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Palace of Shadows
'Chillingly gothic' — The Guardian, Best Crime and Thrillers of the Year
Inspired by the haunting true story of the Winchester Mystery House, Ray Celestin's Palace of Shadows is an outstanding historical thriller set against the awe-inspiring terror of the Yorkshire Moors. From the prize-winning author of the City Blues Quartet.
1899. The desolate Smugglers’ Coast of North Yorkshire is a place that strikes fear into those who live nearby. Unexplained deaths, suicides, young girls gone missing on the nearby moors — the locals say it’s the grand house that drives people mad.
Still, when Samuel Etherstone is contacted by its reclusive owner, Mrs Chesterfield, and commissioned to work on the property, he accepts the offer. For a penniless artist adrift in London, the opportunity is too tempting to ignore.
It is only on arrival at the Chesterfield house that he learns the sinister details of its architect’s disappearance. And yet the widowed Mrs Chesterfield, keeps adding wing upon wing, and no one will tell him the reason behind her chilling obsession. But as Samuel delves deeper into the mysteries that swirl about the house the nature of the project becomes terrifyingly clear . . .
'Darkly entertaining' — Laura Shepherd-Robinson, bestselling author of The Square of Sevens
‘Gloriously bonkers' — Andrew Taylor, bestselling author of The Shadows of London
'A beguiling standalone historical thriller . . . An absolute triumph' — Sunday Express
Inspired by the haunting true story of the Winchester Mystery House, Ray Celestin's Palace of Shadows is an outstanding historical thriller set against the awe-inspiring terror of the Yorkshire Moors. From the prize-winning author of the City Blues Quartet.
1899. The desolate Smugglers’ Coast of North Yorkshire is a place that strikes fear into those who live nearby. Unexplained deaths, suicides, young girls gone missing on the nearby moors — the locals say it’s the grand house that drives people mad.
Still, when Samuel Etherstone is contacted by its reclusive owner, Mrs Chesterfield, and commissioned to work on the property, he accepts the offer. For a penniless artist adrift in London, the opportunity is too tempting to ignore.
It is only on arrival at the Chesterfield house that he learns the sinister details of its architect’s disappearance. And yet the widowed Mrs Chesterfield, keeps adding wing upon wing, and no one will tell him the reason behind her chilling obsession. But as Samuel delves deeper into the mysteries that swirl about the house the nature of the project becomes terrifyingly clear . . .
'Darkly entertaining' — Laura Shepherd-Robinson, bestselling author of The Square of Sevens
‘Gloriously bonkers' — Andrew Taylor, bestselling author of The Shadows of London
'A beguiling standalone historical thriller . . . An absolute triumph' — Sunday Express
338 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 12, 2023
63 people are currently reading
1286 people want to read
About the author
Ray Celestin
10 books557 followersHello. I write novels and screenplays and very occasionally, short stories and comic-books.
My new latest novel, Sunset Swing, was published in paperback in August. It’s the final instalment in the multi-award-winning ‘City Blues Quartet’ -- a series of novels plotting the intertwined history of Jazz and the Mob through six decades in the 20th century.
Sunset Swing won two daggers at this year’s CWA (Crime Writer Association) awards:
The Golden Dagger for best crime novel of the year
The Historical Dagger for best historical novel of the year
It’s also had a great response from reviewers:
The Times ‘Books of the Year’
The Financial Times ‘Books of the Year’
Five Star review in The Sunday Telegraph
The Sunday Times ‘Historical Novel of the Month’
The Times ‘Thriller of the Month’
Discover more at raycelestin.com
My new latest novel, Sunset Swing, was published in paperback in August. It’s the final instalment in the multi-award-winning ‘City Blues Quartet’ -- a series of novels plotting the intertwined history of Jazz and the Mob through six decades in the 20th century.
Sunset Swing won two daggers at this year’s CWA (Crime Writer Association) awards:
The Golden Dagger for best crime novel of the year
The Historical Dagger for best historical novel of the year
It’s also had a great response from reviewers:
The Times ‘Books of the Year’
The Financial Times ‘Books of the Year’
Five Star review in The Sunday Telegraph
The Sunday Times ‘Historical Novel of the Month’
The Times ‘Thriller of the Month’
Discover more at raycelestin.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
September 17, 2023
A perfect example of a gothic novel! The bleak and grim setting of the Yorkshire moors (in this context) as a backdrop and the house as the most important character. A great story to read in the run up to Halloween. Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.
October 4, 2023
It's a very rare thing when I finish a book and I don't know exactly what I think about it. Even when I'm conflicted, I usually know what I was very into and what bothered me. But this... It's fine, I guess? And the fact that I'm saying this and I'm not even feeling disappointment about lost potential is weird. Because this gothic novel throws in the air a lot of extremely fascinating topics of discussion: the nature of madness and also weapons manufacturers and intentionally feeding into the machine of war. The more primary theme is something something the nature of the artist and creation, but that really felt explored in a more standard way.
There is a lot of specificity when it comes to world and era descriptions. The Yorkshire moors setting is very vivid and it has a strong vibe. When it comes to the characters, though, there is not enough specificity for my tastes. Let's take the main character, Sam Etherstone (ether + stone, get it?), a disgraced artist because of his proximity and friendship to Oscar Wilde during the indecency scandal. He definitely has a tragic backstory. A couple in fact. But still he feels a bit flat and not all there and detached. The first person narrative also keeps foreshadowing to future events, but sometimes blatantly misleading. And like way too often. But I didn't know then that... comes up way too often at the end of chapters.
Sam is also half-Chinese and that is mentioned exactly twice in the book, with one character telling him that he doesn't look at all Chinese and then there is a short conversation with another character about that. This in the context of colonialism, war, and people at the dinner table constantly making super racist remarks, just feels like a missed opportunity for character specificity. When asked why (in the conversation I mentioned), he just says I suppose I’m just used to it (...). I’ve grown up with it. It’s not something I think or worry about.
The structure of the book is definitely a choice, but that's more spoiler territory. Actually, discussing a lot of this book would be that. .
I basically have the same issue throughout all the book: tantalizing ideas, no follow through. When it comes to the main mystery and also the female characters, it's more of the same. There's a good, smart woman and a bunch of 'bad women'. This is almost worsened by Sam musing that this was a tale of women [redacted] warped by the fact that it had been told by men. How different would the narratives be if their protagonists had been allowed to tell their own tales?, but of course there is no follow through with that, we don't get much more examination.
And frankly re: the portrayals of women it's such a weird framing
The spectre of incoming world wars could have been an interesting element in the subtext. And also the discussion of mental illness. Though it's weird when the vicar who says that society would be poorer if we didn't build more cathedrals or opulent art and instead gave that money to the poor also has really good takes on mental health somehow, inspired by how West Africans dealt with 'madness'. There they treat madness as nothing more than an aspect of character. The mad are allowed to take their place in society and act in it as any other sane person as long as they cause no damage. They are not shunned, nor segregated, nor locked away, nor is any attempt made to cure them. Rather it is society that must make room for them, and they all seem happy with the arrangement. If madness is simply what falls outside the social mind, then why not expand the social mind to encompass it? It certainly seems more pragmatic and more humane than our approach. That doesn't seem like a cohesive world view to me. If you're for the expanding the social mind, how about expanding it in the service of poor people as well, you wanker?
Maybe after writing all this, I do feel disappointed and sad about the potential this had. The rating is about 2.75/5, rounded up.
I received an ARC for review in the Otherland bookshop newsletter.
There is a lot of specificity when it comes to world and era descriptions. The Yorkshire moors setting is very vivid and it has a strong vibe. When it comes to the characters, though, there is not enough specificity for my tastes. Let's take the main character, Sam Etherstone (ether + stone, get it?), a disgraced artist because of his proximity and friendship to Oscar Wilde during the indecency scandal. He definitely has a tragic backstory. A couple in fact. But still he feels a bit flat and not all there and detached. The first person narrative also keeps foreshadowing to future events, but sometimes blatantly misleading. And like way too often. But I didn't know then that... comes up way too often at the end of chapters.
Sam is also half-Chinese and that is mentioned exactly twice in the book, with one character telling him that he doesn't look at all Chinese and then there is a short conversation with another character about that. This in the context of colonialism, war, and people at the dinner table constantly making super racist remarks, just feels like a missed opportunity for character specificity. When asked why (in the conversation I mentioned), he just says I suppose I’m just used to it (...). I’ve grown up with it. It’s not something I think or worry about.
The structure of the book is definitely a choice, but that's more spoiler territory. Actually, discussing a lot of this book would be that. .
I basically have the same issue throughout all the book: tantalizing ideas, no follow through. When it comes to the main mystery and also the female characters, it's more of the same. There's a good, smart woman and a bunch of 'bad women'. This is almost worsened by Sam musing that this was a tale of women [redacted] warped by the fact that it had been told by men. How different would the narratives be if their protagonists had been allowed to tell their own tales?, but of course there is no follow through with that, we don't get much more examination.
And frankly re: the portrayals of women it's such a weird framing
The spectre of incoming world wars could have been an interesting element in the subtext. And also the discussion of mental illness. Though it's weird when the vicar who says that society would be poorer if we didn't build more cathedrals or opulent art and instead gave that money to the poor also has really good takes on mental health somehow, inspired by how West Africans dealt with 'madness'. There they treat madness as nothing more than an aspect of character. The mad are allowed to take their place in society and act in it as any other sane person as long as they cause no damage. They are not shunned, nor segregated, nor locked away, nor is any attempt made to cure them. Rather it is society that must make room for them, and they all seem happy with the arrangement. If madness is simply what falls outside the social mind, then why not expand the social mind to encompass it? It certainly seems more pragmatic and more humane than our approach. That doesn't seem like a cohesive world view to me. If you're for the expanding the social mind, how about expanding it in the service of poor people as well, you wanker?
Maybe after writing all this, I do feel disappointed and sad about the potential this had. The rating is about 2.75/5, rounded up.
I received an ARC for review in the Otherland bookshop newsletter.
January 6, 2025
An intriguing novel that I wanted much more from, honestly. There were lots of good kernels of ideas here but they felt rushed, almost mishandled, in a way that left me feeling quite underwhelmed by the quick ending.
Palace of Shadows was a novel I had to order from the UK because it appears it was only a UK-release and not a US one. So when I say I was motivated to like this story, I was—I bought it from a UK seller and everything in my quest to read this story that felt like all of my favorite things crammed into one concept.
The hook: an artist is commissioned to work on a house of "madness" with never-ending rooms, corridors, and nonsensical spaces and it drove the previous architect mad.
In a similar vein to stories like The Death of Jane Lawrence, House of Footsteps, and other gothic house-based epics, Palace of Shadows seemed to take after that model.
One of my main issues with it, however, was the fact that it was actually heavily inspired by a story that I already knew (and was not teased/mentioned in tandem with this novel's marketing or presentation).
Mild spoiler, I suppose, but it's brought up within the first few chapters of this story so I'm not hiding it as an official spoiler: this novel's setup and one of its primary characters are essentially an exact carbon-copy of the Winchester story here in the US. The house is basically the Winchester house (down to some very iconic details) and the owner's backstory is almost word-for-word the same as the real history.
Now, that above fact doesn't ruin the story of Palace of Shadows. And the British setting + some large plot points of the novel deviate it from the real-life history of the Winchester saga. But it's pretty damn close—SO close, actually... and as a reader who is also very familiar with that story, I found myself extremely disengaged in this novel because of it's lack of nuance from what was clearly the author's inspiration.
However, I got over the Winchester similarities after a while and settled in for what I hoped would be a good romp in the Gothic vein of supernatural atmosphere, darkness, lingering madness, and psychosis. But unfortunately, this novel's odd sense of pacing, lackluster mystery, and rushed ending sequence kept me from fully immersing myself in what should have been an easy favorite for me, a fan of this subgenre.
Oh well. I hope others enjoy this one more than me!
Blog | Instagram | Libro.fm Audiobooks
Palace of Shadows was a novel I had to order from the UK because it appears it was only a UK-release and not a US one. So when I say I was motivated to like this story, I was—I bought it from a UK seller and everything in my quest to read this story that felt like all of my favorite things crammed into one concept.
The hook: an artist is commissioned to work on a house of "madness" with never-ending rooms, corridors, and nonsensical spaces and it drove the previous architect mad.
In a similar vein to stories like The Death of Jane Lawrence, House of Footsteps, and other gothic house-based epics, Palace of Shadows seemed to take after that model.
One of my main issues with it, however, was the fact that it was actually heavily inspired by a story that I already knew (and was not teased/mentioned in tandem with this novel's marketing or presentation).
Mild spoiler, I suppose, but it's brought up within the first few chapters of this story so I'm not hiding it as an official spoiler: this novel's setup and one of its primary characters are essentially an exact carbon-copy of the Winchester story here in the US. The house is basically the Winchester house (down to some very iconic details) and the owner's backstory is almost word-for-word the same as the real history.
Now, that above fact doesn't ruin the story of Palace of Shadows. And the British setting + some large plot points of the novel deviate it from the real-life history of the Winchester saga. But it's pretty damn close—SO close, actually... and as a reader who is also very familiar with that story, I found myself extremely disengaged in this novel because of it's lack of nuance from what was clearly the author's inspiration.
However, I got over the Winchester similarities after a while and settled in for what I hoped would be a good romp in the Gothic vein of supernatural atmosphere, darkness, lingering madness, and psychosis. But unfortunately, this novel's odd sense of pacing, lackluster mystery, and rushed ending sequence kept me from fully immersing myself in what should have been an easy favorite for me, a fan of this subgenre.
Oh well. I hope others enjoy this one more than me!
Blog | Instagram | Libro.fm Audiobooks
October 18, 2023
Having loved the Jazz Quartet,I was curious to read Celestin in another genre. Sadly, it´s bad. Pretty lame,attempting gothic, not quite succeeding.Weak,lots of loose ends and plot holes.A pity.
Let´s hope he returns to his formidable form as in the quartet.
Let´s hope he returns to his formidable form as in the quartet.
October 4, 2025
Considering that Dracula was also living it up in Yorkshire in the 1890s Yorkshire was clearly the hottest destination for spooky ghouls and gals to hang.
Solid gothic ghost story vibes , even if it is 100% the Winchester mystery house in Yorkshire.
Solid gothic ghost story vibes , even if it is 100% the Winchester mystery house in Yorkshire.
August 27, 2023
This is an excellent read by Ray Celestin.
A story rich in myth and scares, it’s a gothic, atmospheric ghost story set at the turn of the 20th century.
A constant feeling of foreboding and doom settles on to you as you turn the pages. It’s dark at times and the house that becomes the main character is extremely unsettling.
There are a host of characters that are quite difficult to really like much about but they just add to the feeling of discomfort and fear that this superb book leaves you with.
The writing itself is absolutely outstanding, beautifully written, it’s quite literary in its way and it’s just sublime.
I had it nailed on for a 5 star most the way, but the ending just kind of pulled it back g from elite levels. Needless to say though it’s brilliant and up there with the best books of my reading year.
A story rich in myth and scares, it’s a gothic, atmospheric ghost story set at the turn of the 20th century.
A constant feeling of foreboding and doom settles on to you as you turn the pages. It’s dark at times and the house that becomes the main character is extremely unsettling.
There are a host of characters that are quite difficult to really like much about but they just add to the feeling of discomfort and fear that this superb book leaves you with.
The writing itself is absolutely outstanding, beautifully written, it’s quite literary in its way and it’s just sublime.
I had it nailed on for a 5 star most the way, but the ending just kind of pulled it back g from elite levels. Needless to say though it’s brilliant and up there with the best books of my reading year.
July 1, 2024
"I am of the opinion that religion's defining feature is the apocalypse story, the account of how the world will end. For a universe that continues on eternally, adding ever more souls to creation, diminishes the worth of every soul. And so religions provide meaning by providing an end. They fix themselves to a future inferno, and from it build back the scaffold of their belief into the past."
Palace of Shadows is a dark and decadent gothic novel that's cast against a grim, grimy and desolate Yorkshire Moors backdrop. Overshadowing that, however, is the house in which this story is set, which becomes the novel's most important character, even more so than the characters themselves. It's left me really rather torn, on the one hand, this is an excellent gothic tale that flings us into some fascinating topics, it allows us to latch onto, and delve into the nature of madness and grief, and it feels so vivid and captivating. At times, however, it also feels so very... Standard, so regular. It's absolutely buzzing with the most tantalizing of ideas, it just, doesn't fully execute them all.
Celestin's writing, as always, is brilliant, it's beautiful and sublime and so very evocative. He's an author that's so clearly flowing with talent, and he's created a labyrinthine story, one that sprawls outwards and unfurls before us. It's all so very Piranesi, and it's utterly drenched in this dread that just settles over everything, it's page after page of sophisticated text and poetic prose and gothic charm. It ticks every single box that a gothic historical fiction novel should, and it's so rich in decadent, gorgeous scares... I just wish that it had expanded itself into something more surreal.
This is as much a story of tortured ghosts that haunt a colossal house as it is a story of the deeply flawed and traumatized characters that populate it. Every character, every single one, feels so vulnerable, and expressive and real. At it's core, this is, really, a historical fiction novel with tints of gothic wonder. It's all so chaotic and desperate, it's a sinister thing, acting as a spine-chilling ghost story, and a light gothic tragedy with splashings of magical realism. Palace of Shadows is the perfect sort of novel for those that like things unsettling and creepy, but don't like their scares too intense or gory.
"I see them all, crawling over the moors in their thousands. A legion of the mutilated and maimed. I see them scratching through the dark, scaling walls, trying to rip down the house. They scream in a hundred foreign tongues. They want their revenge, but they will be denied."
