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The Haunting of Willows Cottage
Ingrid and her daughter Susan return to the Western Highlands of Scotland, staying at Strathbairn with Gertrude McCleod while their new home, a cottage by the loch, is redecorated. The very same day, the ghosts of Ingrid's past return when Gertrude's brother Miles arrives with his new bride and his friend Timothy.
When her former beau turned betrayer Hamish starts work on a barn conversion, Ingrid is desperate to leave Strathbairn. She rushes to move into the cottage only to find she is sharing her new home with a violent ghost.
Realising the haunting is somehow connected to Strathbairn and sensing that something at Willows Cottage must be returned, she makes every effort to discover what that it is.
While Hamish and Gertrude conspire to force Ingrid into marriage, Timothy becomes a regular caller with a romantic motive. With two suitors and two marriage proposals, who will she choose - and can she solve the haunting of Willows Cottage?
A gripping conclusion to a classic gothic mystery trilogy laced with dark family secrets.
When her former beau turned betrayer Hamish starts work on a barn conversion, Ingrid is desperate to leave Strathbairn. She rushes to move into the cottage only to find she is sharing her new home with a violent ghost.
Realising the haunting is somehow connected to Strathbairn and sensing that something at Willows Cottage must be returned, she makes every effort to discover what that it is.
While Hamish and Gertrude conspire to force Ingrid into marriage, Timothy becomes a regular caller with a romantic motive. With two suitors and two marriage proposals, who will she choose - and can she solve the haunting of Willows Cottage?
A gripping conclusion to a classic gothic mystery trilogy laced with dark family secrets.
286 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 24, 2025
About the author
Isobel Blackthorn
48 books179 followersIsobel Blackthorn is an award-winning author of unique and engaging fiction. She writes across a range of genres, including dark psychological thrillers, gripping mystery novels, captivating travel fiction and hilarious dark satire. Isobel holds a PhD in Western Esotericism for her groundbreaking study of the texts of Theosophist Alice A. Bailey. Isobel carries a lifelong passion for the Canary Islands, Spain, her former home. A Londoner originally, Isobel currently lives in Spain.
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https://www.creativia.org/isobel-blac...
https://twitter.com/IBlackthorn
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 21, 2026
Ingrid and her daughter Susan have returned to Scotland. They stay at Strathbairn while her cottage is being renovated. This is book three in this series and I would recommend reading them in order. This story has a bit of a gothic feel to it and feels dark at times.
November 5, 2025
Great book & great series.
This one though was harder hitting. Especially with Susan and her connection to Straithbairn.
That family though. Make me so annoyed the control they need.
But that’s what makes these books. We can read and see what Ingrid needs to do but have to wait for her to act and do what she herself needs to do.
Loved them. Gothic. Haunting, historic tales.
This one though was harder hitting. Especially with Susan and her connection to Straithbairn.
That family though. Make me so annoyed the control they need.
But that’s what makes these books. We can read and see what Ingrid needs to do but have to wait for her to act and do what she herself needs to do.
Loved them. Gothic. Haunting, historic tales.
May 30, 2026
Having read the previous two books in the Strathbairn Trilogy I was thrilled to be invited onto the book tour for The Haunting of Willows Cottage.
This final instalment blended gothic suspense, romance, and family secrets against the haunting backdrop of the Scottish Highlands. The story immediately drew me back into the world of Strathbairn as Ingrid returns hoping for a fresh start, only to find herself facing both the ghosts of her past and a terrifying supernatural presence within Willows Cottage itself.
The haunting elements were genuinely eerie at times, and the mystery surrounding the cottage unfolded at a steady pace that kept me completely invested.
Ingrid remains a strong and sympathetic protagonist, and I really enjoyed following her emotional journey throughout the novel. Trust, betrayal, and manipulation were central themes within the story. Seeing familiar characters return and watching long-running secrets finally come to light made this feel like a truly satisfying finale.
One of the strongest aspects of the trilogy has always been the authors atmospheric writing, and this book captures the isolated beauty and darkness of the Highlands perfectly.
The Haunting of Willows Cottage
This final instalment blended gothic suspense, romance, and family secrets against the haunting backdrop of the Scottish Highlands. The story immediately drew me back into the world of Strathbairn as Ingrid returns hoping for a fresh start, only to find herself facing both the ghosts of her past and a terrifying supernatural presence within Willows Cottage itself.
The haunting elements were genuinely eerie at times, and the mystery surrounding the cottage unfolded at a steady pace that kept me completely invested.
Ingrid remains a strong and sympathetic protagonist, and I really enjoyed following her emotional journey throughout the novel. Trust, betrayal, and manipulation were central themes within the story. Seeing familiar characters return and watching long-running secrets finally come to light made this feel like a truly satisfying finale.
One of the strongest aspects of the trilogy has always been the authors atmospheric writing, and this book captures the isolated beauty and darkness of the Highlands perfectly.
The Haunting of Willows Cottage
May 25, 2026
The Haunting of Willows Cottage brings the Strathbairn Trilogy to a thoughtful and atmospheric close. The story blends a gentle historical setting with a genuine sense of unease, creating a world where emotional tension and supernatural threat sit side by side. Ingrid’s return to the Highlands feels grounded and believable, and her desire to build a safe life for herself and her daughter gives the novel a steady emotional core.
