Chasity Bowlin: The Haunting of a Duke

Communing with spirits has been both gift and curse to Emme Walters. Now it’s made her a killer’s target.

Emme knows why the Dowager Duchess of Briarleigh invited her to a house party–to investigate whether the duke, Rhys Brammel, murdered his wife years ago. But Emme never imagined she would fall in love with the brooding duke. Branded by society as a possible killer, Rhys is suspicious of Emme and her alleged “gift.”

Then a late night encounter creates awareness of her other, more attractive, aspects. When Emme’s life is threatened, Rhys becomes her protector. Emme and Rhys find passion and peril as they join forces to solve the mysteries at Briarleigh.

She made him believe in spirits, but can she make him believe in love?

CW: Sexual assault, assault, murder, gaslighting, abuse, pedophilia, infidelity, violence

I was looking for a Regency with some ghosts, and this one has them in abundance. The story centers around a heroine who is a medium, invited to a Ducal house party to see if she can commune with the Duke’s deceased wife and assure Society that he is not, in fact, a murderer. But the former Duchess is not the only ghost (or mysterious death) haunting the Duke of Briarleigh’s ancestral home.

This was the first I had heard of or read the author, and generally I thought this was an entertaining story from start to finish. My biggest issue, which I want to state up front, was the head hopping. From paragraph to paragraph, the POV would switch and it definitely pulled me out of the story. If head hopping is a pet peeve, steer clear.

There were also some anachronisms/prochronisms with language and some continuity issues, but generally it wasn’t enough to distract from the mystery. I did skim a lot of the last quarter, but it might have been because some of the intimate scenes were getting in the way of the mystery…and at that point it felt a bit like insta-love which is always a tough one for me as a reader. I like a good sex scene (although I know some Regency Readers do not) but I also want it to serve a purpose. I think, in this case, it was supposed to sub for growing emotional intimacy, but it didn’t work for me. If a lot of attempts on my life were happening I would be way too stressed out to be intimate, but I recognize other people cope differently with stress so maybe this will resonate with you.

The mystery and paranormal elements were super interesting, and although I guessed the villains early on, it was still entertaining to read how the MCs worked everything out. There were also POVs from the villain, which don’t often occur in historicals, but that upped the creep factor I was looking for to give me gothic vibes.

I didn’t feel a total gothic mood, so it I hesitate even calling it gothic. Gothic adjacent, perhaps, or gothic esque. But overgrown woods, a locked up tower, and a dungeon are fun features in an otherwise house party setting.

There were some great secondary characters, both lovely and awful, that helped keep the story flowing and offered some additional insight into the MCs. Their backstory is a bit thin on details, but with so much action, intrigue and mystery, I didn’t mind.

In addition to a lot of sexual content, there were also some other elements that will be difficult for some readers. Assault, sexual assault, pedophilia, infidelity, and assorted violence are all woven throughout the story, in some cases minor mentions but generally contributing to the “dark Regency” theme. If you have sensitivities to any of these issues, I would recommend skipping this one.

This was a free download, and I read it quickly (thanks, in part, to skimming the last bit) so although I wouldn’t put it on a top ten list, I would also say if you are a speedy reader who is not afraid of some mature content, like paranormal elements, and are looking for a gothic-esque freebie for the Season, this was entertaining and worthy a day or two indoors under a cozy blanket.

5 Stars 3.75 out of 6 Ghost filled gothic-esque romance with a heroine who is a medium