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The Shadow Key
There's something mysterious about the village of Penhelyg. Will unlocking its truth bring light or darkness?
Meirionydd, 1783. Henry Talbot has been dismissed from his post at a prestigious London hospital. The only job he can find is as a physician in the backwaters of Wales where he can't speak the language, belief in myth and magic is rife, and the villagers treat him with bewildering suspicion. When Henry discovers his predecessor died under mysterious circumstances, he is determined to find answers.
Linette Tresilian, the unconventional mistress of Plas Helyg, lives a lonely life. Her father is long dead, her mother haunted by demons which keep her locked away in her room, and her cousin treats her with cool disdain - she has had no choice but to become fiercely self-reliant.
Linette has always suspected something is not quite right in the village, but it is only through Henry's investigations that the truth about those closest to her will come to light...a truth that will bind hers and Henry's destinies together in ways neither thought possible.
Meirionydd, 1783. Henry Talbot has been dismissed from his post at a prestigious London hospital. The only job he can find is as a physician in the backwaters of Wales where he can't speak the language, belief in myth and magic is rife, and the villagers treat him with bewildering suspicion. When Henry discovers his predecessor died under mysterious circumstances, he is determined to find answers.
Linette Tresilian, the unconventional mistress of Plas Helyg, lives a lonely life. Her father is long dead, her mother haunted by demons which keep her locked away in her room, and her cousin treats her with cool disdain - she has had no choice but to become fiercely self-reliant.
Linette has always suspected something is not quite right in the village, but it is only through Henry's investigations that the truth about those closest to her will come to light...a truth that will bind hers and Henry's destinies together in ways neither thought possible.
464 pages, Paperback
First published April 18, 2024
353 people are currently reading
18899 people want to read
About the author
Susan Stokes-Chapman
7 books591 followersSusan Stokes-Chapman was born in 1985 and grew up in the historic Georgian city of Lichfield, Staffordshire. She studied for four years at Aberystwyth University, graduating with a BA in Education & English Literature and an MA in Creative Writing. Her debut novel, PANDORA, was shortlisted for the Lucy Cavendish Fiction prize 2020 as well as longlisted for the Bath Novel Award that same year. You can find Susan on Instagram and Twitter under the handle @SStokesChapman. Her website is www.susanstokeschapman.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 508 reviews
April 20, 2024
In a Nutshell: A Gothic historical mystery set in Wales. Great use of the location and an interesting storyline, somewhat marred by the lacklustre ending. Not as dark as it promised to be.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Bookish Yays:
🤩 Atmospheric writing with vivid descriptions that made me long to visit Wales.
🤩 Superb use of the setting and era. Feels accurate in terms of historical content and the villagers’ superstitions. Great usage of Welsh lore. Also incorporates the Welsh resentment towards the English and the atrocious attitude of the wealthy Brits towards the Welsh villagers.
🤩 Highlights the pathetic condition under which miners worked.
🤩 Merlin the dog – as awesome as all dogs are.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
😐 The lead characters of Henry Talbot & Linette Tresilian: Had so much potential but only some is realised. Liked their unusual background and personality, but wish there were more sense in Henry and more amenability in Linette.
😐 At 464 pages, the book is quite lengthy. The pace is very slow at the start, but picks up around the midway mark.
😐 Many Welsh words and phrases, which add to the authenticity, but there’s no translation/glossary. Not all of these are guessable from context.
😐 The prologue creates a dark, somewhat paranormal/occult kind of tone in an outstanding manner. Because of this, the ending feels very tame. The rest of the book isn’t as dark as the prologue was.
😐 The plotting was sufficiently convoluted and twisty for a mystery. However, there’s so much of hinting and clue-sprinkling that most big reveals didn’t come as surprises to me. (And I am not even a regular reader of mysteries!)
Bookish Nays:
😕 Way too much miscommunication between the lead pair. Characters also switch back and forth in their opinions and also make assumptions and jump to conclusions like no one’s business. All this gets annoying after a while.
😕 The ending spoiled much of my enjoyment. I hate these kinds of infodump endings in mysteries where the villain(s) pause all retribution and begin an elaborate explanation of their intent and modus operandi. This book also had much Bollywood-style OTT drama in the climax.
😕 The prologue made me expected more of the supernatural content. But the story isn’t at all creepy despite the regular mention of creepy elements.
😕 There was not much romance (which is great!), but even the little that was present was not to my taste. The insta ‘she’s a hottie; me wantie’ kind of attraction always irritates me.
😕 Some plot points stay unresolved even after the end.
All in all, this book had great atmospheric writing, a good plot, and a poor ending. It is more like a historical mystery than a supernatural one, so it might work better for you if you go in with the right expectations and are patient with the ending.
3.25 stars.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through The Pigeonhole. This review is voluntary and contains an honest opinion about my reading experience.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
1783. Meirionydd, Wales. When Dr. Henry Talbot loses his job in a London hospital after a scandal, and no other offers work out, he has no choice but to accept the post of a private physician to Lord Julian Tresilian of Plas Helyg, a castle in a small and remote mining village of Wales. Henry doesn’t speak Welsh, and he isn’t prepared for the hostility shown by the locals to him as an Englishman. When he discovers that his predecessor was found death under mysterious circumstances, Henry begins to wonder if there is some darker foul play involved in the villagers’ response to him. To add to his woes, Julian’s niece Linette, who takes of the estate, isn’t what Henry expected the lady of a house to be. And neither is her mother Lady Gwen. What’s happening in Plas Helyg? Are the women as mentally ill as Julian claims? Is it just Henry’s imagination, or is he in danger?
The story comes to us in the alternating third person perspectives of Henry and Linette.
Bookish Yays:
🤩 Atmospheric writing with vivid descriptions that made me long to visit Wales.
🤩 Superb use of the setting and era. Feels accurate in terms of historical content and the villagers’ superstitions. Great usage of Welsh lore. Also incorporates the Welsh resentment towards the English and the atrocious attitude of the wealthy Brits towards the Welsh villagers.
🤩 Highlights the pathetic condition under which miners worked.
🤩 Merlin the dog – as awesome as all dogs are.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
😐 The lead characters of Henry Talbot & Linette Tresilian: Had so much potential but only some is realised. Liked their unusual background and personality, but wish there were more sense in Henry and more amenability in Linette.
😐 At 464 pages, the book is quite lengthy. The pace is very slow at the start, but picks up around the midway mark.
😐 Many Welsh words and phrases, which add to the authenticity, but there’s no translation/glossary. Not all of these are guessable from context.
