SOME HOUSES ARE HAUNTED BY THE LIVING June, 1878. The body of a boy is pulled from the depths of the River Thames, suspected to be the beloved missing child of the widely admired Liberal MP Ralph Gethin.

Four months earlier. Harriet is a young maid newly employed at Finton Hall. Fleeing the drudgery of an unwanted engagement in the small village where she grew up, Harriet is entranced by the grand country hall; she is entranced too by her glamorous mistress Clara Gethin, whose unearthly singing voice floats through the house. But Clara, though captivating, is erratic.

The master of the house is a much-lauded politician, but he is strangely absent. And some of their beautiful belongings seem to tell terrible stories. Unable to ignore her growing unease, Harriet sets out to discover their secrets. When she uncovers a shocking truth, a chain of events is set in motion that could cost Harriet everything, even her freedom…

My Review

I never expected to love this as much as I did. I had never heard of this author, but Gothic is my favourite genre.

When the old lady that housemaid Harriett looks after is dying, she asks her to take care of Clara, wife of popular Liberal MP Ralph Gethin at Finton Hall. But all is not as it seems. While Gethin is considered to be a good man, looking after the poor and needy, even destined for the top job, he is in fact a monster. He is cruel to his wife and allows all sorts of unsavoury things to go on in the house.

Of course no-one would believe Clara, who is considered to be unstable. She doesn’t even appear to care for their baby son Edward. But Clara has an agenda and it involves Harriett, but it could put both of them in mortal danger.

I found the whole premise fascinating, as I did the background, the age in which it is set, and the power that men held over their wives. I listened to it on Borrowbox and the narration was brilliant.

About the Author

Hester Musson’s debut novel, The Beholders, was a Times bestseller, a Sunday Times historical book of the month and shortlisted for the HWA Debut Crown in 2024. Her second novel, The Night Hag, was published in February 2026.

She grew up in Leicestershire and studied English Literature at Bristol University, later completing a master’s in drama at the RCS in Glasgow. She was an actress and autocue operator (among other things) in London before writing full time and now lives in Scotland.