The Taxidermist's Daughter

Dark, damp, creepy, and full of secrets—basically, this book had my attention from the start.

Set in 1912 England, the story follows Connie Gifford, who lives with her father in a decaying house surrounded by the remnants of his once-famous taxidermy museum. Connie has gaps in her memory, her father is clearly hiding things, and then a woman is found dead under very strange circumstances. You just know nothing good will come from digging into the past.

And can we talk about the taxidermy? Because that alone gives this book an unsettling edge. There are birds, feathers, preserved animals, dark rooms, marshes, storms, and enough gothic atmosphere to make everything feel slightly wrong.

This is definitely a slow-burn mystery, so don't expect nonstop action. The story takes its time building the tension and slowly peeling back the secrets surrounding Connie and her family. But the atmosphere is SO good. At times, I could practically feel the cold rain and hear something scratching around in the dark.