The Artist of Blackberry Grange

by Paulette Kennedy

For a young caregiver in the Ozarks, an old house holds haunting memories in a ghostly novel about family secrets, sacrifice, and lost loves by the author of The Devil and Mrs. Davenport.

In the summer of 1925, the winds of change are particularly chilling for a young woman whose life has suddenly become unbalanced.

Devastated by her mother’s death and a cruel, broken engagement, Sadie Halloran learns that her great-aunt Marguerite, a renowned artist now in the throes of dementia, needs a live-in companion. Grasping at newfound purpose, Sadie leaves her desolate Kansas City boardinghouse for Blackberry Grange, Marguerite’s once-grand mansion sitting precariously atop an Arkansas bluff. Though Marguerite is a fading shell of the vibrant woman Sadie remembers, Marguerite is feverishly compelled to paint eerie, hallucinatory portraits of old lovers—some cherished, some regretted, and some beastly. All of them haunting.

With each passing night, time itself seems to shift with the shadows at Blackberry Grange. As truth and delusion begin to blur, Sadie must uncover the secrets that hold Marguerite captive to her past before reality—and Marguerite’s life—slips away entirely.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Gothic, Horror, Mystery, Fiction, Paranormal, Fantasy

324 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2025

About the author

Originally from the Missouri Ozarks, Paulette Kennedy now lives with her family in a quiet suburb of Los Angeles.

When she's not writing or reading, she enjoys tending to her garden, knitting, and finding unique vintage treasures at thrift stores and flea markets.

As a history lover, she can get lost for days in her research—learning everything she can about the places in her stories and the experiences her characters might have had in the past.

This dedication to research infuses her world-building with realistic detail and creates a cinematic, immersive experience for the reader.

Paulette’s next novel is The Devil and Mrs. Davenport, a domestic gothic set in the 1950s about a homemaker who develops psychic abilities after a viral illness.

Reviews

[Margo Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite the long list of content warnings and the tragic aura of the Victoriana cover, this story was written with a light touch, boasting a magical painting, moments of gothic melodrama, time-slip, and a gorgeous narrative voice - arch, witty, knowing, with a touch of Stella Gibbons' Cold Comfort Farm. It was fast-paced and I was happy to be swept along.

The author's note at the end revealed that it had its foundations in some challenging real-life experiences and extensive historical research. This was my first Paulette Kennedy novel, and I look forward to reading more. I think it would appeal to fans of Jenni Keer's recent novel The Ravenswood Witch which has a similar storytelling magic.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy.

[Kim ~ It’s All About the Thrill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!!! It’s official.. I am going to start referring to @pkennedywrites as the queen 👸🏻 of gothic thrillers. 👏👏Thank you so much to @otrpr @amazonpublishing for my gorgeous #gifted copy!! 🥰 5 stars ⭐️

Pub date is 5/1/25🥳🥳🥳

@pkennedywrites was a new to me author last year. I read and loved The Devil 😈 and Mrs. Davenport.. and she blew me away with this one!!

It’s 1925 and our girl Sadie finds a solution to her problem.. and that means moving in with her Aunt Marguerite…. in the elaborate manor Blackberry Grange. A very grand… and very haunted mansion.

AHHH!!! This is my favorite kind of book!! It was so atmospheric I could feel it in my soul. 🖤 I feared for Sadie’s life as she played a dangerous game of cat and mouse.. with a ghost. 😳 A very friendly ghost 👻 with some very sinister intentions. I could feel the intensity of their relationship burning 🔥 through the pages.

Let me tell you… for a grand old mansion with a aging aunt and a few staff.. this place had ALOT going on. If these walls… or paintings 🖼 could talk. 😳 So many secrets..🤫

I loved EVERYTHING about this book!! It checked all the boxes!

✅ GOTHIC!! Yep gets me EVERY SINGLE TIME
✅ Ghosts 👻👻 Always 👏
✅ Art 🖼
✅ A love story.. WHAT? Yep! Just you wait 😉
✅ 1920’s
✅ Former flapper 👱‍♀️🍸

🖤🖤🖤🖤 SO much to love about this book!! Is this on your TBR? Do you have a favorite @pkennedywrites book? Do you love a gothic read as much as I do??? 🖤🖤🖤🖤

[ABCme · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you could, would you change your family history?

Ozarks, 1925, Sadie moves in with her great-aunt Marguerite, who suffers from dementia and spends most of her time painting portraits.
Blackberry Grange mansion is said to be haunted, staff are never in for the long ride.
As we follow Sadie, Marguerite and groundkeeper Beckett in their daily routines, we get a glimpse into a mysterious past. A secret history is revealed, the paintings playing a very special part.

I so enjoyed this story. Family, living and dead, the good times and bad, it's all here. Set in gorgeous countryside, The Artist of Blackberry Grange is in a league of its own, part historical fiction, part ghost mystery.
It pulled me in and wouldn't let go. Great storytelling, great twist, spectacular finish.

Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC.

[Genni · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

Paulette Kennedy is a master at her craft ✍️
She is an auto read (or listen) for me. Of note 📝 her work is not for everyone and I wouldn’t recommend it as such. However if you don’t have many triggers and open to new styles/genres she is your gal! Her writing is thought provoking and immersive. Characters are deep and her storytelling is powerful.

The Artist of BlackBerry Grange is Gothic paranormal suspense. Set in the late 1800’s to early 1900s. Paranormal is not generally my cup of ☕️- however this book was… magical. No regrets. No time wasted! The scenes are set between present time (1925) and ‘interlude’ of the late 1800s when the narrator is taken back in time with the use of paintings as a vehicle- where she is an apparition getting a view of what was, why, what could be and what needs to change. A great comparison to the present and past change over is similar to Charles Dickens ’A Christmas Carol’.

What I love is the suspense and drama and unreliable characters. It is not until the end where we truly figure out the who’s the why’s and the how’s. Mystery, murder, suspense, jealousy, ghosts, love triangle, and lust (though not spicy or smutty). And essentially has a HEA. Kennedy keeps the reader well entertained from beginning to end! The details of the Victorian home and beautiful grounds also added to the high enjoyment of this story. Great attention to detail and the time period.

My gripe would only be I had some confusion with the love triangle between sisters. I think this is just a personal issue having to do with listening vs reading. Everything is sorted at the end. There is a lot going on in this book.

Available per kindle unlimited with audio and the narration is very will done.

Gorgeous cover!!

🎨 🖼️ 👻 🔪 🏠 🌹

[Hester Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kennedy continues to outdo herself with a haunting tale that is both fresh in its takes on beloved tropes, as well as true to her oeuvre and the Gothic literary tradition. With gasp-out-loud twists, heartfelt characters that jump off the page, and soft and beautiful magic around the edges, The Artist of Blackberry Grange might be my favorite Paulette Kennedy book so far. I cannot wait to see where she takes us next.

[Morgan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve been really into gothic novels lately, and this book captured that eerie, atmospheric vibe with a story that was different from anything I’ve heard before.

I love a dislikable main character, but here it didn’t feel entirely realistic. There were plenty of lies, manipulations, and toxic relationships, yet it felt like the novel only skimmed the surface. I wanted to feel manipulated myself as a reader and experience a deeper, more authentic view of the inner turmoil and emotional confusion of the characters. Instead, it left me craving a rawer portrayal of their experiences. The relationships didn’t quite resonate, and I didn’t feel any chemistry between the characters. Still, the mystery kept me intrigued throughout.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars. Atmospheric, long-buried secrets uncovered in the most unexpected ways. The book combines gothic, historical fic, mystery, art, and yes, romance, incl. dual-timelines all set around an old and mysterious creepy estate in Arkansas involving the paranormal. Is twisty, dark, entertaining and why I enjoy gothic thrillers so much!

[Christine Nolfi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paulette Kennedy is fast becoming a queen of gothic fiction. The Artist of Blackberry Grange continues her success with a chilling mystery, forbidden desires, and a heart-pounding chain of supernatural events that will keep you glued to the pages. Highly recommended.

[Miranda Irsik · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cool premise and enjoyed the overall mystery…. But with Pacing all over the place, unnecessary and repetitive twists, and a very unlikable main character the story and concept get bogged down.

[Kurryreads (Kerry) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for an early copy of this book!

