THE CURSE OF MORTON ABBEY by Clarissa Harwood will be published on October 26th 2021 by Thornfield Press.
In late-1800s London, there is very little work available for a female solicitor. Vaughan Springthorpe is willing to take whatever job she can get—even if it takes her to a crumbling, possibly haunted mansion in the moors of Yorkshire. Peter Spencer is willing to overlook Vaughan's gender and her lack of qualifications as long as she can get the job done. Peter needs Morton Abbey's accounts organized and the old home readied for sale. What Peter fails to tell Vaughan is that his irascible, sickly younger brother is currently living at Morton and claims that he is the true owner. Vaughan is determined to do the job, but natural and supernatural forces are working together to stop her. As she uncovers old secrets, Vaughan finds herself falling in love with Morton Abbey and one of its residents.
As a gothic/romantic suspense, THE CURSE OF MORTON ABBEY is not my typical, go-to type of novel. But, as a fan of Clarissa Harwood's other books IMPOSSIBLE SAINTS and BEAR NO MALICE, I was compelled to read it even though it was compared to JANE EYRE. (Apologizes to the Jane Eyre fans, but the novel brings back nightmares of high school and how much I hated reading it.) Vaughan Springthorpe is a likable but flawed main character. She is determined to be independent, and she refuses to let her gender or physical handicap get in her way. While rational and practical, she is also immature and inexperienced. She knows there is an explanation for all of the strange things going on around Morton Abbey and the nearby town, but she is quick to jump to conclusions concerning the causes. She can also be abrupt and rude. But it is those flaws that make her likable. There are a lot of layers to THE CURSE OF MORTON ABBEY. Everyone has their own reasons for wanting the place sold—or not to be sold. While there to do a job, Vaughan finds herself caught up in other character's dramas and the mysteries of the area. The deeper she digs, the more involved she gets.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.