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The Burial Plot
9 hours and 58 minutes
From the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Doll Factory, The Burial Plot is an unstoppable historical thriller about murder, manipulation, and a young woman trying to wrestle power from the hands of a dangerous man. But he’s always one step ahead . . .
London, 1839. Where the cemeteries are full and there is money to be made in death, Bonnie and Crawford lead a life of trickery, surviving off ill-gotten coin and nefarious schemes. But one hot evening, their luck runs out. A man lies in a pool of blood at Bonnie’s feet and now she needs to disappear.
Crawford secures her a position as lady’s maid in a grand house on the Thames, still deep in mourning for its late mistress. As Bonnie comes to understand this family – the eccentric Mr Moncrieff, obsessively drawing mausoleums grand enough for his dead wife, and their peculiar daughter Cissie, scribbling imaginary love letters to herself from the mysterious Lord Duggan – she begins to question what really happened to Mrs Moncrieff and whether her own presence here was planned from the beginning.
Because Crawford is watching, and perhaps he is plotting his greatest trick yet . . .
From the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Doll Factory, The Burial Plot is an unstoppable historical thriller about murder, manipulation, and a young woman trying to wrestle power from the hands of a dangerous man. But he’s always one step ahead . . .
London, 1839. Where the cemeteries are full and there is money to be made in death, Bonnie and Crawford lead a life of trickery, surviving off ill-gotten coin and nefarious schemes. But one hot evening, their luck runs out. A man lies in a pool of blood at Bonnie’s feet and now she needs to disappear.
Crawford secures her a position as lady’s maid in a grand house on the Thames, still deep in mourning for its late mistress. As Bonnie comes to understand this family – the eccentric Mr Moncrieff, obsessively drawing mausoleums grand enough for his dead wife, and their peculiar daughter Cissie, scribbling imaginary love letters to herself from the mysterious Lord Duggan – she begins to question what really happened to Mrs Moncrieff and whether her own presence here was planned from the beginning.
Because Crawford is watching, and perhaps he is plotting his greatest trick yet . . .
10 pages, Audible Audio
First published June 11, 2024
209 people are currently reading
7684 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Macneal
9 books1,000 followersElizabeth Macneal was born in Edinburgh and now lives in East London. She is a writer and potter and works from a small studio at the bottom of her garden. She read English Literature at Oxford University, before working in the City for several years. In 2017, she completed the Creative Writing MA at UEA in 2017 where she was awarded the Malcolm Bradbury scholarship.
The Doll Factory, Elizabeth's debut novel, won the Caledonia Noel Award 2018. It will be published in twenty-eight languages and TV rights have sold to Buccaneer Media.
The Doll Factory, Elizabeth's debut novel, won the Caledonia Noel Award 2018. It will be published in twenty-eight languages and TV rights have sold to Buccaneer Media.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 369 reviews
December 9, 2024
The Doll Factory by Elizabeth Macneal, is one of my all-time favorite audiobook experiences which I enjoyed earlier this year. Immediately after I finished it, I knew I would need more. I purchased a physical edition for my library and grabbed her newest release, The Burial Plot.
I expected to love it, but I did not expect an equally, if not a bit more, satisfying experience. This story is a smoke show!
Intricately crafted, this gothic
thriller tells the story of a woman consumed with a blinding obsession for a man who is as devastatingly handsome as he is dangerous.
Together, they scheme and manipulate and set their sights far too high. As the dust jacket explicitly states, "She wants him, he'll take everything."
So GOOD! Full of calculated and delicious twists and turns, this author had a diabolical mind and a gift for storytelling. I was under a spell and couldn't be happier.
Another **** * banger from Elizabeth Macneal.
Full review on Patreon!
https://www.patreon.com/posts/117629408
I expected to love it, but I did not expect an equally, if not a bit more, satisfying experience. This story is a smoke show!
Intricately crafted, this gothic
thriller tells the story of a woman consumed with a blinding obsession for a man who is as devastatingly handsome as he is dangerous.
Together, they scheme and manipulate and set their sights far too high. As the dust jacket explicitly states, "She wants him, he'll take everything."
So GOOD! Full of calculated and delicious twists and turns, this author had a diabolical mind and a gift for storytelling. I was under a spell and couldn't be happier.
Another **** * banger from Elizabeth Macneal.
Full review on Patreon!
https://www.patreon.com/posts/117629408
October 5, 2024
But older.
Sorry guys, but this is one of the best gothic-novel covers of all time.
May 13, 2024
This was my first Elizabeth Macneal novel but it won't be my last. I had a great time seeing how the plot came together overtime, unraveling all the ways in which Bonnie was manipulated, and seeing the characters grow despite the novel's heavy themes.
My only issue with this novel is one character in particular that I don't think was all that necessary. Maybe , but if that's the case I don't think it translated as well as I'd like into the story.
Still, I highly recommend this book for lovers of historical fiction set in Victorian times & all things Gothic.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
My only issue with this novel is one character in particular that I don't think was all that necessary. Maybe , but if that's the case I don't think it translated as well as I'd like into the story.
Still, I highly recommend this book for lovers of historical fiction set in Victorian times & all things Gothic.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
March 23, 2024
Elizabeth Macneal's debut novel, "The Doll Factory," remains one of my favorite books set in Victorian England. So I approached her third book, "The Burial Plot", with great anticipation and high expectations. I am happy to say that it proved to be a satisfying read and, despite some of my personal reservations, an objectively commendable book.
The protagonist of "The Burial Plot" is Bonnie, who, along with her partner Crawford, operates within London's underworld, involved in fraud and theft. When one of their robberies goes awry and Bonnie faces the threat of execution, Crawford convinces her to assume the role of a maid in an eccentric neo-Gothic mansion owned by widower Mr. Moncrieff and his daughter. However, Bonnie soon realizes that her presence in the household serves a secondary purpose, indicating that Crawford's motives extend beyond mere concern for her well-being.
