The Legacy of Beauregarde

by Rosa Fedele

‘You could lose someone down there, couldn’t you? Anyone could get buried under the concrete slab, and no one would even know!’

The Beauregarde women have lived in the shadow of The Seminary for four generations. And there is nothing conventional about Marcela, or her family.

When the decadent and obsessive Gordana acquires the iconic Sydney property and invites a television crew to film the building’s transformation into a magnificent showpiece, strangers suddenly penetrate Marcela’s world, each with a dark secret of their own.

But Marcela conceals a sinister bond which inextricably ties her to the derelict estate, holding the power to not only unravel Gordana’s grand designs, but expose bloodstained treachery, long-buried betrayals and lies.

A decadent and eccentric tableau of theatre and treachery, old secrets and betrayals; exploring friendship, guilt and obsession ... slipping between characters to gradually reveal a century-old mystery.

#australiannoir

Genres: Thriller

424 pages, Paperback

Published July 9, 2018

About the author

“For me, every painting and every book is a new adventure, started with a thrill of excitement and anticipation.”

Artist and author Rosa Fedele, daughter of Italian migrants to Australia, was forbidden from pursuing an artistic career. Finally able to follow her vocation in adulthood, she studied at the prestigious Julian Ashton Art School, Sydney.

Unconstrained by conventional expectations, her work is genre-defying – slipping between portraiture and still life to vintage cars, often veering off into the world of whimsy. Her preferred medium is oil, her style a blend of figurative and modern realism, indulging in the dramatic use of light and colour.

A member of Portrait Artists Australia, Australia’s largest industry association for professional portraitists, her work has been exhibited in NSW Parliament House and Parliament House Canberra, as well as numerous galleries and exhibitions in Australia and worldwide.

Rosa fell avidly in love with books at a very young age. Her favourites were those by C.S. Lewis and Tolkien, and later on Raymond E. Feist, David Eddings, Anne McCaffrey and Frank Herbert; in fact, anything with beautiful and spellbinding words and imagery that would allow her to escape into other worlds.

Taking a leap from creating pictures with a brush, Rosa transitioned to conveying images with words, publishing two illustrated suspense novels, both set in Sydney of the past. Both Rosa’s art and writing is sumptuously decadent and wickedly eccentric: blurring the line between reality and truth, she challenges the viewer and the reader to suspend their disbelief and enjoy the melodrama.

Her debut illustrated suspense novel THE RED DOOR was the fulfilment of a lifelong dream, to interweave a story with pictures and draw the reader into her own bewitching, and slightly dark-edged, world. The sequel to her modern gothic mystery THE LEGACY OF BEAUREGARDE was released 10 July 2018.

Follow #australiannoir for news/illustrations on the next novel.

You can found out more about Rosa Fedele at http://rosafedele.com/ or follow on https://www.facebook.com/rosa.fedele.... or https://instagram.com/rosafedele/

Reviews

[Christine on hiatus, see “About me” · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

Having read and enjoyed Ms. Fedele’s debut novel, The Red Door, I was eager to jump right into this, her second book. I didn’t know what to expect as I went in cold as I often do and was pleasantly surprised to find several recurring characters from her first book. Though having read The Red Door beforehand was nice, I believe The Legacy of Beauregarde could easily be read as a standalone.

This novel takes place in Australia in 1990. The setting centers on The Seminary, a majestic estate previously owned by the Catholic Church and now in dire need of heavy renovations after twenty years of abandonment. A very wealthy couple with deep personal issues has bought it, and the wife has grand ideas of how to remodel it. Not only that, but she has arranged to have the reno followed by a television crew (like an Australian version of America’s HGTV). From this starting point, the author fans out and introduces us to a large cast of characters along with their interrelationships, secrets, desires, woes, successes and failures. The various players brought out many emotions and reactions in me, including sympathy, pity, frustration, disappointment, anger, fear, revulsion, and love. There are also tender moments of poignancy.

