The Secrets of Thorndale Manor by Syrie James

 

Anthea has done what she had dreamed about for years. Governessing had been hard but she and sister Selena had stuck it out and now opened their school for girls. The Manor was spacious and ideal for the purpose but what they did not take into account was its history. The previous owners sister was charged with the murder of her husband and was hanged for it. When just weeks into her ownership, a young housemaid was found drowned in a nearby river, the gossip and insinuations started that the house was doomed and the success of the school and getting more pupils was low.

Despite warnings to the contrary Anthea was determined to get to both mysteries. Why and who would want to murder an inconsequential house maid unless she had valuable information that she could use as blackmail, and who hated Caroline Vernon so much that she got implicated in the murder of her husband. 

Anthea finds herself in a dangerous position of not knowing whom she can trust, because all of them have plenty of secrets to hide.

The ending was surprising and unexpected. Always a nice surprise. This Victorian setting gothic themed read was a good one.

Sent by Dragonblade Publishing for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.