It usually takes me a few days to read a book by this author, but i read this one faster. I really enjoy her writing. The story just draws you in quickly. I really liked the main character but her mother and friend got on my nerves so bad. The ending wasn't quite satisfactory for me, but since this is going to be a series, I can forgive thar a little bit.
I was super lucky and got this as an ARC from Netgalley. These opinions are my own.

The Haunting of Hecate Cavendish by Paula Brackston is a paranormal mystery/thriller set in England in 1881.

Hecate is a single young woman, embarking on her first job as assistant librarian at the nearby cathedral. It isn’t very long before she realizes that she is able to see and communicate with ghosts inhabiting the cathedral.

Soon after strange occurrences begin happening at the cathedral, and in the town beyond. Hecate must use her ability to solve the mystery.

Hecate was a very independent, and forward thinking woman for the time period, however it sometimes led her into reckless behaviour which put her in danger. At times her father even seemed to encourage her recklessness, which I felt was a bit odd, even if he was excited at finding out about her abilities. That said, I enjoyed seeing her fight to find a place for herself that didn’t involve marrying and setting up house.

I enjoyed seeing Hecate’s relationships develop throughout the story. I did wonder what in the world she found in common with her best friend, Clementine. They seemed so completely different and at times I found Clementine to be quite annoying.

I did have a bit of trouble in the middle of the book. The story started to drag a bit and I found it hard to stay engaged, but it eventually picked back up.

One incident in the book nearly brought me to tears. It was just heart wrenching what happened. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but make sure you have a tissue box handy.

All in all, I enjoyed the story, even though the mystery was not resolved at the end. I am torn about continuing the series, usually I’m excited for the next book to come out, but I’m ambivalent about continuing at this point. I’m going to assume it’s just my current mood, because as I said, I did like this book, and can’t figure out why I’m not looking forward to the next book with more enthusiasm.

In my opinion The Haunting of Hecate Cavendish is well worth a read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I really wanted to like this book. The premise sounds right up my alley. However I had a really hard time getting into it. I even stopped and read two other books hoping it would be better when I went back to it. Alas that was not to be. For me it was hard to follow and just gets too wordy at times. Hopefully it appeals to others

Brackston continues to charm and delight me with another historical fantasy series. She had me as soon as Hecate met her first "lost spirit" and held me all the way through this book. Hecate is a strong, intelligent, and resourceful heroine who is learning to deal with her own mysterious past and future while learning to navigate in a world of mysticism and religion. The setting of a cathedral is the perfect backdrop for the mysticism, intrigue, and danger. This book is a must read for any Paula Brackston fan. This is not your average ghost story.

The cover of this book is what initially grabbed my attention but after reading the blurb I thought "The Haunting of Hecate Cavendish" really had a unique and interesting premise.
I wasn't a huge fan of the writing style unfortunately, most of the book felt very slow and I definitely didn't enjoy some of the turns the storyline took.
I do this that this book will definitely be a great fit for many, it just wasn't for me.

Thank you Paula Brackston, Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this book.

The boycott of St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and other related imprints is a direct response to the publisher’s lack of accountability regarding statements made by an employee in their marketing department and their failure to respond to concerns about possible systemic issues within the department.
We are asking the company to address and denounce the Islamophobic and racist statements and behavior, as well as take active steps to protect employees, influencers, readers, and authors from racist and discriminatory behavior. Terminating the employee is not, and has never been, a demand of the boycott.

The Haunting of Hecate Cavendish is a blend of historical fiction and fantasy set in the 1880s. I was entranced in the beginning and loved Hecate, the setting, the paranormal/fantasy elements/characters, and the premise. However, my interest waned around halfway due to pacing. If you enjoy a slower pace, this book might be more up your alley.

Narration by Marisa Calin is outstanding as usual. She remains one of my favorite narrators.

I received an ARC and ALC from St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent writing - very descriptive to the point of where I felt like I was living this story as I read it!
Great characters and I look forward to the continuation of the series.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

I was very interested in this book but struggled with it, I really enjoyed Hecate's character. I found it very slow and it didn't hold my attention, even through the premise and the plot of the book are great, the methology of Hekate, ghosts, even the era it's set in. It just moved to slow, I'm not sure I would make it through the next book.

The Haunting of Hecate Cavendish was appealing to me on many levels, but ultimately it was the shallowness of an intriguing cover and the fact that the main character works in a library and can see ghosts that had me hitting the request button on NetGalley. I love books that are filled with even more books, especially if some of them might be magical!
This follows Hecate Cavendish, a young woman who has just begun working at the cathedral library as the assistant librarian. It’s a huge library with ancient books secured with lock and chain, a giant medieval map covered in mythological beasts, and a locked cabinet she’ll likely never get to open. It’s the stuff of book enthusiast dreams. Shortly after her hiring the tombs beneath the cathedral were vandalized, though it seems to Hecate that perhaps something broke out rather than someone broke in. Hereford is suddenly plagued by a rash of murders and unusual circumstances that Hecate is sure are related to whatever escaped from the cathedral’s depths. Buoying this belief is Hecate’s own new found ability to see and speak with the peaceful dead that reside in Hereford’s cathedral and the fact that she is perhaps the chosen daughter of her namesake, the goddess Hecate.
This is an intriguing story set in what seems to be an unusually egalitarian town. Hecate’s father supports her working in the library and believes her immediately when she comes to him with tales of speaking with spirits. He’s been around the world on archeological digs and has seen strange things, not to mention he was told by a seer before Hecate’s birth that she would have extraordinary gifts. She has two handsome suitors, a dear friend who seems to be the exact opposite of her and yet who accepts Hecate’s oddities without hesitation, and even the police are inclined to believe her. All this is perhaps the most fantastical part of this story about roaming spirits and uncanny magic. I did find Hecate to be a likable main character and all the side characters were inoffensive, though unmemorable.
I think that this book needed more pizzazz. While I felt compelled to continue reading thanks to the progressively more unsettling events, this never truly grabbed my attention the way my most favorite books have in the past. I didn’t love any of the characters and ultimately wasn’t invested. Nothing is inherently disappointing or bad about The Haunting of Hecate Cavendish, it’s just not going to be a favorite book and I don’t feel compelled to continue the series.

3. 5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

* New Series Alert*

Hecate Cavendish is a young woman in 19th-century England who is a bit different. You see, fellow readers, Hecate can see and speak with ghosts. Of course, she doesn't know this until she begins working at the Hereford Cathedral as an Assistant Librarian. But things are about to get much more interesting and scary for Hecate's family.


Hecate is a compelling protagonist. She loves her father, is kind to her ailing brother and wishes that her mother would stop pushing her to find a beau. Just by being herself- she manages to find two in the course of this story. The scenes that feature her father and Hecate were my absolute favourites. There was a good mix of mystery and adventure in the novel. I am intrigued to see what lies ahead for our heroine as the series continues.



Expected Publication Date 23/07/24
Goodreads Review Published 13/07/24

Paula Brackston has my undying readership loyalty, as every single novel she writes is breathtaking. This series is going to keep me awake at night, and I'm so happy about it.

I didn't love Hecate as much as Brackston's other main characters. Something was just off about her. I also wanted more bookish, library scenes.

I had high hopes for The Haunting of Hecate Cavendish, but unfortunately, it didn't capture my interest. While I wanted to love it, the story just wasn't to my taste. However, I can admit that it was well-written. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read it.

Atmospheric, mysterious, Gothic in a way. This book is unique in the way it is written. I feel spooky time would be the best to enjoy this book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Paula Brackston for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Haunting of Hecate Cavendish coming out July 23, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I was really intrigued by the plot. I love ghost stories and the Victorian era. I loved the old library with old books set up. I liked the story, but it didn’t really do it for me. I think the story was a little too long and had parts where nothing really exciting happened. I think parts of it were a little cliche or I’ve just read it a hundred times before. I think what was happening to her was exciting, but I didn’t really feel it. I couldn’t really connect to Hecate. I wasn’t obsessed about it. I would check out other books by this author.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys slow burn stories.

The Haunting of Hecate Cavendish
Paula Brackston

I've read several of Paula Brackstone’s books but all in her Found Things series. This newest offering is the first (it says on Amazon) in the Hecate Cavendish series.

Hecate is an unusual young woman. Her father “gets her”, but her mother doesn't. Her mother wants to marry her off, preferably to a family friend, but in a pinch to a local vicar. Her father, on the other hand, gets Hecate a job as an assistant in the much-vaunted and very old library at the cathedral. Hecate’s new boss is a curmudgeon, but she finds ways around him. She does not reveal to her boss that there is a ghost in the library, whom Hecate can see and talk with. He is a monk from the 16th century called Brother William. He introduces her to several of the other ghosts who linger in the cathedral. The year is 1881.

Soon after she begins working, Hecate discovers that an ancient and very strange map on the wall of the library begins to move when she touches it. Then, there is a horrible, crashing desecration in the cathedral’s crypt that no one can explain. Sarcophaguses are blown apart and grave niches in the wall are opened.

The rest of the story reveals Hecate Cavendish the 19th century sleuth. I can't really decide whether this is a ghost story, a gothic mystery, or a horror novel. Likely it doesn't matter. Hecate is a young woman with “pluck”. She is, she and her father believe, a child of the Greek goddess also named Hecate. It's an interesting novel, but I recommend that, if you are a fan of the Found Things series, you let that go and allow this new series to be what it is.
(A word—while this is not a cliff hanger in the traditional sense, it is good to know in advance that all is not resolved within this first in series.)

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the chance to read The haunting of Hecate Cavendish. I enjoy books that are about ghosts and hauntings and the chance to read one where the main character works in a mysterious library seemed to be perfect. I enjoyed the story and Hecate's strong personality but the slow pacing drove me to continually put it down, and the ending was a let down.

The Haunting of Hecate Cavendish by Paula Brackston is a refreshing tale that follows a young woman unafraid to challenge the norms of her era and our own. Her fearless exploration of the boundaries of reality is both captivating and inspiring. Brackston's writing is charming, uplifting, and lyrical, offering a much-needed escape from the tumultuous nature of modern life.

It's 1881, and Hecate Cavendish is ready to get out into the world. Although her mother would like her to marry well as is expected of her, she has other ideas. First order of business, a job. Her father is an archeologist and has secured her a job in the church library. For bookish Hecate, this is a dream job. The church library is filled with ancient tomes and scrolls, etc. She can't wait to read everything!

She is in for a big surprise. Something sinister is brewing.

I liked Hecate as a character. She's a bit bold for her time and I love it! My only real issue with this book is that it felt really drawn out. I think if it was a bit shorter, it would have been better.