I loved the originality of this story...well written...and beautifully told by this seasoned author. Five stars.

What could possibly happen in just 12 days?

Michelle Griep has been on my list of want-check-out authors for quite awhile. I've heard a lot of great things about her historical fiction from a variety of people. Then I saw the blurb for this book and decided that this would be the perfect one to start with, after all it is the Christmas season and the book sounded so interesting.

What a story to start with! 12 Days At Bleakly Manor has it all: mystery, danger, romance, quirky characters, a house with secrets of its own, and a lovely holiday setting. I had a fun time reading this book and will definitely be looking for more from this author. I enjoyed trying to puzzle everything out and I was in for some real surprises along with hero and heroine.

12 Days At Bleakly Manor is great story of redemption and second chances. Each of Michelle Griep's sometimes peculiar characters is searching for something, whether good or bad, and all of them will find it, and more, on a strange holiday in a rather odd English manor. What will You find this Christmas.....?

(I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)

This was my first book by Ms. Griep, and it won’t be my last! I enjoyed how she combined mystery with Christmas, romance, faith, and Dickens. It was an enjoyable read, and is sure to draw you in to the era and holiday season!

Griep's writing style makes for a wonderful escape. Her ability to create an immersive story with a lush setting and engaging characters will keep fans coming back again and again.

Great story about a woman who believes she has been duped by her love, a man who thinks his love threw him to the wolves and a mysterious offer to give them what they desire most. The catch? They must survive 12 days together and with other guests and be the last person there.

12 Days at Bleakly Manor by Michelle Griep is a fun Christmas read. With its Victorian setting and a big nod to Charles Dickens, it captures the spirit of the season. This novella has quirky characters galore (with equally quirky names a la Dickens), a heartwarming message of second chances, and sweet romance just perfect for a long winter night’s reading experience. This one is a recommended read!

Clara Chapman was left at the altar months before this cold December. With her fortune gone, stolen she believes by her fiancé, she is living in reduced circumstances. An invitation to Bleakly Manor for the Twelve Nights of Christmas celebration promises a way out of her financial difficulties — if she stays the full 12 days. Benjamin Lane was arrested on the way to his wedding and has been held without trial awaiting transportation to Australia. He has become bitter and vengeful, but a chance to be released and restored to society has him also at Bleakly Manor. Clara and Ben, along with 8 other guests, are all hoping for their deepest wishes to come true.

A bit A Christmas Carol and a bit Then There Were None, 12 Days at Bleakly Manor has all the ingredients for a quick, quirky, and thoroughly satisfying read. The characters provide amusement and intrigue as the mysterious Master of the house manipulates the action. Odd occurrences and threats put them in danger, and they and the reader never know who is to blame. The novella is filled with Victorian details, especially those that surrounded the Christmas celebrations of England. I really enjoyed the trip back in time. The romance is filled with obstacles of betrayal, hurt feelings, and misunderstandings, but also the promise of love restored. When all seems chaos, the characters depend on a God that is in control.

12 Days at Bleakly Manor is the first in Griep’s Once Upon A Dickens Christmas series, and it has definitely made me want more. A great start for a promising series!

Recommended.

Audience: adults.

12 Days at Bleakly Manor is like walking into a live-action game of Clue! I thoroughly enjoyed this novella - the Christmas backdrop, the eccentric (and authentic) characters, the romance between Clara and Ben, and the Dickensian flavor. The thread of suspense and mystery kept me intrigued.

Looking forward to reading more from this author and in this Christmas series.

This Christmas story, sure to one day be a classic, kept me intrigued right up until the end. What a great Christmas movie this would make with its blend of quirky characters! Names that almost seemed to be made up by the characters themselves had me chuckling. Names like Miss Scurry, Mr. Minnow, Inspector Pocket, Mademoiselle Pretents, and Mr. Tallgrass. Each were at Bleakly Manor by invitation and a promise of 500 pounds if they stuck it out for 12 days. After all were assembled including Clara Chapman and Ben Lane, the butler announced that only one would be receiving the monetary award, the last one left in the manor. Like on a game show almost, accidents kept happening, one by one numbers dwindled as some left. For such a fine manor, heat was scarce, and food was almost non-existent, and what little was served was very undesirable. The mystery of who the host was and the feeling of eyes staring wherever they went kept an eerie feeling about the rooms. I found myself holding my breath many times as strange and unexplained things began to happen. This was my kind of Christmas story!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher but was not required to write a review.

I enjoyed this book. There was plenty of suspense and it kept me guessing until the very end. It kind of reminded me of the movie "Clue." All of the characters worked well together and I enjoyed the interaction between Ben and Clara. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

I have no shame in admitting that ANY book that makes reference to Dickens, Austen, Shakespeare, or several other prominent historical figures, automatically makes its way to the top of my reading list. Hence the reason I decided to read this one during an extremely hectic time of year.

Michelle Griep captures, not only the essence of the time period, but the feel and eccentricities of Charles Dickens as well. With a mystery afoot and romantic tensions filling each page, you will quickly devour this story.

A novella that is just shy of 200 pages in length, it is a quick and easy read, and the perfect story for the season. A unique setting and a brilliant idea, Michelle Griep has me hooked for the rest of the series! Unfortunately, we have to wait until Fall 2018 for the next installment.

I received a complimentary copy of 12 Days at Bleakly Manor. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

I didn't quite know what to expect when I started this book, which is always fun because I start out with an open mind and enjoy the surprises on my reading journey. Clara and Ben and the other characters that are invited to Bleakly Manor don't know what to expect either which enhanced the mysteriousness of the event and the secret benefactor. While Clara and Ben's reunion is a bit rocky, I loved seeing them reconcile and reignite their love, while the rest of the plot turns into a cozy mystery with increasing danger and mishaps that threaten the occupants. A fun holiday story with elements of suspense and romance!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

Enjoyed this historical read which had great charactors and a wonderful story line. It was nice to read about traditions from Christmas long ago.

Can someone please take me back to 1850 in London, so that I may share this exciting experience with Clara? Oh my goodness what a creative storyline! The author had me right from the very start, trying to figure out just who did invite Clara to Bleakly Manor, and why? As she arrived and other characters were introduced, my interest heightened even more. The grand setting combined with twist, turns, and let’s face it – fun, made this a wonderful Christmas read. Or any time of year really.

Michelle Griep did a wonderful job of holding my attention through the entire story. There was so much going on that there was no time for sleep! I needed to solve the mystery, and I needed to see just who was behind all the strange things that were happening. And let’s face it, when you stick two characters together that had an abrupt ending to their relationship, there is bound to be some tension and excitement. And yes, the author delivered there also!

I recommend that you read this book immediately. Okay, if you don’t have time, then read it soon. It will be worth your time. And once you find the last words of the book, you will sigh, and begin the countdown for book number two!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

An intriguing story, filled with the personality of Charles Dickens, and with the mysterious plot twists of Agatha Christie. The perfect combination!

When a cryptic invitation arrives, twenty-five year-old Clara Chapman, has a decision to make. To spend the twelve days of Christmas at a home she's never heard of, by an unknown solicitor. Why would she choose to do this? For a hefty sum of money, which she desperately needs.

What she doesn't know is that others are expected at Bleakly House too, including none other than her fiancé who left her at the altar. Yet what he's been through in the past nine months is more grueling than Clara could have imagined. Ben Lane is looking for redemption and freedom, and he can only hope that the miraculous Christmas riddle of Bleakly Manor will save him.

It reads like a perfectly delightful Victorian novel, with some Gothic type elements (things going awry in that great big manor). Which of the manor's visitors would purposely be sabotaging the holiday event?

“The mysteries are starting to pile up in a great heap, are they not?”
- 12 Days at Bleakly Manor (Chapter 13)

Faith: There are some excellent elements of faith brought in, and I can love the book all the more for it.

Romance: It is kept mostly very sweet – just one particularly passionate kiss. But I really loved how even though it's a romance story, there's still so much adventure and puzzles to keep you busy with the rest of the plot too.

Cons? Almost none. There are a couple of phrases that used several times, which seemed a bit too repetitive for me.

Bottom line? The chapters just flew by with all the Victorian jargon and very British traditions. It was all too wonderful while the story lasted. And now I just can't wait to get my hands on book #2 in the Once Upon a Dickens Christmas series, next year!

I absolutely LOVE this book. I know, that is strong wording, but it's true. I was hooked as soon as met Miss Scurry and her pet mice. I love how she has them trained. This book is full of characters and they each have been summoned to stay for twelve days. The one who sticks it out wins. They were all offered different incentives, including Clara, and her ex-fiance. The man who stood her up at the altar, and until now, she had no idea why. The Christian themes are in place, but not in the forefront where it overrides the story. Instead, it supports characters and aids in the mystery that needs to be solved.

I really look forward to another book by this author and have followed Griep so that I get updates about future books.

My copy came from Celebrate Lit. My review is my own, left of my own free will.

Slip back in time to the mid-1800s and find yourself caught up in suspense and intrigue as a variety of English citizens are summoned to a manor at Christmas. Each is promised a reward of something longed for if they remain twelve days. Sounds simple, right? But danger and conflict may drive them all away before time expires. Who has woven this web and how could the person know so much about the individuals invited? I enjoy mysteries and historicals, so this definitely fit the bill for a fun read that kept me guessing who was behind this scheme and how it would all end. It would be a great read any time of year, but perfect for wintertime relaxing by a fire. The characters are believable and the situation beckons turning the page to discover what will occur next. Secrets abound. Can you figure it all out before the protagonists learn the answers?

I had to keep pushing to get through this one, although it definitely picked up towards the end of the book. It had charming moments, and an interesting concept.

Having time between finishing this book and writing this review is bad for my word flow. I had time to think. Thinking and reviews for me do not go hand in hand. I lose that fresh off the book visceral reaction that tends to make a lot more sense in words than when I think. I had deep thoughts, I really did … last night. I’ll be blunt, the mystery left me wanting – some too vague and some to obvious. The romance was interesting. The twists were slightly cliche but not over the top. But overall, honestly, it held up as an intriguing story that kept me invested to the very end.

Let’s talk nitty gritty. I feel like the characters were missing something in their overall development. I got an idea of who they were but the other guests at Bleakly were not quite living and breathing for me. I missed out on truly understanding what they were looking for and who they were at the core. I mean I get crazy old gal, raging French woman, shifty inspector, and ‘oy me rumpus’ dude (that and ‘Jilly lend a hand’, I swear he only had those two lines!). The difference is I didn’t understand their motivation as humans so I didn’t really care about them one way or the other. I sometimes didn’t care to remember who’s name was whose because they didn’t feel legitimate. Along the same vein, I didn’t understand the motivation for the 12 Days. It was cleared up for me later but the lack of understanding made me really not give two hoots.

All that said I like the quirkiness of the book. I like that it was different-ish. Yes depth was in short supply but I was engaged. I needed to see where it went. I actually ended up liking the story and how it all played out. With the clarification that came through the telling I really want to make time re-read it with deeper understanding and see if things click in the characters and story that were lacking before. Perhaps next Christmas?

I love Christmas, and I love a good cozy mystery and this book has both! Ms. Griep has talented hands and created a story that not only captured me instantly, but kept me hooked on this book the entire time. Her twists and turns, her characters, her messages woven through out the book, truly made for a wonderful, one sitting read!

Clara and Ben are chiseled wonderfully for their roles. Clara, stood up at the altar, and Ben, the one who caused the pain. I wanted to throttle Ben a time or two but if he wasn’t the way he was, I wouldn’t have loved the story half as much! These two come to life among the walls of Bleakly Manor and the story unfolds in a most fascinating way!

I definitely recommend this book to all who want a wonderful, clean romantic story, that is pieced together among a Christmas mystery. It’s 4 star worthy and one of my favorite Christmas stories of 2017! I am looking forward to adding the print version to my keeper shelf and to reading more amazing books like this in the future from the talented Michelle Griep! Bravo!