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The Secret of Matterdale Hall Kindle Edition

by Marianne Ratcliffe (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 41 ratings
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Golden Crown Literary Society Finalist, 2023

Susan Mottram lives an idyllic existence until her eighteenth birthday, when her father's sudden death plunges the family into penury.

To support her mother and younger sister, Susan takes employment as a teacher at a remote Yorkshire boarding school, Matterdale Hall, owned by the radical Dr. Claybourn and his penny-pinching wife.

Susan soon discovers that all is not as it seems. Why is little Mary so silent? What really happened to Susan's predecessor? Is anyone safe in the school's draughty halls? Through a life-changing meeting with the beautiful and mysterious Cassandra, Susan begins to uncover the truth about Matterdale Hall, and discovers the cruelty, and love, that can lie within the human heart.
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  1. Print length
    327 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    November 15, 2022
  5. File size
    2642 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Yorkshire, 1860s: the young Miss Mottrams, daughters of a rural vicar, have "a marked preference for gothic romances". Their idyllic existence comes to an abrupt end with the sudden death of their father and the discovery of his debts.

Before long, 18-year-old Susan Mottram finds herself immersed in a Gothic novel of her own when she obtains a role as a teacher at the dirty and unprepossessing Matterdale Hall, where "the only colour was provided by a ring of glistening moss, which crept round the base of the house like grass-stains on the hem of a petticoat."

Dr Claybourn exudes Dickensian bonhomie, but collectively the Claybourn family could have been imagined by the scriptwriters of The League of Gentlemen; one daughter is a laudanum-addicted invalid. It's quickly clear that the Hall is a school for girls not wanted at home, much as Dotheboys Hall was for boys (complete with the mute Mary Martin, fulfilling the role of Smike), except that Dr Claybourn fancies himself an enlightened pioneer—and an alienist (the old term for a psychiatrist).

Susan's dismay is only alleviated by her encounter with the beautiful Cassandra, living a reclusive existence in nearby Heathersage Manor. Cassandra is reviled locally for her black skin and her disability—like Mary Martin, she is profoundly deaf—but Susan learns to sign and the two fall in love. There are shades here of both Jane Eyre and of Wuthering Heights, along with a tongue-in-cheek reference to "Mr Bell's The Tenant of Wildfell Hall", but both plot and style echo most closely the "sensation" novels of Mrs. Braddon. When Susan investigates the disappearance of her predecessor at the Hall she puts herself in mortal danger. This is an impressive and atmospheric debut, not just for the author but for her publisher.

-The Historical Novel Society-

Readers' Favorite 5 STAR review:
The Secret of Matterdale Hall by Marianne Ratcliffe is a slow-burn gothic historical novel set in a secluded Yorkshire boarding school. After having grown up in relative comfort, Susan Mottram finds herself thrust into poverty upon her father's death. With her mother and sister to look after, Susan takes up a position as a teacher at Matterdale Hall, an all-girls school run by the Claybourns, replacing the previous teacher who had left rather suddenly. Adjacent to the school is an asylum, where Dr. Claybourn treats several patients. However, as innocuous as it may appear on the surface, Matterdale Hall is anything but. Susan finds herself struggling with the isolation as well as the coldness of the family. Yet, on a walk one day, she runs into Cassandra, the deaf daughter of a nearby estate owner. As truths come to light, Susan soon finds herself at risk of becoming one of Matterdale Hall's dark secrets.

I am always pleased when I find a historical novel that captivates my attention and has me hungry for more. The Secret of Matterdale Hall by Marianne Ratcliffe does just that. She expertly matched Susan's innocence of the world with a strong growth of character. Her compassion for the girls at the school provides a perfect foil to the uncaring nature of Mrs. Claybourn. However, I appreciated how the author developed the other characters to show that not everything is as meets the eye. The interaction between Susan and Cassandra created another level of the story, and I truly appreciated their unique and accepting relationship. I would certainly recommend this novel to readers with a penchant for the gothic style and will eagerly seek out other books by this author.
-Reviewed by Heather Osborne for Readers' Favorite-

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BG65TSV6
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bellows Press (November 15, 2022)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 15, 2022
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2642 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 327 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 41 ratings

About the author

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Marianne Ratcliffe

Marianne Ratcliffe

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Marianne Ratcliffe grew up in Lincolnshire. A biochemist by training, she has always found creating new worlds and interesting characters every bit as rewarding as discoveries at a laboratory bench. She had short stories published in literary magazines and was runner up in the Guildford Book Festival short story competition in 2010. In 2017, redundancy spurred her to focus on creative writing. A contract with independent UK publisher Bellows Press resulted in the publication of The Secret of Matterdale Hall, a sapphic romance/mystery set in the Victorian era, which was a finalist in the Golden Crown Literary Society Awards. Her latest novel, A Lady to Treasure, is a Regency romance inspired by the life and character of Anne Lister (aka Gentleman Jack) and was released in October 2023 and has been shortlisted for a Lambda Literary Award

Marianne lives in Cheshire with her wife and two dogs.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
41 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

LaChelvi
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Gothic Novel and the Heroines live happily ever after
Reviewed in the United States on November 28, 2023
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If you are looking for something a little darker than Austen and a little lighter than the Bronte's, then this book is for you. I was on the edge of my seat and could not put the book down. Most importantly the bad guys got was due them and the heroines get to live happily ever after.
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Kelly S Oliner
5.0 out of 5 stars Great setting for an engaging story
Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2023
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A nice read with interesting characters and historical lives woven in. Compelling story that had me reading late into the night.
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Silver's Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars A Gothic novel with secrets and some evil deeds
Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2022
Teacher or servant?

Susan was the new teacher at Matterdale Hall but was certainly not treated as such.

Not sure why she stayed there. Most likely because of the way the girls housed there were treated.

We find Susan had to get a job somewhere after her father died since her mother had no income and was ready to be assigned to the poor house.

I’m sure her new assignment wasn’t any better than being in the poor house since she was treated poorly, had hardly had anything to eat, and was paid poorly.

I definitely would have left.

There has to be something going on here that the outside world doesn’t know about and what the parents don't care about.

What will Susan find if she continues there as a new teacher?

She actually finds out that she is needed, but is she safe there with all the characters seeming to be against her and an asylum within the house.

There are upsetting situations and a secret hidden within the walls of Matterdale Hall.

You will feel the darkness and danger lurking and your fear for Susan increase as your heart pounds. 

What could this secret be?

Find out the secret of Matterdale Hall in this Gothic novel with characters performing and hiding evil deeds. 4/5

This book was given to me by the author for an honest review.
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Brandy
5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating and endearing
Reviewed in the United States on November 28, 2022
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This was a slow-burn love story with a gothic/horror twist. Queer protagonists who do more than fall in love. We need more books like this in the world. I 100% recommend reading this book.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Miss Laura Burgoyne
5.0 out of 5 stars Atmospheric gothic romance with unique twists
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 29, 2024
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I read this lovely book over a cold weekend accompanied by tea or red wine depending on the time of day, and it was such an atmospheric read. Really enjoyed the mix of traditional tropes of gothic romance with unique flourishes and inclusive representation (much lacking, of course, in most Victoriana romances!), and some unexpected twists. Recommended!
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Miss Laura Burgoyne
5.0 out of 5 stars Atmospheric gothic romance with unique twists
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 29, 2024
I read this lovely book over a cold weekend accompanied by tea or red wine depending on the time of day, and it was such an atmospheric read. Really enjoyed the mix of traditional tropes of gothic romance with unique flourishes and inclusive representation (much lacking, of course, in most Victoriana romances!), and some unexpected twists. Recommended!
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DN
5.0 out of 5 stars Thrilling mystery on the moors
Reviewed in Australia on February 22, 2024
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I loved this so much - I felt so invested in the outcome for the protagonists!
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars I couldn't put it down!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 7, 2023
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This book was an absolute page turner! I just HAD to find out what the secret of Matterdale Hall was. Every opportunity to sneak off for 5 minutes to read a few more pages was taken! Captivating, mysterious, sad and beautiful this book had me on tenterhooks anticipating what was coming next. The depth to each character and the fullness of the story made me feel that I was there watching everything as a silent observer rather than reading words on a page. THANK YOU for this book.
3 people found this helpful
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JB
5.0 out of 5 stars A boarding school that was not what it seemed
Reviewed in Australia on November 18, 2022
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Like many 19th century novels or novels based on the 19th century, this book starts off relatively slowly and then becomes quite fast paced. It is set at a remote boarding school in Yorkshire - a place where girls are sent when their families do not want them around and are not willing or able to pay for a more upmarket school. It's fascinating to see what emerges at this school. There are some parts reminiscent of Picnic at Hanging Rock but the author has confirmed that is coincidental - it was not one of her inspirations.
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Lady Stark
4.0 out of 5 stars Hmmm
Reviewed in Australia on August 5, 2023
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Think of the Parisian orphan girl Madeline but add a missing person mystery. With a dreary imposing school affix an overly frugal mistress, unsettlingly jovial psychiatrist husband and polar opposite daughters. Instead of Pepito as neighbour, substitute him to a reclusive mixed race young lady who loves to draw. And there you have the backdrop of a thrilling, queer, gothic, historical fiction novel.
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