What do you think?
Rate this book
The Quickening
Feminist gothic fiction set between the late 19th century and the early 20th century - an era of burgeoning spiritualism and the suffragette movement - that couldn't be more relevant today.
England, 1925. Louisa Drew lost her husband in the First World War and her six-year-old twin sons in the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918. Newly re-married to a war-traumatised husband and seven months pregnant, Louisa is asked by her employer to travel to Clewer Hall in Sussex where she is to photograph the contents of the house for auction.
She learns Clewer Hall was host to an infamous séance in 1896, and that the lady of the house has asked those who gathered back then to come together once more to recreate the evening. When a mysterious child appears on the grounds, Louisa finds herself compelled to investigate and becomes embroiled in the strange happenings of the house. Gradually, she unravels the long-held secrets of the inhabitants and what really happened thirty years before... and discovers her own fate is entwined with that of Clewer Hall's.
An exquisitely crafted and compelling mystery that invites the reader in to the crumbling Clewer Hall to help unlock its secrets alongside the unforgettable Louisa Drew.
For fans of The Silent Companions, The Little Stranger and The Familiars.
England, 1925. Louisa Drew lost her husband in the First World War and her six-year-old twin sons in the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918. Newly re-married to a war-traumatised husband and seven months pregnant, Louisa is asked by her employer to travel to Clewer Hall in Sussex where she is to photograph the contents of the house for auction.
She learns Clewer Hall was host to an infamous séance in 1896, and that the lady of the house has asked those who gathered back then to come together once more to recreate the evening. When a mysterious child appears on the grounds, Louisa finds herself compelled to investigate and becomes embroiled in the strange happenings of the house. Gradually, she unravels the long-held secrets of the inhabitants and what really happened thirty years before... and discovers her own fate is entwined with that of Clewer Hall's.
An exquisitely crafted and compelling mystery that invites the reader in to the crumbling Clewer Hall to help unlock its secrets alongside the unforgettable Louisa Drew.
For fans of The Silent Companions, The Little Stranger and The Familiars.
Audio CD
First published February 6, 2020
243 people are currently reading
3249 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 208 reviews
February 5, 2023
A really great spooky gothic read.
April 19, 2020
3.5 stars
Clewer Hall has been on a stark path of decline since the infamous and ill-fated seance of 1896. It's a place still inhabited by the same family, one which is itself decaying alongside the estate. There is something wrong there, in that house, with those people. And yet that's where photographer Louise Drew has been sent for a commission, cataloging the remaining treasures for sale. Her arrival coincides with the date set for a new seance, a repetition of the first, with the unlikely hope of a better result. The presence of Louise and the other guests act as a catalyst for the uncovering of hidden secrets and much, much worse...
There's really nothing wrong with this book, but it didn't hit the right notes regardless. The characterisation was lightly done but still interesting, the supernatural elements walking the right line between plausible and creepy, the plot relatively convincing. But for me, there was no connection, no feeling to any of it. In a book that relies on emotion to connect past and present events, that's a problem. There was no sense of unease, surely the most essential component of a gothic murder mystery, or even any genuine potential for drastic consequences for the protagonist. It's a story that should have been much darker, but instead was distracted by a romantic plot that felt like it wandered in lost from another book.
It was all fine. But just that.
ARC via Netgalley.
Clewer Hall has been on a stark path of decline since the infamous and ill-fated seance of 1896. It's a place still inhabited by the same family, one which is itself decaying alongside the estate. There is something wrong there, in that house, with those people. And yet that's where photographer Louise Drew has been sent for a commission, cataloging the remaining treasures for sale. Her arrival coincides with the date set for a new seance, a repetition of the first, with the unlikely hope of a better result. The presence of Louise and the other guests act as a catalyst for the uncovering of hidden secrets and much, much worse...
There's really nothing wrong with this book, but it didn't hit the right notes regardless. The characterisation was lightly done but still interesting, the supernatural elements walking the right line between plausible and creepy, the plot relatively convincing. But for me, there was no connection, no feeling to any of it. In a book that relies on emotion to connect past and present events, that's a problem. There was no sense of unease, surely the most essential component of a gothic murder mystery, or even any genuine potential for drastic consequences for the protagonist. It's a story that should have been much darker, but instead was distracted by a romantic plot that felt like it wandered in lost from another book.
It was all fine. But just that.
ARC via Netgalley.
June 22, 2020
And we have a new addition to the gothic, historical fiction pantheon and a most welcome and accomplished one at that. Reminiscent of Laura Purcell and Simone St. James, the story is set in the aftermath of WWI and the Spanish flu epidemic, at a time when spiritualism and seances were very popular (so much loss pulled people towards a chance to see their loved ones once more). A heavily pregnant photographer is commissioned to work in a creepy manor, apparently inimical to children. Secrets are buried, ghosts spotted,strange happenings afoot. Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.
July 12, 2020
It is 1925 and Louisa Drew, widowed in WWI, is now remarried and pregnant. However, although delighted at her forthcoming baby, she is feeling hemmed in and frustrated. Husband Edwin is very different from her first husband and is resistant to her working as a photographer . So, when she is given the commission to go to Clewer Hall and photograph Colonel Clewer’s collections, which are to be sold, she jumps at the chance. Not questioning the odd circumstances or her mother in law’s reaction to the name of the Hall, she flees before Edwin can stop her.
Clewer Hall is infamous for a séance which took place in 1896 and, unbeknownst to Louisa, there are plans to recreate the event. Guests include Mr Conan Doyle, as well as spiritualist, Ada Watkins, who came in 1896 and has remained, a contentious visitor in the house. Before long, Louisa is aware of odd happenings – a piano playing, a child glimpsed in the grounds, footprints in the snow…
This is a wonderfully atmospheric book, which has some excellent characters. I really warmed to the heavily pregnant, Louisa, who is so unsure about her life and so reluctant to leave Clewer Hall, despite her doubts, and return to London, and Edwin. There is also the shadow of the war, which hangs over almost everyone in the novel. A good read and I hope we see more of Louisa in future books. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
Clewer Hall is infamous for a séance which took place in 1896 and, unbeknownst to Louisa, there are plans to recreate the event. Guests include Mr Conan Doyle, as well as spiritualist, Ada Watkins, who came in 1896 and has remained, a contentious visitor in the house. Before long, Louisa is aware of odd happenings – a piano playing, a child glimpsed in the grounds, footprints in the snow…
This is a wonderfully atmospheric book, which has some excellent characters. I really warmed to the heavily pregnant, Louisa, who is so unsure about her life and so reluctant to leave Clewer Hall, despite her doubts, and return to London, and Edwin. There is also the shadow of the war, which hangs over almost everyone in the novel. A good read and I hope we see more of Louisa in future books. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
February 9, 2021
It started out really strong and to my delight, differently. I have to admit that I wouldn't class this story as a ghothic thriller (I would say it was more a suspense story), but it did have tons of atmosphere. I think that the last third of this book was disappointing. It seemed like the main character changed in a slight but, for me, noticeable way that I felt took some of the atmosphere away. And this changed the pacing of the story, making the end much less strong than the beginning. It is hard to explain, it is not that I disliked the choices that the author wanted to take. It was more that I do not think she did it the best way, making the story suffer somewhat.
