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The Parlour Game: A Victorian Ghost Story
DEATH IS ONLY THE BEGINNING... a gothic tale for fans of The Clockwork Girl and The Shape of Darkness.
London, 1873.
Ivy Granger, an amateur botanist, is plagued by disturbing dreams and faceless whispers. Misunderstood by her father, she fears for her sanity - threatened with the asylum or worse, the hands of the man she loathes.
But a stranger at her mother’s funeral reveals Ivy’s world has been a lie, and she could have a different life, for she is capable of so much more...
Miss Earnshaw, London’s most renowned spiritualist, is Ivy’s only hope of revealing what secrets her mother took to the grave and discovering her true purpose.
Ivy’s journey for knowledge takes her to Blackham House, a building haunted by a terrible past - full of macabre artefacts and ancient studies of the supernatural. But behind closed doors, the Blackhams collect more than relics alone, and Ivy will soon find herself at the centre of a conspiracy spanning generations, and a hidden evil waiting to be unleashed.
Can Ivy survive in a world where women must play their part or risk being silenced?
London, 1873.
Ivy Granger, an amateur botanist, is plagued by disturbing dreams and faceless whispers. Misunderstood by her father, she fears for her sanity - threatened with the asylum or worse, the hands of the man she loathes.
But a stranger at her mother’s funeral reveals Ivy’s world has been a lie, and she could have a different life, for she is capable of so much more...
Miss Earnshaw, London’s most renowned spiritualist, is Ivy’s only hope of revealing what secrets her mother took to the grave and discovering her true purpose.
Ivy’s journey for knowledge takes her to Blackham House, a building haunted by a terrible past - full of macabre artefacts and ancient studies of the supernatural. But behind closed doors, the Blackhams collect more than relics alone, and Ivy will soon find herself at the centre of a conspiracy spanning generations, and a hidden evil waiting to be unleashed.
Can Ivy survive in a world where women must play their part or risk being silenced?
411 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 31, 2022
77 people are currently reading
1191 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
August 15, 2022
Ivy was learning from her mother to be a botanist, until her mother died unexpectedly, leaving Ivy to face her disturbing nightmares alone. Her father is of no help, and her Aunt Edith is worse, trying to force her into marriage. But when a strange woman appears during her mother’s funeral with a familiar symbol on a broach and an intriguing request, Ivy learns that she has been living a lie. But as Ivy tries to find the woman, she finds herself at Blackham House, a dark place that she can’t help but be drawn to.
This is a work of magical realism set in London during 1873, a time when spiritualism was on the rise. I enjoyed the incorporation of spiritualism and people’s opposing beliefs on the topic. The author did an excellent job writing the setting and including details that made it feel realistic and immersive. Similarly, the atmospheric and spooky parts of the story were excellently written and greatly added to my enjoyment of this book.
I really enjoyed the plot of this work and how it played out – I think the pacing was mostly well done, though the pacing of the last few chapters made it hard to catch my breath. There were a few secondary plots and hints of other things that were just thrown in without any real resolution or development. I’m not sure if the author was trying to use these as misdirection or just attempted to tackle too much in this book.
The characters were fine – nothing stood out to me about them, but they weren’t poorly written. I didn’t find Ivy to be the most engaging protagonist, but there was enough going on with this work that it didn’t bother me too much. I did feel like her love of botany was a big focus at the beginning, then was forgotten about until it became convenient for the plot towards the middle/end, which made her feel a little flat.
There were a few things that I disliked about this work. The book was quite exposition-heavy in places, which did slow down the plot to a certain extent. There were also many mistakes such as improper punctuation, extra words, missing words, and many instances of awkward wording that required rereading several times to understand. I think this book could use another round of editing to tighten some of this up.
Overall, I enjoyed this atmospheric read. The plot was fascinating, the author did an excellent job with the tension and spookiness of the plot, and I have a soft spot for works that include antiquarianism and mysterious collections. I recommend this book to lovers of magical realism, occult mysteries, and atmospheric gothic tales.
My thanks to BookSirens for allowing me to read an ARC of this work, which will be published on August 30th, 2022. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
This is a work of magical realism set in London during 1873, a time when spiritualism was on the rise. I enjoyed the incorporation of spiritualism and people’s opposing beliefs on the topic. The author did an excellent job writing the setting and including details that made it feel realistic and immersive. Similarly, the atmospheric and spooky parts of the story were excellently written and greatly added to my enjoyment of this book.
I really enjoyed the plot of this work and how it played out – I think the pacing was mostly well done, though the pacing of the last few chapters made it hard to catch my breath. There were a few secondary plots and hints of other things that were just thrown in without any real resolution or development. I’m not sure if the author was trying to use these as misdirection or just attempted to tackle too much in this book.
The characters were fine – nothing stood out to me about them, but they weren’t poorly written. I didn’t find Ivy to be the most engaging protagonist, but there was enough going on with this work that it didn’t bother me too much. I did feel like her love of botany was a big focus at the beginning, then was forgotten about until it became convenient for the plot towards the middle/end, which made her feel a little flat.
There were a few things that I disliked about this work. The book was quite exposition-heavy in places, which did slow down the plot to a certain extent. There were also many mistakes such as improper punctuation, extra words, missing words, and many instances of awkward wording that required rereading several times to understand. I think this book could use another round of editing to tighten some of this up.
Overall, I enjoyed this atmospheric read. The plot was fascinating, the author did an excellent job with the tension and spookiness of the plot, and I have a soft spot for works that include antiquarianism and mysterious collections. I recommend this book to lovers of magical realism, occult mysteries, and atmospheric gothic tales.
My thanks to BookSirens for allowing me to read an ARC of this work, which will be published on August 30th, 2022. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
March 27, 2023
A Victorian Melodrama!
Long winded it may have been but, it was a very good story. Gothic horror at its best! A truly scary tale of Egyptian mysticism, spiritualism and attempts to raise the dead. The author beautifully describes life and the rigid class system stifling Victorian society. A woman's lot was not a happy one, be they upper or lower class. The book's heroine was given a stark choice by her father, marry an obnoxious lecherous old man or be carted off to an asylum. Fortunately she did neither and ran away to find her destiny - and what a destiny it turned out to be. This story is well worth reading, just keep going with it.
Long winded it may have been but, it was a very good story. Gothic horror at its best! A truly scary tale of Egyptian mysticism, spiritualism and attempts to raise the dead. The author beautifully describes life and the rigid class system stifling Victorian society. A woman's lot was not a happy one, be they upper or lower class. The book's heroine was given a stark choice by her father, marry an obnoxious lecherous old man or be carted off to an asylum. Fortunately she did neither and ran away to find her destiny - and what a destiny it turned out to be. This story is well worth reading, just keep going with it.
October 13, 2022
⭐⭐⭐⭐--- Love the cover on this one!
My rating for this one depends on if there is going to be a sequel or not. If there is, then this was a strong 4 star read. Well written. Well paced. Atmospheric. Creepy. Mysterious. Strong characters.However, if this was a one off than I have to unfortunately knock off a star. The ending was rushed and confusing, and there were so many loose ends. What happened to the Jack The Ripper guy? The the vicar and his housekeeper? The weird old man at the jewelry shop? There is a ton left unexplained. So hopefully there will be a sequel! Author has confirmed a sequel!
**ARC Via NetGalley**
My rating for this one depends on if there is going to be a sequel or not. If there is, then this was a strong 4 star read. Well written. Well paced. Atmospheric. Creepy. Mysterious. Strong characters.
**ARC Via NetGalley**
July 24, 2022
There's a lot going on in this book, with many questions to be answered.
The main one being, what the heck is going on in that house?
It's all very mysterious and creepy, and drew me in completely trying to get to the end.
At times it got slightly over the top, but that added a fun element to the story for me.
All threads were nicely tied together, and I enjoyed the story.
The main one being, what the heck is going on in that house?
It's all very mysterious and creepy, and drew me in completely trying to get to the end.
At times it got slightly over the top, but that added a fun element to the story for me.
All threads were nicely tied together, and I enjoyed the story.
December 14, 2022
“𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘷𝘦𝘪𝘭 𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘨𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩 – 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘥𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨.”
✮ ✮ ✮ ✮
I didn’t know quite what to expect from this book, but it was brilliantly fast paced with shocks around every corner. This book covers the synopsis within the first quarter which is brilliant because you don’t know what to expect from then on, and the title gives nothing away but perfectly matches the storyline. I love that it was set in the past because I feel like historical thrillers give a more gothic feel just because of the era itself, and it helps that they can’t telephone and just say “err help me, I’m in a haunted house”, if you get what I mean?
This was a really captivating read. I wasn’t completely invested in Ivy as a character, I just couldn’t connect to her much except towards the end, however it was page-turning and I didn’t want to put it down. I think I am, however, invested in the series and I’m looking forward to more of Ivy and Miss Earnshaw, and maybe even Bancroft! The plot twists were unbelievable but the last chapter had me completely gobsmacked, I think Jennifer Renshaw has a hand for building the tension!
