels go, and I'll be looking forward to reading more of McCarthy's works in the future.
Thank you NetGalley and Nosetouch Press for the free copy, I'm leaving this review voluntarily.
June 28, 2023
This review was originally posted on FanFiAddict.com
Is this the year of Catherine McCarthy? I first became aware of the Welsh horror writer through her excellent short story collection Mists and Megaliths, which contains, in its final entry ‘Carreg Samson’, one of the best short stories I’ve ever read – go read it, it’s ok, I’ll wait for you. Done? Great. She also has a previous novel, Immortelle, which I have not read. But as I write this, she has two books coming out around the same time. Mosaic, which I have heard impressive things about, and this. A Moonlit Path of Madness, from Nosetouch Press, released 11 July.
This a novel that makes you think it is one thing – a very familiar Gothic tome – but then, with the uniquely strong voice that McCarthy has come to be known for, whips the rug out from under you in so many subtle – and in one case astonishing – ways that you are left with the distinct feeling that this is an author doing something rare – taking the Gothic, and moulding it into something new.
Or, to put it more simply, McCarthy is so at the top of her horror game right now that if she was an athlete, she’d be banned for doping.
The plot on the face of it is boilerplate Gothic. At the turn of the century, Vermont-based Grace, whose seemingly mentally ill mother has recently died, starts seeing things. Moving with her loyal servant to the seaside family home in Wales bequeathed to her in the will, she hopes for a new start, but the ghosts – both literal and metaphorical – of her family’s past won’t let her go – and the answers, it seems, can only be found in the phases of the moon.
In this plot, we have all the classic tenets of the good gothic story: the strange house full of secrets, a la Jane Eyre, the complex family past also full of secrets, the dreaded symbolism of Edgar Allen Poe, the mental health issues of novels such as Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca. But McCarthy is an author who brings so much to the table that she refuses to simply follow the classic Gothic text. In particular, she’s not afraid to intersperse the standard ‘spooky thing seen in the corridor’ cliché of the Gothic with gloriously disgusting, macabre imagery, often portrayed through Grace’s dreams. Take this brilliantly vile little nugget:
This flourish – Gothic gross, I call it ¬– is used sparingly but effectively throughout. Another twist McCarthy has for this seemingly most traditional of stories is to focus on the mental health aspect. While always prevalent in such stories, modern Gothic tales must examine this from modern perspectives, and McCarthy does so with aplomb. In one awkward and infuriating scene, a doctor patronises Graces’ description of her symptoms, concluding that she is hysterical and resorting to questions about her menstruation.
McCarthy also has a longstanding fascination with the sea, and with Wales, and with folklore, and all these are given due attention as she slowly builds the creeping atmosphere of beauty but also dread around Grace’s new Welsh seaside home. This is helped in no small part by the descriptive knack for portraying nature McCarthy has:
But for all the beauty, it is the ultimately creeping dread that wins out here; through a drip feed of bizarre clues found around the house, followed by a slow unrevealing of devastating family secret after devastating family secret, we feel ourselves being taken down the path – the moonlit path you might almost say – with something dreadful at the end. McCarthy has a gift for writing warm scenes and loving characters – the relationship between Grace and her Lithuanian maid are touching, as are her letters with her niece who adores her – so for a time you forget what is inevitably coming down the road.
But soon the storm clouds start to gather, and when the denouement comes… well, the less said the better, but it is stunning, revelatory. The kind of ending that adds a star to a book and resides in your mind for weeks. The kind of ending where you realise that every step has been building towards this, and that the book you hold in your hands was never the one you thought it was.
My god, that ending.
All in all, McCarthy has added her own unique touch to the Gothic genre, and, when the final sinister puzzle piece descends the result is astonishing. This novel will live in your head rent-free for days after reading. So read it. Just not when the moon is full.
Is this the year of Catherine McCarthy? I first became aware of the Welsh horror writer through her excellent short story collection Mists and Megaliths, which contains, in its final entry ‘Carreg Samson’, one of the best short stories I’ve ever read – go read it, it’s ok, I’ll wait for you. Done? Great. She also has a previous novel, Immortelle, which I have not read. But as I write this, she has two books coming out around the same time. Mosaic, which I have heard impressive things about, and this. A Moonlit Path of Madness, from Nosetouch Press, released 11 July.
