House of Shadows: Book Two - House of Secrets

Author Darcy Coates brings readers back into the Gothic world of Sophie and Joseph Argenton and the terrible curse of the Grimlock with the sequel to House of Shadows.  While I have always loved Gothic tales (I mean, c'mon, Dark Shadows started me down that path, and I've loved it ever since!), I've never been a fan of the romance part that always seems to accompany many Gothic stories.  Coates, thankfully, knows how to truly balance it, so that the Gothic, supernatural side is the focus, and the romantic elements are secondary.

House of Secrets picks up shortly after the end of the first book, where Sophie helped her new husband, Joseph, along with his uncle and cousin, escape the horrors that the cursed Northwood manor held for them all.  Sophie believed that, with the curse behind them, she and her husband might actually discover a happy marriage, regardless of how it began (let's face it - getting married solely so your husband can sacrifice you to keep a curse at bay is not exactly the best way to start a marriage...).  Unfortunately, the horrors of the past are not quite finished with them.

Coates truly makes the reader feel for the characters, particularly Sophie.  Yes, she does get a bit whiny sometimes with her "does he love me, or does he not love me" thoughts - but it does fit perfectly with the story, as it keeps the reader guessing as to Joseph's true intentions.  Remember, in the first book, he married her for the sole purpose of having a sacrifice to the Grimlock.  Just because that did not happen does not necessarily mean a happy ending for the couple - particularly since tales of Gothic and supernatural tend to have dire consequences for their characters.

The horror begins anew in this second novel when Joseph receives a letter from his uncle, indicating that his young cousin, Elise, was possessed by the Grimlock after the destruction of Northwood.  He has taken her to the abandoned Kensington estate in the hopes of finding a way to rid Elise of the deadly creature, but Garrett needs Joseph's helps.  Joseph intends to leave Sophie behind, but she won't hear of it!  Determined and strong-willed, she follows him, and the two eventually arrive at the desolate estate.  In true horror fashion, there is a wide chasm separating the house from the rest of the world, and a decaying wood bridge is the only way across.  Far below is a dried up river that once ran through the chasm.

As with an any old house, this one has a history.  Kensington belonged to the Argenton family, and Miss Bishop, the sister of a man who married into the Argenton family (and the curse!) was determined to find a way to save her brother.  Decades of her research lay within the library and various rooms of the old mansion, and it becomes a race against time for Sophie, Joseph, and Garrett to discover a clue in one of the books, journals, and diaries that will lead them to a way to put an end to the Grimlock and save young Elise.

Coates provides plenty of tense moments - numerous dark shadows, stormy nights, cold winds, hoarse whispers, ghosts, and things that go bump in the night - all the elements necessary to make the perfect terrifying tale.  There are also several surprise moments, and a heart-warming reveal that will touch even the hardest of hearts.

I am almost saddened that the story ties up all loose ends and provides a true ending to the story of Sophie, Joseph, and the Grimlock - I would love to see more tales of these characters.  However, I'm thankful Coates shared these two fantastic stories and definitely recommend them to any fans of the Gothic and supernatural.

RATING:  10 cessant's bloom petals out of 10 for horror and supernatural in true Gothic style without over-burdening the story with too much romance!

House of Shadows: Book One

The television show, Dark Shadows, was probably my first real foray into the realm of the Gothic (although some would say that the Nancy Drew series utilized a lot of Gothic tropes in its early years).  The house on the hill, the innocent governess, the bumps in the night, the forbidden rooms, the terrifying secrets of a reclusive family.  I was enthralled, and from that moment on, I still love reading, watching, and listening to Gothic tales.  I even took a Gothic literature class as I pursued my English degree.

So when I came across a series of books called "House of Shadows" by Darcy Coates on Amazon.com, I thought I'd give it a shot.  Honestly, the cover with the blond woman in the red dress staring at the foreboding mansion in the distance, covered by dark clouds, sold me on the book.  Now that I've read it, I can honestly say I'm glad I took the chance.  House of Shadows is Gothic at its finest.

Sophie Hemlock is a young girl who is just coming of age. She has dreams and plans, but all of that comes crashing down around her when her father's business fails, nearly destroying the family, and the only means by which he can save their family from losing everything is to give Sophie's hand in marriage to the rather enigmatic Mr. Argenton.  Sophie is uncertain, as she does not know the man, but she will do anything to help her family - so she says "I do."

As with pretty much all Gothic tales, Sophie is whisked away to a secluded mansion, one that she immediately fears when she sees it.  It is enormous, with more rooms than she can count; but it is dark and gloomy, and even the grounds that are grey and dying reflect the nature of the house itself.  Sophie is quickly introduced to the only remaining Argentons - his uncle Garrett and aunt Rose, as well as Garrett's daughter, Elise.  The house has minimal staff, but Mr. Argenton ("Joseph," as he reminds his newly-wed wife to call him) had hired a young mute girl to serve as Sophie's maid.

Mute?  Sophie immediately begins to wonder if that was intentional, to keep the girl from revealing any secrets about her new husband, his family, and the house.  And secrets, oh, there are plenty of those.  Coates provides a riveting, engaging story as one by one, each of the Argenton family secrets are revealed, each more horrifying than the last - - and just when Sophie thinks things can't get any worse, they do, particularly when she discovers that her own life is in jeopardy simply by marrying into the family.

I have to give Coates credit on one thing.  Most times, I don't pick up Gothic tales, because they are steeped in romance (which is not particularly a favorite genre of mine).  In this book, though, Coates manages to play down the romance side of things.  Let's face it, neither Sophie nor Mr. Argenton married for love, and although some feelings do start to develop, it is by far not the main focus of the story.  And for those wondering whether the Gothic elements remain subtle and grounded in reality, I can tell you right now - the supernatural is a very real thing here, as the curse on the family is tied so closely to the house itself, Sophie discovers that the house will never let her leave!

Now, the one moment in the story I did find rather odd was Chapter Twenty-Five, aptly titled "Joseph."  While the remainder of the book is told solely from Sophie's point of view (in third person), for some reason, Coates switched POV and told Chapter Twenty-Five from Joseph Argenton's point of view. Normally, that would not necessarily bother me, except for the fact that in doing so, Coates reveals much about Joseph's inner-thoughts, so much that the reader learns truths that might have been better saved for the reader to discover along with Sophie, rather than to "tell" the reader through Joseph's thoughts.  It was not enough to spoil the story as a whole, but it was disappointing to some extent to have this revealed so early.

Otherwise, the book was definitely a success for me, and the ending clearly leads into the second volume in the series, House of Secrets.

RATING:  9 red doors out of 10 for proving that Gothic doesn't need to be all about romance - that the terror and supernatural can hold the story all on its own!