The Death of Jane Lawrence: A Novel

I have heard that most marriages have a period of adjustment, even marriages of convenience. In this gothic horror story, the heroine gives up a life of cloistered security in order to have agency in her own life. The heroine, Jane Lawrence, is skilled as an accountant and so very practical that she selects her husband from a list of prospects who reside nearby. From the very first meeting with her future husband, there is turmoil, death, and foreshadowing of occult practices.

According to the terms of the marriage, Jane will reside in town and her husband will retire to his estate during the night. Nevertheless, she finds herself, due to unforeseen circumstances, at the estate after dark. It soon emerges that the estate is haunted and her husband’s past is murkier than she could ever have realized. Jane is in constant peril as her life is threatened.

This novel is a true page turner with over-the-top trepidation and gore on every page. The terror is somewhat overlong and overdone, but the beginning makes for a very engaging read.