An important aspect driving the plot of the book is the growing problem of the burial of the dead in the early Victorian era. With insufficient burial grounds available, the necessity for new cemeteries became apparent. The narrative illustrates how the Victorian preoccupation with death and mourning could serve as a lucrative opportunity for those who were resourceful and enterprising.
Like the author's other works, "The Burial Plot" is meticulously grounded in historical reality. Elizabeth Macneal avoids idealizing the period and offers a portrayal that goes beyond the perspective of wealthy aristocrats. The novel also sheds light on the difficult circumstances faced by women during this period.
Overall, "The Burial Plot" didn't grab me quite as much as "The Doll Factory", perhaps because I've already read numerous stories set in creepy gothic mansions. However, the plot itself is intriguing and occasionally disturbing. I found the theme of cemetery construction particularly compelling. The characters are multidimensional and engaging, with diverse and often understandable motivations, even if they lead to tragic outcomes.
One aspect of the book that didn't resonate with me was the ending. Without giving away any spoilers, I found it difficult to make clear moral judgments about all the characters, given the complexity of the situation presented in the story. However, I recognize that this is a matter of personal preference, and I'm sure that many readers will still appreciate the ending.
Despite this minor quibble, I wholeheartedly recommend "The Burial Plot" not only to fans of Elizabeth Macneal's previous work, but also to anyone looking for an engaging novel set in the Victorian era that authentically captures the spirit of the time.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The protagonist of "The Burial Plot" is Bonnie, who, along with her partner Crawford, operates within London's underworld, involved in fraud and theft. When one of their robberies goes awry and Bonnie faces the threat of execution, Crawford convinces her to assume the role of a maid in an eccentric neo-Gothic mansion owned by widower Mr. Moncrieff and his daughter. However, Bonnie soon realizes that her presence in the household serves a secondary purpose, indicating that Crawford's motives extend beyond mere concern for her well-being.
An important aspect driving the plot of the book is the growing problem of the burial of the dead in the early Victorian era. With insufficient burial grounds available, the necessity for new cemeteries became apparent. The narrative illustrates how the Victorian preoccupation with death and mourning could serve as a lucrative opportunity for those who were resourceful and enterprising.
Like the author's other works, "The Burial Plot" is meticulously grounded in historical reality. Elizabeth Macneal avoids idealizing the period and offers a portrayal that goes beyond the perspective of wealthy aristocrats. The novel also sheds light on the difficult circumstances faced by women during this period.
Overall, "The Burial Plot" didn't grab me quite as much as "The Doll Factory", perhaps because I've already read numerous stories set in creepy gothic mansions. However, the plot itself is intriguing and occasionally disturbing. I found the theme of cemetery construction particularly compelling. The characters are multidimensional and engaging, with diverse and often understandable motivations, even if they lead to tragic outcomes.
One aspect of the book that didn't resonate with me was the ending. Without giving away any spoilers, I found it difficult to make clear moral judgments about all the characters, given the complexity of the situation presented in the story. However, I recognize that this is a matter of personal preference, and I'm sure that many readers will still appreciate the ending.
Despite this minor quibble, I wholeheartedly recommend "The Burial Plot" not only to fans of Elizabeth Macneal's previous work, but also to anyone looking for an engaging novel set in the Victorian era that authentically captures the spirit of the time.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
June 29, 2024
1.5. MY GOD was Bonnie dumber than a box of rocks. It took her eighty thousand years too long to figure out Crawford and basically if information was not spoon fed to her, she was not going to get there herself. I mean Crawford says it himself: she just believes literally anything she's told because as mentioned she is so painfully stupid. And there's no relief to Bonnie thinking: I should've figured this out sooner because, YEAH DUH, YOU DEFINITELY SHOULD HAVE. And then to walk around for chapter upon chapter with no other plan than to dither? I just--
She's just waiting for the net to close, she knows she's in danger, she knows the people she loves are in danger and she..... dithers. She has no plan. Not only does she have no plan, she never comes up with one. The fact that she never told Aubrey, never got his help when she needed ALL THE HELP because, to reiterate: she is so fucking dumb it's infuriating, is really beyond the pale. I was literally talking out loud, saying: tell him, tell him, tell him. It is pure luck that he didn't die and, if he had, it would've been Bonnie's fault more than anyone else's because she knew and said nothing all while having no goddamned plan. I can almost understand if she's waiting until some countermeasure of hers either works or doesn't but, again, her plan was to wait for the bad thing to just... happen. ARRRRRGGGGHHHHHH!!! I truly cannot explain how much I hated this woman for being just so painfully stupid at every turn.
She gives that speech to Cissie about how a heroine changes her fate instead of just laying down to die and literally all I could think was: you haven't changed a single thing. You've reacted to everything but never, not once, were you an agent of change so, really? That speech, from you? Okay, sure.
This gets two stars because even though the person giving the speech is garbage, at least Cissie listens to it and does something. Also, the writing was great, Bonnie was just such an unrepentant idiot and I was furious for the entire latter half of the book, once it became clear that she was just.... never going to do a single thing and instead doom herself and all the people around her because she was just so ineffective. It's hard to root for that, y'know? I wanted her to be smart, I wanted her to figure things out, I wanted her to have a plan and instead.... she reacts, reacts, reacts all the way to the bitter end.
