The Last Handmaid: the unmissable gothic suspense from the award-winning author of People of Abandoned Character

by Clare Whitfield

384 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication February 2, 2027

About the author

My latest book is THE LAST HANDMAID out November 2026.

A Gothic historical novel, TLH can be described as Bram Stoker’s Dracula meets The Favourite, with a dash of The Devil Wears Prada thrown in for good measure. The story draws on the legend of one of history’s most infamous alleged female serial killers – the countess Bathory.

I'm the author of PEOPLE OF ABANDONED CHARACTER, THE GONE AND THE FORGOTTEN and POOR GIRLS. THE LAST HANDMAID is out November.

Follow me on Instagram at @clarewhitfieldauthor. You’ll also find me on Facebook.

Reviews

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a dark gothic historical thriller told through the eyes of a handmaid, within a Countesses household. The Countess is based on a real Hungarian Countess Elizabeth Bathory who it was said tortured and murdered numerous young women. Although I had heard of her before I read the book I knew nothing about her as I started this read.

This book was fascinating to me, very well laid out and a clear demonstration of a toxic relationship and all that it in tails. The struggles that Catalina the handmaid goes through with her own emotions of wanting to leave the countess one day and then wanting to stay as she felt she owed the countess something was very well set out and described by the author. The author makes it easy to see how someone can get caught up in a dangerous relationship even with someone they know causes them pain both mentally and physically.

There were points where I found myself incredibly frustrated with Catalina and her actions and questioning how can anyone be so naive? But then you are reminded that she is but a child who has no real skills of the world and feels and clearly is, trapped in a world not of her making.

The countess and 2 of her other handmaids in particular are diabolical as human beings and the author really gets this across and it’s is highlighted even more as a stark contrast to Catalina and her nature. Some of their actions will leave you rather queasy. Made worse by the fact that some of the disturbing things happen off the page and as such are left to your imagination. The author I felt did this really well. Although a lot of disturbing things also take place on the page like descriptions of cures for certain illnesses and a botched execution.

For most of the first bit of the book Catalina simply cannot see the Countess for who and what she really is. But then we get the realisation and it’s incredibly interesting the way the author drip feeds us Catalina’s dawning moment. Which is a little further on cemented for her by a close friend. I found it very interesting also how the Countess reacts later on towards Catalina and how it differed from her behaviour towards others.
I was constantly asking myself why doesn’t she just leave, she owes her nothing just leave. And whilst I found it frustrating the author really does show you why and how the relationship has shaped both the central characters into doing what they do to each other.
Control plays a massive part in this book and how one can loose their voice in the noise of other people’s wants, politics and religion but also shows that control can be taken back if only the strength to do so can be found.

Thank you to the author Clare Whitfield for an advance reader copy of the book.

[Magdalena (magdal21) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This historical thriller gives us the story of Elizabeth Báthory, the Hungarian countess who became infamous for allegedly torturing and murdering numerous young women at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries, told through the eyes of one of her handmaids, Catalina. The novel was easy to read and well structured, but I’d be lying if I said it left a lasting impression on me.

It wasn’t the first book about Báthory that I’ve read, and I think it might work better for readers who aren’t already familiar with her story. Her life is fascinating material for a historical thriller, but because I already knew the broad outline of the events, there wasn’t much that surprised me. As a result, I found myself paying more attention to the character work, especially the protagonist, Catalina.

Catalina is an orphaned, inexperienced young woman who’s desperate to find someone to protect her, whether that’s a man or, ultimately, the countess herself. At the beginning, I thought the conflict between her strong moral values and her need for safety and belonging was portrayed convincingly, both in her relationship with her love interest and in her growing attachment to Elizabeth Báthory. However, as the novel entered its final stretch, that balance seemed to disappear. I struggled to understand the logic behind some of Catalina’s decisions.

I don’t want to spoil the ending, even if it’s more or less historically accurate, so I won’t go into details, but I didn’t quite buy Catalina’s passive attitude once it became obvious that staying close to the countess could only end badly for her. The book places a lot of emphasis on Catalina’s Catholic faith and her belief that she must bear the consequences of her sins, which I assume was meant to justify some of her choices later on. However, it felt like the novel relied more on telling than showing, so I wasn’t fully convinced. Because of that, I found it harder to connect with Catalina, even though I found her inner conflict genuinely interesting.

