Losing yourself inside of a book can be dangerous. Not everyone finds their way out.
Agnes Corey, a junior editor at a small independent publisher, has been hired by enigmatic author Veronica St. Clair to transcribe the sequel to her 1993 hit phenomenon, The Secret of Wyldcliffe Heights. St. Clair has been a recluse since the publication of the Jane Eyre-esque book, which coincided with a terrible fire that blinded and scarred her. Arriving in the Hudson Valley at St. Clair’s crumbling estate, which was once a psychiatric hospital for “wayward women,” Agnes is eager to ensure St. Clair’s devoted fans will get the sequel they’ve been anticipating for the past thirty years.
As St. Clair dictates, Agnes realizes there are clues in the story that reveal the true—and terrifying—events three decades ago that inspired the original novel. The line between fact and fiction becomes increasingly blurred, and Agnes discovers terrible secrets about an unresolved murder from long ago, which have startling connections to her own life. As St. Clair’s twisting tale infiltrates Agnes’s psyche, Agnes begins to question her own sanity—and safety. In order to save herself, Agnes must uncover what really happened to St. Clair, and in doing so, set free the stories of all the women victimized by Wyldcliffe Heights.Â
Release Date: Jul 30, 2024
Publisher: HarperCollins
Imprint: William Morrow
Price: $11.99
Agnes Corey landed her dream job at a small publishing company in New York. She has turned her life around, but now all her plans could be dashed. The company is having financial problems and may have to close its doors. There is only one hope: if the reclusive Veronica St. Clair agrees to write a sequel to her popular book, The Secret of Wyldcliffe Heights. Veronica has always denied requests for a sequel, but she unexpectedly changes her mind. Agnes gets the chance to write down the sequel as Veronica dictates it. Still, time will tell if this is a great opportunity or a dangerous, fateful assignment for the junior editor.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author, and it’s very clever. It’s a Gothic mystery/psychological thriller and has a story within a story. The notes Agnes takes are included in the book, so there are really two stories being told. Veronica’s book seems to be based on actual events, so the lines between fiction and reality are blurred in a few different ways. This is intriguing, but it’s often hard to distinguish between real and fictional events. Following the main plot becomes even more challenging when Agnes’s narrative includes things she has only imagined. Agnes is often too impulsive, but she is intelligent, and you want her to succeed. There are some pacing issues, and the middle part of the book was a slow read for me. However, things pick up at the end when some surprising truths are revealed. I appreciate the creativity of the story and love the moody, mysterious atmosphere that the author has created.
~ Christine
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