The story is told from multiple POVs, with every chapter headed by the name of the narrator. The book is divided into eight parts, with each part briefly introduced by a meaningful quote. My favorite was “One can almost hear the creatures breathing; somehow sensing, almost savouring, the melodrama.” I also loved “What have you done with my brother, you bitch?” The best part is that each of the eight quotes is accompanied by a beautiful drawing by the author herself. Most of the drawings are of characters or parts of the setting—a rare bonus that greatly enhanced my mental visualization of the who and the where.


The plot has many threads that are craftily brought together in the end to a stunning climax, leaving an opening for continuation of the story.
The sinister storyline is adorned with remarkable ambience. There is much intrigue and some greats moments of chilling suspense. Ms. Fedele injects a number of nice twists that are just dropped into the narrative with no foreboding or fanfare, my favorite means of receiving little shockers.

My only complaint is that because of the large number of characters and all the relationships that needed to be kept straight I had to make liberal use of the Search button. Otherwise, I really enjoyed this highly atmospheric tale.

I recommend The Red Door and The Legacy of Beauregarde to all readers who enjoy heavy doses of atmosphere and intrigue along with complex (in a good way) personal relationships in their mysteries. I understand there is a third book underway, which I will definitely read. I am hoping Ms. Fedele will continue to include her lovely artwork in future novels.

Many thanks to Rosa Fedele for gifting me an ARC of her novel. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.

[Suz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rosa Fedele is always trusted to produce a creative, witty, fabulous and very ‘Aussie’ tale. I was graciously furnished with a hard copy for review (along with some lovely postcard illustrations), and what a lovely book to hold in my hands. Rosa is one of those enigmas [to me]. An accomplished illustrator, her work is divine, soulful and full of depth. The characters were almost touchable women as their images were scattered through the pages.

Being a child of the 80’s, as was the case with the author’s debut, Australian sayings are all through this one, pop culture references, television shows; even ‘Absoloodle’ from one of my favourite Bryce Courtenay makes an appearance.

One must be able to suspend belief here and hurriedly keep up with a myriad of characters, but I think that is all part of the appeal with this one. I will just quietly say I did have trouble keeping up – not helped by an unusual reading slump I have been coasting along of late – my fault, not the authors.

Thank you Rosa, your style is unique and refreshing. It is nice to see such individualism. What a flair!

[Melissa (Mel’s Bookshelf) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars
A few years ago, talented Australian artist and aspiring author Rosa Fedele sent me her debut novel to review, The Red Door. I really enjoyed that book and was excited when she released her second novel The Legacy of Beauregarde.

In Sydney City 1990 an affluent couple purchase The Seminary, a large estate in need of restoration. As they restore the property, they attempt to relocate Marcela, who lives in a large cottage next to it. However, her family have lived there for generations, and she is not about to move willingly. She is also afflicted with a gift, or curse, allowing her to see things that others do not. What happened generations ago in the Seminary? Why does it matter now?

That was a VERY brief run down of a much more intricate novel, which was filled with interesting and complex characters, and had a spooky and an extremely atmospheric story line. It was full of intrigue, romance, sex, horror, mystery and drama!

I really enjoyed the writing, it is distinctive and unique. The story is cleverly interwoven between the interesting and complicated characters. Yes, there are a LOT of characters to keep track of. That was probably my biggest challenge while reading this. At times I found it slightly hard to keep up, especially as the story was developing in the first half of the book. However by the end of it I felt I knew them intimately, especially Marcela and Claudia.

There were a few characters from The Red Door, and by no means do you need to have read the first one, but if you have – it actually made for a few intense and tragic developments from the first novel. I was a bit shell-shocked as to how those relationships from the first book panned out.

There were actually a HEAP of twists and turns throughout this book, the majority of which I had NO IDEA were coming and helped give the story a really gritty edge. And I just loved the dark and haunting atmosphere.

I really enjoyed the 1990 setting! I actually forgot it was set in the 90’s at times, until I would realise that the characters were not using mobile phones! Loved Australia in the 90’s!

