The House on Blackstone Moor

The House on Blackstone Moor is a dark gothic novel by Carole Gill. Carole is a prolific writer with several books to her name and her stories have been included in several anthologies and publications. The House on Blackstone Moor follows the story of  Rose, a young lady whose entire family has been slaughtered by a crazed killer. To make matters worse, the killer was her father- who then committed suicide. The incident pushes Rose over the edge and she travels from one institution to another. But she pulls herself together and takes a governess position with the Darton's. That's when the real trouble begins, as the Darton's are not what they appear.

The book has all manner of horrifying creatures from vampires to demons, nasty housekeepers and satanic cults, and worst of all- real monsters in the form of men. The plot was fast paced and there was no lack of action! Poor Rose is thrown from one horrific mess to the next, with very little time to relax. And yet, she manages to fall in love, bond with the Darton children and survive with her wits mostly in tact. She is definitely a character you can root for.

Carole Gill has some new twists on vampire lore, a host of demi demons and her book begs the question- can a creature without a soul still have a conscience? Can someone with a soul love a demon? And the major question that seems to drive the book- are men born evil or do we invite the evil in?

The book kept me reading, even as I got a little frustrated with Rose (in parts she seems a bit wishy washy and unable to make decisions on her own). The storyline still drew me in and I wanted to see what happened to her next. I also wondered just how many bad things could happen to one poor girl. At times it was a bit confusing- is she a vampire now, or is she a human? And there is a bit of repetition. But all in all, it's a fascinating story. It's also filled with some interesting history. Carole Gill really does her research.

I would recommend the book to those who like gothic horror, vampires and evil men. There is also a sequel in the works which will focus on Eco, the very evil demi-demon, the guy you love to hate! As always, you can read my interview with Carole Gill over on The Author Spot.

Happy Reading,
♥Spot