😐 The prologue creates a dark, somewhat paranormal/occult kind of tone in an outstanding manner. Because of this, the ending feels very tame. The rest of the book isn’t as dark as the prologue was.
😐 The plotting was sufficiently convoluted and twisty for a mystery. However, there’s so much of hinting and clue-sprinkling that most big reveals didn’t come as surprises to me. (And I am not even a regular reader of mysteries!)
Bookish Nays:
😕 Way too much miscommunication between the lead pair. Characters also switch back and forth in their opinions and also make assumptions and jump to conclusions like no one’s business. All this gets annoying after a while.
😕 The ending spoiled much of my enjoyment. I hate these kinds of infodump endings in mysteries where the villain(s) pause all retribution and begin an elaborate explanation of their intent and modus operandi. This book also had much Bollywood-style OTT drama in the climax.
😕 The prologue made me expected more of the supernatural content. But the story isn’t at all creepy despite the regular mention of creepy elements.
😕 There was not much romance (which is great!), but even the little that was present was not to my taste. The insta ‘she’s a hottie; me wantie’ kind of attraction always irritates me.
😕 Some plot points stay unresolved even after the end.
All in all, this book had great atmospheric writing, a good plot, and a poor ending. It is more like a historical mystery than a supernatural one, so it might work better for you if you go in with the right expectations and are patient with the ending.
3.25 stars.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through The Pigeonhole. This review is voluntary and contains an honest opinion about my reading experience.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
May 1, 2024
Wales is a nation shrouded in myth, legend and mystery, the very essence of which is captured perfectly in this excellent work of historical fiction. Susan-Stokes Chapman creates the perfect setting for this novel, with her descriptions of place both immersive and evocative (the Welsh countryside, the village of Penhelyg, the mine), whilst her representation of Welsh culture and language exceptionally observed. The way she also conjures up the local’s hostilities and mistrust towards an ‘outsider’ (in this case an English doctor) is brilliantly done, in addition to the storylines that bring science and reason into conflict with religion and mysticism. The main thing however is that this is just a really really good story, with great characters and a very satisfying plot and conclusion. In the authors notes she describes the book as a love letter to Wales - as a Welshman I can confidently say it is one which is very well received indeed!
January 23, 2024
3 stars
I enjoyed this book but I expected it to be a lot more gothic and scary than it was.
The opening chapter is the creepiest it gets in my opinion … it's all pretty tame from then on. If you are looking for a dark, gothic novel this one is not it, although I still enjoyed the reading experience and the mystery.
Expectations aside, Stokes-Chapman's storytelling and writing is fab. Her research into Welsh history and folklore was apparent and fun to read. The setting was rural, eerie and just how I find Wales is from all my previous visits!
The book let me down in the plot a touch. It's evenly paced with lots of twists at the end but I feel like the reveals are info-dumped by the 'villains' in a very Hollywood-esque way. It felt unnatural. Who explains their entire life story and motivations to their victims before killing them? I felt like I was reading the script to a cliche crime film.
Otherwise the story was well crafted, albeit a bit bland ... I expected a more scary/shocking reveal which never came. I'm sure it will work for some but it didn't 'wow' me! It didn’t help that all the super natural and fantasy elements were hinted at but never explored. I wished the book went deeper in a lot of aspects.
The characters I found were hit and miss- I liked Linette a lot, but Henry never ended up actually feeling like a person. Again, Linette could have been interesting, but the author just hints at her sexuality without ever exploring it, leaving the reader with a feeling that they don’t truly know her. Henry was even less well developed.
Despite the criticisms above it's a nice enough mystery(ish) novel with some elements of magic/gothic-ness in it. I wish there was more of the supernatural shown in it, but overall an enjoyable (if not forgettable) read!
I received the ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
--------------------------------
yey got the arc for this! i’m ✨excited✨
I enjoyed this book but I expected it to be a lot more gothic and scary than it was.
The opening chapter is the creepiest it gets in my opinion … it's all pretty tame from then on. If you are looking for a dark, gothic novel this one is not it, although I still enjoyed the reading experience and the mystery.
Expectations aside, Stokes-Chapman's storytelling and writing is fab. Her research into Welsh history and folklore was apparent and fun to read. The setting was rural, eerie and just how I find Wales is from all my previous visits!
The book let me down in the plot a touch. It's evenly paced with lots of twists at the end but I feel like the reveals are info-dumped by the 'villains' in a very Hollywood-esque way. It felt unnatural. Who explains their entire life story and motivations to their victims before killing them? I felt like I was reading the script to a cliche crime film.
Otherwise the story was well crafted, albeit a bit bland ... I expected a more scary/shocking reveal which never came. I'm sure it will work for some but it didn't 'wow' me! It didn’t help that all the super natural and fantasy elements were hinted at but never explored. I wished the book went deeper in a lot of aspects.
The characters I found were hit and miss- I liked Linette a lot, but Henry never ended up actually feeling like a person. Again, Linette could have been interesting, but the author just hints at her sexuality without ever exploring it, leaving the reader with a feeling that they don’t truly know her. Henry was even less well developed.
Despite the criticisms above it's a nice enough mystery(ish) novel with some elements of magic/gothic-ness in it. I wish there was more of the supernatural shown in it, but overall an enjoyable (if not forgettable) read!
I received the ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
--------------------------------
yey got the arc for this! i’m ✨excited✨
March 27, 2025
A thoroughly enjoyable read – atmospheric and gripping, with a great look at Welsh history.
April 19, 2025
I expected more of this book. While I loved the Welsh elements in it, the story itself dragged on for too long. It could've been 100 pages shorter and the plot wouldn't have changed at all. The plot twist was surprising but nothin new tbh. Overall it was a solid read with interesting characters and scenery, but the plot itself could've been shorter and more captivating.
January 17, 2025
**ARC of this book provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review**
Solid gothic novel with top-notch atmosphere and atrocious mystery. Despite it's flaws it kept me glued to the pages the entire time and I was enjoying myself quite a lot.
Let's start with the positives - the atmosphere of a grand manor somewhere in the Welsh countryside was crafted perfectly. The surrounding was beautiful and vaguely sinister and instantaneously made me want to visit Wales. I didn't want this 450+ pages long novel to end because I needed more - more landscapes, more folklore, more atmosphere.
The Shadow Key also contains the perfect amounts of supernatural elements and romance - which for me means that there is only a dash of each. There are only a handful of mentions of paranormal events and they are always a bit strange but almost natural making you question if its still normal or already mystic. The romance is also mentioned only couple times and its a mean to an end to the main plot and is not getting a lot of attention. However, it introduces a bit of additional tension which I found very enjoyable.
I love when Author's Note at the end of the historical fiction book expands on the historical background of the novel and Susan Stokes-Chapman made it perfectly so make sure to read that part too. It also shows how much research went into the book and how accurate to the time period the events in the novel were. It also made me appreciate the book so much more.
Now to the negatives and my complains about the mystery part of this novel. Everything was foreshadowed so heavily that nothing was a surprise. By the middle of the book I already knew what the main mystery was and how the romance will be resolved and I was just waiting for the characters to catch up with the plot. I also have an impression that author is not very confident in her reader's intelligence because everything is overexplained especially when it comes to the dialog and interactions between characters. Majority of the elements of dialog are followed up by the descriptions of the facial expressions just to make sure you get the intentions. It's not enough to read about a character saying something unpleasant, you also need to read about his lips curling in distaste. Occasionally its so overdone that it comes out cartoonish, the characters overreacting to everything just to deliver the point across.
Despite my enjoyment I feel like this book is difficult to recommend. There is a lot to like here, but there is also a lot to dislike. Read at your own risk.
Solid gothic novel with top-notch atmosphere and atrocious mystery. Despite it's flaws it kept me glued to the pages the entire time and I was enjoying myself quite a lot.
Let's start with the positives - the atmosphere of a grand manor somewhere in the Welsh countryside was crafted perfectly. The surrounding was beautiful and vaguely sinister and instantaneously made me want to visit Wales. I didn't want this 450+ pages long novel to end because I needed more - more landscapes, more folklore, more atmosphere.
The Shadow Key also contains the perfect amounts of supernatural elements and romance - which for me means that there is only a dash of each. There are only a handful of mentions of paranormal events and they are always a bit strange but almost natural making you question if its still normal or already mystic. The romance is also mentioned only couple times and its a mean to an end to the main plot and is not getting a lot of attention. However, it introduces a bit of additional tension which I found very enjoyable.
I love when Author's Note at the end of the historical fiction book expands on the historical background of the novel and Susan Stokes-Chapman made it perfectly so make sure to read that part too. It also shows how much research went into the book and how accurate to the time period the events in the novel were. It also made me appreciate the book so much more.
Now to the negatives and my complains about the mystery part of this novel. Everything was foreshadowed so heavily that nothing was a surprise. By the middle of the book I already knew what the main mystery was and how the romance will be resolved and I was just waiting for the characters to catch up with the plot. I also have an impression that author is not very confident in her reader's intelligence because everything is overexplained especially when it comes to the dialog and interactions between characters. Majority of the elements of dialog are followed up by the descriptions of the facial expressions just to make sure you get the intentions. It's not enough to read about a character saying something unpleasant, you also need to read about his lips curling in distaste. Occasionally its so overdone that it comes out cartoonish, the characters overreacting to everything just to deliver the point across.
Despite my enjoyment I feel like this book is difficult to recommend. There is a lot to like here, but there is also a lot to dislike. Read at your own risk.
January 24, 2025
Warning – There are some spoilers below even though I tried to tone it down and not reveal too much.
The beginning of this book reminds me so much of the start of Dracula, feels almost like a copy of it. Uncanny. So even though it was somewhat a rip off I thought that maybe this was going to be good.
I liked it a lot at first but after some time it felt dragged out, boring, and I only wanted to finish it so I could get rid of the book. Too late to DNF, too much left but to no more than skim through the remaining chapters.
The big reveals were unexpected but just so ho hum that I almost didn’t care. When Linette’s mother miraculously recovers from the madness / spells she was under for most of the book (after a discovery of what was wrong with her and the very beginning of a cure) and suddenly is articulate and can tell Linnett & Henry the truth of everything I had to laugh. Pretty much overnight she was able to reveal the mystery. If that isn’t bad enough, the rest of the book was ridiculous. Sorry I bought the damn thing.
The beginning of this book reminds me so much of the start of Dracula, feels almost like a copy of it. Uncanny. So even though it was somewhat a rip off I thought that maybe this was going to be good.
I liked it a lot at first but after some time it felt dragged out, boring, and I only wanted to finish it so I could get rid of the book. Too late to DNF, too much left but to no more than skim through the remaining chapters.
The big reveals were unexpected but just so ho hum that I almost didn’t care. When Linette’s mother miraculously recovers from the madness / spells she was under for most of the book (after a discovery of what was wrong with her and the very beginning of a cure) and suddenly is articulate and can tell Linnett & Henry the truth of everything I had to laugh. Pretty much overnight she was able to reveal the mystery. If that isn’t bad enough, the rest of the book was ridiculous. Sorry I bought the damn thing.
December 6, 2023
This was terrific! Definitely gothic with some plot twists I didn’t see coming. I thought the inhospitable context by ‘the locals’ was very well done. I base this on a trip I took many years ago to Aberystwyth when I was a student and I found the ‘locals’ quite scary in the pub. So I thought it was very funny that the author went to University there. Maybe she went to the same pub as me!! I really liked the two main characters. Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.
February 12, 2024
Henry Talbot has been dismissed, cast out, from his post at a prestigious and well-respected London Hospital for reasons he would soon rather forget.
The only job he can seem to find is as a physician in the backwaters of darkest deepest Wales where he can’t speak the language, belief in magic, folklore and myth are akin to religion, and all he gets is suspicious looks from the locals, yet when Henry discovers his predecessor died under mysterious circumstances, he is determined to stay and seek answers. The fool…
Linette Tresilian lives a solitary existence, being the mistress of Plas Helyg with her father long dead, and her mother haunted and cloistered away in her room never to be seen, and with her cousin treating her with icy disdain she has little choice but to become self-reliant and unconventional.
The village has always cast a spell of unease over Linette, yet it only comes to focus when Henry starts his investigations, and she cannot help but want to partner with him in order to finally make sense of not only the present, but the past too, yet there is one item inside the crumbling manor which holds such devastating power, neither of them will ever recover from the truth when faced with it.
Will Linette and Henry be able to crack the code to just what has a hold over the village and the manor, or will someone who waits in the shadows finally step out and out an end to all of this madness?
Propulsive, evocative, and ingeniously plotted, The Shadow Key highlights the authors unmistakable talent for weaving magic on to every page.
The only job he can seem to find is as a physician in the backwaters of darkest deepest Wales where he can’t speak the language, belief in magic, folklore and myth are akin to religion, and all he gets is suspicious looks from the locals, yet when Henry discovers his predecessor died under mysterious circumstances, he is determined to stay and seek answers. The fool…
Linette Tresilian lives a solitary existence, being the mistress of Plas Helyg with her father long dead, and her mother haunted and cloistered away in her room never to be seen, and with her cousin treating her with icy disdain she has little choice but to become self-reliant and unconventional.
The village has always cast a spell of unease over Linette, yet it only comes to focus when Henry starts his investigations, and she cannot help but want to partner with him in order to finally make sense of not only the present, but the past too, yet there is one item inside the crumbling manor which holds such devastating power, neither of them will ever recover from the truth when faced with it.
Will Linette and Henry be able to crack the code to just what has a hold over the village and the manor, or will someone who waits in the shadows finally step out and out an end to all of this madness?
Propulsive, evocative, and ingeniously plotted, The Shadow Key highlights the authors unmistakable talent for weaving magic on to every page.
October 26, 2024
4.5 stars.
If you're a fan of Gothic, atmospheric suspense, this is the book for you. One of the few books I've read set in Wales, this novel is set in a rambling old pile of a manor house and features a wonderful physician, an unhinged "lady of the house," and a secret society that would certainly be called a cult today. Secrets abound. There's a grimoire, hidden passages, and mine collapse and a fascinating look at medical practices in the 18th century. Fans of Jane Eyre, Daphne du Maurier, and The Thirteenth Tale will love this novel.
If you're a fan of Gothic, atmospheric suspense, this is the book for you. One of the few books I've read set in Wales, this novel is set in a rambling old pile of a manor house and features a wonderful physician, an unhinged "lady of the house," and a secret society that would certainly be called a cult today. Secrets abound. There's a grimoire, hidden passages, and mine collapse and a fascinating look at medical practices in the 18th century. Fans of Jane Eyre, Daphne du Maurier, and The Thirteenth Tale will love this novel.
August 24, 2024
I could have sworn I already wrote a review about this, but maybe I dreamt it. 🤣 I finished this a couple of weeks ago, and I recommend it, although it gets weird at the climax—super weird. As in, don’t bother trying to guess the ending. However, the setting is gorgeous, and I loved how the author made me feel as if I were actually in Ireland. The main characters are interesting, and I became invested in their journeys.
I very much want to go visit Ireland now!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
I very much want to go visit Ireland now!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
January 21, 2024
This was a fun read and was headed for 4 stars until a disappointing ending.
The author sets the scene nicely in this gothic period novel set in a remote village in Wales. Henry Talbot, an English doctor moves to the area and is met with suspicion and resentment by the villagers. There's hints of cultish goings-on and the local gentry are a very odd bunch too.
Stokes-Chapman introduces and paints her characters well, including Wales itself, which clearly holds a dear place in her heart. And there's a nice. pervasive air of spookiness.
The story bubbles along nicely, even if I saw a couple of the twists coming (I often don't), but the denouement slipped into the unintentionally comical for me. Baddies reveal themselves with a flourish...and extensive backstory infodumps that are very silly. ("I'm holding this knife to your throat and I'm going to kill you now...but first let me tell you my life story and all the reasons why I turned out to be the baddie! You might want to make a tea, I'll be a while...").
A quick note on editing: I think all writers have little tics, or phrases they tend use too often. If not picked up by an editor, this will grate on whingers like me. Surely if I've noticed the phrase "A beat." has been used 20 times, an editor could spot the same thing and suggest alternatives? Similarly, "beau monde", although I didn't know what that meant, so at least I learned something when I looked it up!
Anyway, despite the let-down at the end, I did enjoy this book and I'm sure others will too. It has a nice mix of mystery, (possibly supernatural) gothic goings-on, romance and interesting characters.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for an ARC in return for an honest review.
The author sets the scene nicely in this gothic period novel set in a remote village in Wales. Henry Talbot, an English doctor moves to the area and is met with suspicion and resentment by the villagers. There's hints of cultish goings-on and the local gentry are a very odd bunch too.
Stokes-Chapman introduces and paints her characters well, including Wales itself, which clearly holds a dear place in her heart. And there's a nice. pervasive air of spookiness.
The story bubbles along nicely, even if I saw a couple of the twists coming (I often don't), but the denouement slipped into the unintentionally comical for me. Baddies reveal themselves with a flourish...and extensive backstory infodumps that are very silly. ("I'm holding this knife to your throat and I'm going to kill you now...but first let me tell you my life story and all the reasons why I turned out to be the baddie! You might want to make a tea, I'll be a while...").
A quick note on editing: I think all writers have little tics, or phrases they tend use too often. If not picked up by an editor, this will grate on whingers like me. Surely if I've noticed the phrase "A beat." has been used 20 times, an editor could spot the same thing and suggest alternatives? Similarly, "beau monde", although I didn't know what that meant, so at least I learned something when I looked it up!
Anyway, despite the let-down at the end, I did enjoy this book and I'm sure others will too. It has a nice mix of mystery, (possibly supernatural) gothic goings-on, romance and interesting characters.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for an ARC in return for an honest review.
June 26, 2024
Disappointingly boring. This book feels like it is setting up the story and once things start happening you realise you are about 85% through. And even then the ending just does not deliver. All i thought after i was finished was "Really, thats it??"
September 25, 2024
The Shadow Key may best be described as an 18th century historical fiction set in Wales with Gothic and magical elements. As it opens, we are with Dr. Henry Talbot who is journeying to Wales to take up a new position as a personal physician at a place named Penhelyg. Life for him in London is over but he wonders about this new place so far away and so different.
to be continued…
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC of this book.
to be continued…
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC of this book.
May 26, 2024
An irritating mix of melodramatic and passive.
April 8, 2025
"The sky was shot with flames that dipped into gradient shades of mauve and indigo; the clouds whispered across the purpling water like skeins of cotton with seagulls dancing in their wake, and across the gold-spun sky. Henry had never seen anything more breathtaking in his entire life."
This book promised me a gothic atmosphere and, my goodness, did it deliver! Set in the enchanting Wales, "The Shadow Key" offers mystery, intrigue and folklore, put together to create a spooky and surprising plot.
I enjoyed reading this book a lot, much like I did when I read "Pandora", another book by Susan Stokes-Chapman. It is clearly well researched in both Welsh history and lore, which I liked, for it allowed me to learn and it created a unique setting. It has a slower pacing that, in my opinion, works as a way to slowly reveal the plot, the many mysteries, to the reader. And it has a surprising revelation that, for the sake of spoilers, I will not mention. But it was unexpected and brought action into the story, by the later chapters, helping the plot move forward in a satisfactory way.