I also have to mention the artwork! WOW! At the beginning of each chapter is a beautiful illustration of something relevant to the upcoming plot. It is one thing to write a book, it is another to illustrate it so absolutely beautifully! You just need to check out her Instagram page to see how incredibly talented she is!

Would I recommend The Legacy of Beauregarde?
Absolutely! I enjoyed it even more than The Red Door. She has a very unique style of writing that I found really refreshing. The plot was intricate and addictive. I think most fans of suspense will enjoy this one!

*Many thanks to author Rosa Fedele for a copy of The Legacy of Beauregarde in exchange for my honest review.

[Amanda - Mrs B's Book Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
3.5 stars
An immersive experience awaits the reader when they select The Legacy of Beauregarde, by author and artist Rosa Fedele. This is Fedele’s second book and can be read very easily as a standalone novel, however it does intersect with Fedele’s first novel, The Red Door, which I had the pleasure of reviewing back in 2015. If you are a fan of strong mystery novels, with a touch of gothic noir, suspense and twists aplenty, this is a book I would recommend to you.

The Legacy of Beauregarde revolves around the Beauregarde women, who have lived in the looming presence of a Sydney based Seminary for four generations. When one of the women, Gordana, secures the Seminary for herself she sets in motion a complex refurbishment process, involving a television crew to film the whole thing. But the Seminary has many dark secrets to give up, which is opened up through the redesign experience. As Gordana’s plans for the Seminary renovation launch into full swing, betrayals, lies and a litany of treachery tied to the house is slowly revealed. For all those tied to this mansion, it is a time of reckoning.

If you are seeking a challenging piece of Australian fiction, The Legacy of Beauregarde is a great place to begin your reading journey. This is a book that is best described as alternative, it stands out from the crowd and it doesn’t quite fit into the lines of mainstream fiction. If you select the second novel by author and artist Rosa Fedele, expect an entrancing reading experience. Fedele’s book is structured in eight parts, with a large range of character voices, which begin each chapter. Marking each part changeover is a poignant quote and a piece of artwork, which was completed personally by the author, Rosa Fedele. Each accompanying art work adds another dimension to the unfolding story and the characters that populate this novel, it is an incredibly visual experience.

I have quite a weakness for Australian gothic fiction, old houses and the mysteries that surround them always fascinate me. Fedele’s new novel is based around the secrets that revolve around a Sydney Seminary, once in the hands of the Catholic Church. When the book opens, the Seminary is purchased by one of the lead characters. Fedele maintains our interest in this segment of her novel, there are good array of secrets, betrayals, lies and acts of treachery that give themselves up as the book progresses. Expect the unexpected within this involving narrative!

Other touches that worked for me in The Legacy of Beauregarde was the time period. The book is set in Sydney, Australia in the 1990’s, over the course of a few months. I enjoyed this timeline. I also appreciated the references to Australian pop culture and icons that were filtered through the novel. Those who are fans of reality television shows that focus on home renovations will be quite taken by these sequences of The Legacy of Beauregarde.

There is an expansive character base that fills in the pages of The Legacy of Beauregarde. It can be a little complex to get your head around. Personally it took me some time to adjust my mindset to this heavy and interchanging list. However, once you have a firm handle of the character set and work out the connections to the wider puzzle at hand, it does come as a welcome surprise. There were some interesting revelations and complex dialogue sequences that go hand in hand in The Legacy of Beauregarde.

A touch of the supernatural, some flecks of mystery, a good dose of suspense and a measure of rich gothic detail marks The Legacy of Beauregarde. I encourage readers who are after a winding, slightly offbeat style of book to consider reading The Legacy of Beauregarde, the original author artwork alone makes it worthy of selection.

*I wish to thank the author, Rosa Fedele for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.

The Legacy of Beauregarde, is book #81 of the Australian Women Writers Challenge

[Jennifer (JC-S) · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Curiosity is a crafty thing, a devious entity.’

