This is the second book of The Audacious Sisterhood of Smoke and Fire and immediately begins with a mysterious death. Athena and Selena Taylor are barely able to keep their girls school open, and the unfortunate death of their maid leads them to seek the truth. If they don’t, the future of the school is in peril of closing.

I enjoyed that there were several mysteries and certainly multiple twists to the story. Did I figure out who was the murderer? Yes, but it was almost to the end of the story, and I was interested the entire time in seeing how everything would be concluded. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series and what mystery awaits Selena and hopefully Athena too.

Things to enjoy:
Victorian period
secrets
Pride and Prejudice elements
a ghost
the students
Mrs. Hillman

I received this complimentary copy from the publisher and Austenprose. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

What a mystery! The story covers a current murder and the fears that it might connect to a previous murder. I love how the author ties things together. It may be a red herring, but it also somehow ties into a character's past or connects to another piece of the story. Lots of intrigue, lots of missed connections, but a wonderfully chilling tale altogether!

We are now following our second sister as they open the all girls school that was discussed in the first book. Our third sister is there as well, but this is not her book. Things that I liked, I did enjoy the mystery. I felt the who was pretty straight forward and the why made sense. I also liked that there seemed to be more romance in this one. The reason why is cause in the first one, it took much of a back seat, it felt very insta love as there wasn't a ton of romantic senarios. This book had more so it made more sense why they would be into each other. My main issue was that our FL seemed almost TSL sometimes. She was always telling EVERYONE everything. And then being like I have no way to narrow anything down cause I told everyone or in a very public/busy place. Then was schocked when accidents would happen. I was shocked by the twist in the book.

Overall, this book felt like it flew by but had that one frustrating portion. Thus 3.5. I can't wait for the next one!

3.5 stars. I feel like the minor issues I had with this book were solely on me and not on the author. I had previously read two Syrie James novels years ago so when I saw that she was now writing romance for dragonblade I quickly grabbed it as a read now. I feel like the writing style was good and I enjoyed the plot as well as the plot twist at the end. I think I just didn’t always feel engaged with the novel and the characters. Personally, I love have the dual POV of the MMC and feel like I would have enjoyed the book more being able to see Ian’s perspective.

Synopsis: Miss Athena Taylor runs the struggling Darkmoor Bridge School for Girls in Thorndale Manor - a gothic house darkened by a murder and the owner's daughter being hanged for it. When the School's maid is found dead, Athena's intuition tells her it's connected to the last murder and she sets out to correct the miscarriage of justice she's sure took place, no matter who, or what, tries to keep her out of it.

Review: While I loved the concept and the setting, this story was undermined by the naive main character who insisted on unnecessarily throwing herself into danger at every turn. Her constantly telling everyone around her about her investigation despite the consequences was also frustrating. The actual mystery was solvable within the first few chapters, and the final twist was unbelievable and destroyed all the good work leading up to it.

With thanks to NetGalley and the Publishers for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another good story by Syrie James on the Audacious Sisterhood of Smoke & Fire. This time we are given more information with Diana’s youngers sisters, Athena, and Selena as they run the boarding school where a murder took place. This has made it difficult for them to attract a decent student enrolment, with only eight families willing to send their daughters to Thorndale for the good education it provides.

Athena decides to investigate the truth behind the rumours of the murder take an unexpected turn when one of their own maids drowns in the lake in her “good shoes.” The circumstances around her drowning are suspect with the locals wanting the school to close its doors and have Athena and Selena go away. Intrigue, mystery, excitement and romance rolled into one. A page turner for sure. I received an ARC from the publishers and NetGalley with thanks and submit my honest review voluntarily.

It was nice to get a story about Diana's sisters in the second book of the series. The mystery of the house that the girls' school is in immediately made me curious to see whether a travesty of justice had occurred in the hanging of the previous occupant. Many characters are introduced, and another murder occurs fairly quickly. Athena's drive to solve both mysteries and discover whether they are connected puts her in precarious positions and threatens the existence of her school. Ian is an interesting character, and I loved how we slowly learn more about him and his history. It felt like every character had a secret, and I kept guessing at what each one was and whether it connected to either of the murders.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book.

“The Secrets of Thorndale Manor” is the second in The Audacious Sisterhood of Smoke and Fire series by Syrie James. It can be read as a standalone.

Athena and her sister Selena are running their School for Girls, but are having trouble attracting pupils. Thorndale Manor was once the home to a convicted murderess, so families are quite put off. Athena is determined to find out what really happened so as to ease the fears of potential students, but once she starts uncovering the truth about Caroline Vernon she becomes a target. Even Caroline’s brother, the mysterious and very handsome Ian Vernon urges Athena to drop her investigation. Athena is convinced that Caroline was innocent of the crime for which she was convicted and will do everything in her power to uncover the true killer even though it may cost Athena her life.

“The Secrets of Thorndale Manor” is a fast read and an entertaining historical mystery with gothic overtones. The setting is delightfully atmospheric and the characters, who all seem to have secrets, are interesting. There are twists in the story that keep the reader engaged and the slow-burn romance is sweet.

This story is great for readers who enjoy historical mysteries, Victorian gothic mysteries, and slow-burn romances.

I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I absolutely adored The Secrets of Thorndale Manor by Syrie James. I cannot remember a time when I enjoyed a book so much for the sheer pleasure of it. From the first line to the last I was captivated by this Victorian gothic mystery romance that held me spellbound with its family secrets, many red herrings and Agatha Christie twists and turns! The pacing is perfect and the dialogue feels authentic. The characters are well formed and drew a lot of mixed emotions from me. The plot was complex and extremely fascinating. I cannot rave enough about this wonderful novel that has obvious Bronte influences (which I love) with its 1850 Yorkshire setting. Echoes of Charlotte Bronte’s younger days at a girl’s school are evident here, too. As well the book’s title pays homage to Jane Eyre’s Thornfield Hall. The author states that her aunt and uncle’s house in Chicago on Thorndale Avenue influenced it, too. I love that Syrie’s life has inspired her story. As a writer myself, I know how much we draw upon our experiences, personal roots, passions and interests which add authenticity to a novel’s fabric. Exceptional research is evident, too, and has been neatly woven into The Secrets of Thorndale Manor. There are clear demonstrations of the era’s customs which created challenges for those whose attractions were classed as ‘forbidden.’

Our heroine, Athena Taylor, is a very endearing character with keen observation and sleuthing skills. She outsmarts the men around her who cannot seem to look past the obvious to find the real killers of this double mystery. As a passionate and committed headmistress of the Darkmoor Bridge School, Athena takes her position seriously and wants girls to have the same education and opportunities as boys. We could easily say she is ahead of her time in her modern views. She swears off marriage as she is not prepared to give up her freedom, her profession or any of her assets to a man as in those days, the husband had control and took possession of everything a woman had when she married. Personally I loved Athena’s fiery resistance and desire to be independent. But as the story progresses, our heroine’s heart is challenged, after she meets the brooding, yet charming Mr. Vernon, previous heir of Thorndale Manor. His charismatic ways and respectful treatment of her thoughts, make her reconsider her views on marriage. Though she still holds strong feminist views, she realises being with the right man, may make marriage a real possibility. So yes, the enemies to lovers theme is present and courses through the veins of this novel’s beating heart.

This is without question, an exciting atmospheric page-turner that kept me engaged as I followed Athena’s every step toward trying to solve two murders that haunt her and are connected to Thorndale Manor. She wants to clear the victims’ names and her home and school. For this negative connection to Thorndale has affected the number of students who attend. She feels the woman who was accused of murder has been wrongly sentenced (due to the holes in the case against her). Our heroine is on an admirable mission but it places her in great danger. At times my heart was racing with the suspense. It is such an intriguing plot with many threads and challenges. I just could not stop reading and found myself waking at all hours and picking up the story to see where it would go! My imagination was ablaze with excitement and I loved every moment of this profound adventure. It reminded me of my love for Victorian suspense-mysteries.

The Secrets of Thorndale Manor is such a rich and distinctive story and I am so happy to have read it. I have feasted on a number of Syrie’s novels in the past and loved them all but I have not read the first book of the The Audacious Sisterhood of Smoke & Fire series so I’ve downloaded it and look forward to another great adventure! I totally recommend this brilliant historical mystery romance! 5 Breathtaking Stars ! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Huge thanks to Syrie James, Dragonblade Publishing and Netgalley for my review copy.

Thank you to my publisher Dragonblade for offering The Secrets of Thorndale Manor on NetGalley and to all the readers who have posted reviews. I requested the book on NetGalley which means I'm obliged to post a review, but since I can't write a review for my own novel, I'll share some Behind the Book insights for readers.

This is book 2 in the Audacious Sisterhood of Smoke & Fire series, about bold sister sleuths who are each swept up in murder, mystery, and romance set in ancient English country manor houses. In THE SECRETS OF THORNDALE MANOR, Athena Taylor (the sister of the heroine from book 1, THE MYSTERIES OF PENDOWAR HALL) is the bright, dedicated headmistress of a girls’ school in Yorkshire, England in 1850. An early feminist, she is against marriage at the start, for she’d have to give up many personal rights and freedoms to her husband, and perhaps even the occupation she loves. But Athena’s feelings begin to change when she meets a charismatic architect, Ian Vernon, the brooding former heir of Thorndale Manor. Athena investigates two murders and finds herself in terrifying danger, caught between the pursuit of truth and justice and a powerful attraction to Ian Vernon, who’s hiding a secret that threatens to derail everything.

Secrets Behind the Setting

The setting for this book was inspired by the research I did into the life of Charlotte Brontë for my novel THE SECRET DIARIES OF CHARLOTTE BRONTË. Charlotte, as a young teen, attended Roe Head School at a manor house in the Yorkshire countryside, an experience she always treasured. Later, in 1835, she returned to Roe Head School as a teacher and taught there for three years before leaving to become a governess.

I had the great pleasure of visiting the former Roe Head School which is now part of Holly Bank Special School in Mirfield, West Yorkshire. I was treated to a fabulous tour of the mansion from the cellars to the attics. The headmaster of the school regaled me with tales of the house’s history, including a story about a resident ghost! Walking those halls, I felt as if I was soaking up the atmosphere of those long-ago days when Charlotte attended school there and made lifelong friends.

Two of Charlotte Brontë’s novels are set at a girls’ school, inspired by her personal experiences as a student and schoolteacher. I had such a wonderful time writing a novel in a similar setting. The name I chose for the house, Thorndale Manor, is both an homage to Thornfield Hall in Brontë’s JANE EYRE (one of my all-time favorite books), as well as a tribute to my dear Aunt Leila and Uncle Neil Handelman, who were great supporters of my work, and who lived for many long decades at a gorgeous house in Chicago on Thorndale Avenue.

It was such fun to create my own Victorian-era school and populate it with students, each of whom I hope you’ll find interesting and endearing. I’m a huge fan of Gothic romantic suspense. THE SECRETS OF THORNDALE MANOR is inspired by the page-turning novels of Charlotte Brontë, Mary Stewart, Daphne du Maurier, and Victoria Holt, which I have loved all my life—with an exciting dose of Agatha Christie thrown in to keep the plot twisty and include some big surprises that I hope will knock your socks off!

I really liked the characters in this book—their personalities felt vivid and real, and the chemistry between Athena and Ian was absolutely magnetic. I couldn’t stop turning the pages, completely hooked on the story and desperate to see what would happen next.
When Athena Taylor opens the Darkmoor Bridge School for Girls at the mysterious Thorndale Manor, she’s hoping for a fresh start. But a maid’s suspicious death and whispers of an old murder quickly pull her into a chilling mystery. Ian Vernon, the estate’s brooding former heir, warns her to leave the past alone, but Athena’s determination only deepens—along with her unexpected connection to Ian.
The suspense, secrets, and romantic tension kept me on the edge of my seat all the way to the end. A gripping and atmospheric read.

If you want to read a heart-stopping, thrilling mystery story, this is the one! This author does a delicious job of hiding the villains, giving the reader many different suspects, each with their own reasons. Athena is like a dog with a bone, refusing to let go of what she deems important . Finding the real culprit for the murder was her bone and she refused to let go! Ian is a troubled man, losing his sister and his home. The twists and turns of this story will leave your head spinning and one such moment with blow your mind! I adore this author and will continue to read her novels. I love her style of writing, especially no crass language , reminiscent of the Brontë sisters and Jane Austen. I love a good , well written mystery with well developed characters and a well plotted story and this one fits the bill, TO A TEE!

I received this story for free and these are my own views.

The author says in the Afterword that she was trying to bring in a few elements from Charlotte Bronte. The story wasn’t quite as gothic as maybe she hoped it was. I liked the idea of two sisters trying to establish a girls’ school in a mansion. But there were two murders to solve, one from nine years ago and one that happened in the opening chapter. Our intrepid heroines investigate these murders while risking their own lives.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

Once again, Syrie James has delivered a suspenseful and compelling historical mystery. This new series is such a delight. I adore the characters, the pacing is just right, and the mystery is super satisfying. I’m already eager for the next installment!

Thank you to the publisher and Austenprose for an opportunity to read this ahead of publication!

A mystery romance, part of the series, but that can also be read as a standalone.
The story was not straight forward, but it was hard to sympathize with the characters. Thus, the romance felt a bit flat. There were ups and downs in the romance and a lot of mis-steps in the mystery. It seemed to have stormed and rained a lot in the book, but maybe it is also part of the genre as well as the season described.
There was a lot of repetitions of the findings and thoughts, that felt too much. It also seemed that everyone in the village was a suspect and just checked off, as “everybody was at the party”. It felt a bit tedious. Also, the final chapter was realized as a series of speeches which dragged on a bit.

A fast and cozy read, with a HEA.

Thanks to netgally for the arc. Opinions ae my own.

Book 2 in The Audacious Sisterhood of Smoke & Fire by Syrie James captured my imagination so completely with its authentic Victorian setting, intriguing mystery, and compelling romance that I nearly missed the gorgeous sunny day outside. It can be read solo, but I loved it so much that I started Book 1, The Mysteries of Pendowar Hall, right after and am loving it too. Brava, Ms. James!

A nice mystery romance, the second installment in this series makes for an entertaining reading that will keep you wanting to know more.

A part of the mystery was easily solvable for me and the culprit of the second mystery was also not that unexpected.

The characters are relatable and lovable, as in the first book of the series that I liked a bit better than this one.

Let's see what the author has in store for Selena in the next book, I guess!

I have received an advance copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily, thanks to the author for it.

Wow, this book was a wild ride! I enjoyed The Mysteries of Pendowar Hall, the previous book in the series, so I snapped this sequel as soon as it appeared on NetGalley, and I was not disappointed! I read it in a day because I just couldn’t put it down.

I loved both of the main characters and the interesting cast of side characters. I figured out the murder mystery, but James did a good job giving many people a motive. Even though some events were over-the-top improbable and the romance felt a bit less developed than in the previous book, I still definitely enjoyed this well-written book.

I give this book 4.5 stars rounded up to 5! This closed-door romance and historical mystery will thrill fans of Northanger Abbey, Jane Eyre, or Mimi Matthews’ Belle of Belgrave Square.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for the free eARC! I post this review with my honest opinions. This review is cross-posted to Goodreads, and will be posted to Instagram and Amazon within one week of the book’s publication.

Content warnings: violence including peril, injury, and description of a dead body; descriptive kissing and mention that a woman wants to be “in bed” with a man; mentions of a ghost but there isn’t really a supernatural element in the book