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Hickory Dickory Death: A Soul for A Soul
A Soul for A Soul I am a woman
I am a man
I am the one who seeks revenge In Victorian Era England, five people come face to face with life’s most feared Death. During their time of mourning, each is approached by a peddler woman who calls herself Persephone. Surrounded in mystery and magic, she gives the grievers advice and hands them a box which contains an article of jewelry. Beneath the beauty and sparkle, lies a secret that is more than the recipients An escape from their sorrow… A chance for revenge…
A bewitching exchange… A soul for a soul… The chosen must come to grips with their own quests in order to right the wrongs that have been inflicted on their spirits.
I am a man
I am the one who seeks revenge In Victorian Era England, five people come face to face with life’s most feared Death. During their time of mourning, each is approached by a peddler woman who calls herself Persephone. Surrounded in mystery and magic, she gives the grievers advice and hands them a box which contains an article of jewelry. Beneath the beauty and sparkle, lies a secret that is more than the recipients An escape from their sorrow… A chance for revenge…
A bewitching exchange… A soul for a soul… The chosen must come to grips with their own quests in order to right the wrongs that have been inflicted on their spirits.
- GenresFantasy
318 pages, Hardcover
Published November 6, 2022
17 people are currently reading
264 people want to read
About the author
N.D. Testa
11 books76 followersN.D. Testa realized at a young age that her true passion is telling stories. An Italian-American author who lives in the United States, her goal is to give readers an escape from reality with her books. When she doesn’t have a pen in her hand, she can be found at the gym. In addition to being a lover of fashion, food, and animals, N.D. Testa enjoys snowboarding, horseback riding, learning new languages, and traveling the world. At night she enjoys being by the fire with a cup of tea in her hands.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
November 9, 2022
Dark and thrilling gothic fantasy horror collection
If you love all things dark and historical, from Edgar Allan Poe to Kerri Maniscalco's Stalking Jack the Ripper, you'll love this collection of short stories all tied together by the ominous figure of Persephone. Acting as an avenging angel, she gives the protagonist of each story a chance to change the past and take revenge on the one who wronged them. There are some very morally grey characters in these stories, but I was rooting for them all the more when things took a turn for the deadly. I'd recommend this book to fans of vengeance stories, period dramas, historical fantasy, and murder mysteries. Sometimes it was clear whodunnit, in other tales the truth was revealed in a surprising twist, and I appreciated the variety. All in all, it's a great collection and perfect spooky season reading!
If you love all things dark and historical, from Edgar Allan Poe to Kerri Maniscalco's Stalking Jack the Ripper, you'll love this collection of short stories all tied together by the ominous figure of Persephone. Acting as an avenging angel, she gives the protagonist of each story a chance to change the past and take revenge on the one who wronged them. There are some very morally grey characters in these stories, but I was rooting for them all the more when things took a turn for the deadly. I'd recommend this book to fans of vengeance stories, period dramas, historical fantasy, and murder mysteries. Sometimes it was clear whodunnit, in other tales the truth was revealed in a surprising twist, and I appreciated the variety. All in all, it's a great collection and perfect spooky season reading!
January 4, 2023
This was a refreshing read
a selection of short stories set in the late 19th century mixed with myth, magic and love
it was written by an indie author but she did such a good job
if you like retribution, revenge, love lost love found with a touch of magic then you'll love these collections.
I can imagine these stories as a mini-series on Netflix
a selection of short stories set in the late 19th century mixed with myth, magic and love
it was written by an indie author but she did such a good job
if you like retribution, revenge, love lost love found with a touch of magic then you'll love these collections.
I can imagine these stories as a mini-series on Netflix
January 26, 2024
Testa is an indie author I found on instagram. Her book sounded intriguing so I reached out and asked how I could get a signed copy. There is a single character that runs through several stories that all take place in the late 1880s. Similar theme, but all very different. She uses the verbiage from the time period too (along with what they mean) that really helps to put you in the story.
This is very well written. Definitely will be keeping an eye out for others from her.
This is very well written. Definitely will be keeping an eye out for others from her.
December 3, 2022
I was so honored to have the opportunity to beta read three stories for N.D. Testa’s debut novel, Hickory Dickory Death! The book is an atmospheric compilation of 5 murder mystery stories with a touch of fantasy as well. It is a great book for any time of year, but I found it especially fun to read around Halloween this year! Each story in the novel follows different protagonists who are visited by Death, personified by Persephone in the novel. They have a chance to avenge a murder, but things aren’t always what they appear.