The Seminary, an iconic building in Hunters Hill, Sydney. Designed for the Catholic Church in 1877, vacant since 1970, and now in need of complete restoration. The novel opens in 1990 when the building is bought by Richard and Gordana Lemann, a wealthy couple with plans to transform the building into a modern family home. Next door, in what was once the caretaker’s cottage, lives Marcela Beauregarde. Gordana has grandiose plans for The Seminary, and wants the transformation filmed. Gordana also wants to acquire Marcela’s cottage.

Marcela is not going anywhere. She has her own connection to The Seminary and its secrets. And, over the course of the novel, those secrets will be revealed. It’s difficult to write much about this novel without introducing spoilers. The story itself is complicated and convoluted, with more than a few twists. There are quite a few characters to try to keep track of and, for me at least, some of their actions seemed inexplicable. I ended up reading the novel twice (which helped), as did reading Ms Fedele’s first novel ‘The Red Door’. While the two novels contain separate stories, several of the characters from ‘The Red Door’ appear in ‘The Legacy of Beauregarde’ and the ending of ‘The Legacy of Beauregarde’ made more sense to me after reading ‘The Red Door’.

If you like complicated story lines, moving from one point of view to another, involving characters with dark secrets, you may enjoy this novel. There are quite a few melodramatic flourishes as well. As with her first novel, Ms Fedele has included some of her own magnificent drawings, of characters or aspects of the setting.

While I didn’t enjoy this novel quite as much as ‘The Red Door’, the ending ensures that I really want to see a third novel to tie up at least some of the loose ends.

Note: My thanks to Ms Fedele for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

[Cass Moriarty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story, set in 1990, begins with a For Sale advertisement for The Seminary, built in 1877 as a Catholic church, but now a dilapidated Sydney landmark, vacant for the last 20 years, an extraordinary structure steeped in history but ‘in need of complete renovation’. The narrative of The Legacy of Beauregard (MoshPit Publishing 2018) is woven around the restoration of this building; the action unfolds as the property is gradually repaired, rebuilt and restored to its former glory. Or that’s the plan, anyway.
Author Rosa Fedele Garrett has given us an engaging and quirky story that blends the traditional with the modern, the traumatic with the romantic, the horrifying with the humorous, and the realistic with the fantastic. But it is her amazing artwork that first caught my eye: beautifully rendered illustrations and detailed life-like drawings; portraits of the characters that really brought them to life.
This complex story of intrigue and mystery captured my attention from the first pages and sustained my curiosity with a vast range of well-drawn characters, a complicated plot with secrets, twists and turns, and a mysterious and compelling setting. With overtones of the supernatural and even a bit of horror thrown in, the story is portrayed in rich language that is sensual and descriptive.
The Seminary is a crumbling heritage-listed castle in Sydney, and our story begins when Gordana and Richard Lemann purchase it and begin their grand plans of renovation. In the spirit of TV show Grand Designs, producer and presenter Maurice Ellis is chronicling the refurbishment in a documentary series called Dream Home Australia, filmed over the ensuing months. Marcela lives in the attached caretaker’s cottage and used to have a connection to Claudia who also works on the project. We’re introduced to Claudia’s friends Maddie and James, to Dan Stankic and his sister, Ilijana, and to the elusive Ratty. We get quite a few perspectives from this range of characters – it is a mammoth cast for the author to wrangle, and equally for the reader to get our collective heads around. But Fedele does an admirable job. Using luxurious language and authentic dialogue, she gives us a sense of history, of architecture, of the Cassandra-like gift of prescience or prophesy, and a tangled skein of emotional relationships, all with backstories and their own motivations and agendas. While there were a few moments of implausibility, I think that the book is intended to be read with the suspension of disbelief; the over-the-top situations and coincidences add to the melodramatic and farcical sense of fun.
This book has all the hallmarks of a gothic mystery: abandoned or orphaned children; family secrets; an old house that is almost a character itself; dreams; death; ghosts; a mysterious tunnel and mistaken identities. And we are treated to all the themes: thwarted ambition; blood loyalty; violence; betrayal; jealousy; love and lust. Fedele has done her research and this adds intimacy to the story, although at times it is a little laboured. If you enjoy reading a story that is heavy on detail, with an intriguing and mysterious storyline that blurs the line between reality and myth, if you enjoy devouring a book and having a laugh along the way, then this is for you. The voice is fresh, and there are some surprising twists and reveals at the end.

[Jennifer S. Alderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Legacy of Beauregarde is a gripping crime fiction thriller set in Australia that kept me glued to my poolside lounger during a recent vacation. It’s an absorbing mystery about Marcela and her family’s connections to an old monastery that kept me guessing to the end. Some passages are quite dark and disturbing, yet they fit within the context of the story – a main character is a social worker investigating domestic abuse cases. The author’s lovely artwork also helped to visualize the setting and characters.
Highly recommended to those readers interested in a bit of Australian noir!

[Diana Ridout · Rating 5 out of 5]

This incredibly well crafted book caught hold of me by the lapels and hauled me straight in and didn’t let me out (except under protest) until it was complete
The characters are so well portrayed, not just their appearance, but their characteristics and mannerisms, that I feel that I would recognise them if I saw them walking down the street or interacted with them on social media.
This wide and believable cast populate this darkly twisted tale, with character appearances from a previous book, The Red Door, rubbing shoulders with new personalities. Although I had not read the previous novel, The Legacy of Beauregarde easily works as a stand alone work of fiction.
The plotting was very clever. It was fast moving and had exceptionally good moments of tension and moments of sweet poignancy, together with occasionally darkly humourous scenes all melded together to form a complex and engrossing tale.
The personalities, along with their relationships, hopes, dreams, desires and past lives raised many and conflicting responses in me.
The end for so many of those that stayed the course, is as surprising as it is thrilling, making me yearn for another volume, or eight!
Finishing this book felt as if I was parting from friends. I totally loved it and it was beautifully enhanced by the brilliant artwork of the author.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This year’s favorite

I was excited at the news of this author’s second novel and even more so when I realized that my favorite character from The Red Door had travelled into this story as well.

Set in Sydney of the 90s, it follows the tale of Marcela, whose family has lived beside an iconic but abandoned gothic mansion for four generations, and the dysfunctional couple who purchase the building with plans to restore it to its former grandeur. A wonderfully contemporary touch is added to the story when a film crew is invited to film the restoration, al la Grand Designs or Restoration Man. We are then introduced to the colourful cast, along with their dark secrets, twisted desires and sordid histories. And this is where it gets interesting.

Fedele has managed to create a type of “community”, similar to authors like Maeve Binchy or Anne Rice, where they cross-reference characters from one book to another, imbuing the reader with a comforting sense of familiarity and belonging.

The Legacy of Beauregarde has an intricately woven plot; darkly comedic, atmospheric, poignant, sinister – even shocking and anxiety-inducing at times – the best type of novel, I think, and this book is likely to linger in my mind for some time.

Highly recommend this novel to lovers of the works of Kate Morton, Joanne Harris or Diana Gabaldon.

[Ann-Maree Howarth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book very hard to read at the start with many different characters with their own point of view being told, so just keep at it for a bit longer if the same happens to you. Saying this, the book did grab my interest and as a first-time reader of this author, I found her descriptive language was very vivid as it had my picturing for the old building as if I was stand in front of it and feeling the characters emotion from within the pages of this book myself. Many dark secrets are involved in this book with supernatural themes in this suspenseful thriller by a new Australian Author to me. I received an ARC copy of this book and here is my honest and voluntary review of it.

[Gabrielle Ferguson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brooding and surprising


A cracking read from this 2nd time author. Well paced, intriguing and compelling. I read, and enjoyed, Rosa's first offering, The Red Door, but somehow this one hooked me in more.
It is worth noting that this can be a stand-alone book, but reading The Red Door first will definitely lay some ground work for you.
Happy reading!

[ChillwithabookAWARD With · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Legacy of Beauregarde by Rosa Fedele has received a Chill With a Book Readers' Award.
www.chillwithabook.com

Pauline Barclay - Founder of Chill with a Book Awards

[Rosa Fedele]

What's it about?

