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The House of Fever
A gripping and gothic new historical mystery.
Can she unlock the secrets of The House of Fever?
1935, Hedoné House, a luxurious sanatorium for the creative elite dedicated to the groundbreaking treatment of tuberculosis. As the doctor’s new wife, Agnes Templeton has pledged her life to a house of fever.
But Hedoné is no ordinary hospital. High society rubs shoulders with artists, poets and musicians. No expense is spared on the comfort of the guests, and champagne flows freely. It’s a world away from everything Agnes knows.
Her husband’s methods are unusual. There are whisperings about past patients and even a cure. Hedoné’s secrets draw Agnes in, revealing truths she could never anticipate, and soon she is caught between a past she is desperate to escape and a future she may forever regret.
Praise for Polly Crosby
’Hugely evocative and beautifully written’ Anna Mazzola, author of The Clockwork Girl
‘A thoroughly compelling mystery meets a poignant love story, all wrapped up in beautifully lyrical writing’ Frances Quinn, author of The Smallest Man
‘A beguiling mystery from a gifted storyteller’ Louise Fein, author of People Like Us
What readers are saying about Polly Crosby’s books'A beautiful and haunting tale of family, love, control and connections. This book and its characters will stay with me for a long time' Netgalley reviewer
'A lush and evocative novel of loss and forbidden love' Netgalley reviewer
'Beautifully written, a dark and moody yet intriguing story' Netgalley reviewer
'An extraordinary book that I read in a 4 hour straight session without stopping for food or drink . . . A spellbinding read' Netgalley reviewer
Can she unlock the secrets of The House of Fever?
1935, Hedoné House, a luxurious sanatorium for the creative elite dedicated to the groundbreaking treatment of tuberculosis. As the doctor’s new wife, Agnes Templeton has pledged her life to a house of fever.
But Hedoné is no ordinary hospital. High society rubs shoulders with artists, poets and musicians. No expense is spared on the comfort of the guests, and champagne flows freely. It’s a world away from everything Agnes knows.
Her husband’s methods are unusual. There are whisperings about past patients and even a cure. Hedoné’s secrets draw Agnes in, revealing truths she could never anticipate, and soon she is caught between a past she is desperate to escape and a future she may forever regret.
Praise for Polly Crosby
’Hugely evocative and beautifully written’ Anna Mazzola, author of The Clockwork Girl
‘A thoroughly compelling mystery meets a poignant love story, all wrapped up in beautifully lyrical writing’ Frances Quinn, author of The Smallest Man
‘A beguiling mystery from a gifted storyteller’ Louise Fein, author of People Like Us
What readers are saying about Polly Crosby’s books'A beautiful and haunting tale of family, love, control and connections. This book and its characters will stay with me for a long time' Netgalley reviewer
'A lush and evocative novel of loss and forbidden love' Netgalley reviewer
'Beautifully written, a dark and moody yet intriguing story' Netgalley reviewer
'An extraordinary book that I read in a 4 hour straight session without stopping for food or drink . . . A spellbinding read' Netgalley reviewer
Kindle Edition
First published August 15, 2024
48 people are currently reading
623 people want to read
About the author
Polly Crosby
7 books171 followersPolly Crosby grew up on the Suffolk coast, and now lives with her husband and son in the heart of Norfolk.
In 2018, Polly won Curtis Brown Creative’s Yesterday Scholarship, enabling her to write her debut novel, The Illustrated Child. Later the same year, she was awarded runner-up in the Bridport Prize’s Peggy Chapman Andrews Award for a First Novel, and she received the Annabel Abbs Creative Writing Scholarship for the prestigious MA at the University of East Anglia.
Polly's first book for Young Adults, This Tale is Forbidden, came out in January. Her next historical mystery, The House of Fever, is out in August.
In 2018, Polly won Curtis Brown Creative’s Yesterday Scholarship, enabling her to write her debut novel, The Illustrated Child. Later the same year, she was awarded runner-up in the Bridport Prize’s Peggy Chapman Andrews Award for a First Novel, and she received the Annabel Abbs Creative Writing Scholarship for the prestigious MA at the University of East Anglia.
Polly's first book for Young Adults, This Tale is Forbidden, came out in January. Her next historical mystery, The House of Fever, is out in August.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
September 12, 2024
polly. girl. what was this. the premise was soooo good. the setup was sooo good. the last 50 pages????? what happened babe. i actually wish this was a pregnancy cult instead of whatever that was. 3 stars for the vibes and for sippie my baby<3
January 5, 2025
What. Is. That. Ending???
The story started out really slow and boring that I initially wanted to dnf. But then a lot of reviews said it picked from around the halfway mark so I decided to give it a chance and it did; the pace is getting better and the protagonist also finally shed off her naivety. The suspense got me gripping my seat, I was turning pages after pages wanting to know what next. It was that good...until the last 50 pages *sigh*
The ending is so underwhelming! The mystery is solved literally by them drugging Juno to get her to confess and Christian willingly spilled it all like??? Juno is also dumb enough to write everything, I repeat EVERYTHING they did on a freaking diary that is so conviniently stole (for no reason) before the whole hospital burned down to the ground.
That's not all, the mysterious death of the patients including agnes's mum isn't even caused by those two doing nefarious experiment but freaking isobell (mind you she's a child) that is feeding the patients jam laced with tons of morphine bcs she wanted to help them. And she got to escape practically unharmed and go live with her mother. I'm really not a fan of kids/teenagers in fiction doing great damages and get away scott free without having consequences bcs they're ✨minor✨
It would have been better if Juno & Christian are a pair of lovers obsessed with perfecting the lung transplant procedure and using his good look to rope unsuspecting young, healthy women to marry him only to become their lab rats.
The ending also felt it was wrapped too neatly. We don't even get to see the other patients reaction after they learned the truth we were just told about that and then they burned down the hospital. We also didn't know the fate of the other women that helped agnes after that fateful night.
This is not a satisfying read at all.
The story started out really slow and boring that I initially wanted to dnf. But then a lot of reviews said it picked from around the halfway mark so I decided to give it a chance and it did; the pace is getting better and the protagonist also finally shed off her naivety. The suspense got me gripping my seat, I was turning pages after pages wanting to know what next. It was that good...until the last 50 pages *sigh*
The ending is so underwhelming! The mystery is solved literally by them drugging Juno to get her to confess and Christian willingly spilled it all like??? Juno is also dumb enough to write everything, I repeat EVERYTHING they did on a freaking diary that is so conviniently stole (for no reason) before the whole hospital burned down to the ground.
That's not all, the mysterious death of the patients including agnes's mum isn't even caused by those two doing nefarious experiment but freaking isobell (mind you she's a child) that is feeding the patients jam laced with tons of morphine bcs she wanted to help them. And she got to escape practically unharmed and go live with her mother. I'm really not a fan of kids/teenagers in fiction doing great damages and get away scott free without having consequences bcs they're ✨minor✨
It would have been better if Juno & Christian are a pair of lovers obsessed with perfecting the lung transplant procedure and using his good look to rope unsuspecting young, healthy women to marry him only to become their lab rats.
The ending also felt it was wrapped too neatly. We don't even get to see the other patients reaction after they learned the truth we were just told about that and then they burned down the hospital. We also didn't know the fate of the other women that helped agnes after that fateful night.
This is not a satisfying read at all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 15, 2024
1935 & Agnes is swept off her feet by a handsome doctor & they quickly marry. A few weeks later, Agnes & her mother make their way to Hedoné House, a luxurious sanatorium where her husband is the pioneer of a new treatment for tuberculosis. Agnes' father died of the disease several years before & her mother is now ill, & Agnes' new husband's treatment is perhaps the only hope. When they arrive they soon see that Hedoné is no ordinary hospital, it's where the rich & famous reside & no expense is spared on the comfort of the guests, but Agnes soon starts to feel as if there is something dreadfully wrong beneath the glittering façade.
I really enjoyed this one. It's a slow-paced read but that's entirely fitting for the plot where the rot beneath the surface is revealed bit by bit. It is very well-written & effortlessly keeps the reader's attention. The author deftly evokes the atmosphere so well with rich detail that I could picture the sanatorium in my mind. I also thought the characterisation was really good &, although she starts off a little standoffish to the reader, I soon became invested in Agnes' story. Definitely recommend this one if you like slow-burn historical fiction with a dark side. 4.5 stars (rounded up)
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, HQ, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
I really enjoyed this one. It's a slow-paced read but that's entirely fitting for the plot where the rot beneath the surface is revealed bit by bit. It is very well-written & effortlessly keeps the reader's attention. The author deftly evokes the atmosphere so well with rich detail that I could picture the sanatorium in my mind. I also thought the characterisation was really good &, although she starts off a little standoffish to the reader, I soon became invested in Agnes' story. Definitely recommend this one if you like slow-burn historical fiction with a dark side. 4.5 stars (rounded up)
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, HQ, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
August 15, 2024
Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I could not put this book down! The mystery and corruption all rapped up in shallow glamour and excess was so captivating meant that I had to keep turning pages to find out how it was all going to end.
The description of Hedoné and the characters is so rich that it was easy to envision while Agnes' growing unease made me feel so unsettled.
I loved the chapters from Iso's point of view, creating the impression that she really was a ghost haunting the house and patients. When the reveal was made I was genuinely shocked but these chapters made it make so much sense.
This is an intriguing mystery that keeps you guessing and makes you need to keep reading.
I could not put this book down! The mystery and corruption all rapped up in shallow glamour and excess was so captivating meant that I had to keep turning pages to find out how it was all going to end.
The description of Hedoné and the characters is so rich that it was easy to envision while Agnes' growing unease made me feel so unsettled.
I loved the chapters from Iso's point of view, creating the impression that she really was a ghost haunting the house and patients. When the reveal was made I was genuinely shocked but these chapters made it make so much sense.
This is an intriguing mystery that keeps you guessing and makes you need to keep reading.
September 2, 2024
The year is 1935.
Hedené House, a luxurious, glamorous, gilded cage of a sanatorium for the creative elite, dedicated to the groundbreaking treatment of tuberculosis but one would be wise to remember that just because on the surface things seem like nirvana, under all of that shine lies something darker than the worst sin imaginable….
Agnes Templeton, the doctor’s new wife, is swift to pledge her life to a house of fever, as without such a blind show of faith, she may lose everything.
Hedoné is no ordinary hospital. No, Hedoné is where high society rubs shoulders with artists, poets, musicians and all who yearn to leave a legacy!
No expense is spared on the comfort of those lucky enough to grace its halls, champagne is practically on tap and this new world of decadence, beauty and promises of a cure are far removed from what Agnes knows about life.
Her husband’s methods may be unusual as echos and whispers hint at a possible cure but also of previous patients disappearing, Agnes is quickly lulled into Hedoné and all it’s possibilities yet with every positive she discovers, Agnes unveils hidden truths, secrets that should never be known, and she finds herself caught between a past she longs to escape and a future she may live to regret.
For Hedoné may have golden fixtures, preened lawns, and silk wallpapers, but if you look closer, rust flecks gold. The lawns smell of rot. The wallpaper is tainted with blood….
Heady with mystery, dripping in gothic atmosphere, The House of Fever is both hypnotising and compelling.
Hedené House, a luxurious, glamorous, gilded cage of a sanatorium for the creative elite, dedicated to the groundbreaking treatment of tuberculosis but one would be wise to remember that just because on the surface things seem like nirvana, under all of that shine lies something darker than the worst sin imaginable….
Agnes Templeton, the doctor’s new wife, is swift to pledge her life to a house of fever, as without such a blind show of faith, she may lose everything.
Hedoné is no ordinary hospital. No, Hedoné is where high society rubs shoulders with artists, poets, musicians and all who yearn to leave a legacy!
No expense is spared on the comfort of those lucky enough to grace its halls, champagne is practically on tap and this new world of decadence, beauty and promises of a cure are far removed from what Agnes knows about life.
Her husband’s methods may be unusual as echos and whispers hint at a possible cure but also of previous patients disappearing, Agnes is quickly lulled into Hedoné and all it’s possibilities yet with every positive she discovers, Agnes unveils hidden truths, secrets that should never be known, and she finds herself caught between a past she longs to escape and a future she may live to regret.
For Hedoné may have golden fixtures, preened lawns, and silk wallpapers, but if you look closer, rust flecks gold. The lawns smell of rot. The wallpaper is tainted with blood….
Heady with mystery, dripping in gothic atmosphere, The House of Fever is both hypnotising and compelling.
May 27, 2024
I really struggled to put this book down, reading three quarters of it in one sitting.
I love a historical novel and I confess I know little about TB which is what attracted me to it. There do seem to be some parallels with the Covid pandemic (and this book was born as a result of it, as mentioned in the comments) but it’s very subtle. This made it much more enjoyable.
I thought the characterisation and the overall plot of this book was great. I really didn’t see the plot twist or work out what was really going on. The ending was subtle too. Overall, I really, REALLY enjoyed this book. It was great to read something that I was happy to devote time to and be lost in.
Thanks to the author, publishers & NetGalley for access to this arc in return for an honest review.
I love a historical novel and I confess I know little about TB which is what attracted me to it. There do seem to be some parallels with the Covid pandemic (and this book was born as a result of it, as mentioned in the comments) but it’s very subtle. This made it much more enjoyable.
I thought the characterisation and the overall plot of this book was great. I really didn’t see the plot twist or work out what was really going on. The ending was subtle too. Overall, I really, REALLY enjoyed this book. It was great to read something that I was happy to devote time to and be lost in.
Thanks to the author, publishers & NetGalley for access to this arc in return for an honest review.
August 18, 2024
I haven't read anything by this author until this book, I was really surprised! I love historical fiction and this one is well written and easy to follow. It has lots of secrets and mystery throughout the story. I didn't expect some of the twists! I find myself struggling to put it down. Christian is a walking red flag, very easy to see. And Agnes is very gullible until she starts empowering herself.
September 4, 2024
With echoes of Rebecca, this wonderfully tense story, set in an unorthodox TB sanatorium in 1935, is an engaging and compellingly read.
October 18, 2024
1935, Hedoné House, a luxurious sanatorium for the creative elite dedicated to the groundbreaking treatment of tuberculosis. As the doctor’s new wife, Agnes Templeton has pledged her life to a house of fever. But Hedoné is no ordinary hospital. High society rubs shoulders with artists, poets and musicians. Her husband’s methods are unusual. Hedoné’s secrets draw Agnes in, revealing truths she could never anticipate, and soon she is caught between a past she is desperate to escape and a future she may forever regret.
Oh the atmosphere of this was on point! Gothic mystery set in a mansion is *chef’s kiss*, and this had all the right elements to it - secretive characters, male protagonist with red flags, a traumatised child and dying people. The tuberculosis setting was super interesting, and somehow relatable as it had similarities to the recent pandemic.
The narration of the audiobook was also well done. It managed to deliver the haunting quality of the storytelling perfectly. Agnes was portrayed nicely as a bright-eyed, somewhat-gullible young woman trying to escape a difficult situation. The dialogues had the ‘classic’ qualities to them.
While the overall plot was somewhat predictable, I basked in the execution and details. And it even managed to sneak in surprises too! I really enjoyed this book.
(Thanks to Harlequin Australia for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review)
See my bookstagram review.