I loved so many aspects of this novel! First off, I really liked the format of 5 short stories. Each story was long enough to grab my attention, but not so long that I lost focus, as I sometimes do with traditional novels. There were many details throughout each story that were carried over into the next, which added to the overall feeling and cohesion of the book. I particularly enjoyed the details surrounding Persephone, as she is one of the main constants throughout all 5 stories.
Additionally, the historical element to the novel was really appealing to me. Testa did a wonderful job of truly making the reader feel like we were in the 1800s, and there is just something about historical mysteries that are very compelling to me. Likewise, Testa used some terms that maybe wouldn’t be familiar to many of us nowadays, but they fit with the times the stories took place, and she so helpfully added brief footnotes explaining them. It was details like this that made the novel feel true to its time period.
Furthermore, at multiple points throughout the book, there were lines that were written so poetically, it was moving. Scattered throughout the stories were words of wisdom that left an imprint on my mind, and made the novel that much more memorable. Specifically, Persephone shares quite a few of these impactful statements with the characters she visits.
There were a couple things that I didn’t love, but I felt like they were more of a personal preference than anything else. For one, parts of the stories felt a little too repetitive. However, I think this is kind of complicated because, at other points in the story, I appreciated some repetitiveness. Similarly, there were a few small details that seemed a little unrealistic to me. I would have loved to see a more concrete magic system, and some of the characters’ deaths felt a little rushed.
Overall though, Hickory Dickory Death was a fantastic debut novel! I can’t wait to read what N.D. Testa has in store next!
I loved so many aspects of this novel! First off, I really liked the format of 5 short stories. Each story was long enough to grab my attention, but not so long that I lost focus, as I sometimes do with traditional novels. There were many details throughout each story that were carried over into the next, which added to the overall feeling and cohesion of the book. I particularly enjoyed the details surrounding Persephone, as she is one of the main constants throughout all 5 stories.
Additionally, the historical element to the novel was really appealing to me. Testa did a wonderful job of truly making the reader feel like we were in the 1800s, and there is just something about historical mysteries that are very compelling to me. Likewise, Testa used some terms that maybe wouldn’t be familiar to many of us nowadays, but they fit with the times the stories took place, and she so helpfully added brief footnotes explaining them. It was details like this that made the novel feel true to its time period.
Furthermore, at multiple points throughout the book, there were lines that were written so poetically, it was moving. Scattered throughout the stories were words of wisdom that left an imprint on my mind, and made the novel that much more memorable. Specifically, Persephone shares quite a few of these impactful statements with the characters she visits.
There were a couple things that I didn’t love, but I felt like they were more of a personal preference than anything else. For one, parts of the stories felt a little too repetitive. However, I think this is kind of complicated because, at other points in the story, I appreciated some repetitiveness. Similarly, there were a few small details that seemed a little unrealistic to me. I would have loved to see a more concrete magic system, and some of the characters’ deaths felt a little rushed.
Overall though, Hickory Dickory Death was a fantastic debut novel! I can’t wait to read what N.D. Testa has in store next!
November 23, 2023
This is a collection of five short stories set in Victorian England and featuring the same side character who helps each main character investigate the truth behind the death of a loved one. Each story features a different magical artifact, most of them jewels, and the secret identity of Persephone, the peddler woman, was a lovely touch.
The first four stories were essentially the same, and of these I enjoyed the third most because it broke away from the mold of the others most by having slightly more interesting characters. I also enjoyed how the author used Victorian ideas about dissociative disorders (called Multiplex Personality in the 19th century) to add an unusual twist to this particular story.
I also enjoyed the last story, which had a very different plotline from the other stories and had a main character I could get behind and really rooted for.
Considering the similarities between the stories and the general themes of justice and revenge, I would have liked to see the author engage more with a deeper interpretation of the themes. Since all the characters take justice into their own hands, I would have liked for the consequences of that to be explored more. There was scope to allow each character to examine a different aspect of the conundrum or have a continuity between the stories by having each character slightly more advanced in their personal growth and moral standing to allow the book to offer a progression over the totality of all the stories.
As it is, this book offers an interesting idea with a solid execution. It wasn't quite my cup of tea, but has the potential to be. For that reason, I give it 3.5 stars.
The first four stories were essentially the same, and of these I enjoyed the third most because it broke away from the mold of the others most by having slightly more interesting characters. I also enjoyed how the author used Victorian ideas about dissociative disorders (called Multiplex Personality in the 19th century) to add an unusual twist to this particular story.
I also enjoyed the last story, which had a very different plotline from the other stories and had a main character I could get behind and really rooted for.
Considering the similarities between the stories and the general themes of justice and revenge, I would have liked to see the author engage more with a deeper interpretation of the themes. Since all the characters take justice into their own hands, I would have liked for the consequences of that to be explored more. There was scope to allow each character to examine a different aspect of the conundrum or have a continuity between the stories by having each character slightly more advanced in their personal growth and moral standing to allow the book to offer a progression over the totality of all the stories.
As it is, this book offers an interesting idea with a solid execution. It wasn't quite my cup of tea, but has the potential to be. For that reason, I give it 3.5 stars.
July 14, 2023
Dickory Hickory Death by ND Testa is the first book by this author.
I do not know her personally, but I have been following her on IG for some time. I have to admit that I decided to read her book because I liked what she posted. She seemed like a very fun person, always smiling and having fun on her reels. So I just wanted to support her in this small way. By reading her book.
What would you do if you had the opportunity and means to get what you wanted after suffering a huge loss that made you not want to keep on leaving?
Death comes visit, with a gift. The only think she asks in return "A soul for a soul". Now each of this people that had the fortune of having this visit have to find out exactly what "soul for a soul" means, and why Death would ever choose them for this.
This book is divided by different short stories, all of them have a visit from Death and a chance to make things right in their lives. It is a story about revenge.
The first story was a little too fast paced for my taste, it left me wanting to know more details about the characters, they whys, the hows, etc. But as I continued reading the stories, I could see the author growing in her writing, in her style, and in her confidence. The stories were engaging, were fast paced (but not as much as the first), they were entertaining and easy to read.
Congratulations on your first book! and I will keep following to see what you come up with next.
I do not know her personally, but I have been following her on IG for some time. I have to admit that I decided to read her book because I liked what she posted. She seemed like a very fun person, always smiling and having fun on her reels. So I just wanted to support her in this small way. By reading her book.
What would you do if you had the opportunity and means to get what you wanted after suffering a huge loss that made you not want to keep on leaving?
Death comes visit, with a gift. The only think she asks in return "A soul for a soul". Now each of this people that had the fortune of having this visit have to find out exactly what "soul for a soul" means, and why Death would ever choose them for this.
This book is divided by different short stories, all of them have a visit from Death and a chance to make things right in their lives. It is a story about revenge.
The first story was a little too fast paced for my taste, it left me wanting to know more details about the characters, they whys, the hows, etc. But as I continued reading the stories, I could see the author growing in her writing, in her style, and in her confidence. The stories were engaging, were fast paced (but not as much as the first), they were entertaining and easy to read.
Congratulations on your first book! and I will keep following to see what you come up with next.
July 17, 2023
A soul for a soul.
During the Victorian Era in England, five people face death, the most terrifying entity of life. These individuals' stories are intertwined and demonstrate the importance of fairness and the idea of "a soul for a soul" to combat injustice and greed.
Persephone offers them the opportunity to seek retribution against those who have harmed them by exchanging one soul for another. She promises to bring back a beloved individual. Yet can they trust an older woman donning dark attire who presents this proposal?
In a mysterious exchange, a soul must be given up in order to receive another in return. The chosen individual must confront their own personal journey in order to correct the damage done to their inner being.
During the Victorian Era in England, five people face death, the most terrifying entity of life. These individuals' stories are intertwined and demonstrate the importance of fairness and the idea of "a soul for a soul" to combat injustice and greed.
Persephone offers them the opportunity to seek retribution against those who have harmed them by exchanging one soul for another. She promises to bring back a beloved individual. Yet can they trust an older woman donning dark attire who presents this proposal?
In a mysterious exchange, a soul must be given up in order to receive another in return. The chosen individual must confront their own personal journey in order to correct the damage done to their inner being.
December 12, 2022
Phenomenal
I knew I was going to be addicted to this book by its cover.
A soul for a soul.
