Griffin’s tale abounds in atmosphere, with a compelling supernatural element, a sense of out-of-time mystery, and delicious scheming about bloodlines and inheritances. The growing friendship between Ted and Rynna develops with compelling warmth over the course of a story whose twists are heavily foreshadowed early on. Still, the transposition of Regency-style romance to the mid-century American South demands readers make some leaps, as the story’s social aspects, especially around gender roles, feel more antiquated than the era, and contemporary events in the outside world are never mentioned. Rynna’s motivations could be more clear, as she’s both isolated at the estate and disinterested in staying, and her lack of social contacts from her earlier life is hard to understand.
Likewise, Rynna’s romance with that gentlemanly sweet-talker Jason, whose father was convicted of a notorious murder, feels abrupt, as if Rynna, a sharp wit with some fire in her, feels some need to get married quickly she hasn’t otherwise expressed. The story edges into the gothic: scenes of Jason’s eventual abusive treatment of Rynna and of her reactions are detailed and painful, but readers open to the supernatural elements will enjoy how Griffin imbues ghosts, staircases, and dark secrets with conviction.
Takeaway: Mid-century romance of ghosts, dark secrets, and an isolated young woman’s fate.
Comparable Titles: R.A. Dick’s The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, Diana Biller’s The Widow of Rose House.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-
The novel tackles domestic violence in a way that never lingers on, revels in, or exploits the somber subject matter. Just as impressive is the book's depiction of Ted, a fully realized character whose disability is neither his lone distinguishing trait nor a tool for Rynna's own growth. The story isn't afraid to be cutting toward its characters or their entanglements in a fun, cathartic way, and the wit of Rynna and Ted's banter lends moments of lightness to the dark narrative. The supernatural elements are relatively low-key until the novel's end, where each spooky note builds to an exciting crescendo that recalls a tradition of gothic storytelling usually reserved for the endings of Hammer horror films. A heady blend of the serious and the supernatural, with a dark humor that uncannily undercuts neither.
