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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