By Robyn Rossit
I read A Lullaby for Witches last fall and instantly fell in love with Hester Fox’s storytelling. When she announced The Last Heir to Blackwood Library, I knew I had to pick it up! Taking place in post-World War I England, 23-year-old Ivy Radcliffe inherits Blackwood Abbey from long lost relatives she has never heard of. Single with no immediate family left, there is nothing tying her to London, so she relocates to the Yorkshire moors to become Lady Hayworth of Blackwood Abbey. The servants are reserved and reluctant about Ivy’s sudden appearance. When Ivy, an avid reader, discovers the incredible library in the manor, she is instantly drawn in. The staff and their cryptic warnings cannot keep her away, even when she starts to notice that the library seems to have a will of its own. The village is full of rumours about Blackwood Abbey and the ghosts and curses that go along with it. It is up to Ivy to uncover its mysteries.
Hester Fox once again delivers a beautiful gothic atmosphere full of intensity. I found Blackwood Abbey so creepy and mysterious, but I needed to know more. I essentially read it in one sitting because I could not put it down. The mysterious library was such a brilliant centrepiece to the story. I really enjoyed the supernatural elements of the story and was intrigued as Ivy began to piece together what was going on under her roof.
I really enjoyed Ivy’s character. She was a relatively normal, lower-class girl, plunked into the role of being the lady of a manor. She certainly would be classified as a feminist given the time period this story is set in; it was interesting to see how society and the various characters treated her. I don’t want to say too much about her journey because I feel like it is best to experience it first-hand. I also really enjoyed the various servants and employees of the manor; they were so stern and mysterious, adding additional intrigue to the story.
Fox once again has succeeded in writing another binge-worthy book full of mystery with a definite sense of foreboding. The gothic atmosphere transported me right into the story. I’m once again reminded that I need to pick up more from her backlist.
Thank you, HarperCollins Canada, for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.