The Last Heir to Blackwood Library

Written by Hester Fox

Narrated by Ell Potter

In post-World War I England, a young woman inherits a mysterious library, and must untangle its powerful secrets…

With the stroke of a pen, twenty-three-year-old Ivy Radcliffe becomes Lady Hayworth, owner of a sprawling estate on the Yorkshire moors. Ivy has never heard of Blackwood Abbey, or of the ancient bloodline from which she’s descended. With nothing to keep her in London since losing her brother in the Great War, she warily makes her way to her new home.

The abbey is foreboding, the servants reserved and suspicious. But there is a treasure waiting behind locked doors — a magnificent library. Despite cryptic warnings from the staff, Ivy feels irresistibly drawn to its dusty shelves, where familiar works mingle with strange, esoteric texts. And she senses something else in the library too, a presence that seems to have a will of its own.

Rumours swirl in the village about the abbey’s previous owners, about ghosts and curses, and an enigmatic manuscript at the center of it all. And as events grow more sinister, it will be up to Ivy to uncover the library’s mysteries in order to reclaim her own story, before it vanishes forever.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: May 3, 2023
• ISBN: 9781867281528

Hester Fox

Hester Fox is a full-time writer and mother, with abackground in museum work and historical archaeology. She lives in New England with her husband and their two children.

Reviews for The Last Heir to Blackwood Library

[kris_anderson-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Last Heir to the Blackwood Library by Hester Fox is a gothic tale. The author created a rich environment with the foggy moors, a shabby manor house, grim domestics, objects moving on their own, cold spots, and an ominous library. The story begins in 1927 when Ivy Radcliffe inherits Blackwood Abbey and becomes Lady Hayworth. The spiritualist movement had a resurgence in the 1920s (people who lost loved ones during the war wanted to find a way to reach them). Ivy finds herself drawn to the manor’s extensive library. The housekeeper seems determined to keep Ivy away from it, but Ivy cannot resist the libraries allure. Ivy Radcliffe is an independent, stubborn woman who is also naïve. There are times when she will stand up to someone and others when she backs down (would you sleep in a bedroom where strange things have been happening so you would not inconvenience the staff). I loved the descriptions of the library. There were some intriguing books in it. There are two potential love interests for Ivy. Ivy finds the manor houses curt driver (also gardener, handyman, and stable boy) appealing as well as a charming local aristocrat. I could have done with less of this element and less repetition regarding the two men’s attributes. We also see how the Great War affected different people. The war continues to haunt soldiers and those who were left behind. The story does move at a slower pace. The pace improves toward the end as the story reaches it climax. The author is detail oriented which is good and bad. It creates a rich atmosphere, but it does slow down the story. The book does contain mild foul language and graphic violence (fair warning). I liked the paranormal component and the mystery. There was a surprise or two. I was left with a lingering question or two at the end. I am glad that I stuck with the story and finished it (after reading the prologue, I was tempted to put the book at the bottom of my TBR pile). The Last Heir to the Blackwood Library is a spooky story with an intriguing inheritance, dour domestics, an alluring library, an appealing aristocrat, a firm friend, a spooky presence, and a mad monk.

[clrichm · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It’s difficult at times to separate one’s feelings about a story from one’s feelings about the characters inhabiting it. In this case, I found the story compelling enough to lay aside my frequent irritation at the protagonist, Ivy, and her uncanny ability to make any situation worse through her steadfast insistence on ignoring the advice of people around her. I suppose she was being gaslit by both her manipulative fiancé and a sadistic ghost, so that explains some of her behavior; I had to remind myself that she really didn’t have the situational awareness that we, the readers, did.I will say this: the only male character who didn’t strike me as unbearably sulky at a very unattractive level was the butler. And we didn’t really get to hear him speak all that much, come to that.But the idea of this haunted, hungry library in a centuries-old abbey pulled me in completely, and the curse and bonds laid upon the involved families was fascinating to me. I felt immersed; this is a story I’d love to see staged or filmed, though it would need to be splendidly done to meet my expectations.

[twink_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Last Heir to Blackwood Library is Hester Fox's debut novel. I loved the cover and the title promised a good read. (Isn't that true of all books with 'library in the title?)1929 England. Twenty three year old Ivy Ratcliffe inherits Blackwood Abbey and becomes Lady Haywood overnight. She is a very distant relative of the last Haywood and had never known the man. But she's excited about the move...Oh, all the pieces are here for a read with lots of Gothic influence. A young woman alone in the world, staff that are standoffish and secretive, a handsome jack of all trades, a smarmy antagonist, secrets and a manor with a dark history. Also - a library to rival those of any university. Ivy loves books and is thrilled to be the new mistress of the library.So, up to a certain point, the book was following a script that I had excited and was enjoying. Then Fox threw in a spanner and changed the direction things were going. I now understood how the prologue would tie in. I'm going to be a bit obtuse here as I don't want to provide spoilers. The initial bit of the new direction was quite good and I was on board for it. I did question Ivy's ignoring of some 'episodes'. But that was part of the Gothic feel as well. But as it progressed, I had a little bit of doubt. I wasn't completely sold on the catalyst for what transpires. Another thing that annoyed me a bit was the amnesia that Ivy develops. She becomes the quintessential unreliable narrator. I felt like some of the interactions (yes, no, maybe so) played out one time too many perhaps. But that aside, I think this is a good debut and I would pick up Fox's next book.

[fredreeca · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Ivy is now an heiress with a title. She is the last of the Hayworth line and she is completely clueless. She had no idea about anybody in her family owning such an estate. But, who turns this down right!?!? She takes off to Yorkshire to see her new home. But, things are not as they seem. The staff is acting strangely and she is not exactly sure what to make of this strange estate.I have been a fan of this author for years! She is always creepy and just a tad bit magical! This book has it all! I loved this weird abbey with its hidden secrets and ghosts! The library in this book transported me every time Ivy walked in there. I could just picture it along with the dusty smell.Now, I did feel Ivy is a bit too manufactured. She is intelligent but she just doesn’t make wise decisions. But, this was just a minor annoyance, basically, because there is Ralph. Ralph is my favorite character in this whole book. He is a mystery himself. And I would love for Hester Fox to write a book just about him.Need a dang good historical mystery with a strange manuscript and a few ghosts to keep you company…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

[jmchshannon · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Last Heir to Blackwood Library by Hester Fox is one of the best modern-day examples of Gothic fiction. The heroine’s name, Ivy Radcliffe, reeks of a Gothic story as it exudes innocence and privilege. Then it takes place on the Yorkshire moors because of course it does. All that aside, Ms. Fox’s story is fantastic. She cleverly uses certain aspects of her story to keep you guessing. Eventually, you find yourself racing through the pages to discover Ivy’s fate.The Last Heir to Blackwood Library meets all the requirements for Gothic fiction. Set on the moors of York, most of the action occurs in Blackwood Abbey, an honest-to-goodness abbey from the 1300s that became the property of one family during Henry VIII’s conversion mandates. From almost the first moment Ivy enters the property, she senses that a malevolent entity is haunting her. Her servants are less than forthcoming when answering her many questions, and the village citizens look at her with curiosity and concern. There is the hint of a romance and more than a hint of the past coming back to impact the present in the form of one hell of a legacy. It makes for an emotional and terrifying story you can’t stop reading.I mentioned above that Ivy Radcliffe is a name that feels Gothic because it evokes innocence. Yes, Ivy is innocent in many ways. While her life until her inheritance revolved around the streets of London, loving parents and a loving brother protected her from the rougher elements. She is streetwise but not necessarily wise about people, something that does cause issues. However, being named for a vine does not make her weak-minded or weak-willed. Ivy is just as strong and stubborn as her namesake, and it serves her well in the long run.One of the cleverest aspects of The Last Heir to Blackwood Library is that the family legacy means that the story we get may or may not be what is happening. To say more would spoil the story, but Ms. Fox uses this family legacy to her advantage by creating doubt in the reader’s mind. It adds one more layer of mystery to a story filled with many unanswered questions.I adore Gothic fiction, but finding a good one written recently has not been easy. Thankfully, Hester Fox comes through with a book I would include with the Bronte sisters in a list. The Last Heir to Blackwood Library has everything you could ever want in a Gothic novel. More importantly, Ms. Fox blends the elements so well that the story becomes all-encompassing. If you want an eerie book to tide you over until Halloween, The Last Heir to Blackwood Library is perfect.