The haunting at Willows Cottage is handled with restraint. It never overwhelms the narrative, yet it adds a constant pressure that keeps the pages turning. The ghostly presence is tied to the land and to the past, and this connection enriches the story rather than distracting from it. The relationships around Ingrid are equally important. Her complicated history with Hamish, her uneasy dependence on Gertrude, and the quiet sincerity of Timothy all create a web of choices that feel both personal and inevitable.
The Highlands setting is one of the book’s strengths. The landscape shapes the mood without becoming heavy. The writing remains clear and accessible, and the pacing is steady, allowing the emotional and supernatural threads to unfold naturally.
A satisfying conclusion for readers who enjoy historical fiction with a touch of mystery and a hint of the uncanny.
Highly recommended. Many thanks for this digital copy, all opinions are mine
The haunting at Willows Cottage is handled with restraint. It never overwhelms the narrative, yet it adds a constant pressure that keeps the pages turning. The ghostly presence is tied to the land and to the past, and this connection enriches the story rather than distracting from it. The relationships around Ingrid are equally important. Her complicated history with Hamish, her uneasy dependence on Gertrude, and the quiet sincerity of Timothy all create a web of choices that feel both personal and inevitable.
The Highlands setting is one of the book’s strengths. The landscape shapes the mood without becoming heavy. The writing remains clear and accessible, and the pacing is steady, allowing the emotional and supernatural threads to unfold naturally.
A satisfying conclusion for readers who enjoy historical fiction with a touch of mystery and a hint of the uncanny.
Highly recommended. Many thanks for this digital copy, all opinions are mine
October 26, 2025
The Haunting of Willows Cottage by Isabel Blackthorn
In this, the third book in the series, Ingrid Barker, against her better judgment, goes back to Strathbairn, the stately home where she once worked. She has inherited a dilapidated cottage and wishes to live at Strathbairn until the completion of the renovations. But she soon regrets her decision to return.
Strathbairn is a toxic soup of hatred, jealousy and hidden agendas. She doesn’t know whom to trust or who is playing games with her affections. Nobody seems to want her there, and everyone appears to harbour hidden rancour. Even Ethel, the cook, tries to cause a rift between Ingrid and her young, rather precocious daughter, Susan.
Even when the cottage renovations have finished, and Ingrid moves in, she can’t find respite. She’s plagued by a violent ghost who is intent on repeatedly destroying part of her house. She must discover what the angry spirit wants, while trying to coax her daughter away from the tight clutches of Straithbairn. Neither one will be an easy task.
This is a dark book, filled with negative emotion, that kept me enthralled until the last page.
In this, the third book in the series, Ingrid Barker, against her better judgment, goes back to Strathbairn, the stately home where she once worked. She has inherited a dilapidated cottage and wishes to live at Strathbairn until the completion of the renovations. But she soon regrets her decision to return.
Strathbairn is a toxic soup of hatred, jealousy and hidden agendas. She doesn’t know whom to trust or who is playing games with her affections. Nobody seems to want her there, and everyone appears to harbour hidden rancour. Even Ethel, the cook, tries to cause a rift between Ingrid and her young, rather precocious daughter, Susan.
Even when the cottage renovations have finished, and Ingrid moves in, she can’t find respite. She’s plagued by a violent ghost who is intent on repeatedly destroying part of her house. She must discover what the angry spirit wants, while trying to coax her daughter away from the tight clutches of Straithbairn. Neither one will be an easy task.
This is a dark book, filled with negative emotion, that kept me enthralled until the last page.
May 25, 2026
I picked this up assuming it could be read as a standalone but I genuinely believe that reading books one and two would have given me the relationship context and depth that I found lacking throughout this one, so please factor that into how you weigh my experience.
With that said, this is a classically atmospheric gothic mystery set in the Scottish Highlands with a haunted cottage, dark family secrets, and a slow deliberate pacing that leans heavily into atmosphere and setting. The haunting and the central mystery did not fully surface until about seventy percent of the way through, which was a longer wait than I personally wanted. Susan, Ingrid's daughter, frustrated me throughout and a thread about her connection to the house felt underdeveloped.
For readers who have followed Ingrid from the beginning of this trilogy I think this conclusion would land in a completely different and much more satisfying way. If you are new to this series, start with book one.
With that said, this is a classically atmospheric gothic mystery set in the Scottish Highlands with a haunted cottage, dark family secrets, and a slow deliberate pacing that leans heavily into atmosphere and setting. The haunting and the central mystery did not fully surface until about seventy percent of the way through, which was a longer wait than I personally wanted. Susan, Ingrid's daughter, frustrated me throughout and a thread about her connection to the house felt underdeveloped.
For readers who have followed Ingrid from the beginning of this trilogy I think this conclusion would land in a completely different and much more satisfying way. If you are new to this series, start with book one.
May 27, 2026
This is the final instalment of this gothic mystery trilogy and is just as gripping as the previous books. Past events are cleverly weaved through this either as a reminder if you’ve read the previous books in the series ( which I’d highly recommend!) or not. It is also easy to work out who’s who and how everyone is connected. While their new home by the loch, Willow Cottage, is being renovated Ingrid and her daughter Susan return to Strathbairn to stay with Gertrude McCleod. However things don’t run smoothly as along with people from her past turning up, Ingrid finds that her new cottage isn’t as peaceful as it should be. Something or someone is haunting her. I absolutely love how this pulls you in and keeps you hooked. A very intriguing storyline that has plenty of twists and turns, well thought out and descriptive characters and a dark, sinister atmosphere. Thoroughly enjoyed this!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews