Thornby Manor by Stephanie Bramwell-Lawes

 

Thornby Manor by Stephanie Bramwell-Lawes.

Published 23rd April 2026 by Orenda Books.

From the cover of the book:

There – suddenly – was Thornby Manor.
I would never forget the first time I saw it…
A talisman of darkness, an emblem of death.

Warwickshire, 1891. Recently orphaned and left destitute, Briar Monroe accepts the protection of Lord Danville and the shadowed sanctuary of Thornby Manor. The great house looms above a mist-shrouded lake, its corridors heavy with secrets – not least the mysterious death of Lady Elizabeth Danville, and the unspoken tensions between her formidable widower and his magnetic son, Gabriel.

As Briar navigates the undercurrents of a household ruled by watchful servants and locked doors, she is drawn ever deeper into a web of suspicion, desire and fear. Whispers in the night, figures at windows, and a constant sense of being watched leave her questioning not only the truth about Thornby, but her own safety within its walls.

Atmospheric, intoxicating and laced with peril, Thornby Manor is a gothic tale of betrayal, obsession and a house that never forgets.

***********

Warwickshre, 1891. Burdened with cares she is determined to keep secret from her fragile younger sister, in the wake of their parents' deaths, Briar Monroe leaves London hoping never to return. Planning to meet her aunt and go travelling, Briar heads north. However, when her aunt's arrival is delayed by illness, Briar finds herself accepting the invitation of Lord Danville to stay at Thornby Manor.

Penniless and with few choices, Briar accepts, believing she is heading for a meeting with her aunt's old friend, Lady Elizabeth Danville. But as soon as she reaches the menacing, mist-enshrouded environs of Thornby Manor, she realises she has made a mistake. Lady Danville is dead, and in her stead presides the hostile former governess Marie Clara, dressed in fine silks more fitting to her late mistress.

Briar soon discovers that this is a house wreathed in secrets, and complicated relationships. No one wants to talk about the mysterious death of Lady Danville, the sudden dismissal of most of Thornby Manor's staff, or the creepy rumours fuelled by bumps in the night. And the sense of danger only increases when Lord Danville's charismatic son, Gabriel, returns home to confront his estranged father about the mystery surrounding his mother's untimely death...

Stephanie Bramwell-Lawes channels her obvious passion for a historical gothic novel into this delicious debut, making it a tender love letter to the genre. With the wonderfully eerie setting of an isolated mansion looming over a sombre lake, constantly surrounded by impenetrable mist (and with an insane asylum in close proximity to boot); a cast of morally grey characters handpicked to evoke the very best that classic gothic fiction has to offer; and a plot dripping with secrets, lies, betrayal, and subterfuge; this story was everything I wanted it to be, and more.

Briar makes an excellent protagonist, Weighed down with secrets of her own that she is desperate to keep, Thornby Manor is a dangerous prospect. Trapped within its dark and unsettling grip, and under the scrutiny of the horribly Mrs Danvers-esque governess Marie Clara, Briar must watch her step, but even though she has been beaten down by her experiences she has an inner spirit that refuses to be cowed. Armed with knowledge about the human psyche learned from her doctor father Briar finds friends and enemies at Thornby, and in nearby Warwick (looked over somewhat prophetically by Warwick Castle) as she delves into the mystery behind Lady Danville's death, especially when brooding, handsome Gabriel enters the fray.

Bramwell-Lawes pitches this novel beautifully between layered gothic mystery, oozing themes of grief and madness, and feminist fire-cracker. There are thrilling nods to so many of the greats when it comes to historical gothic, which entertained me no end (I especially loved the Wilkie Collins' Count Fosco reference); a mystery that will keep you guessing right until the tense climax of the novel; and a beautifully drawn relationship between two broken characters in Briar and Gabriel. I really enjoyed the exploration of power dynamics through the parts of the story about the treatment of those deemed 'mad', particularly 'difficult women', and take my hat off to the clever way the themes are subverted in the breath-taking final swathes of the novel.

This is an absolute belter of a debut. I was held spellbound from the first page to the last, and cannot wait to see how Stephanie Bramwell-Lawes' career develops... because this is an awesome beginning. More please, Stephanie!

Thornby Manor is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats. You can support indie publishing by buying direct from Orenda Books HERE.

Thank you to Orenda Books for sending me a proof of this book, and to Random Things Tours for inviting me to join the blog tour.

About the author:

Stephanie Bramwell-Lawes grew up in the historic city of Bath and studied History and Ancient History at Exeter University. A lifelong love of literature led to a career in publishing in 2009, and her passion for books has only continued to grow ever since. Her favourite novels include Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Rebecca, and anything by Tracy Chevalier. 

She currently lives in Warwickshire with her husband and a small feline dictator named Ruby.

Thornby Manor is her debut novel.