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Shadows Over Ravenkirk: The Last Will and Testament of Wilhelmina Bruttenholm
From the author of the acclaimed Amelia Temple books comes the first in the highly anticipated novella series, Shadows Over The Last Will and Testament of Wilhelmina Bruttenholm.
Victoria Williams, a struggling photographer from Boston, receives a letter informing her of a surprise inheritance. Wilhelmina Bruttenholm of Ravenkirk, Maine, has recently passed away and left her a bequest. Victoria doesn’t know who Wilhelmina is—to her knowledge, she doesn’t know anyone in Ravenkirk—but she travels to Maine anyway to attend the will reading.
But who is this family and what do they really want of her? Struggling to understand the events happening in this unique little town, Victoria is confronted with secrets, magic, and Samantha, one very sweet tarantula. And while she must face the truth about her own mysterious family history, she will have to do so carefully. Because murder abounds in Ravenkirk and nobody is who they appear to be.
Victoria Williams, a struggling photographer from Boston, receives a letter informing her of a surprise inheritance. Wilhelmina Bruttenholm of Ravenkirk, Maine, has recently passed away and left her a bequest. Victoria doesn’t know who Wilhelmina is—to her knowledge, she doesn’t know anyone in Ravenkirk—but she travels to Maine anyway to attend the will reading.
But who is this family and what do they really want of her? Struggling to understand the events happening in this unique little town, Victoria is confronted with secrets, magic, and Samantha, one very sweet tarantula. And while she must face the truth about her own mysterious family history, she will have to do so carefully. Because murder abounds in Ravenkirk and nobody is who they appear to be.
170 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 31, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 1, 2025
Here to gush about the upcoming novella Shadows Over Ravenkirk: The Last Will and Testament of Wilhelmina Bruttenholm.
Victoria travels to the little town of Ravenkirk to claim an inheritance from someone she's never heard of. But she quickly discovers the town is full of history, mystery, family drama, and more creepy paranormal vibes than your average X Files episode. I'm not going to go into plot too much because SPOILERS but there's a delightfully Agatha Christie will-reading scene just before the book goes full tilt into fast-paced action.
Characters: a large, diverse cast that's easy to keep track of, especially with the cast of characters in the front matter.
Vibes: immaculate. The delicious Gothic atmosphere makes it easy to forget this is a modern story, heightening the tension between Victoria and Ravenkirk et al.
There are a lot of queer folks in this. I love it so don't bitch to me about it if you don't.
If you like everything to be tied up neatly at the end, wait. It's first in a series and does its job well, but if you like Closure™️ wait for the whole thing to be released before starting book 1. In short, put this on your tbr now so you can join me in the impatient wait for book 2. (The bonus chapter at the end was a nice surprise!)
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review but I would've bought it anyway and you should too.
Victoria travels to the little town of Ravenkirk to claim an inheritance from someone she's never heard of. But she quickly discovers the town is full of history, mystery, family drama, and more creepy paranormal vibes than your average X Files episode. I'm not going to go into plot too much because SPOILERS but there's a delightfully Agatha Christie will-reading scene just before the book goes full tilt into fast-paced action.
Characters: a large, diverse cast that's easy to keep track of, especially with the cast of characters in the front matter.
Vibes: immaculate. The delicious Gothic atmosphere makes it easy to forget this is a modern story, heightening the tension between Victoria and Ravenkirk et al.
There are a lot of queer folks in this. I love it so don't bitch to me about it if you don't.
If you like everything to be tied up neatly at the end, wait. It's first in a series and does its job well, but if you like Closure™️ wait for the whole thing to be released before starting book 1. In short, put this on your tbr now so you can join me in the impatient wait for book 2. (The bonus chapter at the end was a nice surprise!)
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review but I would've bought it anyway and you should too.
October 26, 2025
Sometimes a spider just looks like a Samantha.
"The Last Will and Testament of Wilhelmina Bruttenholm" by Vivian Moira Valentine is a gothic fantasy set in a quaint town populated by warring factions. Our protagonist Victoria has been invited by the titular Ms. Bruttenholm for reasons she hardly understands. As far as Victoria knows, she has no relation to the woman and no reason to expect an inheritance from her. But what was supposed to be a quick stop over for a bequest turns into something incredibly dark and supernatural.