This a novel that makes you think it is one thing – a very familiar Gothic tome – but then, with the uniquely strong voice that McCarthy has come to be known for, whips the rug out from under you in so many subtle – and in one case astonishing – ways that you are left with the distinct feeling that this is an author doing something rare – taking the Gothic, and moulding it into something new.
Or, to put it more simply, McCarthy is so at the top of her horror game right now that if she was an athlete, she’d be banned for doping.
The plot on the face of it is boilerplate Gothic. At the turn of the century, Vermont-based Grace, whose seemingly mentally ill mother has recently died, starts seeing things. Moving with her loyal servant to the seaside family home in Wales bequeathed to her in the will, she hopes for a new start, but the ghosts – both literal and metaphorical – of her family’s past won’t let her go – and the answers, it seems, can only be found in the phases of the moon.
In this plot, we have all the classic tenets of the good gothic story: the strange house full of secrets, a la Jane Eyre, the complex family past also full of secrets, the dreaded symbolism of Edgar Allen Poe, the mental health issues of novels such as Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca. But McCarthy is an author who brings so much to the table that she refuses to simply follow the classic Gothic text. In particular, she’s not afraid to intersperse the standard ‘spooky thing seen in the corridor’ cliché of the Gothic with gloriously disgusting, macabre imagery, often portrayed through Grace’s dreams. Take this brilliantly vile little nugget:
A horse’s skull, it’s jaw hung open, scraps of flesh and muscle still attached, and the maggots. Maggots that oozed through each and every crevice. Maggots that buried themselves in the crown of molars before wriggling themselves to sleep.
This flourish – Gothic gross, I call it ¬– is used sparingly but effectively throughout. Another twist McCarthy has for this seemingly most traditional of stories is to focus on the mental health aspect. While always prevalent in such stories, modern Gothic tales must examine this from modern perspectives, and McCarthy does so with aplomb. In one awkward and infuriating scene, a doctor patronises Graces’ description of her symptoms, concluding that she is hysterical and resorting to questions about her menstruation.
McCarthy also has a longstanding fascination with the sea, and with Wales, and with folklore, and all these are given due attention as she slowly builds the creeping atmosphere of beauty but also dread around Grace’s new Welsh seaside home. This is helped in no small part by the descriptive knack for portraying nature McCarthy has:
The sea is a distant sheet of grey, but the water in the estuary bubbles and broils in the easterly wind, displaying its mighty cross-currents a threat to those who dare venture across. Patches of iron-grey cloud scud across the sky, and the air is filled with the whistling wind and the tinkling of anchor chains.
But for all the beauty, it is the ultimately creeping dread that wins out here; through a drip feed of bizarre clues found around the house, followed by a slow unrevealing of devastating family secret after devastating family secret, we feel ourselves being taken down the path – the moonlit path you might almost say – with something dreadful at the end. McCarthy has a gift for writing warm scenes and loving characters – the relationship between Grace and her Lithuanian maid are touching, as are her letters with her niece who adores her – so for a time you forget what is inevitably coming down the road.
But soon the storm clouds start to gather, and when the denouement comes… well, the less said the better, but it is stunning, revelatory. The kind of ending that adds a star to a book and resides in your mind for weeks. The kind of ending where you realise that every step has been building towards this, and that the book you hold in your hands was never the one you thought it was.
My god, that ending.
All in all, McCarthy has added her own unique touch to the Gothic genre, and, when the final sinister puzzle piece descends the result is astonishing. This novel will live in your head rent-free for days after reading. So read it. Just not when the moon is full.
August 23, 2023
Catherine writes with her usual atmospheric touch. It's a gothic tale that's gentle yet spooky. A proper ghost story full of twists, and dark revelations. Superb.
October 6, 2023
I have always been fascinated by Welsh folklore and have loved every one of Catherine's books so far. So when the pre-order dropped, I was all over it like a rash!
I was not disappointed. This book is a masterpiece of gothic horror, blending historical realism with supernatural elements. The story follows Grace Morgan, a young Welsh/American woman who inherits a clock and a house in Wales from her late mother. Grace and her companion cross the Atlantic to a remote village, where she hopes to find peace and healing from her grief. But instead, she finds herself haunted by a family legacy of madness and terror, as the clock’s broken moon dial counts down to her doom.
