Mostly set in 1938 England, Gillian spends the winter break with her best friend and boarding school roommate Violet Claybourne. She finds herself enchanted by The Claybourne wealth, gothic estate, and Violet's older sisters. After the tragic events of the holiday break, Gillian feels she must atone for her actions and volunteers for the Red Cross during WWII.
This coming-of-age novel has themes of envy, admiration, betrayal, retribution and hopefully redemption. The discussion of Hitler's rise to power and Gillian's enthrallment with the sisters are quietly paralleled to show how "good" people can be lead astray by those they admire.

Grabyour blanket and tea and settle in for this page turner! This is a gothic, feminist read on the betrayal of friendship. Nothing is what it seems, if it feels too perfect, it probably is.

The Undoing of anyone or anything always catches my eye - I'm immediately intrigued with, oh I wonder what happened, how did that happen, what caused that? And add to it a beautiful cover - yeah I'm all in.

This book starts off slow but is beautifully written. But, I do not like the FMC, Gillian, at all. I do not see any redemption in her character as the story moves forward. This makes me so sad. But even so, the story in its entirety is very well-written. I felt that like many stories in this era there is an overall feeling of sadness and bleakness. The story is just sad, but worth the read.

This is a hard review to write. Some of the writing in this book is truly wonderful and I enjoyed the descriptions of characters and place. In addition, I loved Emily Critchley's first novel - A Puzzling Afternoon and so was excited to read this gothic tale which is a favourite genre of mine.

It moves along at a good pace and is a compelling enough story but at the end I was left feeling unsure about my feelings for the main characters. Overall I felt nobody came out of it well and I'm afraid none of them, other than Violet were very likeable. You don't have to like characters for it to be a good story but usually there is something that as a reader you can connect with. I found it hard to do that with this novel.

I'm sure there are other readers who will love it and this certainly wouldn't stop me reading more books by this author.

Dark and delicious, THE UNDOING OF VIOLET CLAYBOURNE is highly recommended for fans of gothic suspense.

For a suspense story, the pacing is a bit slow, and I felt like the book could have been trimmed during the editing process to make for a tighter read.

If you're looking for admirable characters, I'm sorry to say they aren't here. Our protagonist cares only about being liked. It's crazy to see what she'll do.

Fans of redemptive endings will need to look elsewhere. Ultimately this is a captivating story that will appeal to readers who do not need everything to be tied up with a pretty bow.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance e-galley; all opinions in my review are 100% my own.

Alright--this one was good! However, I think I kicked myself with this one on accident (I'd read a historical mystery right before this one and felt the verge of a slump coming on). But, this one was enjoyable! It was heavier than I expected--maybe I was banking too much on a historical mystery/typical shennanigans--and I found myself sad for Violet and the circumstances of the novel. Would still recommend if the summary interests you, though.

3.75/5 stars

Betrayal, mystery, and heartbreak. This book really brings out a lot of emotions. Gillian Larkin is a timid young girl who usually goes unnoticed. Her father sends her to a school away from him and that's where she meets her roommate, Violet Claybourne. Violet is everything Gilly is not. Vibrant and carefree, Violet helps to bring Gilly out of her shell.

The holidays are approaching and Violet and Gilly make plans for Gilly to go home with Violet to Thornleigh Hall. Gilly gets swept away by the beautiful home and Violets two sisters. Gilly wants desperately to be like by Violet's sisters and tries to embody their way of life. After an accident happens, Gilly starts to question if this family is really who they say they are. Gilly ends up in a web of lies that she wants no part in.

I couldn't put this book down. My heart broke for Gilly and the life she could have had. My heart also broke for Violet and how her entire life played out. There is no happy ending in this book which I personally enjoyed. I like a book that reminds you that not everything is sunshine and rainbows all the time.

Where do I begin with this but to say it was like a slow burn for me. When I first began reading this of course I didn't know where it take me I actually thought it was going to be a DNF read for me because the pace was slow and measured and I get impatient sometimes for a quick hook. But it began to pick up and the plot begins to thicken as they say. This is a tale of friendship between a young, seemingly mousy girl named Gillian and a new boarder to her school named Violet during the Summer of 1938. Violet is headstrong and a bit quirky with strange habits and personal rituals from a wealthy family while Gillian is more reserved, timid always afraid to break the rules. Gillian not quite an orphan has lost her mother but her father has remarried with a new family in tow and has sent her away from Egypt to England to attend school. After basking in her new friendship she is invited during Christmas break to Violet's ancestral home, Thornleigh Hall. There Gillian is entranced by the wealth of the Claybourne home and especially drawn to Violet's beautiful, eccentric and glamorous sisters Emmeline and Laura. This of course is where the action begins as the story unfolds, there are secrets deep within Thornleigh Hall between the sisters and secrets that Gillian will find herself being unwittingly drawn into that will long continue to affect her even as she grows up. I will not divulge any more details about this book, but I will say I was hooked and it left me haunted and a trifle bit sad. Recommended.

A big thank you to author Emily Critchley for this awesome read and to NetGalley for approving my request in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this would be historical fiction or historical mystery, but really it’s more of a suspense or thriller story. These are not my genres of choice, and therefore I think this is a case of a book that was not for me.

Admittedly, the hardest part is that no character is likable. Our main character is weak and goes along with horrible deeds all to be liked. She never stands up for what is right, standing by as people are hurt.

What is the rating? Absolutely. Was the story captivating? Yes. But there is no redemption here. There is no happy ending. And for me, that made this a difficult read.

There's nothing like family secrets, drafty old manor houses, and slowly crumbling wealth to set a certain scene, and Critchley does it well here. The reader sees everything a bit from the outside through Gillian, as she too is an outsider in the Claybournes' world, and while not a completely original perspective, it's the right tone for this novel. While some of Gillian's actions will be hard to swallow, she *is* a teenager growing up in a world where what a girl/woman could be was still very limited. Her naïveté can be to blame for many of her actions throughout the book, and the way it affects another major character will be difficult to read for some folks, but I respect the author for unflinchingly portraying a character who chooses things that have real consequences, even if we as readers wish for something different.

It was an atmospheric read, and the characters all felt fleshed out and vibrant. Definitely a solid choice for anyone into family sagas, secrets, and what fitting in can truly mean.

I did not read much of the synopsis before diving right in. I thought this would be a spooky/witchy read and it definitely wasn't. But it did keep me on my toes and I was totally invested in the sisters and Gilly. It kept me guessing right until the end, with twists at every turn.

I think this is a solid 3, it isn't bad not good, I felt little to no connection with the characters sadly. I did like the concept of Violet having OCD and her "undoings". Thank you netgalley for letting me read this ARC.

The Undoing of Violet Claybourne by Emily Critchley is a gripping historical psychological suspense that I’d rate six out of five if I could.

From the first page to the last, I was captivated by the twists and revelations woven into this story. Though I found myself disliking nearly every character—not because of how they were written but because of the despicable choices they made or tolerated—Critchley’s portrayal of their flaws felt hauntingly realistic.

Set against the oppressive etiquette and societal norms of the 1930s, especially for women, this novel dives into the disturbing complexities of wealth, family expectations, and rigid social rules.

The historical backdrop feels authentic, and the characters and plot are developed with skill, making this a medium-paced but unputdownable read.

In 1938, Gillian Larkin starts at a private school and quickly befriends her roommate, Violet Claybourne. With little connection to her own family, she eagerly accepts Violet’s invitation to spend the Christmas holiday at her home, Thornleigh Hall. Though the estate is in disrepair, Gilly is enchanted by Violet’s sisters and their family. She soaks up any attention they give her, eager to earn their approval.

However, after a shocking accident, Gilly begins to see that the Claybourne sisters aren’t as kind or loving as they appear. What follows changes not only her life but Violet’s as well. At its core, the story is about belonging. Gilly’s desperation to fit in with the Claybournes stems from the emptiness left by her own family. The secrets, family drama, and betrayal were compelling, and I was invested in finding out what would happen to Gilly, Violet, and her sisters. There’s a darkness to the story that powerfully conveys the unfairness of life.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

This was a good books! The plot had a good pace and the characters grow on you! 1930s setting with a good cast of characters! A wonderful Debut novel for Emily Critchley!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

What a twisted story, haunting story.


1938. Gillian Larking, lonely and away at boarding school, is used to going unnoticed. But then she meets Violet Claybourne, her vibrant roommate who takes Gilly under her wing. Violet is unlike anyone Gilly has ever met, and she regales Gilly with tales of her grand family estate and her two elegant sisters. Gilly is soon entranced by stories of the Claybournes, so when Violet invites Gilly to meet her family at Thornleigh Hall, she can't believe her luck.

But Gilly soon finds that behind the grand façade of Thornleigh Hall, darkness lurks.

Dazzled by the crumbling manor and Violet's enigmatic sisters, Gilly settles into the estate. But when a horrible accident strikes on the grounds, she is ensnared in a web of the sisters' making, forced to make a choice that will change the course of her life forever. Because the Claybournes girls know how to keep secrets, even at the cost of one of their own.

3 out of 5 ⭐️

I really enjoyed this book! I’ve never read anything like it before. How sad how people were treated during this time. Thank you for sharing this.

What a twisted bunch of characters. It was hard to have sympathy for any of them, except the title character of Violet, because they were all so self-involved without any care for how their actions affected those around them. The story was interesting and I appreciated the few little twists that were thrown in towards the end. It was not the type of book I couldn't put down but it was entertaining and held my attention.

Gillian has never felt like she belongs. When she gets a new roommate at her very proper(and cold) boarding school, she feels like she finally has a friend. Violet Claybourne has two sisters and comes from a family of old money. When Violet invites Gillian to come home with her for the Christmas holiday, Gillian is thrilled. Finally, she will spend time with a real family.
Thornleigh Hall is not what Gillian expected. It is rundown, and Violet’s parents are shall we say odd. Violet’s sisters, Emmeline and Laura are everything she has dreamed of having. But they barely tolerate Violet. Gillian will soon make a choice that changes all their lives, forever.
Most of the story is set in 1938, though after the holidays end, we do spend time with Gillian in the future. I will be honest, I was yelling at Gillian, so many times to make different choices. Then I would remember not only her age, but how vastly different life was in 1938. I felt so sorry for how many people were hurt because of one tragic accident. I could not stop reading though, hoping somehow that this sad tale would have a happy conclusion.

3.5 stars.

The good stuff first: I really enjoyed the author's writing in this. It was my first introduction to Emily Critchley, and I liked her prose and storytelling style throughout the book. She sets the English 1930s scene very well. The pacing of how the story unfolds will be wonderful for those who love a slow-burn mystery, and the gothic tones mixed with beautifully descriptive scenes (both the actual landscape/buildings and the characters) really make for a good read.
I am all for an immersive read, and the writing is what gets me there. I love good descriptions to help me visualize the story in my own head, and The Undoing of Violet Claybourne was easy to picture.

What I wasn't fond of: Yes, the characters in here had some pretty good character development and we got to know a lot of thoughts/feelings behind things without just seeing mindless action, which I LOVE. But I did not like any one character aside from Violet 🤣 I found that I felt too much for this girl and all that she has been through in her life, and wanted everyone who did her wrong to meet an untimely demise - including Gillian!!! Like, how on earth can you become friends with this girl, go to her family home for Christmas, and then do what you did?! Oh, my heart hurt for Violet in more than one spot of this book. I just wanted to reach into the book and whisk her young self away from everyone and everything.

Don't get me wrong, my lack of liking for most of the characters doesn't mean I didn't enjoy this because I really did. Once I hit the 40-50% mark, I got really sucked in could NOT put this down and flew through it, in fact! I think there will be a lot of folks who will adore this book once they get their hands on it.