I loved how messy the drama was! With the jumping timelines weaved into a story of earth shattering deception. Loved the ghostly vibes, the haunting atmosphere, and the ease of reading

I read it during a day I was vlogging so here the link: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8jYMugT/

[Sadie Hartmann]

DNF at 25% (for now)
-S

[Claire · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the premise of this book and it captured the gothic style so well but it also just had so many unhinged plot points?? The FMC made such ridiculous decisions I just wanted to scream. And I didn’t really care about her relationships with anyone. By the second half I was skimming to finish and probably would have DNF’d however I did enjoy the mystery aspect of the story and wanted to see how it ended. Overall this was meh and I wouldn’t really recommend

[Leslie aka StoreyBook Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

What would you do to change the past?

Set in 1925, this novel delves into a mystical world, but also explores themes of love, greed, and deception. Sadie moved to this small town in Arkansas because she had few other options. This is a time when women were set aside, not allowed to inherit things, and were at the mercy of men. However, what she discovered in Eureka Springs was family and secrets. Those secrets were hard to uncover due to her Great-Aunt's dementia. But with love, persistence, and some help from the mystical realm, the truth is exposed, and perhaps wrongs can be righted.

This is billed as horror, and I don't see it as such. To me, this had a paranormal twist that intrigued and kept me captivated. I nearly finished this book in one sitting! It wasn't Sadie who kept me enthralled with this book, but Marguerite and her past. There were so many stories to uncover the truth, and this was harder due to Marguerite's dementia. Was what she learned the truth, or were there other factors at play?

The book is dark, and if you don't read books that include spirits or otherworldly possibilities, this isn't the book for you. But if you are open to a novel that will bend reality and explore the paranormal, then this is the book for you. 

I thought this book was amazing and gave it 5 paws up.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark, creative, and mysterious!

The Artist of Blackberry Grange is an eerie, captivating tale that transports you to Arkansas during 1925 and into the lives of two main characters. Sadie Halloran, a young woman who, after the end of an engagement leaves her on the edge of destitution, decides to take on the role of caregiver for her failing, affluent great-aunt, and Marguerite, an elderly woman who, as she nears the end of her life has an abundance of long-buried secrets to share, including a strange and frightening teether to those in the afterlife.

The prose is tight and gritty. The characters are vulnerable, independent, and troubled. And the plot is a menacing tale about life, loss, tragedy, desperation, lies, manipulation, familial drama, secrets, supernatural phenomena, and love.

Overall, The Artist of Blackberry Grange is an intriguing, gothic, tense novel by Kennedy that does a wonderful job of interweaving historical times and compelling fiction into a suspenseful mystery that is deliciously atmospheric and highly entertaining.

[Kristin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book started out okay, and I think the ideas were there, but after a bit it started to go off the rails. Too many ideas, too many attempts at “shocking twists” that weren’t. Too many cliches. The main character is not really likable. By the second half of the book I just wanted it to be over.

[Holly · Rating 1 out of 5]

Where do I start …

The Artist of BlackBerry Grange is a historical horror set in mid-1920s middle America. Sadie is a 28-year-old flapper spinster who just broke up with her married sugar daddy. She decides to go live with her great aunt, who has dementia, and become her companion in an effort to eventually inherit her money when she passes. But something is going on at BlackBerry Grange and it appears like a ghost haunts its halls.

First off, Sadie is awful. She is a spoiled, pretentious, party girl, who only cares about money and standing. She looks down on anyone who is “the help,” and constantly snaps at people after making assumptions. The author attempted to have a redemption storyline for her but it was so forced and I didn’t believe it for a second. It doesn’t help that the book barely takes place over the course of a year.

But the biggest issue with Sadie was Weston … the ghost. Within a few days of living at BlackBerry Grange, Sadie has met and talked to Weston the ghost and he’s attempting to show her things that happened with her great aunt and grandmother. Turns out that Weston the ghost was Sadie’s grandmother’s lover for a decade. Sadie knew this. Weston was very open and forthcoming about his relationship with Sadie’s grandmother. Weston told Sadie that he loved her grandmother and started having a sexual relationship with her when she got engaged to Sadie’s grandfather and continued that affair regularly for more than 10 years.

