The Taxidermist's Daughter

The Taxidermist's Daughter by Kate Mosse
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The year is 1912. I wonder why Kate chose that year. It's of no consequence however apart from setting the scene for a Gothic style chiller. 50 pages in, I stifled a yawn. Where is this going? What do birds have to do with this, apart from the theme of taxidermy. 100 pages in my curiosity was aroused. By page 200 I was hooked. Well and truly hooked. The pace quickened. The atmosphere darkened. The characters took on different guises. The location was wild and dark and chilling. A mesmerising plot line full of evil deeds. A Sussex location steeped in folklore and mystery. A horrid event comes back from the past to haunt the present. I raced through the last 200 pages, breathless, intrigued, spellbound. Well done Kate Mosse. The Taxidermist's Daughter is another classic that deserves my recommendation.

View all my reviews

The Mistletoe Bride by Kate Mosse

The Mistletoe Bride & Other Haunting Tales by Kate Mosse
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Some traditional ghost stories, some subtle stories of loss and grief and a fitting circular route where the collection begins and ends with the poor Mistletoe Bride from two different interpretations.  An elegant collection full of unease. My particular favourites were ‘The Revenant’ and ‘On Harting Hill’. The finishing touch is the wonderful illustrations by Rohan Daniel Eason, which add to the magic of the collection. Thoroughly recommended.


View all my reviews