The Curse of Hester Gardens

How it reads

The Curse of Hester Gardens is mystery (historical gothic mystery, specifically), and its dominant mood is eerie. It's atmospheric and uncanny, with a sense that something is wrong. The pace is moderate — neither a page-turner nor a slow burn — so it holds up whether you read it in long sittings or short ones.

It's set in a small town setting, in the historical past, told in the third person across several viewpoints. Its central concerns are family, secrets and identity. In weight it sits in the middle: substantial without being heavy going.

It stands alone, so there's nothing else you need to read first or after. The ending resolves happily. At 448 pages it's an ordinary novel's length. It's a hidden gem — known to relatively few readers.