If you want a gothic haunted house mystery with a healthy dose of history thrown in, this book will be right up your alley.

russian history can often be very difficult to follow, because a lot of things happened, and everyone sounds like they have the same name. Gilmore does a really great job at giving every character their own personalities, despite the similarities of their names.

i really enjoyed how the plight of the former ruling class was the anchor of this story. we know the fat of the tsar and his family. we know that russia became communist. but what about that upper class that had everything taken from them? what were their lives like in soviet russia? i dont think i've read a book that delves into their lives before and i found it, the juxtaposition of the past with the reality of the present, so compelling.

reconciling the past with the present was a huge theme in this book, and it was handled so well. irina and lili have so many reasons to long for the past. they lived a comfortable, more than comfortable, existence. and their family was whole, and alive. in the present, they have lost everything. and letting go of the past can often feel like like letting go of something important. Gilmore was able to navigate the family history with letting it go in order to move on, and to surivive.

The gothic house... amazing. this house was terrifying in every sense of the word. the house is haunted. the house might be killing people. the house is decaying. this is how i like my haunted houses and my ghosts, a little unhinged, maybe a little dangerous, a little sentient. Gilmore created the perfect atmosphere with her book and lovers of history and the unseen can both get behind it.

Kindle Copy for Review from NetGalley and Berkley Publishing.

I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

A gothic mystery set in Russia that will send goose bumps down to your spine. It will keep you enthralled as you go on yor reading ride. It has elements of aa ghostly presence in what seem like a horror story. It did not quite catch my attention throughout.

This novel is both haunting and historical in nature. It was interesting, as an American, to see what life was like in 1920s Russia. Bolsheviks have taken over Irina and Lili's house, and the house may be haunted by the dead. I enjoyed reading this novel and learning about life in Russia during the 1920s. This novel also encompassed some romance and Russian folklore. I recommend this for anyone who likes a good historical Gothic novel!

Actual Rating 2.5

It is the summer of 1921, and Irina and Lili are living with what remains of their family in their decaying ancestral manor in Moscow. They soon have to share their home with a group of Bolsheviks who relegate the family to the attic. Irina and Lili both chafe against this intrusion, and soon find themselves offered job with the American Relief Administration operating out of the city. As the sisters decide how best to protect their family, strange noises and apparitions seem to appear throughout their home. Then someone dies – but was it an accident, murder, or something else entirely?

The historical aspects of this one were excellent. There was rich detail included and a lot of it was information I didn’t know about this time in Russia’s history. It was woven into the plot in a way that made the setting come to life and feel immersive. The atmosphere was also quite strong for the most part, though there were times when it got lost under the exposition. The characters were decently written, though I never felt strongly about them one way or the other. The author’s note was also extremely informative and well worth reading.

About 50% through the book, there were many diary entries that were included, and the characters began to reminisce and ponder things repetitively. This drastically slowed down an already relatively slow plot, leading to some major lag. It also made me lose interest in the book during this part and majorly detracted from the originally strong atmosphere. It took quite awhile for the plot to pick up again, but by that time it was a struggle to pick the book up for me.

If you’re interested in a slow historical fiction with supernatural elements, then you may enjoy this one. My thanks to NetGalley and Berkely Publishing for allowing me to read this work, which will be published September 3, 2024.

The Haunting of Moscow House is a deeply moving and suspenseful novel set in the early days of post-revolutionary Russia. I wasn't quite sure what to expect going into it – is it a ghost story or is it historical fiction? – but it turns out that it's both in just about equal measures. The ghostly aspects I'd consider more horror-adjacent than actual horror, but there are definitely some unsettling bits.

This book is written in the present tense, which is normally something that I really, really dislike. It kind of grew on me over time and actually worked well for this story overall, but I have to admit that it's the one thing that I liked least about it.

The rest of the novel, though? I'm pretty sure I enjoyed it. I mean, it's hard for me to say that I “enjoyed” something that's so bleak (although it's not totally devoid of hope or happiness), but after the first 25% or so I was hooked. I was fascinated by Imperial Russia as a kid (yeah, I have no idea why either) and read a ton about Russian nobility, so it was interesting to hear about what life was like for those same people after the 1917 revolution. And haunted houses are probably one of my favorite tropes in all of literature, so combining a haunted house story with post-revolutionary Russia? Yes, please!

Oh, and since this book deals largely with the plight of Russian nobility, be prepared for everyone to have approximately 47 names and titles each (perhaps a slight exaggeration, but not by as much as you'd think). In one paragraph a character is Princess So-and-So, and then in the next they're Countess So-and-So and in the next they're The-Same-Person-but-Using-Their-Diminutive. It's a little confusing at times, but I was kind of expecting it since I was a 10-year-old Tsar Nicholas Stan and all (not that the term “Stan” existed when I was 10, but I was certainly obsessed with the Romanovs).

If you like romance, there's plenty of that in this story – and some semi-gratuitous sex scenes, even. I'm personally not a big fan of romance in novels, but the relationships in this one at least seemed genuine and not particularly insta-love. The affection that Irina and Lili have for each other (and their other family members) is also rather endearing and sweet.

Russian folklore also plays a large part in this tale. The Moscow House Domovoy (house spirit) is an important character, especially during the climax. Even though he's the thing of nightmares, you can't help but feel a little for him. There's also talk of Baba Yaga and other Russian legends, and it's all tremendously interesting.

My overall rating: 4.35 stars, rounded down. If you enjoy historical Gothic novels mixed with folklore and romance, you should definitely consider giving this one a read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is September 3, 2024.

The Haunting of Moscow House is a gothic tale that draws upon a few historical families in Russia.

It is the 1920's and the Bolsheviks have invaded Moscow and forced Irina and Lili Goliteva into the attic of their mansion while they take over the large wings for official government business
Once they are moved to the attic however, Irina and Lili find uncover past history and hints of supernatural influences. It's a beautiful and unusual way to impart history and if you love family stories, historical fiction or just a Russian tale, this story if for you! #thehauntingofmoscowhouse #olesyasalnikovagilmore #berkley

Although based on historical facts, Russian "fairy tales" and hauntings, I found the writing to be pedestrian; in particular how COLD it always was, how repetitive some of the descriptive scenes were, how there was never anyone else in the streets. The actual story of these sisters and their involvement in the true to life ARA could have been a fascinating story in itself.

I absolutely adored this book. I am a sucker for the Russian Revolution, so the subject matter was perfect for me. I also thought that the characters and their relationships were outstanding and relatable.