I think going into this book, as a reader, you need to believe that there is a possibility of a bridge between life and death connecting both sides, and that there are miracles and signs that may ‘slip’ through.
Thank you to Jennifer for the gifted copy of your book! Recommend to any gothic fiction lover!
𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐲.
✮ ✮ ✮ ✮
I didn’t know quite what to expect from this book, but it was brilliantly fast paced with shocks around every corner. This book covers the synopsis within the first quarter which is brilliant because you don’t know what to expect from then on, and the title gives nothing away but perfectly matches the storyline. I love that it was set in the past because I feel like historical thrillers give a more gothic feel just because of the era itself, and it helps that they can’t telephone and just say “err help me, I’m in a haunted house”, if you get what I mean?
This was a really captivating read. I wasn’t completely invested in Ivy as a character, I just couldn’t connect to her much except towards the end, however it was page-turning and I didn’t want to put it down. I think I am, however, invested in the series and I’m looking forward to more of Ivy and Miss Earnshaw, and maybe even Bancroft! The plot twists were unbelievable but the last chapter had me completely gobsmacked, I think Jennifer Renshaw has a hand for building the tension!
I think going into this book, as a reader, you need to believe that there is a possibility of a bridge between life and death connecting both sides, and that there are miracles and signs that may ‘slip’ through.
Thank you to Jennifer for the gifted copy of your book! Recommend to any gothic fiction lover!
𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐲.
September 29, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The hauntingly gothic atmosphere kept me turning the pages. My interest was piqued from the beginning and I became invested in the mystery surrounding the Blackham family, their haunted house and past.
I felt a connection with the characters that tugged on my heartstrings. I related to Ivy in many ways and loved watching her grow and not let go of her questions and suspicions about her past.
I adored the dark and mystical touches. There was an overall creepiness that added to the gothic vibe. This is a great book to get lost in during the upcoming chilly nights. I'm so glad I got to read it.
I felt a connection with the characters that tugged on my heartstrings. I related to Ivy in many ways and loved watching her grow and not let go of her questions and suspicions about her past.
I adored the dark and mystical touches. There was an overall creepiness that added to the gothic vibe. This is a great book to get lost in during the upcoming chilly nights. I'm so glad I got to read it.
August 31, 2022
When Ivy Granger's mother dies of a mysterious illness, she is left with her father, step-brother, & interfering cousin. The funeral is barely over before they are making plans to marry Ivy off to the local undertaker, a man who has already tried to assault her once. Fortunately at the church, Ivy had been approached by a woman she had never seen before who introduced herself as Miss Earnshaw, said that she knew Ivy's mother & asked her to come to London & seek her out if she wanted to know more about her past & continue her studies as an amateur botanist. Ivy runs away from home but when she reaches Miss Earnshaw's home, she is too late. Miss Earnshaw is a semi-famous medium & she went missing after conducting a séance at the home of the Blackham family.
Ivy pays them a visit but is mistakenly taken on as a housemaid in a mix-up, but she decides to use this to her advantage & investigate Miss Earnshaw's disappearance from within the household. The cook seems quite friendly, but Hannah, the other maid is standoffish & jealously guards her 'territory', whilst the gardener is very odd indeed & seems to do precious little gardening. There are a large number of birds in the garden, especially magpies, & they seem almost otherworldly. Meanwhile Alexander Blackham is the sole surviving heir to the estate after his brother died at sea, something his mother has never gotten over. Alex's first wife & child died mysteriously & he has just returned from overseas with a new bride, but it isn't long before she starts to sicken. There is something seriously wrong at the heart of the Blackham family, & Ivy starts to wonder if Miss Earnshaw is dead rather than missing.
This turned out to be a really good Gothic horror novel. Ivy is a main character with whom it's easy to empathise & become invested in what happens to her. The strange atmosphere & sense of foreboding at the Blackham home is evoked well & although I did guess some of the twists, I didn't guess them all. I'm not sure if there will be a sequel, but there really should be because of that ending & the fact that there are several loose ends that need finishing up. There was a slightly issue with pacing as it seemed to go on just a little too long, but it's a minor quibble. Overall I rated it a 4 star read.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, BooksGoSocial, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
Ivy pays them a visit but is mistakenly taken on as a housemaid in a mix-up, but she decides to use this to her advantage & investigate Miss Earnshaw's disappearance from within the household. The cook seems quite friendly, but Hannah, the other maid is standoffish & jealously guards her 'territory', whilst the gardener is very odd indeed & seems to do precious little gardening. There are a large number of birds in the garden, especially magpies, & they seem almost otherworldly. Meanwhile Alexander Blackham is the sole surviving heir to the estate after his brother died at sea, something his mother has never gotten over. Alex's first wife & child died mysteriously & he has just returned from overseas with a new bride, but it isn't long before she starts to sicken. There is something seriously wrong at the heart of the Blackham family, & Ivy starts to wonder if Miss Earnshaw is dead rather than missing.
This turned out to be a really good Gothic horror novel. Ivy is a main character with whom it's easy to empathise & become invested in what happens to her. The strange atmosphere & sense of foreboding at the Blackham home is evoked well & although I did guess some of the twists, I didn't guess them all. I'm not sure if there will be a sequel, but there really should be because of that ending & the fact that there are several loose ends that need finishing up. There was a slightly issue with pacing as it seemed to go on just a little too long, but it's a minor quibble. Overall I rated it a 4 star read.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, BooksGoSocial, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
August 29, 2022
contents: plot, review, TL;DR
The Parlour Game
Jennifer Renshaw
Plot:
On the day of her mother's funeral, Ivy Granger met a woman who claimed to know her mother. Desperate to flee from an uncaring family and an arranged marriage, Ivy ranaway to London to meet Ms. Earnshaw, who might just be her last hope, except– she'd gone missing after her last parlour game. Determined to find answers about the spiritualist and her connection with her mother rather than going back home, Ivy found herself posing as a maid on the residence Ms. Earnshaw was last seen. Little did she know of the mystery, secrets, and the dark past waiting for her to be unveiled the moment she arrived at the Blackham Mansion.
Review:
The book was very descriptive and incredibly written. The story progressed slowly but the mystery would keep you moving. There were lots of questions and I'm not sure all of them were answered.
The beginning was a challenge for me. There was an excitement when I picked this up and started reading, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't slightly bored. My attention span is pathetic and the story was moving slowly. Fortunately, the mystery started and I was highly intrigued. I got hooked and didn't mind the pace that much anymore (I was still a bit impatient, though, because I was excited and just wanted to know what's really happening).
The writing style was great! The choice of words and structure of each sentence were amazing; it intensed the moods and achieved the atmosphere suited for each scene. The descriptions were lovely, as well. I could imagine the events clearly.
I like Ivy's development. At 24, she was expected to be married or just be something. She's shy, not good at socializing, and had low confidence. And so, other people saw her as hopeless and just dismissed her. Until she was on her own amd she learned to believe in herself, be brave and wise.
There's a lot going on. There were times when I wasn't sure where the focus of the book actually was:
- Ivy's botanical dream. It's presence was so heavy I thought the book would revolve around that, but I wasn't sure it's crucial to the plot.
- finding Ms. Earnshaw
- then it became about the mansion
- feminism and the women suffrage movement.
Although all were related, I felt like the connections weren't fully established.
There were things that just came from nowhere. I didn't know what was the importance of that but it would have been better if there's some hint.
This book would make you ask so many questions. Of course, because it's a mystery book. More questions than there were answers, though.
There were small things that you wouldn't know had sinister meanings. The rats, the garden, etc. I like that.
The climax/ final confrontation reminded me of the movie Ready or Not. I enjoyed it and the suspense made my palms and feet sweaty but it fell flat. The ending too felt rushed.
There's some grammar, spelling, and punctuations problems. Hopefully those would be resolved before the release day.
TL;DR
In conclusion, I did enjoy it and the mystery was intriguing. Well-written but slow paced. Some problems that could be remedied and questions to answer. It has potential and I hope future readers would enjoy as well!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The Parlour Game
Jennifer Renshaw
Plot:
On the day of her mother's funeral, Ivy Granger met a woman who claimed to know her mother. Desperate to flee from an uncaring family and an arranged marriage, Ivy ranaway to London to meet Ms. Earnshaw, who might just be her last hope, except– she'd gone missing after her last parlour game. Determined to find answers about the spiritualist and her connection with her mother rather than going back home, Ivy found herself posing as a maid on the residence Ms. Earnshaw was last seen. Little did she know of the mystery, secrets, and the dark past waiting for her to be unveiled the moment she arrived at the Blackham Mansion.
Review:
The book was very descriptive and incredibly written. The story progressed slowly but the mystery would keep you moving. There were lots of questions and I'm not sure all of them were answered.
The beginning was a challenge for me. There was an excitement when I picked this up and started reading, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't slightly bored. My attention span is pathetic and the story was moving slowly. Fortunately, the mystery started and I was highly intrigued. I got hooked and didn't mind the pace that much anymore (I was still a bit impatient, though, because I was excited and just wanted to know what's really happening).
