When this book came across my email with a bunch of fall books up for review I knew that I needed to read it. It really piqued my interest. The cover was gorgeous it really caught my eye, it struck me as both spooky and beautiful at the same time. I couldn’t wait to start reading it.

Tabby has a special gift. She can talk with the dead. When she was younger she was hiding in the cemetery and saw people robbing a grave that same night she ran into Caleb who was running from people looking to cash in on his card debt. When she ran into him all those years later at his father’s funeral she remembered him and he remembered her. Their paths crossing sets in motion an adventure that neither of them saw coming. The book has everything clairvoyance, body snatching, adventure, and to top it all off a dash of romance. I really liked this book, except for the ending. I really felt like it was rushed and felt that the book really could have a sequel to go with it to help wrap up Tabby and Caleb’s story. That is why I gave it 4 stars. I felt it could have been ended in a different way. Don’t get me wrong I loved them getting together at the end or at least implied but I wanted more.

This book is well written. The book is very sweeping covering both England and America in the early to mid 1800’s. The characters are lovable and I found myself gasping with everything that happened to Tabby. From being farmed out by her aunt and uncle to make money to her getting kidnapped later in the book. I wanted her to get out of her problem or to be rescued by Caleb. I found it fascinating that the book delved into the art of body snatching and the experiments that people did to corpses to further the medical field. I haven’t looked to see if the author has written any more books but if they have I will certainly be looking into them. Certainly adding the author to my list of Historical Fiction authors!

Thank you to the publisher, Graydon House, for providing me with an ARC of The Orphan of Cemetery Hill in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Gist
I had Fox’s first novel, The Witch of Willow Hall, on my to-read list ever since it came out in 2018. Being the hopeful optimist that I am, I kept making plans to read it any day now. Well, the road to hell is usually paved with good intentions.

So, sadly, I hadn’t been introduced to her writing until the publisher was so kind and offered me a chance to read her newest novel, The Orphan of Cemetery Hill. Obviously, I jumped at the chance.

I ended up reading most of The Orphan of Cemetery Hill in one day, because I just needed to know. The story had me spellbound from the first chapter and when I wasn’t reading, I was thinking about reading.

I love the gothic, the dark and atmospheric stories, especially as we get closer in the season to Halloween.

The Details
There is so much I want to comment on without giving anything away, because The Orphan of Cemetery Hill is worth the reading journey. I’ll try my absolute hardest to do it justice minus any spoilers.

Let’s start with the characters, shall we?

We’ve got Tabby, the protagonist. A burned child, in a manner of speaking, who had a rough childhood. She can’t trust easily, but she has a pure heart.

She is a little feisty, knows how to learn from her mistakes and is a survivor. I like her. She has depth and personality. She feels real and I appreciate that in a character.

It is also always a wonderful treat to read about secondary characters that the author decides deserve the same amount of attention to detail as the protagonist. They may have a specific purpose to move the story forward, but that doesn’t mean it has to be blatantly obvious and all they are good for.

Complex and thought-through secondary characters provide a richness to a story that in the end could make or break the story as a whole. I was glad to see the dedication and love the author poured into these characters.

The writing was fantastic and I adored the contrast and similarities the author created between the eerie atmosphere of the story and the weather. It added a nice touch to the overall ambiance.

In The Orphan of Cemetery Hill, set mostly in Boston before the Civil War, Fox took the opportunity to comment on a series of social issues that were prevalent as much then as they are now. I appreciated the not so subtle opinions and struggles the characters had and faced, including the sobering fact that not much has really changed in the last 160 years.

The Verdict
Overall, I could go on and on about The Orphan of Cemetery Hill, but I shall stop here and say that it was a treat to read this story.

An eerie story, including ghosts and mad scientists, with a hint of romance; I would definitely recommend it.

I have been a huge fan of both of Hester Fox's previous books, so I was thrilled when I had the opportunity to be part of her blog tour for her latest book. Fox writes with a delightfully Gothic style that brings to mind the Bronte sisters, but with American heroines.

