There is an aesthetic to Fox's work that has permeated her darkly romantic gothic tales to date. With Lullaby for Witches, the paranormal penchant for "things that go bump in the night" is a perfect manifestation of feminist power exercised in two decidedly different women who never seem to fit the sleeves of their collective experiences and told in Fox's gorgeous, surprising prose.

Few split time authors spin a yarn as competently as Fox--who recognizes that any theme that echoes from the past must be made whole in the contemporary time frame: no matter the twists and turns.


Obviously a student of Dickens and Poe, Fox's romantic nature is at wonderful play here as she ties a fantastical bow across centuries and paints her atmospheric Harlowe House with magical prowess. This is an author who loves history and architecture; but this is also an author who loves the stories that bind and teach us. While I mostly find dual-time narratives a chance to leaf through the present to read and sink into the past, Fox's pacing and deeply drawn characters ensure there is a wonderful balance to both time periods. I am eager to see where she takes us next.


hosting Hester on fb live Thurs October 21

Thanks to NetGalley for this advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

Crossing the centuries, A Lullaby for Witches explores the lost history of women and a historian trying to unearth the mysteries in an old house, and old portrait, and artifacts that seem magical in her hands.

The novel is set, of course, in a fictional town close to Salem, Massachusetts, the unofficial year round witch central. The characters are fictional but easily imagined and not far away from what I learned growing up in Massachusetts myself. I placed the characters in my own knowledge of the area and could visualize the houses, having been in many historical homes in the area. The novel would be appreciated by anyone who is a casual genealogist or historian…imaging the old documents or artifacts and the people who may have used them. The story itself has slow points and even some cornier spots when it imagines the witchcraft aspects, but once halfway in the book’s pace improves and had me flipping pages rapidly until the end.

I would recommend this in book club and to my patrons who would love a great October read.
4*

This latest book from Hester Fox was really different from her others, and I thought it worked really well. I was hesitant at first - the narration goes back and forth between past and present, and I really love the historical time periods of her previous books - but even the present day timeline is steeped in a love of history. It was almost like watching a mystery play out, and I was thoroughly intrigued by picking up details and learning more as the story unfolds.

There were so many Easter eggs for previous novels!! I absolutely loved that, as will any Fox Fan 😁 I am so excited for the paperback to come out because I’m eager to reread all of the books back-to-back and see it all intertwine.

Thank you to Hester Fox, Harlequin, and netgalley for provided me an ARC to read early. I just couldn’t wait!!

This story is told through the perspective of two women, one in the past and one in the present. Augusta Pordos is a twenty something not living her best life. She’s in a dead end relationship and working a job that sucks the life out of her. She accepts the offer of her dream job at Harlowe House, a historic home of a wealthy family that has been turned into a museum in Tynemouth, Massachusetts. Augusta begins to feel a connection to the house and finds an oblique reference to a long forgotten daughter of the Harlowes. Augusta begins researching about the women of the late 1800’s for a new exhibit, but her focus is mainly on discovering who Margaret Harlowe was and why she was practically erased from history. In the past we discover that Margaret was the only daughter of a prominent shipping family. She was free-spirited and never seem to fit in with her family nor the townspeople. Margaret was a natural when concocting spells and potions, but this does not go unnoticed and soon the townspeople are calling her a “witch”. Augusta feels a connection to Margaret and begins to have visions as if she is Margaret. She desperately wants to help find closure for the ill-fated Margaret, but she doesn't realize that Margaret may want something that is too high a price to pay. This was a quick read with interesting characters, a touch of history, and a blooming love story. The descriptions of the New England towns have me wanting to book a trip soon! Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trading Publishing - Graydon House, and author Hester Fox for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book takes a dual timeline and uniquely weaves the two separate times, and the two main characters together. The writing was very well done and the characters were well developed. Supernatural doings in an old historic town, witches, and women taking control of their lives is a wonderful combination.

Perfect read for this spooky season! Witches are always in season. This novel includes lush descriptions that transports you to New England and you time travel with the story arc. Sinister and spooky, this novel is hard to put down. No spoilers but a twist awaits!

While I was excited about the premise, this book was a bit of a mixed-bag for me.

I really liked some aspects of the story. Digging into New England history, witches, Salem and women ditching their loser boyfriends. Some of the narrative was interesting and the writing itself was solid providing vivid imagery and a definite sense of the setting.

That said, I found the characters to be uninspiring. I didn’t feel like the reader ever really got to know the characters, and the motivations for their actions seemed more like fodder to progress the narrative than organic parts of the story. The clues dropped along the way wrap up very fast, and not very neatly, given the time it takes for Augusta to piece them all together. Lots of coincidental events and hand waving away the impact the supernatural occurrence would have on the characters real, modern lives make it hard to swallow even with the healthy suspension of disbelief that such books require.

All together, good idea, but the book felt shallow and rushed.

This was just what I was expecting in a witchy novel by Fox. Augusta takes a job at an old house in Massachusetts that has been turned into a museum. While researching the family she starts to have these odd encounters and visions. She has also discovered one of the previous family members, Margaret Harlow, has no record on file. This really gets her digging deeper. Augusta ends up getting to know Margaret then she would have liked.
This was really fun! Fox has a way of writing that is just the right amount of spooky for me! Highly recommend this one!! Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this advanced copy. My opinions are my own.

A Lullaby for Witches is a great new twist on both haunted house stories and split-timeline historical fiction. It follows Augusta, a mild-mannered museum worker yearning for more meaning in her life, as she begins to unravel the secrets of her new workplace and finds herself entangled in a 150-year-old quest for revenge.

In 1870s Tynemouth, the beautiful and tempestuous Margaret Harlowe, the only daughter of a wealthy Massachusetts shipping dynasty, seeks solace in nature and hones her hidden skill for magic. She runs an underground operation distributing herbs, advice, and occasionally spells to local women, but longs for more meaningful companionship. She falls fast and hard for a local shopkeeper, but their love story is doomed from the start.

In the present-day, Augusta Podos finds herself stuck in a dead-end relationship and wasting away at a mind-numbing tour guide job in Salem. When the opportunity to work at a historic house in Tynemouth arises, she jumps at the chance. As she combs through the archives, pages through local history books, and wanders through the creaky house, she begins to glimpse flashes of the past. The longer Augusta spends in the house, the greater Margaret's power grows, and soon the two women are irreversibly intertwined.

[4/5: A spooky story about womens' agency, legacy, and tenacity. Would appeal to fans of classic witchy stories as well as those looking for a fresh take on the genre.]

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Harlequin Trade Publishing, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was my first Hester Fox book to read and I'll be adding her to our collection! We have quite a few witchy readers and this past/present title will delight them. I enjoyed seeing some "behind the scenes" of archivists and museum workers. I see this is a follow-up to some of her other title. I don't believe they need to be read in order, but knowing they are there certainly provides background to some of the characters mentioned.

Sooooo good! So many things I love about this one especially the museum/art world, A bit creepy how Augusta finds out about her family tree! When she is jumping in the car of her handsome co-worker and sees a bunch of library books in the backseat I actually yelled out loud “He’s a keeper”! (The librarian in me). Also when they were selecting what music to listen to during a long drive and I thought please god don’t let it be country but ends up being Fleetwood Mac. A real pleasure to read this one. I’m going to watch for this author.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this e-arc. All opinions are my own.

When I first saw this title I was pretty excited to request it. I had enjoyed "The Pale Orphan of Cemetery Hill". Matter of fact it had broken me from a reading slump. So when I was approved for this one, I made it the next book on my tbr.

I didn't like it.

I couldn't care less for the characters. This story is told in two separate timeliness 1880's and present day. Margaret lives in the 1880's and is the wild child of a prosperous New England family. She is also a witch who falls in love and becomes pregnant. I couldn't stand her character and found her to be an annoying know it all.

Then there's Augusta. A flat boring character that was written as we should pity her but I found her insufferable. She goes on for chapters about how she is just staying with her boyfriend cause it was convenient, but after she finally decides to go tells the new crush how much of a manipulator he was. It was all talk and no show for her character.

There was nothing spooky about this book.

This was an amazing read, I could not put it down and read it in one night. The cross behind the past and present with the eerie feeling of the past was excellent. I felt strongly for Augusta's character and Margaret's character just started to give me the creeps, in a good way! Fantastic fantastic novel.

A Lullaby for Witches by Hester Fox is a beguiling mystery linking two women centuries apart through a forgotten and forbidden magic.

In nineteenth century Massachusetts, Margaret Harlowe, a strange woman with a penchant for the wise and wild, experiences a love and loss so profound that it conjures something dark and dangerous for herself and lineage. One hundred fifty years later, Augusta Podos, a meek and mild woman accepts a job at the historic Harlowe House where she stumbles upon records of a mysterious Margaret Harlowe who beckons and enchants Augusta with her mystery. Through her research, Augusta discovers something sinister and familial linking her to the witch of Harlowe House, empowering and threatening her with a wicked magic of awakening and memory.

Love, heartbreak, mystery, and important life lessons are featured in this bewitching story. This was a creepy page-turner that was very original and unique. It is a novel of possession and obsession and the dual storylines converged into a spellbinding supernatural story about liberating the past so that its shadows can no longer haunt the present.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.

A beautiful dual timeliness story about Margaret and Augusta. A deep and compelling story full of witchcraft, mystery, and love. The story illustrates what binds us all together.

3 Stars- This was not my fave of Fox's books but it was a fun atmospheric historical read. A good read for "Spooky Season"

Whew, I was getting worried about Hester Fox after the Orphan of Cemetery Hill, but she's back to form with A Lullaby for Witches. Which is great because where else was I going to get my lite incest New England gothic seaside vibes?
This was a solid read! Usually duel POV bothers me, but this was done well and I was genuinely interested in both stories. I was delighted by the possession storyline-- for some reason I didn't see it coming, which was fun.

A terrific dual timeline featuring Margaret in the past and Augusta in the present. When Augusta finds very few mentions of Margaret she starts wondering why Margaret seems to have vanished from historical records. A good gothic novel gets me every time!

In the late 1800’s, Margaret, along with her three brothers were part of a well to do family, but she never seemed to fit in. She could cast spells and help the townspeople with herbs and potions they were leery of her. She starts a secret relationship with Jack, becomes pregnant and is furious when she realizes he will never acknowledge or marry her.
In present day Augusta Podos is starting work at the Harlowe Museum, once the home of Margaret. As she researches she realizes no one knows anything about Margaret and becomes obsessed with learning more. Strange things start to occur as she’s drawn further into Margaret’s world.

The plot was good but I think this book could have been so much more. The writing felt tepid and there was none of that frisson of excitement I usually feel reading a gothic/supernatural novel. I never felt invested in any of the characters and couldn’t bring myself to care.

Traveling back and forth between present and 19th century Tynemouth, Massachusetts, Fox joins the lives of town “witch”, Margaret in the past and Augusta, in the present. Augusta is the new curator at Harlowe House, Margaret’s ancestral home.. Augusta finds tantalizing mentions of Margaret, snippets of stories, rumors, that hint at something dark. Margaret seems to have vanished from the historical record and Augusta is determined to find out why. I loved this book about the strength of women, although I admit I was more involved with Margaret’s story than Augusta’s.