A dual timeline gothic mystery with a hint of the supernatural set in fictional Oxbridge during the 18thC and the present day. In the present day Thea Rust takes up the position of history teacher at an exclusive boarding school whilst in the 18thC Rowan Caswell begins working for a silk merchant. Witchcraft and things which go bump in the night are what connects them.

I really enjoyed this story. I was quite gripped by it and found it a page turner. I love a gothic mystery and tales set in creepy old houses so this one was right up my street. I liked that the timelines seemed to connect with each other, followed a similar pattern. And I liked the characters, they seemed realistic. The supernatural element is well done, there is a befitting amount of spookiness although not too much to be considered a scary read, all leading to a satisfying conclusion

A beautifully written and crafted, easy to read novel which I can highly recommend to all those gothic fiction enthusiasts out there! ( )

Geschiedenislerares gaat lesgeven op een Engelse kostschool en meisje gaat werken voor een zijdehandelaar ( )

The Silk House is an entrancing novel from Kayte Nunn, unfolding over two timelines from the perspectives of three women.

The novel begins in the present as Thea Rust reports for work at her father’s alma mater, Oxleigh College. The exclusive English boarding school has accepted its first ever class of girls, and Thea, a history teacher, is to live in with them at their campus residence, known as Silk House.

In 1768, Rowan Caswell is an orphan employed as a maid-of-all-work by the owners of Silk House, silk merchant Patrick, and his wife Caroline Hollander. The home is not a happy one, for the master’s moods are mercurial and the mistress longs for a child.

Mary-Louise Stephenson is a spinster facing penury with her widowed sister. She believes she is capable of creating unique silk designs that will assure her a fortune, but the male dominated industry is uninterested until silk merchant Patrick Hollander offers her a commission.

Nunn weaves links between the past and present as Thea bears witness to the echoes of tragedy. Troubled by her experience of mysterious occurrences in Silk House, Thea investigates the building’s history discovering it’s reputation for being haunted due to a series of deaths, beginning with that of Caroline Hollander.

The story of Caroline’s haunting demise is revealed primarily through Rowan, who is an unwitting contributor to her mistress’s fate when her knowledge of herbal medicines, passed down to her by her late mother, is ill-used. A suggestion of witchcraft, an omen of bad luck, and a doomed love affair all contribute to the inevitable tragedy that stains Silk House.

To be honest I felt the third perspective of Mary-Louise introduced by Nunn was the only real flaw in the novel, as I thought it superfluous, even though Mary-Louise’s silk fabric design is of some significance in the story. Thea and Rowan are definitely the more compelling characters.

Nevertheless, part ghost story, part mystery the pacing is excellent as the story unravels. Nunn skilfully develops a sense of foreboding and unease as she weaves in and out of the past and present. The story is enriched by historical detail, enhanced by its feminist themes, and enlivened by interesting characters.

Atmospheric and intriguing, with gothic sensibilities, The Silk House is a finely written, spellbinding tale.

The Silk House is an historical fiction novel by Australian author Kayte Nunn with a gothic mystery at its heart that unfolds in dual narratives. In the present, Australian history teacher Thea Rust takes up residence in Silk House, located in Oxleigh in the British countryside. She's in charge of the first intake of female students in the exclusive boarding school nearby and she will reside in Silk House along with the students.

We go back in time to the 1760s where the house is owned and occupied by a silk merchant and his family and bolts of silk are sold from the shop at the front of the building. Young Rowan Caswell is hired as a maid and we follow her as she settles into the household, her talent for making the odd tincture soon in high demand. Mary-Louise Stephenson is a talented artist living in London who dreams of becoming a silk designer.

The lives of these three women begin to intersect and overlap as they weave a delightfully engaging and haunting tale for the reader.

I love historical fiction that includes: an old building with character and perhaps a murky history; strong female characters; boarding schools; life below stairs; whispers of witchcraft; secrets waiting to be unearthed and a window into the past. I became heavily invested in Thea and Rowan's stories and enjoyed both narratives equally.

Rowan's determination and spirit reminded me a little of Alinor from Tidelands, and if you're a fan of Laura Purcell (in particular The Silent Companions or The Corset) or The Familiars by Stacey Halls I think you'll love this.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Silk House by Kayte Nunn and looked forward to picking it up again every night, admiring the stunning cover design and re-joining Rowan and Thea. Highly recommended.

* Courtesy of Hachette Australia * ( )