The writing style was great! The choice of words and structure of each sentence were amazing; it intensed the moods and achieved the atmosphere suited for each scene. The descriptions were lovely, as well. I could imagine the events clearly.
I like Ivy's development. At 24, she was expected to be married or just be something. She's shy, not good at socializing, and had low confidence. And so, other people saw her as hopeless and just dismissed her. Until she was on her own amd she learned to believe in herself, be brave and wise.
There's a lot going on. There were times when I wasn't sure where the focus of the book actually was:
- Ivy's botanical dream. It's presence was so heavy I thought the book would revolve around that, but I wasn't sure it's crucial to the plot.
- finding Ms. Earnshaw
- then it became about the mansion
- feminism and the women suffrage movement.
Although all were related, I felt like the connections weren't fully established.
There were things that just came from nowhere. I didn't know what was the importance of that but it would have been better if there's some hint.
This book would make you ask so many questions. Of course, because it's a mystery book. More questions than there were answers, though.
There were small things that you wouldn't know had sinister meanings. The rats, the garden, etc. I like that.
The climax/ final confrontation reminded me of the movie Ready or Not. I enjoyed it and the suspense made my palms and feet sweaty but it fell flat. The ending too felt rushed.
There's some grammar, spelling, and punctuations problems. Hopefully those would be resolved before the release day.
TL;DR
In conclusion, I did enjoy it and the mystery was intriguing. Well-written but slow paced. Some problems that could be remedied and questions to answer. It has potential and I hope future readers would enjoy as well!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 10, 2022
The Parlour Game by Jennifer Renshaw is an engaging and involved tale that beautifully captures a gothic feel as well as the narrative style.
There is a lot going on in the tale with and between characters as well as what is going on in the house.
I enjoyed this book a lot after adjusting myself to its style and allowing myself to become immersed in it.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
There is a lot going on in the tale with and between characters as well as what is going on in the house.
I enjoyed this book a lot after adjusting myself to its style and allowing myself to become immersed in it.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 27, 2022
There's a lot to unpack in the events of The Parlour Game. Book one of an intended series of paranormal mystery set in Victorian London, it features all the gothic eeriness you'd expect of the time: strangers lurking in smoggy streets, spiritualists knocking on wood, cawing birds flocking, and all illuminated (or shrouded) by gaslight. Nothing is quite as it seems, and despite a few points that might show it to be a debut indie novel, it made for a very engaging slow-boil of a read.
Our tale follows a Miss Ivy Granger, a young unmarried woman haunted by dark shadows in her dreams that only her mother could banish. Now her mother is dead, and with the rest of her family treating her with cool destain, she feels more alone than ever. So when a mysterious Miss Earnshaw attends her mother's funeral and requests that she visit her in London on business of utmost importance, Ivy seriously wonders if it's worth risking her father's ire to do so. But when she arrives in the city, Miss Earnshaw is nowhere to be found. She was last seen entering Blackham House, invited to provide services as a medium. It's almost as though she never left. Ivy takes it upon herself to investigate the strange family, as she suspects there's more to the mystery than what the police have been told. One thing is clear: something terrible happened there on the night of the parlour game.
Ivy's narration really sets the scene of a world where an isolated, sheltered young woman well aware of her flaws feels lost. Her emotional strain fairly oozes from every interaction. It's a long and very slow book but I didn't find it dragging, probably because of the way Ivy set the scene. She might not be the most lovable heroine, but she feels real and relatable if you've ever experienced self-doubt. The surrounding cast of characters varied, at times seeming a tiny bit characature-like (the unusually spiteful Cousin Edith or jealous maid Hannah who can't decide if she's nice or not), but there's a variety of unsavoury types who fit the bill for a Victorian gothic. Take the frightening old Lady Blackham whose bound to inspire a few nightmares what with her Ms Havisham-in-the-attic vibes, or the wilting Angelica prone to swooning and fits of... possession?
Because at the centre of this story is the theme of the paranormal, and boy does it keep you guessing as to what's real and what's not. It can read like a bad dream where details flit in and out of the narrative in strange, discombobulating ways. It'll certainly keep you on your toes trying to keep up with if something is as it seems or if Ivy's perception is being altered by the utter creepiness that is Blackham House. The atmosphere is so thick you could cut it with a butter knife. It reminded me a little of something Lovecraftian, only without the overt horror... or tentacles, thankfully; we just get evil birds of doom instead that will leave you side-eyeing every magpie you see from now on. It's impossible to go too much into the plot without spoilers, but suffice to say there's a lot going on and if you like a paranormal mystery with many moving parts, this'll do it.
The nitpicks I had were mostly editorial; honestly, a good round of tidying up would really make this one shine. There are the usual typos, missing and/or misused words (someone's "heckles" rising on the back of their neck, or "hordes" of items), and odd phraseology that jumped out at me, but also a rather frustrating misuse of punctuation that tripped up my reading (wrongly used question marks, commas where there shouldn't be, none where there should, misused semi-colons...) There were also odd continuity things that weren't part of the unusual timeline (), and sometimes the dialogue could come across as unnatural and exposition-heavy. The ending "action" too could feel a little confused and rushed, so I wasn't always sure what was happening or why characters were moving in the way they were. As I read an early edition of the book these things could easily be solved with a round of proof reading.
It's strange, it's slow, it's meandering, but that's all part of the charm of the characters slowly descending into madness. I don't know how historically accurate it all is () as it leans more towards the paranormal/fantasy side of things, but it's a darkly engaging tale that, with it's To Be Continued ending, promises more creepy revelations and confrontations to come.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Our tale follows a Miss Ivy Granger, a young unmarried woman haunted by dark shadows in her dreams that only her mother could banish. Now her mother is dead, and with the rest of her family treating her with cool destain, she feels more alone than ever. So when a mysterious Miss Earnshaw attends her mother's funeral and requests that she visit her in London on business of utmost importance, Ivy seriously wonders if it's worth risking her father's ire to do so. But when she arrives in the city, Miss Earnshaw is nowhere to be found. She was last seen entering Blackham House, invited to provide services as a medium. It's almost as though she never left. Ivy takes it upon herself to investigate the strange family, as she suspects there's more to the mystery than what the police have been told. One thing is clear: something terrible happened there on the night of the parlour game.
Ivy's narration really sets the scene of a world where an isolated, sheltered young woman well aware of her flaws feels lost. Her emotional strain fairly oozes from every interaction. It's a long and very slow book but I didn't find it dragging, probably because of the way Ivy set the scene. She might not be the most lovable heroine, but she feels real and relatable if you've ever experienced self-doubt. The surrounding cast of characters varied, at times seeming a tiny bit characature-like (the unusually spiteful Cousin Edith or jealous maid Hannah who can't decide if she's nice or not), but there's a variety of unsavoury types who fit the bill for a Victorian gothic. Take the frightening old Lady Blackham whose bound to inspire a few nightmares what with her Ms Havisham-in-the-attic vibes, or the wilting Angelica prone to swooning and fits of... possession?
Because at the centre of this story is the theme of the paranormal, and boy does it keep you guessing as to what's real and what's not. It can read like a bad dream where details flit in and out of the narrative in strange, discombobulating ways. It'll certainly keep you on your toes trying to keep up with if something is as it seems or if Ivy's perception is being altered by the utter creepiness that is Blackham House. The atmosphere is so thick you could cut it with a butter knife. It reminded me a little of something Lovecraftian, only without the overt horror... or tentacles, thankfully; we just get evil birds of doom instead that will leave you side-eyeing every magpie you see from now on. It's impossible to go too much into the plot without spoilers, but suffice to say there's a lot going on and if you like a paranormal mystery with many moving parts, this'll do it.
The nitpicks I had were mostly editorial; honestly, a good round of tidying up would really make this one shine. There are the usual typos, missing and/or misused words (someone's "heckles" rising on the back of their neck, or "hordes" of items), and odd phraseology that jumped out at me, but also a rather frustrating misuse of punctuation that tripped up my reading (wrongly used question marks, commas where there shouldn't be, none where there should, misused semi-colons...) There were also odd continuity things that weren't part of the unusual timeline (), and sometimes the dialogue could come across as unnatural and exposition-heavy. The ending "action" too could feel a little confused and rushed, so I wasn't always sure what was happening or why characters were moving in the way they were. As I read an early edition of the book these things could easily be solved with a round of proof reading.
It's strange, it's slow, it's meandering, but that's all part of the charm of the characters slowly descending into madness. I don't know how historically accurate it all is () as it leans more towards the paranormal/fantasy side of things, but it's a darkly engaging tale that, with it's To Be Continued ending, promises more creepy revelations and confrontations to come.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 20, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this arc.
When I first read the description I got super excited. But unfortunately. I felt let down by the book itself. It was long and dragged out in parts only for the climax to be rushed and confusing. The saving grace of this book
was the way the language flowed. The prose was very pretty which helped me enjoy the story more than I would have otherwise.