The heroine of this novel, Tabby, is just as much a delight as the ladies from her previous works. She is an intriguing character in that she is clairvoyant and can speak to the spirits of the dead. This is a gift she has hidden from the world, much as she has hidden herself. Getting to see Tabby blossom into a confident young woman is one of the great joys of this novel.

Our other main character, Caleb, was a little harder for me to fall for. He is rich, privileged, and a bit of a rake. As the story progresses he becomes more and more endearing, but I had a bit of a hard time seeing why Tabby was so head over heels for him from the start.

The story was riveting and kept me guessing the entire time. I loved the mystery of the grave robberies and how all of the strange goings-on of the novel were connected. I thought Fox did a fantastic job keeping the plot moving without giving too much away.

I also wish we had gotten a little more of Mary Ruth and Alice in the story. They were both such interesting characters, and I really wanted to know more about both of them.

Overall, this is a fantastic story that will keep you guessing until the end. It has a bit of the paranormal in there, but it is largely a Gothic romance with an interesting mystery. I highly recommend it!

I gave The Orphan of Cemetery Hill 4.5 STARS!

I thought this book would be a great read for this time of year, and I wasn’t wrong. But it was so much more than a spooky story. It was poetically dark yet uplifting. I know that sounds counter-intuitive, but I found it riveting.

As you can read from the blurbs, Tabby has the ability to communicate with the dead. She and her sister, Alice, were orphaned at a young age, but then Alice also disappeared once they got to Boston, so Tabby has been on her own for many years.

Taken in by Eli, who tends a local cemetery, she only uses her gift (she doesn’t see it as such) sparingly, and usually to try to communicate with Alice (who she assumes is dead).

Through a chance encounter when she is young, her life becomes intertwined with that of Caleb, who is of a different station than she is, and they meet again later in life, striking up an undefined friendship. But they are still worlds apart.

However, events shortly occur that upend both of their lives. Bodies are being stolen from the cemetery and Tabby soon finds out that there is much more than your normal, everyday grave robbing occurring. The reality is much darker and nefarious than she can imagine.

I found Tabby’s story to be intriguing and realistic. I really liked the setting of 1844 Boston; it was a look at a pre-Civil War city, where the rich had frivolous interests and the poor stuck to the shadows.

The story was strongest at the beginning while Tabby was in Boston and it seemed a little muddled when Caleb and Tabby’s storylines diverged from each other. But it became apparent as to why that plot point was necessary. That being said, time was very fluid, and some of the sequential events didn’t seem to match up.

I thought the author did a great job detailing customs of the time, especially those centering around the dead and dying. “Watchers” and “layers” were essential. And I thought the concept of the resurrectionists was especially fascinating.

I also liked the connections that Tabby had with the various characters. I don’t want to give anything away but there were subtle similarities in the actions of a few of them that were nicely done.

I hesitate to call it gothic fiction (although several do) because I just can’t reconcile “gothic” and “pre-Civil War” in my mind. Regardless, I would definitely recommend this book, especially heading into a spooky season.

I loved the other books I read by Hester Fox. Her gothic stories are always gripping, atmospheric and highly entertaining
This one was no exception. I highly appreciated the mix of paranormal, gothic and historical fiction.
I liked this unusual story of an orphan with paranormal gift and the story of her life and of the people around her.
Tabby is a very interesting characters: she’s strong willed, tender and interesting; a well thought character that you cannot help liking. The entire cast of characters is fleshed out and interesting.
The plot is tightly knitted even if it’s a bit slow at times. The different POV helps you to see different sides of the story and the mystery elements add excitement to this good novel.
The historical background is vivid and well researched.
I liked this story and it’s recommended.
Many thanks to Graydon House and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Tabby and her sister Alice run away from exploitation at the hands of their guardians in search of a better life. Tabby has a gift -- she can communicate with the dead. She's also aware that this is a secret she should keep. It's Boston in 1844 and the city is full of people who would hurt her over her talents. When her sister doesn't come back to her one night, she's left all alone.

