I loved this mystery/romance novel. This is the first book that I have read by Syrie James, and I can't wait to read more!!! She does a marvelous job of drawing the reader in from the very first page. Diana is visiting her Godmother who has just lost her brother to "suicide". She begs Diana to go to the estate where she grew up and investigate the death of her brother, as she doesn't believe he committed suicide. She applied for a job as a governess for the daughter left behind. She is told that the young girl is "unreachable" and in need of a new governess. Diana is hired as the governess and goes to the estate to teach and try and discover what happened to her Godmother's brother. On her way to the estate, her carriage is stopped by a tree blocking the road. A gentleman appears in the night and helps move the tree - she later finds out that this is her new pupil's cousin and her new boss, Captain William. Diana faces many challenges as she works to teach her new student and get to know the staff and her boss. During the challenges, she also encounters many unanswered questions about her Godmother's brother and his death. Soon, she is also fighting for her life and the love of her life. This book has something for all who enjoy romance, mystery, and overcoming self-doubt

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review..

Last weekend, Syrie James released her new Gothic novel, The Mysteries of Pendowar Hall. This is the first in her series, The Audacious Sisterhood of Smoke & Fire. Blending suspense with a love story, this novel follows Diana Taylor as she begins working as governess for fifteen-year-old Emma… and investigates the circumstances around Emma’s father’s recent death. Could the handsome new master of Pendowar Hall, Captain Fallbrook, have played a part? Or did the late Sir Thomas have other enemies?

Why I Chose This Book:
Gothic suspense and romance with inspiration from Jane Eyre? Yes, please! The Mysteries of Pendowar Hall offers many of my favorite themes and genre tropes, all wrapped up in one shiny bow. As soon as I heard about this book from Laurel Ann Nattress, I was I excited to read it (and the rest of the series).

What I Liked:
- Numerous allusions to Jane Eyre. From the way Diana Taylor meets Captain Fallbrook to their fireside chat, from her being a governess to him being a broody and well-traveled man, there are several scenic and thematic nods to Charlotte Brontë’s novel. Moreover, the characters themselves frequently talk about their love of Jane Eyre (then published under the name Currer Bell). I loved all of this!
- Curses, mermaids, and mysterious nighttime activities
- Creepy dreams
- Attempts on Diana’s life – oh no!
- Emma Fallbrook’s learning disability (which I correctly diagnosed right away, even if such a term didn’t yet exist in 1849)
- Surprising secrets and twists!
- Forbidden romance

Final Thoughts
The Mysteries of Pendowar Hall is an enthralling novel that matches the tone of mid-nineteenth century Gothic fiction perfectly. The murder mystery takes up the bulk of the narrative, with a confounding mix of clues leading to different suspects. (I was shocked at who the villain turned out to be!) However, I also enjoyed the scenes about unraveling Emma’s learning disability and the romance between Diana and Captain Fallbrook that later starts to emerge. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and can’t wait for the next books in the series. The Secrets of Thorndale Manor will arrive this June, while Danger at Darkmoor Park is due in September.

She vowed to solve a murder.

Now she’s in danger of losing her heart … and her very life.

Diana Taylor, a bright and spirited governess who has sworn off love, is sent to Pendowar Hall in Cornwall to honor a pledge. She vows to teach her godmother’s niece and to find out who was behind the suspicious death of the former baronet. But her new charge is also a mystery, as is the man who inherited the ancient coastal estate—the charismatic but brooding Royal Navy Captain William Fallbrook, who is home on leave to recover from an injury.

As Diana investigates, her feelings for the enigmatic Captain Fallbrook blossom, and her guard goes up. Pendowar Hall is brimming with secrets as well as a frightening legend about a Mermaid’s Curse. What is behind the mysterious footsteps in the night? Is there more to the story of the tragic deaths of the former baronet’s wife and son? What secrets is Captain Fallbrook hiding? Can she trust the man who has stolen her heart?

The Mysteries of Pendowar Hall
by Syrie James
Pub Date: Feb 22 2025

He looks to be entranced by Diana, even though her determination to dig up the past seems to get on his last nerve. Soon, Diana’s bold quest to unmask his uncle’s killer leads her into terrifying danger, for someone is determined to end her life before she can discover the truth.


The Audacious Sisterhood of Smoke & Fire

Book 1 - The Mysteries of Pendowar Hall

Book 2 - The Secrets of Thorndale Manor

Book 3 - Danger at Darkmoor Park

This first book in The Audacious Sisterhood of Smoke & Fire is an intense and well written Victorian historical murder, mystery romance. It was full of drama, action, intrigue, mystery, suspense, attempted murder, a hidden affair, an illegitimate child, with so many mixture of tropes that give a gothic type atmosphere of a Emily Bronte novel. It kept me very entertained and engaged. I enjoyed the beautiful romance that overcame all obstacles, including death. The ending was lovely. I highly recommend reading!

Diana is sent to Pendowar Hall under the guise of governess but she’s investigating murder. The deeper she delves into the past, the more danger she’s in. Will the curse of Pendowar Hall do her in or will a flesh and blood killer silence Diana forever?

The Mysteries of Pendowar Hall is a breathtaking historical gothic romance. Fans of gothic romance will be enthralled by this tale. The eeriness of the setting and narration set the mood while the characters play their parts. The plot is complex with a few mysteries to solve. The romance is a mixture of tropes which all stem from the gothic plot. But it’s the characters which make The Mysteries of Pendowar Hall come alive.

Let’s talk about these characters. Diana is the heroine and she’s such a well-written one. Her character, poise, curiosity, and courage combine to make Diana a vibrant heroine. I connected with her on so many levels.

Captain Fallbrook is our reserved hero. He’s mysterious, that’s for sure. He runs his household in the same manner as he did aboard his ship. Orderly. But then Diana upends his house and everyone in it, including himself. What’s a hero to do? I liked him and connected with him.

If you love gothic romance, drop what you’re doing and read The Mysteries of Pendowar Hall. You’ll be glad you did.

I have really been enjoying historical mysteries with some romance weaved in. The Mysteries of Pendowar Hall had this fabulous gothic vibe to it. Set overlooking the sea, in a manor with a forbidden wing, and a mermaid's curse cast upon it.

I found I really enjoyed the authours writing style. The descriptions of the landscape, the grounds around the manor, the manor itself, added this real sense of foreboding to the story.

The mystery in this story was excellent I had absolutely no inkling who the perpetrator was. It was a true surprise. One of those ones where I thought back, wondering what signs I missed, and I don't think there were any.

Underlying the mystery is the strong bonds forming between our main character, who has come to Pendowar as a governess, and the young lady of the house. This was such an uplifting storyline.

And then there was the romance. I prefer my romance subtle. That's my preference, and I'd never criticize anyway who likes it any other way. But, you can't tell me this isn't incredibly seductive.

"His lips were a hair's breadth away. The sensation of wanting to feel those lips on hers was so strong that Diana's insides began to tremble".

Overall, this was such a delightful story with an intriguing mystery, and by the end I was unable to put it down until I had finished.

This was an exciting read. A Gothic tale, set in a beautiful background of Pendower Hall, with the addition of an intelligent, and mostly practical heroine, Diana, a wounded military hero, William, a (maybe off the spectrum), charge Emma. A mysterious death needs to be resolved and Diana is motivated to find answers.

Written well, with enough tension and some romance, this was my debut read by this author, that I thoroughly enjoyed. Cannot wait to read books 2 & 3.

#netgalley #TheMysteriesofPendowerHall

I enjoyed this suspenseful romance, as it is well-written and there is more than one mystery to solve. Driven by the echoes of her mother's voice saying “Where there is smoke there's fire,” Miss Diana Taylor travels to Cornwall to root out the truth about her Godmother's brother, ostensibly as a governess to Emma, who is described as unteachable, but mainly to discover details of the previous Baron's death. Diana's initial meeting with Captain Fallbrook does not go well and her second meeting is not much better. He is a severe and judgmental man, bordering on being rude. Diana finds her young charge almost as difficult and discovers that the young girl is incredibly talented as an artist but difficult to teach. On top of everything, she has to battle with legends of a mermaid, footsteps in the night, and a light flashing from a tower window. Then there are the attacks on her which can not be ignored. The mystery comes to a dramatic and surprising conclusion, and only then can the Captain express his feelings for Diana. I received a copy of this novel, which held me in suspense to the end, as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

A very well written mystery set in the gothic style. Diana is a governess on an extra mission. She's determined to find the reason for the death of the baron. The mystery is so well masked that there are few clues to solve it. There is danger, twists turns and romance. William has intrigue of his own as he's not overly impressed by this new governess yet
romance begins to blossom. The author bring us to a possible conclusion only to find a dead end. Creative, supburbly written and abundantly entertaining. Can't wait to see what Diana's sisters will get into.

