The Blythe Girl by Alex Webster

Obsession and desperation lead to scandalous deeds and sinister consequences in The Blythe Girl by Alex Webster, a fantastically dark period drama.

William is a Regency gentleman torn in two – determined to fulfill the duties of husband and father, but also driven to the edge of madness by an infatuation cut tragically short. When William’s long-suffering groundskeeper offers him the chance to bring the headstrong Miss Blythe back to life, he makes that fateful choice, unaware of the ulterior motives behind the supernatural proposition. Miraculous as her revival initially seems, the veil of death is not crossed lightly, and a steep price must always be paid.

Impeccably polished in its period language, the prose is enchantingly authentic, and the dialogue crackles with insinuations and lavish barbs. The narration intimately fleshes out the emotional depth of the key characters, particularly William and his wife Charlotte, while also setting macabre scenes with descriptive grit and originality. Josceline is a chilling villain, and the grim vessel through which the novel’s themes are distilled – love, loss, and the lasciviousness of men.

There are occasional flashes of redundant vocabulary, but that is the lone technical critique in a masterfully penned novel that convincingly blends genres, which will appeal to fans of both historical fiction and Gothic horror.

Book Links