The dead won’t bother you if you don’t give them permission. Boston, 1844. Tabby has a peculiar gift: she can communicate with the recently departed. It makes her special, but it also makes her dangerous. As an orphaned child, she fled with her sister, Alice, from their charlatan aunt Bellefonte, who wanted only to exploit Tabby’s gift so she could profit from the recent craze for seances. … recent craze for seances.
Now a young woman and tragically separated from Alice, Tabby works with her adopted father, Eli, the kind caretaker of a large Boston cemetery. When a series of macabre grave robberies begins to plague the city, Tabby is ensnared in a deadly plot by the perpetrators, known only as the “Resurrection Men.”
In the end, Tabby’s gift will either save both her and the cemetery–or bring about her own destruction.
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Tabby and her sister Alice run away from exploitation at the hands of their guardians in search of a better life. Tabby has a gift — she can communicate with the dead. She’s also aware that this is a secret she should keep. It’s Boston in 1844 and the city is full of people who would hurt her over her talents. When her sister doesn’t come back to her one night, she’s left all alone.
Taking refuge in a graveyard, she meets various characters there — grave robbers and an interesting young man who she can’t seem to forget. Over time she makes a new family with the cemetery care taker and some friends but her life gets more complicated when she and the young man she’d met years ago reconnect. Caleb might be engaged, but he hasn’t forgotten Tabby and is as intrigued with her as she is with him.
I really enjoyed this story. I came to care about Tabby and what would happen to her very quickly. The historical aspect of the story was also fascinating and nicely woven into the story. There’s also a murder mystery that involves Tabby and Caleb which brings all the players in the story together at the end for a very exciting conclusion. Although the pace wasn’t always as quick as I would like, there was a nice level of action from beginning to end and I found myself grabbing this book whenever I had a free minute. I would definitely look for more from this author.
Overall — if you are looking for a historical with a good dose of the paranormal, you might really like this story. Good level of tension that carries through to the end of the story, great characters, and a nice little tale of love and family. This one is on my list of favorites for 2020.
I thought this book would be a great read for this time of year, and I wasn’t wrong. But it was so much more than a spooky story. It was poetically dark yet uplifting. I know that sounds counter-intuitive, but I found it riveting. Tabby’s story was intriguing. I really liked the setting of 1844 Boston; it was a look at a pre-Civil War city, where the rich had frivolous interests and the poor stuck to the shadows. I thought the author did a great job detailing customs of the time, especially those centering around the dead and dying. I would definitely recommend this book, especially heading into the fall season. For a detailed review, please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks. Thank you to Harlequin (Graydon House) for a digital ARC of the book.
The Orphan of Cemetery Hill by Hester Fox is an intriguing historical novel. I have a weakness for paranormal stories, and the blurb for this book fascinated me. The author created a dark, gothic atmosphere with the cemetery, grave robberies, the mist, and murder. Tabby is a complex character along with Caleb Bishop. I liked Eli who was so kind and loved Tabby dearly. There is a lot going on in this book which keeps it propelling forward towards the tense conclusion. There is suspense, romance, drama, and intrigue. The author transports readers to her world with her vivid word imagery. I liked the chapter headings which include “In which we meet our young heroine” and “In which there is a reunion”. I did feel it was a slow starter with the pace increasing in the second half. I enjoyed the mystery. I like being able to solve a crime before the solution is revealed. Those who enjoyed The Witch of Willow Hall will be eager to devour this historical novel. The Orphan of Cemetery Hill is a spooky tale with its gothic atmosphere, robbing of graves, murder, and Tabby’s ability to commune with spirits from beyond the veil.
Tabby and her sister have run away from home. They are orphans and have been taken in by their aunt and uncle. It is not exactly a life meant for children, especially gifted children. So, they runaway. Alice leaves Tabby on the steps of a church while she finds lodging for the evening. Alice never returns. Tabby hides in the cemetery. And oh boy….does this lead to some strange happenings.
Tabby sees dead people. She really does. So staying in a cemetery is not exactly the best situation for her. But Eli, the caretaker, takes her in and gives her a home. But, strange things occur. Bodies start to disappear from fresh graves. Tabby gets ensnared with the resurrection men and it threatens her young life.
Tabby is a fabulous young woman and she is determined to put a stop to the madness. But, when there is a threat to Eli, Tabby has to take different actions.
Oh wow! What a crazy, unique tale. The setting, the characters, the mystery all meld together to create a tale you will not soon forget.
Grab your copy today.
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
I really enjoyed reading this interesting tale of spiritualists and stealing corpses. I have not read too much about body snatching and this was a great way to learn something about this subject. This hints about the civil war but I was glad there was not much about it. I hope to read more books by this author. I received a copy of this book from Harlequin for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
Tabby has the gift for seeing and speaking to the recently deceased. Something she doesn’t want her “family” to know. It’s 1840-1850’s and Spritualism is popular during this time. There were lots of charlatans, people like Tabby’s Aunt Bellefonte who pretended to have the gift of sight and would be paid to hold séance’s. When Tabby and her sister refuse to continue to be a part of their abusive aunt’s schemes, they run away to Boston. At this time, Tabby is just a child. Her sister leaves her on the steps of a church, with the promise to return soon. A promise that she doesn’t keep. Tabby lives in the cemetery next to the church until the caretaker takes her in and takes care of her.
Now that Tabby’s an adult, she’s kept her secret and doesn’t stray far from her home or cemetery. With a few friends, and some “family” she’s making a life for herself. When Eli, the son of one of the city’s recently deceased recognizes her as someone he’d had an interaction with at the cemetery in the past, they form a tenuous friendship. When his fiancée is brutally murdered and Eli is arrested for it, Tabby sets out to find the killer. After Tabby uncovers the real killer, and Eli escapes jail, Tabby’s life is in danger. Not only from the actual killer, but by a shadow group called “Resurrection Men” who are after her for her gifts.
This is the first book I read from Ms. Fox and it won’t be the last. This has become my favorite book of 2020 and I can’t speak out about it enough. Ms. Fox has perfectly created a spooky, gritty atmosphere of Boston in the mid 1800’s. It was very easy to figure out who killed Eli’s fiancée, but that’s not the mystery of this story. It’s the “Resurrection Men” and what they’re after.
There’s plenty of mystery and supernatural in this story and I thoroughly enjoyed it. A wonderful world was created, with characters you root for, and a mystery to be solved. Great writing keeps you involved until the very last page and wanting more. I could not stop reading this book, and I’ve yet to stop talking about it. I can’t recommend this book enough if your fans of historical fiction, mysteries, and the supernatural.
**I received an ARC of this story from the publisher and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.
This was a spooky good book! It kinda grabs you from page one and keeps you turning the pages. It reminds me of another series by Amanda Stevens.
I really enjoyed this book, I think it would make a good series.
It’s a perfect book to add to your Halloween reading list
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy