The Haunting of Hecate Cavendish by Paula Brackston 

This historical fantasy mystery is in the setting of England, in 1881 following an educated young woman  Hecate (Heck-a-tea) Cavendish.  While most women her age are planning to find a husband to settle and start a family, she has a thirst for knowledge that holds her only interest.  With a love of learning and books, she embarks on the next stage in life as an Assistant Librarian at Hereford Cathedral in her village which has an outstanding collection of ancient books.  This library holds century-old books, some of which are chained, locked, and guarded with care.  She is excited for the opportunity to look through them as she assists in the care and restoration of the priceless artifacts within these shelves. 

The most prized artifact is a beautifully detailed map next to Hecate's desk with mythical creatures and people drawn on its page.  What she did not expect however were the many lost souls within the cathedral.  To her surprise and theirs, Hecate could not only sense them as she usually can, but she also could see and hear them.  A gift she noticed growing up, she could always sense the presence of a ghost or see a bit of movement in her peripheral vision, but never as clear as they were now in this ancient library and cathedral. 

As Hecate explores the wonders in this library with her new ghostly friends, a mysterious break-in occurs in one of the tombs and has the living people who care for the property and the souls that still live there shocked and worried since it didn't look as if someone broke into the tomb, but broke out.  While the mystery unfolds and is investigated, some people in her village are found to be acting strange and attacking their loved ones for no reason.  Hecate may be the only one who can stop this as it involves malevolent souls that her friends and family cannot see, but she can and those evil souls also threaten the lives of everyone she loves.   

This book has been high on my 2024 anticipated new release list since the author announced it.  I love her books, especially The Found Things series.  As always, Paula's attention to detail in her storytelling pulled me into this historical tale as if I were watching a movie.  In addition, having Marisa Calin narrating adds to the appeal with her calming musical voice.  If you enjoy historical fantasy with mystery, and paranormal, with a dash of murder and a sprinkle of romance, I highly recommend this book.  

Thank you to NetGalley and  St. Martin’s Press Macmillian Audio for the ARC of this book prior to it's release on July 23rd for an honest review.