Oh the atmosphere of this was on point! Gothic mystery set in a mansion is *chef’s kiss*, and this had all the right elements to it - secretive characters, male protagonist with red flags, a traumatised child and dying people. The tuberculosis setting was super interesting, and somehow relatable as it had similarities to the recent pandemic.
The narration of the audiobook was also well done. It managed to deliver the haunting quality of the storytelling perfectly. Agnes was portrayed nicely as a bright-eyed, somewhat-gullible young woman trying to escape a difficult situation. The dialogues had the ‘classic’ qualities to them.
While the overall plot was somewhat predictable, I basked in the execution and details. And it even managed to sneak in surprises too! I really enjoyed this book.
(Thanks to Harlequin Australia for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review)
See my bookstagram review.
May 17, 2025
2.5 ⭐️
The ending was underwhelming 😕
The ending was underwhelming 😕
September 7, 2024
Really enjoyed this book, it read like a film, so vivid were the characters....I dropped one star purely because I wanted to know more about why Christian treated his daughter the way he did and why he allowed her to live the way she did in the servants quarters, also would have liked to know more about Matrons end story as she was an integral character in the book. .. along with Meredith, with the end just conveniently reuniting her and her daughter but with no details of how and why?
Overall though definitely a book I will recommend.
Overall though definitely a book I will recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 29, 2024
Title: The House of Fever
Author: Polly Crosby
Genres: Historical Fiction | Women's Fiction
Pub Date: 15 Aug 2024
Pages: 336
ISBN: 9780008550714
Format Read: EPUB
Rating: ⭐️⭐️ (2 stars)
The year is 1935 (though at times things feel a bit closer to the Roaring 20s). Agnes has been living in poverty while caring for her mother, who is slowly dying of tuberculosis, a disease that already claimed her father's life. A chance meeting with (& shockingly speedy marriage to) a dashing widowed doctor - who just happens to specialise in treating TB at his luxury sanatorium - seems to signal a lucky turn. Agnes and her mother are swept off to Hedoné House, deep in the (apparently) very coniferous heart of Norfolk, where Agnes is to be stepmother to the doctor's daughter and mother to the doctor's future children, which he seems exceptionally keen to bring into being as soon as possible.
Agnes's primarily concern is getting top-notch care for her mother, but she can't quite help falling in lust with the doctor.
Of course, this is a mystery, so things are not at all as they seem...
I was keen to get reading based on the description, as this book seemed to tick all the boxes of a light-yet-engrossing summer read. I wasn't expecting the next great classic, but based on reviews, I was expecting a page-turner of a mystery.
Immediately I found myself wondering whether Agnes had grown up in a complete bubble. From the description of her earlier life, her family had been getting by until her father's death and her mother falling ill; as the debts started to pile up, Agnes sold what very few valuables they had left and absconded abroad with her mother to dodge rent arrears. She even apparently considered turning to prostitution as she couldn't find work that'd come close to paying for her mother's medical care, and briefly contemplated [TW] giving her mother an overdose of heroin to end her suffering. These are quite adult things, and Agnes is very much an adult, but these life experiences are at stark odds with her apparent naïveté.
At no point does Agnes question why a wealthy young widowed doctor, purportedly at the forefront of TB research with lots of wealthy investors & patients (whom he calls 'guests'), chooses to marry her. Agnes herself states a couple times towards the beginning of the book that it's a "marriage of convenience" for him - but honestly, how is that plausible? She's told that he struggled to find a new wife as so few people would be willing to live in a remote TB ward, but I find it historically quite implausible that there wouldn't be a few women of higher class with somewhat delicate circumstances which would make the match more than worth the risk. Agnes seems to take the explanation in complete stride.
It'd be perfectly believable that she'd have tons of questions and doubts but be willing to put them (and any concerns for her own safety) aside for her mother's sake, so I'm not certain why the author opted to instead portray her in a way that she comes across as, well, a bit dim. We've all read plenty of heroines who are naïve & out of their depth but who don't come across as lacking in intellect despite making dubious choices or assumptions. Agnes - whose POV we spend almost all our time in - just comes along as having not much going on in her head. That empty head is a really frustrating place to exist as the reader.
At no point do we get much depth in terms of Agnes as a person; yes, we get a bit about her motivations (her mother's health, her own future security & happiness) but not even a veneer of personality or interests. Does she love music, or a particular genre of book, or dream of being a circus performer? Who knows - she certainly doesn't seem to. It'd have been better, and at least less distracting, if she was at least portrayed as being rather shallow & vapid, but there isn't even enough about her to dislike. I kept getting the disconcerting visual of her sitting there, an outline of a person with no details filled in, now and then thumbing through a book of blank pages. The template was there, but all the details were utterly missing.
I've read books where I frankly hated the protagonist but loved the setting, or world, or plot, or other characters enough to still greatly enjoy the whole. This, unfortunately, didn't happen here. The descriptions of the setting are as superficial and repetitive as Agnes. Gilded buttons with hares? Check (about 70 times). Something being described as 'like molten [insert precious metal]'? Check. The sanatorium being likened to a hotel? Check, ad nauseam.
There's a lake, there's the big house, there's some pine forest. Moody weather? Any weather at all? No idea. The perception of more than four or five people being described as even existing, much less in one place at one time? Only a few brief moments. External affairs? Zilch.
Again, this could be salvaged with a thrumming mystery - but there isn't even a hint of 'something being amiss' (in Agnes's head), aka such giant glaring red flags that even she starts to feel a bit unsettled by anything other than the floral arrangements (no, really) - until nearly half-way through the book. You can just about waste 25% of a book on establishing a setting & characters, if you're chancy (though it's not really advisable), or if you're trying to Do Srs Literature (takes some chutzpah and either 100% works or totally tanks), but it just doesn't work in what's clearly meant to be a light-read mystery with some dashes of Gothic ennui.
I know others have found this a "can't put it down" sort of book, but for me it was very much a "at what point do we actually get to the point" slog instead. As to whether it was worth persisting - reader, that'll depend on your personal level of willingness to spend 30-40% of a novel waiting for the novel to start.
Thank you to HQ & NetGalley for providing access to this eARC for consideration of review.
All opinions are my own honest & unbiased feedback based on the copy provided.
#TheHouseofFever #NetGalley
Author: Polly Crosby
Genres: Historical Fiction | Women's Fiction
Pub Date: 15 Aug 2024
Pages: 336
ISBN: 9780008550714
Format Read: EPUB
Rating: ⭐️⭐️ (2 stars)
The year is 1935 (though at times things feel a bit closer to the Roaring 20s). Agnes has been living in poverty while caring for her mother, who is slowly dying of tuberculosis, a disease that already claimed her father's life. A chance meeting with (& shockingly speedy marriage to) a dashing widowed doctor - who just happens to specialise in treating TB at his luxury sanatorium - seems to signal a lucky turn. Agnes and her mother are swept off to Hedoné House, deep in the (apparently) very coniferous heart of Norfolk, where Agnes is to be stepmother to the doctor's daughter and mother to the doctor's future children, which he seems exceptionally keen to bring into being as soon as possible.
Agnes's primarily concern is getting top-notch care for her mother, but she can't quite help falling in lust with the doctor.
Of course, this is a mystery, so things are not at all as they seem...
I was keen to get reading based on the description, as this book seemed to tick all the boxes of a light-yet-engrossing summer read. I wasn't expecting the next great classic, but based on reviews, I was expecting a page-turner of a mystery.
