Review – The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling

I received this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling
Narrator: Mandy Weston
Published by Macmillan Audio, St. Martin's Griffin on October 5, 2021
Genres: Fiction / Horror
Length: 13 hours 28 minutes
Format: Audiobook, Paperback
Source: Library, Publisher
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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.

Set in a dark-mirror version of post-war England, Caitlin Starling crafts a new kind of gothic horror from the bones of the beloved canon. This Crimson Peak-inspired story assembles, then upends, every expectation set in place by Shirley Jackson and Rebecca, and will leave readers shaken, desperate to begin again as soon as they are finished.

I really enjoyed this book! I was a little worried when I noticed that the reviews for this book were pretty mixed but it was really calling to me so I decided to give it a go, and was almost immediately hooked. I was drawn in by the creepy cover but I stayed for the story. I liked Jane right away and was very curious about how the story would play out. I am so glad that I decided to give this book a try.

Jane doesn’t want to be a burden to the family she has been living with since the death of her parents so she decides that it is time to marry. She decides that Doctor Augustine is the best choice so she approaches him with a deal that they marry but that they keep it a business deal. She will take care of accounting so that he can focus on being the town’s doctor. She soon learns that she got a bit more than she bargained for. Augustine’s home holds a bunch of secrets that soon unravel. I was quite worried about what would eventually become of both Jane and Augustine. There were a lot of surprises worked into this story and I loved the fact that it kept me guessing until the very end.

I listened to the audiobook and thought Mandy Weston did a fantastic job with the narration. I believe that this is the first time that I have listened to this narrator’s work and I was very impressed. I thought that her voice was the perfect match to bring this story to life. I felt like I was right there with Jane as she worked to get to the bottom of the secrets found at Augustine’s home. I am positive that her narration added to my overall enjoyment of this story.

I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a really well-done gothic story that kept me guessing until the very end. I would definitely read more of this author’s work in the future.

I received a copy of this book from St. Martin’s Griffin and borrowed a copy of the audiobook from my local library.

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