Publication Date: July 30, 2024
Jane Eyre meets The Thirteenth Tale in this new modern gothic mystery from two-time Mary Higgins Clark Award–winner Carol Goodman, about a reclusive writer who is desperate to rewrite the past.
Losing yourself inside of a book can be dangerous. Not everyone finds their way out.
Agnes Corey, a junior editor at a small independent publisher, has been hired by enigmatic author Veronica St. Clair to transcribe the sequel to her 1993 hit phenomenon, The Secret of Wyldcliffe Heights. St. Clair has been a recluse since the publication of the Jane Eyre-esque book, which coincided with a terrible fire that blinded and scarred her. Arriving in the Hudson Valley at St. Clair’s crumbling estate, which was once a psychiatric hospital for “wayward women,” Agnes is eager to ensure St. Clair’s devoted fans will get the sequel they’ve been anticipating for the past thirty years.
As St. Clair dictates, Agnes realizes there are clues in the story that reveal the true—and terrifying—events three decades ago that inspired the original novel. The line between fact and fiction becomes increasingly blurred, and Agnes discovers terrible secrets about an unresolved murder from long ago, which have startling connections to her own life. As St. Clair’s twisting tale infiltrates Agnes’s psyche, Agnes begins to question her own sanity—and safety. In order to save herself, Agnes must uncover what really happened to St. Clair, and in doing so, set free the stories of all the women victimized by Wyldcliffe Heights.
Since she was a child, Agnes Corey has been enthralled with Wyldcliffe Heights, a novel by the elusive Veronica St. Clair. So when she is given the opportunity to go to the real Wyldcliffe Heights and help Veronica with a sequel, she jumps at the chance. But quickly, Anges starts to be haunted by the home, and her past comes back to haunt her in Return to Wyldcliffe Heights by Carol Goodman.
Agnes Corey had a rough childhood and bounced from foster home to foster home, running back to her mother at every chance she could. After leaving juvenile detention, Agnes is determined to follow her dreams of joining the publishing world. Finally given a chance at Gatehouse Books, she is ready to prove herself. But when Gatehouse Books starts to go under, Agnes takes a chance. She writes to her favorite author and Gatehouse writer, Veronica St. Clair, begging for a sequel to Wyldcliffe Heights. To her surprise, Veronica responds, requesting Agnes join her at the real Wyldcliffe Heights and dictate a new novel. Agnes jumps at this chance but is quickly haunted by demons—from nightmares to seeing people around the house—Agnes starts to feel the house is invading her mind. As Veronica’s story begins to unfold, Agnes learns more about Wyldcliffe and sees that danger has not left this home.
I love a good gothic mystery. Goodman perfectly nailed the haunting beauty of a good gothic story, allowing the home of Wyldcliffe to become a character in and of itself. Giving us a glimpse into Agnes’s mind provides us with the feeling that we may not always be following a reliable narrator, something Agnes feels herself at times. The mystery was fun, and it was interesting to connect the story Veronica is telling to Agnes’s own foggy past. I did find that the ending became a little convoluted, but not enough not to enjoy the story. I wish there was a bit more at the beginning that could have connected the ending in a more enjoyable fashion.
Return to Wyldcliffe Heights is a haunting gothic mystery that leaves you questioning everything and everyone. Be prepared to lose yourself in the fog of Wyldcliffe Heights.
Carol Goodman’s rich and prolific career includes novels such as The Widow’s House and The Night Visitor, winners of the 2018 and 2020 Mary Higgins Clark Award. Her books have been translated into sixteen languages. She lives in the Hudson Valley, NY.
