The Last Handmaid - Clare Whitfield

 

A gothic historical suspense novel about Countess Erzsébet Báthory, the world's most prolific female serial killer, told through the eyes of the maid who served her.

Hungary, 1604. Catalina, an orphaned girl is sent to serve the infamous Countess Erzsébet Báthory at Csejte Castle. It is a place of shifting loyalties, where girls who displease the household vanish without a trace. Survival here depends on obedience and silence.

When Catalina is summoned to the Countess's private chambers, she is drawn into a dangerous relationship and becomes entangled in the Countess's obsession with strange 'medicines'. As more girls disappear, Catalina knows there is a cost to staying alive.

She must decide whether to try and escape her mistress' hunger, be consumed by it – or learn to feed it herself…

What did I think?

I love Clare Whitfield's books and will read whatever she writes so I was delighted to get my hands on an early copy of The Last Handmaid.  As with the other Clare Whitfield books I have read, it is inspired by a real character from history, this one being Countess Erzsébet Báthory.

Catalina is the handmaid in the story and she has certainly had a difficult life after being orphaned at such a young age.  She is a very strong and determined character but there are times when she must hold her tongue in order to save herself.  The Countess is such a volatile character and you never know what she's going to do next.

I have to say that I had never heard of Erzsébet Báthory but I have been so intrigued by her story that I have been doing my own research as I have been reading The Last Handmaid.  That's one of the things I love about Clare Whitfield's writing: the fact that she brings these real characters to life with such original and vivid reimaginings.

Deliciously dark and completely mesmerising, The Last Handmaid is a chilling and compelling novel that captivated me from start to finish.  The ending is worthy of a chef's kiss - it is absolute perfection!  I don't think you will find a novel more gothic than this one and I highly recommend it.

I received a gifted hardback for the Insta Book Tours readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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BOOKSTAGRAM TOUR: Sherwood - Meagan Spooner

Robin of Locksley is dead.

Maid Marian doesn’t know how she’ll go on, but the people of Locksley town, persecuted by the Sheriff of Nottingham, need a protector. And the dreadful Guy of Gisborne, the Sheriff’s right hand, wishes to step into Robin’s shoes as Lord of Locksley and Marian’s fiancé.

Who is there to stop them?

Marian never meant to tread in Robin’s footsteps—never intended to stand as a beacon of hope to those awaiting his triumphant return. But with a sweep of his green cloak and the flash of her sword, Marian makes the choice to become her own hero: Robin Hood.

 

What did I think?

Sherwood by Meagan Spooner is described as 'a fierce feminist fairy tale retelling' where 'Maid Marian becomes Robin Hood' and I love retellings so I jumped at the chance to read it.  Whilst I wouldn't describe it as fiercely feminist (or a fairy tale), I did enjoy it as it's a fun gender swap of the legend of Robin Hood.

Marian and Robin were due to be married when Robin returned from the war in the Holy Land but alas Robin did not return.  Marian is lost without him but she hears his voice in her head guiding her to do what he would have done to protect the people from the wicked and greedy Sheriff of Nottingham.

The story is interspersed with snippets from Marian and Robin's childhood and I loved reading these parts, although it was often a little tricky as the pages are printed with a dark to light gradient and the black text was a bit tricky to read with my old eyes.

I found the whole book incredibly entertaining and read it in two sittings.  It is a reasonably chunky book with 467 pages but, as the characters were already known to me (Little John, Will Scarlett etc), the story flowed easily and the action is non stop.

Sherwood is an enjoyable and captivating retelling of Robin Hood and I will definitely be looking out for more of Meagan Spooner's books to add to my reading queue.

I received a gifted paperback for the Novel Tours bookstagram tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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REVIEW TOUR: When the Light Broke Through - N. Rae Rosen

Raegan Oaks has spent her life fighting invisible battles of pain with no name, and grief that never lets her breathe. When betrayal shatters the fragile bridge she’s built with her flatmate, Ethan Zarik, she flees into the night towards an ancient oak, which mysteriously opens to the realm of Liravel: a world of magic long thought lost.

There, beneath its epic sky and ancient peaks, embers of power begin to spark, shadows whisper her name, and a dangerous Fae warrior sees what she cannot…

Back in the mortal world, Ethan is unravelling, haunted by nightmares and clawed by demons and darkness he can barely control. When fate rips their worlds apart, he surrenders to the monster within, knowing it’s the only way to tear open the realms to reach her.

Two souls bound by a curse older than time.

Light and shadow. Love and ruin.

And a starlit flame that could reduce even the darkness to ash.

What did I think?

When the Light Broke Through is a dual point of view, dual timeline and dual realm novel so it took me a little while to get into the story.  Once I got to know the characters and got used to when and where each chapter was, the pages turned very quickly.

