What do you think?
Rate this book
Maulever Hall
After a violent coach accident, Marianne wakes with no memory and no idea who she is or where she was going — a name on her brooch the single clue to her identity.
Accompanied only by a young boy, Marianne finds herself lost, afraid, and penniless. Convinced she’s being followed, she pleads for help at the nearest village and is offered refuge by a lonely widow at her grand country home, Maulever Hall.
Marianne settles into life at the Hall, finding fast companionship with Mrs Mauleverer. The days pass and no hint of memory returns, but Marianne’s need for answers is growing urgent. An unexpected visit from Mrs Mauleverer’s aloof son, Mark and his soon-to-be-betrothed, Lady Heverdon has thrown life at the Hall into disarray. They suspect Marianne has come into their lives under false pretences. But the longer she spends with Lady Heverdon, the more Marianne becomes convinced the opposite may be true.
As tensions within the family rise and Marianne finds herself growing closer to Mark, she begins to wonder whether her arrival at Maulever Hall has more to do with fate than chance.
Accompanied only by a young boy, Marianne finds herself lost, afraid, and penniless. Convinced she’s being followed, she pleads for help at the nearest village and is offered refuge by a lonely widow at her grand country home, Maulever Hall.
Marianne settles into life at the Hall, finding fast companionship with Mrs Mauleverer. The days pass and no hint of memory returns, but Marianne’s need for answers is growing urgent. An unexpected visit from Mrs Mauleverer’s aloof son, Mark and his soon-to-be-betrothed, Lady Heverdon has thrown life at the Hall into disarray. They suspect Marianne has come into their lives under false pretences. But the longer she spends with Lady Heverdon, the more Marianne becomes convinced the opposite may be true.
As tensions within the family rise and Marianne finds herself growing closer to Mark, she begins to wonder whether her arrival at Maulever Hall has more to do with fate than chance.
314 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1963
95 people are currently reading
291 people want to read
About the author
Jane Aiken Hodge
54 books80 followersJane Aiken Hodge was born in the USA, brought up in the UK and read English at Oxford. She received a master's degree from Radcliffe College, Harvard University.
Before her books became her living she worked as a civil servant, journalist, publishers' reader and a reviewer.
She has written lives of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer as well as a book about women in the Regency period, PASSION AND PRINCIPLE. But her main output has been over twenty historical novels set in the eighteenth century, including POLONAISE, THE LOST GARDEN, and SAVANNAH PURCHASE, the beloved third volume of a trilogy set during and after the American War of Independence. More recently she has written novels for Severn House Publishers.
She enjoys the borderland between mystery and novel, is pleased to be classed as a feminist writer, and is glad that there is neither a glass ceiling nor a retiring age in the writers' world. She was the daughter of Conrad Aiken and sister of Joan Aiken.
Before her books became her living she worked as a civil servant, journalist, publishers' reader and a reviewer.
She has written lives of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer as well as a book about women in the Regency period, PASSION AND PRINCIPLE. But her main output has been over twenty historical novels set in the eighteenth century, including POLONAISE, THE LOST GARDEN, and SAVANNAH PURCHASE, the beloved third volume of a trilogy set during and after the American War of Independence. More recently she has written novels for Severn House Publishers.
She enjoys the borderland between mystery and novel, is pleased to be classed as a feminist writer, and is glad that there is neither a glass ceiling nor a retiring age in the writers' world. She was the daughter of Conrad Aiken and sister of Joan Aiken.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
November 3, 2021
Maulever Hall by Joan Aiken Hodge is a 2018 Agora Books publication. (Originally published in 1963)
Marianne, traveling with a young boy, suffers amnesia before she reaches her destination. Thankfully, she and the boy are taken in by a widow whose son, Mark, is away trying to establish his political career. But, when Mark turns up with his intended, Marianne finds him less than warm, and he refuses to believe her story. But, time passes, and Marianne’s memories still stay elusive, but certainly, someone out there knows who she is, which could put her in danger…
This is one of those old ‘Gothic’ novels penned back in the early sixties. Today, they would most likely be categorized as romantic suspense- but without the slightest hint of sexual content.
Reading these older titles can be hit or miss- as they are often hopelessly dated, but this one was pretty good. The plot gets a little far-fetched and nearly derails a few times, but the twist was surprising, and the conclusion was tense and exciting.
The romantic elements are very chaste- as many of these books appealed to teens and young adults at the time. This keeps the mystery at the forefront and keeps the reader in the dark so that one is never sure who they can or can’t trust- a common plot device in these books- but still very effective.
While I do have one or two of Aiken’s paperbacks in my collection, I found this one in the Kindle Unlimited program- which was good to see, especially considering how hard it is to find these old books these days without paying a fortune for them.
Overall, this book, though written over five decades ago, still holds up, and was a nice, clean historical mystery and romance with a bit of nostalgia included.