3.5 stars
3.5 stars
November 15, 2024
England, 1925.
Louisa Drew lost her husband in the First World War and her six-year-old twin sons in the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918. Recently remarried to a quiet man who went through the war but remains traumatised by it, she is seven months pregnant, yet there is little joy in their life.
Louisa is asked by her employer to travel to Clewer Hall in Sussex to photograph the contents of the house for auction. Her husband Edwin, strongly influenced still by his Mother, would rather she didn’t work. Louisa suggesting to herself that they need the money, leaves without discussing it, seemingly with more than one reason to take this commission.
She learns that Clewer Hall was host to an infamous séance in 1896, and that the lady of the house has arranged for the original participants or their proxy to gather once more to resume and recreate that event.
The women of the house seem troubled that Louisa is pregnant. She is more concerned by the aura and impression she and her unborn baby sense from the house and its grounds.
Has the feel and atmosphere of a gothic ghost story.
I liked the fact that role of the medium was quite balanced in terms of her abilities and stage craft. It was also a relief that the séance did not dominate the novel although its role is central to the story.
The characters are well formed and the sense of a malevolence within the old hall or from the ghostly imaginings of servants places Louisa at increasing risk. There is a notion that the people at the house have secrets to hide and will do whatever to hid aspects of the tragedy and curse in the hall. Louisa must complete her task of photographing the building and contents under increasing pressure with the feeling that a supernatural spirit as much as a physical member of the house wants to harm her and the baby she carries.
No-one reading this beautifully crafted story could not be drawn to the character of Louisa. An independent woman, whose short life has had its fair share of loss. That she might risk more to be herself rather than a silenced wife and an unhappy soul is an affront to our sense of justice. Her struggle mirrors the changing role of women at this time and is so well written. She grows in stature as the story unfolds.
This is a well researched story within a social context. It is both a mysterious ghost story as well as a genuine historical thriller. That a pregnant woman is the main protagonist, who takes on the role of detective when someone’s murder is passed off as an accident, is a brave and ultimately brilliantly inspired piece of writing.
The novel works well on a numbered of levels. It is centred on the loss of life through war, Spanish Flu and poor medical knowledge. The role of motherhood and how one adapts, overcomes the death of a child is another strong theme. Tied into the old ways of country estates and servants which have had their time. New opportunities are around to be grasped and embraced but the historical values seem to hold sway with most people Louisa knows. This is the story of not only solving a crime but surviving traditional constraints and superstitions rooted in the past. But why it works so perfectly is that ghostly violence as much as physical endeavour seem to want to ensure Louisa and her unborn baby never leave Clewer Hall alive.
Louisa Drew lost her husband in the First World War and her six-year-old twin sons in the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918. Recently remarried to a quiet man who went through the war but remains traumatised by it, she is seven months pregnant, yet there is little joy in their life.
Louisa is asked by her employer to travel to Clewer Hall in Sussex to photograph the contents of the house for auction. Her husband Edwin, strongly influenced still by his Mother, would rather she didn’t work. Louisa suggesting to herself that they need the money, leaves without discussing it, seemingly with more than one reason to take this commission.
She learns that Clewer Hall was host to an infamous séance in 1896, and that the lady of the house has arranged for the original participants or their proxy to gather once more to resume and recreate that event.
The women of the house seem troubled that Louisa is pregnant. She is more concerned by the aura and impression she and her unborn baby sense from the house and its grounds.
Has the feel and atmosphere of a gothic ghost story.
I liked the fact that role of the medium was quite balanced in terms of her abilities and stage craft. It was also a relief that the séance did not dominate the novel although its role is central to the story.
The characters are well formed and the sense of a malevolence within the old hall or from the ghostly imaginings of servants places Louisa at increasing risk. There is a notion that the people at the house have secrets to hide and will do whatever to hid aspects of the tragedy and curse in the hall. Louisa must complete her task of photographing the building and contents under increasing pressure with the feeling that a supernatural spirit as much as a physical member of the house wants to harm her and the baby she carries.
No-one reading this beautifully crafted story could not be drawn to the character of Louisa. An independent woman, whose short life has had its fair share of loss. That she might risk more to be herself rather than a silenced wife and an unhappy soul is an affront to our sense of justice. Her struggle mirrors the changing role of women at this time and is so well written. She grows in stature as the story unfolds.
This is a well researched story within a social context. It is both a mysterious ghost story as well as a genuine historical thriller. That a pregnant woman is the main protagonist, who takes on the role of detective when someone’s murder is passed off as an accident, is a brave and ultimately brilliantly inspired piece of writing.
The novel works well on a numbered of levels. It is centred on the loss of life through war, Spanish Flu and poor medical knowledge. The role of motherhood and how one adapts, overcomes the death of a child is another strong theme. Tied into the old ways of country estates and servants which have had their time. New opportunities are around to be grasped and embraced but the historical values seem to hold sway with most people Louisa knows. This is the story of not only solving a crime but surviving traditional constraints and superstitions rooted in the past. But why it works so perfectly is that ghostly violence as much as physical endeavour seem to want to ensure Louisa and her unborn baby never leave Clewer Hall alive.
October 19, 2021
(3.5) I’ve been so busy recently that some of my reading choices have been about ease more than anything else. When I’m perpetually tired and always rushing to meet some deadline, I don’t want to spend my spare time reading anything that feels like a challenge. I understand now why some people I know with extremely demanding jobs exclusively read trashy, formulaic books.
I’m not calling The Quickening trash, by the way. I just mean there is something about this type of novel that, for me, makes them very easy to read (not least because there are so many of them around now; as I noted in my review of The Whistling, the success of books like The Silent Companions seems to have made the ‘gothic chiller’, as they are often termed, ubiquitous). If you read one of these, you generally know what you’re going to get: a female protagonist (it’s nearly always a female protagonist) going to an imposing house in a remote location, where people seem to be keeping secrets and there are whispers of a haunting. She investigates, and typically finds there is definitely a ghost, but also that someone’s lying/covering something up/not who they claim to be, etc. 50/50 chance there’s also a love interest for the main character.
Anyway, this book is set mainly in the 1920s and involves a photographer, Louisa Drew, being sent to a country house to photograph the owner’s collection of antiques for an auction catalogue. She is heavily pregnant, but needs the money from the commission to support her family. Once at Clewer Hall, she learns it’s somewhat infamous: a notorious séance, attended by Arthur Conan Doyle, took place there in the 1890s, resulting in reports of a curse on the house and the family who inhabit it. More surprisingly, the medium who conducted the séance still resides there. No surprise that Louisa’s arrival coincides with things going bump in the night once again.
I knew exactly what kind of book this was and what I wanted from it. I enjoyed it. If you enjoy this sort of thing as well, The Quickening is a good example, nicely plotted with a likeable main character. But I’m getting a bit tired of the formula now and might swear off these books for a while.
TinyLetter | Linktree
I’m not calling The Quickening trash, by the way. I just mean there is something about this type of novel that, for me, makes them very easy to read (not least because there are so many of them around now; as I noted in my review of The Whistling, the success of books like The Silent Companions seems to have made the ‘gothic chiller’, as they are often termed, ubiquitous). If you read one of these, you generally know what you’re going to get: a female protagonist (it’s nearly always a female protagonist) going to an imposing house in a remote location, where people seem to be keeping secrets and there are whispers of a haunting. She investigates, and typically finds there is definitely a ghost, but also that someone’s lying/covering something up/not who they claim to be, etc. 50/50 chance there’s also a love interest for the main character.
Anyway, this book is set mainly in the 1920s and involves a photographer, Louisa Drew, being sent to a country house to photograph the owner’s collection of antiques for an auction catalogue. She is heavily pregnant, but needs the money from the commission to support her family. Once at Clewer Hall, she learns it’s somewhat infamous: a notorious séance, attended by Arthur Conan Doyle, took place there in the 1890s, resulting in reports of a curse on the house and the family who inhabit it. More surprisingly, the medium who conducted the séance still resides there. No surprise that Louisa’s arrival coincides with things going bump in the night once again.
I knew exactly what kind of book this was and what I wanted from it. I enjoyed it. If you enjoy this sort of thing as well, The Quickening is a good example, nicely plotted with a likeable main character. But I’m getting a bit tired of the formula now and might swear off these books for a while.
TinyLetter | Linktree
September 24, 2021
3.25 stars
This is a slice of gothic historical fiction set in 1925. The main protagonist is a photographer, Louisa Drew, who lost her husband in the War and her two sons in the flu epidemic. She receives a commission to photograph some of the contents of a country house whose occupants are moving to India. Inevitably the house has a gothic and sinister feel to it. Not only that the occupants intend to re-enact a séance that took place thirty years earlier, which ended badly. Those who were there originally are to be there again, including a certain Arthur Conan Doyle and his wife. Throw into the mix, a curse, sinister goings on in the ice house, changes in temperature, ghostly music, possible ghostly sightings and footprints in the snow. Louisa is heavily pregnant and has pretty much abandoned her new husband to take the commission. Of course the house doesn’t feel right to Louisa from the start and it appears to dislike her! Louisa is assisted by the son of the journalist who was at the original séance and is reporting on this one. There is a cast of the upstairs and downstairs elements of the household, some of whom know more than they are letting on.
The novel is from the perspective of Louisa with periodic flashbacks to the original séance. If you like gothic fiction you are likely to like this and it’s ideal for this time of year. I found the romance subplot irritating (that may be me!!) Some of the menace was a little low key and some of the working out of the ending didn’t convince, but it’s best not to overthink this.
This is a slice of gothic historical fiction set in 1925. The main protagonist is a photographer, Louisa Drew, who lost her husband in the War and her two sons in the flu epidemic. She receives a commission to photograph some of the contents of a country house whose occupants are moving to India. Inevitably the house has a gothic and sinister feel to it. Not only that the occupants intend to re-enact a séance that took place thirty years earlier, which ended badly. Those who were there originally are to be there again, including a certain Arthur Conan Doyle and his wife. Throw into the mix, a curse, sinister goings on in the ice house, changes in temperature, ghostly music, possible ghostly sightings and footprints in the snow. Louisa is heavily pregnant and has pretty much abandoned her new husband to take the commission. Of course the house doesn’t feel right to Louisa from the start and it appears to dislike her! Louisa is assisted by the son of the journalist who was at the original séance and is reporting on this one. There is a cast of the upstairs and downstairs elements of the household, some of whom know more than they are letting on.
The novel is from the perspective of Louisa with periodic flashbacks to the original séance. If you like gothic fiction you are likely to like this and it’s ideal for this time of year. I found the romance subplot irritating (that may be me!!) Some of the menace was a little low key and some of the working out of the ending didn’t convince, but it’s best not to overthink this.
August 29, 2020
In case you are not aware, Rhiannon Ward is an alias for author Sarah Ward. Some of you may be familiar with her absolutely brilliant crime fiction series featuring DC Connie Childs. If you’re not, you know what to do. Anyway, that was all I needed to know when I heard about The Quickening. It marks a bit of a departure from the DC Childs series but fear not, there is still a crime to solve!
The year is 1925. Louisa Drew travels to Clewer Hall in Sussex, where she is to photograph the house and its contents for auction. Clewer Hall hosted an infamous séance years before and Louisa learns that that evening will be recreated during her stay. But why? Slowly but surely, Louisa unravels the secrets of Clewer Hall and its residents.
So, let’s see. A mansion? Secrets and skeletons in closets? A possible haunting? What more could you possibly ask for? I immediately got excited and couldn’t wait to get stuck into this story. It quickly becomes apparent that The Quickening is more than just a murder mystery. By placing the story in this particular time period, Rhiannon Ward is able to shine a spotlight on the tough times many families went through even after the First World War had ended. Many lost fathers, husbands and sons. And so séances and the, highly remotely, possibility of reconnecting with loved lost ones was a hugely popular thing. Of course, many took this as an opportunity to earn some easy money. Is Ada, the medium at Clewer Hall, a charlatan too?
The women who had to take care of themselves during the war were suddenly meant to go back to their spot in the kitchen. This is true for Louisa as well. She is on her second marriage and despite the financial struggle they find themselves in, her husband would prefer her not to work at all. Will defying him get her into trouble? And why is everyone at Clewer Hall seemingly so fascinated by the fact that Louisa is pregnant?
A healthy dose of historical fiction with a dash of a ghost story and a pinch of a murder mystery turns into an intriguing and captivating gothic tale. Personally I felt there was a bit of a dip in the second half of the novel but I still enjoyed it immensely. The Quickening is captivating, compelling, claustrophobic and has a constant sense of impending doom. Rhiannon Ward’s writing is wonderfully descriptive and immersive, making me feel I was right there in the chilling mansion. As for the mysteries, I thought I had everything figured out, basking in my smugness throughout, and was proven utterly wrong. I do so love it when that happens. Thoroughly enjoyed this one and I hope there will be more of Rhiannon Ward in this genre!
The year is 1925. Louisa Drew travels to Clewer Hall in Sussex, where she is to photograph the house and its contents for auction. Clewer Hall hosted an infamous séance years before and Louisa learns that that evening will be recreated during her stay. But why? Slowly but surely, Louisa unravels the secrets of Clewer Hall and its residents.
So, let’s see. A mansion? Secrets and skeletons in closets? A possible haunting? What more could you possibly ask for? I immediately got excited and couldn’t wait to get stuck into this story. It quickly becomes apparent that The Quickening is more than just a murder mystery. By placing the story in this particular time period, Rhiannon Ward is able to shine a spotlight on the tough times many families went through even after the First World War had ended. Many lost fathers, husbands and sons. And so séances and the, highly remotely, possibility of reconnecting with loved lost ones was a hugely popular thing. Of course, many took this as an opportunity to earn some easy money. Is Ada, the medium at Clewer Hall, a charlatan too?
The women who had to take care of themselves during the war were suddenly meant to go back to their spot in the kitchen. This is true for Louisa as well. She is on her second marriage and despite the financial struggle they find themselves in, her husband would prefer her not to work at all. Will defying him get her into trouble? And why is everyone at Clewer Hall seemingly so fascinated by the fact that Louisa is pregnant?