Treachery
A tower
There's a rooster
Irish builders
Eye candy and gorgeous things
Some bloke named Ratty
Lots of secrets
Gargoyles
Home renovation
Norman Lindsay

What more could you need?

So excited to share my new novel with you all and can't wait to hear your thoughts. Also, did you know most of the illustrations are available as prints and on merchandise on Redbubble?

Rx

[Printed Pages and Coffee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I absolutely was not prepared for this book.

First of all, I rarely (if ever) read contemporary novels. I certainly have never read an Australian contemporary. And I definitely have never read a gothic, supernatural, Australian contemporary.

And yet.

The Legacy of Beauregarde starts out fairly innocently, introducing the cast of main characters, with whom you will become quite familiar as you move through the novel. To be honest, the switching of perspective every chapter took some getting used to; it isn’t something I have come across often and it did take me a few chapters to be able to remember what was happening to each character at the end of their last chapter, and tie it into the new one. That’s something I needed to work on, though, an no fault of the author.

To begin, let me say this: it is immediately apparent that there will be an element of the supernatural, because Marcela is part of a family that has what the call el legado; the legacy, whence comes the name of the novel. Marcela’s family name is Beauregarde. As a French speaker, this did cause me to chortle a bit: beauregarde translates, loosely, to ‘good view.’ Clearly, the matriarchal line had a sense of humour. You learn that Marcela has had to deal with her family’s legacy her entire life, that it affects every part of her existence.

You learn that Claudia, determined and fragile Claudia, is damaged. By what, never becomes quite clear, but her past affects her present strongly. She walks a thin line between perfectly alright, and very, very not alright. Danilo, brother dearest, caught in circumstances beyond his control as part of a family that charges for the help they lend. Gordana, who has struggled out of her past and then shunned it, and now clings with desperate and insane strength to a future she was promised that cannot be fulfilled. These characters, and others, are connected in the strangest of networks that truly doesn’t become clear until the very end of the novel. Secrets you hadn’t even guessed at but suddenly make horrific sense spill out from the pages along with secrets you had suspected but hadn’t admitted properly to yourself yet.

Honestly, I’m still not entirely certain whether I can say I truly enjoyed the book. This is NOT because of the book itself; quite frankly, it is masterfully written and I applaud Rosa on how well she has integrated the story of each and every character, and how the threads carefully laid throughout each chapter have been tightened and tied off perfectly by the end of the book. I find myself angry with some characters, appalled with others, horrified for still others and overall agog at what has occurred in the space of 300-odd pages. But did I enjoy the book? This I still do not know. I can’t decide if I need to read more contemporary so that I can stop being so shocked by it, or if I daren’t approach the genre for at least another decade.

What I was quite impressed by is that Rosa also illustrated the book; portraits or snapshots relevant to the succeeding chapter decorate the beginning of each. As someone without an artistic bone in her body…honestly, people that can both illustrate and write are just inherently irritating. The nerve! Also, I think the book cover (inset) looks like it would make an excellent poster for a creepy thriller film. Just sayin’.

This is something you will definitely enjoy if gothic fiction meets Australian literature is your schtick; you’ll also enjoy it if you like the creepier side of the mystery genre. I don’t know how quickly I’ll read another contemporary again, but I can certainly say this book gave me something to think about and will likely linger on the edges of my thoughts for quite some time (whether I would like it to or not!).

Review at Printed Pages and Coffee: https://printedpagesandcoffee.com/201...