3.5 stars
Marianne, traveling with a young boy, suffers amnesia before she reaches her destination. Thankfully, she and the boy are taken in by a widow whose son, Mark, is away trying to establish his political career. But, when Mark turns up with his intended, Marianne finds him less than warm, and he refuses to believe her story. But, time passes, and Marianne’s memories still stay elusive, but certainly, someone out there knows who she is, which could put her in danger…
This is one of those old ‘Gothic’ novels penned back in the early sixties. Today, they would most likely be categorized as romantic suspense- but without the slightest hint of sexual content.
Reading these older titles can be hit or miss- as they are often hopelessly dated, but this one was pretty good. The plot gets a little far-fetched and nearly derails a few times, but the twist was surprising, and the conclusion was tense and exciting.
The romantic elements are very chaste- as many of these books appealed to teens and young adults at the time. This keeps the mystery at the forefront and keeps the reader in the dark so that one is never sure who they can or can’t trust- a common plot device in these books- but still very effective.
While I do have one or two of Aiken’s paperbacks in my collection, I found this one in the Kindle Unlimited program- which was good to see, especially considering how hard it is to find these old books these days without paying a fortune for them.
Overall, this book, though written over five decades ago, still holds up, and was a nice, clean historical mystery and romance with a bit of nostalgia included.
3.5 stars
October 12, 2019
I mostly enjoyed this old-school gothic romance. It has so many classic elements - old house, the moors, hostile servants, sinister woods in the fog, mysterious murder attempts, and questions of identity and intent.
If only there hadn't been so much plot driven by lack of communication! Even though I realize that this happens in real life, I usually just want to scream at characters to talk to each other.
Still, I think it's actually my favorite Hodge so far. She actually gives more to the romance than stating a happily ever after in this one.
This is lighter gothic fare, and I wouldn't go into it expecting anything unfamiliar or earth-shattering. Although I do enjoy the familiarity of a classic gothic atmosphere, myself. There's something cozy about it.
If only there hadn't been so much plot driven by lack of communication! Even though I realize that this happens in real life, I usually just want to scream at characters to talk to each other.
Still, I think it's actually my favorite Hodge so far. She actually gives more to the romance than stating a happily ever after in this one.
This is lighter gothic fare, and I wouldn't go into it expecting anything unfamiliar or earth-shattering. Although I do enjoy the familiarity of a classic gothic atmosphere, myself. There's something cozy about it.
August 2, 2017
'Marianne' came to in the traveling coach with a headache, a little toddler at her side and no memory of how she got there. One of the ladies inside pointed to her brooch with 'Marianne' on it, so she assumed it was her name.
Before the night is over, she is dropped off at an irregular stop (her request before amnesia befalls her), Pennington Cross, she hides from a lone rider and finds herself on the steps of a vicar whom won't help her. As luck would have it an elderly lady hears her dilemma and takes her back to Maulever Hall. It turns out that this woman is the mother of the gentleman whom owns the estate.
For quite awhile she continues to have memory issues and at the same time becomes Mrs. Mauleverer's unofficial companion. And no, it is not a spelling mistake...Mauleverer vs. Maulever, though I don't remember reading an explanation at any time.
Marianne has some 'uppity' moments and the little boy is pushed to the background of this historical romance. More than once I wondered why he was even introduced but there is a reason. The story actually barrels along at a pretty fast clip until about 2/3's of the way in. Otherwise, I would have rated it higher.
Before the night is over, she is dropped off at an irregular stop (her request before amnesia befalls her), Pennington Cross, she hides from a lone rider and finds herself on the steps of a vicar whom won't help her. As luck would have it an elderly lady hears her dilemma and takes her back to Maulever Hall. It turns out that this woman is the mother of the gentleman whom owns the estate.
For quite awhile she continues to have memory issues and at the same time becomes Mrs. Mauleverer's unofficial companion. And no, it is not a spelling mistake...Mauleverer vs. Maulever, though I don't remember reading an explanation at any time.
Marianne has some 'uppity' moments and the little boy is pushed to the background of this historical romance. More than once I wondered why he was even introduced but there is a reason. The story actually barrels along at a pretty fast clip until about 2/3's of the way in. Otherwise, I would have rated it higher.
October 16, 2019
About a quarter of the way into this book, I knew exactly where it was going. Our heroine has amnesia, and there is much mystery as to where she came from, who she is, why she was running away and who is the little boy she had with her, but who does not seem to be hers? When I tell you that she does not regain her memory until the novel’s overblown conclusion, hundreds of pages later, and that in the meantime she is proposed to multiple times by no less than three men, becomes engaged (halfway through the book!), is told that she is already married, survives multiple attempts on her life, and relies on the kindness of so many strangers she should be dead many times over even without the assassin on her trail, you will scarce credit it, nor should you.
The ending is even more nutty, in which our dismayingly foolish heroine a) believes a proven liar again, b) puts herself in harm’s way again and c) gives her psychopathic would-be murderer exactly what he always wanted, simply because he only decided to murder her and a child for the sake of love.
This book is ridiculous.
