The Death of Jane Lawrence

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Manufacturer: Caitlin Starling
Brand: Horror Fiction, Gothic Fiction, Historical Fantasy
Brew: Hardback
Steeping Time: 368 pages
Tea Service: Authentic Books
Strength:

Synopsis: Practical, unassuming Jane Shoringfield has done the calculations, and decided that the most secure path forward is this: a husband, in a marriage of convenience, who will allow her to remain independent and occupied with meaningful work. Her first choice, the dashing but reclusive doctor Augustine Lawrence, agrees to her proposal with only one condition: that she must never visit Lindridge Hall, his crumbling family manor outside of town.

Yet on their wedding night, an accident strands her at his door in a pitch-black rainstorm, and she finds him changed. Gone is the bold, courageous surgeon, and in his place is a terrified, paranoid man—one who cannot tell reality from nightmare, and fears Jane is an apparition, come to haunt him. By morning, Augustine is himself again, but Jane knows something is deeply wrong at Lindridge Hall, and with the man she has so hastily bound her safety to.

I’ll be honest, I fell in love with this book based on the cover.

I mean, look at it! It’s gorgeous! After reading the synopsis, The Death of Jane Lawrence was an easy choice for me. Spooky? Possible ghosts? Dilapidated old manor house? Check, check, check. The atmosphere was perfect from the start, and I was hooked pretty quickly. I did have a tough time picturing an era since this isn’t set in a real historical setting, so I imagined an 1800s Victorian-style world but after a WWII-type war. Which was weird. But I liked it.

I thought the pace was engaging and I never found myself bored. I enjoyed the characters as well and thought they were well fleshed out. The book did take a turn I wasn’t expecting, and while it didn’t ruin the story at all, I found myself craving for the aspects I thought I’d be getting. However, once I got into the meat of the story, I was pulled right back in and my attention was gripped.

I liked the tension between Jane and Augustine, and I enjoyed watching the nuances of their relationship unfold. Both were enjoyable characters to me, even with all of their flaws and quirks. I thought Jane was a great main character to follow, and I really loved watching her practical mind start to accept the impossible.

I did start to wonder how the book was going to wrap up as I neared the end.

It was one of those situations where the plot doesn’t seem that close to finishing but the pages are running out. The main reason that I rated The Death of Jane Lawrence four cuppas instead of five is because I found the ending rather confusing. Perhaps it was because it was nearing midnight and I’d been reading for a few hours, or perhaps it’s because the second to last chapter truly IS confusing. I’d like to go back and reread it with a fresh set of eyes, but I felt like the manner of speech shifted and I had a hard time following. There was a lot of rereading to make sure I was understanding. I think I’ve got it now, but honestly, I’m still not 100% sure.

Ultimately, The Death of Jane Lawrence is a great book that will keep you up until the wee hours of the night. But beware if you have a sensitive stomach. Alongside the spooky bits is a working surgeon and you get a front-row seat to a few of his surgeries.

If you’re looking for a spooky book that is full of twists and turns, I think you’ll enjoy The Death of Jane Lawrence. It gave me The Haunting of Hill House vibes, so you might like it if you enjoyed that book/show, too.

Have you read The Death of Jane Lawrence? Leave a comment and let me know what you thought about it! Want to read it for yourself? Click here to get a copy of your own.
Cheers,
Lydia