Taking refuge in a graveyard, she meets various characters there -- grave robbers and an interesting young man who she can't seem to forget. Over time she makes a new family with the cemetery care taker and some friends but her life gets more complicated when she and the young man she'd met years ago reconnect. Caleb might be engaged, but he hasn't forgotten Tabby and is as intrigued with her as she is with him.

I really enjoyed this story. I came to care about Tabby and what would happen to her very quickly. The historical aspect of the story was also fascinating and nicely woven into the story. There's also a murder mystery that involves Tabby and Caleb which brings all the players in the story together at the end for a very exciting conclusion. Although the pace wasn't always as quick as I would like, there was a nice level of action from beginning to end and I found myself grabbing this book whenever I had a free minute. I would definitely look for more from this author.

Overall -- if you are looking for a historical with a good dose of the paranormal, you might really like this story. Good level of tension that carries through to the end of the story, great characters, and a nice little tale of love and family. This one is on my list of favorites for 2020.

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Orphan of Cemetery Hill is set in 1844 Boston.
A young woman born with a unique gift to commune with the dead finds herself in the middle of a menacing plot involving grave robberies and murder in author Hester Fox’s “The Orphan of Cemetery Hill”.

Hester Fox has blended together a moody historical fiction. The tale is a tad lighter on creepiness. So it won’t scare away the would be readers that aren’t into the heavier gothic tales.

Tabby has unique, adept ability that she shares with no one.
Twelve year old and her sister have fled the clutches of her Aunt Bellfonte and uncle.
Not wanting to return to Amherst, she finds herself separated from her beloved sister Alice. Frightened, that her aunt is hard on heels she runs further away from downtown Boston area. Finding herself at the gates of older cemetery she seeks shelter in one of crypts. Alone and but feeling safe within the cemetery, young Tabby security becomes questionable when she witnesses what could only be active grave robbers. Along with a chance meeting with a young man, who feels drawn to and they become someone very important to each other later on in story.
Eventually she taken in and cared for by a wonder father figure. who I just loved.
The narration follows and is told in dual POV’s, making the experience for the reader enjoyable. The suspense and danger will keep you flipping through these pages.
The right amount of menace and gothic feel is reminiscent of older traditional gothic novels I have read in the past. It’s all about technique in the books structure.

This ghostly atmospheric tale is perfect for first signs of crisp fall air.
When you want a good book to curl up to by a warm fire to chase away chilly nights.

-The author based the cemetery on Copp’s Hill Burying Ground in Boston’s North End, which you can visit to this day on the Freedom Trail.-

#TheOrphanofCemeteryHill #NetGalley

The Orphan of Cemetery Hill is my first Hester Fox novel. I found her writing to be very atmospheric. I was easily transported back in time. Tabby’s character resonated with me. I was scared for the child abandoned and happy for the girl who found a home. She was resilient and despite the trauma she endured she still was a compassionate and loving person. Despite the fact that I usually gravitate towards kick a$$ females I could appreciate the fact that Hester Fox’s characterization of Tabby as a “little woman waiting to be rescued by her knight in shining armor” was true to the way women in that era were treated. I still don’t like Caleb though and was a bit skeptical about his professions of love. But I digress.

Overall, The Orphan of Cemetery Hill was an enjoyable and engaging read. I was taken in by the mystery and loved that the book was loaded with history. I also enjoyed how Hester Fox handled both Tabby’s and Alice’s supernatural gifts. It was just the right amount of the paranormal: enough to keep me intrigued and not too much where the story would be unbelievable. Definitely picking up Hester Fox to read again.

Tabby and her sister Alice fled from their Aunt Belefonte, who was exploiting Tabby's gift to communicate with the dead. After getting separated from Alice, Tabby was adopted by Eli, the caretaker for the city's cemetery. There were graves robbed by resurrection men, so Tabby's gift will either help save the cemetery or lead to her own destruction.

