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The Third Wife of Faraday House by B.R. Meyers is a creepy gothic mystery that has a lot of heart and sass, courtesy of our heroine, Emeline.

Summary: November 1816: Restless but naïve Emeline Fitzpatrick is desperate to escape her stifling life in foggy Halifax. Her guardian is lining up repugnant suitors, but Emeline has her eyes set on a handsome lieutenant in the British navy. She just needs to persuade him to propose, or her one chance at happiness will be gone forever.

But when Emeline’s hopes end in scandal, she finds herself with only one suitor the wealthy and enigmatic Captain Graves. Having already lost two wives to tragic circumstances, the unfortunate widower is seeking a new companion in his cloistered seaside manor, Faraday House. Or at least that is what Emeline had been told, because when she arrives, she is horrified to discover that the second Mrs. Graves, Georgina, has not yet died.

Emeline is only certain of two something ghastly is afoot at Faraday House, and no one is going to save her. She will have to rely on her own courage, her burgeoning bond with the ill but strong-willed Georgina, and the aid of a handsome reverend with a mysterious past to unravel the secrets at the heart of the manor and forge her own destiny.

Review: Is “fun” a word we can use to describe how much one likes a mystery centered around the goings on in a creepy, gothic house? Because I had so much fun reading this book! Yes, it built tension, and I had all sorts of guesses as to what was happening throughout the book, but I also had fun with this one. The pace kept moving, and Emeline was the perfect lead. Her progression as she slowly uncovered what was going on (and came to multiple wrong conclusions along the way) made for an engaging POV to follow. The supporting characters – from Mrs. Shackelton to Captain Graves and the Reverend – all played a role in shaping the story and Emeline’s views about the world and herself.

This is a gothic mystery at the core. Emeline comes to Faraday House as a soon-to-be wife. The only problem is the previous wife is still alive (but not in great shape). And the staff and Captain Graves all have issues. Oh, and the wives of the house all seem to be cursed. Not great for Emeline. Who is also pining for the lover she had to leave behind, but hopes that he will come to save her before it’s too late. There are a lot of possible motives and reasons for why the wives of Faraday House all seem to die young. All Emeline has to do is figure out why before she becomes the next wife to befall the same fate.

The atmosphere in the book was well done, and I got swept up and finished this within a few days. The end comes at you fast, and when the mystery all comes together, you can picture all the previous hints and see how things spiral out of control. Emeline is nothing if not a determined young woman, which is admirable in the environment she is dropped into on this remote island. Her developing friendships with Reverend Pellerine and Georgina give her a bit of an anchor when everyone else in the house seems to have their own motives and ideas about how welcome Emeline is at Faraday. The ending felt a little lighter than what I normally expect in books of this genre, but it did wrap things up well and provide a nice bit of levity at the end of a story that could have had a much darker conclusion.

Final Thoughts: I definitely recommend this one! Especially if you like creepy gothic houses, curses, and heroines that make mistakes and have a lot of heart. I read this as an ARC from Netgalley and the publisher. Publication date is August 20th, 2024.