Ravenscourt

by Samantha Ward-Smith

He wanted to be gone from the dark enclosing room, with its mocking misery, to be gone from this house of nightmares, of shattered dreams, and discovered secrets which could not be put back in the box.

Venice, 1880.
Alexander, Viscount Dundarran, seeks refuge from scandal amidst the fading grandeur of crumbling palazzos during the infamous Carnival in the city. There he encounters the enigmatic Lady Arabella Pembrook—a young, beautiful widow. Both are scarred by their pasts but find solace in each other and a chance at redemption.
But when duty calls Alexander back to England upon his father's death, a darker journey begins. Travelling to Ravenscourt, the decaying estate once belonging to Arabella’s late husband, Alexander must confront the house’s disturbing legacy which has echoed through the generations. Within its walls lie secrets that refuse to stay buried and will threaten everything he thought he knew. But can Alex uncover the truth in time?

345 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 23, 2025

About the author

Samantha Ward-Smith lives in Whitstable with her two cats Belle and Rudy. She loves ravens, cats, castles, and travelling as long as she has a case full of books to read!

Reviews

[Jan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ravenscourt sets out to be a sweeping Gothic mystery, moving between Venice’s Carnival and the shadowed moors of England. The atmosphere is evocative, and the premise has all the ingredients of a compelling historical tale: scandal, secrets, and a decaying estate haunted by its past.
That said, the execution feels quite straightforward. The central mystery is fairly obvious from the outset, which lessens the suspense. Alexander, the male protagonist, often makes choices that strain credibility, and this weakens his role as a convincing lead. The romantic and seduction scenes, while present, lack the spark or chemistry that would make the relationship feel truly engaging.
For readers who enjoy accessible, uncomplicated Gothic fiction with familiar tropes, this may still be a pleasant read. But for those seeking deeper character development, richer tension, or more nuanced romance, Ravenscourt may feel a little too basic.

[Lee-Anne McAulay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic gothic atmosphere with a fresh twist. I found myself awake at 4am and picked this up to read, the next thing I knew it was 7am. The story had me gripped. I love classic gothic fiction and this had eveything I wanted.

It is eerie and haunting. The streets of Venice and Victorian England pull you in and keep you on the edge of your seat.

[Justine Gilbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This superb story that takes the reader from Venice to London evoking a by-gone era of parties, balls and intrigue in the houses of the rich (and famous). The central tale is between a Viscount and his relationship with Lady Arabella with plenty of twists and turns. I felt I walked through drawing rooms filled with people concerned with appearances, romances and scandal - a very real mindset in those days - and I particularly loved the descriptions of Venice in the masked ball season. When the Viscount arrives in Ravenscourt, the story becomes a full blown gothic tale of intrigue, a treat for the senses as well as having page turning suspense. Highly recommended.

[Roman Clodia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a page-turner that is also a twist on the usual Victorian Gothic tropes. The book knowingly sets up our expectations of the genre before cleverly overturning them with some deliciously gasp-out-loud moments towards the end.

Ward-Smith clearly knows her material and how to lean into the mysteries and dark secrets we expect, but also has a more robust sense of avoiding romantic sentimentality.

Atmospheric, creepy in places (the Ravenscourt chapters!) and with a vivid sense of place, this manages to both be an example of Gothic sensibility while also acting as a commentary on the tropes upon which Gothic depends.

Oh, and it's huge fun to read!

[Cherie Schrod · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a real page turner, one of those books that, when you put it down, you can’t wait to get back to it. It’s so well researched it brings Venice and the Palazzos to life and we get a real understanding of the period, the class system, the lot of women and the British aristocracy. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

[amanda bedwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a brilliant dark read I love the flip of the villain in the peace and the story was very well written and captivating and I love the history behind the story and at the end explaining the places that the book had been setting it made it feel a lot more real being in realistic places

[Ginger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book

As a lover of history I devoured this book, everyone in the storyline is believable. Beautiful descriptions of Venice and I loved reading about the various visitors at carnival time. I highly recommend you get a copy.

[Paula Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

An atmospheric, immersive read where the setting is as powerful as the characters themselves.
With vivid descriptions and strong pacing, Ravenscourt draws you in and doesn’t let go.

[Laura Relph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suspense, death, romance and glamour. A great combo. Amazing scene setting and historic background.
I read this book non stop from start to finish.
Highly recommend.