I definitely enjoyed this book and I'm sorry I've been busy (9 months pregnant)and delayed reading! I love historical fiction and liked the relevance with goddess hekate(sp?) The history behind the main characters name, history and everything magical I really liked as well.
I related to hecate in terms of being focused on her career path and not love life yet was so happy that she had found someone. Only to lose him so suddenly which I had lost my fiance years ago so I could relate.
Besides being able to relate this book was filled w magic, mystery, and suspense. The only thing I was upset about was the ending did not really have a resolution and left the story hanging! Otherwise I def recommend! Hoping for second book!

This book is a classic case of it's me not you. I thought this book would be different than it was, BUT I this is definitely a book my mom would really love!

This is a paranormal mystery with a gilded age kind of flair. Love that the FMC is independent and rides a bike. LOVED the MMC. The mystery unfolding was well done.

I wish the ending was a little more drawn out though. It felt like the conflict and resolution and occurred very quickly.

I also am a little too used to reading romances and this story hurt my heart and I will never forgive 😭

Read this if Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre style writing and gilded age mysteries are your thing! The writing definitely has more of that classic feel.

Overall, I would recommend this to the older mystery loving ladies at church or those nostalgic for Murder, She Wrote will love this book!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. This review is voluntarily written, and the thoughts and opinions contained in this review are my own.

When Hecate Cavendish gets her dream job of library assistant at the famed Hereford Library, she is excited to begin her journey. But when she settles in, strange things begin happening. Can she solve the mystery that the clues point to before everything goes awry? This book has it all, romance, paranormal intrigue, history, etc. Definitely cannot wait to see where this series takes us!

I felt confused by the content of this book. I sometimes it felt like a general fiction book with a society ball and romance of suitors. Then there was the religious side of the main character working in a cathedral library, the church choir, relics, crypt, priests, monks and all, which then also contrasted with the witches, ghosts, exorcisms and spells. I expected something a little different with the cover, but overall wasn't ever fully engaged with the book.

Hecate Cavendish is not your average 18th century young woman. First, her father encourages her desire to have a job and even helps her to secure a position as an assistant librarian at the Hereford Cathedral. Ever the rebel, she even shortens her skirts and buys a practical pair of high boots in order to make it easier to ride her bicycle around the village. While working on proving herself trustworthy to her boss, Hecate becomes aware of other employees of the Cathedral, the difference between Hecate and them is they are dead. When Hecate tells her father that she can see souls (their preferred term), he reveals to her that he was told that she would be born with special gifts from the goddess, Hekate and that's why she was given her rather unusual name. When an unexplained incident in the crypt of the cathedral seems to unleash dark forces, Hecate must learn how to access the powers of the goddess, with a little help from her friends, both living and dead, to save the library and the cathedral before more people get hurt. While I enjoyed this a great deal, it does end on a cliffhanger.

The person in charge of designing the book covers for Paula Brackston knows how to hit their mark. Beyond the cover, I really enjoyed this start to the Hectate Cavendish series. I will look forward to picking up the next one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC.

I really enjoyed this book. It's the perfect cozy read for the fall. The setting and timeline of this book is well suited for the plot. As one who loves to travel, the author did a fantastic job of immersing you into the locations. Any book that has settings in UK and a library already has me hooked. This book moved a little slow, but I appreciated that because it gave it time to really get to know the characters in the story and added depth. The adventure was perfect for a first book of a series and I am looking forward to what comes next. I want to thank St. Martin's Press and Paula Brackston for the advanced copy for an honest opinion. I'm ready for the next installment.

I have read four other books by the author, the Xante books, and loved them, but I could not get into this book. It is very original, but could not hold my interest. Sometimes a book just doesn't work for a reader, and that was the case for me.

I received an ARC for free and gave my honest opinion voluntarily.

As a huge Paula Brackston fan... I loved this book. I thoroughly enjoyed Hecate. She was a pleasure. Story started a bit slow but it picked up it's paced and flowed at a good pace. The end just seemed so abrupt.

Thank you to Netgalley, St Martin's Publishing Group and Paula Brackston for the opportunity to read an ARC of The Haunting of Hecate Cavendish.
This is my honest and unpaid review of the book. Despite seeing this author's work all over the place and wanting to read her books, this was the first one I finally did! I really loved the originality of the supernatural element that is woven throughout the story. The setting in Hereford Cathedral has now made me want to add it to my travel list on my next UK trip. I even looked up pictures to see what the chained books looked like. I loved the characters and the history in this novel. I sure am hoping there will be more books after this one? I'll also be picking up this author's other books in the meantime.

🗝️ The Goddess Hekate
🗝️ Hereford Cathedral
🗝️The Chained Library and The Mappa Mundi
🗝️ Victorian England
🗝️ Spiritualism, necromancy, cannibalism
The Exorcist meets The Conjuring Universe meets Night at the Museum and The Mummy.
This book has everything just like grandpa described the Princess Bride!!! Romance, Bridgertonesque social rules/seasons, IT scary, Discovery of Witches magic. Simply glorious.

I am a huge fan of Paula Brackston. This book didn’t disappoint. Her characters come to life. Her writing style it’s perfect. Although I prefer her Witch books This book deserves five stars as well. Thank you, NetGalley and publisher for providing the advanced copy to

Oh boy, was this book slow. You would think with ghosts, malevolent spirits, possession and ancient tomes the pace would have been quicker, but you would be wrong. Hecate is dull as dishwater and had more chemistry with her bike than either love interest. The “big” battle and cliffhanger just fizzled out.

It seemed like the author was using this book to set up a series, and didn’t really create a compelling narrative for the first book. It definitely did not make me want to read any subsequent books.

This is my first novel by Paula Brackston and I loved it. Historical fiction, magic, twist and turns... everything I love in a novel.
A great read

I don't believe my review would benefit the author at this time as I am not in a place to review it.

The Haunting of Hecate Cavendishby Paula Brackston follows a young woman in 1881 as she starts her career as an Assistant Librarian at the Hereford cathedral There she starts to notice things that really don't make sense to her. She see people throughout the cathedral that she can only see and hear. While she forms friendships and bonds with them, learning why they haven't moved on. When the crypts are broken into and now Hecate with the help her father Edward, Reverand John, and the detective on the case to find a solution to the situation at hand. Thank you to both NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for letting me an advanced copy of this book. This book is perfect if you are a Hester Fox fan!

Thank you so much Paula Brackston and NetGalley, for approving my request for this ARC, I have never read from this author before so I had no expectations.

An 18th century setting complete with a gothic cathedral, strong but thoughtful bibliophile main female character, ghosts, romance, ANNND A LIBRARY! The perfect set up right!? Even though the story was good, for some reason I had to continuously take latte breaks. It could have been because the pacing of the story was so relaxed. I needed more excitement. a bit of a faster pace, and closure. This book has an amazing father daughter relationship represented which made my heart sing, a proposal, a possession, and an exorcism but no real resolve. It ended to quickly and left me wanting, but I am reminded that this is book 1 of a series..so that is kind of par for the course.

With all of that being said, I fell in love with Hecate and will be continuing on with the series find out what happens next.

This is another amazing book from Paula Brackston, If I was a writer this is the type of book I would aspire to write!

As a young woman growing up in the Victorian era, Hecate is nothing like other girls. Most are prim and proper, aspiring to marry well and climb society's social ladder. Hecate is the opposite, eccentric and inspired by her father's success in archeology, wants to work. Specifically as the assistant librarian of the local Hereford Cathedral. The historic library is home to the chained library, filled with ancient tomes, some that may prove dangerous. While working there she discovers the truth of her namesake, she can see ghosts and help them. When the Cathedral's catacombs are desecrated and there is no apparent suspect, Hecate sees the side that others cannot. Knowing only she can help to catch the dangerous culprits, with the help of her newly discovered powers and friends. This dangerous ancient evil will test her strength and resolve, but like her namesake, Hecate shall prevail but at what cost?

The historical touches such as the bicycle, the length of a woman’s skirts and society’s status all add to the beautiful writing and character of this book. I love that it has the opposite of a proper lady and that of an intelligent hard working young girl striving for her own future. This is one of my favorite books I’ve read this year!

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers St. Martins Press for this Wonderfull digital ARC! Thank you to Paula for writing such an amazing book!

For the most part, I really enjoyed this book. Hecate was both strong and intelligent. I loved her relationship with her father, and also with her best friend. But what I really enjoyed was the setting and the history. It left me wanting to learn more about the Hereford Cathedral.

On the other hand, I did find it to be a rather slow read, and the ending was abrupt and unsatisfying. That said, I will probably give the next book in the series a try.

3.5 stars rounded up.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

"The Haunting of Hecate Cavendish is book one in New York Times bestselling author Paula Brackston's new, magic-infused series about Hecate Cavendish, an eccentric and feisty young woman who can see ghosts.

England, 1881. Hereford cathedral stands sentinel over the city, keeping its secrets, holding long forgotten souls in its stony embrace. Hecate Cavendish speeds through the cobbled streets on her bicycle, skirts hitched daringly high, heading for her new life as Assistant Librarian. But this is no ordinary collection of books. The cathedral houses an ancient chained library, wisdom guarded for centuries, mysteries and stories locked onto its worn, humble shelves. The most prized artifact, however, is the medieval world map which hangs next to Hecate's desk. Little does she know how much the curious people and mythical creatures depicted on it will come to mean to her. Nor does she suspect that there are lost souls waiting for her in the haunted cathedral. Some will become her dearest friends. Some will seek her help in finding peace. Others will put her in great peril, and, as she quickly learns, threaten the lives of everyone she loves."

Books that are chained for reasons other than theft have always intrigued me...