She's just waiting for the net to close, she knows she's in danger, she knows the people she loves are in danger and she..... dithers. She has no plan. Not only does she have no plan, she never comes up with one. The fact that she never told Aubrey, never got his help when she needed ALL THE HELP because, to reiterate: she is so fucking dumb it's infuriating, is really beyond the pale. I was literally talking out loud, saying: tell him, tell him, tell him. It is pure luck that he didn't die and, if he had, it would've been Bonnie's fault more than anyone else's because she knew and said nothing all while having no goddamned plan. I can almost understand if she's waiting until some countermeasure of hers either works or doesn't but, again, her plan was to wait for the bad thing to just... happen. ARRRRRGGGGHHHHHH!!! I truly cannot explain how much I hated this woman for being just so painfully stupid at every turn.
She gives that speech to Cissie about how a heroine changes her fate instead of just laying down to die and literally all I could think was: you haven't changed a single thing. You've reacted to everything but never, not once, were you an agent of change so, really? That speech, from you? Okay, sure.
This gets two stars because even though the person giving the speech is garbage, at least Cissie listens to it and does something. Also, the writing was great, Bonnie was just such an unrepentant idiot and I was furious for the entire latter half of the book, once it became clear that she was just.... never going to do a single thing and instead doom herself and all the people around her because she was just so ineffective. It's hard to root for that, y'know? I wanted her to be smart, I wanted her to figure things out, I wanted her to have a plan and instead.... she reacts, reacts, reacts all the way to the bitter end.
July 17, 2024
Elizabeth Macneal books feature determined and intelligent women within stories that explore themes and subjects such as manipulation, murder, freedom, choice and independence.
The Burial Plot sees Bonnie, the central character, whisked away from the murky streets of London for her own protection after a murder, to work as a Lady's maid in a large house near to the river Thames.
As the story develops we see Bonnie doing her best to fit in and also meet the expectations of her friend and lover Crawford. His guidance and support is important to her and as she gathers confidence in her new surroundings and her role she uncovers both tragedy and loss. Moreover, she can help make things better for others, but not everything appears as it seems and slowly a jigsaw puzzle of events, people and circumstances bring potential and hope to improve her life but also there is fear, jealousy and mystery. Is Bonnie's intelligence and determination enough to see her through?
Written with Macneal's gift for descriptive language and attention to detail this thriller/mystery moves at pace. Characters are well-drawn and the linkages of the story and plot to a time when London's cemeteries were literally overflowing is well done. Readers who enjoy historical-fiction offering mystery and a good story will likely enjoy this.
Although, her first book,
The Doll Factory, remains my favourite, this was a solid three stars (GR Liked it).
The Burial Plot sees Bonnie, the central character, whisked away from the murky streets of London for her own protection after a murder, to work as a Lady's maid in a large house near to the river Thames.
As the story develops we see Bonnie doing her best to fit in and also meet the expectations of her friend and lover Crawford. His guidance and support is important to her and as she gathers confidence in her new surroundings and her role she uncovers both tragedy and loss. Moreover, she can help make things better for others, but not everything appears as it seems and slowly a jigsaw puzzle of events, people and circumstances bring potential and hope to improve her life but also there is fear, jealousy and mystery. Is Bonnie's intelligence and determination enough to see her through?
Written with Macneal's gift for descriptive language and attention to detail this thriller/mystery moves at pace. Characters are well-drawn and the linkages of the story and plot to a time when London's cemeteries were literally overflowing is well done. Readers who enjoy historical-fiction offering mystery and a good story will likely enjoy this.
Although, her first book,
The Doll Factory, remains my favourite, this was a solid three stars (GR Liked it).
May 21, 2024
Give me a Victorian gothic novel set in an old grand house with a maid/governess and I'm sold. Reading this reminded me of Jane Eyre and Rebecca (two of my favourites!).
I figured out what was going to happen at the end around the halfway mark, but this didn't lessen my enjoyment of the novel. I really relished seeing everything come to a climax.
This was my first Elizabeth Macneal novel and won't be my last. She's a superb storyteller, and her writing is exquisite.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
I figured out what was going to happen at the end around the halfway mark, but this didn't lessen my enjoyment of the novel. I really relished seeing everything come to a climax.
This was my first Elizabeth Macneal novel and won't be my last. She's a superb storyteller, and her writing is exquisite.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
May 23, 2024
4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ The Burial Plot is an historical thriller that is absolutely absorbing. The gothic vibes are present throughout creating a scenic backdrop for an engaging plot. At times my heart was thumping when lies and manipulation start to unravel. Also the focus on burial grounds made for interesting reading as this was a problem Victorian England had to address. This book definitely transports you into the past and the characters are all so believable. Overall a brilliant read with darkness at its core. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.
May 17, 2024
A new book from Elizabeth Macneal always becomes one of my most anticipated books of a year. I loved The Doll Factory and enjoyed Circus of Wonders, and The Burial Plot sounded brilliant - Victorian cemeteries? Murder and manipulation? Yes, please!
This book is very dark; it might be even darker than The Doll Factory. Some descriptions of London and people are grimy, even unpleasant, and people are not very nice. Speaking of people, unfortunately I didn't like a single character in this book. I didn't click with anyone, didn't sympathise with them or root for them - neither for Bonnie, our protagonist, or Cissie, a young troubled girl in her care. Macneal's writing is superb, though, and I could read her vivid descriptions all day long, but overall the book lacked the gothic atmosphere. The twists and revelations were pretty predictable too. The Burial Plot has a fascinating premise (and a great title), but the execution wasn't great, in my opinion. I'm still here for whatever Elizabeth Macneal writes next!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book is very dark; it might be even darker than The Doll Factory. Some descriptions of London and people are grimy, even unpleasant, and people are not very nice. Speaking of people, unfortunately I didn't like a single character in this book. I didn't click with anyone, didn't sympathise with them or root for them - neither for Bonnie, our protagonist, or Cissie, a young troubled girl in her care. Macneal's writing is superb, though, and I could read her vivid descriptions all day long, but overall the book lacked the gothic atmosphere. The twists and revelations were pretty predictable too. The Burial Plot has a fascinating premise (and a great title), but the execution wasn't great, in my opinion. I'm still here for whatever Elizabeth Macneal writes next!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 5, 2024
A gloriously gothic masterpiece!
The tense atmosphere, the lingering sense of menace and sinister scheming had me reaching for this one at every opportunity.
We are introduced to Bonnie who flees from an arranged marriage and takes her chances in London, where poverty is rife and opportunities to make something of yourself are slim when you’re at the bottom of the social ladder. She gets entangled with the charming yet scheming Crawford who claims to love her but has his own private agenda. We watch as Bonnie moves from naive runaway, to desperate survivor, to fierce heroine who takes charge of her own fate. She is a complex and unforgettable character who has shot up to the ranks of my favourite heroines.
I loved The Doll Factory and The Burial Plot was just as brilliant. I felt immersed in Victorian London with the rich detail and the evocative writing had my sympathies bouncing between characters with every twist and turn. I found the complexity of the plot, the characters and the setting reminiscent of Fingersmith so I’d highly recommend this one to fans of Sarah Waters (and to fans of historical fiction, thriller, romance and gothic thrillers, this book has something for everyone!). It was a joy to read this with a lovely group of bookworms. We all loved it!
The tense atmosphere, the lingering sense of menace and sinister scheming had me reaching for this one at every opportunity.
We are introduced to Bonnie who flees from an arranged marriage and takes her chances in London, where poverty is rife and opportunities to make something of yourself are slim when you’re at the bottom of the social ladder. She gets entangled with the charming yet scheming Crawford who claims to love her but has his own private agenda. We watch as Bonnie moves from naive runaway, to desperate survivor, to fierce heroine who takes charge of her own fate. She is a complex and unforgettable character who has shot up to the ranks of my favourite heroines.
I loved The Doll Factory and The Burial Plot was just as brilliant. I felt immersed in Victorian London with the rich detail and the evocative writing had my sympathies bouncing between characters with every twist and turn. I found the complexity of the plot, the characters and the setting reminiscent of Fingersmith so I’d highly recommend this one to fans of Sarah Waters (and to fans of historical fiction, thriller, romance and gothic thrillers, this book has something for everyone!). It was a joy to read this with a lovely group of bookworms. We all loved it!
July 15, 2024
Gorgeously Gothic, mysterious and dark; this was a thoroughly absorbing read.
Macneal’s earlier book, The Doll Factory, is one of my favourite Historical Fiction novels, and so I await every new release with anticipation. The Burial Plot is set in 1839, with all the grime and poverty of London’s streets, alongside the ignorant privilege of the rich.
The blurb enticed me in immediately; Bonnie and Crawford leading a life of trickery and living on ill-gotten money, disaster striking and risking their safety, Bonnie’s move to becoming a lady’s maid at a grand estate, the eccentric household, and a new master with a dead wife…
It’s intriguing, it’s suggestive, it’s moreish. It’s just the sort of story that’s easy to get lost in. To walk the halls, to raise a candle in the darkness, to peek around barely open doors to see what truths can be stolen.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time with it, and once it got it’s hooks into me, I couldn’t put it down.
If you’ve enjoyed Macneal’s previous novels then you’re going to need this one too, and if you’re new to Historical Fiction, then this beauty is an excellent introduction to Victorian England.
Absolutely recommend.
And huge thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Macneal’s earlier book, The Doll Factory, is one of my favourite Historical Fiction novels, and so I await every new release with anticipation. The Burial Plot is set in 1839, with all the grime and poverty of London’s streets, alongside the ignorant privilege of the rich.
The blurb enticed me in immediately; Bonnie and Crawford leading a life of trickery and living on ill-gotten money, disaster striking and risking their safety, Bonnie’s move to becoming a lady’s maid at a grand estate, the eccentric household, and a new master with a dead wife…
It’s intriguing, it’s suggestive, it’s moreish. It’s just the sort of story that’s easy to get lost in. To walk the halls, to raise a candle in the darkness, to peek around barely open doors to see what truths can be stolen.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time with it, and once it got it’s hooks into me, I couldn’t put it down.
If you’ve enjoyed Macneal’s previous novels then you’re going to need this one too, and if you’re new to Historical Fiction, then this beauty is an excellent introduction to Victorian England.
Absolutely recommend.
And huge thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 20, 2024
A lovely slice of Victorian Gothic, set fair and square where it all began, in more ways than one.
Located in a grand house, based on the real house crucial to the birth of the gothic novel, the plot aligns itself with the start of the Victorian obsession with mourning and commemoration of the dead. I recommend a reading of Peter Ross’ A Tomb With A View to understand more about the creation of London’s grand Victorian cemeteries.
The heroine Bonnie is a proper heroine - although morally compromised and threatened, she ‘takes charge of her own life… changes her fortune… finds another way out.’ She saves and changes not only her own life, but the lives of those she loves, and I applauded her all the way through.
Located in a grand house, based on the real house crucial to the birth of the gothic novel, the plot aligns itself with the start of the Victorian obsession with mourning and commemoration of the dead. I recommend a reading of Peter Ross’ A Tomb With A View to understand more about the creation of London’s grand Victorian cemeteries.
The heroine Bonnie is a proper heroine - although morally compromised and threatened, she ‘takes charge of her own life… changes her fortune… finds another way out.’ She saves and changes not only her own life, but the lives of those she loves, and I applauded her all the way through.
February 11, 2025
In 2021, I awarded Elizabeth Macneal's novel Circus of Wonders best book of the year, so to say I was excited about reading her latest instalment is an understatement.
😳
Whoa! What a big bag of balls this was!
I'm still sat here, hours after finishing it, wondering how it can be the same author. A historical soap opera nightmare with a weak plot.
2.5 stars. Gutted. ⭐️⭐️🌟
😳
Whoa! What a big bag of balls this was!
I'm still sat here, hours after finishing it, wondering how it can be the same author. A historical soap opera nightmare with a weak plot.
2.5 stars. Gutted. ⭐️⭐️🌟
July 8, 2024
4.5 ⭐️
It took me a little while to truly get in to this book, but when I did I flew through it!!
I loved our MC, she was the perfect mix of protagonist and antagonist, and as the book went along I found I was routing for her more and more as she developed.
I did find the way that the characters became involved in the house a little too convenient, but once they were there it was so interesting seeing how the place started to unravel.
I was truly shocked by some of the twists, and I think that’s what brought this up half a star for me.
It took me a little while to truly get in to this book, but when I did I flew through it!!
I loved our MC, she was the perfect mix of protagonist and antagonist, and as the book went along I found I was routing for her more and more as she developed.
I did find the way that the characters became involved in the house a little too convenient, but once they were there it was so interesting seeing how the place started to unravel.
I was truly shocked by some of the twists, and I think that’s what brought this up half a star for me.
August 31, 2025
An atmospheric and immersive, twisty Victorian set tale with a likeable main character to root for, and a suitably dastardly villain.
I'm a sucker for this type of historic fiction, dark with gothic vibes, and though I guessed what was up about halfway through, I loved watching it all play out.
Always good to learn something too, I didn't know how valuable and sought after, decent burial space was in Victorian London, it certainly made for some grim reading.
If you liked Fingersmith by Sarah Waters or Slammerkin by Emma Donoghue you'll probably love this.
Another cracking tale from Elizabeth Macneal, 5 stars.
I'm a sucker for this type of historic fiction, dark with gothic vibes, and though I guessed what was up about halfway through, I loved watching it all play out.
Always good to learn something too, I didn't know how valuable and sought after, decent burial space was in Victorian London, it certainly made for some grim reading.
If you liked Fingersmith by Sarah Waters or Slammerkin by Emma Donoghue you'll probably love this.
Another cracking tale from Elizabeth Macneal, 5 stars.
June 11, 2024
It’s 1839 and Bonnie Fairchild has just killed a man. She didn’t intend to do it, but it has still happened and now she needs to escape from London, quickly, before she is caught. Bonnie is no stranger to crime – since fleeing to London to avoid an arranged marriage, she and her lover Crawford have been making their living through theft and fraud. This is the first time something has gone wrong, but Crawford thinks he has found a solution: Bonnie will apply for the position of lady’s maid at Endellion House, a grand estate outside the city owned by the wealthy Mr Moncrieff. Nobody will ever think to look for her there!
Arriving at Endellion House, Bonnie finds her new employer to be a sad, subdued man who devotes his time to designing mausoleums for his dead wife who drowned several months earlier. Meanwhile, his teenage daughter, Cissie, seems to have retreated into a fantasy world, writing imaginary love letters to herself. Then, just as Bonnie is beginning to make sense of this eccentric, unhappy household, Crawford reappears with another great scheme in mind…
I enjoyed both of Elizabeth Macneal’s previous novels, The Doll Factory and Circus of Wonders, so I was expecting good things from this one and I wasn’t disappointed at all; I think it’s probably my favourite of the three. Although I correctly predicted some of the twists and turns of the plot, there were others I didn’t see coming at all. One of the things that is obvious from the beginning, at least to the reader, is that Crawford is a con man who is using and manipulating Bonnie for his own purposes – and even though Bonnie is at least partly aware of this, she has convinced herself that she’s in love with him and so finds it impossible to free herself of him. The relationship between Bonnie and Crawford is the driving force behind the novel and is what kept me turning the pages, anxious to see what plan Crawford would come up with next and whether Bonnie would ever escape his grip.
The Burial Plot also gives some insights into the Victorian fascination with the rituals of death and mourning. The mourning industry in the 19th century was huge, with large sums of money being spent on clothes, accessories and elaborate funerals. At the beginning of the novel, Crawford has a job managing several private burial grounds in London but these are quickly becoming overcrowded and insanitary, leading to the creation of large, modern cemeteries such as Highgate, further away from central London. When Bonnie arrives at Endellion House, she suggests to Mr Moncrieff that he should build a cemetery like Highgate on his land so that he can bury his wife in style and then make money from selling the other burial plots. This storyline forms an important part of the novel and adds another layer of interest.
I loved this and am already looking forward to Elizabeth Macneal’s next book, whatever and whenever that may be!
Arriving at Endellion House, Bonnie finds her new employer to be a sad, subdued man who devotes his time to designing mausoleums for his dead wife who drowned several months earlier. Meanwhile, his teenage daughter, Cissie, seems to have retreated into a fantasy world, writing imaginary love letters to herself. Then, just as Bonnie is beginning to make sense of this eccentric, unhappy household, Crawford reappears with another great scheme in mind…
I enjoyed both of Elizabeth Macneal’s previous novels, The Doll Factory and Circus of Wonders, so I was expecting good things from this one and I wasn’t disappointed at all; I think it’s probably my favourite of the three. Although I correctly predicted some of the twists and turns of the plot, there were others I didn’t see coming at all. One of the things that is obvious from the beginning, at least to the reader, is that Crawford is a con man who is using and manipulating Bonnie for his own purposes – and even though Bonnie is at least partly aware of this, she has convinced herself that she’s in love with him and so finds it impossible to free herself of him. The relationship between Bonnie and Crawford is the driving force behind the novel and is what kept me turning the pages, anxious to see what plan Crawford would come up with next and whether Bonnie would ever escape his grip.