We span a long period of time with The Orphan of Cemetery Hill, opening with Tabitha lost in Boston when her sister never comes back, hiding in a cemetery. Resurrection men are present, and still at it twelve years later when Tabitha is a grown woman. She and Caleb cross paths several times, and he's taken with her during their second meeting when they're both adults. He's accused of murder, and Tabby knows the truth. It doesn't help her in the long run, as the ones in power will do whatever they can to continue their experiments with the dead, hoping to find a way to restart life in order to prolong their own.

All of the questions posed at the beginning of the book - who are these men, what happened to Alice, what happened to the Belefonte aunt and uncle - are answered by the end of the novel. Caleb is more resourceful than he thought he was, and Tabitha was willing to do whatever it took to protect the ones she cares about. There are no easy choices for those who don't hold power in the 1800's Boston, but that doesn't mean that the poor are helpless, or that women have no choices that they can make. I enjoyed seeing Tabitha grow into her gift and make choices that helped her life move forward and improve, even when she thought she was out of them. She's my favorite in this book, and I was cheering for her all the way.

A book that takes place in a cemetery? Ghosts? Seances? Another novel from Hester Fox to give you chills? Sign me up!!

I'm a big fan of Hester Fox. I love her Gothic, supernatural style, and how all of her books are standalones, and they're not chunky either -- you can read them in just a few days.

Your heart just goes out to poor Tabby, the heroine of Hester's newest book, and her older sister, Alice. I really liked the storyline of grave robbing and "reanimating" the deceased. I'm a bit familiar with Burke & Hare, and Hester did an admirable job of working "resurrection men" into her novel and giving Burke & Hare a mention.

If you want a spooky story that gives you all the thrills and chills, Hester Fox definitely delivers. "Orphan" is a perfect Halloween read!

Actual Rating: 2.5 stars

Having absolutely loved the first two gothic romances from this author, I unfortunately found The Orphan of Cemetery Hill to be a bit of a disappointment. The plot was much more predictable and I was never rooting for the hero who is lazy, selfish, and rather a cad. I think you're supposed to like him despite that, but I wasn't a fan. I did enjoy the heroine Tabby (other than her poor taste in men...). She is an orphaned clairvoyant with traumatic childhood who is consistently brave and selfless.

There is a mystery element to this book, much like the other two, but I did not find it to be as compelling and there are definite moments of deus ex machina where highly unlikely events are used to push the plot along. I think a stronger romance could still have carried this for me, but alas that really flopped and the mediocre mystery didn't do a whole lot for me. That said, I will definitely continue to try whatever this author puts out. She generally writes wonderfully atmospheric books and I've loved the other two. This one was more of a dud. I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The Orphan of Cemetery Hill delivers the spooky atmosphere of 1800s New England in spades in Hester Fox's third book. A captivating story of ghosts, graveyards, murder, and love. It was an intriguingly enchanting fantasy that I wanted to savor and devour. I didn't want it to end. I can't want to read the next book from the author.

The Orphan of Cemetery Hill by Hester Fox is an intriguing historical novel. I have a weakness for paranormal stories, and the blurb for this book fascinated me. The author created a dark, gothic atmosphere with the cemetery, grave robberies, the mist, and murder. Tabby is a complex character along with Caleb Bishop. I liked Eli who was so kind and loved Tabby dearly. There is a lot going on in this book which keeps it propelling forward towards the tense conclusion. There is suspense, romance, drama, and intrigue. The author transports readers to her world with her vivid word imagery. I liked the chapter headings which include “In which we meet our young heroine” and “In which there is a reunion”. I did feel it was a slow starter with the pace increasing in the second half. I enjoyed the mystery. I like being able to solve a crime before the solution is revealed. Those who enjoyed The Witch of Willow Hall will be eager to devour this historical novel. The Orphan of Cemetery Hill is a spooky tale with its gothic atmosphere, robbing of graves, murder, and Tabby’s ability to commune with spirits from beyond the veil.

Initial Thoughts

First of all, Boston is one of my favorite cities in the world. No, you know what, it’s probably my favorite city. So, historical fantasy set in my favorite place? You know I want to read it!

Also, this book sounded perfect for my October Spooky Reads list.

Some Things I Liked

Harvard, Boston, and the Resurrectionists. I loved the history and familiar topics found in this book. Weirdly, I’ve read a few books about people who dug up graves in the name of science recently and I really loved that I could connect a familiar subject to a familiar city.
Multiple POVs. I also liked the different POVs. Our main characters are not always together so it can be difficult to show the reader what they are all up to all the time. I thought the POVs were well done here and I liked that Caleb was essentially the bridge between the other two.
Dark themes. This book is creepy, it covers some pretty heavy topics, but, overall, I really enjoyed that. I thought it was perfect for the season and I will be recommending it in October.
One Thing I Wasn’t Crazy About

Caleb had his moments where he was kind of a weasel. I thought Tabby deserved better. I almost didn’t want there to be romance between them because he was not my favorite in beginning of the story.

Series Value

I think Tabby’s abilities could certainly yield sequels but this felt like a stand alone story. I liked the other characters but I wouldn’t drop everything to read a sequel. I think this story is better as a stand alone.

However, I will continue to read Hester Fox’s books. I really enjoyed the history and writing here.

Final Thoughts

I liked this book. I was hesitant to read it at first thinking it might be too spooky for me. I am pleased to report, the spooky-ness was minimal and this was an enjoyable, quick read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Recommendations for Further Reading

Magic Dark and Strange by Kelly Powell – if you’re looking for a YA version of this story with slightly younger characters and a bit more magic, try this October 2020 release.
Spectacle by Jodie Lynn Zdrok – again, if you’re looking for YA or looking for a Parisian setting, try this duology by Jodie Lynn Zdrok.

After reading Fox's last story, The Witch of Willow Hall, I was very excited to read this one and it did not disappoint! This book has all the lovely spooky fall Gothic vibes that I long for this time of year. I enjoyed all of the characters, the spooky setting and the paranormal aspects. There were a couple slow parts but overall I really enjoyed the book and definitely recommend it.

3.5 stars
I really enjoyed the creepy gothic vibe this book had. We follow Tabby, who is an orphan, that has a special gift of communicating with the recent dead. This story focuses around grave diggers, murder, greed, and Tabby risking herself for the truth. I adored Tabby as well as her adoptive father, Eli. I think the love story could have happened differently but that is a personal preference. Overall an enjoyable read.

Fox continues to impress me with her unique and atmospheric tales. In The Orphan of Cemetery Hill, we meet Tabby soon after she and her sister escapes their aunt and uncle. However, it seems Alice has abandoned Tabby. Frightened, she seeks shelter in a crypt at the cemetery. There she spies a young man crying.

Fast forward twelve years to 1844, and Tabby works alongside her adopted father, Eli; the kind caretaker of the Boston cemetery she once sought shelter in.

Tabby has a unique gift that she shares with no one. She can communicate with the recently departed. She rarely uses her gift and blocks spirits, but when the young man she first spied in the cemetery is in trouble, she reaches out to the spirits.

The tale that unfolds held mystery, romance, and suspense wrapped in supernatural elements. Tabby reaches out to the spirits and plays amateur detective when Caleb Bishop finds himself in serious trouble. Her quest leads her to the Resurrection Men.

The story grabbed me from the pacing to the ghostly encounters. I liked Tabby even if I wasn’t all that impressed with Caleb, but Fox slowly redeemed him. Fox gave us the point of views of both Tabby and Caleb as their stories went off in different directions before weaving back together.

As their storylines wove together Fox increased the suspense and danger. While the middle of the story felt sluggish, the beginning and ending of the book were completely addictive.

If you are looking for an atmospheric tale, this gothic, historical fiction with touches of the supernatural and a solid mystery is the perfect novel to curl up with this fall.