Persephone offers you justice against those who have done you wrong. A soul for a soul. Would you trust an older lady in dark clothing offering you this opportunity to seek revenge and have a loved one back?
We go through a few interlocking stories connected with Persephone as the vigilante I guess you'd say. We watch the devastation and see the beautiful outcome of life restored within each story.
I highly recommend this book. It was hard to put down and the author did an impeccable job with these stories. Bravo.
I knew I was going to be addicted to this book by its cover.
A soul for a soul.
Persephone offers you justice against those who have done you wrong. A soul for a soul. Would you trust an older lady in dark clothing offering you this opportunity to seek revenge and have a loved one back?
We go through a few interlocking stories connected with Persephone as the vigilante I guess you'd say. We watch the devastation and see the beautiful outcome of life restored within each story.
I highly recommend this book. It was hard to put down and the author did an impeccable job with these stories. Bravo.
July 7, 2023
Five different stories connected by a central character and reoccurring themes of death, betrayal, and revenge. This book will appeal to fans of the macabre. Some of these stories were mysteries while others teetered into the horror realm. There was definitely a pattern across the stories that tied them all together.
The first two were very similar to one another. The third was quite different and felt like a game of clue. The fourth had an interesting twist. The last one was my favorite. It was suspenseful and I felt more connected to the characters.
It was dark, moody, and well written. It will be fun to see what she writes next.
The first two were very similar to one another. The third was quite different and felt like a game of clue. The fourth had an interesting twist. The last one was my favorite. It was suspenseful and I felt more connected to the characters.
It was dark, moody, and well written. It will be fun to see what she writes next.
October 14, 2022
Five interwoven tales are very well penned and crafted profoundly with justice and a soul for a soul to stop the injustice and greed. To free souls from the evilness surrounding them and turning the pure hearts into pure evil.Some deals has to be made and without giving away something, you cannot get everything. So, the characters were brilliantly created and tales were so compelling.
I like the first story of evil aunt and how the jewellery was connected with justice. A soul for soul is such a unique concept.
I like the first story of evil aunt and how the jewellery was connected with justice. A soul for soul is such a unique concept.
October 24, 2022
Who wouldve thought this was her debut novel??
WOULD YOU TRADE A SOUL TO BRING BACK SOMEONE YOU LOVED?
Different stories. One main character. The author was able to pull me into all of them. They were not dull or repetitive by any means and they were unique in their own ways.
I will not give away anything. You just need to get this book, add to your tbr , whatever. Just read it. It has all the good stuff:
Vengeance
Jealousy
Betrothals
Betrayals
Murders
An Evil Lord
Blackmail
October 23, 2022
Loved this book and the 5 stories told of mystery and revenge that take place in the 19th century. My favorite story was the bracelet one, coming together like a game of Clue and whodunnit.
Perfect book for the time of year coming upon Halloween.
Congratulations to N.D. Testa on your first book and I look forward to others in the future.
This book was read as the hard copy of the paperback edition, not kindle.
Perfect book for the time of year coming upon Halloween.
Congratulations to N.D. Testa on your first book and I look forward to others in the future.
This book was read as the hard copy of the paperback edition, not kindle.
December 5, 2022
I am not a big fan of short stories but my daughter recommended this book. I am glad she did because I really enjoyed it. Though the first two stories were pretty similar they were still enjoyable. I loved how the stories connected with the magic of the jewelry. I look forward to more books by the author. I definitely recommend this book.
January 9, 2023
Dark and exquisite at the same time!! !A collection of short stories. 5 people mourning , are approached by a mysterious woman, who offers them a box and advice. In the box is jewelry. Is it a chance for revenge, escape, change, whatever but it also requires a soul for a soul!!!! Thank you N.D Testa for an Arc of your book. I loved it
April 20, 2023
Loved it!
First time reading Victorian Era type book. It's beautifully written. The book is a collection of short stories. All kept me intrigued, and the anticipation for whats to come had me sitting on the edge of my seat. I really appreciated the glossary too. There were plenty of words I was unsure of, so it was super nifty that the author thought to add that.
First time reading Victorian Era type book. It's beautifully written. The book is a collection of short stories. All kept me intrigued, and the anticipation for whats to come had me sitting on the edge of my seat. I really appreciated the glossary too. There were plenty of words I was unsure of, so it was super nifty that the author thought to add that.