(I also was not expecting a whole demonic cult, you know, but it brought an interesting element to the narrative! (😁)). This is, above all, an immersive book and I believe it should be read in the right mood; the atmosphere created by the author is, in my opinion, its strongest asset!
I also really liked the characters of "The Shadow Key". Henry and Linette are a duo whose dynamic I enjoyed from the start and I really liked to see them work together in order to uncover the truth of Plas Helyg. Linette's inner strength and resilience are characteristics that I admired throughout the story, I really liked her! But I also adored Henry's acute intellect and his love for his job and his patience with people that refused his help, I also really liked him! Other characters that left an impression, were Mr. Dee, Rowena, Lady Gwen, Cain and Julian. But I think every character added depth and emotion to the story, enriching an already good plot!
This was an enjoyable read for me because I really like Historical Fiction. The added magical/supernatural elements, based on Welsh folklore, that brought magical realism into the story, were a really nice bonus!
P.S. I'm so glad Merlin is okay!!
P.P.S. What does Henry mean when he says he can still smell sulphur omg let them be in peace 😭 what a way to end this book 😵💫
This book promised me a gothic atmosphere and, my goodness, did it deliver! Set in the enchanting Wales, "The Shadow Key" offers mystery, intrigue and folklore, put together to create a spooky and surprising plot.
I enjoyed reading this book a lot, much like I did when I read "Pandora", another book by Susan Stokes-Chapman. It is clearly well researched in both Welsh history and lore, which I liked, for it allowed me to learn and it created a unique setting. It has a slower pacing that, in my opinion, works as a way to slowly reveal the plot, the many mysteries, to the reader. And it has a surprising revelation that, for the sake of spoilers, I will not mention. But it was unexpected and brought action into the story, by the later chapters, helping the plot move forward in a satisfactory way.
(I also was not expecting a whole demonic cult, you know, but it brought an interesting element to the narrative! (😁)). This is, above all, an immersive book and I believe it should be read in the right mood; the atmosphere created by the author is, in my opinion, its strongest asset!
I also really liked the characters of "The Shadow Key". Henry and Linette are a duo whose dynamic I enjoyed from the start and I really liked to see them work together in order to uncover the truth of Plas Helyg. Linette's inner strength and resilience are characteristics that I admired throughout the story, I really liked her! But I also adored Henry's acute intellect and his love for his job and his patience with people that refused his help, I also really liked him! Other characters that left an impression, were Mr. Dee, Rowena, Lady Gwen, Cain and Julian. But I think every character added depth and emotion to the story, enriching an already good plot!
This was an enjoyable read for me because I really like Historical Fiction. The added magical/supernatural elements, based on Welsh folklore, that brought magical realism into the story, were a really nice bonus!
P.S. I'm so glad Merlin is okay!!
P.P.S. What does Henry mean when he says he can still smell sulphur omg let them be in peace 😭 what a way to end this book 😵💫
March 14, 2025
3.5 rounded up to 4 for Goodreads.
It was a nice book, atmospheric, gothic and I enjoyed reading it. It took place in Wales - been there, loved it, could easily picture the landscape. Enjoyed the characters, the plot too, mostly, so why 3.5, would you say ?
Well, it's because it reminded me of a certain type of novels that were the rage in the early 20th century and... it's not my cup of tea. I would explain more, but I would spoil !
Sorry for the short review, I'm trying to catch up - a short one is better than none.
My conclusion would be as follows : you'll probably love it, I'm too picky. Would the cause of the mystery have been different, I would have loved it wholeheartedly.
It was a nice book, atmospheric, gothic and I enjoyed reading it. It took place in Wales - been there, loved it, could easily picture the landscape. Enjoyed the characters, the plot too, mostly, so why 3.5, would you say ?
Well, it's because it reminded me of a certain type of novels that were the rage in the early 20th century and... it's not my cup of tea. I would explain more, but I would spoil !
Sorry for the short review, I'm trying to catch up - a short one is better than none.
My conclusion would be as follows : you'll probably love it, I'm too picky. Would the cause of the mystery have been different, I would have loved it wholeheartedly.
April 2, 2024
I absolutely adored this book, I spent Easter weekend reading it and loved every bit of it. It’s very clear that the author has done a lot of research into the Welsh folk lore’s and history. The characters are all very well drawn, believable some likeable some not so. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing, and the story unfolds beautifully.
Henry Talbot was a prestigious surgeon at guys hospital until something happened. The only job he can seem to acquire is that of a dr in Wales to a local estate. Whilst their he is tasked to see if the niece of the owner Julian Tresilien is afflicted with the same illness as her mother who is locked away in her room for most of the time appearing to be out of her mind. However, when Robert arrives in Penhelyg it is clear the locals don’t want him there. The cottage that had been made ready for him has been smashed inside and out and on his first trip out he is shot at. What they don’t like is that he is English. But this doesn’t put Henry off, when he finds out his predecessor died he is interested in finding out the circumstances, and it’s not long before he finds out he was murdered. But as a well liked man who would murder him.
The unconventional Linette Tesilian is surprising she doesn’t dress as a female she wears her late father’s old suits. She runs the estate which is a big job, keeping the books and keeping the business running. She cares for her tenants and wants to do as much as she can for them, although when she turns up with Robert at the mine they don’t seem pleased to see her or Robert.
The further you read the more you learn about the beliefs held by the tenants and Linette. The vicar explains a few things to Henry to help him understand but as he says he is a man of science and doesn’t believe in the tales.
Will Robert be able to win the Welsh people over? Will he find out who killed the previous dr? What is the symbol he sees on Julian Tresilion’s ring Linette believes it to be the family crest, but if that is the case why does he see the same symbol on a ring worn by Dr Beddoe. Robert becomes more and more suspicious over a lot of things and is determined to find out one way or another what is going on. what was Julian Tresilion up to with what he believed to be a piece of gold?
If you like historical, gothic stories then you will enjoy this the prose flows beautifully, keeping the reader engaged from start to finish. It’s not too dark but just enough to keep you interested. With all the characters especially Robert and Linette who I loved, there are lots of others at times you have no idea who you can trust and who you can’t.the twists took me by complete surprise I hadn’t seen any of them coming. The tension builds gradually as you get towards the last chapters as some truths come out. A story of Mystery, the occult, Welsh folk tales and more. This is definitely one of my favourite books this year so far. A ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star read.
I was very lucky to be asked if I would like to read this as I had enjoyed the authors previous book so much. I was thrilled when I received my copy in this gorgeous box. The Welsh cakes went down a treat I am addicted to them. Thank you to @HarvillSecker @Vintagebooks and @SStokesChapman. All thoughts and opinions are my own and have not been affected in any way.
Henry Talbot was a prestigious surgeon at guys hospital until something happened. The only job he can seem to acquire is that of a dr in Wales to a local estate. Whilst their he is tasked to see if the niece of the owner Julian Tresilien is afflicted with the same illness as her mother who is locked away in her room for most of the time appearing to be out of her mind. However, when Robert arrives in Penhelyg it is clear the locals don’t want him there. The cottage that had been made ready for him has been smashed inside and out and on his first trip out he is shot at. What they don’t like is that he is English. But this doesn’t put Henry off, when he finds out his predecessor died he is interested in finding out the circumstances, and it’s not long before he finds out he was murdered. But as a well liked man who would murder him.
The unconventional Linette Tesilian is surprising she doesn’t dress as a female she wears her late father’s old suits. She runs the estate which is a big job, keeping the books and keeping the business running. She cares for her tenants and wants to do as much as she can for them, although when she turns up with Robert at the mine they don’t seem pleased to see her or Robert.
The further you read the more you learn about the beliefs held by the tenants and Linette. The vicar explains a few things to Henry to help him understand but as he says he is a man of science and doesn’t believe in the tales.
Will Robert be able to win the Welsh people over? Will he find out who killed the previous dr? What is the symbol he sees on Julian Tresilion’s ring Linette believes it to be the family crest, but if that is the case why does he see the same symbol on a ring worn by Dr Beddoe. Robert becomes more and more suspicious over a lot of things and is determined to find out one way or another what is going on. what was Julian Tresilion up to with what he believed to be a piece of gold?
If you like historical, gothic stories then you will enjoy this the prose flows beautifully, keeping the reader engaged from start to finish. It’s not too dark but just enough to keep you interested. With all the characters especially Robert and Linette who I loved, there are lots of others at times you have no idea who you can trust and who you can’t.the twists took me by complete surprise I hadn’t seen any of them coming. The tension builds gradually as you get towards the last chapters as some truths come out. A story of Mystery, the occult, Welsh folk tales and more. This is definitely one of my favourite books this year so far. A ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star read.
I was very lucky to be asked if I would like to read this as I had enjoyed the authors previous book so much. I was thrilled when I received my copy in this gorgeous box. The Welsh cakes went down a treat I am addicted to them. Thank you to @HarvillSecker @Vintagebooks and @SStokesChapman. All thoughts and opinions are my own and have not been affected in any way.
November 29, 2024
This would have been better as a straightforward fantasy; in a fantasy world, you just take the realities of the world as a given, as long as they're coherent and consistent. But placing it within a recognisable time period, with period name-drops and historical references, makes the anachronisms gratingly obvious. People behave and speak all wrong for the late eighteenth century. Has the author ever read anything actually written in the eighteenth century? Judging from this, apparently not--which makes setting a novel in the period a very weird thing to do. And the time frame is very odd and jarringly unconvincing. Things like travelling from northern Wales to London, spending time in the city socializing and buying new paintings, including apparently commissioning a copy of a famous one, then travelling back to Wales--all within a single week? And the hero somehow moves from needing a dictionary for every word to having basic and often quite complex conversations in Welsh, all within about two weeks? I don't buy it. So I spent much of my reading time being quite annoyed by carelessness that seems basically disrespectful of readers' good sense.
January 11, 2025
DNF'd at 49%
I told myself I'm going to DNF more this year when I really don't care for a book, but it still feels like a crime to DNF two books in a row. That, and I tend to wait WAY too long to DNF books. Maybe I'll follow that 50 pages rule that someone has suggested in the past to stop wasting my time,,,
Regardless - I'm like halfway in, so like, 200+ pages, and I can tell you that Stokes-Chapman has a talent for creating an atmosphere but seems uninterested in moving the plotline forward. I can explain the entire plot of the first 200 pages in one sentence: man has moved to Wales and the townspeople don't like doctors. And if you read the blurb for this book, it tells you that exact thing, so have I really learned anything new? Other than maybe one thing, no, I haven't, and I'm bored out of my MIND waiting for a plot to happen.
P.S. Stokes-Chapman - I don't think someone can go from not speaking a LICK of Welsh to fully fluent in it in two weeks by translating an old Welsh folklore book. In fact, I don't think anyone can learn a language like that, but ESPECIALLY not Welsh.
I told myself I'm going to DNF more this year when I really don't care for a book, but it still feels like a crime to DNF two books in a row. That, and I tend to wait WAY too long to DNF books. Maybe I'll follow that 50 pages rule that someone has suggested in the past to stop wasting my time,,,
Regardless - I'm like halfway in, so like, 200+ pages, and I can tell you that Stokes-Chapman has a talent for creating an atmosphere but seems uninterested in moving the plotline forward. I can explain the entire plot of the first 200 pages in one sentence: man has moved to Wales and the townspeople don't like doctors. And if you read the blurb for this book, it tells you that exact thing, so have I really learned anything new? Other than maybe one thing, no, I haven't, and I'm bored out of my MIND waiting for a plot to happen.
P.S. Stokes-Chapman - I don't think someone can go from not speaking a LICK of Welsh to fully fluent in it in two weeks by translating an old Welsh folklore book. In fact, I don't think anyone can learn a language like that, but ESPECIALLY not Welsh.
May 3, 2024
4.25🌟
Fantastically readable novel that gets all OTT gothic in the last quarter. It's very entertaining.
Fantastically readable novel that gets all OTT gothic in the last quarter. It's very entertaining.
January 23, 2025
I finished “The Shadow Key” by Susan Stokes-Chapman. I got it as a gift from a friend and went in not knowing much about it. I knew it was by the author of “Pandora”, which has been on my TBR for a while, so I was curious.
It took me some time to get into the book, mostly because I had the wrong expectations. I thought it was going to be a YA fantasy, but it’s more of a historical mystery with a gothic vibe. Once I adjusted (about 1/4 of the way in), I started to enjoy it.
I really liked the Welsh setting and the language, it added something unique to the story. The historical aspects were also very interesting. However, the characters didn’t fully win me over. I liked them at the start, but the character development wasn’t as strong as I hoped. By halfway through, the miscommunication trope kicked in, which got a bit frustrating.
Around 2/3 of the way through, the book completely lost me. It became too intense and over the top, and for a mystery, it was a bit too predictable. While the story didn’t quite live up to my hopes, it was still a fast read.
It took me some time to get into the book, mostly because I had the wrong expectations. I thought it was going to be a YA fantasy, but it’s more of a historical mystery with a gothic vibe. Once I adjusted (about 1/4 of the way in), I started to enjoy it.