When I first read the description I got super excited. But unfortunately. I felt let down by the book itself. It was long and dragged out in parts only for the climax to be rushed and confusing. The saving grace of this book
was the way the language flowed. The prose was very pretty which helped me enjoy the story more than I would have otherwise.
August 16, 2022
This Gothic read had me glued to my kindle. I couldn't put it down.
Set in 1978, London, we are following the story of Ivy.
At her mother's funeral, Ivy feels alone without her mother. A stranger at the funeral gives Ivy new hope.
Running away from home in the country, for new hopes and a future in studying her passion, in London to this stranger, Miss Earnshaw, a spiritualist.
Hoping to find out more about her mother's past, she never knew.
But things weren't the way Ivy imagined them and landed her in a haunted house with its past.
Jennifer Rendshaw painted every single detail so beautifully in this book. I've enjoyed this book so much. It's full of surprises and keeps you guessing the whole time. It was wonderfully written and I can't wait for the next ones.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Set in 1978, London, we are following the story of Ivy.
At her mother's funeral, Ivy feels alone without her mother. A stranger at the funeral gives Ivy new hope.
Running away from home in the country, for new hopes and a future in studying her passion, in London to this stranger, Miss Earnshaw, a spiritualist.
Hoping to find out more about her mother's past, she never knew.
But things weren't the way Ivy imagined them and landed her in a haunted house with its past.
Jennifer Rendshaw painted every single detail so beautifully in this book. I've enjoyed this book so much. It's full of surprises and keeps you guessing the whole time. It was wonderfully written and I can't wait for the next ones.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 11, 2023
The year is 1873 and Ivy Granger stands alone at her mother’s grave. Ivy secretly wishes they had rather buried her cousin Edith who is already busy trying to marry her off or send her away. Now with her mother, Lillian gone Ivy fears for her future and doesn’t understand what her purpose is. When her mother was alive she had encouraged her pursuit of botany, studying and drawing the plants all around. Ivy has hopes of becoming a botanist and continuing her studies but fears her dream fading now as she is left with her father and the interventions of Edith who sees her as an inconvenience.
From a young age Ivy has always woke to voices and strange dark figures lurking in her bedroom. She would hide under her blankets fearing that the devil had found her. On the way to her mother’s funeral an old woman rushes at the carriage and warns how the spirits follow her. Shaken up by this encounter Ivy worries now that her mother has passed, who will keep the voices and creatures at bay in the night.
Ivy has no friends, no one she can safely confide in. She has always hidden in the shadows and listened to what others say about her, how she’s quiet and odd. Ivy herself doubts she would be missed if she died and thanks to her knowledge of plants would know how to end her suffering. As she stands at her mother’s grave her thoughts are suddenly interrupted when a striking woman approaches her. She introduces herself as Miss Earnshaw, Rosetta, a dear friend to her mother. Miss Earnshaw says they are family and has come to warn Ivy about the dark forces working against them. She tells Ivy that she has been protected for a reason but now she has to know who she really is. Miss Earnshaw advises that Ivy must come to London with her, that she can teach and protect her but before Ivy can accept her father appears telling Miss Earnshaw to stay away, before she leaves she hands Ivy a card and tells her to find her in London. Ivy is bewildered by this invitation but wants to learn more about her mother and the possibility of being related to Miss Earnshaw. Maybe she can help her understand why she sees and hears strange things at night.
Told in four parts the reader follows Ivy’s journey to disocver the truth behind this mystery woman who calms to have known her mother. She travels to London and seeks her out only to discover that she has disappeared. Her investigations lead her to Blackham House, the last place Miss Earnshaw was seen attending a party to conduct a séance. Thanks to good fortune Ivy is mistaken for the new maid and accepts the job in the hopes she will learn more about Miss Earnshaw’s disappearance. It doesn’t take Ivy long to realise that the Blackham house holds many dark, disturbing secrets. The house is full of strange, unusual collections from all over the world that many would and have died for, the infamous Blackham House collection is well known among many. The family is obsessed with shiny objects.
Blackham House has a mind of its own as doors bang and windows open letting in a cold wind that sends shivers up your spine. The food deteriorates quickly, often rotting the next day after being purchased, life does not last long in the house. Magpies surround the garden where exotic plants grow. Ivy notices how they shouldn’t survive in this climate and is desperate to take a sample. The more Ivy learns about the house the more she knows she has to find out the truth. The house is short staffed, Mrs Higgins the cook mentions how a few have left recently as Ivy works alongside another maid Hannah who takes an instant disliking to her. But when Ivy finds a truck full of possessions members of staff must of left behind she begins to question what would make them leave so hastily. Renshaw hooks you in, you are desperate, determined to learn the truth about Miss Earnshaw and the horrific secrets buried under the house.
Master Blackham, his new wife Angelica and his mother, Lady Blackham all live in the house along with the staff. Master Blackham has returned home with Angelica from Italy with the hopes that the ghosts from his past will no longer torment him. It is his mother’s wish that the vacant position in the household should be corrected as soon as possible but Master Blackham fears he has made a grave mistake in marrying again. He drinks himself unconscious most nights, stumbling about the corridors while his wife hides away in her room, drinking tonics to help her sleep and forget the nightmares. Ivy feels sympathetic towards Master Blackham at times but finds it hard when she hears how he treats his wife by locking her bedroom door at night. Ivy dreads going into Lady Blackham’s room as it is consumed with death. She feels uncomfortable and uneasy in her presence. There is something about Lady Blackham that scares her, makes her want to scream and run. But she can’t, she has to stick it out until she knows what happened that night at the séance. The truth will send your jaw to the floor dear reader. I did not see that coming.
Ivy is a strong, determined character to follow. She only wants to follow her own ambitions which do not include being someone’s wife. She wants to be free to study, draw, do as she pleases. Her mother wanted better for her and Ivy will do anything it takes to avoid a fate chosen for her by others. I enjoyed watching her develop and her confidence in herself gaining. It was fascinating to read and I cheered her on every step of the way.
I give The Parlour Game By Jennifer Renshaw a Five out of Five paw rating
Renshaw creates a suffocating atmosphere that fills the reader with dread at each turn. You never know what lies in wait in the shadows. I constantly felt like Ivy, that I was being watched. It was haunting and I loved every second.
The Parlour Game is book one in The Corvidae Hauntings, I can’t wait to see what happens next!
From a young age Ivy has always woke to voices and strange dark figures lurking in her bedroom. She would hide under her blankets fearing that the devil had found her. On the way to her mother’s funeral an old woman rushes at the carriage and warns how the spirits follow her. Shaken up by this encounter Ivy worries now that her mother has passed, who will keep the voices and creatures at bay in the night.
Ivy has no friends, no one she can safely confide in. She has always hidden in the shadows and listened to what others say about her, how she’s quiet and odd. Ivy herself doubts she would be missed if she died and thanks to her knowledge of plants would know how to end her suffering. As she stands at her mother’s grave her thoughts are suddenly interrupted when a striking woman approaches her. She introduces herself as Miss Earnshaw, Rosetta, a dear friend to her mother. Miss Earnshaw says they are family and has come to warn Ivy about the dark forces working against them. She tells Ivy that she has been protected for a reason but now she has to know who she really is. Miss Earnshaw advises that Ivy must come to London with her, that she can teach and protect her but before Ivy can accept her father appears telling Miss Earnshaw to stay away, before she leaves she hands Ivy a card and tells her to find her in London. Ivy is bewildered by this invitation but wants to learn more about her mother and the possibility of being related to Miss Earnshaw. Maybe she can help her understand why she sees and hears strange things at night.
Told in four parts the reader follows Ivy’s journey to disocver the truth behind this mystery woman who calms to have known her mother. She travels to London and seeks her out only to discover that she has disappeared. Her investigations lead her to Blackham House, the last place Miss Earnshaw was seen attending a party to conduct a séance. Thanks to good fortune Ivy is mistaken for the new maid and accepts the job in the hopes she will learn more about Miss Earnshaw’s disappearance. It doesn’t take Ivy long to realise that the Blackham house holds many dark, disturbing secrets. The house is full of strange, unusual collections from all over the world that many would and have died for, the infamous Blackham House collection is well known among many. The family is obsessed with shiny objects.
Blackham House has a mind of its own as doors bang and windows open letting in a cold wind that sends shivers up your spine. The food deteriorates quickly, often rotting the next day after being purchased, life does not last long in the house. Magpies surround the garden where exotic plants grow. Ivy notices how they shouldn’t survive in this climate and is desperate to take a sample. The more Ivy learns about the house the more she knows she has to find out the truth. The house is short staffed, Mrs Higgins the cook mentions how a few have left recently as Ivy works alongside another maid Hannah who takes an instant disliking to her. But when Ivy finds a truck full of possessions members of staff must of left behind she begins to question what would make them leave so hastily. Renshaw hooks you in, you are desperate, determined to learn the truth about Miss Earnshaw and the horrific secrets buried under the house.