Immediately I found myself wondering whether Agnes had grown up in a complete bubble. From the description of her earlier life, her family had been getting by until her father's death and her mother falling ill; as the debts started to pile up, Agnes sold what very few valuables they had left and absconded abroad with her mother to dodge rent arrears. She even apparently considered turning to prostitution as she couldn't find work that'd come close to paying for her mother's medical care, and briefly contemplated [TW] giving her mother an overdose of heroin to end her suffering. These are quite adult things, and Agnes is very much an adult, but these life experiences are at stark odds with her apparent naïveté.
At no point does Agnes question why a wealthy young widowed doctor, purportedly at the forefront of TB research with lots of wealthy investors & patients (whom he calls 'guests'), chooses to marry her. Agnes herself states a couple times towards the beginning of the book that it's a "marriage of convenience" for him - but honestly, how is that plausible? She's told that he struggled to find a new wife as so few people would be willing to live in a remote TB ward, but I find it historically quite implausible that there wouldn't be a few women of higher class with somewhat delicate circumstances which would make the match more than worth the risk. Agnes seems to take the explanation in complete stride.
It'd be perfectly believable that she'd have tons of questions and doubts but be willing to put them (and any concerns for her own safety) aside for her mother's sake, so I'm not certain why the author opted to instead portray her in a way that she comes across as, well, a bit dim. We've all read plenty of heroines who are naïve & out of their depth but who don't come across as lacking in intellect despite making dubious choices or assumptions. Agnes - whose POV we spend almost all our time in - just comes along as having not much going on in her head. That empty head is a really frustrating place to exist as the reader.
At no point do we get much depth in terms of Agnes as a person; yes, we get a bit about her motivations (her mother's health, her own future security & happiness) but not even a veneer of personality or interests. Does she love music, or a particular genre of book, or dream of being a circus performer? Who knows - she certainly doesn't seem to. It'd have been better, and at least less distracting, if she was at least portrayed as being rather shallow & vapid, but there isn't even enough about her to dislike. I kept getting the disconcerting visual of her sitting there, an outline of a person with no details filled in, now and then thumbing through a book of blank pages. The template was there, but all the details were utterly missing.
I've read books where I frankly hated the protagonist but loved the setting, or world, or plot, or other characters enough to still greatly enjoy the whole. This, unfortunately, didn't happen here. The descriptions of the setting are as superficial and repetitive as Agnes. Gilded buttons with hares? Check (about 70 times). Something being described as 'like molten [insert precious metal]'? Check. The sanatorium being likened to a hotel? Check, ad nauseam.
There's a lake, there's the big house, there's some pine forest. Moody weather? Any weather at all? No idea. The perception of more than four or five people being described as even existing, much less in one place at one time? Only a few brief moments. External affairs? Zilch.
Again, this could be salvaged with a thrumming mystery - but there isn't even a hint of 'something being amiss' (in Agnes's head), aka such giant glaring red flags that even she starts to feel a bit unsettled by anything other than the floral arrangements (no, really) - until nearly half-way through the book. You can just about waste 25% of a book on establishing a setting & characters, if you're chancy (though it's not really advisable), or if you're trying to Do Srs Literature (takes some chutzpah and either 100% works or totally tanks), but it just doesn't work in what's clearly meant to be a light-read mystery with some dashes of Gothic ennui.
I know others have found this a "can't put it down" sort of book, but for me it was very much a "at what point do we actually get to the point" slog instead. As to whether it was worth persisting - reader, that'll depend on your personal level of willingness to spend 30-40% of a novel waiting for the novel to start.
Thank you to HQ & NetGalley for providing access to this eARC for consideration of review.
All opinions are my own honest & unbiased feedback based on the copy provided.
#TheHouseofFever #NetGalley
March 27, 2025
I’m afraid I didn’t enjoy this. And apparently, neither did the editor. The style was a bit overblown for me, but it was actually a homonym that made me decide I would not bother to read any more.
Elicit: to evoke or draw out
Illicit: forbidden
‘It felt elicit, this touch’.
No thank you.
Elicit: to evoke or draw out
Illicit: forbidden
‘It felt elicit, this touch’.
No thank you.
August 14, 2024
"Something is rotten here. Very rotten indeed."
1935. Agnes Templeton arrives at Hedone House, a sanatorium that is to be her home after marrying the doctor who runs it. But this is not your average sanatorium. Picturesque and luxurious, there is no expense spared and the champagne flows as freely as the medication. It caters to the creative elite and specialises in groundbreaking treatment for tuberculosis. Before long, Agnes is hearing whispers about past patients, a possible cure and she discovers that the methods Dr Christian uses are as unusual as everything else about this place. And when shocking secrets uncover unforeseen truths, Agnes wonders if she can escape the house of fever before it's too late…
Atmospheric, eerie, claustrophobic and beguiling, The House of Fever is a gorgeously gothic, Du Maurier-esque tale from storytelling extraordinaire Polly Crosby. Her hauntingly beautiful prose, compelling characters and multi-layered plot held me in her thrall. Ms. Crosby became an auto-buy author for me when I read her sensational debut, The Illustrated Child. She’s got even better with each book and The House of Fever is without a doubt her best yet. It is more complex and twisty than her previous books and I have no idea how she did it. I didn’t see the revelations coming and was blown away at how intricately she had woven the threads. Emotionally resonant, affecting and deeply human, I felt all the feelings while reading this book. I was on the edge of my seat from beginning to end, totally consumed by this book to the point where I couldn’t even put it down while I ate.
As someone with chronic illness I found it very relatable. Ms. Crosby writes with honesty and compassion, reminding us that these characters are more than their illness. They are people with fascinating personalities, with hopes, dreams and entire lives that are being snatched away by this disease. It made me feel seen and heard in a way that is rare for disabled people in the media and there were times it made me quite emotional. Ms. Crosby has talked about how she was inspired to write this book by her own experiences with chronic illness and I feel like that is evident in how well she writes this part of the story.
“...all those names, all this death, threaded through with glitter and glamour, so intoxicating, so terribly, addictively compelling that you could do nothing but come back again and again.”
One of my favourite things about this book is the atmosphere of the sanatorium. Hedone House is a sanctuary and a place of acceptance where its guests can live some semblance of an ordinary life. Everyone has a body ravaged by the same sickness so there are no uncomfortable stares and they aren’t shunned for fear of infection. It gives them a chance to forget their uncertain futures and a hope that they might actually be cured. But, this utopia is brimming with secrets and has an undercurrent of something sinister that tells us all might not be as it seems at Hedone House. I love a good claustrophobic thriller; how a picturesque home or resort becomes terrifying when people begin to die and the only suspects are those surrounding you. No one is safe and you have no idea who to trust. And in this book the tension and fear are ramped up tenfold with the addition of debilitating chronic illness and people who are desperate for a cure.
Evocative, dark, unnerving, poignant and totally mesmerising, The House of Fever is an absolute must-read and one of my top books this year.
1935. Agnes Templeton arrives at Hedone House, a sanatorium that is to be her home after marrying the doctor who runs it. But this is not your average sanatorium. Picturesque and luxurious, there is no expense spared and the champagne flows as freely as the medication. It caters to the creative elite and specialises in groundbreaking treatment for tuberculosis. Before long, Agnes is hearing whispers about past patients, a possible cure and she discovers that the methods Dr Christian uses are as unusual as everything else about this place. And when shocking secrets uncover unforeseen truths, Agnes wonders if she can escape the house of fever before it's too late…
Atmospheric, eerie, claustrophobic and beguiling, The House of Fever is a gorgeously gothic, Du Maurier-esque tale from storytelling extraordinaire Polly Crosby. Her hauntingly beautiful prose, compelling characters and multi-layered plot held me in her thrall. Ms. Crosby became an auto-buy author for me when I read her sensational debut, The Illustrated Child. She’s got even better with each book and The House of Fever is without a doubt her best yet. It is more complex and twisty than her previous books and I have no idea how she did it. I didn’t see the revelations coming and was blown away at how intricately she had woven the threads. Emotionally resonant, affecting and deeply human, I felt all the feelings while reading this book. I was on the edge of my seat from beginning to end, totally consumed by this book to the point where I couldn’t even put it down while I ate.
As someone with chronic illness I found it very relatable. Ms. Crosby writes with honesty and compassion, reminding us that these characters are more than their illness. They are people with fascinating personalities, with hopes, dreams and entire lives that are being snatched away by this disease. It made me feel seen and heard in a way that is rare for disabled people in the media and there were times it made me quite emotional. Ms. Crosby has talked about how she was inspired to write this book by her own experiences with chronic illness and I feel like that is evident in how well she writes this part of the story.
“...all those names, all this death, threaded through with glitter and glamour, so intoxicating, so terribly, addictively compelling that you could do nothing but come back again and again.”
One of my favourite things about this book is the atmosphere of the sanatorium. Hedone House is a sanctuary and a place of acceptance where its guests can live some semblance of an ordinary life. Everyone has a body ravaged by the same sickness so there are no uncomfortable stares and they aren’t shunned for fear of infection. It gives them a chance to forget their uncertain futures and a hope that they might actually be cured. But, this utopia is brimming with secrets and has an undercurrent of something sinister that tells us all might not be as it seems at Hedone House. I love a good claustrophobic thriller; how a picturesque home or resort becomes terrifying when people begin to die and the only suspects are those surrounding you. No one is safe and you have no idea who to trust. And in this book the tension and fear are ramped up tenfold with the addition of debilitating chronic illness and people who are desperate for a cure.
Evocative, dark, unnerving, poignant and totally mesmerising, The House of Fever is an absolute must-read and one of my top books this year.
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May 3, 2025Book Review: The House of Fever by Polly Crosby
(A Woman’s Perspective)
Polly Crosby’s The House of Fever is a hauntingly atmospheric novel that blends historical fiction with gothic mystery, exploring themes of female confinement, medical misogyny, and the reclaiming of bodily autonomy. Set in a crumbling Edwardian sanatorium, the story follows a young woman’s journey through institutionalization and self-discovery, offering a searing critique of patriarchal control over women’s health.
Themes and Strengths
The Female Body as Battleground: Crosby masterfully exposes how women’s bodies have historically been pathologized and controlled. The protagonist’s “fever” becomes a metaphor for suppressed female rage and desire, challenging the era’s medical establishment that sought to silence and sedate women deemed “hysterical.”
Gothic as Feminist Resistance: The decaying sanatorium—with its labyrinthine corridors and whispered secrets—serves as both prison and refuge. Crosby employs gothic tropes (isolation, madness, spectral presences) to subvert expectations, transforming them into symbols of female resilience rather than weakness.
Intergenerational Trauma and Healing: Through fragmented memories and discovered diaries, the novel reveals how women across generations have suffered under the same oppressive systems. The protagonist’s gradual uncovering of past patients’ fates mirrors her own awakening to systemic injustice.
Lyrical, Sensory Prose: Crosby’s writing is lush and immersive, with vivid descriptions of the sanatorium’s oppressive heat, the metallic tang of medical instruments, and the protagonist’s fevered hallucinations. This sensory richness heightens the novel’s emotional impact.
Critique
While the novel’s ambiguity is often effective, some readers may find the ending overly elliptical, leaving key questions about the sanatorium’s true purpose unresolved. Additionally, secondary characters—particularly male doctors—could benefit from deeper nuance to avoid caricature.
Conclusion
The House of Fever is a powerful addition to the tradition of feminist gothic literature, joining works that reclaim narratives of “madness” as coded resistance. Crosby’s blend of historical detail and psychological depth creates a compelling portrait of institutionalized misogyny and the women who fought against it—both overtly and covertly. Though occasionally opaque, the novel’s atmospheric brilliance and thematic richness make it a standout for readers interested in women’s history, medical ethics, and gothic fiction.
Rating: ★★★★ (4/5)
A fever dream of a novel—unsettling, immersive, and impossible to shake.
(A Woman’s Perspective)
Polly Crosby’s The House of Fever is a hauntingly atmospheric novel that blends historical fiction with gothic mystery, exploring themes of female confinement, medical misogyny, and the reclaiming of bodily autonomy. Set in a crumbling Edwardian sanatorium, the story follows a young woman’s journey through institutionalization and self-discovery, offering a searing critique of patriarchal control over women’s health.
Themes and Strengths
The Female Body as Battleground: Crosby masterfully exposes how women’s bodies have historically been pathologized and controlled. The protagonist’s “fever” becomes a metaphor for suppressed female rage and desire, challenging the era’s medical establishment that sought to silence and sedate women deemed “hysterical.”
Gothic as Feminist Resistance: The decaying sanatorium—with its labyrinthine corridors and whispered secrets—serves as both prison and refuge. Crosby employs gothic tropes (isolation, madness, spectral presences) to subvert expectations, transforming them into symbols of female resilience rather than weakness.
Intergenerational Trauma and Healing: Through fragmented memories and discovered diaries, the novel reveals how women across generations have suffered under the same oppressive systems. The protagonist’s gradual uncovering of past patients’ fates mirrors her own awakening to systemic injustice.
Lyrical, Sensory Prose: Crosby’s writing is lush and immersive, with vivid descriptions of the sanatorium’s oppressive heat, the metallic tang of medical instruments, and the protagonist’s fevered hallucinations. This sensory richness heightens the novel’s emotional impact.
Critique
While the novel’s ambiguity is often effective, some readers may find the ending overly elliptical, leaving key questions about the sanatorium’s true purpose unresolved. Additionally, secondary characters—particularly male doctors—could benefit from deeper nuance to avoid caricature.
Conclusion
The House of Fever is a powerful addition to the tradition of feminist gothic literature, joining works that reclaim narratives of “madness” as coded resistance. Crosby’s blend of historical detail and psychological depth creates a compelling portrait of institutionalized misogyny and the women who fought against it—both overtly and covertly. Though occasionally opaque, the novel’s atmospheric brilliance and thematic richness make it a standout for readers interested in women’s history, medical ethics, and gothic fiction.
Rating: ★★★★ (4/5)
A fever dream of a novel—unsettling, immersive, and impossible to shake.
October 25, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher HQ for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.
TW: terminal illness, tuberculosis, death, sanatoriums, drug abuse, pregnancy
In 1935, Agnes Templeton marries Christian Fairhaven, a doctor at the exclusive, luxurious sanatorium Hedone House in the hope that he can cure her mother of tuberculosis before it kills her. Hedone House is only for the creative elite, but Christian is willing to make an exception for Agnes’ mother, so long as her health remains manageable. Soon Agnes is pushed into a world of glamour and sickness she could never have imagined, surrounded by artists, musicians and actors who are all eager to gain access to Christian’s secret cure. Agnes meets her stepdaughter, Isobel, a quiet but wilful child who Christian seems to have little interest in despite the tragic death of her mother from the same disease he’s trying to cure. Isobel sees and hears everything but even she won’t speak about the patients who go into the infirmary on the bottom floor of the house or the graves tucked away in the garden. As Agnes begins to make friends with the guests, and Christian urges her to commit to their new life with a child, she starts to believe the whisperings about her husband’s beliefs and what he might be willing to do to keep his funding. Caught between the mysterious past of Hedone House and a future where she might be alone, Agnes has to decide if she can put her doubts aside and fall into the fairytale she thought she wanted or find out the truth.