[Susan Hampson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story begins with an enticing advertisement of an unusual building, that of the ruins of The Seminary built-in 1877 for the Catholic Church and now in desperate need of renovation from anyone with a bottomless bank balance. The property has been left to the elements for the past twenty years with the year now set as 1990 and the location Sydney, Australia.
The book is divided into 8 sections each with an abundance of characters telling of their connection to each other and the building. So many secrets that seem to have a compelling force that cements them to this decaying place. There is an all out battle between the powerful and wealth couple Richard and Gordana Lemann who have bought the seminary and Marcela who lives in the caretakers cottage, someone they are determined to move out even though her family have lived there for generations. There are mystical happens which have more clout than money as a TV crew witness, while they are filming a sort of fly on the wall documentary following its reconstruction.
The book really transports you back into the 1990's with so much to recognise but at other times the story seemed quite ageless. Stories begin to unfold from the past that are massively destructive in present day, tragedies and consequences that collide and finally blend all of the chapters before into one. The story couldn't have gone either backward or forward without each unique interaction.
This is the second book in this series and contains some of the characters from the first book but it read very well on its own, there is also a third book on the horizon too, with more unravelling of these intricate people. There are beautiful sketches throughout the book too, which give substance to the characters, a face, a look and a deep connection. These have real substance, at times quite haunting and beneath each one is a short passage that link them together. These have been produced by the author a very talented lady that connects with her readers at every opportunity. A super idea.
I wish to thank the author for an e-copy of this book which I have honestly reviewed.

[Bev Spicer · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like authors such as Daphne du Maurier...you'll love The Legend of Beauregarde

Like the previous reviewer, I also read The Red Door before being gifted an ARC copy of Rosa Fedele’s new novel, which, I must say, is well worth a read if you enjoy strong characters and an intriguing plot. The style is on the literary side – which I love. Skilled and imaginative use of language add an extra layer of delight in my opinion.
The Legacy of Beauregarde is moody and, at times, sinister. There are touches of the paranormal and shades of horror. As you read, you feel as though you are sinking into the history of the place, its houses, and its characters (some of whom are not at all what they seem at first), wrap themselves around you.
It’s true that there is a lot to take in, and that you need a sharp mind to keep up, but some of my favourite books make me work hard in order to repay my efforts tenfold. And why not? That's the way a good book draws you in.
I must say also that the artwork scattered throughout the book, even in the ebook version, is captivating, and certainly helps to enhance the reader’s experience.
Would I read it again? This is one of my personal yardsticks in judging the quality of a novel. And the answer is yes! In fact, I’m looking forward to it.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its that time! Its been a minute since ive done a review and I plan to take a step back actually after this month and spend some time focusing on books that are still on my shelf. Before I do that though I just wanna brag about this great book and this amazing author!

So this book is set in Australia during 1990 and it essentially includes an old house and lots of secrets!

I absolutely love books like this and movies for that fact that involve an old house, secrets, lies and betrayals! The old house sets the perfect vibe for the whole story!

I love how well put together this book is as well! The cover is eye catching and interesting! Inside the book everything is well put together and organized (which feeds my perfectionist soul).

Annnnnddd are you guys ready for this?! The author has included her own drawings inside the book and they are incredibly talented!!!!

I really did love this story with the twists and that ending was just crazy this author kept me interested till the very end and it seems like lately I keep reading books that don't hold my attention for very long so hopefully this book is a sign in a better direction.

This book was the perfect October read with all the dark and menacing vibes I just wish it would've rained here in California that would have been too perfect to read this book while it was raining.

My only complaint is the multiple POVS I am not a huge fan of multiple POVS I don't mind them when its only two characters but anymore than that and I think the story gets to be to much.

Eventually it gets easier to catch on to the switching but it does become exhausting after awhile and I think it changes the reading experience.

Don't get me wrong I see the need for all the different characters; however, I think they still could've been placed in the story without giving the audience all of their perspectives.

Overall a wonderful book I definitely recommend you check it out I will be looking out for future books from this author! We still have some time in the month of October and I think this was the perfect October read!

This book is available on amazon and online at barnes and noble!

I especially recommend it for my Australian friends I think you guys will get so much enjoyment out of it!

I truly loved all the twists and turns! Im not sure is there is another book after this one but it feels like there could be so I am excited to see what this author does next!

A big thank you to the author for sending me a copy for review I truly enjoyed it!

[Susan Visser · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was very intricate with many characters. It wasn't obvious how this cast of characters would interconnect, but eventually they do. I must say that I had trouble following the storyline at times because some of the names sounded similar and I think there were too many characters.

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not worth the read....sorry to disappoint!!

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

full review to come