A healthy dose of historical fiction with a dash of a ghost story and a pinch of a murder mystery turns into an intriguing and captivating gothic tale. Personally I felt there was a bit of a dip in the second half of the novel but I still enjoyed it immensely. The Quickening is captivating, compelling, claustrophobic and has a constant sense of impending doom. Rhiannon Ward’s writing is wonderfully descriptive and immersive, making me feel I was right there in the chilling mansion. As for the mysteries, I thought I had everything figured out, basking in my smugness throughout, and was proven utterly wrong. I do so love it when that happens. Thoroughly enjoyed this one and I hope there will be more of Rhiannon Ward in this genre!
October 29, 2025
There are a lot of stories like this one set in a big house in the country with family secrets and a supernatural edge. This one involves an infamous séance held Clewer Hall at the end of the 19th century which was attended by none other Arthur Conan Doyle. 30 years later Drew family want to recreate the same séance with the same attendees before they leave the house for good and move to India. They invite a photographer down (our heroine, the pregnant Louisa) to take pictures of a collection of weird stuff the family are selling off, and then everything goes wrong, the rooms get cold and smelly, things fall from walls, there's something or someone in the woods outside and then... heaven to betsy there's a murder!!!!! OMG!!!
This was just ok. It just lacked something to make it stand out. The cameo from Arthur Conan Doyle felt a little gimmicky and pointless and maybe a missed opportunity. None of the characters really stood out, it felt like they all had the same voice and I had problems differentiating between Lilly, Alice, Janet & Helene. Not bad, but not great either. The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell and The Lost Ones by Anita Frank are similar and better.
This was just ok. It just lacked something to make it stand out. The cameo from Arthur Conan Doyle felt a little gimmicky and pointless and maybe a missed opportunity. None of the characters really stood out, it felt like they all had the same voice and I had problems differentiating between Lilly, Alice, Janet & Helene. Not bad, but not great either. The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell and The Lost Ones by Anita Frank are similar and better.
September 8, 2021
I am just on a roll with 5 star reads at the moment. I'm so glad I am though because having depression means I really don't feel like reading anything that doesn't bring me some serious joy.
"The Quickening" by Rhiannon Ward was incredibly unnerving and I got massive Laura Purcell "Bone China" vibes. This is really the perfect read for when the nights start drawing in, and the air gets a bit more spooky. Louisa Drew is a young and headstrong woman in 1920s London. She is known as being rather a fine photographer and when she is commissioned to take photographs of some precious items at Clewer Hall in Sussex because the home is to be sold, she jumps at the chance, particularly because her husband and her are struggling for money and she is expecting a baby. But Clewer Hall is an uncomfortable and stifling location for Louisa, and there is a constant feeling of her being unwelcome amongst the people who live there, especially when news that an infamous séance which took place in 1896 is being replicated during the time she is staying there. It is clear the family don't want her to be involved. Is she safe? And what of the whispers of ghostly figures walking in the gardens from the servants? Is Clewer Hall haunted, and is Louisa in danger? Brilliant writing, I was hooked from the 1st page and read the entire book in one sitting..
"The Quickening" by Rhiannon Ward was incredibly unnerving and I got massive Laura Purcell "Bone China" vibes. This is really the perfect read for when the nights start drawing in, and the air gets a bit more spooky. Louisa Drew is a young and headstrong woman in 1920s London. She is known as being rather a fine photographer and when she is commissioned to take photographs of some precious items at Clewer Hall in Sussex because the home is to be sold, she jumps at the chance, particularly because her husband and her are struggling for money and she is expecting a baby. But Clewer Hall is an uncomfortable and stifling location for Louisa, and there is a constant feeling of her being unwelcome amongst the people who live there, especially when news that an infamous séance which took place in 1896 is being replicated during the time she is staying there. It is clear the family don't want her to be involved. Is she safe? And what of the whispers of ghostly figures walking in the gardens from the servants? Is Clewer Hall haunted, and is Louisa in danger? Brilliant writing, I was hooked from the 1st page and read the entire book in one sitting..
March 20, 2021
When Louisa agrees to take a job photographing items for sale inside what was once a grand country house, little does she know what affects the job will have on her.
Back in the late 1800's the same house held a séance with Arthur Conan Doyle in attendance. Although he (in the book and real life,) had a genuine interest in spiritualism, in the story he was left unimpressed by medium Ada's readings and proclamations of a deadly curse on all sons born to the house.
It's now 1925 and many sons were lost years earlier in WW1, including three from the house. As Louisa is working, the family decide to re-create the séance with Ada, and as many people as possible from the first event. Does Ada really have the ability to talk to spirit? Why won't anyone answer Louisa's questions about the child that roams the gardens?
This isn't a really scary book. It's very atmospheric and you can almost feel the ever present tension and suspicion seeping from the pages. I really enjoyed reading this book, and if you like supernatural fiction, but don't want anything that aims to frighten you, then this would be a book you'd enjoy.
Back in the late 1800's the same house held a séance with Arthur Conan Doyle in attendance. Although he (in the book and real life,) had a genuine interest in spiritualism, in the story he was left unimpressed by medium Ada's readings and proclamations of a deadly curse on all sons born to the house.
It's now 1925 and many sons were lost years earlier in WW1, including three from the house. As Louisa is working, the family decide to re-create the séance with Ada, and as many people as possible from the first event. Does Ada really have the ability to talk to spirit? Why won't anyone answer Louisa's questions about the child that roams the gardens?
This isn't a really scary book. It's very atmospheric and you can almost feel the ever present tension and suspicion seeping from the pages. I really enjoyed reading this book, and if you like supernatural fiction, but don't want anything that aims to frighten you, then this would be a book you'd enjoy.
September 8, 2020
It's 1925 and pregnant photographer Louisa Drew is commissioned to take the images for an auction sale catalogue relating to Clewer Hall near Brighton. Haunted by her own losses in the First World War and flu pandemic, Louisa is susceptible to the possible ghosts who hover around the resident medium and the Clewer family. Mysterious goings on make her wonder if the dead are still around and what secrets the hall's inhabitants are hiding. I'd been excited to read this since I heard of it and it did not disappoint. Wonderful gothic mystery.
October 25, 2022
4.5 stars
This was really dark and gripping but at the same time exciting. I found it hard to put down as I was desperate to find out what happened to Louisa and her baby.
This was really dark and gripping but at the same time exciting. I found it hard to put down as I was desperate to find out what happened to Louisa and her baby.
July 27, 2020
Some books you just know from the first words you’re going to love and this was one of them for me. This book is my favourite kind of historical novel. It has everything you need to make a classic gothic novel; a big old deteriorating house, strange paranormal goings on and a real sense of atmosphere and mystery. This book is full of intrigue and really great characters especially the main character Louisa Drew.
It is 1925 and Louisa Drew is asked to photograph Clewer Hall in Sussex and it’s contents for an auction house. Desperate for money after having recently remarried and seven months pregnant she accepts the commission. Unknown to Louise Clewer Hall was host to an infamous seance in 1896 which was widely reported in the press at the time. The seance has haunted the family’s lives ever since. In one final attempt to break the seances legacy the lady of the house has decided to recreate the original seance inviting as many of the original attendees as possible before the family moves. Louisa although only there to take photos finds herself becoming more and more involved in the secrets of the house.