August 25, 2023
This book has a unique story line. It is different from any other book I have read. It is the authors debut book, and you can see her writing growth as you continue on in the different sections. I do wish this book had a bit more of the language and character speaking as they would in the time period. Overall, I am so glad I read the book and can’t wait to continue to see this author grow!
October 5, 2023
I won this book in a Facebook giveaway. It is signed.
A soul for a soul
It was an interesting read. It was nice to read about 5 different people and how their lives were each diffrent but in the end they got what they wanted.
They got their revenge on those who done them wrong and made things right.
A soul for a soul
It was an interesting read. It was nice to read about 5 different people and how their lives were each diffrent but in the end they got what they wanted.
They got their revenge on those who done them wrong and made things right.
January 6, 2024
What a fun read
I really enjoyed this book. ☺️
I loved the shirt stories about revenge and good people getting what they rightfully deserved. I loved that there remained a constant theme throughout the book, but the stories remained different at the same time.
It is very different from what I usually read. However, I did enjoy myself.
I really enjoyed this book. ☺️
I loved the shirt stories about revenge and good people getting what they rightfully deserved. I loved that there remained a constant theme throughout the book, but the stories remained different at the same time.
It is very different from what I usually read. However, I did enjoy myself.
March 7, 2024
Haha nope 😅 Sorry, this was utter and complete silliness start to finish. I was gobsmacked by how bad this was from the very first page: ‘I weep scalding tears’??? The cramming of every period colloquialism imaginable in the most obvious and awkward way, then the freaking end notes at the end of each chapter?? Sorry, I thought I was reading fiction and not an academic journal 😂
November 2, 2022
Five interlinked stories involving the goddess of death and victims wanting justice, all set in the Victorian era. Well written, emotive and, at times, mysterious and chilling. A fun read for spooky season.
December 23, 2022
A Fun Set of Dark Stories
All the stories on this book follow the same pattern of a character being given a piece of enchanted jewelry by a mysterious woman named Persephone. Some of the stories, however, really shine. A really fun read.
All the stories on this book follow the same pattern of a character being given a piece of enchanted jewelry by a mysterious woman named Persephone. Some of the stories, however, really shine. A really fun read.
February 1, 2023
This is a series of short stories that all tie into one another, creating one bigger story. They are comprised of Small mysteries that are slightly spooky, giving the characters who’ve been wronged a second chance.
December 23, 2022
Loved how poetic this book was. The short stories all spoke to me in different ways. It was fun to read about the Victorian era, too. Can't wait to read more by this author.
January 7, 2023
If you enjoy fantasy murder mystery, then this is the book for you. It was mini stories with 1 core character. Set back in the 1800’s, this book was thrilling and suspenseful. Highly recommended.
May 27, 2023
This book is slow to start but it definitely throws you into a loop!
November 7, 2023
I finally finished it! I enjoyed the stories that were told here. They are linked, each in a different way. It really says “karma is a b—-.”
October 13, 2023
I found this book on tik tok as I follow the author. She promotes it a lot so I decided to give it a try. It’s a very good good and I was impressed with the plot and story lines. This is honestly the best time to read this book around spooky time. It’s a good read. I highly recommend it
March 1, 2023
A collection of short stories that each follow the common thread of Persephone as a death avenger for those wrongfully murdered. A soul for a soul…this premise enabled the victims to return from the dead after revealing the mysteries of their death.
Although somewhat predictable, I enjoyed the reveals of the true murderers and the secrets they held. I thought the use of poetry peppered throughout was a nice touch…in fact, I think I was more drawn to the poetic intrigue than the prose that followed because it told its own story. Interesting read.
Although somewhat predictable, I enjoyed the reveals of the true murderers and the secrets they held. I thought the use of poetry peppered throughout was a nice touch…in fact, I think I was more drawn to the poetic intrigue than the prose that followed because it told its own story. Interesting read.
May 26, 2023
Gothic and delicious, this was one of those rare books I was excited to read from the first sentence to the last. Focusing on the stories in the collection rather than the few punctuations errors here and there, each short story was on point. Each gives the reader a delightful mystery with varying degrees of horror and trials. The reimagining of Persephone is chefs kiss.
December 20, 2022
I adored this book! From concept to execution, the plot twists classic fairy tale tropes with modern day concepts of equality. I couldn’t put it down!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews