Author: Chanel Cleeton
Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery & Suspense
Publisher: Berkley
Book Release Date: 2024
Pages: 336
Source: Netgalley/ Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: As death stalks a gothic mansion in Miami, the lives of two women intertwine as the past and present collide in New York Times bestselling author Chanel Cleeton’s atmospheric new novel.
With the Great War finally behind them, many Americans flock to South Florida with their sights set on making a fortune. When wealthy industrialist Robert Barnes and his wife, Anna, build Marbrisa, a glamorous estate on Biscayne Bay, they become the toast of the newly burgeoning society. Anna and Robert appear to have it all, but in a town like Miami, appearances can be deceiving, and one scandal can change everything.
Years later following the tragic death of her parents in Havana, Carmen Acosta journeys to Marbrisa, the grand home of her estranged older sister, Carolina, and her husband, Asher Wyatt. On the surface, the gilded estate looks like paradise, but Carmen quickly learns that nothing at Marbrisa is as it seems. The house has a treacherous legacy, and Carmen’s own life is soon in jeopardy . . . unless she can unravel the secrets buried beneath the mansion’s facade and stop history from repeating itself.
My Review: The House on Biscayne Bay is a gothic novel set in Florida. Carmen Acosta’s parents have died. With nowhere else to go, Carmen decides to live with her sister, Carolina and her husband, Asher in a Florida mansion in Miami. When she arrives, Carmen notices strange events are happening. She also learns that the mansion is haunted by the first owner, Anna. What secrets lie inside the mansion.
I really like Carmen. She is a very intelligent woman. She is also very spirited. She yearns for her own independence. She has a distant relationship with her sister, Carolina, and it is often fraught with tension. Therefore, she was a very likable character.
I also like Anna, whose spirit claims to haunt the mansion. She doesn’t like living in Miami because of the alligators and snakes. She has a hard time adjusting to her new life. She is not a socialite and hates hosting parties. She would rather spend her days reading in their library. Anna also yearns to find personal fulfillment in her marriage. I found her a sympathetic character as she realizes that her marriage may not be the fairytale it initially seemed. Therefore, I found her to be a compelling character.
Overall, this novel is about betrayal, secrets, and justice. I thought that all of the characters were very compelling and well-decveloped. Each of them seemed suspicious, and I couldn’t quite trust them. I thought that the romance aspect was undeveloped and seemed to come out of nowhere. I did like the twist at the end! Nevertheless, The House on Biscayne Bay was a very fast-paced and enthralling novel! I couldn’t stop reading because I wanted to know its secrets! I recommend this book for fans of Mexican Gothic,The Lake House, and The Shadowy Horses!
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
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