As soon as Ivy Radcliffe arrived in Yorkshire and saw Blackwood Abbey, I was hooked. I think every book lover has dreamed of owning/inheriting/living in a grand library... though the cost Ivy pays for owning the Blackwood Library is very steep. I loved the concept and Fox does a great job of establishing the atmosphere of the location. I did spend the vast majority of the novel screaming at Ivy for being so naive and making such poor choices... but I'd wager was intentional and not a mistake by Fox.

I thought the Blackwood Abbey mystery and curse was done well and was interesting. My one gripe is that the resolution was anticlimactic and a bit of a let down with how it all played out (I was hoping for MORE... more struggle, more obstacles, for it to just be more difficult all around). I also expected the events at the beginning of the novel (pre-meeting Ivy) would have come back around more than they did at the end.

Overall though, this was a fun read and the last 30% had me on the edge of my seat and playing the "just one more chapter" game at night because I needed to know what happened next and how it would all be resolved.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Graydon House in exchange for an honest review.

** “If there’s one thing the war taught me, it’s that we can try to forget and push away memories all we want, but we are still the same, damaged people. Those forgotten memories shape us as much as the remembered ones.” **

Hester Fox offers up a delightfully chilling Gothic thriller with “The Last Heir to Blackwood Library.”

When Ivy Radcliffe shockingly learns she is the last remaining heir to Blackwood Abbey, she leaves her life in London to become Lady Hayworth. Finding herself on an estate with strange feelings and occurrences, she soon begins to lose memories, all while experiencing strange, supernatural events.

What power does Blackwood and its infamous library have over Ivy, and will she be able to escape it?

Fox creates an incredible twisty plot filled with intrigue and dark moments. She develops enigmatic characters that readers will question until the very end. She also reminds us of some good themes, like the importance of second chances; believing in ones self; the world is as large as you allow it to be; and the power of memories and one’s story.

Five stars out of five.

Graydon House provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

4.5 stars rounded up

This gave me all the creepy gothic atmosphere I could ask for! The Last Heir to Blackwood Library is set in the UK post WWI. Ivy is a young woman living in London who has lost her family to the war and illness. But then she suddenly inherits a title and estate from a distant relative and her life changes. Formerly an abbey, she becomes guardian to a mysterious and probably haunted library. One that seems to give her headaches and make her struggle with her memory...

I thoroughly enjoyed this gothic tale and if you like an unreliable narrator for good plot reasons, this definitely delivers. True to form we get a gothic story of supernatural horror, plus a slow burn romance from Hester Fox. This was fantastic. I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

A couple things I didn't hate: the book/writing was indeed "atmospheric"; I could easily picture the people and places. And it WAS a fairly quick read.

The Last Heir to Blackwood Library had plenty of promise. I was enjoying it well enough for the first ~70-80%. But then it just got ...sloppy. The 'unreliable narrator' device complicated things far more than I felt was necesary. Additionally, I was a bit irritated that the prologue turned out to barely get referenced later (while I was expecting it to play a much bigger part). On top of those issues, the main character was just frustrating and annoying; pretty much every decision she made was dumb and/or reckless (which was even more maddening because of all the proclamations of how independent she was, how long she'd had to "take care of herself", etc).

**3.5 STARS**

Content Warning: holding someone against their will

I am always intrigued by books by Hester Fox, so I requested this one right away. Here is what I thought:

+ The writing is lush and engaging. I could envision Ivy going to Yorkshire to live in this haunted, old abbey. There were moments the story gave me the chills and creeps. It had all the gothic vibes I was expecting from this author.

+ I like the twist in the story because it was totally unexpected. There is a sentient, evil library – which I thought was pretty cool. I was afraid for Ivy because even I didn’t know what was going on until it was explained, but I could sympathize and feel her confusion and terror when certain things start happening to her.

+~ Ivy is an unreliable narrator which is fascinating and frustrating at the same time. By the middle of the book, I was so irritated with her decision making! There is an explanation to her behavior but you have to keep reading.

~ Though this is a quick read, there is so much information withheld from Ivy it was very frustrating. I just was wishing someone would tell her something to help her out. I just kept judging her and saying she was very naive but there is more to the story that I can’t reveal.

~ There were some parts to the story that felt disjointed. The romance didn’t quite work for me, it could have, but the way the story is written – it just didn’t work for me. And after the explanation about the Abbey’s library – everything felt rushed from then on to the end. I wish there were more creepy scenes, and more incidents with the library books!

Tropes: sentient library

Why you should read it:
*you like gothic, historical fantasy
*the atmosphere of the Abbey, the library, the writing is engaging
*Ivy is an unreliable narrator

Why you might not want to read it:
*some parts of the story is rushed, romance didn’t work for me

My Thoughts:

I’m always picking up a Hester Fox book because I know the gothic vibes will be there. I love how her writing captures a setting, in this case, Yorkshire and the Abbey. I love the creepy vibes and wish it were creepier! I enjoyed the twist in the story about the library and wish there were more instances where we got to see the library in action. The romance didn’t work for me and I do think the ending was rushed but I still found it entertaining.

This book was an absolute delight to read. It was so different than what I expected but what the story ended up really being about was greater, more wonderful, and more meaningful than I anticipated. The main character of the book is just a delight, and her love of books, and all that they can impart, is evident throughout the novel. Fox transports the reader to a fantastical, magical reality where books take on a life of their own...and yours. This was wonderfully constructed from start to finish and I look forward to more works from this author!

I was on the edge of my seat the entire time trying to figure out the mystery here! I love the gothic vibes and the hints of romance.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. This review contains my own interpretations and thoughts on the book and may also contain plot spoilers.

The Last Heir to Blackwood Library by Hester Fox is a light, entertaining read set in post-ww1 London/Yorkshire that leans softly into the occult and historical fantasy genres. The premise of the book is that there is a supernatural force emanating from Blackwood library that feeds on the life-force and memories of its owners. The main character Ivy unexpectedly inherits the title (Hayworth) and property upon the demise of the previous occupant and become the next victim, her mind slowly breaking as she starts to forget conversations she's had, actions she's taken, and entire days of her life. Of course there is a love interest, a man of all trades employee of the Abbey, Ralph, who struggles to cope as Ivy repeatedly forgets the existence of their romantic relationship. And a Mrs Hughes and Carson couple (Downton Abbey) who are the latests generation of stewards of the Abbey - they run that frustrating line of wanting to look after Ivy while refusing to give straight answers to any of her questions. Indeed much of the book seems to be Ivy asking simple questions and everyone around her either misleading her or refusing to cooperate. There is a historical aspect to the book, it begins centuries before the events of the books when the Abbey was still a monastic order and introduces a young nun who collects the knowledge of pilgrims in a manuscript which she sought to keep from the hands of evil by encrypting it with a secret code. And an evil, vile monk who twisted this knowledge for his own nefarious ends and subsequently placed the Abbey under the curse that sucks the life-forces from generations of Hayworth heirs. There is also a secret order of privileged white men (think lords, members of parliament etc,) who have sought for decades to gain access to Blackwood Library to recover the manuscript and use the information therein to restore Britain as the most powerful empire on the globe.

I enjoyed this book, it's not a 4 or 5 stars for me as it's not on the level of a life-changing read or one that will stick with me for many months. But it's definitely worth reading if you are in the mood for something quick, a little bit surprising, and atmospheric.

Whew! The Last Heir to Blackwood Library was a hard book to put down.

Ivy is living a simple but full life in London when she finds out she's inherited an estate in the country called Blackwood. Her family is all dead - her brother and father in World War I and her mother to the Spanish Flu. She decides to take the inheritance, even if that means she has to leave London and move to the estate.

When she arrives at Blackwood, the staff seem unfriendly. They are hiding something, Ivy is sure of it. A chance encounter in a bookstore in a neighboring village puts Arthur Mabry into her life, and he tells her there is a wonderful library at Blackwood that no one showed her. The library is magnificent, but it also feels haunted and strange. She begins to spend time in the library, even though her staff disapproves and being in there gives her a headache.

Ivy feels the presence of two different spirits, one friendly and helpful, one malevolent, and she worries she's losing her mind as she starts to forget things. Arthur insinuates himself into her life, and her staff warns her he isn't what he seems. But who can she trust, Arthur, who is kind to her, or her staff, who have always been cold to her?

Ivy's memory problems make her an unreliable narrator, so you suffer along with her as she tries to figure out who has her best interests at heart, and what the library holds that everyone wants.

This is a great thriller and love story that you'll find hard to put down. Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an egalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
3.5 stars

I raced to request an ARC after spying on a review by a fellow Goodreads friend and I wasn't disappointed. Hester Fox takes her readers to an English manor in the post-WWI era where a young heiress soon becomes haunted by a malevolent spirit.

Honestly, no one cranks up the gothic atmosphere with more intensity than Hester Fox. I felt as frightened and confused as the main protagonist, Ivy Radcliff!! The only thing that I criticize is that the romance in the book didn't work for me but I could see it was coming. Also, as we accelerated to the end, some plot points felt hurried.

Overall, I did read it in one sitting and was turning the pages BUT it wasn't my favorite book by the author.



Expected Publication Date 04/04/23
Goodreads Review Published 03/03/23


#TheLastHeirtoBlackwoodLibrary #NetGalley.

I love following an author throughout their writing metamorphosis. When I first started reading Hester Fox I liked but didn’t love her work. That all changed with A Lullaby for Witches and has continued with The Last Heir to Blackwood Library! I could not put this one down despite having to peel my eyes open to continue reading some nights. From start to finish I was absolutely enraptured and intrigued. It has all the biggies of a gothic style slow burn mystery: a decaying old manor, servants who are bound to the family, occult happenings, ghosts and a slow burn are they or aren’t they romance! A solid 4/5 for me. I highly recommend this one to all my gothic bookworms. A big thank you to Netgally for this advanced copy.

Release date: April 4, 2023
Publisher: Grayson House

The Last Heir to Blackwood Library
Hester Fox
Pub Date April 4
Graydon House
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
This is a solid piece of Gothic fiction. This book is set in England shortly after the end of WWI.
People are haunted by real life terrors they have lived through. I recommend this book to readers who like gothic.
3 stars

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book before its publication date.

I am a sucker for books about books, whether it be fiction or nonfiction, so I was excited to read this one. The book centers around Ivy Radcliff, a young woman who finds herself the newest heir of Blackwood Abbey. The book follows her days of trying to discover the secrets of Blackwood Abbey, and her place there. I enjoyed discovering the secrets of the library and trying to figure out Ivy's next steps.

I never know what to think about Hester Fox. Her concepts are always so on point, but the execution feels ramshackle, which happens again here with The Last Heir of Blackwood Library. It's post-WWI England, and Ivy has lost her entire family to the war. When she discovers she's inherited an abbey in the middle of nowhere and has to live in it to have access to her new fortune, she jumps at the chance. But the servants are weird and unaccommodating. Ralph, the chauffeur, outright tells her to run for her life. The local pretty boy gets too interested in her too quickly. And then Ivy's memory starts to slip--why is she asking the same questions of the maid? Can't she remember the conversations she had before?

Then there's the matter of the library, which no one wanted her to find. It's all very mysterious! It has all the foundation blocks of a good gothic horror! I've seen some comparisons to Mexican Gothic here, and I can see that if you cross that book with something like The Last Apothecary.

The Last Heir of Blackwood Library is for the most part fine, but I really loathe when the MC keeps asking the side characters pertinent questions that she has every right to ask and the side characters refuse to tell her what's happening up until they literally can't anymore. There's also the situation of the romance, which never felt real since Ivy couldn't remember much of it, leaving its development feeling loose and confused. I wish there had been more connecting the mad monk to the cloistered nun the book starts with, but that felt a like backstory that got swept aside in favor of the bad guys doing nefarious things in the library.

Recommended for Sarah Penner fans.

I am always exciting to read a book by Hester Fox. The Last Heir to Blackwood Library was a great read with lots of mystery and strange happenings.
Ivy Radcliffe was alone after losing the last of her family in the war. No money and a horrible apartment she shared with a friend. Ivy received a letter from an attorney and discovers she has inherited an estate with the title of ‘Lady Haworth’ from a cousin she has never heard of. Ivy found herself the owner of a large estate with a long strange history that goes with it.
A must read.

Thank you NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing Graydon House, and Hester Fox for the ARC for my opinion.

Deliciously atmospheric and hauntingly romantic, Fox continues to shine in the hallmarks of old school Gothic with perhaps her most Brontëan excursion yet. A book lover’s dream, THE LAST HEIR TO BLACKWOOD LIBRARY has it all: an ominous abbey, a library as rich as the novel’s imagination and a twisty, turning plot. But, more still, this is a treatise on grief and belonging, made richer still by the story’s careful placement in the lingering memory of the Great War. An utterly unputdownable read.

This story has good bones: a smart but unreliable protagonist, an unlikeable but deeply loveable waitstaff, a gothic atmosphere, and ciphered messages. Overall a fun read, but in my opinion the writing didn't quite convey the atrocities and spookiness that the story deserved. The concept was solid enough that the near miss execution is just that much more disappointing.

I wanted to like this significantly more than I was actually able to, it left me a bit unsatisfied. A second round purchase for most libraries.

Ivy Radcliffe has lost the last of her family to the Great War, so it doesn’t take a great deal of thought when she is told she is the last heir to Blackwood Abbey. Her father having been a far-off cousin, and nothing keeping her in London, she travels away to her new home where she meets the suspicious servants, the Hewitts and Ralph.

But there is a locked door, and behind that locked door is a library. Books have always been a comfort to Ivy, but no one has told her about the library nor why it was locked. It's not long before she begins to feel that something else is inside the library.

I have not read any of Hester Fox’s novels prior to this one.

I wanted so badly to like this novel, and yet I cannot stand it. I hated Ivy and the Hewitts. The only good character was Ralph, and his hands were tied the majority of the time. I didn’t understand how someone could know that something was wrong with their health and do nothing about it. I didn’t understand how the Hewitts could demand Ivy act or do something in a certain way and expect to not give explanations. Nothing about their personalities and the actions they took made sense.

The novel’s pace is slow, and the premise seems to have gone off the rails. I was expecting more from the library and less from the evil doers. When you dislike the people as much as I do, then the rest of the book is harder to concentrate on. The prologue at the beginning didn’t make any sense, nor did it seem to have anything to do with the rest of the action of the story.

Overall, I rate this novel 2 out of 5 stars.

I wanted to love this book, but despite an intriguing final few chapters, I was mostly let down. While I can appreciate a narrative that evokes the mental state of a character, I found myself drowsy and forgetting my place, much like Ivy, despite the fact that I was not trapped in a paranormally-infested estate. The plot was mind numbingly slow until the final moments, and I felt most of the characters were rather two-dimensional. The romance revealed at the story's end fell flat because we, like Ivy, had no insight into the fact that it had been developing the whole time. A shift in narration may have cost us the big reveal, but it would have made the relationship more believable, and I would have invested more as a reader.