The Mist in the Mirror

Mar 12, 2026 5:27 AM

Author:Susan Hill

A terrifying ghost story by the bestselling author of The Woman in Black.

One dark and rainy night, Sir James Monmouth returns to London after years spent travelling alone.

Intent on uncovering the secrets of his childhood hero, the mysterious Conrad Vane, he begins to investigate Vane’s life, but he finds himself warned off at every turn.

Before long he realises he is being followed too. A pale, thin boy is haunting his every step but every time he tries to confront the boy he disappears. And what of the chilling scream and desperate sobbing only he can hear?

His quest leads him eventually to the old lady of Kittiscar Hall, where he discovers something far more terrible at work than he could ever have imagined.

‘Thoroughly frightening’ Daily Telegraph

‘Chills the blood’ The Times

Reviews

I loved this fresh take on the gothic genre. Vivid, haunting, surprising

—— Stacey Halls, author of Sunday Times bestsellers The Familiars, The Foundling and Mrs England

A full-blooded gothic mystery with bite, great characterisation and heaps of atmosphere

—— Emma Stonex

A delicious Gothic mystery with an unexpected final twist

—— Heat

A brilliantly creepy and utterly compelling read, which put me in mind of Laura Purcell, Stacey Halls and Michelle Paver: it's up there with the most wonderfully engrossing and twisty gothic historical fiction

—— Caroline Lea

A creepy, captivating gothic mystery

—— Woman's Weekly

Smart, atmospheric, gripping and full of surprises, this is a Gothic spine-chiller by an absolutely modern writer

—— Maggie Gee

This book delivers HUGE Jane Eyre vibes, gothic and mysterious Victoriana. I LOVED it

—— Sophie Irwin, author of Sunday Times bestseller A Lady’s Guide to Fortune Hunting

An immersive, atmospheric novel and a true love letter to Gothic fiction

—— i

With echoes of Jane Eyre but with a heart of its own . . . a suspenseful and beautifully crafted novel filled with atmosphere, rich characters and plenty of layers to keep a reader hooked right to the end

—— Susan Stokes-Chapman, the SUNDAY TIMES bestselling author of PANDORA

In her atmospheric debut, The Secrets of Hartwood Hall, Katie Lumsden enthralls us with a quintessential manor-home mystery. Fans of gothic literature will savor the peculiar characters, the abandoned corridors, the deceptions and twists behind every door... Ultimately a story about women and the haunting secrets they keep, Lumsden's debut reminds us never to trust first appearances. A mesmerizing debut!

—— Sarah Penner

The Secret of Hartwood Hall is exactly the book you want on a cold, stormy night when the wind is sneaking in the cracks. A thoroughly impressive debut with fantastically timed surprises throughout

—— Lyndsay Faye

Deeply immersive, atmospheric, and a true love letter to gothic fiction. An impressive, standout debut, sure to leave readers on the edge of their seats

—— Courier

Incredibly rich prose in this absorbing, deeply atmospheric story of governess, Margaret Lennox. A brilliant love letter to classic Victorian fiction and a standout debut

—— Hazel Gaynor

Dark, twisty, gothic and full of surprises ... a deliciously atmospheric page-turner

—— Liz Hyder, author of THE GIFTS

A real blast...I really enjoyed this haunting, gothic tale

—— DINAH JEFFERIES, bestselling author of the SUNDAY TIMES number one bestseller THE TEA-PLANTER'S WIFE

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