I really liked the Welsh setting and the language, it added something unique to the story. The historical aspects were also very interesting. However, the characters didn’t fully win me over. I liked them at the start, but the character development wasn’t as strong as I hoped. By halfway through, the miscommunication trope kicked in, which got a bit frustrating.
Around 2/3 of the way through, the book completely lost me. It became too intense and over the top, and for a mystery, it was a bit too predictable. While the story didn’t quite live up to my hopes, it was still a fast read.
May 15, 2024
#TheShadowKey – Susan Stokes-Chapman
#HarvillSecker
#PenguinRandomHouseSA
The fairytales of the Grimm brothers were seldom about fairies. In hindsight, they were quite dark, often gruesome, and usually set in a dark wood in a faraway country in a time recalled only by history and storytellers. But the magical anticipation of impending doom made a lasting impression on me, and I have thus become a lifelong searcher of similar tales, albeit in the adult world. Since it is hard to define, it is also hard to find, but I discovered it in this novel.
In the summer of 1783 Dr Henry Talbot reports for duty as physician in a remote Welsh village, Penhelyg, after suffering professional disgrace in London. The community is anti-English, superstitious, antagonistic, and distrusting, displaying more faith in the old ways than in 18th century science. Myths, magic, and folklore rule supreme. His employer, Julian Tresilian, dabbles in alchemy and the occult, the smell of sulphur often clinging to the crumbling mansion where Henry has taken up residence.
Grisly grimoires, rumours of a Hellfire Club, legends dating back to the times of Solomon, ancient symbols, the whispered name of Berith, and canwyll corph, also known as corpse candles, announcing death by means of the colour of their flames, intertwine with Henry’s mounting dread when he realizes that his predecessor has died in mysterious circumstances and that he had been lured there for a very specific purpose.
As is often the case with the genre, nature and the environment are utilized to increase the bleakness of the setting, Penhelyg houses a mining community, and the darkness and desperation often associated therewith, in association with the threats of wind and sea in a tiny coastal hamlet, add an evocative element to the text. It is, however, not a ghost story, per se. Although supernatural elements are hinted at, not even the characters can ultimately pinpoint the true nature of the events.
An excerpt from Coleridge’s ‘The Rime of the Ancyent Marinere’ (1798) best described the atmosphere created by the narrative:
“Like one, that on a lonely road
Doth walk in fear and dread,
And having once turn’d around, walk on
And turns no more his head:
Because he knows, a frightful fiend
Doth close behind him tread.” (273)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #Uitdieperdsebek
#HarvillSecker
#PenguinRandomHouseSA
The fairytales of the Grimm brothers were seldom about fairies. In hindsight, they were quite dark, often gruesome, and usually set in a dark wood in a faraway country in a time recalled only by history and storytellers. But the magical anticipation of impending doom made a lasting impression on me, and I have thus become a lifelong searcher of similar tales, albeit in the adult world. Since it is hard to define, it is also hard to find, but I discovered it in this novel.
In the summer of 1783 Dr Henry Talbot reports for duty as physician in a remote Welsh village, Penhelyg, after suffering professional disgrace in London. The community is anti-English, superstitious, antagonistic, and distrusting, displaying more faith in the old ways than in 18th century science. Myths, magic, and folklore rule supreme. His employer, Julian Tresilian, dabbles in alchemy and the occult, the smell of sulphur often clinging to the crumbling mansion where Henry has taken up residence.
Grisly grimoires, rumours of a Hellfire Club, legends dating back to the times of Solomon, ancient symbols, the whispered name of Berith, and canwyll corph, also known as corpse candles, announcing death by means of the colour of their flames, intertwine with Henry’s mounting dread when he realizes that his predecessor has died in mysterious circumstances and that he had been lured there for a very specific purpose.
As is often the case with the genre, nature and the environment are utilized to increase the bleakness of the setting, Penhelyg houses a mining community, and the darkness and desperation often associated therewith, in association with the threats of wind and sea in a tiny coastal hamlet, add an evocative element to the text. It is, however, not a ghost story, per se. Although supernatural elements are hinted at, not even the characters can ultimately pinpoint the true nature of the events.
An excerpt from Coleridge’s ‘The Rime of the Ancyent Marinere’ (1798) best described the atmosphere created by the narrative:
“Like one, that on a lonely road
Doth walk in fear and dread,
And having once turn’d around, walk on
And turns no more his head:
Because he knows, a frightful fiend
Doth close behind him tread.” (273)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #Uitdieperdsebek
September 10, 2024
The Shadow Key is set in the late 1700s and takes us to the village of Penhelyg, where Dr. Henry Talbot finds himself after losing his prestigious job at a London Hospital. Henry quickly finds that he is not welcome by the villagers and uncovers a murder and mysterious going-ons at Plas Helyg, where he is now serving as a personal physician to the Tresilian family.
There were so many things that I loved about The Shadow Key. It has a Gothic mystery setting and a great mix of characters. The mix of belief in superstition/folklore, faith, the supernatural and science was an interesting storyline for the book.
Linette and Henry’s characters were well done. I liked Linette’s refusal to fall into the stereotype of what women were supposed to be during that time period. And Henry was a great opposite to Linette, leaning heavily on his background in science, not able to understand the belief that Linette and the villagers held about superstition and old folklore.
I really loved the twist near the end of the book and the way it played into Julian’s schemes. It was fun to meet a calm, cool and collected Julian at the beginning of the book, and see to see how he changes throughout the story.
The Shadow Key is an intriguing read, and combines a Gothic feel with a mix of historical fiction and I would highly recommend it.
There were so many things that I loved about The Shadow Key. It has a Gothic mystery setting and a great mix of characters. The mix of belief in superstition/folklore, faith, the supernatural and science was an interesting storyline for the book.
Linette and Henry’s characters were well done. I liked Linette’s refusal to fall into the stereotype of what women were supposed to be during that time period. And Henry was a great opposite to Linette, leaning heavily on his background in science, not able to understand the belief that Linette and the villagers held about superstition and old folklore.
I really loved the twist near the end of the book and the way it played into Julian’s schemes. It was fun to meet a calm, cool and collected Julian at the beginning of the book, and see to see how he changes throughout the story.
The Shadow Key is an intriguing read, and combines a Gothic feel with a mix of historical fiction and I would highly recommend it.
March 29, 2024
I received an ARC of this book via netgalley. I think the book blurb promised more than it gave. A small cast of characters in a small welsh settlement and, at least for me, an equally small amount of narrative pull or interest. It was obvious who was manipulating events although why was a bit of a surprise. I am not sure that the book will encourage me to read more from this author.
