First published 1864
Maud Ruthyn finds herself alone at seventeen when her father dies and leaves her in the guardianship of Uncle Silas, a man shrouded in dark rumors and financial desperation. The young heiress must navigate the crumbling estate where her uncle lives in near isolation, surrounded by servants she cannot trust and relatives whose motives remain unclear. As Maud tries to understand the whispered stories about her guardian's past, she discovers that her inheritance makes her both valuable and vulnerable. The walls of the decaying mansion seem to close in around her as she realizes that those meant to protect her may pose the greatest threat. Maud must rely on her own wit and courage to survive in a household where every kindness masks potential danger and her very life depends on unraveling the truth about Uncle Silas before it's too late.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, suspense, mystery, 19th-century, gothic
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water, unreliable-narrator
Setting: England
Period: 19th-Century
477 pages · Paperback · Penguin Books
Content warnings: death, mental-illness