12 days at Bleakly Manor

This was my first book by Michelle Griep that I have read. I will be reading more of her books. I look forward to the next in this series. A group of people is invited to Bleakly Manor during Christmas and a few days after. A very unique group. The main character Clara is the caregiver for her aunt but her aunt insists she goes, also there is Ben her former fiancé. I loved how it all played out and one of best Christmas books I have read this year. A quote from the book I just had to put in my review, her aunt speaking to Clara, “ Worrying doesn’t stop the bad from happening. It keeps you from enjoying the good.”. I had never heard it put that way before, it just stood out to me.

Rated PG because of subject matter

A superb read. Romance, mystery, intrigue, and some snow, ice, cold rooms and weird cuisine.

Although you've got tones of Bleak House (Dickens) and a plot reminiscent of Agatha Christie's Ten Little Indians, you don't have to read those stories to get full enjoyment of this book.

I just love howMichelle Griep delicately develops the characters. Clara is the main character and was left at the altar by Benjamin who is also invited to spend Christmas at the manor along with some rather fun, weird characters who are all promised some fabulous something if they are the last one at the manor on the 12th day of Christmas. Ben was wrongfully imprisoned and thought Clara had betrayed him. Clara thought Ben had betrayed her family and impoverished her by stealing their fortune. The other characters some tangles to unweave as well.

You get a wonderful character study of each one as their stories unfold.

I enjoyed every word of this story. It's a keeper and worthy of 5 of 5 stars.

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12 Days At Bleakly Manor by Michelle Griep is a delightful historical Christian Christmas tale that is indeed to be savoured by the reader.
The tale is steeped in Christmas traditions that will warm the reader's heart. It is a wonderful story that will be one to revisit annually. A cross between A Christmas Carol and an Agatha Christie mystery, the reader is in for a real treat. we are entertained and guessing throughout.
There are choices to be made. Are we motivated by love of people? Or money? Where is our treasure?
The novel is also about hope. Hope restored is a beautiful thing.
12 Days At Bleakly Manor was a unique read in a traditional style, very reminiscent of its 1850 English setting. A wonderful Christmas tale that I can highly recommend.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

Okay, right off let me say this is different than any Christmas book I have read. And that’s not a bad thing! Full of twists and turns, it will keep you guessing to the end. Plus it includes a sweet romance.

The characters are fairly well developed. I would have liked to have gotten to know them a bit better, but Griep did very well considering it is a novella. She did give us a lot of description of the manor, and other places the characters went.

If you enjoy Victorian England, Agatha Christie, and Charles Dickens, you will enjoy 12 Days at Bleakly Manor. I appreciated the historical notes at the end and look forward to Book 2.

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.

I really enjoyed this book. I was reading it for a few minutes one night before bed, and off and on all night I dreamed about it! The mysteries in this story are well-plotted and draw you in from the beginning—why have all these people been summoned to Bleakely Manor, where is their host, and why are they treated as they are? Also, who is trying to harm people, and why?
Clara is especially terrified when one of the other guests turns out to be Ben, who stood her up at the altar some seven months before, and stole her entire fortune. Why was he here? And could she possibly believe his fantastic story of why he didn't appear at their wedding? For his part, he can't understand why she doesn't trust him—will they be able, during their twelve days together, to work through all the misunderstandings?
Some of the little details are very funny, such as the pet mice. Some are very sad, such as Mr. Tallgrass and his treatment of his daughter. Her treatment of him, however, is heartwarming. There is blossoming romance in this story, as well as tragedy, as the guests compete with each other to win their heart's desire. And, one aspect of the ending caught me totally by surprise, although I predicted another. All in all, this is a very well-done story.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and chose to review it.

Such a charming, Christmassy read that is rather gothic, distinctly odd in its own right but nonetheless, whimsical! I loved it.
It was something unlike any book I've read before- what with the plethora of unique characters and storyline. I also loved the sweet symbolism's and gifts each person received- or didn't- as the mystery unfolded.
It's such a good read- especially the week before Christmas!
And of course, my only complaint is I didn't get more time to see Ben & Clara's relationship play out more!!! I can't wait for book 2- the excerpt at the end of the book reeled me right in like a sea bass :)

What a fun Christmas story! I think this is probably the most delightful and enjoying Christmas story I've read yet!

Full of Dickens-y things--including the characters and setting, with a story line reminding me of Agatha Christie, if you like this style, you will be sure and enjoy this book!

I say Agatha Christie because it made me think of that one book of hers, I think it's "And Then There Were None" where there are so many characters summoned to a certain location, and one by one they are removed....that's the kind of story we've got here!

Clara is caring for her elderly aged aunt and they are almost to the point of poverty when she receives a mysterious note summoning her to Bleakly Manor, promising that if she can stay for the entire Twelve Days of Christmas, she is to be the winner of a large sum of money.

When she arrives, she discovers among the guests none other than her former fiancee, Ben Lane. They have both been thinking the worst of each other, blaming the other for their misfortunes.

They are given a second chance, through the mysterious circumstances at this remote manor.

Charming and intriguing are only a few words I chose to describe this story!

My thanks to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing, Inc. for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.

This book wasn't quite a good fit for me. I loathe Charles Dicken's writing, so I have no idea how the characters and story line of this book tie in with anything of his. Which wasn't a bad thing, per say, but connections between this and his writing completely went over my head.

This book also went by INCREDIBLY quickly, to the point where I felt the character development and plot line suffered. And the characters were pretty 1D and stereotypical. The volatile and rude French woman, the slimy guy who didn't get the idea that the pretty heroine wanted nothing to do with him, etc. And the little old lady who had a box full of mice friends? Her name was Miss Scurry. I kid you not.

The plot KINDA made sense, but the explanation was so over the top, it kicked me right out of the story. Suspension of disbelief is necessary when reading a work of fiction and if the author tromps all over that, then the book isn't going to be as enjoyable as it could be.

This wasn't badly written, just somewhat rushed and cliche and unbelievable at points. There is a teaser for the next book in the series at the end of this one and it seemed more my speed, a fake fiancee/wife plot, which I tend to have a soft spot for. So I'm not going to shun this author. The writing has promise and the Christian overtones aren't in the reader's face, nor are they nonexistent. It is a delicate balance and I feel it is met. Maybe a tad on the less rather than more side, but nothing objectionable on my reading of it.

This book wasn't quite for me, but if you enjoy historical mystery/romance with a Christian bent and you like Charles Dicken's work, then this book may work for you very well. 2, I just couldn't get into it, stars.

On my blog on 12/13/17

Clara lost the love of her life and her family's fortune nine months ago. Now living with her aunt she is given an opportunity of a lifetime. All she has to do is stay at Bleakly Manor for the 12 days of Christmas and then she will get 500 pounds. With nothing left to lose she takes the chance and on arrival, she meets the other six guests
(Mr. Minnow, Mr. Pocket, Miss Scurry, Mademoiselle Pretents, and Mr. Tallgrass) all promised something different if they stay for the 12 days. With the owner of the house nowhere in sight and only a few members of staff, the guests wonder what exactly they are supposed to do during their time at Bleakly Manor. Each new days bring them a different task to complete and possibly new risks as well.

One thing that Clara was not expecting to happen was for her ex-fiancee Ben (we also get to see things from his point of view) to be there as well wanting his own freedom in exchange for making it to the end.

Overall I really liked this story. The mystery of why they were there and then the mystery that was just Clara and Ben's that shows why he had been arrested and charged with something he says he didn't do. The other guests I found to be enjoyable and at times it reminded me of the movie Clue (one of my all-time favorites). 12 Day's at Bleakly Manor is very fast paced and one that I did not want to put down. I would consider this a must read and it really made me happy to see the real 12 days of Christmas that happen after Christmas instead of before. (can we make that a thing again, please? The time after Christmas is always so sad when all the decorations come down.) I can't wait for the next book to see what happens and if Clara and Ben will be in that one as well.


"There was freedom if he stayed. Revenge if he didn't."

I just wasn't buying what this book was selling. The characters were a bit unbelievable to me and the story began so quickly that it was hard for me to truly connect to it. Overall a nice clean book, but I can't say I'd go out of my way to read it again. Thank you for allowing me to read it in exchange for my unbiased review.

12 Days at Bleakly Manor by Michelle Griep is a Christmas retelling of the Dickens classic Bleakly Manor. I started this story with zero expectations but quickly fell in love with the writing style of Michelle Griep, the mystery surrounding the manor and its guests, and the jilted romance between Ben and Clara. It reminds me a little of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None minus the murdering of course.

Clara is a young woman who has lost everything in the last year. On Christmas Eve the year prior she was to wed a man who not only left her at the alter but was arrested for stealing her family’s fortune, leaving her destitute and at the mercy of her older brother and aunt. Clara has hardened herself since that time, but her mind never strays too far from the thoughts of her fiancé and what he done. She’s angry, bitter, yet accepted what has befallen her.

Ben breaks my heart. This is a man who has spent a year in jail thinking his beloved put him there and is living the high life without him. This is a man wrongly accused who has been sentenced to transfer to Australia and a work camp there. Ben is angry and it’s his need for revenge that keeps him going. The kind man he once was is missing and his heart is full of anger.

Then both Clara and Ben receive an anonymous letter inviting them to spend the Christmas holidays at Bleakly Manor. If they stay the full 12 day holiday, each will receive what they want most. For Ben, that’s a full pardon and release. For Clara, it’s the money that was stolen from her a year earlier. Neither knows the other will be at the manor until they arrive which creates some fantastic dramatic irony as the reader knows thanks to the alternate POVs. On arrival, Ben and Clara are faced with what happened a year prior and forced to acknowledge the past and who may have wronged them.

In addition to Clara and Ben there are other guests who have also been promised their own heart’s desires, and it becomes a competition to see who will be left on Christmas Day. I LOVED the mystery surrounding the manor, the guests, their desires, and their host. It was a suspenseful read with just the right amount of romance to balance it out. If you enjoy Victorian era fiction, I highly recommend this holiday tale!

A somewhat unrealistic story about a group of people mysteriously summoned to a manor whose owner never appears. I found it a bit tedious.

Very good! The mystery was captivating and the story left me feeling loving and put me in the Christmas spirit!

A wonderful second chance mystery romance, set during the Christmas season. This was so well-written as a cross between Charles Dickens and Agatha Christie, where a set of unique characters are invited to Bleakly Manor for the season by a mysterious host. If they stay the entire twelve days, they will receive what their heart most desires. For some that is money, for others it is companionship. But for our main hero and heroine it is freedom from the lies and deceit that has split them apart. The tension was kept high when mysterious things started to happen to the guests, and I was turning pages as quickly as I could to see who the villain in the piece was and who the mysterious host was. Michelle Griep is quickly becoming an auto-buy author for me!

Would you take a gift from a stranger by staying at a Manor for 12 days to receive it? These people did and each day brought about a surprise. Good, bad, funny or deadly! I enjoyed the mystery, the suspense and the ending… not what I suspected! Totally enjoyed it!

I loved this gothic holiday tale! I am a huge Agatha Christie fan and this book is reminiscent of And Then There Were None, but also with homage paid to Bleak House by Charles Dickens. The novel is fast paced and interesting, because readers will want to discover the rewards each of the guests are hoping to receive, as well as who is behind the offers and who actually owns Bleakly Manor. There’s also the matter of Clara and Ben’s relationship–both feel that the other has wronged them, so there’s the mystery of what exactly happened between the two–did Clara truly set Ben up? Did Ben actually steal from Clara? It’s not clear at first if one of them is lying or if there’s a bigger story behind what happened. I don’t want to give too much away, because part of the fun of this novel is in the way it unfolds with the characters. Lest it seem as if it’s just a mystery tale, there’s a great deal of heartwarming content as each of the guests comes to understand more about themselves and the other people. Some change for the better, some for the worse, but 12 Days at Bleakly Manor is as much a story of personal growth and understanding about life as it is a fascinating mystery (and it is that).

I actually would have enjoyed more character-building, especially with some of the supporting cast of characters. It would have been a wonderful addition to get some more background information about each one as their stories are revealed. Overall the book is fairly short and not super surprising, but for a cozy holiday tale, it definitely provides a feel-good story with a touch of intrigue to keep you interested throughout.

12 Days at Bleakly Manor: Book 1 in Once Upon a Dickens Christmas is a phenomenal book filled with intriguing and romantic characters. Michelle Griep is one of my favorite authors and this book proves why. Her writing talent weaves mystery, suspense, romance and faith all into a wonderful page turner laced with unexpected happenings.

3.5 stars. If Charles Dickens and Agatha Christie wrote a book together this might be something they come up with. A little mystery with some romance set at a huge manor house at Christmas. I did like many things with this atmospheric tale, the characters are colorful and they are all trying to win "their prize". Descriptive writing will make me check out the following books in this series.

**Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley in exchange of an honest review.**

I enjoyed going to back in time to the late 1800s and finding very interesting historical facts scattered throughout the book. It definitely reads like a Charles Dickens story, but with a bit more flair of intrigue. The characters were quirky and somewhat hard to keep up with. I thought there was a lot going on in the book with so many characters.

I did like the idea of a group of people ascending upon a manor house to spend Christmas. Their task was to be the last person there and be rewarded handsomely. Clara is not sure about the invitation, but with a promise for money to help her family, she decides to go. I’m not sure I would go traipsing off to a strange place so quickly.

Ben is my favorite character. He has been wrongly accused of stealing from Clara’s family and sent to prison. It was no surprise to me that he would be one of the guests of the manor. There is friction between Clara and Ben when they first see each other. Clara believes Ben ruined her family business. Perhaps she was more upset by the fact that he had left her at the altar. It is a good story with emotions that run high at times , but overall a story that gives hope and peace to all.


I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.