Catherine is a master storyteller who creates a vivid and atmospheric setting for her tale. She skillfully weaves in Welsh myths and legends, such as the legend of Blodeuwedd, the woman made of flowers who betrayed her husband and was turned into an owl. She also explores the themes of mental illness, trauma, and loss, as Grace struggles to cope with her mother’s death and the fear of inheriting her madness.
Moonlit Path is full of suspense and horror, as Grace faces the dangers of the clock, the house, and the villagers who seem to know more than they let on.
The ending was quite heartbreaking, but also satisfying and fitting for the story.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves gothic horror, Welsh folklore, or just a good story. It is one of the best books I have read this year, and I can’t wait to read more from this talented author.
I was not disappointed. This book is a masterpiece of gothic horror, blending historical realism with supernatural elements. The story follows Grace Morgan, a young Welsh/American woman who inherits a clock and a house in Wales from her late mother. Grace and her companion cross the Atlantic to a remote village, where she hopes to find peace and healing from her grief. But instead, she finds herself haunted by a family legacy of madness and terror, as the clock’s broken moon dial counts down to her doom.
Catherine is a master storyteller who creates a vivid and atmospheric setting for her tale. She skillfully weaves in Welsh myths and legends, such as the legend of Blodeuwedd, the woman made of flowers who betrayed her husband and was turned into an owl. She also explores the themes of mental illness, trauma, and loss, as Grace struggles to cope with her mother’s death and the fear of inheriting her madness.
Moonlit Path is full of suspense and horror, as Grace faces the dangers of the clock, the house, and the villagers who seem to know more than they let on.
The ending was quite heartbreaking, but also satisfying and fitting for the story.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves gothic horror, Welsh folklore, or just a good story. It is one of the best books I have read this year, and I can’t wait to read more from this talented author.
June 16, 2023
Grace is a spinster that takes care of her mother that is mad along with her maid Lilah. Her mother finally passed and Grace inherits her families home across the seas along with a bunch of hidden skeletons. Grace starts to feel madness taking her over. She wants to uncover her families secrets and also discover if she is cursed to be mad. I enjoyed this book. The mystery is great and all the ghostly maddening aspects held me captive. I really enjoy books that feature making an old abandoned home fresh again, so I very much enjoyed all the homely details in this book. I enjoyed Grace and Lilah's relationship and it was nice to see Grace develop as a person if however briefly we got to experience that. I do however need the author to write a sequel about Graces niece Helene...is the madness really over ??? This reader needs to know because I don't believe it is. Thank you for the advanced copy to read. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I hope my fellow readers read it.
August 9, 2023
This is Grace Morgan's story. She is unmarried, living with, and caring for her mentally unwell mother when the book opens. She is assisted by Lilah, the housekeeper who is really a part of the family, and more mother than hired help. When Grace's mother passes away the two women move to an inherited ancestral home to which her father always hoped to return in Wales. Once there Grace uncovers family secrets, and tragedy, of which she was unaware. She also slowly begins to doubt her sanity. Is this her real inheritance?
Set around the turn of the 20th century, McCarthy creates an unparalleled atmosphere. She does so with the description of day-to-day life, menial tasks, and speech. She creates characters for whom you hope the best. I wanted to meet Grace and Lilah. They were sweet and kind. I knew things were going to end up badly for someone, but I hoped until literally the last page that they would not. McCarthy created and fostered that hope. Then killed it.
I've already ordered two other books by McCarthy, and know I will be buying (and reading) them all. If her others are anywhere near as gorgeous as this edition, I will be incredibly pleased, but her writing would shine on plain paper bound with twine. She is that good.
Set around the turn of the 20th century, McCarthy creates an unparalleled atmosphere. She does so with the description of day-to-day life, menial tasks, and speech. She creates characters for whom you hope the best. I wanted to meet Grace and Lilah. They were sweet and kind. I knew things were going to end up badly for someone, but I hoped until literally the last page that they would not. McCarthy created and fostered that hope. Then killed it.
I've already ordered two other books by McCarthy, and know I will be buying (and reading) them all. If her others are anywhere near as gorgeous as this edition, I will be incredibly pleased, but her writing would shine on plain paper bound with twine. She is that good.
August 9, 2023
Wow! There are several ways to look at this story. A lot about it hit a little too close to home because I have a complicated relationship with my mother and also feel a little cursed in seeing things in myself that I see in her. Things I'm not comfortable with.
So, I really feel an attachment to Grace in that regard. I feel like I can try to look at things from a logical point of view, but I also don't see any way of changing the path that almost seems inevitable.
I highlighted a passage where Grace asks Lilah if she thought it was possible for people to change who they were fundamentally, and Lilah responded they would just have to want it enough. I even have that as my computer's desktop now. I'm hoping it will be motivation for me.
The ending (no spoilers, I swear) makes me think that Grace did succeed in changing. It was fully her choice to do what she did. And she did it fearlessly. Her whole life had been lived in fear, so in a way, her choice was her way of changing who she was. She didn't try to fight what she knew was coming, but made a difficult decision that many of us could not do in the same circumstances.
So, I really feel an attachment to Grace in that regard. I feel like I can try to look at things from a logical point of view, but I also don't see any way of changing the path that almost seems inevitable.
I highlighted a passage where Grace asks Lilah if she thought it was possible for people to change who they were fundamentally, and Lilah responded they would just have to want it enough. I even have that as my computer's desktop now. I'm hoping it will be motivation for me.
The ending (no spoilers, I swear) makes me think that Grace did succeed in changing. It was fully her choice to do what she did. And she did it fearlessly. Her whole life had been lived in fear, so in a way, her choice was her way of changing who she was. She didn't try to fight what she knew was coming, but made a difficult decision that many of us could not do in the same circumstances.
June 19, 2023
A young woman inherits a house in Wales and sets forth with her maid. She's been haunted by visions and hopes they will disappear in a new home and country but they only get worse.
This was very good. I had a hard time putting it down Well-written with a dark atmosphere and more original than the basic gothic novel. I loved the main character even though I disagreed with some of her choices. The ending leaves one wondering.
This was very good. I had a hard time putting it down Well-written with a dark atmosphere and more original than the basic gothic novel. I loved the main character even though I disagreed with some of her choices. The ending leaves one wondering.
July 11, 2023
I really enjoyed this book! It has a great gothic tone and is beautifully written. I would reccomend this book to anyone who enjoys gothic stories. 10/10 would highly reccomend! Special 'thank you' to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced reader copy.
August 9, 2023
This book was a sweeping, heartbreaking gothic novel. I forgot how much I love these! The story of a young woman who must live with her family’s curse. There’s ghosts, gorgeous scenery, and wonderful characters I fell in love with. Just an incredible look at women’s mental health.
July 12, 2023
A Moonlit Path of Madness is the latest book from Catherine McCarthy and is a gothic horror tale set on the coast of Wales.
The story begins in Vermont, 1902, where we are introduced to Grace Morgan and the Morgan family as a whole. The beginning of the story sets the tone for the rest of the book where we discover that Grace is caring for her ailing mother who is beset by visions and hallucinations. Alongside Grace, is Lilah, the Lithuanian help that has been with the family since they made the arduous move to the Americas.
Tortured by her visions, Grace’s mother passes away, leaving Grace in a precarious position of what to do next. The family home is passed on to her brother, Johnathon. However, she is left the ancestral home of Parrog House in Wales, and the family heirloom of a grandfather clock which was transported with the family. Shortly after the death of her mother, and with the weight of her grief, Grace, along with Lilah embarks on a journey to move to the family home in Wales and sets about rebuilding her life in a new place. However, it is not long before the past resurges, and secrets long thought dead come back to haunt the living.
I first became aware of Catherine McCarthy after reading her short story collection, Mists and Megaliths and thoroughly enjoyed the range of stories that she showcased in this book. This is the first story of considerable length that I have read of hers and I have to say that I was quite impressed.
Gothic fiction as a whole is steeped in atmosphere, and with her prose, Catherine McCarthy sets about building the atmosphere from the beginning. Her prose is beautifully written, and I think that this totally belies the horror that lies beneath. However, when it comes to the fore, it can totally blindside you and send your senses reeling. She does this quite admirably, particularly at the beginning when she jars the reader with the visions and nightmarish scenes that are effectively small vignettes of grotesquery, creating a claustrophobic mosaic of hallucinatory terror following the death of Grace’s mother, illustrating the fragility of the lead character’s state of mind.
The tone subtly shifts when she moves to Wales, and she attempts to find some semblance of belonging in her ancestral home and tries to build her life. Unfortunately, this small convalescence of domestic bliss with Lilah is shattered when secrets from the past resurge to the forefront, and subsequently Grace learns of the secrets brooding beneath the domesticity.
Throughout the novel, Catherine McCarthy uses these shifts in tone subtly to portray the unnerving horror that is just below the surface and when things begin to emerge, the revelations come as a jarring juxtaposition that shows illustrates how disturbing these sequences are.
McCarthy successfully uses the tones and tropes of the gothic novel and moulds them into something that seems fresh and modern, despite the fact that the tale is set in the early twentieth century, carefully crafting a tale of love and friendship, particularly between Grace and Lilah, who has effectively been Grace’s mother during the decline of her mother’s physical and mental wellbeing, and it was delightful to watch their relationship blossom past the confines of employer and employee.
With A Moonlit Path of Madness, Catherine McCarthy has crafted a darkly delicious tale of tragedy and obsession that she paints using a canvas of words.
The story begins in Vermont, 1902, where we are introduced to Grace Morgan and the Morgan family as a whole. The beginning of the story sets the tone for the rest of the book where we discover that Grace is caring for her ailing mother who is beset by visions and hallucinations. Alongside Grace, is Lilah, the Lithuanian help that has been with the family since they made the arduous move to the Americas.
Tortured by her visions, Grace’s mother passes away, leaving Grace in a precarious position of what to do next. The family home is passed on to her brother, Johnathon. However, she is left the ancestral home of Parrog House in Wales, and the family heirloom of a grandfather clock which was transported with the family. Shortly after the death of her mother, and with the weight of her grief, Grace, along with Lilah embarks on a journey to move to the family home in Wales and sets about rebuilding her life in a new place. However, it is not long before the past resurges, and secrets long thought dead come back to haunt the living.
I first became aware of Catherine McCarthy after reading her short story collection, Mists and Megaliths and thoroughly enjoyed the range of stories that she showcased in this book. This is the first story of considerable length that I have read of hers and I have to say that I was quite impressed.
Gothic fiction as a whole is steeped in atmosphere, and with her prose, Catherine McCarthy sets about building the atmosphere from the beginning. Her prose is beautifully written, and I think that this totally belies the horror that lies beneath. However, when it comes to the fore, it can totally blindside you and send your senses reeling. She does this quite admirably, particularly at the beginning when she jars the reader with the visions and nightmarish scenes that are effectively small vignettes of grotesquery, creating a claustrophobic mosaic of hallucinatory terror following the death of Grace’s mother, illustrating the fragility of the lead character’s state of mind.
The tone subtly shifts when she moves to Wales, and she attempts to find some semblance of belonging in her ancestral home and tries to build her life. Unfortunately, this small convalescence of domestic bliss with Lilah is shattered when secrets from the past resurge to the forefront, and subsequently Grace learns of the secrets brooding beneath the domesticity.
Throughout the novel, Catherine McCarthy uses these shifts in tone subtly to portray the unnerving horror that is just below the surface and when things begin to emerge, the revelations come as a jarring juxtaposition that shows illustrates how disturbing these sequences are.
McCarthy successfully uses the tones and tropes of the gothic novel and moulds them into something that seems fresh and modern, despite the fact that the tale is set in the early twentieth century, carefully crafting a tale of love and friendship, particularly between Grace and Lilah, who has effectively been Grace’s mother during the decline of her mother’s physical and mental wellbeing, and it was delightful to watch their relationship blossom past the confines of employer and employee.
With A Moonlit Path of Madness, Catherine McCarthy has crafted a darkly delicious tale of tragedy and obsession that she paints using a canvas of words.
July 4, 2023
I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC of this novella from Netgalley, I’d looked forward to having it since its almost-Dave McKean-ian cover made its first debut on the social media platforms. Eye candy, indeed, and with McCarthy at the helm, I was pretty sure the contents would be spellbinding. I was not disappointed.