Of course, Gothic fiction is ridiculous; it’s supposed to be outlandish and near-farcical. It’s also supposed to be creepy, though this one misses that mark almost entirely. I haven’t read a lot of Gothics — most of my experience is drawn from Northanger Abbey and Georgette Heyer’s The Reluctant Widow, both of which are gentle but merciless parodies of the genre — but I have read enough to know that this attempt is… less than stellar.
Speaking of Heyer, I originally bought this book because Jane Aiken Hodge was her first biographer, and while that effort was not nearly as successful as Jennifer Kloester’s more recent chronicle of that elusive genius, I nevertheless was very curious about the quality of Hodge’s own historical fiction, and kind of ashamed of myself that I hadn’t even known such existed, let alone had read it.
If this is any indication of her general standard, though, I really haven’t been missing much.
The ending is even more nutty, in which our dismayingly foolish heroine a) believes a proven liar again, b) puts herself in harm’s way again and c) gives her psychopathic would-be murderer exactly what he always wanted, simply because he only decided to murder her and a child for the sake of love.
This book is ridiculous.
Of course, Gothic fiction is ridiculous; it’s supposed to be outlandish and near-farcical. It’s also supposed to be creepy, though this one misses that mark almost entirely. I haven’t read a lot of Gothics — most of my experience is drawn from Northanger Abbey and Georgette Heyer’s The Reluctant Widow, both of which are gentle but merciless parodies of the genre — but I have read enough to know that this attempt is… less than stellar.
Speaking of Heyer, I originally bought this book because Jane Aiken Hodge was her first biographer, and while that effort was not nearly as successful as Jennifer Kloester’s more recent chronicle of that elusive genius, I nevertheless was very curious about the quality of Hodge’s own historical fiction, and kind of ashamed of myself that I hadn’t even known such existed, let alone had read it.
If this is any indication of her general standard, though, I really haven’t been missing much.
read-in-2020
December 15, 2020Oh melodramatic plotting. All those machinations expended just to keep a thread twisting about for the length of a mass market paperback, more fun when turned to maintaining intrigues, much less so when designed simply to bring two people together or push them apart over some span of pages. (Worse when miscommunication and misunderstanding is a major driver of said plotting.) This is what I imagine to be pretty typical of the 19th century gothic romance / (pseudo)suspense revival of the early 60s: an independent young woman, stormy British pastorals, brooding aristocrats, a bit of danger, high emotions. It's certainly ably written and characterized (much better so than in the other big early-60s romance trope, the nurse novel), and even with a fair sense of historical-political context tied in, but I can't shake the sensation of reading particularly articulate fan-fiction of some other genuine Regency work. Even with a perfect Mary Sue amnesia premise by which author and reader can project themselves into the story with a clean slate, just a knock on the head away from a brand a new life. Honestly, for all its cliche, amnesia is a great device for creating sense of ahistorical contextless present, a narrative space where pulp can brush against surrealism and anything may happen. There's a bit of this in the opening pages, but it's quickly scuttled by an overly-comfy feeling wherein the heroine accepts her lack of memory (but for those handy fragments -- "I'm sure I'm well brought up, and know how to ride a horse well") and a place in new life in a well-equipped manor house. Given that the novel is named for a house, I just wish the hosue itself had had more sense of place and mystery. Not even a secret passage or a hidden attic? Does it have a basement of any kind? Who knows! Given the questions we and the protagonist must have, surely a little more direct exploration of this environment is in order. But that is not the purpose of this story.
I certainly would not have read this were it not for that classic 1965 Pyramid cover featuring a favorite pulp painting trope, the woman alone at night (usually in a white dress, here just white gloves with blue dress) before a castle out on a windswept cliff or moor. There are so many of these! They're probably mostly trash! Delightful trash!
I certainly would not have read this were it not for that classic 1965 Pyramid cover featuring a favorite pulp painting trope, the woman alone at night (usually in a white dress, here just white gloves with blue dress) before a castle out on a windswept cliff or moor. There are so many of these! They're probably mostly trash! Delightful trash!
June 5, 2018
This was my first Jane Aiken Hodge book and though it was a nice sedate book it just wasn't anything exciting to write home about. Marianne comes to after a bump on a head to discover she knows nothing of who she is and who the young boy in her charge is, the only clue to her identity is a brooch she wears. After finding herself in these dire straits she is befriended by Mrs Maulever, an eccentric woman who brings her to Maulever Hall where she becomes a companion. As she recuperates Mrs. Maulever prepares Marianne to meet her elusive, seldom home son Mark and his future intended Lady Heverdon. I appreciate nice, clean reads but this was a bit boring for me.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy of this in exchange for my review.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy of this in exchange for my review.
May 6, 2016
Marianne Lamb awakens in a carriage with amnesia. She is accompanied by a young boy. Where are they going and why? Who is chasing them. And who are they? Not much happened for the first half of the book and then it picked up but also became quite silly. Marianne is much too gullible.
May 31, 2018
In this book, Marianne wakes up after a carriage accident with no memory of who she is or where she is going. There is a child traveling with her, and they disembark in the middle of nowhere--a place Marianne herself requested but now cannot remember why.
She ends up staying at a place called Maulever Hall with an eccentric but kind older lady. Efforts to restore Marianne's memory are minimal. Instead, she becomes entrenched in the routine of the house, acting as companion to Mrs. Mauleverer.
The old lady has a son she rarely sees, but, of course, he soon appears on the scene, a perfect example of the brooding, Rochester-like hero for a besotted Marianne. (I did find him a little too much of a jerk for a while, though.)
And! Check all the boxes! He has a mysteriously scarred face! Handsome but dangerous!
I enjoyed this Regency romance very much, although I think it could have been a little shorter. It is well told and does not suffer from any annoying anachronisms or misplaced modern sentiments. However, it does feature a pair of characters who are in love but ready to believe the worst about each other, and their gullibility toward the end does stretch one's patience. Especially when the heroine quickly chooses on very flimsy proof to believe a man who she knows has lied to her before.
Also, when it was revealed who Marianne is, who the child is, and why they were on the run, I felt I should have figured it out much earlier. Many readers probably do. It's not a particularly surprising twist.
This book, Maulever Hall, is what I used to think Georgette Heyer novels would be like. True confession: For some reason I have not really liked the Georgette Heyer novels I've read. This, on the other hand, was easy to get into, charming and funny at times, and romantic in a brooding sort of way. Toward the end it had me speeding to find out what would happen next. I hope to read more by this author.
I received a digital copy of a new edition of this via NetGalley in exchange for a review. It did have a few distracting typos, but other than that I thought it was a great read.
She ends up staying at a place called Maulever Hall with an eccentric but kind older lady. Efforts to restore Marianne's memory are minimal. Instead, she becomes entrenched in the routine of the house, acting as companion to Mrs. Mauleverer.
The old lady has a son she rarely sees, but, of course, he soon appears on the scene, a perfect example of the brooding, Rochester-like hero for a besotted Marianne. (I did find him a little too much of a jerk for a while, though.)
And! Check all the boxes! He has a mysteriously scarred face! Handsome but dangerous!
I enjoyed this Regency romance very much, although I think it could have been a little shorter. It is well told and does not suffer from any annoying anachronisms or misplaced modern sentiments. However, it does feature a pair of characters who are in love but ready to believe the worst about each other, and their gullibility toward the end does stretch one's patience. Especially when the heroine quickly chooses on very flimsy proof to believe a man who she knows has lied to her before.
Also, when it was revealed who Marianne is, who the child is, and why they were on the run, I felt I should have figured it out much earlier. Many readers probably do. It's not a particularly surprising twist.
This book, Maulever Hall, is what I used to think Georgette Heyer novels would be like. True confession: For some reason I have not really liked the Georgette Heyer novels I've read. This, on the other hand, was easy to get into, charming and funny at times, and romantic in a brooding sort of way. Toward the end it had me speeding to find out what would happen next. I hope to read more by this author.
I received a digital copy of a new edition of this via NetGalley in exchange for a review. It did have a few distracting typos, but other than that I thought it was a great read.
August 1, 2018
This started promisingly enough but then descended into a series of improbable events and towards the end became almost farcical. There was no real explanation for some events and people were just stupid.
The child appeared once in the story and was then conveniently put aside - never to appear in a scene again. It made him little more than a thin plot device whereas in actual fact he should have been a major character.
I loved the title of the book 'Maulever Hall' sounds wonderful, but the surname was Mauleverer which is hellishly clunky to read and in the end I was gritting my teeth every time I read the dratted name.
The ending was abrupt and too many things left hanging in the air without any real conclusion.
Not one to recommend or re-read.
The child appeared once in the story and was then conveniently put aside - never to appear in a scene again. It made him little more than a thin plot device whereas in actual fact he should have been a major character.
I loved the title of the book 'Maulever Hall' sounds wonderful, but the surname was Mauleverer which is hellishly clunky to read and in the end I was gritting my teeth every time I read the dratted name.
The ending was abrupt and too many things left hanging in the air without any real conclusion.
Not one to recommend or re-read.
October 8, 2024
Delicious!! I devoured this. With the Gothic elements and the thrill of the mystery, I couldn't have hoped for a better story.
The characters were fab! Worked together very well. Moreish. The twists within this I loved and I didn't know what was really going on until the very last chapters. I really enjoyed the main character's story. Marianne's trials and tribulations were believable and I would have followed a second installment or follow up story.
The setting was fantastic! Who wouldn't like the idea of a large, creepy, Gothic style mansion in the middle of nowhere.
My first by this author and I will definitely be on the look out for others.
The characters were fab! Worked together very well. Moreish. The twists within this I loved and I didn't know what was really going on until the very last chapters. I really enjoyed the main character's story. Marianne's trials and tribulations were believable and I would have followed a second installment or follow up story.
The setting was fantastic! Who wouldn't like the idea of a large, creepy, Gothic style mansion in the middle of nowhere.
My first by this author and I will definitely be on the look out for others.
August 1, 2007
I remember reading this for the first time while staying with my Aunt Ruth in Mount Vernon, NY, eating chocolates. It is the perfect gothic: heroine with amnesia, dark, brooding hero, nameless villain, child in jeopardy, forbidding dwelling...
March 3, 2021
I read the first 150 pages, skimmed to the end, and wondered why I bothered.
August 26, 2018
“Maulever Hall” is a 1964 gothic mystery set in the Regency Era. All the ingredients for a great gothic have been skillfully blended into a well-written book: a sweet and naïve heroine, an atmospheric mansion on an isolated moor, a brooding and handsome master, and a bonus in the form of two funny and eccentric old ladies.
What sets this novel apart from other gothic mysteries I’ve enjoyed reading is that the heroine of this book has lost her memory due to a blow to the head in a carriage accident. She remembers almost nothing about her past, only that her first name is Marianne, that she can ride horses, and that someone who wants to harm her is following her. So, she not only has no idea whom to trust, but also has no clue who she is, which makes for some intriguing plot twists.
“Maulever Hall” is delightfully suspenseful, and I’m glad it's being republished for a new generation of readers. Thanks to NetGalley and Agora Books for an advance copy of a new digital edition in exchange for a review. This edition is now available through the Amazon Kindle store in the US and the UK: https://www.agorabooks.co/titles/maul....
What sets this novel apart from other gothic mysteries I’ve enjoyed reading is that the heroine of this book has lost her memory due to a blow to the head in a carriage accident. She remembers almost nothing about her past, only that her first name is Marianne, that she can ride horses, and that someone who wants to harm her is following her. So, she not only has no idea whom to trust, but also has no clue who she is, which makes for some intriguing plot twists.
“Maulever Hall” is delightfully suspenseful, and I’m glad it's being republished for a new generation of readers. Thanks to NetGalley and Agora Books for an advance copy of a new digital edition in exchange for a review. This edition is now available through the Amazon Kindle store in the US and the UK: https://www.agorabooks.co/titles/maul....
October 27, 2020
This book drew me right in. Sometimes it takes a while to get into a book, but not this one. A young woman wakes up in a carriage with a headache. The novel is set in 1800s England. She doesn't know who she is or where she is or where she's traveling to. The other occupants tell her there was an accident earlier, and she had hit her head hard but seemed o.k. She fell asleep and woke up with amnesia. She's wearing a brooch that says Marianne, so she figures that's her name, and the other occupants heard her call the little boy she has with her "Thomas". She senses she's not the child's mother. The other occupants inform her that when she first boarded the carriage, she didn't have money for a ticket and also asked to be put down at an isolated area that wasn't a regular stop. The driver was giving her a hard time about both of those things, but the occupants tell her that they took her side and he gave in. She is let off at the place she requested, and there is no one there to meet her. She has to walk until she finds a village. There she meets a kind elderly woman, who, intrigued by her story, offers her and the child a place to stay. Marianne has no attachment to the little boy, and a maid takes over his care. Everyone agrees that Marianne is a "lady", not a commoner. It's the way she speaks and carries herself, and also things she knows, like how to play the piano. Marianne becomes the elderly woman's companion, and also does some housework and is able to manage the servants. The novel makes it clear from the beginning that Marianne really doesn't remember her life before, she's not faking her amnesia. At first she feels she is taking charity, but then other people, including the family's doctor, tell her that she is earning her keep and then some, because of the order she has brought to an estate that had been in chaos, and also how she had improved the spirits of Mrs. Maulever, the elderly woman who took her in. Then the adult son, Mr. Maulever, comes home, and a whole new story line develops. I really enjoyed this novel until the last few chapters. I was planning on giving it five stars. But the ending was too rushed. Also, it seemed to take on a new tone. Most of the book was a serious drama with humor, but in the last couple chapters it took on a sort of madcap, facetious vibe. Then, the ending was so abrupt I couldn't believe that was how it ended. It turns out that there was a coherent plot that explained everything, including why she was traveling with a child she didn't even like and why she asked to be put down at an unusual location, but the revelations are revealed in a clumsy, awkward way. It seemed almost like the author had grown tired of the story and just wanted to finish it up.
SPOILER ALERT: There was something else about the ending that bothered me. It was the snobbery exhibited towards the character who was a Bow Street Runner. The Bow Street Runners were basically London's first professional police force. In the last few chapters of the book, everyone ends up at the Maulever estate. They don't come all at once, they come in separate groups. The one group, with the Runner and the Duchess, show up after Marianne has finally remembered everything and the villain is tied to a chair. Then, the "elites" circle the wagons around the villain, (who tried to kill a child, among other things). He may be a psychopath, but he comes from a good family, after all. He's one of them. They all also want to avoid a scandal. The Runner was immediately sent to bed, I think in the servant quarters, while his superiors sorted everything out. They untied the dangerous criminal and then they went out to the kitchen and made scrambled eggs and drank champagne, making plans to get the would-be murderer sent away to an island so that Marianne would be safe from him. (He tried to kill her too). It doesn't appear that anyone offered the Runner any food or drink. Someone asked where he was at one point and I think it was the Duchess who said he'd been sent away to bed. He was being treated like a nuisance. This really bothered me because throughout the book, Marianne hadn't known who she was, and she had worried that when she did remember, she might find out she was penniless, or that she didn't come from a respectable family. It made her very insecure and humble. You would think it might have made her a little more compassionate or empathetic. Instead, once she remembered that she was actually a very wealthy heiress, she reverted back to the self-centered snob she had apparently been before.
SPOILER ALERT: There was something else about the ending that bothered me. It was the snobbery exhibited towards the character who was a Bow Street Runner. The Bow Street Runners were basically London's first professional police force. In the last few chapters of the book, everyone ends up at the Maulever estate. They don't come all at once, they come in separate groups. The one group, with the Runner and the Duchess, show up after Marianne has finally remembered everything and the villain is tied to a chair. Then, the "elites" circle the wagons around the villain, (who tried to kill a child, among other things). He may be a psychopath, but he comes from a good family, after all. He's one of them. They all also want to avoid a scandal. The Runner was immediately sent to bed, I think in the servant quarters, while his superiors sorted everything out. They untied the dangerous criminal and then they went out to the kitchen and made scrambled eggs and drank champagne, making plans to get the would-be murderer sent away to an island so that Marianne would be safe from him. (He tried to kill her too). It doesn't appear that anyone offered the Runner any food or drink. Someone asked where he was at one point and I think it was the Duchess who said he'd been sent away to bed. He was being treated like a nuisance. This really bothered me because throughout the book, Marianne hadn't known who she was, and she had worried that when she did remember, she might find out she was penniless, or that she didn't come from a respectable family. It made her very insecure and humble. You would think it might have made her a little more compassionate or empathetic. Instead, once she remembered that she was actually a very wealthy heiress, she reverted back to the self-centered snob she had apparently been before.
June 30, 2011
The 1963 Pyramid paperback of Jane Aiken Hodge’s “chilling Gothic” Maulever Hall was only 254 pages and should have taken me no time to finish. Cut to me two months later wondering if this was some magical book that added a page for every page I read. It never seemed to end! But when it finally did, and revealed a twist I never saw coming I had to concede and say “well played Miss Aiken Hodge. Well played indeed.”
The heroine here, Marianne, has lost her memory and arrives at a dark and foreboding house with a kid in tow. She is instantly befriended by the mistress of the house, Mrs Maulever but her son Mark is less enthused about the arrangement. Just as Marianne becomes almost completely entrenched in the Maulever family her secret threatens to destroy everything.
Marianne is a frustrating character but it is hard not to root for her. And the men in this book seem to propose to women at the drop of a hat. Marianne is proposed to three times before this tale winds down, twice before she ever finds out her true identity. But as Gothics go there were plenty of rainswept moors, stormy nights, hysterical outbursts and mysterious men on horseback to satisfy any fan.
The heroine here, Marianne, has lost her memory and arrives at a dark and foreboding house with a kid in tow. She is instantly befriended by the mistress of the house, Mrs Maulever but her son Mark is less enthused about the arrangement. Just as Marianne becomes almost completely entrenched in the Maulever family her secret threatens to destroy everything.
Marianne is a frustrating character but it is hard not to root for her. And the men in this book seem to propose to women at the drop of a hat. Marianne is proposed to three times before this tale winds down, twice before she ever finds out her true identity. But as Gothics go there were plenty of rainswept moors, stormy nights, hysterical outbursts and mysterious men on horseback to satisfy any fan.
November 6, 2025
Marianne is travelling on a stagecoach with a young boy when there is an accident, causing her to lose her memory. It's a dramatic start to a tense and very enjoyable historical novel, set in the early 1830s.
Marianne and the child are taken in by an elderly lady who lives in a huge mansion. She finds herself in the midst of intrigue and dangerous circumstances, always with a hint of fear but with no recollection of why she was travelling, or who she is. There's a low-key romance, too, as well as many other subplots.
This is a suspenseful and fast-paced book. It's very well written and feels entirely authentic, with a political thread running throughout involving the 'Reform bill'. The characters are believable and three-dimensional, and I found it difficult to put down once I was half-way through.
Four and a half stars, really.
Longer review: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/...
Marianne and the child are taken in by an elderly lady who lives in a huge mansion. She finds herself in the midst of intrigue and dangerous circumstances, always with a hint of fear but with no recollection of why she was travelling, or who she is. There's a low-key romance, too, as well as many other subplots.
This is a suspenseful and fast-paced book. It's very well written and feels entirely authentic, with a political thread running throughout involving the 'Reform bill'. The characters are believable and three-dimensional, and I found it difficult to put down once I was half-way through.
Four and a half stars, really.
Longer review: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/...
November 12, 2018
Maulever Hall has a lot of Georgette Heyer about it - resourceful heroine, in the case suffering from amnesia after a carriage accident, eccentric aristocrats, cross-country chases (so much more fun in a coach and four!), murdered heirs, dangerous suitors... what more could one ask? Marianne has no idea why she is fleeing in terror on a dark night with a child she doesn't think is hers. And where is she going? She's not even sure what her name or status is. Does she have a guilty secret? She manages to be at once both capable and gullible, and I thought this quite convincing - the one thing that is clear from what she can/can't remember is that she's country-bred, and has no experience of the ways of the city or the ton. And she has only her own feelings to tell her who and what can be trusted, and her memory of fear and pursuit.
I liked it a lot, and am going straight on to my next book by this author.
I liked it a lot, and am going straight on to my next book by this author.
May 25, 2016
A great gothic read. I am surprised by the parsimonious reviews (and stars). I read a lot of gothics- and this one was definitely more complex and developed than others. The Heroine was likeable, and had a sharp wit which was entertaining. The Hero was dark and broody like the best of gothics. He was darker than most, and snappish. He had some great dialogue as well. Very Jane Austen in dialogue. I was very entertained, stayed up late reading. There was a twist at the end, which I saw coming to some extend (as with most gothics), but well played out. Will read more from Author. This book is clean, no swears/sex/ etc. Safe for tweens/teens/adults a like.
November 10, 2015
This is one of the few Hodge that I am not going to keep the heroine loses her memory in a coach accident to find she was going to Maulever Hall with a child who is not her own and she doesn't know why.
Its explained within the first few chapters but the intelligent heroine doesn't see it, she is also very gullible and...no definitely not one of my favourites it dragged in the middle and the romance as such was almost non existant. As a gothic it just about makes it but I'm glad I was already a fan as this could put a person off
Its explained within the first few chapters but the intelligent heroine doesn't see it, she is also very gullible and...no definitely not one of my favourites it dragged in the middle and the romance as such was almost non existant. As a gothic it just about makes it but I'm glad I was already a fan as this could put a person off
May 12, 2020
I especially love the Jane Eyre-esque first half of this book. The convoluted second half is fine but a bit more farcical rather than gothic.
June 18, 2018
Received a copy through Net Galley. I believe the book was originally published in 1963 and you have to keep this in mind when reading the novel.
It is a historic romance with a little gothic suspense thrown in. The herione's is depicted as an intelligent, strong and determined person. The hero has been wounded in the war and has a few issues because of it and he is depicted as a passionate political reformer. Unfortunately, the author does not give us much more insight than this, into the hero's character. There were issues I struggled with, for instance the fact that for no discernable reason the heroine had an intense dislike for the little boy she was supposed to look after. We are led to believe the young child who does not even speak yet, is a spoiled brat. However after her arrival at Maulever Hall the heroine spends so little time with the child and she cannot remember anything from before this time, it is impossible to see how she could draw this conclusion. Futher the hero quite neglects his mother and is ashamed of her because she cheates at card games. He generally does not seem to care for her at all. The romance between the hero and heroine comes to a head rather all of a sudden, without them spending terribly much time together. The heroine, who is for most of the book an sensible woman, looses all sensibility towards the end of the book and is easily lead by the villain. Found the conculsion to the story rather unbelievable, it read as if the author needed a speedy end and tried to fit 5 chapters into 1, Despite all this it was a pleasant enough read. It held my attention until the last couple of chapters when I struggled to finish the book. The suspense build up was good but the finish rather disappointing.
It is a historic romance with a little gothic suspense thrown in. The herione's is depicted as an intelligent, strong and determined person. The hero has been wounded in the war and has a few issues because of it and he is depicted as a passionate political reformer. Unfortunately, the author does not give us much more insight than this, into the hero's character. There were issues I struggled with, for instance the fact that for no discernable reason the heroine had an intense dislike for the little boy she was supposed to look after. We are led to believe the young child who does not even speak yet, is a spoiled brat. However after her arrival at Maulever Hall the heroine spends so little time with the child and she cannot remember anything from before this time, it is impossible to see how she could draw this conclusion. Futher the hero quite neglects his mother and is ashamed of her because she cheates at card games. He generally does not seem to care for her at all. The romance between the hero and heroine comes to a head rather all of a sudden, without them spending terribly much time together. The heroine, who is for most of the book an sensible woman, looses all sensibility towards the end of the book and is easily lead by the villain. Found the conculsion to the story rather unbelievable, it read as if the author needed a speedy end and tried to fit 5 chapters into 1, Despite all this it was a pleasant enough read. It held my attention until the last couple of chapters when I struggled to finish the book. The suspense build up was good but the finish rather disappointing.
June 20, 2018
First published in 1964 and now available again, this is surprisingly undated.
After an accident in a public coach, Marianne has lost her memory; she only knows her name because of a brooch she was wearing. Set down in a remote area along with the small boy she was accompanying, she hides from pursuit and finds refuge at the local manor. Mrs. Mauleverer, an elderly widow left alone by her son, welcomes her company. When Mr. Mauleverer returns home accompanied by a newly widowed cousin whom he may--or may not--be romantically involved with, the quiet life at Maulever Hall is upended. Several times.
Although it is superficially an old-fashioned romantic suspense novel, it is difficult to assign this to a genre other than historical fiction. There is a romance, but this does not have the shape of a romance novel. And a suspense plot underlies the events, but it is in abeyance for much of the book. It's not quite a Gothic romance, either. Regardless of genre, however, it is an enjoyable read.
After an accident in a public coach, Marianne has lost her memory; she only knows her name because of a brooch she was wearing. Set down in a remote area along with the small boy she was accompanying, she hides from pursuit and finds refuge at the local manor. Mrs. Mauleverer, an elderly widow left alone by her son, welcomes her company. When Mr. Mauleverer returns home accompanied by a newly widowed cousin whom he may--or may not--be romantically involved with, the quiet life at Maulever Hall is upended. Several times.
Although it is superficially an old-fashioned romantic suspense novel, it is difficult to assign this to a genre other than historical fiction. There is a romance, but this does not have the shape of a romance novel. And a suspense plot underlies the events, but it is in abeyance for much of the book. It's not quite a Gothic romance, either. Regardless of genre, however, it is an enjoyable read.
April 30, 2020
I've been a fan of the late Jane Aiken Hodge since I was in my teens, which was after I suspect this book was originally written. Not the best of the dozens of her book, but I'm glad I found it and read it. I wish, though, that the publisher (Agora) had done a better job of getting it ought there. Many, many typos that I tried to ignore but couldn't. Most of the characters were well drawn, but readers who aren't familiar with the first third of the 19th century may find it hard to follow. I usually like books that don't feel the need to explain everything in history, but this one failed to give even a hint to things that may be confusing to some. And the conclusion was a bit slapdash. After reading over 250 pages wondering who Marianne is, the rush to the end was a bit disappointing, and I couldn't believe anyone would choose to handle things the way these characters did. Still, to find a book by one of my favorite authors that I've never read was lovely!
June 1, 2018
The reissue of a Jane Aiken Hodge book from the 1970's is a pulpy historical romance that tries to push itself into the "gothic fiction/gothic romance" category but falls a bit flat. A woman wakes up in a carriage with amnesia, she has a young boy with her. Where are they going? Why are they leaving? Who were those other people in the carriage?
Through a series of events, "Marianne" ends up staying at the grand Maulever Hall - it has everything - a brooding hero, a villain, a child who kind of fades into the background and is really only used as a plot device.
This was probably VERY good in the 1970's but...I've read too many other historical fiction books that are more enjoyable and full of more ..spark.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Through a series of events, "Marianne" ends up staying at the grand Maulever Hall - it has everything - a brooding hero, a villain, a child who kind of fades into the background and is really only used as a plot device.
This was probably VERY good in the 1970's but...I've read too many other historical fiction books that are more enjoyable and full of more ..spark.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
May 25, 2018
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publishers for an honest review.
I have read this book many times over the last thirty years and enjoyed it very much. Sadly my copy bought originally in the 1970s is now a falling apart wreck of yellowing pages. Reading this wonderful tale of the the Heroine who has lost her memory and arrives at Maulever Hall with a child in tow and encounters the dark and brooding Hero is one of my favourites. This Gothic romance and with all its intrigue and secrets to reveal are what Jane Aiken Hodge is famous for in her many popular books. I recommend this book highly to all who love a Gothic Tale.
I have read this book many times over the last thirty years and enjoyed it very much. Sadly my copy bought originally in the 1970s is now a falling apart wreck of yellowing pages. Reading this wonderful tale of the the Heroine who has lost her memory and arrives at Maulever Hall with a child in tow and encounters the dark and brooding Hero is one of my favourites. This Gothic romance and with all its intrigue and secrets to reveal are what Jane Aiken Hodge is famous for in her many popular books. I recommend this book highly to all who love a Gothic Tale.
June 1, 2018
This was an enjoyable read that kept me guessing until the end. I did think Marianne was rather easily persuaded but she was young and suffering from amnesia. As for Mark, he was more aware of things than he let on and he is very involved with the politics of the day and the unrest in the country. The story had a number of interesting characters and a few twists and turns. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 9, 2020
Oooh. This is a bit like if "what if Jane Eyre was super confident and heartily disliked children". It was an entertaining read - a full-fledged gothic romance complete with a lonely manor house, its abrupt master and a dark life-threatening plot. And a hearty dose of amnesia. The book surely does represent its genre perfectly.
Read
September 5, 2021I gave up about 30% of the way in the book - I know I should probably stick with it a bit longer but it just seemed like nothing was happening and it wasn't going anywhere and the Ms Lamb just kept going on and on about "how come I remember all this stuff about Wellington but not about my life wahhhh"
July 24, 2017
Thoroughly enjoyable historical romance, with enough intrigue and mystery to prevent it from being a clone of Barbara Cartland novel.
December 16, 2018
2.5 out of 5
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews