Review: The Wives of Herrick Hall by Julie Lew

May 3, 2026

Synopsis:

Herrick Hall doesn’t let anything go without a fight. Least of all its masters’ dead wives…

After a dalliance with another woman leaves her reputation in shambles, Josephine Carter is banished to the isolated manor to serve as lady’s companion to Herrick’s mistress. Lady Nora Blake is a headstrong, capricious woman, who spends her days convalescing from a mysterious illness—and her nights witnessing her imminent death over and over. Shackled to her side, Josephine is certain life could not get worse. But then she meets the Herrick wives. Ghosts veiled in shadow stalk the halls and trespass into Josephine’s dreams, trapped forever in the fury of their last dying to destroy Herrick and everyone beneath its roof. Josephine determines to escape by any means necessary.

Until she and Nora fall in love.

Together, Josephine and Nora must confront Herrick’s curse to battle their way to freedom. But Herrick has already claimed them as its next ghostly brides, and neither the house nor its vengeful wives will relinquish them without bloodshed…

Review:

Josephine is different in a world where conformity to the system is expected. This makes her an outcast, and her father sees her as a burden, sending her away to become a companion in order to be rid of her. When she arrives, she is met with resistance and left to fend for herself. With no real alternatives, her desperation to be accepted in her new role becomes painfully clear.

I deeply sympathised with Josephine. Being different is difficult enough, but watching her stand up for herself without any support was heartbreaking. Yet she is a fighter, and seeing her claim her own strength was one of the story’s highlights. Nora, too, is not an easy character to like at first, and I initially disliked her. Gradually understanding that she is also a victim of her circumstances made her transformation compelling. Her unique connection to the manor, tied to former women in similar roles, was a fascinating twist that brought the story together.

This is a story about standing up for yourself, battling inner demons, and the power that comes from women forming bonds. To me, it read more like a tragic love story mixed with mystery than a straightforward horror novel – but it was entertaining nonetheless and kept me fully engaged.

🌙 Recension: The Wives of Herrick Hall by Julie Lew
📚 Genre: Gothic, Romance, Sapphic, Horror
📅 Release Date: May 5, 2026
📖 Publisher: Quill & Crow Publishing House
📱 Read as: Kindle
📗 available in various formats
💸 I received an advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
🗣️ Language: English
📆 Pages: 346
⭐️ 4/5