Clue meets Survivor in this Victorian-era story in which seven invitees be the last person standing-so to speak-to gain their hearts’ desires (which if different for each character). I loved the descriptive way the author wrote which allowed me to visualize “ancient buildings with rheumy windows” and feel the fog “cold as an embrace from the grim reaper.” Clara and Hunter are well-written complex characters with real life struggles and insecurities. I enjoyed following their journey toward a deeper faith. Despite the large number of characters, each was unique with her or her own voice, and thus I was able to keep track of them. I was surprised at the solution of the mystery, but perhaps I missed some of the clues along the way. I love historical novels that educate me about the era in which they are written, and 12 Days didn’t disappoint. There were a couple of “laugh out loud” moments which lightened the tension. The good news is that this is the first in a series. Dickens fans will especially enjoy the book.

Clara Chapman fell from the grace of society when her fiancé left her at the altar and stole her family’s fortune. Now she is the caretaker for her ill aunt with no prospects before her – until a strange invitation arrives. She finds herself at Bleakly Manor with a ragtag group of others who have been promised different rewards for staying at the mysterious old manor for the entire twelve days of Christmas. Much to Clara’s dismay, included on the guest list is Benjamin Lane, the man who jilted her. But his side of the story is much different than what she had always believed, and she is forced to reevaluate her past and her future while keeping an eye on the strange and dangerous incidents that seem to be eliminating the manor’s guests one at a time. 12 Days at Bleakly Manor was a 2018 Christy Award winner in the short-form category and it lived up to the hype. Very good!

A very intriguing story! I loved the mysterious aspect and the connection of each character. And second chance love? Ahh. I really enjoyed reading this.

The Twelve Days at Bleakly Manor was OK. It's a Christmas novella centered around the 12 days of Christmas in England. I couldn't really get into this novel. The characters at the Bleakly Manor were too weird and I never really understood the mystery or why there was the challenge at Bleakly Manor to hang on for 12 days other than there being money involved. I liked some the deathbed scenes between Clara and her aunt and the words of wisdom that were exchanged. The book had a predictable ending as far as the romance. But overall, I don't really think this was my type of book.

Rating: 3 out of 5

I received this book for free from NetGalley and Barbour Publishing in exchange for a review.

This is very sweet Christmassy read, like a cup of sweet coffee drink to accompany you during a dreary day. A bit of mystery, a dash of English country traditions and a lovely portion of young troubled yet hopeful ex-lovers. Also that magical sprinkle of make-believe over the snowy country. This is a kind of fairytale for adults, yet it is not shallow. I have thouroughly enjoyed this read.

It’s December 1850, and Clara Chapman receives a mysterious invitation: stay at an English manor for the 12 days of Christmas and she will receive 500 pounds. Since she was left at the altar and her family’s fortune lost almost a year ago, this money would be life changing. However, upon arriving at the house, she learns that one of the other guests is her former fiancé, Benjamin Lane. Ben has been falsely imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit. If he stays the full 12 days, he is promised his freedom. Can they mend their relationship? Can they figure out what’s going on at the mansion? And who will be the last one standing to win the prize?

This was a good book! A quick read, the romance a bit predictable, but it was pleasant. There’s even suspense as this feels like a milder, less sinister version of And Then There Were None. Both of the main characters were likable and you just want the best for them. This is the second book I’ve read by this author, and I love how she’s able to include faith in God in her stories in natural ways. It’s mentioned here and there throughout the book, but not in a hit-you-over-the-head-with-it way. I’d probably give this a 3 1/2, but I’ll happily round up to a 4 for a wholesome mystery romance. Thanks to NetGalley for the free ebook.

12 Days at Bleakly Manor
Once Upon a Dickens Christmas #1
By Michelle Griep

What could be better than a Christmas story? Maybe a Victorian Christmas story? Even better is a Victorian Christmas mystery.

12 Days at Bleakly Manor takes the reader back to 1850 London where Clara Chapman is living on the charity of her Aunt Mitchell since Benjamin Lane left her waiting at the altar with no word of apology or explanation. For nine months Clara has been angry at Ben for his betrayal and the ruin he brought to her and her family.

For the last nine months, Benjamin Lane has been calling a dank cell within Millbank Prison home. Without warning his life as he knew it ended on the day he was to wed. Ben knew that he had been betrayed the only question in his mind was why and whom?

When both Clara and Ben receive mysterious invitations to attend the Twelve Days of Christmas at Bleakly Manor it seems someone has a cruel streak taunting them both with what could have been. But these two are not the only guests and their host remains anonymous and absent. Each guest is offered a special gift if they make it through the entirety of the twelve days. But when strange things begin happening the surety of completing the entire twelve days is soon in doubt. Could this be just random occurrences or is something more sinister at work?

One thing is certain if they live through this visit it will be a Christmas none will soon forget...

This is a fun read and very much a holiday mystery. If you want something a little different to read that is easy to get into this would be an excellent choice. Even more fun would be reading this book aloud, enjoying it with friends and family as you attempt to determine who did or didn't do what. This book promises to be the first in a delightful series that makes a definite nod to Charles Dickens that Dickens fans will love!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Both Clara and Ben receive invitations to spend the 12 days of Christmas at Bleakley Manor while they are apart. Clara blames Ben for the dire straits that she finds herself in and for standing her up at the alter while Ben has spent that time in prison for a crime that he didn't commit. When they arrive at Bleakly Manor they meet some of the other guests who have been invited to spend the holidays there as well. All of the guests were promised something if they would spend the entire holidays at the manor though after their arrival they were told that only one person would receive their desires at the end of the holiday. Then the book turns into a reality show with the guests completing different tasks with different guests leaving until two of them are left. I would recommend this book for others to read.

This is a sweet story, perfect for a lazy winter afternoon or a train ride, as it was the case for me. It read like a mystery novel that reminded me of Agatha Christie. I enjoyed the glimpses in the past and the not too preachy Christian tone, as some novels of this type tend to have. The collection of characters gathered at the Manor is interesting, and I had the impression that there was something ominous looming over the house.

The plot is rather simple, but it creates enough mystery and suspence to keep you reading. I must admit there are still moments when I think about this novel, probably because I don't read a lot of Christian novels, and this one is different from what I've read so far.

It's the perfect read for those looking for a novel set around Christmas time, and told from a Christian point of view. Of course the cheesyness specific to this genre is there, but if this doesn't bother you, you might give it a try.

This book features three holiday-themed novellas with a strong romantic element. The three novellas are, "12 Days at Bleakly Manor," "A Tale of Two Hearts," and "The Old Lace Shop." Each one is also available to purchase separately.

First sentence of 12 Days at Bleakly Manor: Christmas or not, there was nothing merry about the twisted alleys of Holywell. Clara Chapman forced one foot in front of the other, sidestepping pools of. . .well, a lady ought not think on such things, not on the morn of Christmas Eve—or any other morn, for that matter.

Clara Chapman has had a hard time of it since she was jilted at the altar, and her family's fortune stolen. Destitute and living on the charity of an elderly aunt, she's getting by--barely. One holiday season she's offered a unique second chance. Travel to Bleakly Manor to spend the twelve days of Christmas with a mystery host and mystery guests for five hundred dollars.

Clara isn't the only guest in need of a second chance. Each guest has had a second chance extended to him/her. Though each chance looks differently. For one prisoner, Benjamin Lane, that second chance is freedom. There's a catch once they arrive, however, only one guest will have his/her second chance granted. And there are some guests who will do just about anything to get what they want.

This one definitely has a dark, mystery vibe to it as well as a romantic one....for Benjamin Lane is the one who "jilted" Miss Clara...

This book is the first book in Once Upon a Dickens Christmas series. This book is filled with with mystery and suspense and kept me guessing throughout. I loved stepping into the Dickens time period and would welcome reading the next book in the series.

