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The Gargoyle: Dark romance and Gothic horror collide in modern Paris

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How far would you go for love?

An aspiring actress’s life takes an unexpected and deadly turn as she sets her sights on achieving her dreams of stardom and capturing the affections of her idol, no matter how horrifying the cost.

Inès Corday has a tragic past and a dangerous obsession.

When, against the odds, she beats hundreds of others to secure a place at the elite Parisian academy run by her idol and great love, acting luminary Christophe Leriche, Inès dares to believe that her luck is about to change. But the darkness that has haunted her throughout her life follows her inside the gates of the Leriche Academy, and Inès begins to understand that her chances of success, and of love, are more remote than ever.

Overlooked by Christophe and shunned by her fellow students, Inès seeks comfort in the sanctity of Notre-Dame. There, high above the Paris rooftops, she gains an unlikely ally and guardian, who confides that there is a way she can make all her dreams come true. Christophe can be hers, it promises, if she is prepared to take some drastic and ghastly ‘extra measures’.

Guided by the uncanny insights of her fiendish new protector, Inès hurtles towards her destiny and uncovers the path to realising her deepest, and darkest, desires.

Will Inès risk everything to claim the life she’s always wanted, or will the darkness prevail? Don't miss this twisted journey through the City of where dreams are made and nightmares are set in stone.

255 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 31, 2023

5 people are currently reading
129 people want to read

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Michelle Keill

5 books35 followers

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
Profile Image for Emily Stiffler.
545 reviews18 followers
December 27, 2023
Thank you to BookSirens and the author, Michelle Keill, for the chance to review this book! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

4.5/5 stars!

I really enjoyed this book— everything was well done and kept me invested!

But wow… I REALLY enjoyed the progression of the story! And A+ to the mystery surrounding it! I was hooked! Ines was the quintessential unhinged, unreliable narrator. You are literally sitting there, minding your own business, and the more you read… the more you start to question EVERYTHING! Like what is real… what is not real?? What is happening?? How?! Why?!

I LOVED IT! Read this book!
Profile Image for Rosie Amber.
Author 1 book83 followers
December 1, 2023
4.5 stars

The Gargoyle is a dark contemporary story set in Paris.

The highest towers of Notre-Dame call to Inès , and it is here that she confides her dreams to one of the stone gargoyles. Inès fantasises to the point of obsession about actor Christophe Leriche; she works hard to become a dancer and actress, so that she may follow her dreams and meet the star.

A few years later Christophe announces that he is creating an elite academy of performers, and auditions for the limited spaces are open. Is this the destiny of Inès’s dreams?

As the story of Inès began, I felt empathy for her life and her situation, but as the novel continued Ines begins to become an unreliable narrator. I do admire a writer who can play with a reader’s expectations; I was kept on my toes with each new twist. I also found the underlying dark theme of the tale a little disturbing, especially as events built towards the finale.

There’s a good pace to the book and the setting in Paris suits the macabre with its grisly tones of dark adoration.
Profile Image for Keri Barber.
175 reviews57 followers
November 26, 2023
Ines is an orphan turned out by nuns into the streets of Paris. She becomes a performer after contemplating her life's direction with a Gargoyle atop the tower of Notre Dame.

She is accepted into an up and coming performing arts academy run by her idol and love interest, a retired, beloved Parisian thespian, Christophe. Only a select few girls are accepted into this academy to train exclusively under Christophe.

Ines feels like an outcast compared to her classmates and plots to eliminate her competition for Christophe's love and attention. She bonds with the academy hired pianist, Theo, who is her loyal, love forlorn friend and hints that he knows more about Ines than she lets on.

She periodically consults with the sinister Gargoyle atop Notre Dame for direction on how to proceed with fulfilling her desires, which becomes a dark obsession.

The story was very well written and made me want to continue reading after each chapter ended in order to get more insight as to what was going to happen next.

I could feel the emotions of Ines with each new twist and was always waiting with anticipation for something to be revealed, her dark obsession to be her demise, and everything to fall apart.

This was givrn to me as an ARC ebook for an honest review. This is definitely worth a read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for teeth fairy.
46 reviews3 followers
August 1, 2025
Imagine, if you will, for a moment:

You are lost in the forest. You know these parts: you've been here before. You pick a direction and keep at it without hesitation, confident in your choice.

The forest grows darker, eerier, and at one point, things stop making sense. Birds start talking, flowers are cut down by a mysterious force, and sky is beneath your feet. Nevertheless, you persevere. And once you think you have the ending in sight, and that you finally understand… the entire world flips once more.

This is the process of reading the Gargoyle.

The Gargoyle is a frankly simple story that deals pretty straightforwardly with themes of obsession and trauma. It has a sort of predictable turn of events that is not at all ruined by its own predictability, but is rather enhanced by several factors that make this read stand out, the sharp, intimate, no-nonsense writing style being one of them. Though I picked up on the familiar plot of obsession, though I know what this kind of story entails, and approximately what to expect, it was experiencing it through the novel ideas and captivating writing that truly made the Gargoyle feel like something special, and the final chapters themselves brought what I though would be a very solid 4-star read to a perhaps wobbly 5-star one. The only thing that I might've changed in the Gargoyle was give it a bit more meat… though I'm not sure how much that would take away from the intriguing mystery of the story and our heroine who might not be as reliable of a narrator as she initially seems.

On a less relevant but important note to those interested: I did not expect this book to fall so directly into the territory of the ever-beloved dark academia aesthetic - especially since it was not something I was specifically looking for - so imagine my surprise when it not only turned out to fit the description to the T, but managed it with flying colours. I don't think people understand what dark academia is all about, but I believe this read is a perfect showcase of the ideas that aesthetic - or sub-genre, if you will - represents.

The Gargoyle may not be as complex nor layered as one might want it to be, and you'll hear its own eponymous character claim the same: it is, after all, just a humble Gargoyle, nothing but stone. It still begs the question of who, or what, the Gargoyle truly is.

Thank you BookSirens, I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Mark Young.
Author 7 books46 followers
November 18, 2023
A gothic horror that Hitchcock and De Maurier would’ve been proud of!!!

If Hitchcock were alive today, I’d be willing to bet that this would’ve been top of his reading lists to make into a film.

This horror is dripping with tension and suspense. I loved the first person prose and how Keill writes. It reads naturally, and engaged me from start to finish. I became lost inside the narrator’s/lead character’s thoughts and loved every second of it. The use of language superbly lends itself not only to how Inès - an aspiring Parisian actress who is obsessed with her teacher and childhood pinup - thinks and speaks, but also to the gothic nature of this deliciously murderous novel. I could really see this modern tale working in the 1950s as well.

Each page and character is laced with the themes of this story which, for me, makes an enticing and exciting read - themes of obsession, ambition, entitlement and delusion. Having dabbled in the arts in a past life, I completely related to the idea that many (including myself) fall into - that being: “if I achieve this in my career,” or “if I can make this person fall in love with me” then “I will be happy.”

If the themes and their execution I have described above are dark romance then sign me up for more. If Michelle Keill keeps up with work of this quality, I very may well tout her as this century’s Daphne De Maurier.

One of my favourite reads of the year! Highly recommended!
Profile Image for Jessiereadsfantasy .
70 reviews3 followers
January 25, 2024
Thank you to BookSirens and the author for the opportunity to read and review a copy of this book.

I am still trying to pick my jaw off the floor after this one. I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end. Within 256 pages, the author not only managed to grab my attention but also got me emotionally engaged.

The FMC, Ines, is unhinged, and her obsession with her teacher is delightfully frightening. As the story progresses, it becomes increasingly more difficult for the reader to follow her rationale, but that is the beauty of the story. The author takes you on a journey where you keep wondering not only what is going on through her brain but also what is going on in the world around her. What her mind perceives and her reality blur repeatedly. As the story progresses, the spiral of events is captivating, and the twists and turns will make you turn the pages asking, "What's next?"

The only thing I wished was that there was a little bit more substance in some areas of the story. Mainly, I wanted to know a bit more about some of the characters.

I will caution readers that there are graphic depictions of death and murder and disturbing themes.

4.5/5 stars; 2/5 spice - will absolutely recommend this to my followers!
Profile Image for A. Adams.
725 reviews11 followers
May 1, 2024
How far would you go to get everything you want? For Inès Corday that is becoming a famous star and making Christophe Leriche fall madly in love with her. "The heart is deictful. Sometimes wanting what you can't have is easier than being disappointed." This is very much a mind twisting book. When love turns into obsession and you become a monster to get everything you wanted. Except, you stain your hands in the process and learn that maybe what you wanted all along is wrong. "For Christophe, I had done the unthinkable." Inès is so far down this path, that there's no return. "Don’t fall, Inès. Whatever happens, don’t fall. It’s a long way down … a very long way down." I mean Inès is taking advice from a gargoyle atop Notre Dame. But what do I know? I'm blonde.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Kay Jay.
490 reviews8 followers
December 20, 2023
Story: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Audiobook: N/A
Feelings: ⛪🎭🎭👤👯🎹🥰☠️💀☠️💀☠️💗🫶❤️😲😱


I received an Arc Copy (thank you, Book Sirens and Michelle Keill) in exchange for an honest review, and it was amazing!

Take Black Swan and Tiny Little Dancers - smash them together, but with acting instead of ballet. Now add so much murder and a shocking twist in the end, and we have this beautiful Gothic Horror Dark Romance called The Gargoyle. Well done, well done!

The majority of books are around 500 pages nowadays, and "The Gargoyle" is the perfect example of how you don't need too much to make a compelling, amazing story. I could not put it down. I loved the fast pace, and let's get straight to the point style. (I have ADHD, so I get bored with people adding all the fluff lately.)




Profile Image for Abby Draper.
133 reviews11 followers
April 28, 2024
“There will be a lot of blood. Even more than you imagine. But this is the path you have chosen…”

This book was very unsettling, in a way only well-written literature can be. I am a very empathetic person and I felt like I was on this journey with Inès. The story was anxiety-inducing, to say the least, and I was on edge the whole time reading it.

This definitely gave off Black Swan vibes and would be great for anyone who loves psychological thrillers and unreliable narrators.

Giving this four stars because of how upsetting it was for me, but again, I think that’s also a testament to the impressive writing and storytelling.

Trigger warnings: Murder, suicide, mental illness

Thank you to the author and BookSirens for a chance to read this book. I received an advance reader copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Rachel Maheu.
60 reviews
December 11, 2023
So good. This book definitely has the Gothic, dark theme down. I liked how the underlying dark theme was always present but didn't take away from the plot. Excellent representation of obsession and having that obsession take over. I could feel the tension as the main character started to unravel.

The story wasn't completely predictable, but it wasn't full of twists and turns either. However, that also didn't take away from the story and the tension as the plot unraveled.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Caitlyn Strubinger-Campbell.
90 reviews
February 7, 2024
This is a wonderfully dark tale of obsession and fate and it sucked me in!! At first I felt like I wasn’t getting to know the characters very well but then the book twists and turns and it becomes an addiction that you have to feed page by page! Loved this in a way I was not expecting. I enjoy trying to figure out things before the end and this one was a fun puzzle. Fair warning that you will want to go to Paris after reading this though!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Rachella.
357 reviews3 followers
Read
February 12, 2024
I loved this take on dark academia, a school run by a former actor to develop the next generation of stars. I did worry about Ines's obsession with him as I felt from the beginning that something dark was going to come of it. The blurring of reality and fantasy as seen in the gargoyle being alive and covering Ines's crimes was interesting and I enjoyed how the waters got muddier as the book progressed. I binged read The Gargoyle and enjoyed every minute of it.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Deborah.
445 reviews7 followers
December 10, 2023
Whew! This is a dark one and a bit of a demanding read. At first, I thought the main female character was the protagonist. Then I briefly flirted with the director. In the end, I came to believe there was no protagonist in the classic sense, only the gargoyle as something of a puppet master.

If you like dark mysteries, this may be your next one.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Joan Smith.
813 reviews21 followers
January 4, 2024
Thank you Michelle Keill

This novel is a very twisted and dark atmospheric tone suspenseful story of evil and how enticing it can be once it gets its hooks into you. I was on the edge of my seat to find out what happened next. It is a real Tear Jerker with characters you will fall in love with. The villian has a certain charm about her that lurks her victims close to her. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Supernatural
Gothic feel
Crime Horror
Very Gory


Paris, France
1,786 reviews24 followers
February 21, 2024
This book had me pulled in many directions. So many feels. So much mystery. What is real? What is delusion? Obsession. Love. Jealousy. Murder. I didn't want to continue reading. Yet,I couldn't put it down. It's all so messed up.
Thank you Book Sirens and Michelle Keill for gifting me this book. This is my honest review.
87 reviews1 follower
May 14, 2024
it was a bit difficult for me to get into this book, just because I had a hard time keeping the characters straight. Once I did get in to it the story flowed smoothly. The storyline was interesting and kept my interest. I was a bit disappointed in the ending.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for DarkStar's Book Cavern.
210 reviews32 followers
November 9, 2024
Ines has been cast out of the orphanage in Paris by the nuns and finds herself alone on the streets of Paris. But there is only one place where she feels truly at home and that is at the top of the towers of Notre Dame – with the gargoyles. Descriptions of Paris are the high point and it really comes across that the author loves the city. Ines is the main character and the only POV we have and she is a woman obsessed with only one thing – Christophe, a famous theatre actor in Paris. And Ines would do anything for him to sit up and finally see that she is the only one for him in every sense of the phrase. With the advice of the Gargoyle at the top of Notre Dame, Ines sees that her only way forward, the only way to get the object of her obsession, is to eliminate the competition.

In the first few chapters I almost dnf’d this book three times. It was monotonous and boring and I wasn’t connecting with any of the characters or the story. The story doesn’t flow it jumps about and is so predictable to be almost a cliché of itself. I did get the point that the point of view of the character of Ines is unreliable – things might only be happening in her head and her perception of reality and what she knows in her head is not the same. There is a little snippet of a memory where Ines was in the orphanage being punished for something and is told that she has a weak mind and shouldn’t let her imagination take over reality.

I was convinced, by nothing other than myself, that this story was set in a Victorian Paris setting. And I continued to be convinced in that belief until I read the term ‘blagging’ early on and the use of mobiles. Which completely threw me out of the story.

I did something I don’t often do while reading a book – went to look at the reviews. It only has 4 and 5 star reviews on Goodreads and I thought that I must be missing something. That it might get good from the halfway point so I hammered onwards. It is 255 pages (at least on kindle) and I finished it in a day. It is billed as a book where dark romance and gothic horror collide which is the premise that had me interested. However, on finishing it I don’t believe that it is either of those. I felt that it is more psychological thriller type and would have benefited more for leaning into that and exploring more in depth of Ines’ eventual, unhinged unraveling. I was really hoping that in the end she would have dispatched the object of her obsession.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. More detailed review here: https://youtu.be/W0WkqBou8Lg
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews

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