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I’m not usually drawn to gothic novels, so a four-star rating here surprised me. That said, Mrs. England won me over more with its historical insight and character work than its shadows and suspense. Ruby May, a newly trained Norland nurse, accepts a post caring for four children in a remote Yorkshire household in 1904. From the outset, the England home feels unsettled—Mrs. England seems oddly unaware of Ruby’s arrival, the servants are distant, and only Mr. England and the children offer warmth.
Ruby is the book’s clear standout. She’s capable and intelligent, but also young, flattered by attention, and prone to mistakes that carry real consequences. As her unease deepens, Ruby begins to understand both the danger she’s in and how little control women had over their own lives in Edwardian England.
The pacing lags at times, and the central twist is easy to anticipate, but Halls writes convincingly of the era and sustains a steady undercurrent of tension. For readers who value atmosphere and social history over shock, Mrs. England is a solid, thoughtful read—even if gothic fiction isn’t your usual cup of tea.
** Thanks for NetGalley and MIRA for a comp of this historical novel. Opinions are my own.