Just Book Talk: What Happened at the Abbey by Isobel Blackthorn ~ BLOG TOUR~

Wednesday 29 November 2023

What Happened at the Abbey by Isobel Blackthorn ~ BLOG TOUR~

When Ingrid flees a violent husband to become a housekeeper in the Scottish Highlands, she discovers the family she works for has a much darker history than her own.Who haunts Strathbairn? Why are the adult McCleod children at each other’s throats? And whydoes the youngest sneak off at night? As Ingrid searches for answers, she grows ever more fearfulthat her husband will track her down.

Set in late 19th century Scottish Highlands, WHAT HAPPENED AT THE ABBEY is a gothic mystery brimming with intrigue, ghostly drama, and family secrets.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

What Happened at the Abbey is the first book in a trilogy. I found myself fighting sleep to stay up late reading this tense and atmospheric mystery. From the opening pages, there is an intense gothic feel to the setting which is made more so by the cool reception Ingrid receives from the few people employed there. The McCleod siblings are equally strange and are constantly arguing. Mr McCleod is never at hand to talk to or to shed any light on the strange situation and Miles, the youngest collects moss during the day to study but he wanders off somewhere at night.

Nightmares, strange noises, smells, and windows closing by themselves add an unsettling ghostly feel.

Ingrid has to unravel the mystery of what is happening at the Abbey as well as navigate the running of the staff below stairs who don't want her there and who make it clear that orders come from the cook and not her, the new housekeeper.

There is a satisfying conclusion, but as is to be expected with a trilogy, the cliffhanger at the end of this book will leave you ready to begin book two.

Purchase Links

Amazon USA

Amazon UK

Barnes & Noble

Author Bio

Isobel Blackthorn is a prolific novelist of unique and engaging fiction. She writes across a range of genres, including gripping mysteries and dark psychological thrillers. The Unlikely Occultist: A biographical novel of Alice A. Bailey received an Honorable Mention in the 2021 Reader's Favorite book awards. A Prison in the Sun was shortlisted in the LGBTQ category of the 2021 International Book Awards and the 2020 Readers' Favorite Book Awards. Her short story ' Nothing to Declare' was shortlisted for the Ada Cambridge Prose Prize 2019. Her dark thriller ALegacy of Old Gran Parks won a Raven Award in 2019. The Cabin Sessions was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award 2018 and the Ditmar Awards 2018. Isobel holds a PhD in Western Esotericism from the University of Western Sydney for her ground-breaking study of the texts of Theosophist Alice A. Bailey. Her engagement with Alice Bailey’s life and works has culminated in the biographical novel The Unlikely Occultist and the full biography Alice A. Bailey: Life and Legacy. Isobel carries a lifelong passion for the Canary Islands, Spain, her former home. Six of her novels are set on the islands of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. These standalone mystery novels are setting rich and fall into the broad genre of travel fiction. Isobel has led a rich and interesting life and her stories are as diverse as her experiences, the highs and lows, and the dramas. A life-long campaigner for social justice, Isobel has written, protested and leant her weight to a range of issues including asylum seekers and family violence. A Londoner originally, Isobel currently lives in the Canary Islands, Spain.