April 18, 2025
J’ai cru j’allais jamais m’en sortir de ce livre. L’histoire est top mais les longueurs du livres c’était pour m’achever.
Le plot est surprenant mais la fin je suis déçu, trop simple à mon goût.
Le plot est surprenant mais la fin je suis déçu, trop simple à mon goût.
September 15, 2024
4.5 stars
This was a perfect book for a rainy autumn day, if you ask me. I know it came out this spring, but it gave me massive autumnal vibes. 🕯🍁🍃☔🍂✨
Spooky, atmospheric, disturbing, and intriguing - this book is a well-composed addition to the gothic genre. It pays homage to loads of classic gothic tropes, but manages to still feel fresh and contemporary relevant in spite of it's historic setting.
I liked the book as a whole very, very much.
The characters, the plot, and the themes explored within the story all felt solidly researched and very well executed.
I was able to guess a certain plot twist early on - and that is the main reason why I'm not giving the book 5 solid stars. The motivations behind the twist were interesting, but I was rather hoping the obvious twist wasn't going to happen. It was such an open goal it would have been more exciting with something completely out of left field.
The fact that you're left guessing if the supernatural actual made an appearance or not is a trope I really like when it's done well - and in here, it is done well.
I feel very positive towards the thought of exploring more books by this author.
This was a perfect book for a rainy autumn day, if you ask me. I know it came out this spring, but it gave me massive autumnal vibes. 🕯🍁🍃☔🍂✨
Spooky, atmospheric, disturbing, and intriguing - this book is a well-composed addition to the gothic genre. It pays homage to loads of classic gothic tropes, but manages to still feel fresh and contemporary relevant in spite of it's historic setting.
I liked the book as a whole very, very much.
The characters, the plot, and the themes explored within the story all felt solidly researched and very well executed.
I was able to guess a certain plot twist early on - and that is the main reason why I'm not giving the book 5 solid stars. The motivations behind the twist were interesting, but I was rather hoping the obvious twist wasn't going to happen. It was such an open goal it would have been more exciting with something completely out of left field.
The fact that you're left guessing if the supernatural actual made an appearance or not is a trope I really like when it's done well - and in here, it is done well.
I feel very positive towards the thought of exploring more books by this author.
September 6, 2024
I'm trying to be a bit less hard-hearted in my reviews, so, let's start with positives. In my opinion, Stokes-Chapman’s greatest success in ‘The Shadow Key’ lies in creating atmosphere:
The atmosphere in this novel is what perhaps books like The Whistling by Rebecca Netley aim for and maybe just miss by an inch, and what the likes of Mistletoe by Alison Littlewood have bullseye’d: this gorgeous showing-not-telling push-and-pull build of suspense.
Susan Stokes-Chapman’s technical skill deserves to be spotlit in any review. She selects her linguistic tools and fashions tension through her use of repetition to underscore Henry’s fixations, helicoptering his unease a bit like a villanelle would. She alternates long rambling paragraphs with short, abrupt sentences (often comprising a single word: 'Whispering.'; 'Yet.'; 'Gone.'; 'He sees nothing'). I also admire her use of place-as-character. And none of the seams show in the finished garment; the atmosphere all reads fluently, naturalistically.
And talking about atmosphere, what can we say about that cover?! I was sold immediately (I have to confess that I still haven’t got around to reading ‘Pandora’, even though I bought it as soon as it came out, solely on the strength of its own gorgeous cover – I had to have it).
But atmosphere will only ever take me so far. Ultimately, ‘The Skeleton Key’ left me disappointed and frustrated. It’s long after the halfway point before Stokes-Chapman issues readers with any semblance of plot. Inexcusable, in my view, and I wouldn’t have persevered with this had it not been a NetGalley ARC.
It’s so late in the novel when the title actually clicks into place, that the anticlimax of the mystery-reveal as to what ‘The Skeleton Key’ means, or what it is, comes to symbolise the entire reading experience.
In actual fact, it’s not until 80% that Stokes-Chapman's novel proper begins. I know it’s a brutal declaration, but I'd say this book could have the first 70% excised and it wouldn't suffer for it. Perhaps it should have been a novella? Although I can't see how the story would have worked in that case. Perhaps this suggests that, actually, the whole undertaking might have needed a total overhaul in editing. For me, the way everything suddenly rushes in in the last pages undermines the very substance of that final bit of action.
Thanks to Random House UK Vintage for the advanced digital copy via NetGalley in exchange for review.
'The smell of sulphur catches in his throat and as the old man coughs he sees his breath pool in the air before him.'
The atmosphere in this novel is what perhaps books like The Whistling by Rebecca Netley aim for and maybe just miss by an inch, and what the likes of Mistletoe by Alison Littlewood have bullseye’d: this gorgeous showing-not-telling push-and-pull build of suspense.
Susan Stokes-Chapman’s technical skill deserves to be spotlit in any review. She selects her linguistic tools and fashions tension through her use of repetition to underscore Henry’s fixations, helicoptering his unease a bit like a villanelle would. She alternates long rambling paragraphs with short, abrupt sentences (often comprising a single word: 'Whispering.'; 'Yet.'; 'Gone.'; 'He sees nothing'). I also admire her use of place-as-character. And none of the seams show in the finished garment; the atmosphere all reads fluently, naturalistically.
And talking about atmosphere, what can we say about that cover?! I was sold immediately (I have to confess that I still haven’t got around to reading ‘Pandora’, even though I bought it as soon as it came out, solely on the strength of its own gorgeous cover – I had to have it).
But atmosphere will only ever take me so far. Ultimately, ‘The Skeleton Key’ left me disappointed and frustrated. It’s long after the halfway point before Stokes-Chapman issues readers with any semblance of plot. Inexcusable, in my view, and I wouldn’t have persevered with this had it not been a NetGalley ARC.
It’s so late in the novel when the title actually clicks into place, that the anticlimax of the mystery-reveal as to what ‘The Skeleton Key’ means, or what it is, comes to symbolise the entire reading experience.
In actual fact, it’s not until 80% that Stokes-Chapman's novel proper begins. I know it’s a brutal declaration, but I'd say this book could have the first 70% excised and it wouldn't suffer for it. Perhaps it should have been a novella? Although I can't see how the story would have worked in that case. Perhaps this suggests that, actually, the whole undertaking might have needed a total overhaul in editing. For me, the way everything suddenly rushes in in the last pages undermines the very substance of that final bit of action.
Thanks to Random House UK Vintage for the advanced digital copy via NetGalley in exchange for review.
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