Palace of Shadows is a dark and decadent gothic novel that's cast against a grim, grimy and desolate Yorkshire Moors backdrop. Overshadowing that, however, is the house in which this story is set, which becomes the novel's most important character, even more so than the characters themselves. It's left me really rather torn, on the one hand, this is an excellent gothic tale that flings us into some fascinating topics, it allows us to latch onto, and delve into the nature of madness and grief, and it feels so vivid and captivating. At times, however, it also feels so very... Standard, so regular. It's absolutely buzzing with the most tantalizing of ideas, it just, doesn't fully execute them all.
Celestin's writing, as always, is brilliant, it's beautiful and sublime and so very evocative. He's an author that's so clearly flowing with talent, and he's created a labyrinthine story, one that sprawls outwards and unfurls before us. It's all so very Piranesi, and it's utterly drenched in this dread that just settles over everything, it's page after page of sophisticated text and poetic prose and gothic charm. It ticks every single box that a gothic historical fiction novel should, and it's so rich in decadent, gorgeous scares... I just wish that it had expanded itself into something more surreal.
"A sense of revulsion shivered through me as I saw that the driver was right, it was a house. Not a grouping of separate buildings as I had initially thought, but a single, coagulated structure. Monstrous and abhorrent, it rippled haphazardly across the moor in an unbroken wave. It flowed over depressions, crested hills and ran madly all the way to the cliffs, where it disappeared in a mist of fog and sea spray that hit its full extent."
This is as much a story of tortured ghosts that haunt a colossal house as it is a story of the deeply flawed and traumatized characters that populate it. Every character, every single one, feels so vulnerable, and expressive and real. At it's core, this is, really, a historical fiction novel with tints of gothic wonder. It's all so chaotic and desperate, it's a sinister thing, acting as a spine-chilling ghost story, and a light gothic tragedy with splashings of magical realism. Palace of Shadows is the perfect sort of novel for those that like things unsettling and creepy, but don't like their scares too intense or gory.
"I see them all, crawling over the moors in their thousands. A legion of the mutilated and maimed. I see them scratching through the dark, scaling walls, trying to rip down the house. They scream in a hundred foreign tongues. They want their revenge, but they will be denied."
August 18, 2023
"Palace of Shadows" is a historical novel, with gothic and paranormal overtones, written by Ray Celestin.
The story takes place in 1899 and follows Samuel Etherstone, a penniless artist, adrift in London. His disturbing art is shunned by patrons and critics alike, his friend Oscar Wilde is now in exile living in Paris, and a personal tragedy is wearing him down. So when he is approached by a mysterious heiress, Mrs. Chesterfield, and asked to work on a commission for the house she is building on the desolate Smugglers' Coast of North Yorkshire, he accepts the offer. Staying overnight in the local village pub, Samuel is warned not to spend too much time there. He is told the fate of the house's original architect, Francisco Varano, chilling stories of folk driven mad by the house, of how it is built on a haunted land where young girls have vanished, their ghosts now intent on calling others to their deaths. It is only on his arrival at the Chesterfield house that he learns the sinister details of Varano's disappearance. And yet her owner keeps adding wing upon wing, and no one will tell him the reason behind her eerie obsession. But as Samuel delves deeper into the mysteries that sway around the mansion, the nature of the project becomes terrifyingly clear.
Wow, I was deeply fascinated by this story! I found it a wonderful gothic read, with pleasantly eerie and darkly bewitching tones, beautifully rendered by excellent lyrical prose.
The writing, in my opinion, is something incredibly sublime! Extremely evocative, suggestive and poetic, it totally won me over. I was impressed by the sophistication of the text, by the beauty of the words. I found it a truly enchanting prose, rich, but not overly dense or complex. The descriptions seemed vivid, meticulous and carefully curated, almost like an artist's painting, so much so that I was able to picture the various places with great accuracy. I loved the gothic tints in which this novel is immersed, the supernatural nuances, the touches more tending toward horror. Eeriness reigns supreme between the pages, swirling and enveloping everything like a thick fog, blurring the lines between reality and illusion, between dedication and obsession, between reason and madness. In my opinion, the author has done a fantastic job of handling the more sinister and mysterious aspects of the book, using them wisely and weaving them together deftly. The pace is deceptively placid and sleepy, made brisk by the uncertain atmosphere that permeates the narrative. Seriously, on this aspect I can express nothing but praise!
The setting is another element that won me over! The story takes place in 1899, initially in a gloomy London, choked with the dark and noxious fumes of factories, divided sharply between wealthy and wretched people. Later, the story shifts to North Yorkshire, in a landscape dominated by boundless moorland on one side and rocky coasts on the other. The lush depiction of these environments enchanted me. For me, the author manages to masterfully sketch these vast grassy spaces, dotted with shrubs, with sparse scattered farmsteads and even fewer villages, set under a pristine sky. A powerfully suggestive place, in which I was able to perceive intense poignant and lonely tones. A picturesque, wild place, almost suspended in time, in which are hidden infamous marshes capable of sucking in the unwary and mysterious as well as ancient worship stones. An element flanked by majestic sheer cliffs, overlooking restless waters swept by wind and waves. An intense and turbulent landscape, in the midst of which Chesterfield House stands out. Now, I basically have a soft spot for books set in old mansions, especially if they feature a sinister undertone. In this case then, personally, I sensed references to the famous Winchester House in California. As a fan of its history and its legend, I could not help but find myself captivated by Chesterfield House. A structure under constant construction, wing upon wing, that defies any architectural rule: stairs that lead to nowhere, ceilings instead of floors, windows that open onto walls or other windows, walled-off rooms and doors, blind and sometimes seemingly endless hallways, and much more. A twisted and complex mansion, at once elegant and anguished, which casts a strong shadow over everything and everyone. For some malevolent. For others reassuring. For still others haunting. A house that, according to one of the many rumors about it, has its own will and does not want to be contradicted. But will it be a truth or a rumor? I think I ended up in a swoon at this beautifully described setting! Or perhaps better yet, at this protagonist. Because yes, Chesterfield House is one of the protagonists of the story, the center around which everything revolves.
The plot, with its fascinating interweaving of reality and illusion, truth and lies, reason and madness, flows in a captivating and persuasive manner. The narration takes its time to analyze everything, without moments of haste, leaving nothing to chance. At least that is not a deliberate choice.
I liked all the characters, main and secondary, very much. Some for the good, some for the bad, they convinced me a lot. These are gray, flawed, lost, tormented characters marked by painful experiences and peculiar fixations. I could say more, but I fear making unintentional spoilers, so I prefer to avoid. I can only add that I was involved and impressed by all of them; I found them extremely expressive.
All in all, I found it a wonderful story with gothic tints, highly atmospheric and characterized by lyrical writing, which I absolutely recommend.
Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange of an honest review.
The story takes place in 1899 and follows Samuel Etherstone, a penniless artist, adrift in London. His disturbing art is shunned by patrons and critics alike, his friend Oscar Wilde is now in exile living in Paris, and a personal tragedy is wearing him down. So when he is approached by a mysterious heiress, Mrs. Chesterfield, and asked to work on a commission for the house she is building on the desolate Smugglers' Coast of North Yorkshire, he accepts the offer. Staying overnight in the local village pub, Samuel is warned not to spend too much time there. He is told the fate of the house's original architect, Francisco Varano, chilling stories of folk driven mad by the house, of how it is built on a haunted land where young girls have vanished, their ghosts now intent on calling others to their deaths. It is only on his arrival at the Chesterfield house that he learns the sinister details of Varano's disappearance. And yet her owner keeps adding wing upon wing, and no one will tell him the reason behind her eerie obsession. But as Samuel delves deeper into the mysteries that sway around the mansion, the nature of the project becomes terrifyingly clear.
Wow, I was deeply fascinated by this story! I found it a wonderful gothic read, with pleasantly eerie and darkly bewitching tones, beautifully rendered by excellent lyrical prose.
The writing, in my opinion, is something incredibly sublime! Extremely evocative, suggestive and poetic, it totally won me over. I was impressed by the sophistication of the text, by the beauty of the words. I found it a truly enchanting prose, rich, but not overly dense or complex. The descriptions seemed vivid, meticulous and carefully curated, almost like an artist's painting, so much so that I was able to picture the various places with great accuracy. I loved the gothic tints in which this novel is immersed, the supernatural nuances, the touches more tending toward horror. Eeriness reigns supreme between the pages, swirling and enveloping everything like a thick fog, blurring the lines between reality and illusion, between dedication and obsession, between reason and madness. In my opinion, the author has done a fantastic job of handling the more sinister and mysterious aspects of the book, using them wisely and weaving them together deftly. The pace is deceptively placid and sleepy, made brisk by the uncertain atmosphere that permeates the narrative. Seriously, on this aspect I can express nothing but praise!
The setting is another element that won me over! The story takes place in 1899, initially in a gloomy London, choked with the dark and noxious fumes of factories, divided sharply between wealthy and wretched people. Later, the story shifts to North Yorkshire, in a landscape dominated by boundless moorland on one side and rocky coasts on the other. The lush depiction of these environments enchanted me. For me, the author manages to masterfully sketch these vast grassy spaces, dotted with shrubs, with sparse scattered farmsteads and even fewer villages, set under a pristine sky. A powerfully suggestive place, in which I was able to perceive intense poignant and lonely tones. A picturesque, wild place, almost suspended in time, in which are hidden infamous marshes capable of sucking in the unwary and mysterious as well as ancient worship stones. An element flanked by majestic sheer cliffs, overlooking restless waters swept by wind and waves. An intense and turbulent landscape, in the midst of which Chesterfield House stands out. Now, I basically have a soft spot for books set in old mansions, especially if they feature a sinister undertone. In this case then, personally, I sensed references to the famous Winchester House in California. As a fan of its history and its legend, I could not help but find myself captivated by Chesterfield House. A structure under constant construction, wing upon wing, that defies any architectural rule: stairs that lead to nowhere, ceilings instead of floors, windows that open onto walls or other windows, walled-off rooms and doors, blind and sometimes seemingly endless hallways, and much more. A twisted and complex mansion, at once elegant and anguished, which casts a strong shadow over everything and everyone. For some malevolent. For others reassuring. For still others haunting. A house that, according to one of the many rumors about it, has its own will and does not want to be contradicted. But will it be a truth or a rumor? I think I ended up in a swoon at this beautifully described setting! Or perhaps better yet, at this protagonist. Because yes, Chesterfield House is one of the protagonists of the story, the center around which everything revolves.
The plot, with its fascinating interweaving of reality and illusion, truth and lies, reason and madness, flows in a captivating and persuasive manner. The narration takes its time to analyze everything, without moments of haste, leaving nothing to chance. At least that is not a deliberate choice.
I liked all the characters, main and secondary, very much. Some for the good, some for the bad, they convinced me a lot. These are gray, flawed, lost, tormented characters marked by painful experiences and peculiar fixations. I could say more, but I fear making unintentional spoilers, so I prefer to avoid. I can only add that I was involved and impressed by all of them; I found them extremely expressive.
All in all, I found it a wonderful story with gothic tints, highly atmospheric and characterized by lyrical writing, which I absolutely recommend.
Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange of an honest review.
September 14, 2023
— 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 —
𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Palace of Shadows
𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: N/A
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫(𝐬): Ray Celestin
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Historical Horror/Mystery/Magical Realism
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 12th October 2023
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝: 14th September 2023
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 3.75/5
”‘If I was to ask you to imagine a house that was filled with storms, floods, infernos, dangerous animals, poisonous insects, a numberless array of the most hideous diseases; would you say this was a good house?’ he asked. ‘Would you say this was a house where you’d want to live?’
‘Of course not.’
‘But this house is exactly the world we’re thrown into at the moment of our birth. A house full of danger and peril. And the true horror is, there’s only one way of escaping it. And maybe that’s the most monstrous thing of all.’”
Ultimately, this is a very clever book featuring a vast, labyrinthian house nestled into the Yorkshire moors and overlooking the sea. As quaint as that sounds, there really is nothing quaint about this novel. There’s a constant aura of trepidation and uneasiness, in part due to the house that seems malevolent in spirit, in part due to the eerie moors that are safe one minute, and a consuming marshland the next, and lastly a consequence of the characters that are undoubtedly keeping foreboding secrets.
The house itself is described like the recursive and illusionary Droste effect, also known as ‘mise en abyme’ which literally translate into ‘placement in abyss’ and is scarily fitting for the architectural monstrosity in this book.
There are elements of horror, mystery, and magical realism in this historical fiction novel which create an atmospheric storyline of something metaphysical and ancient at play, whilst the character of Mrs Chesterfield—rich land owner, presumed mad—adds to the mystery of the story leaving readers constantly wondering, is she the victim or the predator?
My favourite aspects of this novel that really elevate the story, is its explorations and it’s ideology. One of the themes Celestin explores is artistry, consistently alluding to the aesthetic art movement, and of course the head of the movement: Oscar Wilde, and his two year imprisonment. It was interesting that there was such focus on this movement, with how art transcended from moral implications to a surface beauty, whilst the palace of shadows seems to forego surface beauty for moral implications instead.
The ideology was certainly interesting and poignant, whilst also being appropriate for its time period. It challenged treatment of mental health, British colonialism, and religion, which I will demonstrate with three powerful quotes to end this review on:
”The mad are allowed to take their place in society and act in it as any other sane person as long as they cause no damage. They are not shunned, nor segregated, nor locked away, nor is any attempt made to cure them. Rather it is the society that must make room for them, and they all seem happy with the arrangement. If madness is simply what falls outside the social mind, then why not expand the social mind to encompass it?”
”’I am a witch from a long line of witches, if a witch is someone who worships a god older than yours, a religion truer than yours, a belief more compassionate than yours.’
‘There is no religion more compassionate than Christianity.’
‘Then why I am to be hanged for not believing in it?’”
”’Because these same countries we say are populated by savages are the same countries we’re subjugating. If we admitted they’re human beings just like us, then it would make us the invading barbarians.’
’We paint others as monsters to stop ourselves from being the monsters,’ I said.”
—Kayleigh🤍
♡Booksta
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𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Palace of Shadows
𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: N/A
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫(𝐬): Ray Celestin
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Historical Horror/Mystery/Magical Realism
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 12th October 2023
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝: 14th September 2023
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 3.75/5
”‘If I was to ask you to imagine a house that was filled with storms, floods, infernos, dangerous animals, poisonous insects, a numberless array of the most hideous diseases; would you say this was a good house?’ he asked. ‘Would you say this was a house where you’d want to live?’
‘Of course not.’
‘But this house is exactly the world we’re thrown into at the moment of our birth. A house full of danger and peril. And the true horror is, there’s only one way of escaping it. And maybe that’s the most monstrous thing of all.’”
Ultimately, this is a very clever book featuring a vast, labyrinthian house nestled into the Yorkshire moors and overlooking the sea. As quaint as that sounds, there really is nothing quaint about this novel. There’s a constant aura of trepidation and uneasiness, in part due to the house that seems malevolent in spirit, in part due to the eerie moors that are safe one minute, and a consuming marshland the next, and lastly a consequence of the characters that are undoubtedly keeping foreboding secrets.
The house itself is described like the recursive and illusionary Droste effect, also known as ‘mise en abyme’ which literally translate into ‘placement in abyss’ and is scarily fitting for the architectural monstrosity in this book.
There are elements of horror, mystery, and magical realism in this historical fiction novel which create an atmospheric storyline of something metaphysical and ancient at play, whilst the character of Mrs Chesterfield—rich land owner, presumed mad—adds to the mystery of the story leaving readers constantly wondering, is she the victim or the predator?
My favourite aspects of this novel that really elevate the story, is its explorations and it’s ideology. One of the themes Celestin explores is artistry, consistently alluding to the aesthetic art movement, and of course the head of the movement: Oscar Wilde, and his two year imprisonment. It was interesting that there was such focus on this movement, with how art transcended from moral implications to a surface beauty, whilst the palace of shadows seems to forego surface beauty for moral implications instead.
The ideology was certainly interesting and poignant, whilst also being appropriate for its time period. It challenged treatment of mental health, British colonialism, and religion, which I will demonstrate with three powerful quotes to end this review on:
”The mad are allowed to take their place in society and act in it as any other sane person as long as they cause no damage. They are not shunned, nor segregated, nor locked away, nor is any attempt made to cure them. Rather it is the society that must make room for them, and they all seem happy with the arrangement. If madness is simply what falls outside the social mind, then why not expand the social mind to encompass it?”
”’I am a witch from a long line of witches, if a witch is someone who worships a god older than yours, a religion truer than yours, a belief more compassionate than yours.’
‘There is no religion more compassionate than Christianity.’
‘Then why I am to be hanged for not believing in it?’”
”’Because these same countries we say are populated by savages are the same countries we’re subjugating. If we admitted they’re human beings just like us, then it would make us the invading barbarians.’
’We paint others as monsters to stop ourselves from being the monsters,’ I said.”
—Kayleigh🤍
♡Booksta
♡Threads
April 25, 2025
This was a real page turned and had been gripped instantly. The themes of a a mad artist, providence, ancient gods in the ground and the fact that it was set on Yorkshire was more then I could ask for.
From the very start and throughout the book there is a constant sense of unease as you try to figure out what exactly is going to happen with our protagonist as there are so many twists and turns that really compliment the object of the story itself that behind the Chesterfield house. The story is clearly inspired by the famous Winchester house and the story that goes with it, but this book elevates that story to a Lovecraftian horror in the truest sense. the fear of the unknown, ancient rights, slumbering old ones and the inescapable path of providence all make appearances in this story.
Unfortunately however I cannot give it the 5 stars I'd like due to the ending which felt needlessly rushes and with little pay off.
If you liked this book consider watching
The Borderlands by Elliot Goldner, also set in North Yorkshire with similar themes of old gods hidden in the country side.
From the very start and throughout the book there is a constant sense of unease as you try to figure out what exactly is going to happen with our protagonist as there are so many twists and turns that really compliment the object of the story itself that behind the Chesterfield house. The story is clearly inspired by the famous Winchester house and the story that goes with it, but this book elevates that story to a Lovecraftian horror in the truest sense. the fear of the unknown, ancient rights, slumbering old ones and the inescapable path of providence all make appearances in this story.
Unfortunately however I cannot give it the 5 stars I'd like due to the ending which felt needlessly rushes and with little pay off.
If you liked this book consider watching
The Borderlands by Elliot Goldner, also set in North Yorkshire with similar themes of old gods hidden in the country side.
November 9, 2023
Celestin is a good writer and i really really enjoyed his City Blues Quartet novels however this type of story does not hold my interest as well. 3 stars
July 12, 2024
It was a very interesting story, and I love me a gothic theme, but it could've been so much more, and so much better.
Not completely sure how I feel about it right now, so 3 stars will do.
Not completely sure how I feel about it right now, so 3 stars will do.
August 16, 2024
I started this book genuinely enjoying it but I felt the longer I read on I was intrigued and appreciated the interesting story and concept that he was creating but as I was about 80% of the way through I put it down for a few days and didn't have any passion to go back to it. There were moments that felt a little cheap 'horror movie trope' to me. But certainly moments that I appreciated and thoroughly enjoyed indulging in. I also really like the way this author writes characters and dialogue.
However ... It further went down in my estimations when learning of the real life events of the Winchester "Haunted" Mansion.... A widow from the 1800s who was an heir to the Winchester Rifle company who went mad and began creating a labyrinth mansion to appease spirits of those killed by the Winchester Rifle company... It has thousands of mirrors, hundreds of windows, like 160 rooms, stairways that lead to nowhere and corridors that seem to just end. She didn't stop building until she died. (Please Google if you'd like to read/see for yourself)
As soon as I learned of this real life event house this book truly disappointed as I felt there was only the addition of a witchcraft story line and a moseleum. Which in my heart of hearts I dont feel is how an artist/creative takes inspiration from something else and "makes his own art".
If something drastically changes in the last 20-30 pages... Please let me know and maybe I'll finish it.
But honestly it just fell a little flat for me.
I also apologise if it is mentioned in PR or marketing that this author directly uses real life stories as I am unaware of that. If that is the case perhaps it boils down to this author not being for me.
However ... It further went down in my estimations when learning of the real life events of the Winchester "Haunted" Mansion.... A widow from the 1800s who was an heir to the Winchester Rifle company who went mad and began creating a labyrinth mansion to appease spirits of those killed by the Winchester Rifle company... It has thousands of mirrors, hundreds of windows, like 160 rooms, stairways that lead to nowhere and corridors that seem to just end. She didn't stop building until she died. (Please Google if you'd like to read/see for yourself)
As soon as I learned of this real life event house this book truly disappointed as I felt there was only the addition of a witchcraft story line and a moseleum. Which in my heart of hearts I dont feel is how an artist/creative takes inspiration from something else and "makes his own art".
If something drastically changes in the last 20-30 pages... Please let me know and maybe I'll finish it.
But honestly it just fell a little flat for me.
I also apologise if it is mentioned in PR or marketing that this author directly uses real life stories as I am unaware of that. If that is the case perhaps it boils down to this author not being for me.
October 19, 2023
A deliciously dark, sinister and mesmerising read.
Struggling artist Samuel Etherstone takes a commission from the mysterious Mrs Chesterfield, one he soon regrets. Mrs Chesterfield is widow to a merchant in the arms industry and they say she has gone mad with grief after the death of her family. They say she is building a palace to house the dead souls her late husband’s weapons company is responsible for, and she will not stop building. Samuel enters into the commission with marvel at the enormity and complex design of the mansion and with contempt at the rumours...until disturbing dreams and unsettling visions start to haunt Samuel.
This was a chaotic and surreal gothic novel that swept me up on a mindbending journey from the first chapter. Labyrinthine in both atmosphere and setting, this one was truly unsettling and gave me very strange dreams! The ever developing desperate tone, the desolate backdrop of the Yorkshire Moors and coast, and the threatening malevolence of the House itself woven throughout created an intense sense of unease which exploded into a wild ending that sent my head spinning.
Palace of Shadows had all the classic offerings for a creepy gothic novel but was truly unique and is one that will stay with me for some time. Would highly recommend if you like ghosts, witches, folklore and are in the mood for something a little different!
Struggling artist Samuel Etherstone takes a commission from the mysterious Mrs Chesterfield, one he soon regrets. Mrs Chesterfield is widow to a merchant in the arms industry and they say she has gone mad with grief after the death of her family. They say she is building a palace to house the dead souls her late husband’s weapons company is responsible for, and she will not stop building. Samuel enters into the commission with marvel at the enormity and complex design of the mansion and with contempt at the rumours...until disturbing dreams and unsettling visions start to haunt Samuel.
This was a chaotic and surreal gothic novel that swept me up on a mindbending journey from the first chapter. Labyrinthine in both atmosphere and setting, this one was truly unsettling and gave me very strange dreams! The ever developing desperate tone, the desolate backdrop of the Yorkshire Moors and coast, and the threatening malevolence of the House itself woven throughout created an intense sense of unease which exploded into a wild ending that sent my head spinning.
Palace of Shadows had all the classic offerings for a creepy gothic novel but was truly unique and is one that will stay with me for some time. Would highly recommend if you like ghosts, witches, folklore and are in the mood for something a little different!
September 25, 2024
Spoiler-free: Wonderful gothic concept based on the Winchester Mystery House, set on the Yorkshire moors. I love a barren moor as a horror setting, I love gothic horror, I have a cup of tea, I'm ready to enjoy this. But instead I spent a day lost in multiple storyline hell. Much like the real location, this plot consists of doors that open onto brick walls. The 'trap' set for the protagonist is flimsy, continually relying on trop-ey haunting scenes completely devoid of tension. Characters are totally flat, 1-dimensional and unconvincing. Staircases to nowhere. 2 stars for beautiful concept and promising opening chapters.