It is 1925 and Louisa Drew is asked to photograph Clewer Hall in Sussex and it’s contents for an auction house. Desperate for money after having recently remarried and seven months pregnant she accepts the commission. Unknown to Louise Clewer Hall was host to an infamous seance in 1896 which was widely reported in the press at the time. The seance has haunted the family’s lives ever since. In one final attempt to break the seances legacy the lady of the house has decided to recreate the original seance inviting as many of the original attendees as possible before the family moves. Louisa although only there to take photos finds herself becoming more and more involved in the secrets of the house.
March 26, 2020
The English country house ghost story is one of my most favourite genres. A reading of "The Turn of the Screw" is an annual undertaking.
Here, Rhiannon Ward has provided a novel in this long tradition that will, I believe, satisfy most lovers of such supernatural tales.
Set in 1925, the story starts in London with Louisa Drew receiving a telegram requiring her attendance at a photography studio.
Here a "rather unusual commission" is offered, asking her to go to a house in Sussex to photograph both the house and its contents for a forthcoming auction. The family were selling up and moving to India.
Although heavily pregnant, Louisa who feels trapped in an unhappy marriage and needing the money, immediately accepts the offer and leaves for Clewer Hall.
Before she leaves, she is told, that the family lost all three sons in the war and the house has a certain reputation.
Once arriving at Clewer Hall, she detects and undefinable sense of sadness and learns that it was the scene of a notorious sceance held in 1896, attended amongst others, by that great spiritualist champion, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
What happened at this sceance nearly 30 years previously would be the key to unlocking the deep secrets that has haunted the Clewer family.
The author has written a wonderfully atmospheric tale, evoking the dark and decaying house with all its menance.
We have such treats as the sound of a piano when it is no longer in use and strange images appearing on developed photographs. A feeling of unease and foreboding is ever present.
If you like a good haunting tale then this is highly recommended.
Here, Rhiannon Ward has provided a novel in this long tradition that will, I believe, satisfy most lovers of such supernatural tales.
Set in 1925, the story starts in London with Louisa Drew receiving a telegram requiring her attendance at a photography studio.
Here a "rather unusual commission" is offered, asking her to go to a house in Sussex to photograph both the house and its contents for a forthcoming auction. The family were selling up and moving to India.
Although heavily pregnant, Louisa who feels trapped in an unhappy marriage and needing the money, immediately accepts the offer and leaves for Clewer Hall.
Before she leaves, she is told, that the family lost all three sons in the war and the house has a certain reputation.
Once arriving at Clewer Hall, she detects and undefinable sense of sadness and learns that it was the scene of a notorious sceance held in 1896, attended amongst others, by that great spiritualist champion, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
What happened at this sceance nearly 30 years previously would be the key to unlocking the deep secrets that has haunted the Clewer family.
The author has written a wonderfully atmospheric tale, evoking the dark and decaying house with all its menance.
We have such treats as the sound of a piano when it is no longer in use and strange images appearing on developed photographs. A feeling of unease and foreboding is ever present.
If you like a good haunting tale then this is highly recommended.
December 19, 2020
This was... alright. I'm a sucker for Gothics, but this one didn't really work for me. My own fault- I should have guessed from the title alone that the theme wasn't going to be something I'd be really into. Babies. It's about babies. The protagonist is pregnant, having lost her first two children, the folks in the house she is doing some work for lost a bunch of kids, and one may be haunting the place. There's a hidden scandal that forms the core of the story and it involves... a baby.
I'm just going to spoil it. The matriarch had an affair, got pregnant from it, gave the kid to servants, her other sons from her husband all die in WWI, then the other son dies in childhood, and she totally loses her mind. She becomes obsessed with a spirit medium but then turns against her when she brings up her shameful secret in front of a bunch of people, and she kills her. Boom, that's it. She then falls to her death (convenient for her husband and daughter who are moving to India) possibly running from capture, possibly chasing the spirit of her dead love child. The protagonist leaves her husband (who she married for convenience after her first husband and sons tragically died), has the baby, and goes off with the reporter with whom she had an intense but like, week long emotional affair. The house is bought by a couple from America, who are expecting a child. Spoooky. No.
Yeah, it wasn't for me. The plot was thin, the writing could have used a good edit, and most of the characters inspired no feelings of investment in me.
It was an ok book to listen to at work while trying to get through a long shift.
I'm just going to spoil it. The matriarch had an affair, got pregnant from it, gave the kid to servants, her other sons from her husband all die in WWI, then the other son dies in childhood, and she totally loses her mind. She becomes obsessed with a spirit medium but then turns against her when she brings up her shameful secret in front of a bunch of people, and she kills her. Boom, that's it. She then falls to her death (convenient for her husband and daughter who are moving to India) possibly running from capture, possibly chasing the spirit of her dead love child. The protagonist leaves her husband (who she married for convenience after her first husband and sons tragically died), has the baby, and goes off with the reporter with whom she had an intense but like, week long emotional affair. The house is bought by a couple from America, who are expecting a child. Spoooky. No.
Yeah, it wasn't for me. The plot was thin, the writing could have used a good edit, and most of the characters inspired no feelings of investment in me.
It was an ok book to listen to at work while trying to get through a long shift.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2021
Review to follow
June 28, 2022
The Quickening
By Rhiannon Ward
England, 1925. Louisa Drew lost her husband in the First World War and her six-year-old twin sons in the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918. Newly re-married and seven months pregnant, Louisa is asked by her employer to travel to Clewer Hall in Sussex where she is to photograph the contents of the house for auction…
The Quickening is a brilliantly written gothic mystery novel, with a touch of the paranormal.
While I didn’t find it creepy, there were certainly enough twists and turns to keep me engaged.
The characters and world building were both excellent, and vivid enough that I could well imagine myself there amongst them at Clewer Hall.
I honestly don’t have any criticisms, only that I would have liked to read a little more about the 1925 séance as it was happening, though it may have given too much of the mystery away.
All in all, a very enjoyable read. Highly recommended.
By Rhiannon Ward
England, 1925. Louisa Drew lost her husband in the First World War and her six-year-old twin sons in the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918. Newly re-married and seven months pregnant, Louisa is asked by her employer to travel to Clewer Hall in Sussex where she is to photograph the contents of the house for auction…
The Quickening is a brilliantly written gothic mystery novel, with a touch of the paranormal.
While I didn’t find it creepy, there were certainly enough twists and turns to keep me engaged.
The characters and world building were both excellent, and vivid enough that I could well imagine myself there amongst them at Clewer Hall.
I honestly don’t have any criticisms, only that I would have liked to read a little more about the 1925 séance as it was happening, though it may have given too much of the mystery away.
All in all, a very enjoyable read. Highly recommended.
June 24, 2024
The premise of this book sounded perfect for me! Historical, gothic, feminist… But it didn’t really work for me. It might be because I read it over a long period of time or because I read it in a lot of small sessions. Most of the time I wasn’t engaged and didn’t feel like the story and mystery were gripping. Most of the side characters weren’t clear and didn’t feel necessary. The mystery itself was a little disappointing and the unraveling of it wasn’t very satisfying for me. There were some things I liked about this but there were too many issues for me.
May 16, 2021
1925, Louisa Drew married for a second time and pregnant. She accepts a commission to photograph Clewer Hall as the family are moving to India. The household thirty years ago held a seance and before they leave they are going to recreate the seance.
This read was quite enjoyable. The story does have everything that I would expect. A gothic house with secrets and its ghosts.
