Great Expectations meets Killing Eve

To Victorian high society, Estella is the perfect lady. But her fair face hides dark secrets – what has she done with her husband? And will her past crimes come back to haunt her?

Her freedom hanging by a thread, Estella must find a means of independence. Exploring an opportunity to invest in factory, she is horrified to discover an evil beyond even her imagination and feels the old fire for vengeance burning inside her.

Will she risk everything to mete out her own brand of dark justice? Even it means she cannot survive?

A stunningly dark Gothic crime thriller perfect for fans of Anna Mazzola, Jessie Burton and Hester Musson.

My Review

I absolutely loved the first book in the series – Estella’s Revenge – I say series because I’m sure there will be a third book out soon. I loved Estella’s Fury even more. I got it on Audible – fantastic narration – so I could listen while walking the dog, but in the end I just kept listening, while cooking, doing my hair etc. Everything else went on hold.

It is 1835. Estella’s adoptive mother Miss Havisham has died and she is still grieving for her. Her husband Bentley Drummel has disappeared from society – what has Estella done with him? He almost killed her on their honeymoon in Paris, believing it was his right as her husband to do whatever he wanted with her. But he underestimated Estella, something he will forever regret.

In the meantime, Estella has gone to stay with her friend Elizabeth who is married to Sir John Taykall, many years her senior. Estella doesn’t like him much – and his breath could floor an elephant – but he has offered Elizabeth security and a beautiful home at Riverton. Elizabeth can manage the household to her heart’s content, but it appears that it is run by the butler and the housekeeper. And then there is the strange and aggressive gardener known as Brock. All very odd.

We also have Viscount Coates – a Beau Brummel type figure – and his clerk Mr Blinko. Mr Coates’ father lost the family fortune gambling and his son has had to start again. In two years he has made a fortune in fabrics, but the sums don’t add up. Estella was planning to invest in the factory, but what she discovers is more sinister and unsettling that she could have imagined.

But Estella doesn’t give up. She will get justice for all, whatever the cost. She knows there are links between Mr Coates, Riverton, and an orphanage in Kent, but what are they, and what can she do as a woman on her own? She is not even sure she can trust lawyer Mr Jaggers, who has taken care of her business affairs for her whole life. He is suddenly very backward in coming forward.

I love Estella (though there are times I think she may have gone too far). She is a master of disguise, can switch from the perfect lady to a killer in the blink of an eye, and has no fear, apart from one thing which we find out later. She is the perfect heroine for a Gothic novel. In fact she is the perfect heroine for a modern day tale as well.

About the Author

Barbara is an international bestselling author, whose psychological thrillers have topped Amazon and Kobo. Her writing career started in journalism, interviewing the real victims of crime – and the perpetrators. The realistic, complex characters who populate her fiction reflect this deep understanding. When not writing, Barbara is found walking her two dogs, Scamp and Buddy, or taking photos of wildlife.

Social Media Handles
Twitter/X @BCopperthwait
Instagram @barbaracopperthwaite

Book Links
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com
Purchase link: www.amazon.co.uk