THE HAUNTED GOVERNESS by Norman Russell
Robert Hale - October 2001
ISBN 0709069723 HB
Historical Crime - Warwickshire, England 1892

Reviewed by Rachel A Hyde, MyShelf.com
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It is always encouraging to find an author who is prepared to resurrect a genre that has been dormant for a long time, and Norman Russell seems to have single-handedly brought the Gothic novel back to life in Britain. If you once thrilled to the works of writers like Victoria Holt and Virginia Coffman then you will love Russell's highly entertaining mixture of Gothic and whodunit. The Haunted Governess (a Gothic title if ever there was one) is the fourth outing for Warwickshire detectives Inspector Jackson and Sergeant Bottomley. Young governess Mary Grant is plagued by nightmares of hooded monks and yearns only to be allowed to tutor the children of the kindly Mr Romanis in his beautiful house. But when a dead body is found - sitting at his own table - the finger of suspicion points at her. The detective duo is going to have to uncover some surprising things if she is to be saved from the gallows.

Ghostly monks, ancient tombs, mysterious memories and a romantic young governess. It is all here in this delightful story that certainly had me guessing until it was all revealed in a satisfying conclusion. I hope a fifth book is in preparation and I wonder if this is the start of a new trend? As a fan of a good Gothic novel I do hope so.