Mrs England is a very atmospheric but slow paced tale about Ruby: a children’s nurse who takes care of the four children of the wealthy England family. With dual timelines we learn about the tragic secret of Ruby’s childhood while nurse Ruby figures out what unsettles her about the Englands.

While I had hoped for more story and depth from this novel, I did quite enjoy it. The setting was beautiful and vivid.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA, for this digital arc in exchange for my honest review which is not affiliated with any brand.

Though this lacks the true eeriness of some of the best Gothic novels, this is a very well done, tense and unnerving story that unsettles and propels despite unfolding slowly.

Nurse May makes an excellent protagonist, likable bit enigmatic, and her backstory is woven well into the current happenings in the book. The England’s are also a well-drawn group, and perhaps most importantly, the atmosphere and sense of place is tremendously well done.

Though this is decidedly less creepy than a lot of Gothic, the tension of it is excellent and the immersive quality of Halls’ writing gives the reader that unsettling and intense closed in feeling that is the hallmark of the best offerings of the genre.

It’s a good story in terms of plot and pacing too, and keeps you guessing until the end.

This was an atmospheric read which kept me on the edge of my seat. Details were sparingly handed out which only increased the suspense. Kept me hooked until the end!

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. However, this novel fell flat for. I found Ruby to be a very passive and weak character. She did not really do much investigation and once she found out the truth, she just accepts it. The mystery surrounding Mrs. England was very predictable, and I could see the twists a mile away. Thus, I could not connect with the characters, and there were no surprises. I did find the setting to be very atmospheric and the sentences were lush and descriptive. I recommend this novel for fans of The English Wife, The Silent Companions, and The Binding!

Atmospheric and beautifully written. The story just propels you along. The eerie Gothic feel of it - and the sense that young nurse Ruby May is caught in a drama that she doesn't quite understand, in her inexperience and naivete - make for a story that is mysterious and puzzling, as she seeks to discover which of her employers, Mr. or Mrs. England, is being less than honest with her. All of the details about the time period (England in 1904) and the way people lived then seem so immediate and authentic that it is clear that the author did her research carefully. I would expect nothing less from the author of The Familiars, which was one of my favorite historical novels of recent years. This story, with a few startling twists, can be added to that list, as another triumph for author Stacey Halls. I haven't yet read the book that was published between the two, The Foundling, which is set in Georgian London, but based on these marvelous novels it can be nothing but good.

I was excited to start reading this book. The description made it sound absolutely amazing and I was slightly disappointed at first to see how short the novel was. Unfortunately, the story did drag on quite a bit and I found myself not enjoying in like I thought I would. I enjoyed how the characters all fit together and interacted, but something was missing for me. That being said, I would definitely give this author another try in the future with another book. This is the kind of author that may just grow on me.

Stacey Halls is widely lauded as one of the most gifted writers of historical fiction writing today and her latest novel, Mrs England, is a tense, atmospheric and creepy Edwardian tale that will hold readers in thrall from start to finish.

Recently graduated Ruby May has taken a job in West Yorkshire as a nanny for the children of Charles and Lilian England. Ruby hopes that this will be the fresh start she had been hoping for, however, as she begins to get settled at Hardcastle House, she immediately realizes that there is a dark and sinister undercurrent bubbling away at her employer’s house and that the beautiful and mysterious Mrs England might have dark secrets of her own. Secrets which Ruby will soon find herself tangled up in…

Lilian keeps herself to herself and shows little interest in her children or her husband, Charles. Quiet and withdrawn, something isn’t clearly right with Mrs England. Just why is she so indifferent to her children? And why does her charming husband seem not to be troubled by his wife’s blatant disregard and lack of concern in what’s going on at Hardcastle House?

Charles has welcomed Ruby with open arms, but as strange events begin to occur, she realizes that the corridors of Hardcastle House are teeming with old ghosts, desperate lies and deadly deceptions. Ruby finds herself forced to face her own demons in order to prevent history from repeating itself. But with the servants giving her the cold shoulder, she is isolated and alone and there is nobody she can turn to.

Ruby needs to stay strong, follow her instincts and face her past – or else Hardcastle House and its inhabitants will be condemned to a horrible fate…

Jane Eyre meets The Turn of the Screw with a sprinkling of Rebecca in Stacey Halls’ brooding, menacing and captivating historical novel, Mrs England. Stacey Halls is a writer who is at the very top of her storytelling powers and in Mrs England has written a nuanced, chilling and wonderfully engrossing Edwardian tale that is so beautifully written readers will be completely sucked in by the end of page one.

An exceptional Gothic chiller readers will not forget in a hurry, Stacey Halls is at her mesmerizing best with Mrs England.

4.5 rating

Some things were confusing. This book transported me. I felt the cold and damp. I experienced the characters emotions. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the setting, place and characters. I highly recommend. I will be plowing through Stacey Halls books in the near future.

I began listening with the Hoopla audiobook narrated by Imogene Wilde while reading my physical copy. Mid way I switched to just reading my hardcover. I needed the connection without the narration.

Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing for the eARC via Netgalley

Read if you like: historical mysteries.
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Ruby is a nurse who takes a position in Yorkshire with the England family taking care of the four children, but Ruby quickly learns that not everything is as it seems with the England family. Ruby sets out to find what the family is hiding.
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Really liked the gothic mystery element of the book and the Edwardian time period. Kept me engaged throughout the whole book.
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CW: misogyny, sexism, domestic abuse, violence, murder, asthma.

In 1904, Ruby May, a Norland Nurse, is looking for a new position when the family she is working for emigrates to America. She accepts the only position available, working in Yorkshire as a children’s nurse for three children. It is for the Englands, a wealthy couple living in the isolated Hardcastle House. Mr. England owns the local factory and is gone most of the day. Mrs. England is a recluse, barely leaving her room and showing no affection toward her children. The children are wonderful and starved for affection and quickly form a bond with Ruby. The servants are aloof and outgoing, pleasant Ruby is unable to form a connection with them. Mr. and Mrs. England have a strained relationship, and Ruby knows things are not as they should be inside Hardcastle House.

This story is a mix of genres, historical fiction/thriller/women's issues. In the early 1900s, women of wealthy families were still considered chattel owned by their husbands. They had little or no money of their own, often were not allowed to look after their own children and were just supposed to provide a male heir and look good. That seemed to be Mrs. England's role, but she also seemed to have some mental health issues. I really enjoyed getting to know her and see her grow as a character. Ruby was an amazing character. She was such an honest, loyal, caring person to her own family and those in her charge. It was easy to see why the children became so attached to her. She was also very smart and perseverant, not giving in when doing the best for her charges. The children were wonderful. They wanted to be kids, but also wanted to experience life outside their home. The girls wanted to be educated as well as their brother, but that does backfire. Mr. England seems to love his family and want the best for them, but there are undertones there and I'm not sure if I can trust him. The house and the servants add another dimension to the story, giving it a gothic, spooky atmosphere. There are some twists, secrets revealed and a surprising ending making this one an enjoyable read. I recommend this book to those who enjoy historical fiction with a gothic twist.

For me this book started off really slow. There was a lot of information and every day life but I had no idea why things were happening. It was near the end that everything came together and was good! However it wasn't enough to make me love the book because the first 75% was not as interesting to me.

I have hugely enjoyed reading Mrs England. It’s based firstly in London, where Ruby May is a ‘Norland Nurse’ highly esteemed and trained to look after the children of gentry. When she’s asked to emigrate, she declines and has to go back to the Norland Institute to await a further posting.

Not wanting to be out of work for too long, she jumps at a new position to go to Hardcastle House and work for the England’s, to be nurse to their four children. The thought of which at first, she finds daunting. Until she meets them and finds that they are easily manageable. And this is good, as the England’s do not have an abundance of staff. Which strikes Ruby as odd when the house is so much larger than she’s experienced before.

The house is in Yorkshire, remote and isolated with little in the way of staff or friends. The children she is to nurse are Saul, Rebecca – Decca, Millie and baby Charley. Mr England is friendly in comparison to Mrs England, who’s aloof and quite solitary. But this doesn’t always seem to be her doing. Mr England is possessive and welds his powers and status over all he surveys.

Ruby feels obligated to help her mistress but that she shouldn’t overstep her mark, a dilemma that only she can deal with internally.

The overlying sense of place is yet again front and foremost in Stacey’s writing. The historical setting and ways, the language even is also strongly evident. It all adds to making this a enjoyable read.

I'm not the only one who thought about Jane Eyre and The Turn of the Screw while reading this book.
It's a fascinating mix of historical and gothic fiction that I enjoyed.
Well developed characters, an eerie and creepy setting, good storytelling.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Ruby has officially graduated. She is now a children’s nurse. She has taken a new position for the Englands. But, it is not as she is expects. The husband, not the wife, is who she goes to about the children. The mother is not exactly the norm. As a matter of fact, the whole situation is just a bit out of the ordinary.

Ruby has secrets and apparently, so does this family she is working for. The longer Ruby is in their presence, the stranger they become. Then, as Ruby’s secrets start to unravel…the real story behind this family begins to unfold.

I enjoyed the guessing game on this one. I knew something was up, I just couldn’t quite put my finger on what. So, when all the secrets came out…KUDOS to the author for this one. You must read this to find out!

Need a story which keeps you guessing…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Yorkshire. 1904. After having to quit her first job, Ruby May decided to take on another, looking after all four kids of Mr. and Mrs. England, a wealthy couple at the Hardcastle House. Right from the start, Ruby May felt something was lacking or wasn’t quite right with the household. Firstly, it was Mr. England who picked her up upon arriving and who appeared to know more about the household than Mrs. England. On top of that, the married couple never slept in the same bed or the same room. As her days at the household progressed, she noticed that Mrs. England mostly kept to herself, and hardly interacted with her own kids. Mr. England, on the other hand, was more approachable, helpful and more hands-on in the household matters. The helpers seemed to have their own agenda too, giving Nurse May the cold shoulder, making her feel like an unwelcome outsider. The fact that Mr. England gave her his attention didn’t help, at one point even asked her to be part of their family picture for a local paper. While the family seemed to be hiding some skeletons in the closet, Nurse May had some secrets of her own as well.

What was Nurse May hiding? And why had she never opened her letters she kept in a trunk? Who was the man who wrote a letter to Mrs. England and why was she so secretive about it? Why were Mr. and Mrs. England seemed so estranged to each other? These questions kept me turning the pages, hoping to find an answer.

I’ve read Hall’s previous books and have enjoyed her writing and atmospheric storytelling, which this didn’t lack too. I love dark, gothic, slow-burn novels, and in this novel, Hall didn’t fail to lure this reader into the depths and darkness of the England’s household. I was drawn to the premise, its time period and of course, the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. England. What was causing them to be so cold to each other? Was it because Mrs. England had never loved her husband, or was her husband holding her hostage in her own home, always keeping her under his watch? Or both? Or more?

I enjoyed reading about Nurse May’s relationship with the kids and how she took care of them, giving them even more care when she realized their own mother didn’t seem to be interested caring for them. I also enjoyed reading about her interactions with Mr. Booth, who added a lighter tone to the story. He and Nurse May seemed to take a liking to each other, teasing her unabashedly and she too noticed herself enjoying his company. Nothing wrong with that, only Mr. Booth was married.

Like her previous novels, I really enjoyed her storytelling. Halls knows how to create and build suspense, drawing you into the scene and place. Her storytelling would make you feel like you were the fly on the wall, watching a family drama enfold, becoming a witness to all their secrets and discovering the hidden skeletons.

This book had all that but, it ended up being a so-so for me. It had a strong start, hinting at possible dramas and affairs, twists and turns, mystery lurking in every nook and cranny, setting my expectations really high. And because of all the build-up, a very slow one at that, the ending felt sudden and unsatisfactory. To me, it wasn’t fulfilling because the way relationship between Nurse May and Mr. Booth was set up, I was expecting something to happen, but nothing really did. And her ‘friendship’ with Blaise, the general housemaid, sounded promising, but again, nothing really happened or developed. If nothing was really going to happen to them, why create interest at all? There also weren’t any characters that stood out to me. They were all equally mysterious and conniving.

That said, I did enjoy the atmospheric setting, and reading it what was like revisiting Downton Abbey, just minus the twists and thrills. As much as I enjoyed this, it wouldn’t be a re-read for me, simply because it didn’t really leave a lasting impression on me. But. if you've been a fan of Hall's, you might enjoy this like many others had.

Thank you publisher and Netgalley for a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

Ruby May, a well-educated nurse, is compelled to leave a position she loves when the family she works for moves to America. She needs to stay in England, close to home, and she needs to provide for her disabled sister. Ruby finds employment with the England family in the wilds of Yorkshire. Mr. England is almost creepily charming, and Mrs. England, Ruby is told, is essentially off limits for – well, reasons. Ruby finds herself falling under Mr. England’s thrall, but Mrs. England is not to be disregarded.

There are really two storylines here: that of Ruby and what happened to her when she was young, and that of Mrs. England and whether she is what she is made out to be. They’re interwoven nicely throughout the book. The setting is eerie, the characters are intriguing, and the ending, while not entirely surprising, was well done. It’s a worthwhile suspense read.

1904: When the family that nurse Ruby May has been working for decides to emigrate to America, she needs to find another position in England. Her agency sets her up with Mr. and Mrs. England and their four young children. However, she discovers some mysterious things in the house. Mrs. England is distant with the children and seems confused. Mr. England is welcoming and wants Ruby to do everything with the children. Ruby worries that her own family history is about to be repeated with the England family, so she must do everything she can to prevent it and protect the children.

This book reminded me of Jane Eyre and The Turn of the Screw, which are two of my favourite gothic stories. It had a spooky and mysterious atmosphere like both of those stories. However, this story had more of a realistic feel than The Turn of the Screw. Ruby didn’t seem like an unreliable narrator because most of the strange events could be logically explained.

There was a lot of build up to the big reveals at the end. Hints of Ruby’s mysterious past were given throughout the story but it wasn’t explained until the end. I had to read the last page a couple of times because I was so surprised at what happened. It was a great ending!

Some content triggers for this story are: mentions of suicide, suggestion of rape, murder, asthma attack, mental illness.

Thank you HarperCollins for providing a copy of this book.

Usually when I read a historical fiction novel, my go to is World War II. Mrs. England, though, sounded interesting and intriguing and peaked my interest with hints of a little mystery. I was extremely excited to read.

The story follows Nurse May as she joins a new family to take care of their children. The family right off the bat had my red flags flying with how odd and out of character they were. I really love Nurse May though and her ability to adapt to the situation was interesting to watch. I really loved Deccas the most. Her personality was so refreshing and she was always eager to learn more. I felt heartbreak for her when she felt it and joy when she did. I really connected to her character. Mrs. England is definitely an odd duck and I feel there is significantly more to that right from the beginning.

Halls really built up that intrigue regarding this family and what secrets they may be hiding. It was never one really big moment that had you scratching your head, but a build up of many small moments that had you saying “hmm” to yourself and needing to know what was happening. The suspense alone in this story was the real hook. I’m very impressed with Halls writing style and ability to describe characters and settings so you feel like you are in the story and can picture everything. I could even imagine the smell of the house with Mr. England’s cigars laying about.

I was very impressed with this book. It was so much better than I was expecting and I had high expectations already. Halls is a fantastic storyteller and her characters were well developed and really made the storyline even better. I will definitely be reading more by Stacey Halls in the future.

From my blog: Always With a Book

This is the first book I’ve read by Stacey Halls but it definitely will not be the last. I seem to be on a role with stories revolving around nannies/caregivers lately and I’m not one bit mad about it!

I love a good gothic novel and this one totally delivers on that end. In some ways I definitely got Rebecca vibes and I just loved that. The story grabbed me from the beginning and I loved that not only was there a sense of mystery about a few of our characters – the marriage between Mr. and Mrs. England was quite strange to say the least but then there were the secrets that Ruby herself had.

I loved that I was constantly questioning what was going on and while this is a slow-burning type of read, I was completely captivated. I wanted to know what drove each and every character and what was going to ultimately happen with them.

This was such an atmospheric, tense read and if you enjoy these kinds of reads, I definitely recommend it.


Audio thoughts: This story translated very well onto audio and I think Imogen Wilde did a fantastic job narrating it. I was completely captivated by her performance, so much so that I ended up listening to this one in just one day. Her pacing and intonation were spot on, even for the children’s voices, and I really found myself completely engaged in this story.