Note to self: Do not start reading a Darcy Coates novel at midnight! For two reasons, I didn't sleep a wink: (1) I could not put this book down, and (2) I was so on edge that I was terrified of what could possibly be lurking in the shadows and couldn't stop listening for the things that go bump in the night.

It begins simply enough: Sophie encounters a dashing stranger at the opera and becomes mesmerized by his alluring eyes. On the surface, Joseph has it all: wealth, charm, and good looks. What else could a girl want? After Sophie's father suffers a financial setback, Joseph proposes marriage, and her father hopes this arrangement will save her from ruin. Soon, the two are wed, and Sophie is whisked away to Joseph's family estate. Here, the simplicity abruptly ends. The home is cloaked in mystery, and something sinister threatens Sophie's happiness and her very existence.

If a gothic horror novel somehow had a love child with a historical romance, this book would be that child. The result is something that feels very much like a fairytale for adults. Sure, it begins with a wedding and a promise of a happily-ever-after, but Sophie's experiences in the house catapult it to a whole other level. There are strange noises, eerie music, and vivid illusions. There are unsettling family member, dreadful bargains, and forbidden sections of the house. Something's not right there, and even animals sense the suffocating wrongness that surrounds the property. Will Sophie solve the house's mystery before it's too late, and will she escape the danger that jeopardizes her happy ending?

If you like your books with a dash of spookiness, definitely pick this one up. It's some fast-paced gothic goodness that will leave you wanting more from Darcy Coates. Enjoy!