This was a deeply atmospheric and tense book, starting with Agnes’ need to protect her mother after the death of her father and her decision to marry Christian, despite not knowing him that well. She is naive but also hopes for the best, even when things start to escalate into The Gothic atmosphere was really well written, Hedone House felt like a character itself there was so much detailed description, while the mystery around Christian’s work and the other patients was compelling. I found Isobel’s perspective to be one of my favourite parts, she’s so young and traumatised but at the same time she sees everything- even if she doesn’t fully understand it. The wider cast of characters were secretive and painfully ill, everything they said had double meanings and the way this author described their sickness was vivid and terrible. It’s a slow burn of a book, Agnes has to dig past the beautiful exterior of Hedone House to find out the truth, but I enjoyed this original and unnerving take on sanatoriums and a marriage.
TW: terminal illness, tuberculosis, death, sanatoriums, drug abuse, pregnancy
In 1935, Agnes Templeton marries Christian Fairhaven, a doctor at the exclusive, luxurious sanatorium Hedone House in the hope that he can cure her mother of tuberculosis before it kills her. Hedone House is only for the creative elite, but Christian is willing to make an exception for Agnes’ mother, so long as her health remains manageable. Soon Agnes is pushed into a world of glamour and sickness she could never have imagined, surrounded by artists, musicians and actors who are all eager to gain access to Christian’s secret cure. Agnes meets her stepdaughter, Isobel, a quiet but wilful child who Christian seems to have little interest in despite the tragic death of her mother from the same disease he’s trying to cure. Isobel sees and hears everything but even she won’t speak about the patients who go into the infirmary on the bottom floor of the house or the graves tucked away in the garden. As Agnes begins to make friends with the guests, and Christian urges her to commit to their new life with a child, she starts to believe the whisperings about her husband’s beliefs and what he might be willing to do to keep his funding. Caught between the mysterious past of Hedone House and a future where she might be alone, Agnes has to decide if she can put her doubts aside and fall into the fairytale she thought she wanted or find out the truth.
This was a deeply atmospheric and tense book, starting with Agnes’ need to protect her mother after the death of her father and her decision to marry Christian, despite not knowing him that well. She is naive but also hopes for the best, even when things start to escalate into The Gothic atmosphere was really well written, Hedone House felt like a character itself there was so much detailed description, while the mystery around Christian’s work and the other patients was compelling. I found Isobel’s perspective to be one of my favourite parts, she’s so young and traumatised but at the same time she sees everything- even if she doesn’t fully understand it. The wider cast of characters were secretive and painfully ill, everything they said had double meanings and the way this author described their sickness was vivid and terrible. It’s a slow burn of a book, Agnes has to dig past the beautiful exterior of Hedone House to find out the truth, but I enjoyed this original and unnerving take on sanatoriums and a marriage.
October 3, 2024
A mystery. Tuberculosis. A widowed doctor, with a daughter, and a medical cure that’s a lure for wealthy guests. A marriage of convenience. And nothing seems quite right, even from the very start of this story. Agnes is a conundrum: she seemed like the battler having to carry the family after the death and illnesses of her parents, yet she’s blind and inexperienced to the world in front of her that Christian, her wealthy doctor husband has to offer her. And what does he offer? To live away from everyone in a luxurious sanatorium style ward at Hedone; think of it as a day spa for the rich who have tuberculosis. And for the sake of a happy future, and the health of her mother, she obliges him to be become his wife.
Yet something didn’t sit right with me about Agnes. She didn’t seem to question anything. She didn’t really do anything of substance in these early pages, and I think that denied her of good character development in some ways. It is about halfway through that the story kicked in, and Agnes started to live among the dying ‘guests’. The ominous building of the perils that Agnes had found herself in began to rear their ugly heads. Agnes slowly becomes the character that I was hoping her to be: wily, clever, observant. The opulence and the bravado set up for the guests of the sanatorium begin to crumble, and Agnes can start to see through it all. There is a secret grave on the grounds. Her stepdaughter, Isobel, lurked around the grounds and Hedone House at all hours of the day, speaking to guests, not acting like a typical child. She was often the ghost-like child visiting these patients at their most fearful moments in their treatment, soothing them with a comforting spoonful of jam.
This was a book that I had to let sink in well after I read it, because it is not untold the end that all the clues start to connect, and as you remember all those moments where you questioned Anges, or Christian or any of the guests, then answers become clearer and clearer. Thank you to #harlequinbooks and #harpercollinsaustralia for the #Gifted copy.
Yet something didn’t sit right with me about Agnes. She didn’t seem to question anything. She didn’t really do anything of substance in these early pages, and I think that denied her of good character development in some ways. It is about halfway through that the story kicked in, and Agnes started to live among the dying ‘guests’. The ominous building of the perils that Agnes had found herself in began to rear their ugly heads. Agnes slowly becomes the character that I was hoping her to be: wily, clever, observant. The opulence and the bravado set up for the guests of the sanatorium begin to crumble, and Agnes can start to see through it all. There is a secret grave on the grounds. Her stepdaughter, Isobel, lurked around the grounds and Hedone House at all hours of the day, speaking to guests, not acting like a typical child. She was often the ghost-like child visiting these patients at their most fearful moments in their treatment, soothing them with a comforting spoonful of jam.
This was a book that I had to let sink in well after I read it, because it is not untold the end that all the clues start to connect, and as you remember all those moments where you questioned Anges, or Christian or any of the guests, then answers become clearer and clearer. Thank you to #harlequinbooks and #harpercollinsaustralia for the #Gifted copy.
August 22, 2024
Rating 4.5 🌟
I loved Vita and the Birds by Polly Crosby, so I was excited to read her new book.
This was my last holiday read and a great way to finish a fantastic fortnight of reading!
The story starts when Agnes and her mum arrive at Hedone, a sanatorium for people suffering from tuberculosis in the 1930s.
Agnes has gone there after recently marrying the doctor in charge, Christian, and is hoping he might be able to cure her mother who joins the house as a patient. Hedone house is no ordinary hospital but for the wealthiest in society. It is full of artists, poets and musicians and no expense is spared for their comfort.
Things feel very sinister on arrival at the big house when Agnes is immediately placed in quarantine. Even after she is given the freedom to explore and set up in a cottage with her new husband, Agnes is still somewhat constrained and obligated to follow the rules.
Slowly, Agnes starts to question some of the methods used in the clinic. Christian has some very unusual methods!
What is the relationship between her husband and Juno? What happened to Christian's previous wife, and why does he spend so little time with his daughter Isobel? Who are the people buried in the memorial garden, and how did they die? Is there a cure for tuberculosis and why is it all so secretive?
I love Polly Crosby's writing, and I was fully immersed in this from the beginning. The creepy, sinister undertones throughout kept me captivated, and I couldn't wait to discover the hidden secrets within the house.
The characters had such great depth, and I was intrigued about several of the main characters' past. The book really demonstrated the horror of living with tuberculosis, too, and the desperation felt by the patients to recover.
If you enjoy historical fiction with a mysterious, well crafted storyline and some memorable characters, I highly recommend this. I have the rest of Polly Crosby's books on my tbr, and I can't wait to read these as well!
I loved Vita and the Birds by Polly Crosby, so I was excited to read her new book.
This was my last holiday read and a great way to finish a fantastic fortnight of reading!
The story starts when Agnes and her mum arrive at Hedone, a sanatorium for people suffering from tuberculosis in the 1930s.
Agnes has gone there after recently marrying the doctor in charge, Christian, and is hoping he might be able to cure her mother who joins the house as a patient. Hedone house is no ordinary hospital but for the wealthiest in society. It is full of artists, poets and musicians and no expense is spared for their comfort.
Things feel very sinister on arrival at the big house when Agnes is immediately placed in quarantine. Even after she is given the freedom to explore and set up in a cottage with her new husband, Agnes is still somewhat constrained and obligated to follow the rules.
Slowly, Agnes starts to question some of the methods used in the clinic. Christian has some very unusual methods!