November 24, 2023
This book absolutely blew me away and is one of my top reads of the year, it is one that I will read over and over again.
Literally every character brings darkness and foreboding, none more so than the house itself. The two timelines complimented each other and made the story feel even more atmospheric.
The reasoning behind the expansion was both creepy and fascinating, especially the effects on those living in or working on it.
This needs to be made into a movie!!
Literally every character brings darkness and foreboding, none more so than the house itself. The two timelines complimented each other and made the story feel even more atmospheric.
The reasoning behind the expansion was both creepy and fascinating, especially the effects on those living in or working on it.
This needs to be made into a movie!!
August 31, 2025
after having written one of the best crime series i have read in years, this is a brilliant gothic story . this novel had me so hooked that it was impossible to stop reading, which happens quite rarely, thus neglecting everything else. Even if you are not into this genre, this is definitely one you must not ignore
December 29, 2023
An excellent gothic novel, dark and twisty. I was fascinated by the descriptions of the setting and the complex plot.
Well developed characters, good storytelling, atmospheric and gripping.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Well developed characters, good storytelling, atmospheric and gripping.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
October 26, 2024
Inspired by The Winchester Mystery House this was a gothic read that I saved for the spooky season. Samuel Etherstone is invited by its reclusive owner Mrs Chesterfield and commisioned to build her a mausoleum penniless and out of work Samuel accepts her offer.
The setting for the book was perfect where better to put a strange house with an eerie owner than the Yorkshire moors? I do wish we had more about Mrs Chesterfield she seemed like an interesting character. I wouldn't say it's overly spooky it could have been so much more while I was enjoying the eerie corridors and descriptions of doors that led to nowhere it was always cut short.
It's engaging in the first half of the book but then I felt like it drifted off and I lost interest till it picked up again.
I enjoyed it but I wouldn't say it's something I would read again.
The setting for the book was perfect where better to put a strange house with an eerie owner than the Yorkshire moors? I do wish we had more about Mrs Chesterfield she seemed like an interesting character. I wouldn't say it's overly spooky it could have been so much more while I was enjoying the eerie corridors and descriptions of doors that led to nowhere it was always cut short.
It's engaging in the first half of the book but then I felt like it drifted off and I lost interest till it picked up again.
I enjoyed it but I wouldn't say it's something I would read again.
January 15, 2025
Celestin 5 for 5.
I absolutely loved the City Blues Quartet & was intrigued to see him delve into the gothic world. Having spent plenty of time on the Yorkshire moors growing up, I was instantly back there and could see the mist rolling in off the North Sea.
I personally prefer the world he created in his previous novels, but at this point, I'd read anything he wrote.
I absolutely loved the City Blues Quartet & was intrigued to see him delve into the gothic world. Having spent plenty of time on the Yorkshire moors growing up, I was instantly back there and could see the mist rolling in off the North Sea.
I personally prefer the world he created in his previous novels, but at this point, I'd read anything he wrote.
April 7, 2024
Another 3.5
October 19, 2024
I wanted to like this book so bad but Jesus Christ I couldn’t get into it for ANYTHING! Loved the premise, not obsessed with the outcome
November 26, 2024
A hefty slice of North Yorkshire Moors Gothic. Ghastly. Golly!
November 16, 2023
Este livro é como a casa nele descrita, primeiro é estranho e não sabes bem por onde lhe pegar mas depois agarra o leitor e ficamos sempre a querer saber o que vai acontecer a seguir.
Com muitas referências históricas ao inicio pode ser lento porque exige pesquisa se não estiverem familiarizados.
Com muitas referências históricas ao inicio pode ser lento porque exige pesquisa se não estiverem familiarizados.
November 9, 2023
3.5 stars. This was a really well written, atmospheric gothic novel that had some great creepy haunted house vibes. There are some really interesting and thought provoking conversations in this book surrounding grief, spiritual and religious beliefs and war that I really enjoyed and thought were well done. I also liked how we got different perspectives throughout that helped the reader slowly piece the mystery together.
I will say though the ending got a little weird and confusing for me and there were some threads that I was hoping would be better explained. The main mystery of the book is regarding why the house is constantly under construction but I don’t feel like answer was particularly satisfying for me and I just wanted more from the conclusion of the story. Still a solid creepy house book though with some interesting themes. I’d definitely read from this author again in the future.
I will say though the ending got a little weird and confusing for me and there were some threads that I was hoping would be better explained. The main mystery of the book is regarding why the house is constantly under construction but I don’t feel like answer was particularly satisfying for me and I just wanted more from the conclusion of the story. Still a solid creepy house book though with some interesting themes. I’d definitely read from this author again in the future.
November 16, 2023
Very good read and a great direction change for Ray.
October 20, 2023
"Palace of Shadows" is a gothic horror set in the Yorkshire Moors in 1899. The novel focuses on the lives of a number of people involved in the building of the largest manor house ever built and dark reasons for it being built as well as a number of unexplained deaths which occurred during the building process. Celestin, best known for his mafia-styled "City Blues Quartet", masterfully changes pace and adapts to the eerie oppressive writing style, so well known through the works of Arthur Conan Doyle. On a secondary level, the novel is an absolute treasure trove of metaphors and remarks on the era, human nature, religion and so much more. The juxtaposition between the "Palace of Shadows" and William Morris' "Red House" (Palace of Beauty) is something to behold.
September 23, 2023
This is a wonderfully atmospheric gothic book! It pulls from the Winchester Mystery House which I found very interesting in the change of scenery. A great read for the colder and darker months, I enjoyed curling up at night and disappearing into this mystery. A great example of the genre and I’m keen to explore the authors other works.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 20, 2023
I really enjoyed this gothic thriller/historic fiction ghost story!! Lots of twists and turns and trying to figure out what’s happening, with a gothic haunted house type setting based on the Yorkshire Moors with some sinister and also some helpful ghosts!
September 17, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I was captivated the whole way through and I wasn't able to guess what was happening. I adore a good Victorian Gothic, and this was definitely there. I'd love to see it as a movie too. It would make an excellent psychological thriller/horror movie.
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