Master Blackham, his new wife Angelica and his mother, Lady Blackham all live in the house along with the staff. Master Blackham has returned home with Angelica from Italy with the hopes that the ghosts from his past will no longer torment him. It is his mother’s wish that the vacant position in the household should be corrected as soon as possible but Master Blackham fears he has made a grave mistake in marrying again. He drinks himself unconscious most nights, stumbling about the corridors while his wife hides away in her room, drinking tonics to help her sleep and forget the nightmares. Ivy feels sympathetic towards Master Blackham at times but finds it hard when she hears how he treats his wife by locking her bedroom door at night. Ivy dreads going into Lady Blackham’s room as it is consumed with death. She feels uncomfortable and uneasy in her presence. There is something about Lady Blackham that scares her, makes her want to scream and run. But she can’t, she has to stick it out until she knows what happened that night at the séance. The truth will send your jaw to the floor dear reader. I did not see that coming.
Ivy is a strong, determined character to follow. She only wants to follow her own ambitions which do not include being someone’s wife. She wants to be free to study, draw, do as she pleases. Her mother wanted better for her and Ivy will do anything it takes to avoid a fate chosen for her by others. I enjoyed watching her develop and her confidence in herself gaining. It was fascinating to read and I cheered her on every step of the way.
I give The Parlour Game By Jennifer Renshaw a Five out of Five paw rating
Renshaw creates a suffocating atmosphere that fills the reader with dread at each turn. You never know what lies in wait in the shadows. I constantly felt like Ivy, that I was being watched. It was haunting and I loved every second.
The Parlour Game is book one in The Corvidae Hauntings, I can’t wait to see what happens next!
October 18, 2022
3.5
London 1873. Ivy Granger is devastated by the loss of her mother, the only person she felt truly understood her. Now her family is insisting she marry a man she loathes or face an asylum.
During her mother’s funeral she meets Miss Earnshaw who implies that she is kin to Ivy and offers her an escape; to come and stay with her in London. Out of options Ivy flees her home and travels to London only to find Miss Earnshaw has mysteriously disappeared.
On the night she vanished she was holding a seance at the home of the Blackhams, a house haunted by a terrible past and full of strange and ancient artefacts. Determined to find out what happened to Miss Earnshaw, Ivy takes up a role as a maid in the house. Faced with suspicious servants and mysterious apparitions, Ivy will have to be careful if she doesn’t want to end up as the house’s latest victim.
All of the classic elements of a gothic novel are included here; a haunted house, a mysterious atmosphere, a naive female protagonist, strange visions and supernatural occurances. Renshaw weaves all these elements together to create a thrilling and spooky book which never feels contrived or forced. Ivy is a sympathetic character and the inhabitants of the house are suitably sinister, especially Lady Blackham whose presence lingers over proceedings even in her absence.
The central mystery is plotted well and kept me engaged throughout, and some of the reveals at the end genuinely surprised me. The atmosphere and setting of the book is so well done and I felt immersed in 19th century Victorian London, fog and all.
Only slight criticism is the book could do with tighter editing, in some places the words used felt incorrectly chosen and pulled me out of the story. Overall all though I thought this was a well written and entertaining read which sets things up nicely for the sequel. One thing’s for sure however, I’ll never look at Magpies the same way again.
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review
London 1873. Ivy Granger is devastated by the loss of her mother, the only person she felt truly understood her. Now her family is insisting she marry a man she loathes or face an asylum.
During her mother’s funeral she meets Miss Earnshaw who implies that she is kin to Ivy and offers her an escape; to come and stay with her in London. Out of options Ivy flees her home and travels to London only to find Miss Earnshaw has mysteriously disappeared.
On the night she vanished she was holding a seance at the home of the Blackhams, a house haunted by a terrible past and full of strange and ancient artefacts. Determined to find out what happened to Miss Earnshaw, Ivy takes up a role as a maid in the house. Faced with suspicious servants and mysterious apparitions, Ivy will have to be careful if she doesn’t want to end up as the house’s latest victim.
All of the classic elements of a gothic novel are included here; a haunted house, a mysterious atmosphere, a naive female protagonist, strange visions and supernatural occurances. Renshaw weaves all these elements together to create a thrilling and spooky book which never feels contrived or forced. Ivy is a sympathetic character and the inhabitants of the house are suitably sinister, especially Lady Blackham whose presence lingers over proceedings even in her absence.
The central mystery is plotted well and kept me engaged throughout, and some of the reveals at the end genuinely surprised me. The atmosphere and setting of the book is so well done and I felt immersed in 19th century Victorian London, fog and all.
Only slight criticism is the book could do with tighter editing, in some places the words used felt incorrectly chosen and pulled me out of the story. Overall all though I thought this was a well written and entertaining read which sets things up nicely for the sequel. One thing’s for sure however, I’ll never look at Magpies the same way again.
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review
October 12, 2022
“But I want to live, not disappear and become like the servants before me.”
”Some men, like Victor Blackham and Frank, are afraid of the power women wield when they grow their potential, when we are released from the confinement of social restrictions and political restraints.”
I quite enjoyed this gothic horror story. It got off to a bit of a slow start for me, and I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy it. I was afraid this was one of those books where the author is trying to tell us how strange and unusual the protagonist is the whole time. That does happen in the beginning, but luckily the story really gets going after the first few chapters. I was hooked once I got into it. I HAD TO KNOW what was happening in that house. It was creepy and strange, which is exactly what I wanted from this book. It’s a fun fall read. The author does an excellent job maintaining the dark, gothic atmosphere. It was delightfully terrifying.
Then all those reveals at the end. Somehow I didn’t see them coming. I do wish a couple things were better explained. I can’t say what exactly without spoiling the book. The end felt a little rushed with all the major revelations. Maybe the author plans to do more explaining in the next book because she does leave it open for a sequel. It looks like I may have inadvertently started a series. I’m invested enough that I would want to read the next one.
Thank you Jennifer Renshaw and Book Sirens for this free arc! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
”Some men, like Victor Blackham and Frank, are afraid of the power women wield when they grow their potential, when we are released from the confinement of social restrictions and political restraints.”
I quite enjoyed this gothic horror story. It got off to a bit of a slow start for me, and I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy it. I was afraid this was one of those books where the author is trying to tell us how strange and unusual the protagonist is the whole time. That does happen in the beginning, but luckily the story really gets going after the first few chapters. I was hooked once I got into it. I HAD TO KNOW what was happening in that house. It was creepy and strange, which is exactly what I wanted from this book. It’s a fun fall read. The author does an excellent job maintaining the dark, gothic atmosphere. It was delightfully terrifying.
Then all those reveals at the end. Somehow I didn’t see them coming. I do wish a couple things were better explained. I can’t say what exactly without spoiling the book. The end felt a little rushed with all the major revelations. Maybe the author plans to do more explaining in the next book because she does leave it open for a sequel. It looks like I may have inadvertently started a series. I’m invested enough that I would want to read the next one.
Thank you Jennifer Renshaw and Book Sirens for this free arc! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
August 18, 2022
I would like to thank Ms. Renshaw and BookSirens, for allowing me to read this advanced review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. The story starts with Ivy Grainger, a budding botanist, going to her mother’s funeral. There she meets a woman, Rosetta Earnshaw, who tells Ivy she knew her mother and that Ivy must come to London. Ivy’s father forbids her to go to London or have anything to do with Miss Earnshaw. He has plans to marry Ivy off to someone she can’t stand, so she does go to London, but when she gets there, she finds that Miss Earnshaw has completely disappeared. Ivy is determined to find her. She goes to the house where Miss Earnshaw was last seen, Blackham House. The housekeeper mistakes her for a maid who has come to Blackham House for a job. Ivy immediately accepts the position and moves into the house, not realizing what kind of people she has now fallen in with. The story is Ivy’s search for Miss Earnshaw. Ivy is pretty much the only character I liked in this story. I would consider this book more of a mystery with supernatural elements than a horror story.
October 13, 2022
What a fantastic start to a promising new series. I apologise for posting a day late, but I wanted to finish the book before posting my review.
The Parlour Game is the first in The Corvidae Hauntings series...and also the authors debut novel.
I couldn't tear myself away from it, I needed answers and had to keep reading..."just one more chapter" and here we are at 3am writing this. Yep, it's that good!
Set in London 1873, the settings were gothicky, dark and very atmospheric, adding to the suspense and mystery.
Wonderfully written with some great characters and a touch of the supernatural.
When can I sign up for book two?
Many thanks to Random Things Tours for my tour spot.
Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Parlour Game is the first in The Corvidae Hauntings series...and also the authors debut novel.
I couldn't tear myself away from it, I needed answers and had to keep reading..."just one more chapter" and here we are at 3am writing this. Yep, it's that good!
Set in London 1873, the settings were gothicky, dark and very atmospheric, adding to the suspense and mystery.
Wonderfully written with some great characters and a touch of the supernatural.
When can I sign up for book two?
Many thanks to Random Things Tours for my tour spot.
Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
August 9, 2022
Another historical mystery and one of my guilty reading pleasures. A gothic tale of a missing spiritualist and this is only the start. Creepy in places and definitely not what I was expecting. Personally I have still have so many unanswered questions. What happened to the help from the vicar and his housekeeper? I want to know how it all began how Miss Earnshaw became a spiritualist and what was her childhood like? And where did she get her money. Personally I think this book needs a prequel and a more detailed ending. Still a very good read but it could have been so much more.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Read
February 9, 2023DNF. Couldn’t get into it enough to continue. No rating as that is not the author’s fault but my own but I still want to keep track of this book.
December 28, 2022
I gravitate toward dark and gothic books, and that is what drew me to The Parlour Game. The protagonist, Ivy Granger, leads a sheltered life in the country studying botany with her beloved mother. She has a strained, almost nonexistent relationship with her father, half-brother, and overbearing aunt. She has also been haunted by voices and shadows since childhood, which her mother has helped keep at bay. But when her mother dies, Ivy’s father forces her to choose between marriage to a brutish man or committal to an asylum…and the voices and shadows return. At her mother’s funeral, she is approached by the beautiful and mysterious Miss Earnshaw who claims to have known Ivy’s mother. She offers Ivy a home and the chance to continue her botanical studies in London. Initially, Ivy is stunned to learn her mother had a life in London before marriage to her father, but when her situation becomes desperate, she steals away to seek refuge with Miss Earnshaw.
Upon arrival in London, Ivy learns that Miss Earnshaw is a spiritualist and has disappeared. She was last seen conducting a seance in the foreboding Blackham House, home to the seriously creepy and dysfunctional Blackham family. Determined to find out what happened to Miss Earnshaw, Ivy goes undercover as a servant to the Blackham family and is plunged into a dark and dangerous world.
The sinister atmosphere in the book is dialed up to 11. Blackham House is incredibly creepy, and the author does an amazing job of setting the scene. I could picture each room of the house in all its horrifying detail. Toward the end of the book, there is one specific part of the house that mirrored a childhood nightmare of mine, and it seriously freaked me out.
I did find myself occasionally getting annoyed with Ivy due to her sheltered and naive nature. The pace is very slow, and it often feels like Ivy isn’t making any progress. But in the last quarter of the book all hell breaks loose. The ending is satisfying, but leaves the door cracked for book 2.
While I am a big fan of the dark and gothic, I don’t like straight-up horror, especially anything gory. For me, this book hit the right spot….it delivered on the foreboding, while never crossing the line into horror. I rated it 4-stars, and I look forward to the next installment.
Thanks to Net Galley and BooksGoSociall for this ARC edition.
Upon arrival in London, Ivy learns that Miss Earnshaw is a spiritualist and has disappeared. She was last seen conducting a seance in the foreboding Blackham House, home to the seriously creepy and dysfunctional Blackham family. Determined to find out what happened to Miss Earnshaw, Ivy goes undercover as a servant to the Blackham family and is plunged into a dark and dangerous world.
The sinister atmosphere in the book is dialed up to 11. Blackham House is incredibly creepy, and the author does an amazing job of setting the scene. I could picture each room of the house in all its horrifying detail. Toward the end of the book, there is one specific part of the house that mirrored a childhood nightmare of mine, and it seriously freaked me out.
I did find myself occasionally getting annoyed with Ivy due to her sheltered and naive nature. The pace is very slow, and it often feels like Ivy isn’t making any progress. But in the last quarter of the book all hell breaks loose. The ending is satisfying, but leaves the door cracked for book 2.
While I am a big fan of the dark and gothic, I don’t like straight-up horror, especially anything gory. For me, this book hit the right spot….it delivered on the foreboding, while never crossing the line into horror. I rated it 4-stars, and I look forward to the next installment.
Thanks to Net Galley and BooksGoSociall for this ARC edition.
July 27, 2022
The Parlour Game by Jennifer Renshaw is a such a captivating book. I enjoyed every minute reading it. The author has brought me to experience London in the old England days. I totally recommend this book to everyone interested in topics that dwell in the unknown and mysterious. She was able to build a momentum of making me want to know more of what is to happen in the life of Ivy Granger as well as to all the other characters involved in the dark, ominous looking Blackham House together with the many sinister looking magpies that seem to rule its forlorn garden. As I read, the mystery gets even deeper and I just want to know more of this unknown.
When Ivy Granger was very young, around 8 or 9 years old, she saw a terrifying shadow move in her room. From that time on , her mother made sure that she was always with her and very much protected. Everyone in their household believed there was something wrong with her mind. One day her mother dies and she finds herself trapped as her father believes whatever her cousin Edith suggests. Either she goes to an asylum or marry the undertaker, Mr. Whitlock. But a new hope arrives in the form of an elegant , mysterious lady, Ms. Earnshaw. Ivy Granger's journey of life takes a turn as she decides to know what lies in London and bravely trudge on to find what connects Ms. Earnshaw with her mother. Finding herself alone in London, an even bigger problem looms. Ms. Earnshaw is no where to be found.
Reading about the unknown has always enchanted me. It has led me to experience some encounters like déjà vu and/or dreams that predict the future. This book just thrills me. It lets me experience some occurrences in Ivy's adventure: watch, hear and observe something, overcome the ordeal or face the challenge. The Parlour Game is not just a story book to read. It lured a part of me to be in that game they started. So many secrets unravel and so many more surprises astound me. I just admire how the author came up with this story and I totally want to know more of what else is to come. I got this book for free and am giving an honest review. I give this book a 5 star rating.
When Ivy Granger was very young, around 8 or 9 years old, she saw a terrifying shadow move in her room. From that time on , her mother made sure that she was always with her and very much protected. Everyone in their household believed there was something wrong with her mind. One day her mother dies and she finds herself trapped as her father believes whatever her cousin Edith suggests. Either she goes to an asylum or marry the undertaker, Mr. Whitlock. But a new hope arrives in the form of an elegant , mysterious lady, Ms. Earnshaw. Ivy Granger's journey of life takes a turn as she decides to know what lies in London and bravely trudge on to find what connects Ms. Earnshaw with her mother. Finding herself alone in London, an even bigger problem looms. Ms. Earnshaw is no where to be found.
Reading about the unknown has always enchanted me. It has led me to experience some encounters like déjà vu and/or dreams that predict the future. This book just thrills me. It lets me experience some occurrences in Ivy's adventure: watch, hear and observe something, overcome the ordeal or face the challenge. The Parlour Game is not just a story book to read. It lured a part of me to be in that game they started. So many secrets unravel and so many more surprises astound me. I just admire how the author came up with this story and I totally want to know more of what else is to come. I got this book for free and am giving an honest review. I give this book a 5 star rating.
August 17, 2025
Okay so first up this is a slow burn and you have to invest in the book but it is definitely worth while. I adored the MC, and the whole plot was giving Agatha Christie meets haunted house vibes as the storyline dealt with a missing person wrapped up in spooky supernatural occurrences. I am a big fan of historical fiction, especially with feisty female characters and The Parlour Game definitely delivered.
August 6, 2022
“Eventually I let out a sigh and then a fraction of a moment later, something else also exhales.”
This is the perfect book for a rainy day. Grab yourself a cup of tea and dive into the dark and eerie gothic atmosphere that Jennifer Renshaw brings to you.
London 1873
“We are all the same, chasing something, the elusive thread of happiness or just being able to make it to the next day, avoiding the black hole that threatens to consume us with the fear of the unknown.”
Reeling from her mother’s death and plagued by a gift she doesn’t understand, Ivy Granger, an amateur botanist, arrives in Victorian London hoping to escape the destiny that her father chose for her.
Once in the city, Ivy chases after Miss Earnshaw, a mystery woman who attended her mother’s funeral and promised to give her answers to questions that had been bothering her for most of her life.
Unfortunately, things are not as straightforward as they seem, and Ivy finds herself working as a maid in a mysterious house with a dubious and troubled past.
Trying to find Miss Earnshaw and running against the clock and the supernatural forces that inhabit Blackham House, Ivy must uncover the secrets of the Blackham family before it’s too late and she becomes their next victim.
I liked this book. Séances, ghostly apparitions, voices without a body, a house, and a family full of secrets…
What is reality and what is just a dream? Is there any truth about what Ivy experiences, or is she slowly going insane?
I was completely engaged from the start until the end. Those first pages helped to set the mood. It was a slow burner, but it was worth it, although somewhere near the end things went a bit through the roof… But I rode with it.
I loved to see how Ivy grew from this sheltered and a bit naïve girl to someone who started fighting for herself. I can´t wait to see what the future has in store for her and her gifts.
On the bad side, some continuity errors had me second guessing and made me re-read some passages, along with a few spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors. I hope they will be corrected before the final version comes to the public.
I give this book a solid 4 stars
This is a book for you if you like Laura Purcell or books like The Séance or a House of Ghosts.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. This is an honest review and all opinions are entirely mine.
This is the perfect book for a rainy day. Grab yourself a cup of tea and dive into the dark and eerie gothic atmosphere that Jennifer Renshaw brings to you.
London 1873
“We are all the same, chasing something, the elusive thread of happiness or just being able to make it to the next day, avoiding the black hole that threatens to consume us with the fear of the unknown.”
Reeling from her mother’s death and plagued by a gift she doesn’t understand, Ivy Granger, an amateur botanist, arrives in Victorian London hoping to escape the destiny that her father chose for her.
Once in the city, Ivy chases after Miss Earnshaw, a mystery woman who attended her mother’s funeral and promised to give her answers to questions that had been bothering her for most of her life.
Unfortunately, things are not as straightforward as they seem, and Ivy finds herself working as a maid in a mysterious house with a dubious and troubled past.
Trying to find Miss Earnshaw and running against the clock and the supernatural forces that inhabit Blackham House, Ivy must uncover the secrets of the Blackham family before it’s too late and she becomes their next victim.
I liked this book. Séances, ghostly apparitions, voices without a body, a house, and a family full of secrets…
What is reality and what is just a dream? Is there any truth about what Ivy experiences, or is she slowly going insane?
I was completely engaged from the start until the end. Those first pages helped to set the mood. It was a slow burner, but it was worth it, although somewhere near the end things went a bit through the roof… But I rode with it.
I loved to see how Ivy grew from this sheltered and a bit naïve girl to someone who started fighting for herself. I can´t wait to see what the future has in store for her and her gifts.
On the bad side, some continuity errors had me second guessing and made me re-read some passages, along with a few spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors. I hope they will be corrected before the final version comes to the public.
I give this book a solid 4 stars
This is a book for you if you like Laura Purcell or books like The Séance or a House of Ghosts.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. This is an honest review and all opinions are entirely mine.
August 31, 2024
This is book one of this series. At first it was interesting, but then I found myself losing interest with all the information that was thrown in before it got interesting again.
With all the mentions of Ivy and her interest in botany, I figured we would get more than just a reminder that she was interested in it throughout the book. There were also side stories that hooked me but seemed to be glossed over or not mentioned again.
With the ending making it seem like we might get more, I am curious to see some answers for things I feel like didn’t get answered. There is definitely room for improvement and I’m curious to see where it all goes. I received an advanced readers copy via Hidden Gems. These thoughts and opinions are my own.
With all the mentions of Ivy and her interest in botany, I figured we would get more than just a reminder that she was interested in it throughout the book. There were also side stories that hooked me but seemed to be glossed over or not mentioned again.
With the ending making it seem like we might get more, I am curious to see some answers for things I feel like didn’t get answered. There is definitely room for improvement and I’m curious to see where it all goes. I received an advanced readers copy via Hidden Gems. These thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 4, 2022
1873 Ivy Granger has travelled to London to visit Rosetta Earnshaw, a stranger, who turned up at her mother's funeral. Events lead her to becoming a maid at Blackham House the last sighting of Rosetta. Can she discover the whereabouts of Rosetta and solve the mystery of the House.
A Victorian gothic story which for me took too long in the telling.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
A Victorian gothic story which for me took too long in the telling.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 11, 2023
Oh god I have finally finished this book.
It went on and on and on and…
Hey I know let’s think of the most ludicrous and unbelievable connections to keep this awful book going for another one hundred pages!
It went on and on and on and…
Hey I know let’s think of the most ludicrous and unbelievable connections to keep this awful book going for another one hundred pages!
October 13, 2022
When Ivy Granger meets an enigmatic stranger at her mother’s funeral, she is drawn into a dangerous world of secrets, lies, and the supernatural. Working undercover at the gothic and isolated Blackham House, Ivy soon learns that there was far more to her mother – and her own talents – than meets the eye. But Blackham House is home to far more than macabre artifacts. Sinister secrets and hidden evils lie at the centre of the Blackham family and Ivy may be the key to unlocking them.
The Parlour Game, the debut novel from independent author Jennifer Renshaw, is the first in what promises to be a series of ‘Corvidae Hauntings’: supernatural gothic horrors with Corvidae (the family of birds that features crows, blackbirds, ravens, rooks, and jackdaws) at their heart. Quite how each novel will connect together I’m not sure but, on the basis of The Parlour Game, there are plenty of mysteries left to be uncovered!
Indeed, this is not a novel to read if you like your endings neat and tidy. Whilst the ending has plenty of suspense – and some fantastically unexpected twists – it leaves several questions unanswered and, arguably, felt somewhat rushed in comparison to the considerably more sedate pace of the novel’s opening act.
Minor quibbles with pacing aside, however, Jennifer Renshaw does a brilliant job of developing a sense of foreboding. From the stifling and oppressive confines of Ivy’s family home to the fading gothic grandeur of Blackham House, the novel oozes atmosphere from every page. There’s also plenty of intrigue, with several plot strands that don’t come together until novel’s denouement and keep the pages turning.
Ivy makes for an interesting and empathetic protagonist. Intelligent and determined but shy and retiring, she’s underappreciated by her family and often underestimated by those around her. Given its prominence in the opening act, I was a little disappointed that Ivy’s interest in botany wasn’t fully utilised later in the novel, but I enjoyed seeing her grow and develop as a character, nonetheless. I’m also enjoyed learning about the novel’s antagonists and the generational conspiracy that lies at the heart of their sinister machinations.
On the basis of The Parlour Game, it’s clear that Jennifer Renshaw knows her gothic horror and can spin an enjoyable yarn. Whilst there is a lot going on – not all of which ends up being immediately relevant to Ivy’s story or fully resolved by the end of the novel – it’s important to remember that this is the first novel in a series. As such, it’s an intriguing foundation to what promises to be a spooky supernatural journey into the dark heart of nineteenth century London.
NB: This review also appears on my blog at https://theshelfofunreadbooks.wordpre... as part of the blog tour for the book. My thanks go to the author for providing a copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
The Parlour Game, the debut novel from independent author Jennifer Renshaw, is the first in what promises to be a series of ‘Corvidae Hauntings’: supernatural gothic horrors with Corvidae (the family of birds that features crows, blackbirds, ravens, rooks, and jackdaws) at their heart. Quite how each novel will connect together I’m not sure but, on the basis of The Parlour Game, there are plenty of mysteries left to be uncovered!
Indeed, this is not a novel to read if you like your endings neat and tidy. Whilst the ending has plenty of suspense – and some fantastically unexpected twists – it leaves several questions unanswered and, arguably, felt somewhat rushed in comparison to the considerably more sedate pace of the novel’s opening act.
Minor quibbles with pacing aside, however, Jennifer Renshaw does a brilliant job of developing a sense of foreboding. From the stifling and oppressive confines of Ivy’s family home to the fading gothic grandeur of Blackham House, the novel oozes atmosphere from every page. There’s also plenty of intrigue, with several plot strands that don’t come together until novel’s denouement and keep the pages turning.
Ivy makes for an interesting and empathetic protagonist. Intelligent and determined but shy and retiring, she’s underappreciated by her family and often underestimated by those around her. Given its prominence in the opening act, I was a little disappointed that Ivy’s interest in botany wasn’t fully utilised later in the novel, but I enjoyed seeing her grow and develop as a character, nonetheless. I’m also enjoyed learning about the novel’s antagonists and the generational conspiracy that lies at the heart of their sinister machinations.
On the basis of The Parlour Game, it’s clear that Jennifer Renshaw knows her gothic horror and can spin an enjoyable yarn. Whilst there is a lot going on – not all of which ends up being immediately relevant to Ivy’s story or fully resolved by the end of the novel – it’s important to remember that this is the first novel in a series. As such, it’s an intriguing foundation to what promises to be a spooky supernatural journey into the dark heart of nineteenth century London.
NB: This review also appears on my blog at https://theshelfofunreadbooks.wordpre... as part of the blog tour for the book. My thanks go to the author for providing a copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
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August 8, 2022Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC in return for a fair review!
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Content Warnings:
***Disclaimer:*** This is by no means the full trigger list for The Parlour Game. These are triggers that are depicted within the first 1/3 of the book and were caught by me. There are likely more throughout the book with descriptions ranging from implied, vague, and descriptive.
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DNF @ 30%.
The book can be good for the right person, but it was not right for me. I will spare a review on the book given that I did not finish it but have no outwardly strong emotions. However, I will warn any potential readers that there are no trigger warnings or content lists anywhere in the book. The trigger involved is literally within the first 5 pages of the book and felt like I'd been blindsided right out the gate.
The Parlour Game is a heavy novel. To me, it felt like wading through a swamp or a bog, and no book should feel forced to be finished. The writing needs a solid round of proofreading to clean up typos and mismatched words, and to clear up a few scenes that felt very backward and sloppy. One is in the first chapter or two, and I had to re-read it a few times to try and figure out what was going on.
Each character is clearly very complex with their own demons and ghosts haunting them. It is clear that no one in the book is safe from madness and insanity which I enjoy. I like a book that does not discriminate against its characters and provides a gradual sense of higher and higher stakes as the plot carries on. Ivy is clearly haunted by something, and while I will never know exactly, I think depending on how the author took it, it can go in a really interesting way. The Blackham House carries a lot of dark secrets and baggage to sift through for sure, ranging from generational trauma to the recent traumas involving specific plot points that Ivy is thrown into in her search for answers.
I think the scene and setting descriptions are done well. The author does a good job of setting up the mood for a particular interaction, so good on them for that.
The book just simply was not for me, so I hope anyone who reads this takes this with a grain of salt! I wish the author the best and congratulate them for fulfilling the goal of writing and publishing a book! :)
---
Content Warnings:
***Disclaimer:*** This is by no means the full trigger list for The Parlour Game. These are triggers that are depicted within the first 1/3 of the book and were caught by me. There are likely more throughout the book with descriptions ranging from implied, vague, and descriptive.
---
DNF @ 30%.
The book can be good for the right person, but it was not right for me. I will spare a review on the book given that I did not finish it but have no outwardly strong emotions. However, I will warn any potential readers that there are no trigger warnings or content lists anywhere in the book. The trigger involved is literally within the first 5 pages of the book and felt like I'd been blindsided right out the gate.
The Parlour Game is a heavy novel. To me, it felt like wading through a swamp or a bog, and no book should feel forced to be finished. The writing needs a solid round of proofreading to clean up typos and mismatched words, and to clear up a few scenes that felt very backward and sloppy. One is in the first chapter or two, and I had to re-read it a few times to try and figure out what was going on.
Each character is clearly very complex with their own demons and ghosts haunting them. It is clear that no one in the book is safe from madness and insanity which I enjoy. I like a book that does not discriminate against its characters and provides a gradual sense of higher and higher stakes as the plot carries on. Ivy is clearly haunted by something, and while I will never know exactly, I think depending on how the author took it, it can go in a really interesting way. The Blackham House carries a lot of dark secrets and baggage to sift through for sure, ranging from generational trauma to the recent traumas involving specific plot points that Ivy is thrown into in her search for answers.
I think the scene and setting descriptions are done well. The author does a good job of setting up the mood for a particular interaction, so good on them for that.
The book just simply was not for me, so I hope anyone who reads this takes this with a grain of salt! I wish the author the best and congratulate them for fulfilling the goal of writing and publishing a book! :)
October 6, 2022
The Parlour Game by Jennifer Renshaw is set in the 19th century, and follows the protagonist Ivy Granger, opening the story with the funeral of her mother and continuing as she leaves her pastoral life for London when pushed toward a future she does not want for herself. She thinks she will be welcomed into the home of a possible relative, but instead she finds herself thrust into a mystery that soon spins out of her control and leaves her struggling to make it out alive--or with her wits still intact.
This book is simply marvellous! I could be biased in saying so, given my love of both spiritualism and the Victorian Era, but I think it would appeal to fans too of suspense or horror books. The last third of the book is a masterpiece of tense foreboding, and I couldn't sleep until I had finished it and reached the conclusion of the story. It leaves you turning the pages faster and faster, cursing yourself that you can't read quicker so as to find out what happens all the sooner.
I see that there are plans for this to be a series, and I definitely will have to pick up any future instalments!
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
A couple thoughts, however, added here and not on NetGalley:
-It's funny because--completely by happenstance--I keep picking up these books with women who are fighting to make their way and underlining how men can be cruel, or use them for their whims, or treat them like objects. I like it, to see women fight back. It gives me hope with, you know, the current climate of the world.
-There were a couple areas where the characters kind of stopped to explain things that made the scene a bit awkward, like how Blackham told his father about things that happened in his childhood. It was for the benefit of Ivy (and the reader), but it was still a bit unnatural. I don't mind it, just food for thought.
-In some places, quotations were dropped. Nothing too profound, but I know some people on here are crazy nitpicky and will go "I simply couldn't finish the book!" when they see stuff like that. Again, I don't mind that either, but noticed it.
To finish this review, I will again say: the book is a delight and worth picking up! I could see it being a great movie; the imagery is so evocative and I found myself almost holding my breath at certain points near the end of the novel. I generally avoid series and cursed when I realised it was part of one, but I'm SO happy I read it.
This book is simply marvellous! I could be biased in saying so, given my love of both spiritualism and the Victorian Era, but I think it would appeal to fans too of suspense or horror books. The last third of the book is a masterpiece of tense foreboding, and I couldn't sleep until I had finished it and reached the conclusion of the story. It leaves you turning the pages faster and faster, cursing yourself that you can't read quicker so as to find out what happens all the sooner.
I see that there are plans for this to be a series, and I definitely will have to pick up any future instalments!
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
A couple thoughts, however, added here and not on NetGalley:
-It's funny because--completely by happenstance--I keep picking up these books with women who are fighting to make their way and underlining how men can be cruel, or use them for their whims, or treat them like objects. I like it, to see women fight back. It gives me hope with, you know, the current climate of the world.
-There were a couple areas where the characters kind of stopped to explain things that made the scene a bit awkward, like how Blackham told his father about things that happened in his childhood. It was for the benefit of Ivy (and the reader), but it was still a bit unnatural. I don't mind it, just food for thought.
-In some places, quotations were dropped. Nothing too profound, but I know some people on here are crazy nitpicky and will go "I simply couldn't finish the book!" when they see stuff like that. Again, I don't mind that either, but noticed it.
To finish this review, I will again say: the book is a delight and worth picking up! I could see it being a great movie; the imagery is so evocative and I found myself almost holding my breath at certain points near the end of the novel. I generally avoid series and cursed when I realised it was part of one, but I'm SO happy I read it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 10, 2022
Ivy is still reeling from the recent death of her dear mother, when at the funeral, she is approached by a strange woman who professes to know her, and insists that Ivy visit her in London, where she will be able to help Ivy to grow her skills as a botanist.
It's cousin Edith has taken it upon herself to "help" Ivy move on with her life and has seen for to arrange a marriage with an odious man, Mr Whitlock, who once forced his unwanted attentions upon Ivy.
Sadly, Ivy's father has no time to listen to her pleas against the marriage, and insists it proceed. Ivy sees no other way out but to escape the country and try to find the mysterious Miss Earnshaw.
After a traumatic journey, Ivy finds herself at Miss Earnshaw's residence, only to find from the housekeeper that Miss Earnshaw has disappeared.
Ivy tries to investigate the disappearance of Miss Earnshaw, and her steps take her to the Blackham residence where Miss Earnshaw was last seen, after being invited to hold a seance.
When she arrives at the Blackham residence, Ivy is mistaken to be a newly arrived help. Facing that, or returning home to an unwanted marriage, Ivy takes the position of maid.
Far from being made to feel welcome, the other maid Hannah, goes out of her way to make Ivy feel unwelcome and barely acknowledges her presence.
Within a short space of time Ivy comes to realise that all is not right in the Blackham residence. There are mysterious goings on, an unnatural amount of birds in the overgrown, uncared for garden and nothing seems to stay alive or fresh for very long be it vegetables or cut flowers.
Things are far from right within the Blackham residence, and the more time Ivy is there, the more she can feel it. Voices constantly pressing in on her.
The last few pages of this book are a whirlwind of revelations that will have you on the edge of your seats, frantically turning the page to see what comes next.
This was a thoroughly enjoyable read and will appeal to a wide audience.
It's cousin Edith has taken it upon herself to "help" Ivy move on with her life and has seen for to arrange a marriage with an odious man, Mr Whitlock, who once forced his unwanted attentions upon Ivy.
Sadly, Ivy's father has no time to listen to her pleas against the marriage, and insists it proceed. Ivy sees no other way out but to escape the country and try to find the mysterious Miss Earnshaw.
After a traumatic journey, Ivy finds herself at Miss Earnshaw's residence, only to find from the housekeeper that Miss Earnshaw has disappeared.
Ivy tries to investigate the disappearance of Miss Earnshaw, and her steps take her to the Blackham residence where Miss Earnshaw was last seen, after being invited to hold a seance.
When she arrives at the Blackham residence, Ivy is mistaken to be a newly arrived help. Facing that, or returning home to an unwanted marriage, Ivy takes the position of maid.
Far from being made to feel welcome, the other maid Hannah, goes out of her way to make Ivy feel unwelcome and barely acknowledges her presence.
Within a short space of time Ivy comes to realise that all is not right in the Blackham residence. There are mysterious goings on, an unnatural amount of birds in the overgrown, uncared for garden and nothing seems to stay alive or fresh for very long be it vegetables or cut flowers.
Things are far from right within the Blackham residence, and the more time Ivy is there, the more she can feel it. Voices constantly pressing in on her.
The last few pages of this book are a whirlwind of revelations that will have you on the edge of your seats, frantically turning the page to see what comes next.
This was a thoroughly enjoyable read and will appeal to a wide audience.
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