Raegan and Ethan tell their stories via their own point of view chapters.  The chemistry between the pair is evident but Ethan is holding back for fear of hurting Raegan.  Just when you think they might get together, Raegan disappears into another realm and it feels very much like this is not an accident.  

It's a beautifully written story that transports the reader to the magical and dangerous faery realm.  It is a little dark at times but it's not distressing at all and although there's a lot of sizzling chemistry, I wouldn't say it is particularly spicy.

When the Light Broke Through is a fabulous debut romantasy novel that has a strong emphasis on destiny and it's a very entertaining and enjoyable book.

I received a gifted hardback for the Literally PR Online Book Review Tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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BLOG TOUR: A Knightly Betrayal - Jill Bray

October 1224. Simon de Hale, Sheriff of Yorkshire, is travelling to his manor to celebrate the birth of his first grandchild. Awaiting his arrival is an unexpected guest, Lady Cecily Chalcombe, a beguiling acquaintance from his days at the royal court. Recently widowed in scandalous circumstances, Lady Cecily throws herself upon his mercy and seeks his protection from the people threatening her.

Guests arrive for a celebration feast, including Lady Cecily’s brother Nicholas and the distinguished Earl Warenne. But upon retiring, Simon finds Lady Cecily standing over the dead body of her maid, hands bloodied.

Simon cannot believe she has killed her maid, but if she hasn’t then who was it. Was the death meant as a warning to Lady Cecily?

With the help of his daughter Katherine, Simon starts to investigate the murder and uncovers a web of gambling, deceit and betrayal. But will he be able to find the killer before Lady Cecily becomes the next victim.

 

What did I think?

I loved A Brotherly Devotion so I was very excited to return to 13th century Yorkshire in A Knightly Betrayal and this fantastic sequel completely exceeded my expectations.  You can read it as a standalone even if you haven't read the first book as it has its own murder mystery storyline.

The prologue drew me straight into the story with a murdered maid that appears to be a threat to Lady Cecily who has inherited her husband's land on his death.  What?!? A woman as a landowner!  This is almost unheard of in the 13th century and there are suitors lining up to take this manly responsibility off Cecily's fair hands.  The question is how far are her suitors willing to go to get their hands on the land.

I absolutely loved catching up with Simon de Hale and his two daughters, new mother Angharad and newly married Katherine.  The murder happens at Simon's manor and as the Sheriff of Yorkshire he starts an investigation immediately.  Of course, Katherine has to get involved as she is as sharp as a tack and I found the murder mystery storyline incredibly gripping.

A Knightly Betrayal is a hugely atmospheric piece of historical fiction with a compelling crime element.  I couldn't put it down once I picked it up and I loved every second of it.  I had a little lump in my throat at the end and can't wait for book three: A Deceitful Death.  Do not miss this incredibly series, historical fiction fans!

I received a gifted ARC for the Rachel's Random Resources blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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About the author:

Jill lives on the Island of Guernsey now, but is originally from Yorkshire. She has a love of early medieval history which led her to study the subject at Huddersfield College in the 1980's. Working in Leeds at the time, meant that she had access to the Yorkshire Archaeological Society on their late night opening and following research, she wondered what the lives of the people she read about were actually like. This started a love of writing historical fiction, but her initial stories were never sent to a publisher. Life and work then intervened and writing was put to one side. It was only following a workshop held by the Guernsey Literary Festival in 2024 on writing historical fiction, that her love of writing was reignited. Her first novel 'A Brotherly Devotion' was published in July 2025. Her second novel 'A Knightly Betrayal' will be published in October 2026.

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REVIEW TOUR: The Light in Her - Reem Kadry

Alexis Adel is burning up…

In Cairo, she works long hours as a trainee reporter and teaches English most evenings. Under Hosni Mubarak's rule, Egypt is a land where most struggle against fear, poverty and extremism, with only their faith to sustain them. Alexis is determined to become the best news reporter she can be, to make her mark in a world that doubts her. But before long, she will be fighting for her life.

She throws herself into her work in the hopes of improving and being given more serious news reports. The intense workload and a short-lived affair with a philandering news anchor bear heavily, bringing exhaustion and insomnia. But then she meets Hisham, an aspiring diplomat – their mutual attraction is instant.

Alexis’ reports on a bombing at a rural church land her a position as a fully-fledged reporter. But the horrors she has reported on are plaguing her mind and taking a toll on her health. She leaves everything behind to escape to London, hoping to find healing. Yet, there is a voice within that is urging her back to Egypt, will she listen?

 

What did I think?

Inspired by true events, The Light in Her is a heartbreaking yet hopeful story of a young women on the cusp of landing her dream job only to find herself lying in hospital fighting for her life.

