The Cruel Dark

By: Bea Northwick

Narrated by: Madison Mitts, Theodore Zephyr

Millicent Foxboro is haunted.

Not by ghosts, but by the anguish of her past and the uncertainty of her future. After all, even in the progressive year of 1928, most people would balk at hiring a woman who’d spent two months in a mental ward for traumatic amnesia. So when an uncommon assistantship to a reclusive Professor of mythology falls into her lap with an ungodly salary attached, her desperation for stability overrides her cautious nature.

To Millie’s dismay, the widowed Professor Callum Hughes and his estate, Willowfield, are more than she bargained for. The once magnificent home, known for its sprawling gardens and dazzling parties, is falling to pieces after the death of the professor’s fragile wife. What’s more, the staff has been reduced to the only three people not frightened away by rumors of ghosts, leaving the halls empty and languishing in bitter memories.

The professor himself is a grim, intense man with unclear expectations, unpredictable moods, and hungry eyes that ignite Millie’s own dormant passions. The closer she finds herself drawn to Professor Hughes and his strange world of flowers and folklore, the more the house closes in, threatening to reveal her secrets. But the professor is keeping secrets of his own and the most dangerous of all is hers to discover.

©2023 Bea Northwick (P)2024 Bea Northwick

Spooky Yet Sweet...I Promise It Works lol

Bea Northwick gave me a pleasant surprise with this one. The Cruel Dark scratched a very particular itch I didn’t know existed. To work from negatives to positives, the pacing for the first half was a bit slow, but listening to the audiobook rather than physically reading helped me get through. The ending did feel rushed. But the positivies!!! This book had my jaw dropping, had me gasping loud enough to freak out my husband, my heart racing, and my brain WORKING. I did have an inkling about the main plot twist, but I was at a loss until towards the end about the creepy ghosts and backstory about the twist. Though rushed, things were wrapped up nicely by the end. I'll likely read this again in the future!

let's do the twist

It's a little bit of a slow start. The ending feels rushed. Not too impressed with the male reader. Still a good read/listen.

Amazing book and delicious performances

This book is a wonderful and dark combination of “Rebecca” and “Jane Eyre” set in the 1920’s. My only disappointment is the ending feeling slightly rushed.

Incredible!

Madison and Theodore Duet Narration is always a must with me. The plot is great- the suspense- exhilarating. Do yourself a favor and settle in for a haunting tale full of love, ghosts, mystery and Sidhe legends- all set in the 1920s.

The Twists and Vibes

This was a satisfying gothic read with great narrators and twists! Stoked that there’s a novella as well for a different POV.