The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox

The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox is a mix of genres:  paranormal, romance, coming of age, and historical fiction. The title might lead you to believe that the book is all about witches and witchcraft when in actuality it isn’t.  There is lots of good stuff going on and none of it related to witchcraft.

The main character Lydia Montrose, along with her parents and two sisters, are forced to flee Boston after a scandal involving her older sister Catherine. To escape the rumors they retreat to their summer home of Willow Hall in the small rural town of New Oldburg, MA.

Once they arrive, Lydia finds the house unsettling. She sees and hears things others in her family do not. She thinks she saw a woman walking in the garden in the middle of the night yet when she investigates no one is there. Then she receives a message written on her mirror that only she can see. All of these worrisome events have made it difficult for her to settle in at Willow Hall.

The one bright point is John Barrett, her father’s young business partner, and the former owner of the land on which Willow Hall now sits. Lydia is immediately attracted to Mr. Barrett but Catherine also has her eyes on him.  Mr. Barrett is invited to dine with the family and shows up with a friend August Pierce. Catherine immediately forgets Mr. Barrett leaving Lydia to think she might have a chance with him.

Lydia has a lot of self-doubt to overcome. She has always lived in Catherine’s shadow and found her escape in books and her love for her younger sister Emeline. Yet the secrets that surround her maybe her undoing, for Catherine is keeping dark secrets that could ruin everyone, even the house has secrets. But the biggest secret lies within Lydia. She will have to uncover them all before she is able to shield and defend her family.

Had I not known going in this was the author’s debut novel, I would never have guessed it because the book is so well written. The characters are well developed and the plot moves along nicely with an excellent subplot to assist the story’s progression.

A couple of things stood out for me about this book. First the prose is above par. The author has that rare talent of describing a scene so you can see it in your mind’s eye and yet the description does not go overboard and bore the reader. Second is character development.  Loved how I was so drawn to Lydia and how I hated Catherine. You know an author has done their job when she/he elicits these types of emotions from the reader.

I just read Kate Morton’s latest book The Clockmaker’s Daughter and this book is reminiscent of her style. Therefore, I highly recommend The Witch of Willow Hall if you are a fan of Kate Morton. I also think fans of historical fiction and witchy tales will like this too.

I received an ARC from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest opinion.