Alexis Adel has always dreamed of being a news reporter and she has worked hard to get to where she is today.  She has been working so hard that she has ignored the warning signs that things might not be quite right healthwise.  My heart was breaking as I feared Alexis had left it too late but she is such a strong character and she is determined to fight with all her might.

It is a stark reminder that you should never put your career before your health, even though lots of us do (I have been guilty of this myself in the past).  When something so life changing happens it's a chance to take stock and reprioritise and it's interesting to see what ends up being most important to Alexis in the end.

Beautifully written, The Light in Her is a stunning debut novel from Reem Kadry with an inspirational and unforgettable main character.  It's well worth a read.

I received a gifted ARC for the Literally PR Online Book Review Tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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BLOG TOUR: The Spiral Path (The Aunt Lily Yorkshire Dales Mysteries Book 2) - Anthony Aberford

When a ley line is discovered running between York and Carlisle, the women of the Ilkley Wellness Centre can't resist organising a tour to explore it. But the path they follow leads somewhere far stranger than any of them bargained for.

A series of mysterious encounters draws them and their guests deep into the Yorkshire Dales, where ancient monoliths, abbey ruins and cave carvings hold secrets that have lain hidden for centuries. With the enigmatic Aunt Lily's help, they must piece together the truth before it's too late.

Their past adventures have taught them that hidden passages between realms exist, and some would exploit them for their own ends. As dark forces close in, the friends must believe the unbelievable, follow the Tarot and trust each other completely, as the strength of their friendship and the limits of their belief are tested to the extreme.

Full of white and dark magic, strange apparitions, hapless witches and women with old knowledge, The Spiral Path is a magical mystery tour through the Yorkshire Dales with surprising consequences.

This wonderfully engaging cosy mystery with a thriller's edge is perfect for fans of Janice Hallett and Richard Osman.

 

What did I think?

Having loved meeting Aunt Lily in The Conservatory, I couldn't wait to continue her adventures in The Spiral Path.  You can definitely read The Spiral Path as a standalone as Anthony Aberford reminds us of any pertinent points from the first book.

I love the character of Aunt Lily; she is so mysterious, entertaining and charming.  The ladies of the Wellness Centre find themselves in need of Aunt Lily's help once again when exploring some local ley lines unearths something quite unexpected.  Eeek!  I couldn't read fast enough as the danger levels increased and anything can happen when there's dark magic involved.

Once again, Anthony Aberford brings these wonderful characters to life with his vivid and descriptive writing.  I could easily visualise them in my head and I could almost hear them speaking to me.  I think this would make a fantastic TV series.

Filled with magic and danger, The Spiral Path is a spine chilling read that entertained me from start to finish.  It's the perfect read for the cold, dark nights and I am happy to recommend it.

I received a gifted ARC for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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INSTAGRAM TOUR: Murder at the Book Club (The DCI Chloe Taylor Mysteries) - Colin Wade

Two years after solving The Murder at the Manor, Detective Chief Inspector Chloe Taylor has another murder on her hands. A member of a local book club has been poisoned, but the motive for her murder is unclear.

Taylor’s initial investigation is hampered by the fact that one of the book club members, Rosemary Channing-Brearley, is a personal friend of the Chief Constable and a member of the Police Commissioner’s crime panel. The worst type of social climber, she lords her superiority over Taylor and the rest of the book club.

Two more brutal murders follow, both involving members of the same book club. Two suspects are quickly identified, and Taylor comes under increasing pressure to convict them based on seemingly compelling evidence. But the more her team investigates, the more convinced they become that dark secrets within the book club, and a deep hatred of Channing-Brearley, are key to solving the case.

As Taylor tries to balance the stresses of work with her husband’s desire for them to have another child, her resilience is stretched to the limit as she searches for the truth.

Can she solve the Murder at the Book Club?

 

What did I think?

I haven't read Murder at the Manor, the first book in the DCI Chloe Taylor Mysteries series, but you definitely don't need to have read it to enjoy Murder at the Book Club as I thought it was brilliant.

This is a very intriguing mystery with members of a book club seemingly being targeted and killed one by one, with the remaining members wondering who will be next.  This should be an easy one to solve for the police as the book club is the only link but it's a lot more complex than that.

It's my first introduction to DCI Chloe Taylor and I loved her.  What a fantastic well-developed character!  Colin Wade brings Chloe and all of the characters to life with his vivid and descriptive words.  I am hooked after just one book and want to read the previous book as well as all future books now!

Gripping, intriguing and compelling, Murder at the Book Club is an absolutely cracking crime & mystery novel and it's one I wouldn't hesitate to recommend.

I received a gifted paperback for the Insta Book Tours Instagram Tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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