After learning that, Sadie decides to have sex with Weston. Yep, Sadie has sex with a ghost. A lot of sex. And Sadie becomes obsessed with having sex with the ghost. Like actively seeking him out at all hours to have sex. Sadie has sex with a man who was having sex with her GRANDMOTHER! I’m sorry, but that would be a hard pass for me. I couldn’t have sex with a man that also slept with my grandma, even if he was a ghost. And that is the best case scenario. Worst case scenario, she had sex with her own grandfather. Because Weston was having an active affair with Sadie’s grandmother for a decade, and during that time, the grandmother had two kids. It is absolutely plausible in the years before condoms were widely used and distributed that Sadie’s grandmother could have gotten pregnant. Even though neither Sadie nor the author acknowledged that fact, it doesn’t change the fact that Sadie potentially had sex with her own grandfather!!!!!! I literally said EW out loud so many times while reading this book. Incest that is wrapped up in a paranormal bow is still incest, sorry.

The ending was also so convenient and not plausible at all. I know that horror and paranormal books aren’t meant to be plausible, but from a historical prospective, the things that happened never would have happened. This is a giant pass for me. And on a side note, this is the second ghost sex book I’ve read. Is this a thing now?

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first Paulette Kennedy novel, and I really enjoyed it. It takes place in the 1920s. Sadie has just endured a broken engagement and her financial situation is grim when she learns that her Aunt Marguerite is in poor health and needs a caregiver. Her aunt is an artist and struggles with dementia. The story has some supernatural touches also and Marguerite’s health problems were handled perfectly. The story gives Sadie plenty of opportunities to learn family history and since her mother recently died, she has scant resources for this. Marguerite has some staff already there, thank goodness, and Sadie admirably steps up to the responsibility.

This was a time when family members cared for their elders, and I enjoyed that part as well. Sadie took on a difficult job and didn’t grumble. The ending was beautifully done.

Four beautiful stars!

I received a copy of the digital ARC via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

[Alexis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twists and Turns

I just couldn’t stop reading! I loved this book and its gothic charm. As an Arkansan, I was very happy to read about what the past could have been like.
4.5 stars ⭐️ rounded down because I didn’t get allll the answers by the end of the book, but it was still such a beautiful read

[KE · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: I received this book through First Reads offer from Kindle via email. The book was available for $1.99.

There were several things in The Artist of Blackberry Grange that really seemed to be lacking. First, the story took place in the early 1900’s with the time slips backwards in time to the late 1800’s. I never ever really felt like the author took me into those time frames. The writing wasn’t descriptive or indicative of those times. Second, I really didn’t feel like this book was “gothic”. The mood wasn’t set by the author to get any kind of eery feelings, mysterious incidences or frightening scenes. There were ghosts in the old house that rattled around and that was it.

This book uses the same old worn out plot where the niece goes to live with the rich needy old aunt and learns her secrets. I can not even add up how many books I’ve read that use that basic plot.

Mostly, the ick factor was high when you realize that Sadie was having sex with the ghost of the man, Weston, during her slips to the past, who was also the lover of her grandmother Florence and her great aunt Claire. Then she finds out her aunt Marguerite is really her bio grandmother, and Marge changes history and supposedly dead Claire shows up at Marguerite’s house when Sadie is there right after Marge dies. Sadie had married Beckett who grew up at that house and had ties to the family.

The three murderous sisters in the story have a really tempestuous relationship with two of them both in love with the same man, Weston. Florence ruins Marguerite’s first love with Hugh and takes the baby out of that affair to raise as her own.

Sadie figures out all these crazy relationships and secrets and then changing the past becomes Marge’s wish and mission before she dies.

I found the book to be engaging but can not go higher than 3 stars. Once I finished the book it all felt a bit hokey.

[Raquel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found the setting and premise intriguing: a family mystery, a ghost, mysterious paintings? Yes, I'm all in. Unfortunately, despite the story's length, I found that it was skimming the surface in many ways. It didn't go into enough depth with certain scenes and elements, and I didn't believe the chemistry and connections between the characters; they didn't feel convincingly rendered. I also found that important scenes were glossed over in overly fast pacing, while other sections dragged. Many of the complicating factors in Sadie's life -- namely her nosy, judgmental, selfish relatives -- were not utilized enough, which meant tension deflated too quickly in many spots.

Some solid, interesting elements, but felt like it either hadn't cooked long enough or just couldn't quite be executed to meet its potential vision.

[Olesya Gilmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

My endorsement!: “A deliciously feminist, Picture of Dorian Gray-like twist on the traditional haunted house gothic story in which a spunky former flapper confronts not only the difficulties of caring for an ailing loved one, complicated family dynamics, and the eternally unfair societal expectations placed on single women, but her own deep-set traumas of the past, to grasp the destiny — and the happiness — she deserves, all in Paulette Kennedy’s singularly crisp and satisfyingly insightful prose.”

[Stacie Maynard poquette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. It was ok.

This book had potential. It was just slightly lacking at every turn. While the background story was good, the execution just wasn’t there.

All of a sudden the FMC was having a relationship with a ghost… one that her ‘grandmother’ had relations with too? That was just kind of ick in my book. It that had been written in a different way, without the relationship, it think it could have changed the whole tone of the book.

I picked this one up on first reads
as a freebie.

Spice 1/5🌶️
Overall 2.5/5⭐️

[Molly Greeley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paulette Kennedy has once again proven herself to be a true master of Gothic fiction. THE ARTIST OF BLACKBERRY GRANGE is unsettling, atmospheric, and deeply moving, a haunting and heartfelt exploration of love and letting go. Perfect for readers who appreciate both the beauty and darkness of the human experience.

[Karen Hatch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paulette Kennedy became one of my favorite authors after I read The Witch of Tin Mountain. And this book has references to that one. But this novel exceeded all expectations! Wow! I love paranormal and time-travel! And the way she tied the story all together.

Sadie has just been spurned by her married boyfriend. She had hopes he would divorce his wife and marry her but instead he leaves her humiliated and with nowhere to go. Her parents are deceased and her brother has control over what little inheritance she has. 1925 is not an easy year to be a single female without any support. She decides to go and live with her ailing great-aunt. At first she just needs a roof over her head but it turns into a beautiful story about family and redemption. And I also love the threads of time-travel and paranormal that Ms. Kennedy weaves into the story.

This book is available April 2025 as a First Reads book on Amazon Prime. Go get your free copy before the month ends!

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[J.S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The "haunting" elements of the story drew me in, but this is much more of a romance than I expected. (An awful lot of sex going on, too.) Nice way to end it, though.

[Claire Mahaffy · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s a cool idea for a plot, but it just didn’t grab me like I thought it would.

[j asendorf · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good story, weaker writing

This author tells a great story, but her skill with language seems, to me, jarringly limited. It was possible to read with the flow of the story, but even near the end of the book I found the shifts in tone distracting.

[✰ tori ✰ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book really had me at the beginning but then it just became repetitive and honestly boring. And the constant need to provide unnecessary twists reminded me of a badly made M. Night Shyamalan movie. At the 80% mark I was over it. The writing itself wasn’t bad but it just felt like this author was trying to do too much in one single book.

[Marguerite Turley · Rating 5 out of 5]

“It’s such an odd thing, isn’t it? Time. I often wonder if we’re only imagining its passing-whether we’re still bumbling around in the past somewhere, replaying our scenes like a cinema film.”
“But our memories, precious and dear, are beyond time. Eternal.”


This book is gorgeous and incredibly touching. Paulette writes characters with so much depth, and makes us feel very emotional along with them. This is the story of Sadie who’s been in an awful relationship that finally ends and she discovers her aunt Marguerite(never hate seeing my name in a book!) is suffering from dementia and needs a caretaker. Marguerite is an artist whose paintings seem to come to life when Sadie looks at them. I couldn’t put this book down. The lushness of the setting and the time of this story, the 1920’s , made this the ultimate gothic novel. Sadie doesn’t have the best intentions when she first comes to estate, but she grows to love and feel a kinship to her aunt. Her growth as a character just astonished me, and I grew to adore her. Marguerite was also incredibly layered, and the twist at the end just blew my mind! This book touched me deeply because my father suffered from dementia and now my mother has it too. I was her caretaker for the last 6 years and I just recently needed to put her in a home. I felt such a kinship with Sadie. She went through so many things I went through with my mom so this story meant so much to me. The way Paulette delved into Marguerite’s past was like a beautiful puzzle unfolding in front of us, revealing her true self. I can’t recommend this book enough, it’s a stunning example of a true gothic. Sweeping, a stunning estate, and a woman who is trying to find herself. If you haven’t read any of Paulette’s books, you need to start now!