I’m an unabashed fan of Catherine’s prose, her voice lulling me into a sensuous calm from any of the numerous worlds she has taken me. Her books present elements of mysteries, puzzles to be solved with an underlying horror creating tension, and deadlines that rush alarmingly toward the reader, in their attempts to understand the danger before it is too late.
So it is with “Moonlit”, where the mortal danger the MC finds herself confronted with has a finite deadline, and I use the word well – (it has its origins in the American civil war, where lines were painted on the floor around prisons, and prisoners who crossed or stood on the line were shot) the painted line in this book is extended time, beautifully symbolized by a grandfather clock under restoration and the defining horror that rushes Grace - our troubled MC – towards her fate is Madness.
As is standard (and is anything but standard) in McCarthy’s books, the beauty of her world is enriched by her characters and their history. She is the kind of writer that, upon introducing characters, you know automatically that you are going to love, hate, sympathize, or detest them. Her character work is exemplary, shown lovingly here through Grace’s interactions with her maid, Lilah, and the budding possible soul mate character of Gruff (and how cool is that name? Gruff by name, gruff by nature).
My experience of Moonlit could best be summarized as “enchanted”. It has that Jane Austin/ Bronte sisters feel to it, the innocence and rigid gender-roled backdrop to a slow, creeping horror that begs to be understood. Illustrated against a background tale of house renovation, antique clock restoration, and re-location to another land (the three R’s), Moonlit achieves both authenticity and a pervading gothic sense of unease and disquiet.
It’s glorious.
The one thorn comes at the close, a reveal which ties together most of the plot threads, information withheld from one character to another, and decides the fate of the MC. There were enough hints throughout the novella before that reveal that I had figured out 80% of the theme, enough that the revelation didn’t feel like an info dump, and as I mentioned in my last review of Catherine’s work, presently her endings have a bite of cruelness to them, the rip of possibility cut short, clean and sudden, to head where we were always meant to go and drag us down with the character(s) we have come to love.
Pretty much like life, it hurts more when it means something to you.
Another 5 ⭐ ‘s. Keep them coming, Catherine.
I’m an unabashed fan of Catherine’s prose, her voice lulling me into a sensuous calm from any of the numerous worlds she has taken me. Her books present elements of mysteries, puzzles to be solved with an underlying horror creating tension, and deadlines that rush alarmingly toward the reader, in their attempts to understand the danger before it is too late.
So it is with “Moonlit”, where the mortal danger the MC finds herself confronted with has a finite deadline, and I use the word well – (it has its origins in the American civil war, where lines were painted on the floor around prisons, and prisoners who crossed or stood on the line were shot) the painted line in this book is extended time, beautifully symbolized by a grandfather clock under restoration and the defining horror that rushes Grace - our troubled MC – towards her fate is Madness.
As is standard (and is anything but standard) in McCarthy’s books, the beauty of her world is enriched by her characters and their history. She is the kind of writer that, upon introducing characters, you know automatically that you are going to love, hate, sympathize, or detest them. Her character work is exemplary, shown lovingly here through Grace’s interactions with her maid, Lilah, and the budding possible soul mate character of Gruff (and how cool is that name? Gruff by name, gruff by nature).
My experience of Moonlit could best be summarized as “enchanted”. It has that Jane Austin/ Bronte sisters feel to it, the innocence and rigid gender-roled backdrop to a slow, creeping horror that begs to be understood. Illustrated against a background tale of house renovation, antique clock restoration, and re-location to another land (the three R’s), Moonlit achieves both authenticity and a pervading gothic sense of unease and disquiet.
It’s glorious.
The one thorn comes at the close, a reveal which ties together most of the plot threads, information withheld from one character to another, and decides the fate of the MC. There were enough hints throughout the novella before that reveal that I had figured out 80% of the theme, enough that the revelation didn’t feel like an info dump, and as I mentioned in my last review of Catherine’s work, presently her endings have a bite of cruelness to them, the rip of possibility cut short, clean and sudden, to head where we were always meant to go and drag us down with the character(s) we have come to love.
Pretty much like life, it hurts more when it means something to you.
Another 5 ⭐ ‘s. Keep them coming, Catherine.
