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Estella's Fury by Barbara Havelocke: A Book Review

Estella’s Fury
Author: Barbara Havelocke
Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery & Suspense 
Publisher: Hera
Book Release Date: November 13, 2025
Pages: 377
Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: Daughter. Murderer. Saviour.


      London, 1835.


      To high society, Estella is the perfect lady. But her fair face hides dark secrets. What has she done with her husband? And will her past crimes come back to haunt her?


       Desperate to escape her troubled life, she visits her friend, Lady Taykall. But when a servant girl disappears, Estella stumbles on a horrifying web of crimes and feels the old fire for vengeance burning inside her.


      To mete out her own brand of dark justice she must risk everything.


      Even if it means she cannot survive.


     Great Expectations meets Killing Eve in this stunningly dark Gothic crime thriller perfect for fans of Elizabeth Macneal, Stacey Halls, and Jessie Burton.


      My Review: Estella’s Fury is the sequel to Estella’s Revenge. While Estella’s Revenge is a faithful retelling of Great Expectations, Estella’s Fury is an original mystery that was inspired by Charles Dickens’s characters. In order to escape her problems from her bad marriage to Bentley Drummle, Estella has decided to stay a few days with her friend, Lady Taykall. Shortly after her arrival, Estella learns that a servant has mysteriously disappeared. Estella searches to find the truth of what happened to the servant.


       In Estella’s Revenge, I have found Estella to be a very sympathetic figure. Estella was  a woman who had been truly broken by all the tragedy that had surrounded her. In this book, Estella is not only broken but furious. She wants to eliminate men who have harmed women. She vows to be an avenger. I found Estella to be a very strong character. She is very ruthless. She could also be very impulsive and reckless. However, she yearns for justice and to protect those in need. Therefore, I liked Estella. I found to be a very complex and compelling character.


       Overall, this book is about secrets, betrayal, and healing. I liked how the characters were faithful to Charles Dickens’s portrayal. I also liked the new characters and thought they were very realistic and complex. There were times that I thought the book was drawn out. Nevertheless, I liked the mystery aspect and found it to be very intriguing. I like how Ms. Havelocke has portrayed the darkness and grittiness of the Victorian era. Estella’s Fury was a very engrossing and suspenseful read! I found it hard to put down! I look forward to more of Estella’s adventures in later installments! Estella’s Fury is an entertaining read for Charles Dickens’s fans!  I recommend this for fans of Kathy George, Ronald Frame, and Lorie Langdon!


Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
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