The Burial Plot also gives some insights into the Victorian fascination with the rituals of death and mourning. The mourning industry in the 19th century was huge, with large sums of money being spent on clothes, accessories and elaborate funerals. At the beginning of the novel, Crawford has a job managing several private burial grounds in London but these are quickly becoming overcrowded and insanitary, leading to the creation of large, modern cemeteries such as Highgate, further away from central London. When Bonnie arrives at Endellion House, she suggests to Mr Moncrieff that he should build a cemetery like Highgate on his land so that he can bury his wife in style and then make money from selling the other burial plots. This storyline forms an important part of the novel and adds another layer of interest.
I loved this and am already looking forward to Elizabeth Macneal’s next book, whatever and whenever that may be!
June 22, 2024
Elizabeth Macneal is a great writer, she creates atmosphere very well and her descriptive writing in particular is excellent, however this book was not great for several reasons. The Burial Plot is about Bonnie who is living in London with Rex and Crawford, she kills a man and manages to get a job as a maid in a large house called Endellion where she can hide out. Endellion is owned by Aubrey Moncrief whose wife has dies recently, there are rumours that he killed her after she tried to run away from him, he also has a sixteen year old daughter who behaves strangely.
The beginning section is good and there is a good set up, this is a very gothic novel which means Macneal’s tendency towards melodrama is not so out of place. However, the plot gets very sluggish around half way through and this gives the reader too much time and space to start guessing the ending, I guessed almost everything so it became a bit tedious to read, predictable and many of the twists/reveals did not come off. Bonnie is not a great character, everything is too easy so whatever has to happen for the plot just happens with no issues or setbacks and therefore no real stakes.
Bonnie also has major personality transplants to adjust to the plot and to keep her as a ‘nice’ character the reader can like. This is a problem because she starts off as an interesting character but just turns into some hopeless romantic, I do not buy the love story with Aubrey, everything happens too fast and the reader is robbed of a showdown, this happens ‘off screen’ and she does not even have to do anything in the end to keep her as the ‘good guy’ and to facilitate the happily ever after ending. I hate these endings and I think this is what ruined The Doll Factory for me, but this book is not as good as The Doll Factory. I think this need to make characters blameless and lacking nuance is holding Macneal back from being a great writer. This book has shades of Sarah Waters, but is nowhere near as good because Waters can write a great plot and work with nuance, not everything is so clear cut and she does not sign post the endings so obviously.
The beginning section is good and there is a good set up, this is a very gothic novel which means Macneal’s tendency towards melodrama is not so out of place. However, the plot gets very sluggish around half way through and this gives the reader too much time and space to start guessing the ending, I guessed almost everything so it became a bit tedious to read, predictable and many of the twists/reveals did not come off. Bonnie is not a great character, everything is too easy so whatever has to happen for the plot just happens with no issues or setbacks and therefore no real stakes.
Bonnie also has major personality transplants to adjust to the plot and to keep her as a ‘nice’ character the reader can like. This is a problem because she starts off as an interesting character but just turns into some hopeless romantic, I do not buy the love story with Aubrey, everything happens too fast and the reader is robbed of a showdown, this happens ‘off screen’ and she does not even have to do anything in the end to keep her as the ‘good guy’ and to facilitate the happily ever after ending. I hate these endings and I think this is what ruined The Doll Factory for me, but this book is not as good as The Doll Factory. I think this need to make characters blameless and lacking nuance is holding Macneal back from being a great writer. This book has shades of Sarah Waters, but is nowhere near as good because Waters can write a great plot and work with nuance, not everything is so clear cut and she does not sign post the endings so obviously.
June 7, 2024
The year is 1839.
The place is mighty and industrious London, a city of a million dreams, but where dreams are never a guarantee dear reader, something that can be promised to each and every one of us, is death.
And never forget where there is death there is also opportunity and coin to be made. Should you be brave enough…
The cemeteries are full and there is much to be harvested from death, as Bonnie and Crawford are all too aware of, for their lives consist of trickery and deceit which helps to keep them alive in this unforgiving world but one hot evening, their luck runs out. A man lies in a quickly-cooling pool of blood and to the eyes of an innocent bystander, it is Bonnie who is to blame for this loss of life and now she must disappear.
Crawford secures Bonnie a position as lady’s maid in a grand and overbearing house on the Thames, still veiled and cloistered in mourning after the death of its mistress, which seems rather too convenient…
As Bonnie slowly begins to understand the family she finds herself surrounded by - the eccentric Mr Moncrieff, forever obsessing over mausoleums, and his rather odd daughter, penning love letters to herself from a mysterious Lord - Bonnie wonders if not perhaps her presence in this house has been far from mere coincidence. For Crawford watches. And waits.
But as Bonnie slowly starts to open her eyes to just what part she plays within this game of wits and deception, she must also come to terms with the fact that if she simply allows herself to be a part of such a scheme, she will never be the same again.
Equal parts mysterious and thrilling, The Burial Plot will toy with your perception of truth until the very final word.
The place is mighty and industrious London, a city of a million dreams, but where dreams are never a guarantee dear reader, something that can be promised to each and every one of us, is death.
And never forget where there is death there is also opportunity and coin to be made. Should you be brave enough…
The cemeteries are full and there is much to be harvested from death, as Bonnie and Crawford are all too aware of, for their lives consist of trickery and deceit which helps to keep them alive in this unforgiving world but one hot evening, their luck runs out. A man lies in a quickly-cooling pool of blood and to the eyes of an innocent bystander, it is Bonnie who is to blame for this loss of life and now she must disappear.
Crawford secures Bonnie a position as lady’s maid in a grand and overbearing house on the Thames, still veiled and cloistered in mourning after the death of its mistress, which seems rather too convenient…
As Bonnie slowly begins to understand the family she finds herself surrounded by - the eccentric Mr Moncrieff, forever obsessing over mausoleums, and his rather odd daughter, penning love letters to herself from a mysterious Lord - Bonnie wonders if not perhaps her presence in this house has been far from mere coincidence. For Crawford watches. And waits.
But as Bonnie slowly starts to open her eyes to just what part she plays within this game of wits and deception, she must also come to terms with the fact that if she simply allows herself to be a part of such a scheme, she will never be the same again.
Equal parts mysterious and thrilling, The Burial Plot will toy with your perception of truth until the very final word.
December 16, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and also relished hating Crawford’s character as one of the novel’s evil protagonists. An interesting plot where ne’er do well manages to ensnare a naive young girl in an abusive relationship for his own gains. Equally fascinating, we learn about just how profitable cemeteries could be and how lack of grave space has been a repeating theme in London’s history. Many thanks to NetGalley for an arc of this book.
July 10, 2024
This was absolutely brilliant, eerie and perfectly gothic. I love the way macneal writes, her attention to detail is fascinating!
September 30, 2024
‘But there was nowhere to hide. If only the house might sprout another turret, grow another room, and seal them inside.’I was drawn to Elizabeth Macneal when The Doll Factory appeared in the library with that wondrous cover, and I gobbled up Tuppence Middleton’s narration of Circus of Wonders when it came out, both of which were sublime. So, when ‘The Burial Plot’ popped up on NetGalley, I couldn’t help myself.
But – wow! The blurb gives absolutely everything away! If you can avoid reading too much about the book, you might enjoy it better. I went in blindly, having requested a copy solely on the strength of it being the new Elizabeth Macneal. And having avoided any write-ups, I was fantastically defenceless against Macneal’s powers of atmosphere and character creation. She cinches both expertly in the opening line:
‘It was close to nightfall and Bonnie was killing moths in the bedroom that had once belonged to Mr Moncrief’s dead wife.’Captivating!
In the past, I’ve been engrossed by Macneal’s reflections on women’s views and women’s situations in the 1800s. Here, she sets this against an exploration of contemporaneous attitudes towards death and burial. This just adds to what I can only call her superlative capacity for writing atmosphere. In ‘The Burial Plot’, I found narrative and atmosphere clasped closely together – as though atmosphere were the line against which the plot taughtened and pulled.
And this hooking-together of plot and atmosphere is so effective. It reached a point when reading where I became aware of crescendos in atmosphere parallelling the plot points in Macneal’s structure. In fact, I realised, this is Macneal’s gift: she makes reading seem as natural as breathing; the first time I noticed, I’d hit an important threshold when our protagonist makes a discovery, and when I happened to glance down, I wasn't surprised to see that my progress was exactly 20%. And this happened again and again. Big plot points, big crescendos in atmosphere, tend to peak at nice round, even percentages in the book’s progress (I think an exceptional one came at exactly 70%, if I remember rightly). Something about that - even if you’re not consciously aware of it – makes the text resonate with natural ‘rightness’.
Similarly, I felt my sensitivities towards characters changing and developing organically as Bonnie led me through the movements of the plot. I was entirely happy with Bonnie figuratively taking me by the hand and showing me other characters’ sympathies and feelings. She is a natural witness, yet perhaps veering too much towards the part of an onlooker, at certain points. Other reviewers have articulated their uncertainty regarding the ending of the novel, and I couldn’t help but feel, after all, that there seemed to be something missing in terms of Bonnie’s agency, at the end.
My thanks to Pan Macmillan for an advanced copy to review, via NetGalley.
August 16, 2024
We follow Bonnie who escapes an arranged marriage and finds herself in London. There she meets Crawford and his associate Rex. She find herself tangled up not only in their dodgy ventures but also in a relationship with Crawford. During one of their jobs, there’s an accident and Bonnie is forced to leave London. Crawford finds an advertisement in a paper for a job as a housemaid. With a fake reference letter in hand, Bonnie makes her way to the house in Twickenham. At the door, it turns out the lady of the house passed away some time ago and the master of the house Mr Moncrieff never actually advertised. Regardless, he gives her the position and Bonnie stays on as a maid.
Without giving anything away, Crawford find his way into the house as well and from that point on, the situation becomes very complicated and dangerous as different things come to light and Bonnie suspects she was just a pawn in a game bigger than her.
We have 4 main characters;
Loved Bonnie! She’s bright, smart, resolute and brave . You cannot not love her. She would do anything to protect the ones she loves.
Crawford - you gotta give it to him - he’s clever and won’t stop at anything to achieve his goal even if it means hurting people.
Mr Moncrieff and his daughter are typical for their time. Not much else to say.
The story is very atmospheric. I felt very immersed in the world described in the book. I could imagine myself being in that house with creaking floorboards and squeaky doors, Walking the grounds and gardens in the humid air so typical of England.
Writing style was very enjoyable. Just enough descriptions so it didn’t make the book boring as sometimes happens with these kinds of novels.
Great plot, well executed with enough intrigue to keep it interesting even though it was pretty clear quite early on as to who was who and what really happened.
Generally loved the book and thoroughly enjoyed it. Loved the narration of the audiobook. 5 stars Plus! I love the cover art!
Without giving anything away, Crawford find his way into the house as well and from that point on, the situation becomes very complicated and dangerous as different things come to light and Bonnie suspects she was just a pawn in a game bigger than her.
We have 4 main characters;
Loved Bonnie! She’s bright, smart, resolute and brave . You cannot not love her. She would do anything to protect the ones she loves.
Crawford - you gotta give it to him - he’s clever and won’t stop at anything to achieve his goal even if it means hurting people.
Mr Moncrieff and his daughter are typical for their time. Not much else to say.
The story is very atmospheric. I felt very immersed in the world described in the book. I could imagine myself being in that house with creaking floorboards and squeaky doors, Walking the grounds and gardens in the humid air so typical of England.
Writing style was very enjoyable. Just enough descriptions so it didn’t make the book boring as sometimes happens with these kinds of novels.