Tabby and her sister are orphans who were born with preternatural gifts, one can talk to the dead and the other can see the future. As children, they are submitted to cruel torture to exploit those gifts. They escape and are separated and our story follows Tabby who hid herself in a cemetery and is "adopted" by the caretaker. She hides her gift and tries to live a normal life. One day she meets a handsome young boy, Caleb who changes the trajectory of her life.

He is accused of murder and Tabby breaks her promise to herself and uses her ability to talk to try and have the victim help clear him from beyond the grave. Where that journey takes Tabby and Caleb and Alice is convoluted and fascinating.

The story is perfect for spooky fall reading and the supernatural vibes are perfect. Tabby was not my favorite heroine, as she was a bit of a reluctant hero who didn't really enjoy speaking to the dead. There are a few moments where she got a little fire in her and went for it but it took a lot of twisting in the wind to get her there. There is also insta-love which gets her to use her gift which she had otherwise hidden, it was not my favorite plot point, if that doesn't bother you, then this one might be right up your alley. I still enjoyed the journey and the spooky vibes. This one gets 3.5 stars from me.

The emotional plunge this book took me on. The beginning was so perfect, I love the setup of a gothic historical romance between an orphaned girl who has made her home in a cemetery and a the guy who buried his dad in said cemetery. A cemetery meet cute, yessss! Plus some found family and spookiness! I was primed to LOVE THIS and the first few chapters drew me in so much. Gothic romance is my absolute fave and I always want fresh voices.

It was all downhill from there in a big way:
* I don't care much about infidelity in romance, but I know some people are very bothered by it, and the initial romantic entanglement happens while Caleb, the male MC, is engaged.
* Said entanglement is not consensual. I don't care if something is historical, authors can still write consent into their stories!
* Most of the time Caleb is mean to Tabby? She's so precious, why is he like that? If you read old school gothics, of course you're going to get a taciturn and chilly man. Books written now can be better than old ones!
* They're hardly together at all. I know, given that I said when they are together he's mean is one of those "lousy food, and such small portions!" complaints, but there you go. At one point I actually went and checked whether this book is categorized as a romance because the relationship was so thin and unexplored.
* Tabby has a supernatural sight gift and also visibly cloudy eyes. I'm not a part of the disability community, so I don't have answers/opinions, only questions, but isn't it kind of a stale/harmful trope to pair supernatural abilities to physical differences?

I might try another Hester Fox book because this one did have so much promise early on, but this one really let me down.

Haunting and atmospheric. Chilling and magical. Beautiful and dark. Hester Fox is a master when it comes to telling gothic historical stories with a touch of the paranormal. Her books are the perfect way to kick off your fall reading, her tales are the perfect blend of all things spooky. Mid 1800s Boston, tabby and her sister Alice escape to the city, away from their aunt and uncle. Unfortunately the sisters are quickly separated and tabby finds herself in a cemetery where she is taken in by the caretaker Eli. The story then jumps forward 12 years and Tabby is still living in the cemetery. Helping Eli with his caretaking duties. This is where she runs into the handsome Caleb, there is a connection the problem is Caleb is engaged. But he cannot seem to stay away especially after his fathers body has been stolen from the cemetery. A string of grave robberies bring Caleb and Tabby even closer together. Strange I know, but what I failed to mention is tabby can speak to the dead.

What I love about Hester Fox’s stories is the paranormal element is very understated. Tabby was a great character I admired her strength and intelligence. I admired her desire to help whenever she could, both the living and the dead. Caleb was a true gentleman perhaps a bit too chivalrous by today’s standards. The mystery to the story was fascinating. What these grave robbers wanted from these bodies was interesting. The audiobook was narrated by lauren Ezzo. Lauren narrates all of Hester’s books and they are the perfect Gothic partnership. Lauren’s voice lends perfectly to the haunting vibe of the story.

This book in emojis. 👻 🌫 ⚰️ 🧿

*** Big thank you to Harlequin & Harper Audio for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***