ARC Review: The Vanished Bride by Bella Ellis

“…seeing Bella Ellis bring the Bronte sisters to life in this mystery tale was a delight.”
~ Under the Covers

A historical mystery about the Bronte sisters investigating the disappearance of a woman in their community, the only clue seeming to be a bedroom soaked in blood? Ummmm, yes please! One of the first classics, and first romances, I ever read and fell in love with was Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. The moody gothic atmosphere, the quintessential ‘plain jane’ heroine, the broody hero, the shocking twist at the end, what’s not to love? So, seeing Bella Ellis bring the Bronte sisters to life in this mystery tale was a delight.

What normally has me hooked to a mystery book is how intriguing and perplexing the actual mystery is. However, with The Vanished Bride what had me turning the page was getting to know the distinct personalities of the sisters and their relationship with each other. It is made extra bittersweet as it has a twist of tragedy because you as the reader are aware of just how short and precious those times together are going to be, given their early deaths.

Not that the mystery wasn’t great, I enjoyed seeing the sisters ferreting out the truth. There was even a slight ghostly edge to the story which very much lent to the gothic feel of this tale. However, it did take a while for the intrigue to build, but I liked the slow but fairly steady pace as you uncover layer after layer of the story. Did the conclusion surprise me? Not really, I had guessed what had happened by the end of the story, but that didn’t mean I didn’t like seeing it unfold.

A great book, especially if you are a fan of the Bronte sisters, although, of course this is all fiction and speculation on the part of Bella Ellis, it felt well researched and written with great affection. If Ellis is writing more book and creating a series, I am definitely going to pick up the next book.

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