July 9, 2023
I really loved this atmospheric tale of Grace travelling across the Atlantic to return to her childhood home in Wales. I felt for Grace as she struggled to make a fresh start in Wales, yet family ghosts appear to have followed her as she uncovers one chilling family secret after the next.. As she endeavours to understand the past, she appears doomed to repeat it (Grace trying to understand the numbers scribbled by her mother is brilliantly done).
With exquisite prose, the little details enhanced the story so much - Grace's desire for a sewing room overlooking the sea, the blocked access to the creepy attic, the broken doll, the moon phases on the clock... I smiled at Grace turning to Darwin for answers, in a little nod to the time period. I loved her relationship with her niece and her friendship with Lilah. Despite the darkness of the story, there is a warmth and kindness that shines through the story.
A highlight of the book for me was the setting, the house and the people, and I really want to visit Parrog next time I am in Wales. I would have liked the ending to have gone in a different direction, but what happens is totally in keeping with the tone of the book and Grace's character.
Overall, I highly recommend this compelling story!
With exquisite prose, the little details enhanced the story so much - Grace's desire for a sewing room overlooking the sea, the blocked access to the creepy attic, the broken doll, the moon phases on the clock... I smiled at Grace turning to Darwin for answers, in a little nod to the time period. I loved her relationship with her niece and her friendship with Lilah. Despite the darkness of the story, there is a warmth and kindness that shines through the story.
A highlight of the book for me was the setting, the house and the people, and I really want to visit Parrog next time I am in Wales. I would have liked the ending to have gone in a different direction, but what happens is totally in keeping with the tone of the book and Grace's character.
Overall, I highly recommend this compelling story!
June 22, 2023
This gothic ghost story is an immersive exploration of three generations of women of Parrog House, in a Welsh seaside village.
Grace is an introspective and sensitive woman, traumatized by caring for her remote and neurotic mother. She learns that her parents have left her the ancestral home across the Atlantic. Grace and her long-time housekeeper Lilah decide to start life anew in Wales.
But Grace cannot escape her family’s secrets and her mother’s influence on her psyche. She slowly descends in her dark distractions and her desperate grasps at fleeting happiness. I loved Grace’s inner voice. I loved her relationship with Lilah.
I typically dislike gothic with all the “tremulous vapors” and the “lip-biting and hand-wringing” but McCarthy keeps Grace logical and open, honest and self aware. Grace researches Darwin and psychology to fully understand her mind and her experiences. Is she going mad? Can she trust herself?
This is a heart-breaking story of nature vs nurture, choices vs destiny. Simply lovely.
Thank you @netgalley @catherine_mccarthy_author and @nosetouchpress for sharing this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Grace is an introspective and sensitive woman, traumatized by caring for her remote and neurotic mother. She learns that her parents have left her the ancestral home across the Atlantic. Grace and her long-time housekeeper Lilah decide to start life anew in Wales.
But Grace cannot escape her family’s secrets and her mother’s influence on her psyche. She slowly descends in her dark distractions and her desperate grasps at fleeting happiness. I loved Grace’s inner voice. I loved her relationship with Lilah.
I typically dislike gothic with all the “tremulous vapors” and the “lip-biting and hand-wringing” but McCarthy keeps Grace logical and open, honest and self aware. Grace researches Darwin and psychology to fully understand her mind and her experiences. Is she going mad? Can she trust herself?
This is a heart-breaking story of nature vs nurture, choices vs destiny. Simply lovely.
Thank you @netgalley @catherine_mccarthy_author and @nosetouchpress for sharing this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
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June 30, 2023I finished this late last night and am still kind of in awe. Catherine McCarthy has written such a marvelous book with A Moonlit Path of Madness. I love gothic stories so much so that was already a plus for me.
The whole setting and vibe of this was so stunning. I’ve never been out of the US but just reading her descriptions of the Welsh seaside home made me feel like I was there and could actually see it. To me, there’s nothing spookier than a seaside setting. Especially for a ghost story. I was intrigued from the very beginning and and invested in the story and main character. The mysteriousness of the illness of Grace’s mother was fascinating and when she begins piecing everything together I was just so amazed.
There is truly nothing more terrifying than being considered mad and having the threat of being institutionalized hanging above your head. Especially back in that time. It makes me shutter to think about it.
McCarthy did such a wonderful job of slowly building up that feeling of “is this just all in my head?”
