"John Eyre: A Tale of Darkness and Shadow"--from USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews comes a supernatural Victorian Gothic retelling of Charlotte Brontë's timeless classic

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John Eyre: A Tale of Darkness and Shadow

Yorkshire, 1843...

When disgraced former schoolmaster John Eyre arrives at Thornfield Hall to take up a position as tutor to two peculiar young boys, he enters a world unlike any he’s ever known. Darkness abounds, punctuated by odd bumps in the night, strange creatures on the moor, and a sinister silver mist that never seems to dissipate. And at the center of it all, John’s new employer—a widow as alluring as she is mysterious.

Sixteen months earlier, heiress Bertha Mason embarked on the journey of a lifetime. Marriage wasn’t on her itinerary, but on meeting the enigmatic Edward Rochester, she’s powerless to resist his preternatural charm. In letters and journal entries, she records the story of their rapidly-disintegrating life together, and of her gradual realization that Mr. Rochester isn’t quite the man he appears to be. In fact, he may not be a man at all.

From a cliff-top fortress on the Black Sea coast to an isolated estate in rural England, John and Bertha contend with secrets, danger, and the eternal struggle between light and darkness. Can they help each other vanquish the demons of the past? Or are some evils simply too powerful to conquer?

Reviews

One of BookBub's "25 of the Best Books Arriving in 2021"

"In this thrilling remix of Charlotte Brontë's work, Matthews skillfully transforms a well-known story into a truly original tale." - Kirkus Reviews

"Bertha Mason Rochester shines, dominating her scenes with vitality and strength. The style, too, is spot-on, reprising the spirit of 19th-century Gothic prose without descending into mimicry." -Publishers Weekly

"Reader, I loved it." - Austenprose

"[Matthews] retells Charlotte Bronte's classic story in a way that will keep fans of the original novel totally gripped from cover to cover... Fresh and dynamic... Fast-paced and spellbinding...a book you will have a hard time putting down." - Readers Favorite

"Matthews' writing style is flawless... A thrilling, spooky ride filled with heart-stopping suspense-I couldn't put it down! Highly recommended!" - Syrie James, USA Today bestselling author of The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë and Dracula, My Love

"[A] captivating and ingenious retelling of Jane Eyre with a supernatural twist. Smart, suspenseful, and deliciously spooky, JOHN EYRE is a must-read; I loved everything about it! - Ashley Weaver, author of the Amory Ames Mysteries and the Electra McDonnell series

"One of the most moving, suspenseful, innovative and remarkable retellings of a classic in the history of, well, ever... Every page is sheer rapture as [Matthews] moulds popular source material into a spell-binding creation so wholly her own." - Rachel McMillan, author of The London Restoration and The Mozart Code

"A wonderful sinister atmosphere, deliciously creepy characters, and a female character who is a powerful force... A true homage to the gothic genre without being derivative... Highly, highly recommended!" - Clarissa Harwood, author of Impossible Saints and Bear No Malice

 

Mimi Matthews

 

USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews writes both historical nonfiction and award-winning proper Victorian romances, including Fair as a Star, a Library Journal Best Romance of 2020; Gentleman Jim, a Kirkus Best Indie Romance of 2020; and The Work of Art, winner of the 2020 HOLT Medallion. Her novels have received starred reviews from Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, and Kirkus, and her articles have been featured on the Victorian Web, the Journal of Victorian Culture, and in syndication at BUST Magazine.

In her other life, Mimi is an attorney. She resides in California with her family, which includes a retired Andalusian dressage horse, a Sheltie, and two Siamese cats.

https://www.MimiMatthews.com