This is a great beginning to the The Audacious Sisterhood of Smoke and Fire. Diana is a governess who has been charged by her Godmother to find the truth of her relative's suspicious death. William is a sea captain who's been injured and recovering while being the new heir to Pendowar Hall.

Diana takes the job as governess to 15 yr old Emma. Emma has a challenging reading disability, but Diana finds a way to relate to her thinking process and therefore starts to actually help her.

Sparks fly between Diana and William. I wish it would have been a little bit heavier on the romance part. Overall, a good book with very relatable characters.
Thank you to Dragonblade for the copy of this book. Opinions are my own.

Diana Taylor must travel to Corwall to assist her godmother in solving her brother's suicide or perhaps murder? While there Diana is also tasked with teaching her godmother's niece how to read and write. Diana will have to deal with the man who runs the manor, Captain William Fallbrook who isn't easy to deal with. Through intrigue, suspense and tenacity Diana will navigate this murder and find out what really happened to Baronet Thomas Fallbrook, while also keeping herself safe and alive.

The Mysteries of Pendowar Hall has the perfect alount of mystery, suspense, dark ambiance and a dash of brooding romance. A perfect read that you won't want to put down.

Thank you Netgalley and Dragonblade Publishing for this brilliant gothic romance.

Part gothic, part mystery, and part romance. Diana is sent to a gothic manor by her godmother to find out what happened to her brother. Her godmother doesn’t believe that he killed himself. Was it murder? Diana is sent as a governess I liked the characters enough. The gothic vibes were good. The romance wasn’t very strong as this felt more slice of life than anything else. The mystery was slow going & Diana wasn’t that great at investigating, she changed her mind multiple times on who actually did it. The writing is good, I’ve always liked Syrie James’ books. Just ok overall.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

This was a sweet, mysterious gothic romance. Though I wasn’t utterly blown away by this book, I enjoyed the mystery and the strong FMC who was ahead of her time.

THOUGHTS 💭
⛵️ I loved the air of mystery and dread throughout the whole book. It was a rather lighthearted read for a murder mystery.
⛵️ The old manor and a grumpy baronet gave me Beauty & the Beast vibes that I was here for.
⛵️ Our FMC Diana doesn’t hold any punches; she says what she means and means what she says. She is so smart and curious and adventurous… I was a bit disappointed that the Captain didn’t seem to appreciate that about her when he found out she was investigating.
⛵️ The mystery WAS very mysterious! The author did an amazing job making you question everyone around our MC. I thought FOR CERTAIN I knew who the murderer was on multiple occasions, only to have my mind changed alongside Diana’s.

Thanks so much to the author, Dragonblade Publishing, and Austenprose for the ARC of this book!

Historical romance is in a strange place right now and it’s one of my favourite genres so I want to support it as much as I can. Dragonblade is an indie publisher that specialises in historical romance so I wanted to try their catalogue.

The Mysteries of Pendowar Hall is reminiscent of Jane Eyre - Diana accepts a position as governess at an estate run by a Captain of the Royal Navy. He has little time of care for civilian life even though - Diana learns soon enough - his 15-year-old charge cannot read or write. The servants all warn Diana about the otherworldly happenings at the estate - a mermaid tale, and the suicide of the previous owner which might have been a murder.

I read Syrie James’s Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen decades ago when it was released and I remember enjoying. Pendowar Hall was fine - not hugely surprising so I found the plot a rather boring, but the writing was good and it made me want to try more books by Dragonblade but definitely something more fun and light.

My endless thanks to NetGalley and Dragonblade for this ARC!

In USA Today’s bestselling author Syrie James’s soon-to-be released “The Mysteries of Pendowar Hall,” Miss Diana Taylor travels to Cornwall at the request of her ailing godmother to investigate the supposed suicide of her godmother’s brother, the baronet Thomas Fallbrook. Diana's tasks also include managing the baronet’s 15-year-old daughter, who cannot read, and interacting with the handsome, mysterious new baronet, Captain William Fallbrook.

“She was pleased to see beneath his prickly exterior. Captain Fallbrook was a thoughtful man.
‘Pray, avoid the north wing, however, and don’t go near the north tower. It has been unoccupied for decades and is in disrepair.’
Diana nodded. It was her second warning to avoid the north wing.”—Chapter 5.

Mysterious lights, ancient curses, and a questionable solicitor alert Diana that all is not as it should be. Lots of “Jane Eyre” vibes, eh? I was hooked.

As Diana uncovers the truth behind Sir Thomas’s death and his daughter’s condition, she faces a series of accidents—perhaps not accidents but attempts to stop her.

“The captain thought Diana’s worries were groundless. The parish constable had closed Sir Thomas’s case and would clearly never look into it again. But Diana had a gut feeling that her godmother was right. Someone had murdered the baronet and gotten away with it.” —Chapter 10.

Titillating suspense layered with a little romance, this first book in the “Audacious Sisterhood of Smoke & Fire” series is a must-read for fans of historical mysteries. Syrie James never disappoints, and “The Mysteries of Pendowar Hall” is no exception.

This captivating historical romance novel will transport readers to a world of mystery and suspense, where a strong-willed governess finds herself entangled with a brooding naval captain. As their lives intertwine, a complex web of secrets and danger begins to unravel, testing their loyalties and igniting a passionate romance. Fans of historical fiction, mystery, and suspense will be captivated by the atmospheric setting, rich characters, and intricate plot. The author skillfully weaves together elements of romance, danger, and intrigue, creating a story that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. The strong-willed governess and the brooding naval captain are compelling characters, each with their own secrets and vulnerabilities. As they navigate the treacherous waters of their relationship, they must confront their pasts and make choices that will have far-reaching consequences. The atmospheric setting, with its vivid descriptions and historical details, adds depth and richness to the story. Readers will be transported to a world of elegance and intrigue, where danger lurks around every corner. With its blend of historical romance, mystery, and suspense, this novel is a must-read for fans of the genre.

I really enjoyed this story. Im a huge fan of historical fiction books so this was my vibe. I can't wait to continue the series!

The Mysteries of Pendowar Hall by Syrie James is a fabulous read with just the right amount of mystery and romance. As the first book in The Audacious Sisterhood of Smoke & Fire series, it sets the bare high for all future books.

Diana Taylor’s well-developed character was exciting, thoughtful, caring, and thorough in her sleuthing abilities. With just the right amount of decorum for the time the author was able to make this a refreshing storyline.

The brooding Captain William Fallbrook will intrigue anyone because he is so mysterious and while he appears single-minded about his life the reader will be intrigued with his back history.

This is a great mystery book bringing back my younger years of reading Georgette Heyer books.

This book will hold your attention from page one to the exciting unpredictable ending. I am looking forward to the next books of this series.

This was a Gothic romantic suspense and mystery novel. It was a good read. Our heroine is sent by her godmother to look into her brother’s death - supposed a suicide but she doesn’t agree. As our heroine investigates, she gets close to her charge, who has dyslexia, as she is her governess. She also gets close to her employer who is an injured Navy captain. Legends have swirled around the manor for generations about a mermaid ghost who causes injury and death when the master falls in love with the governess. Our characters are taken on a winding path through mystery and suspense. This is a single point of view, no spice romance.

A fantastic new first book in a series! I had a hard time putting it down and read it in one sitting (staying up a little too late). I found the main character, Diana, to be likable and her family dynamic interesting, and wanted to know more about her sisters. Diana’s backstory, in relation to her failed romances, was explained in well-spread-out bits that drew me in but didn’t make me wait too long. Figuring out the mystery was not easy and my thoughts switched around just as much as Diana’s as new information was provided. I have to say I loved it all except the very last chapter. I wish it had just been wrapped up in a page or two as laying out the setup to the next story felt too forced. That being said, I look forward to the next book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book.