The bond between Grace and Lilah is so beautiful. How wonderful it is to have someone so close and that you would do anything for each other.
All this to say, you need to read this book. If you love a gothic ghost story, this is for you. The writing is so great and and the story flowed together so beautifully. I can’t wait to read more of her stuff.
The whole setting and vibe of this was so stunning. I’ve never been out of the US but just reading her descriptions of the Welsh seaside home made me feel like I was there and could actually see it. To me, there’s nothing spookier than a seaside setting. Especially for a ghost story. I was intrigued from the very beginning and and invested in the story and main character. The mysteriousness of the illness of Grace’s mother was fascinating and when she begins piecing everything together I was just so amazed.
There is truly nothing more terrifying than being considered mad and having the threat of being institutionalized hanging above your head. Especially back in that time. It makes me shutter to think about it.
McCarthy did such a wonderful job of slowly building up that feeling of “is this just all in my head?”
The bond between Grace and Lilah is so beautiful. How wonderful it is to have someone so close and that you would do anything for each other.
All this to say, you need to read this book. If you love a gothic ghost story, this is for you. The writing is so great and and the story flowed together so beautifully. I can’t wait to read more of her stuff.
March 1, 2024
A beautifully written novel, filled to the brim with so much Welsh history, characterisation and description that fully immerses the reader in this Victorian seaside village. I warmed to Grace, the lead character, who is hopeful and wants a new beginning yet is constantly challenged by mysterious visions which slowly pull her down and down, by the weight of family history.
Catherine’s writing has elements of both Atwood and du Maurier, even Hardy. My only wish was that the story was longer, as the ending came too soon, just as the madness was beginning to take a hold. But I couldn’t put it down and the publishers have done a beautiful job with the typeface, cover, everything. Well done to all, especially Catherine!
Catherine’s writing has elements of both Atwood and du Maurier, even Hardy. My only wish was that the story was longer, as the ending came too soon, just as the madness was beginning to take a hold. But I couldn’t put it down and the publishers have done a beautiful job with the typeface, cover, everything. Well done to all, especially Catherine!
June 26, 2023
The death of Grace's mother unlocks a chain of events that sends Grace across the Atlantic, from Vermont to her ancestral home in Wales, where she starts to decipher a tragic family mystery. As a fan of Catherine McCarthy's novellas, I was excited to read this novel, and I was not disappointed. A Moonlit Path of Madness is beautifully written, gothic and atmospheric, and the mystery at its centre is compelling. McCarthy's descriptions of life in a 1900s Welsh village and its inhabitants—both friendly and sinister to newcomer Grace—were very reminiscent of Daphne du Maurier's Cornwall. The ending was a total surprise to me, as I thought the book was going in a different direction right up to the very last chapter, but the unexpected conclusion will certainly haunt my memory. This is a book to sink into and enjoy as a perfect spooky fireside read.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy in return for an honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy in return for an honest review.
March 28, 2024
'What lies in the space between sea and sky?'
The answer here would seem to be memories and grief, secrets and mystery, madness and ambiguity, and a dark, gathering dread - elements expertly woven together in prose that borders on poetry: '... we both watch from the window as the snow continues to fall. Monochrome, as far as the eye can see. Steel-grey sky, liquorice rocks, dusted with icing-sugar, the sea a revolving surge of molten iron and chiffon foam.'
An utterly spellbinding Gothic tale.
The answer here would seem to be memories and grief, secrets and mystery, madness and ambiguity, and a dark, gathering dread - elements expertly woven together in prose that borders on poetry: '... we both watch from the window as the snow continues to fall. Monochrome, as far as the eye can see. Steel-grey sky, liquorice rocks, dusted with icing-sugar, the sea a revolving surge of molten iron and chiffon foam.'
An utterly spellbinding Gothic tale.
June 14, 2023
This novel was very slow going and boring. It wasn't bad, very beautiful descriptions, but just a slow story line. The first part was interesting, the middle just boring, and you had a quick ending reveal.
July 30, 2023
Quietly and eerily beautiful. This gothic tale paints a picture of family lore and inherited ? madness, of ghosts and desires and of friendship in its simplest and elegant forms. For lovers of the gothic genre, this is a must-read.
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