The story had it's moments and along the way at times was creepy and atmospheric. The story unfolds nicely and all makes sense when everything is revealed. The book didn't wow me but I did enjoy the story. Any book that has a creepy house and family secrets is always one for me.
This read was quite enjoyable. The story does have everything that I would expect. A gothic house with secrets and its ghosts.
The story had it's moments and along the way at times was creepy and atmospheric. The story unfolds nicely and all makes sense when everything is revealed. The book didn't wow me but I did enjoy the story. Any book that has a creepy house and family secrets is always one for me.
December 31, 2021
The Quickening was another brilliant choice from the #HFbookclub team for our December read.
Haunting and atmospheric, the house Louisa is called to for a work assignment is a brilliant character in itself. Furry, leather wallpaper, items of curiosity housed in cabinets and dark shadows everywhere, this was a spooky building before you even got to meet any of the people who lived inside. Mystery and intrigue filled the pages as together with Louise you start to uncover some of the secrets. Perfect for this time of year.
Haunting and atmospheric, the house Louisa is called to for a work assignment is a brilliant character in itself. Furry, leather wallpaper, items of curiosity housed in cabinets and dark shadows everywhere, this was a spooky building before you even got to meet any of the people who lived inside. Mystery and intrigue filled the pages as together with Louise you start to uncover some of the secrets. Perfect for this time of year.
May 8, 2022
3.5 stars rounded up. This is a hard book to review because I enjoyed reading it but it took me a long time to finish. It was not a book that I was compelled to get to but when I was I felt that I was in the book with the characters. Louisa, unhappily married and expecting jumps at the chance for a job photograph a home. Clewer Hall is being sold but before the family has asked back the attendees of a seance they had over 20 years ago. Once she arrives she wonders if she really was asked there to photograph the contents or if there is a more sinister reason. This was a great gothic read and I felt the eeriness of the house and the Clewer family. I wish that we had gotten more flashbacks
April 27, 2020
As much as I adore my cosy, romantic fiction, the opposite side of me loves a chilling, gothic novel, those types with the creepy, old houses shrouded in mystery, with tales of ghostly sightings, and secrets hidden away behind locked doors, so when I saw Rhiannon Ward's The Quickening available to request on NetGalley, I just knew I had to read it because it instantly appealed to me.
Immediately, I was drawn into this story, swept away by Louisa's history of grief and loss, and my interest further piqued when Louisa was asked by her employer to accept a commission regarding Clewer Hall, in which she was to go and photograph a number of items which were to be sold at auction at a later date. A keen photographer, and in need of the money due to having a baby on the way, Louisa accepts without first consulting husband Edwin because she knows he'll say no, and heads to Sussex almost immediately.
There is no denying that Rhiannon Ward is a beautifully descriptive and capable writer, and the way in which Clewer Hall was presented to me in this novel was testament to that. It was not hard for me to encapture this dark and decaying residence within my mind, to imagine the very atmosphere which occupied and swamped the many rooms and corridors beneath its roof. I could see it all so clearly as if I had been there myself, could smell the damp that lingered and see the wallpaper that had unravelled itself from the walls. Ward captured the very essence of Clewer Hall in the most beguiling of ways, rocking my mood back and forth with every new discovery that Louisa made during her time there.
'... the once austerely imposing Hall had become a wreck of itself. The bare bones were still there - the angular design, the tall chimneys and the long, imposing windows, reflecting back my gaze. Through the drizzle, though, I could see where mortar had fallen away from around the bricks, encouraging seeping damp...'
Ward's powerful descriptions of Clewer Hall were utterly mesmerising and held me captive throughout, a slave to the story she wove.
Louisa was an artistically-carved character, and I grew fond of her rather quickly. Reading from her first-person perspective, I felt as close to her as I could possibly get, almost traversing her journey beside her. I found Louisa to be quite tenacious when it came to her own life and knowing what she wanted, and this was only confirmed when, rather than consulting with Edwin of her plans to head to Clewer Hall before she left, she chose instead to leave a message with his mother to pass on to him, and he hardly crossed her mind at all once she had arrived at her destination. It's hardly surprising though, considering how much Louisa has to keep her busy once there. The home is filled with a multitude of characters for the reader to be introduced to, from Helene and Felix, to Lily and Ada, all of which were brilliantly written and so very interesting to become familiar with. Each of these people had secrets of their own and stories to tell, those of which I found utterly fascinating.
I love a novel that makes you want to switch off the lights then run across the landing to escape the darkness, a book that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand if you happen to hear a noise from somewhere within your home with no immediate explanation. This book certainly had that effect on me, so much so that I had to call it a night and switch off my Kindle, because I'd reached a point where I felt that my mind was running away with me a little bit too much. Of course, I'm sure it was entirely to do with the talk of seances and ghostly apparitions within the book that were lending to my overactive imagination, those of which I enjoyed reading about immensely, even going off-course at one point to do my own research on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the whole subject of spiritualism in the time frame that the novel was based around. So, not only did I enjoy reading this novel, but I enjoyed the other path that it had me stumbling down whilst reading it.
Amongst the chilling eerieness of this tale, there were an army of themes touched upon by Ward. Loss, grief, motherhood and sacrifices being the prominent ones I think, but also the movement of women becoming more independent than ever before, and I truly loved that this was included within the story. There was love being found in unlikely places, and the threat of something much uglier than peeling walls and darkening stains, something much more evil simmering just beneath the surface waiting to reveal itself, but only when the time is right.
The Quickening by Rhiannon Ward was a unequivocally atmospheric and deeply engrossing novel sweeping across the hands of time, leading readers down an eerie corridor of deceit, betrayal and cryptic clues leading to what will be the ultimate conclusion. The Book Babe is giving The Quickening by Rhiannon Ward a rating of four out of five. I'd like to thank Trapeze for the advanced reading copy of this book, that of which has no reflection on my providing a fair and honest review.
Immediately, I was drawn into this story, swept away by Louisa's history of grief and loss, and my interest further piqued when Louisa was asked by her employer to accept a commission regarding Clewer Hall, in which she was to go and photograph a number of items which were to be sold at auction at a later date. A keen photographer, and in need of the money due to having a baby on the way, Louisa accepts without first consulting husband Edwin because she knows he'll say no, and heads to Sussex almost immediately.
There is no denying that Rhiannon Ward is a beautifully descriptive and capable writer, and the way in which Clewer Hall was presented to me in this novel was testament to that. It was not hard for me to encapture this dark and decaying residence within my mind, to imagine the very atmosphere which occupied and swamped the many rooms and corridors beneath its roof. I could see it all so clearly as if I had been there myself, could smell the damp that lingered and see the wallpaper that had unravelled itself from the walls. Ward captured the very essence of Clewer Hall in the most beguiling of ways, rocking my mood back and forth with every new discovery that Louisa made during her time there.
'... the once austerely imposing Hall had become a wreck of itself. The bare bones were still there - the angular design, the tall chimneys and the long, imposing windows, reflecting back my gaze. Through the drizzle, though, I could see where mortar had fallen away from around the bricks, encouraging seeping damp...'
Ward's powerful descriptions of Clewer Hall were utterly mesmerising and held me captive throughout, a slave to the story she wove.