What is the relationship between her husband and Juno? What happened to Christian's previous wife, and why does he spend so little time with his daughter Isobel? Who are the people buried in the memorial garden, and how did they die? Is there a cure for tuberculosis and why is it all so secretive?
I love Polly Crosby's writing, and I was fully immersed in this from the beginning. The creepy, sinister undertones throughout kept me captivated, and I couldn't wait to discover the hidden secrets within the house.
The characters had such great depth, and I was intrigued about several of the main characters' past. The book really demonstrated the horror of living with tuberculosis, too, and the desperation felt by the patients to recover.
If you enjoy historical fiction with a mysterious, well crafted storyline and some memorable characters, I highly recommend this. I have the rest of Polly Crosby's books on my tbr, and I can't wait to read these as well!
September 30, 2024
.....📚 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 📚.....
The House of Fever by Polly Crosby is a historical mystery novel complete with 1930s glamour, corruption, intrigue, and a creepy vibe.
England 1935, during the epidemic of tuberculosis, Hedoné House stands as a luxurious sanatorium for the creative elite, dedicated to the groundbreaking treatment of TB. When Agnes Templeton arrives as the new wife of the distinguished Doctor Fairhaven, she pledges her life to the house of fever and ensuring the best for its guests. But Hedoné is unlike other hospitals. High society rubs shoulders with artists, poets, and musicians. No expense is spared, and decadence and glamour mask what is really happening at this hospital. Doctor Fairhaven's methods are unusual. There are whispers of past patients and a cure. Agnes can't put her finger on why her husband wants her at Hedoné House. The Matron appears to not want her there, and her new stepdaughter runs wild around the grounds. As Hedoné's secrets draw Agnes in, revealing truths she could never anticipate, will Agnes uncover its secrets before it is too late. What's really going on at Hedoné House?
The excess and intrigue in this novel kept me reading, with the house of fever a great setting for a novel, and the gilded cage feeling, a great backdrop to this mystery. A slow burn mystery which wraps up quickly in the last 50 pages. I could see this one as a dark and moody movie with some pretty amazing sets, including the hotel style sanatorium and the beautiful lake.
.
.
.
Thank you to @harlequinaus and @writerpolly for my gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.
The House of Fever by Polly Crosby is a historical mystery novel complete with 1930s glamour, corruption, intrigue, and a creepy vibe.
England 1935, during the epidemic of tuberculosis, Hedoné House stands as a luxurious sanatorium for the creative elite, dedicated to the groundbreaking treatment of TB. When Agnes Templeton arrives as the new wife of the distinguished Doctor Fairhaven, she pledges her life to the house of fever and ensuring the best for its guests. But Hedoné is unlike other hospitals. High society rubs shoulders with artists, poets, and musicians. No expense is spared, and decadence and glamour mask what is really happening at this hospital. Doctor Fairhaven's methods are unusual. There are whispers of past patients and a cure. Agnes can't put her finger on why her husband wants her at Hedoné House. The Matron appears to not want her there, and her new stepdaughter runs wild around the grounds. As Hedoné's secrets draw Agnes in, revealing truths she could never anticipate, will Agnes uncover its secrets before it is too late. What's really going on at Hedoné House?
The excess and intrigue in this novel kept me reading, with the house of fever a great setting for a novel, and the gilded cage feeling, a great backdrop to this mystery. A slow burn mystery which wraps up quickly in the last 50 pages. I could see this one as a dark and moody movie with some pretty amazing sets, including the hotel style sanatorium and the beautiful lake.
.
.
.
Thank you to @harlequinaus and @writerpolly for my gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.
August 18, 2024
Discover the locations in the novel here
OMG
I started reading this one day and got to a particular part and then aargh life/work got in the way and I had to leave off reading for a bit. I had met Agnes, the woman who has married a man she doesn’t know and is heading to his sanatorium with her mother. The mum is sick and the husband has said he can cure her.
Well, I left poor Agnes who I was already worried about in such a predicament, I considered taking a sick day to find out if she was going to be ok. I didn’t, but when I returned to the book, I was quickly swallowed into its bowels of gothic horror, dreaming of these people and thinking a day of rest might not have been a bad idea.
This book is deliciously evil – it turns in ways I was not expecting and Hedone House – or House of Horrors as I am now calling it? WHAT a setting for a gothic novel.
Polly Crosby has a mind of an evil genius and I love her even more now. The poignant note at the end made me feel all emotional and gave an added dimension to what I had just read.
A very special read. WOW.
November 25, 2024
A wonderfully mysterious tale of a sanatorium for sufferers of Tuberculosis, but Hedoné may not be all it appears to be.
With its stunning grounds, interiors dripped in luxury and exquisite food it’s no surprise its “guests” are all members of high society and status.
When Agnes Templeton marries Doctor Christian Fairhaven she hopes that her mother will be cured of the terrible disease. Arriving at Hedoné Agnes feels out of her depths as its worlds apart from the life she used to, with no expense spared on the finer things in life she knows she needs to find her place within its walls as the Doctors new wife.
Isobel is a curious child, but she is sadly left unnoticed by most of the people at Hedoné. She knows how to move around as though invisible which she uses to her advantage.
Slowly Agnes finds things aren’t quite adding up and as she delves deeper into finding out why things take a dark turn.
With death, disease and deceit how far down the rabbit hole will she fall??
Another brilliant book from Polly, with so much attention to detail, enticing the reader deeper and just hauntingly evocative. With lots of interesting characters you feel you get to know them and their lives within Hedoné. I really enjoyed trying to work out the ending and who was involved, the story didn’t go as I thought it would- was really surprised (but that’s not a bad thing!) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read!
With its stunning grounds, interiors dripped in luxury and exquisite food it’s no surprise its “guests” are all members of high society and status.
When Agnes Templeton marries Doctor Christian Fairhaven she hopes that her mother will be cured of the terrible disease. Arriving at Hedoné Agnes feels out of her depths as its worlds apart from the life she used to, with no expense spared on the finer things in life she knows she needs to find her place within its walls as the Doctors new wife.
Isobel is a curious child, but she is sadly left unnoticed by most of the people at Hedoné. She knows how to move around as though invisible which she uses to her advantage.
Slowly Agnes finds things aren’t quite adding up and as she delves deeper into finding out why things take a dark turn.
With death, disease and deceit how far down the rabbit hole will she fall??
Another brilliant book from Polly, with so much attention to detail, enticing the reader deeper and just hauntingly evocative. With lots of interesting characters you feel you get to know them and their lives within Hedoné. I really enjoyed trying to work out the ending and who was involved, the story didn’t go as I thought it would- was really surprised (but that’s not a bad thing!) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read!
November 3, 2024
The Unravelling (the author’s second novel) is probably one of my favourite books of all time, certainly of the decade. Therefore once again I had high expectations for The House of Fever and I was not disappointed.
Following the death of Agnes Templeton’s father from tuberculosis, Agnes and her mother have fallen on hard times. But while in France, Agnes meets the enigmatic Dr Christian Fairhaven and after a whirlwind romance, they marry. Christian is the owner of Hedoné, an exclusive sanatorium for TB patients who are either every rich like Juno Harrington, or very talented like Sippie and Georgie.
Christian brings Agnes and her mother, who is now very sick with TB over to England, promising to cure her mother with his revolutionary methods. Christian’s first wife also died of the disease and their young daughter Isobel needs a new mother.
But all is not as it seems at Hedoné where the champagne flows freely and the parties carry on through the night, and while the first half of the book is a bit of a slow burn (especially as an audio book), the secrets start to emerge. Towards the end they become more and more shocking and the ending is a triumphant masterpiece of intrigue and suspense.
I adored this book and look forward to the next one from Polly Crosby.
Following the death of Agnes Templeton’s father from tuberculosis, Agnes and her mother have fallen on hard times. But while in France, Agnes meets the enigmatic Dr Christian Fairhaven and after a whirlwind romance, they marry. Christian is the owner of Hedoné, an exclusive sanatorium for TB patients who are either every rich like Juno Harrington, or very talented like Sippie and Georgie.
Christian brings Agnes and her mother, who is now very sick with TB over to England, promising to cure her mother with his revolutionary methods. Christian’s first wife also died of the disease and their young daughter Isobel needs a new mother.
But all is not as it seems at Hedoné where the champagne flows freely and the parties carry on through the night, and while the first half of the book is a bit of a slow burn (especially as an audio book), the secrets start to emerge. Towards the end they become more and more shocking and the ending is a triumphant masterpiece of intrigue and suspense.
I adored this book and look forward to the next one from Polly Crosby.
July 26, 2024
Sinister, uncomfortable, and evocative, The House of Fever by Polly Crosby is a masterful blend of history and mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end.
Crosby masterfully creates a sinister and evocative atmosphere, pulling the reader into a world of opulence and mystery. The narrative keeps you in a shroud of artful confusion, where every turn reveals more about Hedoné’s secrets and Agnes’s own inner turmoil.
The characters are richly detailed, and the interplay between them adds depth to the unfolding drama. The story is both uncomfortable and compelling, with an ending that is as surprising as it is distressing. Crosby'sability to maintain a sense of unease and suspense throughout the novel is truly remarkable.
I was thoroughly engrossed by this tale of gothic mystery and psychological tension. The House of Fever is a gripping read that lingers long after the final page. If you enjoy stories that blend historical intrigue with a touch of the macabre, this book is an absolute must-read.
Crosby masterfully creates a sinister and evocative atmosphere, pulling the reader into a world of opulence and mystery. The narrative keeps you in a shroud of artful confusion, where every turn reveals more about Hedoné’s secrets and Agnes’s own inner turmoil.
The characters are richly detailed, and the interplay between them adds depth to the unfolding drama. The story is both uncomfortable and compelling, with an ending that is as surprising as it is distressing. Crosby'sability to maintain a sense of unease and suspense throughout the novel is truly remarkable.
I was thoroughly engrossed by this tale of gothic mystery and psychological tension. The House of Fever is a gripping read that lingers long after the final page. If you enjoy stories that blend historical intrigue with a touch of the macabre, this book is an absolute must-read.
August 27, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and HQ for this eCopy to review
The House of Fever is a captivating and suspenseful gothic historical mystery set in 1935 at Hedoné House, a luxurious sanatorium for the creative elite dedicated to groundbreaking tuberculosis treatment.
As the doctor’s new wife, Agnes Templeton has pledged her life to this extraordinary hospital where high society mingles with artists, poets, and musicians. No expense is spared, and champagne flows freely.
Yet, Hedoné harbors secrets that draw Agnes in, revealing truths she could never anticipate. Caught between a past she wants to escape and a future she may forever regret, Agnes navigates a world of intrigue and secrets
Can Agnes solve the mysteries of Hedoné before it’s too late?
The characters and setting are well depicted and I was drawn into the gothic mystery
The House of Fever is a captivating and suspenseful gothic historical mystery set in 1935 at Hedoné House, a luxurious sanatorium for the creative elite dedicated to groundbreaking tuberculosis treatment.
As the doctor’s new wife, Agnes Templeton has pledged her life to this extraordinary hospital where high society mingles with artists, poets, and musicians. No expense is spared, and champagne flows freely.
Yet, Hedoné harbors secrets that draw Agnes in, revealing truths she could never anticipate. Caught between a past she wants to escape and a future she may forever regret, Agnes navigates a world of intrigue and secrets
Can Agnes solve the mysteries of Hedoné before it’s too late?
The characters and setting are well depicted and I was drawn into the gothic mystery
September 14, 2024
Many books are published every month, yet only a chosen few are promoted by GR, presumably under pressure by Amazon and publishing houses. I've succumbed to this promotion and read some good books, but also some bad ones. Then there are books like this one, which has rec'd no notice at all on GR, yet is a perfectly fine suspense story in the "naive woman marries mysterious stranger and moves to his forbidding and isolated home" genre. Within this familiar framework, it had enough surprises that I remained engaged with it. I was, however, disappointed that the 1935 setting was not delineated at all. Perhaps this was intentional, as the sanitarium was cut off from the outside world.
In conclusion, I'll continue to look for new books that aren't being promoted on here.
In conclusion, I'll continue to look for new books that aren't being promoted on here.
May 8, 2024
"Agnes couldn't shake the feeling that there was something very wrong with this place. She had seen a horrifying glimpse of another reality tonight. But which version of Hedoné could she trust?"
Christian is a walking neon red flag.
Agnes tries her hardest to be colourblind.
The red on the flags is so bright it blinds you into thinking "he's probably an average man for that time period" for most of the first half of the book.
This book was a nice easy read, it is very well written, if a little slow paced at times. There's a lot of complexity to the characters in this story, which makes most of them relatable to the reader.
Overall a good book.
Christian is a walking neon red flag.
Agnes tries her hardest to be colourblind.
The red on the flags is so bright it blinds you into thinking "he's probably an average man for that time period" for most of the first half of the book.
This book was a nice easy read, it is very well written, if a little slow paced at times. There's a lot of complexity to the characters in this story, which makes most of them relatable to the reader.
Overall a good book.
January 12, 2025
Mystery, suspense, from beginning to end this book kept me hooked.
Set in France, Agnes has been dealing with TB her whole life. She lost her dad to it and her mum has been struggling with TB. She gave her all and still was struggling with poverty. Until she met Christian.
He, a fine good looking doctor with a projector if his own: house hedone, à sanatorium for high class people with TB. A place the guests can do everything while Christin swears he is finding a cure for TB.
People start dying and Agnes is sure something very dark is up.
Set in France, Agnes has been dealing with TB her whole life. She lost her dad to it and her mum has been struggling with TB. She gave her all and still was struggling with poverty. Until she met Christian.
He, a fine good looking doctor with a projector if his own: house hedone, à sanatorium for high class people with TB. A place the guests can do everything while Christin swears he is finding a cure for TB.
People start dying and Agnes is sure something very dark is up.
September 3, 2024
This without doubt a book in my favourite genre but this was somehow disappointing. It felt… disjointed somehow. And the time jumped all over the place. It seemed as though Agnes had been at Hedone for a lot longer than she had been; references of summer than suddenly it was autumn but only a couple of weeks had passed. I don’t know how to explain it but it didn’t feel right which saddened me and I ended up skipping bits of it in my haste to finish.
November 5, 2024
This was a really good slow-burn historical fiction with some twists that are hinted at gradually but still fairly shocking when they’re fully revealed/explained. It lost a star for me because I wish there’d been more resolution for some of the other key characters (Matron, Meredith, Iso, Sippie), rather than the end just skipping ahead with everything already neatly sorted out. Also Agnes’s gullibility was a bit frustrating, but I guess that’s sort of the point.
January 26, 2026
Picked this book up on a whim and very much enjoyed it.
It reminded me somewhat of reading Rebecca, and I enjoyed the historical era and the cast of creative characters in Hedone house. I found myself running through all sorts of possible heinous possibilities of what was being hidden by the Doctor from his new wife. I found it hard to like any of the characters other than the youngest, who I mostly just felt sorry for.
It reminded me somewhat of reading Rebecca, and I enjoyed the historical era and the cast of creative characters in Hedone house. I found myself running through all sorts of possible heinous possibilities of what was being hidden by the Doctor from his new wife. I found it hard to like any of the characters other than the youngest, who I mostly just felt sorry for.
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