This is a wonderful book from a great writer. Full of suspense, and romance. The author has a way of bringing the reader into her storyline and keeping their interest.

Fun and light, this was a lovely Christmas version of a "beach read" - just the thing to keep you snuggled up under the covers during the holiday season.

I enjoyed this book from start to finish. I know it's pretty late since it's already 2019 but glad I got to read this when I can. I loved Clara and Ben together and found them very cute throughout the story and I did like there were mystery elements in it too.

What a unique story of romance and mystery. This one kept you guessing and I loved the ending! A very enjoyable story.

I love Charles Dickens and I really love pieces which give props to the old classics. This is a perfect marriage of both intrigue and the classic style of Agatha Christie and Charles' himself. I was so happy to review this for the publishers and hope there is indeed another adventure in this realm.

Did not finish. I usually love Christmas-themed stories, but I had no sympathy for any of these characters. I felt that the story was told from a very distant, stiffly formal perspective. I read about 40% of the book before abandoning it.

I finished reading “12 Days at Bleakly Manor” today. If I could give it zero stars, I would! I had been so excited to read this Christmas novel (the cover is beautiful), but it was a huge disappointment. First of all, other than occurring during the Christmas season, there was really nothing Christmas-y about this book! The author’s writing style was odd; she used lots of words that aren’t in the normal English lexicon, so I had to regularly use the dictionary feature on my Kindle to figure out what in the world she was talking about. Furthermore, she used some words (they may have been British words but who knows) that didn’t even show up in the dictionary or Wikipedia. So that also added to the confusion.

But all that aside, the storyline was bizarre. Bottom line is, this was probably the weirdest book I’ve ever read. The characters were weird; even their names were weird! I haven’t read much Charles Dickens, but apparently this was supposed to be in the Dickens style. For example, in 12 Days there was a character called Mr. Tallgrass. In one of Dickens’ novels, there was a character named Smallweed. Nonetheless, the whole story was really weird. There was plenty of mystery and “intrigue” but not much resolution to any of the characters’ stories other than Clara and Ben’s. There was some, but not a lot, of romance in this book. And in a Christmas book, one wants romance!

I do NOT recommend this book. Don’t waste your time or money on it. If it wasn’t for having to write and post a review, I wouldn’t have even bothered finishing this book. It dragged on and on, and there wasn’t really much substance to it. Just a bad, poorly written book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Fans of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None and the movie Clue will find much to enjoy in 12 Days at Bleakly Manor.

The setup of 12 Days at Bleakly Manor is very similar to the Agatha Christie classic: a group of (mostly) strangers are invited to spend the 12 Days of Christmas at Bleakly Manor. The guests don't know why they've been invited, and when they arrive, their host is missing. And then bad things start happening ... (Nothing is as brutal as the fate Christie's characters met; this is definitely a PG-rated mystery.)

I really enjoyed trying to guess what would happen next and determine who had summoned the guests and why. My guesses were completely wrong, but I did appreciate the twists the story took!

The book did leave me with some questions at the end, which I can't really get into with getting spoilery. But I'll just say that the mishaps at the manor and the circumstances surrounding several of the guests didn't jibe with what the manor stay ultimately turned out to be.

Overall, this is a quick read at just under 200 pages, and it would make great reading as Christmas approaches! 3-1/2 stars.

An unusual Victorian Christmas story!

This book is filled with well developed and very strange characters. I love the two main ones, Clara and Ben. As we get to know them, as well as, the rest of the assorted house guests at Bleakly Manor a mystery starts to present itself.

Clara and Ben are the only two that know each other before arriving at the manor. It was interesting to see how their past affects their stay at the manor. Their interaction with each of the other house guests was very interesting. At times I wanted to tell some of them to just shut up.

This was a fun book to read and I’m looking forward to seeing what else the author comes up with for this series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. I have chosen to write this review to express my personal opinion.