Louisa was an artistically-carved character, and I grew fond of her rather quickly. Reading from her first-person perspective, I felt as close to her as I could possibly get, almost traversing her journey beside her. I found Louisa to be quite tenacious when it came to her own life and knowing what she wanted, and this was only confirmed when, rather than consulting with Edwin of her plans to head to Clewer Hall before she left, she chose instead to leave a message with his mother to pass on to him, and he hardly crossed her mind at all once she had arrived at her destination. It's hardly surprising though, considering how much Louisa has to keep her busy once there. The home is filled with a multitude of characters for the reader to be introduced to, from Helene and Felix, to Lily and Ada, all of which were brilliantly written and so very interesting to become familiar with. Each of these people had secrets of their own and stories to tell, those of which I found utterly fascinating.
I love a novel that makes you want to switch off the lights then run across the landing to escape the darkness, a book that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand if you happen to hear a noise from somewhere within your home with no immediate explanation. This book certainly had that effect on me, so much so that I had to call it a night and switch off my Kindle, because I'd reached a point where I felt that my mind was running away with me a little bit too much. Of course, I'm sure it was entirely to do with the talk of seances and ghostly apparitions within the book that were lending to my overactive imagination, those of which I enjoyed reading about immensely, even going off-course at one point to do my own research on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the whole subject of spiritualism in the time frame that the novel was based around. So, not only did I enjoy reading this novel, but I enjoyed the other path that it had me stumbling down whilst reading it.
Amongst the chilling eerieness of this tale, there were an army of themes touched upon by Ward. Loss, grief, motherhood and sacrifices being the prominent ones I think, but also the movement of women becoming more independent than ever before, and I truly loved that this was included within the story. There was love being found in unlikely places, and the threat of something much uglier than peeling walls and darkening stains, something much more evil simmering just beneath the surface waiting to reveal itself, but only when the time is right.
The Quickening by Rhiannon Ward was a unequivocally atmospheric and deeply engrossing novel sweeping across the hands of time, leading readers down an eerie corridor of deceit, betrayal and cryptic clues leading to what will be the ultimate conclusion. The Book Babe is giving The Quickening by Rhiannon Ward a rating of four out of five. I'd like to thank Trapeze for the advanced reading copy of this book, that of which has no reflection on my providing a fair and honest review.
April 15, 2020
Rhiannon Ward may be a new name but you might recognise Sarah Ward, writer of a series of accomplished police procedurals set in modern day Derbyshire. Rhiannon Ward is a pseudonym for launching The Quickening, her first foray into historical fiction, although fans of Sarah's previous novels will be pleased to find another well-turned mystery, albeit one filled with the gothic and supernatural, at the heart of this latest work.
Set in the afternmath of the First World War, The Quickening is a novel suffused with grief and its aftermath. Having lost her husband in the trenches, and her two sons from Spanish Flu soon after, Louisa Drew has resigned herself to be thankful for a life of dutiful wifehood - and a second chance at motherhood - with her staid and emotionally repressed second husband Edwin. But when her former employer offers her a lucrative commission amidst the faded glory of Clewer Hall, Louisa can't resist one last chance to live the life she thought she'd lost.
Packing her camera equipment, she heads for Clewer Hall, another house in mourning for people and opportunities lost. But are the Clewer family all that they seem? Why does no one talk about the child seen in the garden? Or the piano that Louise can hear playing within long-deserted room? What happened during that infamous seance and why does it haunt the house still? And, most importantly, what does it want with Louisa and her unborn child?
The Quickening is packed to the rafters with so much atmosphere that it lifts off the page, enveloping the reader in it's grasp. I could immediately envisage the faded glamour of Clewer Hall - from the remnants of the wisteria clinging to crumbling brickwork through to the sadness of a long-unused nursery with its broken chairs and barred windows, reading the book had me walking alongside Louisa as she gradually uncovered more and more of the house's secrets.
Ward absoutely nails the Gothic atmosphere too. Clewer Hall, with its greatly reduced serving staff and impoverished family both still sticking rigourously to pre-War notions of social hierarchy, feels as if it is stuck in a time-warp, forever trapped on the evening of the seance in 1896. It lends a gothic tone to a novel that has a distinctly modern protagonist - Louise is forthright, determined, and has a refreshing lack of propriety that carries through Clewer Hall like a breath of fresh air.
Despite this modernity, Louisa doesn't feel out of time or place. Having developed a successful career during the war, it makes sense for Louisa to yearn to retain this freedom, whilst also hoping to regain some of the stability she has lost with the death of her husband and sons. I really got a sense of the period as a time of change through Louisa - caught between the possibilities now afforded to her as an educated and capable woman in a world where war has upset traditional hierarchies, and Victorian attitudes that still demand a level of respectability and conformity from her, even at the expense of her own happiness. It's fair to say that, as the book went on, I definitely became as invested in Louisa's own personal dilemmas as I was in the resolution of Clewer Hall's many mysteries, so much did I come to identify and empathise with her!
Without giving away any of the plot, which unravels with the skill and elegance demonstrated so ably in Ward's previous novels, I will say that The Quickening infuses a very human tale of personal folly and family tragedy with a chilling slice of the supernatural. The spooky elements aren't overplayed but, in the manner of Laura Purcell's The Silent Companions or Sarah Waters The Little Stranger, something haunts the narrative and the characters, causing both them and the reader to question their sanity and actions. It's brilliantly done and I raced through the book, desperate to know what happened back in 1896, and what would happen to Louisa and the Clewer family as a result.
As you can probably tell, I absolutely loved The Quickening. Combining a country house mystery with a classic ghost story was always going to be a winner for me, especially when its as well-written and atmospherically evocative as this. Fans of Laura Purcell and Stacey Halls will enjoy the lush atmosphere, supernatural happenings and chilling gothic overtones, whilst fans of Ward's modern day procedurals will find a novel that retains Ward's knack for strong characters and precision plotting whist transposing them onto a new era and genre.
NB: My thanks go to the publisher and to Netgalley UK for providing an e-copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Set in the afternmath of the First World War, The Quickening is a novel suffused with grief and its aftermath. Having lost her husband in the trenches, and her two sons from Spanish Flu soon after, Louisa Drew has resigned herself to be thankful for a life of dutiful wifehood - and a second chance at motherhood - with her staid and emotionally repressed second husband Edwin. But when her former employer offers her a lucrative commission amidst the faded glory of Clewer Hall, Louisa can't resist one last chance to live the life she thought she'd lost.
Packing her camera equipment, she heads for Clewer Hall, another house in mourning for people and opportunities lost. But are the Clewer family all that they seem? Why does no one talk about the child seen in the garden? Or the piano that Louise can hear playing within long-deserted room? What happened during that infamous seance and why does it haunt the house still? And, most importantly, what does it want with Louisa and her unborn child?
The Quickening is packed to the rafters with so much atmosphere that it lifts off the page, enveloping the reader in it's grasp. I could immediately envisage the faded glamour of Clewer Hall - from the remnants of the wisteria clinging to crumbling brickwork through to the sadness of a long-unused nursery with its broken chairs and barred windows, reading the book had me walking alongside Louisa as she gradually uncovered more and more of the house's secrets.
Ward absoutely nails the Gothic atmosphere too. Clewer Hall, with its greatly reduced serving staff and impoverished family both still sticking rigourously to pre-War notions of social hierarchy, feels as if it is stuck in a time-warp, forever trapped on the evening of the seance in 1896. It lends a gothic tone to a novel that has a distinctly modern protagonist - Louise is forthright, determined, and has a refreshing lack of propriety that carries through Clewer Hall like a breath of fresh air.
Despite this modernity, Louisa doesn't feel out of time or place. Having developed a successful career during the war, it makes sense for Louisa to yearn to retain this freedom, whilst also hoping to regain some of the stability she has lost with the death of her husband and sons. I really got a sense of the period as a time of change through Louisa - caught between the possibilities now afforded to her as an educated and capable woman in a world where war has upset traditional hierarchies, and Victorian attitudes that still demand a level of respectability and conformity from her, even at the expense of her own happiness. It's fair to say that, as the book went on, I definitely became as invested in Louisa's own personal dilemmas as I was in the resolution of Clewer Hall's many mysteries, so much did I come to identify and empathise with her!
Without giving away any of the plot, which unravels with the skill and elegance demonstrated so ably in Ward's previous novels, I will say that The Quickening infuses a very human tale of personal folly and family tragedy with a chilling slice of the supernatural. The spooky elements aren't overplayed but, in the manner of Laura Purcell's The Silent Companions or Sarah Waters The Little Stranger, something haunts the narrative and the characters, causing both them and the reader to question their sanity and actions. It's brilliantly done and I raced through the book, desperate to know what happened back in 1896, and what would happen to Louisa and the Clewer family as a result.
As you can probably tell, I absolutely loved The Quickening. Combining a country house mystery with a classic ghost story was always going to be a winner for me, especially when its as well-written and atmospherically evocative as this. Fans of Laura Purcell and Stacey Halls will enjoy the lush atmosphere, supernatural happenings and chilling gothic overtones, whilst fans of Ward's modern day procedurals will find a novel that retains Ward's knack for strong characters and precision plotting whist transposing them onto a new era and genre.
NB: My thanks go to the publisher and to Netgalley UK for providing an e-copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
March 29, 2020
A very enjoyable read,with a lead character that's not afraid to stand up for herself,in times were women were still best seen and not heard too much.
There's tons of atmosphere,making the Hall ,the gardens and the icehouse just on the right side of creepy.
I think there was just the right amount of doubt surrounding ALL the strange goings On,that they could be explained away.
All round,it's an absorbing read,with great characters.
There's tons of atmosphere,making the Hall ,the gardens and the icehouse just on the right side of creepy.
I think there was just the right amount of doubt surrounding ALL the strange goings On,that they could be explained away.
All round,it's an absorbing read,with great characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2023
The first half of this novel was very good: atmospheric, creepy,intriguing…then the quality of the writing and plotting began decreasing rapidly, until the ending, which appeared to have been written by an entirely different person.
October 19, 2020
The Quickening seems very similar to a book I read last year and that, unfortunately, gave me a feeling like there was nothing really new to this story. It is a tale that has been told often before though, a haunted house, a ghostly child, it's been done many times.
That's not to say that a haunted manor house book can't still be enjoyable, and I did find this to be a spooky and interesting read. I just felt like I have already read it many times over.
Louisa, the main character in this story, has a very dry and almost cold personality. She lost her husband in the first world war and then her two children to the flu epidemic not long after so I can understand why she is written this way. It suits her story but I found her very hard to connect with. She just didn't have much of a personality and it makes her very hard to connect with or care about. She has issues with her second husband, the man she is about to have a baby with, as she describes him as being cold and distant but I feel like that can't be entirely his fault as she is so closed off herself.
As for the actual story, there's plenty of ghostly happenings and larger than life characters and a nice, satisfying ending - something that I find is rare in a ghost story.
It has a nice, creepy feel to it, I enjoyed it and I think it is just right for curling up with under a blanket in the darker winter months. There's just nothing special enough about it to make it stand out from the genre.
I received a free copy in return for an honest review.
That's not to say that a haunted manor house book can't still be enjoyable, and I did find this to be a spooky and interesting read. I just felt like I have already read it many times over.
Louisa, the main character in this story, has a very dry and almost cold personality. She lost her husband in the first world war and then her two children to the flu epidemic not long after so I can understand why she is written this way. It suits her story but I found her very hard to connect with. She just didn't have much of a personality and it makes her very hard to connect with or care about. She has issues with her second husband, the man she is about to have a baby with, as she describes him as being cold and distant but I feel like that can't be entirely his fault as she is so closed off herself.
As for the actual story, there's plenty of ghostly happenings and larger than life characters and a nice, satisfying ending - something that I find is rare in a ghost story.
It has a nice, creepy feel to it, I enjoyed it and I think it is just right for curling up with under a blanket in the darker winter months. There's just nothing special enough about it to make it stand out from the genre.
I received a free copy in return for an honest review.
September 2, 2020
This one really wasn't for me I'm afraid. There was nothing technically wrong with it, but I just found it to be very dull and quite underwhelming. There was no tension, no darkness, no real emotion of any kind, and as such, there was nothing to keep you invested in the story, and it instead became a very dull and almost factual read, which is weird given the subject matter.
It's a shame, as I really enjoy both supernatural reads and historical fiction, and so to me when they combine it is normally a real treat. Unfortunately, this one didn't deliver. However, it is worth noting that I seem to be in the minority in thinking so, so if you're intrigued by the synopsis then maybe give it a go!
Disclaimer - I was fortunate enough to receive an advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in conjunction with NetGalley. This has not affected my review in any way, and all opinions are my own.
It's a shame, as I really enjoy both supernatural reads and historical fiction, and so to me when they combine it is normally a real treat. Unfortunately, this one didn't deliver. However, it is worth noting that I seem to be in the minority in thinking so, so if you're intrigued by the synopsis then maybe give it a go!
Disclaimer - I was fortunate enough to receive an advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in conjunction with NetGalley. This has not affected my review in any way, and all opinions are my own.
August 20, 2020
The Quickening was a brilliant compulsive read!
Louisa Drew is heavily pregnant when she gets a chance to earn some much needed money & briefly escape her husband. She travels to Clewer Hall only to find that the house & all it's residents are hiding so many secrets. Whilst doing her job the secrets demand to be uncovered! She takes on the role of unwilling detective but the more she discovers, the less willing she is to let truths stay concealed. Louisa, joined by George use their journalistic skills to reveal the past & hopefully....finally lay in to rest.
I found the story line to be intriguing and Rhiannon Ward superbly sets the eerie, tense atmosphere from the start. Her descriptions of characters and the household dynamics were excellent. I really enjoyed her style of writing.
I shall look out for more books by this author.
Louisa Drew is heavily pregnant when she gets a chance to earn some much needed money & briefly escape her husband. She travels to Clewer Hall only to find that the house & all it's residents are hiding so many secrets. Whilst doing her job the secrets demand to be uncovered! She takes on the role of unwilling detective but the more she discovers, the less willing she is to let truths stay concealed. Louisa, joined by George use their journalistic skills to reveal the past & hopefully....finally lay in to rest.
I found the story line to be intriguing and Rhiannon Ward superbly sets the eerie, tense atmosphere from the start. Her descriptions of characters and the household dynamics were excellent. I really enjoyed her style of writing.
I shall look out for more books by this author.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 208 reviews