What Happened at Hawthorne House by Hadassah Shiradski | Book Review

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Disclosure here.

A chilling tale of young English orphan girls and their dangerous game of one-uppance in the form of the Clover Court.

Rosalyn Pearson, a 9-year-old orphan, yearns to be the queen of Clover Court more than anything else, for it means getting away with anything and everything. But what started as an innocent game soon became a deadly pursuit of power.
In the game, all the girls are princesses except one who is the queen. To replace the queen, you must do a nasty trick or bullying tactic to become the queen. But one day, their game goes too far, and Hawthorne House, their orphanage, burns to the ground because of an accidental candle drop by an orphan named Marie Moore. All the girls except the matron perished in the fire.
Fast forward ten years later, a man named Andrew Findlay starts seeing the girls, and the game begins once again.

Are you ready to be transported to a spine-chilling world of horror and mystery? If yes, you must read ‘What Happened at Hawthorne House’. This masterfully written gothic horror and historical fiction takes you to England from 1926 to 1939, 1941, and 1950.
This novella (short novel) is an absolute treat for anyone who loves getting lost in a spooky atmosphere. The author has done an excellent job of creating an eerie ambiance that will send shivers down your spine.

The story revolves around a group of girls playing a dangerous game. As the game goes on, things start to get more and more sinister. Sometimes, the girls take the game too far, and the consequences are dire. 

Rosalyn, the protagonist, is a witty and quiet character for whom you will root from the start. You will feel her pain as she becomes the most bullied one out of all the girls. And, as you read on, you will realize there is more to this game than meets the eye. 

Marie, Sophie, Willow, and Heather are the other characters who add depth to the story. You will love some, dislike others, and be creeped out by a few.

In conclusion, ‘What Happened at Hawthorne House’ is a short but powerful book that will keep you up at night. If you are a fan of gothic horror fiction and love a good spooky story, this book is a must-read for you. The haunting tale of the Clover Court game will send shivers down your spine and make you think twice before indulging in dangerous games.

Fun fact: when I chose this book, I didn’t notice that it was an adult book, and while I was reading, my mom kept asking me if I was not too scared by the book ;). It didn’t feel like an adult book to me, although.

Thank you, @booksirens, for the complimentary ARC, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

My rating