Great plot, well executed with enough intrigue to keep it interesting even though it was pretty clear quite early on as to who was who and what really happened.
Generally loved the book and thoroughly enjoyed it. Loved the narration of the audiobook. 5 stars Plus! I love the cover art!
August 4, 2024
Elizabeth Macneal returns with her third release, The Burial Plot, and like her two previous novels, The Doll Factory and Circus of Wonders, this a five-star brilliant read.
Each of Elizabeth's novels have been set within Victorian London, a favourite historical era of mine, and each of them are a gothic tale of greed and power, with an undercurrent of horror, and a sharp gaze towards the vulnerability of women. And yet, despite these connected themes, each of her novels are vastly different in plot and characterisation. She is a master of the craft; an auto buy author for me.
The Burial Plot is a story about the overflowing cemeteries of London during the 1830s, and the move to build (and make a lot of money out of) new cemeteries, beautiful ones, on the outskirts of London. And indeed, there was a lot of money to be made.
The characters within this novel are all complexly devoloped and will arouse your sympathies and revulsions in equal measure. Crawford, driven by greed and a lie about his identity; Bonnie, resourceful and smart, but ultimately craving a life of love and certainty; Aubrey, steeped in grief, blinded by guilt; and Sissy, so vulnerable at the beginning of the novel, but empowered by rage at being so ill used by the end. Even secondary characters are well fleshed out and contribute enormously to the story arc.
I recommend the audio book for this one. Brilliant narration and a bonus 14 minute interview between the narrator and the author at the end, which was insightful about the story and the historical inspiration behind it.
I read this with a mounting pit of dread clenched within me, twists abounding and shocking me left, right and centre. Highly recommended. I can see this one being adapted into an incredible TV series, just as The Doll Factory was.
Each of Elizabeth's novels have been set within Victorian London, a favourite historical era of mine, and each of them are a gothic tale of greed and power, with an undercurrent of horror, and a sharp gaze towards the vulnerability of women. And yet, despite these connected themes, each of her novels are vastly different in plot and characterisation. She is a master of the craft; an auto buy author for me.
The Burial Plot is a story about the overflowing cemeteries of London during the 1830s, and the move to build (and make a lot of money out of) new cemeteries, beautiful ones, on the outskirts of London. And indeed, there was a lot of money to be made.
The characters within this novel are all complexly devoloped and will arouse your sympathies and revulsions in equal measure. Crawford, driven by greed and a lie about his identity; Bonnie, resourceful and smart, but ultimately craving a life of love and certainty; Aubrey, steeped in grief, blinded by guilt; and Sissy, so vulnerable at the beginning of the novel, but empowered by rage at being so ill used by the end. Even secondary characters are well fleshed out and contribute enormously to the story arc.
I recommend the audio book for this one. Brilliant narration and a bonus 14 minute interview between the narrator and the author at the end, which was insightful about the story and the historical inspiration behind it.
I read this with a mounting pit of dread clenched within me, twists abounding and shocking me left, right and centre. Highly recommended. I can see this one being adapted into an incredible TV series, just as The Doll Factory was.
June 5, 2024
1830's London, Bonnie, Crawford and Rex will do anything to survive. Bonnie finds she needs to escape after something happens and ends up as a lady' maid for Cissie, who lives with her father. However everything is not as it seems for Bonnie.
This is the first book I've read by this author and I did quite enjoy it. The story has a lot of things that I like. The story did have a gothic feel to it with something sinister going on. The story did have its twists. One I did guess quite easily, one shocked me and another I didn't see coming.
The story did have plenty to hold my interest and I do enjoy books set in the Victorian era. The descriptions were lovely and I especially enjoyed the parts about the cemetery.
The ending did seem a little too neat and there was one particular event that wasn't explained very well and why. This didn't however spoil the book for me but it just didn't sit right in my opinion.
I will certainly read more by the author and I do have a copy of The Doll Factory on my kindle. Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for the book to review.
This is the first book I've read by this author and I did quite enjoy it. The story has a lot of things that I like. The story did have a gothic feel to it with something sinister going on. The story did have its twists. One I did guess quite easily, one shocked me and another I didn't see coming.
The story did have plenty to hold my interest and I do enjoy books set in the Victorian era. The descriptions were lovely and I especially enjoyed the parts about the cemetery.
The ending did seem a little too neat and there was one particular event that wasn't explained very well and why. This didn't however spoil the book for me but it just didn't sit right in my opinion.
I will certainly read more by the author and I do have a copy of The Doll Factory on my kindle. Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for the book to review.
November 3, 2024
Bonnie leaves home and sets her sights on London. She is soon taken advantage of and becomes part of a trio of con artists and street robbers. When she is sent to a wealthy house to become a lady's maid she learns more about herself and her companions than she'd like. This was such an engrossing read; Crawford gave me such chills and, at first, I didn't particularly like Bonnie. I could see she was probably young and impressionable and didn't realise she was in an abusive relationship. The more she grew to like the Moncrieff family the more you could see her realise what an arse Crawford was. A satisfying ending.
May 7, 2024
Books about cemeteries always catch my attention. This one did not disappoint. It's a dark, twisty, gripping gothic thriller which never let's up. Having read The Doll Factory and Circus of Wonders I knew I would not be disappointed and I certainly wasn't. I would certainly recommend this author to anyone who loves historical fiction.
August 27, 2024
Another darkly historical fiction from the author of The doll factory.
This time we follow Bonnie, a young woman determined to make the best for herself, until she meets Crawford.
A story of devotion and deception.
This time we follow Bonnie, a young woman determined to make the best for herself, until she meets Crawford.
A story of devotion and deception.
September 15, 2024
I really enjoyed this one in the end, the first 150 pages were slow, but it was the set up for what's to come 4.5.
December 20, 2024
2.5 ⭐️
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