I’ve been wanting to read Paulette Kennedy since her first book came out a few years ago, and have finally started with her latest novel, The Artist of Blackberry Grange. Set in 1925, it follows Sadie Halloran just after her relationship with a married man ended badly. She ends up going to her great aunt Marguerite’s home, in part to care for her in her dementia, but also because she simply needs a place to go. But what Sadie uncovers at her aunt Marguerite’s home is more than just dementia; it’s a haunting, brought on by past regrets and traumas, and it threatens Sadie’s very safety unless they can put a stop to it.

What I Liked:
- Women who didn’t fit in with their time. Both Marguerite and Sadie were women who eschewed what was considered “proper” in their time and for their social class. Marguerite, in the late 1800s, fell in love with “the help,” then traveled around Europe, sold paintings, and had women as romantic partners. Sadie, in 1925, was a flapper and has been called “loose” by some in her family, but she’s confident in going after what (or whom) she wants.
- Portrayal of dementia. A large part of why Sadie is spending time with her great aunt after all this time is to care for Marguerite in her late stages of dementia. It’s a painful but honest look at how memory and recognition get muddled. Though in Marguerite’s case, there may be more truth to what she’s saying, odd as it may sound…
- Dreams, hauntings, curses, and addictive ghost lovers! Marguerite feels haunted by a man, Weston Chase, but soon Sadie starts seeing him and is quickly seduced. When she slips into these dreams, these portals into the past, readers get to view them as third-person interludes (in contrast to her first-person narrative the rest of the time). These elements give the novel a wholly gothic flare, much like the often-referenced Wuthering Heights that Sadie is reading.
- The darker side of family. As this book progresses, the web of lies, greed, and covered up wrongs spreads, showing a family that is troubled in many ways. Back in the 1880s, Marguerite and her sisters had significant issues revolving around Weston. Now in 1925, Sadie has suffered so many losses and feels disconnected from everyone in her family except Marguerite. It’s a layered depiction of intergenerational trauma and the repercussions of past mistakes.
- Rapidly changing narrative and understanding of events. A lot happens over the course of this book, from Sadie’s three different romantic relationships to the many past traumas that Marguerite strives to correct. It can be disorienting (both for readers and for Sadie herself!). While this at first felt like a drawback in the storytelling, it actually ended up being a strength. It adds to the story and its ephemeral portrayal of memory and family connection.

Audiobook:
Lauren Ezzo does an excellent job of narrating The Artist of Blackberry Grange, capturing Sadie’s many moods, from disquiet and confusion to anger and fear. I also enjoyed the timbre she gives to Marguerite in particular. Her voice acting is immersive to the time and the style of the novel.

Final Thoughts
I really enjoyed The Artist of Blackberry Grange. It’s a feverish gothic that changes course rapidly, but the stories of family tragedy, regret, and trauma come together for a reflective and heartbreaking tale. Ultimately I loved how everything came together by the end, even if it was at times hard to keep track of where things stood. I’m excited to dive into Paulette Kennedy’s other novels, starting with her debut, Parting the Veil. I’ll also look out for her next book, The Two Deaths of Lillian Carmichael, due in 2026.

Absolutely loved this book 10/10 this book made me want to read more historical fiction books it was that good and usually that’s not my cup of 10! I loved the story it kept wanting to turn the page and read just one more chapter!

This book checked all the boxes for me—gothic mansion, family secrets, ghostly vibes, and just the right touch of romance and mystery. I was completely pulled into Sadie’s world from the first chapter. The atmosphere is so vivid, you can practically smell the old wood and feel the chill in those haunted halls.

I loved the time-slipping element and how the paintings acted as a bridge between past and present—it was eerie in the best way. Sadie’s relationship with her great-aunt was really moving, especially with the way dementia was handled. It felt raw and real without being too heavy.

This isn’t my first book by this author, so I already knew I was in for something good, and I was right.
It’s got that perfect gothic suspense vibe: moody, mysterious, and just the right amount of creepy. The atmosphere totally pulled me in, and keept me there.
It’s dark, twisty, and completely addictive; I couldn’t put it down.

Audiobook disappeared really quick off my NetGalley shelf and I didn’t get a chance to finish this. Not sure what was with that as my kindle books are still there even after publication. This was a late approval so little disappointed as what I started with was not bad! I’ll try to review after reading the kindle edition. Review is only based on the small portion I was able to listen to.

What a delightfully gothic and mystical story about family secrets, love and regret, desire and jealousy.

Sadie has recently lost her mother and broken up with her married fiance. When she hears that an elderly aunt is struggling and needs a caretaker, she packs up and moves to the Ozarks.

Aunt Marg is a painter and a bit of a free spirit. She traveled the world, trained for her art, loved men and women, but she also had secrets and a bitter relationship with her sister, Florence, Sadie's grandmother.

Sadie settles in smoothly, re-establishing the close relationship she had with Marguerite when she was a child. But weird things happen on the estate. Things go bump at night, Sadie sees shadows and people who are not there, Aunt Marg's paintings seem to move, and Aunt Marg seems afraid. Then Sadie touches a painting and she travels back in time.

A little Outlander, a little Jane Eyre, a little Christie's Unfinished Portrait, plus Kennedy's lovely prose and well-rounded characters, The Artist of Blackberry Grange is so hard to categorize but so easy to love. It is historical fiction and magical realism, with gothic romance and paranormal romance, a period thriller and a murder mystery.

Plus the narration by Lauren Ezzo is some seamless and smooth that she helps you to become immersed in the novel by making the story-telling the point of the narration. Very well done.

The Artist of Blackberry Grange is a blend of gothic romance and suspense, mixed with some magic/mystic. The first part starts very slow, to the point I almost DNF'd. Then we get into some magical time travel, where our FMC, Sadie, can travel through portraits created by her Great Aunt who she is the new caretaker for. It's very odd when Sadie starts up a romance with a ghost.. ghost-adjacent? A man in the past who she can only visit through the portrait that ALSO had relations with her ancestors.. So at this halfway point I'm really zoned out and just pushing through. Once ghost boy gets ghosted by Sadie, and we just learn more family history, see a new relationship with Beck, and live at the Grange my interest is finally peaked again. We've got some issues towards the end, and the epilogue leads to questions with the butterfly affect, which we should've learned our lessons about with Aunt Marge's last days.

I couldn’t get to read/hear this audiobook because it expired in like 3 days. Very upset about this fact since I couldn’t wait to get to it, but having already started an audiobook I couldn’t start this one too. I think we should be allowed a bit more time 🥲

A bit of gothic and a bit of magic with love thrown in as well. Beautiful story. Well written and well narrated. I lived listening to this. I liked the characters and the atmosphere of the setting was perfect. Great book.

I’m really sure not how to classify this one. Is it magical realism or maybe time travel? Either way it’s atmospheric and sets a gothic mood. It grabbed me and never let up.

Sadie, Marguerite and the other women are fascinating. In an era where women are lesser, they are hiding secrets.

I struggled a little with this one as Marguerite has dementia and I’m dealing with my Mom’s dementia but nevertheless I was intrigued by the idea of going back in time and fixing the past.

Lauren Ezzo as narrator ran with the mood and tone and pulled me into Sadie’s world and issues.

The Artist of Blackberry Grange by Paulette Kennedy is a lyrical, atmospheric novel that blends historical fiction with a touch of the gothic. Set in the 1970s Ozarks, the story follows a woman uncovering family secrets and artistic legacy while healing from personal loss.

Kennedy’s prose is rich and evocative, painting the natural world with as much care as her characters' emotional journeys. Themes of creativity, resilience, and female empowerment shine throughout, making this a deeply moving and quietly magical read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for allowing me to have an advance listener copy of The Artist of Blackberry Grange by Paulette Kennedy in exchange for my honest review.

Some key highlights in the summary description of the book that drew me to it include: 1920s, family drama, eerie portraits, and a mansion in the Ozarks. It turned out to be quite the page turner if you can say that about an audiobook.

Sadie Halloran is recovering from the death of her mother and a difficult break up. She travels to her elderly great-aunt Marguerite’s home partly as an escape and partly to be a caregiver to her aunt who is living with dementia. When she arrives, Sadie quickly begins to understand that there is much more than meets the eye at Blackberry Grange and the portraits that Aunt Marguerite spends her time painting.

Lots of twists and turns in this one. The narrator Lauren Ezzo does a great job distinguishing the characters and tone in each scene. This isn't a genre I regularly read, but I found the paranormal activity to be an insightful metaphor showcasing the ways untold family secrets can impact the next generation. The beginning was a little slow, but the second half flew by. 3.5 stars rounded up!

Thank you Brilliance Publishing for my gifted ALC!

Paulette Kennedy does it again. I am not a historical fiction person by any means, but there is something so grandeur and sweeping about the way Kennedy writes, that it’s hard to not be swept in and enamored by her words, her story, her plot and characters. This book was haunting. Atmospheric. Beautiful.

I really loved the premise of this book…ghosts, family secrets, and a crumbling mansion in the Ozarks? Right up my alley. The atmosphere was rich, the writing pulled me in, and the supernatural elements were well woven into the story. What surprised me was just how much romance was baked into the plot & it definitely leaned spicier than I expected! While that wasn’t what initially drew me in, it was handled well and added a different emotional layer to the story.

Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

A captivating gothic tale with heartfelt characters and many twists. My first Paulette Kennedy book, and I'll read more. I switched from Ebook to Audio. The narration was excellent and engaging—perfect for a rainy day.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the free audiobook in exchange for my honest review. Lauren Ezzo does a fantastic job narrating this story!

Gothic horror with ghosts thrown in is not my typical genre but I really enjoyed this historic atmospheric read!

Sadie, on the bad end of a affair with a married man, leaves Kansas City, seizes the opportunity to care for her great aunt in Arkansas, Marguerite, who is deteriorating with dementia. It helps that Marguerite is very wealthy and lives in a mansion. However, many family secrets come to light when Sadie experiences the supernatural through her aunt’s haunting portraits she’s painted of people now deceased, by traveling through her aunt's paintings, which are actually portals to the past.

The first half of the book focused on Sadie's ended affair and then a lustful affair with a handsome ghost. However, the second half focused more on the mystery of Marguerite and her paintings. The tension and mystery started to build about half way through and I found I liked the second half musch more than the first.

3.5 rounded up!

At the beginning of this novel there is a long list of content warning that might deter some readers but I found the story itself to be quite compelling.
The narrative centers around Marguerite whose story is both heartbreaking and inspiring, she was a resilient and remarkable woman.
The narrator does a wonderful job with the main character, Sadie, yet I had difficulty warming to her in the beginning. I adored Beckett and Weston was formidable character.
This historical tale includes family secrets, difficult relationships, the haunting presence of ghosts, magical portraits and alternate realities. The author presents a well-rounded story seamlessly blending family drama, suspense, romance and supernatural intrigue. Highly recommend.
Thank you to the publisher/author for the opportunity to listen to this complimentary advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.