Anyone familiar with my tastes won't be surprised by my biggest critique of the book: it's too short. As this was the beginning of a series, I had assumed it would be a fairly short episodic text, perhaps ending with the big reveal at the bequest itself or on some kind of cliffhanger. And while there definitely were some big reveals at the bequest, there was also just so much information, a gigantic cast of characters, and huge action scenes that felt too tightly packed into the short page count.
Ravenkirk is comprised of several old families and/or factions all vying to maintain their group's power. As a result, there's over a dozen characters and alliances introduced in only 150 some pages. While there is a list of characters at the beginning of the book, it was nearly impossible to remember which characters were part of which factions in the heat of the action, because their introductions were so brief.
There's one moment where Victoria realizes that Ravenkirk is home, but it feels sudden and unfounded. She had only been in town for a few hours, briefly walked around it and had interactions with the townsfolk with differing levels of welcoming/rudeness. Yet there's a reference to "new friends" for people she's only just met and a major story-changing choice she makes out of the belief that Ravenkirk is her new place in the world. I needed more build up to believe it. More interactions, slower worldbuilding, more spaced out character introductions. Or else, lay out just the simplistic version of the feuding families at first and then slot the characters into the factions as they're introduced later in the series.
That being said, what the story has creepiness and mystery in spades. There's the "spoopy" factor with the tarantula named Samantha. (Every doll needs a spider riding on their shoulder, tbh.) But there's genuinely creepy moments and outright scary scenes at the height of it all. While I wouldn't necessarily call this "folk horror" there's almost a folksy.... after taste? I guess?... that gives it a different vibe than other gothic fantasies. Although that might just be the scarecrows talking.
Victoria as a protagonist is highly relatable to me, in that she's a queer woman who develops instant crushes on nearly every femme person she meets. But for pure intrigue, I was invested in Nicodemus. He's the archetypical morally gray character here to wreak havoc for his own ends. And even if his quest is a noble one, I get the feeling he's willing to do many an ignoble thing to accomplish it. I don't necessarily like him, but I was interested in him, which is honestly more important to me.
And then there's just all the mysteries laid out in Wilhelmina's letters. I'm slightly worried that her letters are a bit of a plot convenience, in that she seems to have known exactly what would happen after her death. But I'm willing to let the mystery play out and see if there's an explanation for just how Wilhelmina knew exactly what was going to happen (especially with Bianca). Of course there's the mystery of Victoria's family, how she's connected to Ravenkirk, the missing files, and the general "the fuck is going on" of it all. It's enough to make you yearn for the sequel.
Also, if anything happens to Samantha, WE RIOT.
"The Last Will and Testament of Wilhelmina Bruttenholm" by Vivian Moira Valentine is a gothic fantasy set in a quaint town populated by warring factions. Our protagonist Victoria has been invited by the titular Ms. Bruttenholm for reasons she hardly understands. As far as Victoria knows, she has no relation to the woman and no reason to expect an inheritance from her. But what was supposed to be a quick stop over for a bequest turns into something incredibly dark and supernatural.
Anyone familiar with my tastes won't be surprised by my biggest critique of the book: it's too short. As this was the beginning of a series, I had assumed it would be a fairly short episodic text, perhaps ending with the big reveal at the bequest itself or on some kind of cliffhanger. And while there definitely were some big reveals at the bequest, there was also just so much information, a gigantic cast of characters, and huge action scenes that felt too tightly packed into the short page count.
Ravenkirk is comprised of several old families and/or factions all vying to maintain their group's power. As a result, there's over a dozen characters and alliances introduced in only 150 some pages. While there is a list of characters at the beginning of the book, it was nearly impossible to remember which characters were part of which factions in the heat of the action, because their introductions were so brief.
There's one moment where Victoria realizes that Ravenkirk is home, but it feels sudden and unfounded. She had only been in town for a few hours, briefly walked around it and had interactions with the townsfolk with differing levels of welcoming/rudeness. Yet there's a reference to "new friends" for people she's only just met and a major story-changing choice she makes out of the belief that Ravenkirk is her new place in the world. I needed more build up to believe it. More interactions, slower worldbuilding, more spaced out character introductions. Or else, lay out just the simplistic version of the feuding families at first and then slot the characters into the factions as they're introduced later in the series.