The novel is also quite brutal and gritty, with several scenes that can feel uncomfortable or disturbing. But I guess that hardly comes as a surprise if you have even a basic idea of who Elizabeth Báthory was and what her legend is built on. Anyways, I’d say this is a good read if you want to be surprised by the ending, so maybe not for those already familiar with the historical outline or expecting major twists.

Thank you NetGalley and Head of Zeus for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Last Handmaid is a dark, intoxicating descent into the world of Csejte Castle—one that feels as claustrophobic and compelling as the legends surrounding Countess Báthory herself. Clare Whitfield blends gothic tension with sharp emotional insight, creating a story that’s as much about power and hunger as it is about survival.

Catalina is a wonderfully drawn protagonist: vulnerable yet quietly observant, trying to navigate a household where obedience is currency and girls vanish without explanation. Her relationship with the Countess is the beating heart of the novel—uneasy, magnetic, and threaded with a creeping dread that builds beautifully. Whitfield never rushes the horror; instead, she lets it simmer, making every disappearance, every whispered “medicine,” feel like a step closer to something inevitable.

The atmosphere is lush and unsettling, the historical detail vivid without ever weighing down the pace. I loved how the novel plays with the idea of compulsion—what we do to survive, what we become when survival demands more than we ever intended to give. There’s more than one way to feed a hunger, and Whitfield explores each one with elegant menace.

Perfect for readers who enjoy gothic historical fiction with teeth. The Favourite meets Dracula is exactly right: decadent, dangerous, and impossible to look away from.

With thanks to Clare Whitfield, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC

[Carrie Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Historical gothic horror, rich atmospheric setting and vampyric power and allure - on paper this should have been absolutely right up my street.

I liked this well enough overall but my main struggle was the protagonist Catalina for much of the book is a child, and then remains naively childlike in her behaviours. This meant her thoughts and POV felt a bit simplistic. I also found her action (or lack of) quite frustrating in the second half of the book. Having a main character who is so completely passive and just lets events unfold around her was an interesting choice. I know this was about portraying lack of choice and feeling trapped in a toxic relationship, but this didn’t really work for me, unfortunately.

The Countess and the other handmaids were truly despicable but they at least brought some passion and personality to the story. It was clever having some of the more disturbing events happen off page so the reader has to imagine, (though there were also many on page too!) Not having everything spoon fed worked well to create a building sense of dread.

I can’t decide if this was better or worse for being based on a real historical figure, and if I was better or worse for knowing at least the gist of the story beforehand. No real surprises or twists, unless you have no idea who Countess Bathory was, or what she did, in which case enjoy!

[Nicki Markus · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Last Handmaid provided a captivating take on the Countess Báthory myth/history. Catalina was a relatable heroine, torn between what she feels is right and what is right for her, and how the two may not always align. I enjoyed the gradual escalation of the tale, which was dark and atmospheric from start to finish. The pacing was good, always making me want to keep turning the pages, and the characters were all well drawn. There were a few times I thought Catalina a bit of a fool, but she had had, after the initial drama, a fairly sheltered upbringing, which perhaps accounts for her willingness to believe in people who were so clearly unworthy of her trust. Despite my occasional frustrations with her, though, I had fun following her tale to the bitter end. I am giving this book 4 stars. It's worth a read if you like dark historical fiction offering a twist on real events.

I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up based on the author. Didn't read the blurb.
So I was part of the way in when my brain just clicked that this was about Bathory. I've read a good few books about her.
This is a good one.
It paints a toxic relationship that you want to get out of, because you know everything around you is wrong, yet still you stay.
So many conflicting emotions from this young girl with nothing, to now a girl with a lot to loose.
I thought it gave a well rounded story , seeing how anyone and everyone found themselves caught up in the madness.
A sure sign of a great story, I'm off to Google the facts now.

Thanks to netgalley for the free digital copy.

[julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I requested this book to review after seeing on Netgalley that it would appeal to fans of Weyward and The Doll Factory, both books which I have read and enjoyed. Gothic historical thrillers are a favourite genre of mine, but unfortunately although well written and an interesting plot line based on true events, I did not engage with the gory and graphic horror aspects and did not finish, although I can see that other readers will enjoy this type of novel. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to review.