That being said, what the story has creepiness and mystery in spades. There's the "spoopy" factor with the tarantula named Samantha. (Every doll needs a spider riding on their shoulder, tbh.) But there's genuinely creepy moments and outright scary scenes at the height of it all. While I wouldn't necessarily call this "folk horror" there's almost a folksy.... after taste? I guess?... that gives it a different vibe than other gothic fantasies. Although that might just be the scarecrows talking.
Victoria as a protagonist is highly relatable to me, in that she's a queer woman who develops instant crushes on nearly every femme person she meets. But for pure intrigue, I was invested in Nicodemus. He's the archetypical morally gray character here to wreak havoc for his own ends. And even if his quest is a noble one, I get the feeling he's willing to do many an ignoble thing to accomplish it. I don't necessarily like him, but I was interested in him, which is honestly more important to me.
And then there's just all the mysteries laid out in Wilhelmina's letters. I'm slightly worried that her letters are a bit of a plot convenience, in that she seems to have known exactly what would happen after her death. But I'm willing to let the mystery play out and see if there's an explanation for just how Wilhelmina knew exactly what was going to happen (especially with Bianca). Of course there's the mystery of Victoria's family, how she's connected to Ravenkirk, the missing files, and the general "the fuck is going on" of it all. It's enough to make you yearn for the sequel.
Also, if anything happens to Samantha, WE RIOT.
January 1, 2026
Welcome to the Town of Ravenkirk, home to simmering rivalries between and within families, between supernatural powers, and the mysterious secrets they all guard tightly. If you love supernatural soap operas like Twin Peaks or Dark Shadows, you may just fall in love with Ravenkirk as well.
I enjoyed Valentine's Amelia Temple series, which is focused on a young woman who is a mystery to herself and must contend against cosmic powers and short-sighted institutions run by men in the 1950s. By contrast, Victoria Williams is an ordinary woman pulled into the mysteries of a particular place, Ravenkirk. In Ravenkirk, Valentine has given us a town with its own uncanny personality, inhabited by petty tensions, scheming clans, dark secret powers. Although the setting is New England gothic (with all that entails), there's also the promised potential of sea horror, wild horror, ancient eldritch horror, witchiness, and the customary gothic deviltry.
The first episode of this serial gives us mainly a taste of the gothic. Victoria Williams, a young woman whose parents have no connection with Ravenkirk is named beneficiary in the will of Wilhemena Brottenholm (as with Hellboy, pronounced Brum). Reading of a will, violent acts, complex small-town politics, weird and menacing autumnal customs, secret passageways, dark covenants, and a tarantula named Samantha, of a kind not to be found in the North American Field Guide to Spiders.
This is a fun book, filled with sly Easter Eggs from traditional horror, sapphic flirting, and grandiose bitchiness by men and women. Since this involves a town and some elements outside the town, there are many characters, but everyone is affiliated with a particular clan and there's also a list of characters at the front of the book. Even Victoria finds herself affiliated with the local supernatural investigators who served the late Wilhemena. In some stories, you wonder if the world will be saved or destroyed, but in Ravenkirk you wonder what seamy tidbits will come to light and who will get their comeuppance next.
I enjoyed Valentine's Amelia Temple series, which is focused on a young woman who is a mystery to herself and must contend against cosmic powers and short-sighted institutions run by men in the 1950s. By contrast, Victoria Williams is an ordinary woman pulled into the mysteries of a particular place, Ravenkirk. In Ravenkirk, Valentine has given us a town with its own uncanny personality, inhabited by petty tensions, scheming clans, dark secret powers. Although the setting is New England gothic (with all that entails), there's also the promised potential of sea horror, wild horror, ancient eldritch horror, witchiness, and the customary gothic deviltry.
The first episode of this serial gives us mainly a taste of the gothic. Victoria Williams, a young woman whose parents have no connection with Ravenkirk is named beneficiary in the will of Wilhemena Brottenholm (as with Hellboy, pronounced Brum). Reading of a will, violent acts, complex small-town politics, weird and menacing autumnal customs, secret passageways, dark covenants, and a tarantula named Samantha, of a kind not to be found in the North American Field Guide to Spiders.
This is a fun book, filled with sly Easter Eggs from traditional horror, sapphic flirting, and grandiose bitchiness by men and women. Since this involves a town and some elements outside the town, there are many characters, but everyone is affiliated with a particular clan and there's also a list of characters at the front of the book. Even Victoria finds herself affiliated with the local supernatural investigators who served the late Wilhemena. In some stories, you wonder if the world will be saved or destroyed, but in Ravenkirk you wonder what seamy tidbits will come to light and who will get their comeuppance next.
October 1, 2025
“Shadows Over Ravenkirk: The Last Will and Testament of Wilhelmina Bruttenholm” is the first installment of a serial by Vivian Moira Valentine, and it’s targeted specifically to my brain.
Oh, I’m certain she had a wider audience in mind, but it’s uncanny how this ticks so many of my boxes!
In this novella you’ll find:
- a decaying seaside town that only seems dead but is filled with unwholesome activity
- a dramatic inheritance that is filled with mystery and danger
- an adorable tarantula named Samantha
- a trans beneficiary who has no idea how any of this involves her
- witches, cultists, and zombies
- bitter factions with Dark Sponsors
- fried fish fillets
- a crumbling ancestral home
- a devious scoundrel
- and more!
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Here it is. I love it! The setting and characters are terrific, and the mysteries are abundant. There’s a real sense of history that is both present and forgotten among the denizens of Ravenkirk, keeping them playing their dangerous games for prizes they can no longer name. Plus, the newcomer to all of this is thirsty as hell but is a complete disaster at flirting with all the women and enbies that surround her, and who doesn’t love that in a potential romantic lead?
I can’t wait for more!
Oh, I’m certain she had a wider audience in mind, but it’s uncanny how this ticks so many of my boxes!
In this novella you’ll find:
- a decaying seaside town that only seems dead but is filled with unwholesome activity
- a dramatic inheritance that is filled with mystery and danger
- an adorable tarantula named Samantha
- a trans beneficiary who has no idea how any of this involves her
- witches, cultists, and zombies
- bitter factions with Dark Sponsors
- fried fish fillets
- a crumbling ancestral home
- a devious scoundrel
- and more!
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Here it is. I love it! The setting and characters are terrific, and the mysteries are abundant. There’s a real sense of history that is both present and forgotten among the denizens of Ravenkirk, keeping them playing their dangerous games for prizes they can no longer name. Plus, the newcomer to all of this is thirsty as hell but is a complete disaster at flirting with all the women and enbies that surround her, and who doesn’t love that in a potential romantic lead?
I can’t wait for more!
December 20, 2025
A delightful small town gothic with a trans heroine, a cast of appropriately wacky characters, and an adorable tarantula named Samantha.
The strength of this book is the writing and atmosphere. It’s a fairly cozy (to me) amount of darkness without going too far into horror. Many memorable characters and a world I’d have loved to spend more time in.
One area where it worked less well for me was plot structure. We spend a lot of time getting to know the town and leading up to the pivotal moment, then it barrels to a conclusion that left a few too many loose ends for my taste. There’s a sequel coming, which I’ll probably read; I would have liked a bit more time in the climax and dénouement.
The strength of this book is the writing and atmosphere. It’s a fairly cozy (to me) amount of darkness without going too far into horror. Many memorable characters and a world I’d have loved to spend more time in.
One area where it worked less well for me was plot structure. We spend a lot of time getting to know the town and leading up to the pivotal moment, then it barrels to a conclusion that left a few too many loose ends for my taste. There’s a sequel coming, which I’ll probably read; I would have liked a bit more time in the climax and dénouement.
October 9, 2025
This was a lot of fun from start to finish. I really enjoyed the classic tropes of New England Gothic and Gothic Horror in general, tossed into a contemporary setting with some really compelling characters, H.P. Lovecraft references, and urban fantasy mystery elements. This is definitely due a re-read already.
I received an ARC, and am leaving an honest review.
I received an ARC, and am leaving an honest review.
December 17, 2025
A fun new spooky mystery from one of my favorite authors! There is a spider named Samantha, a bunch of weird townsfolk, a dead woman's will, and our heroine, Victoria Williams somehow in the middle of a spooky mystery. can't wait for the next book !
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews