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The Ruin of Delicate Things
by
Barrington Hall is a place of secrets - something Dan Morgan has worked hard to forget. But when a heart-breaking loss brings him back to the place where he spent his childhood summers, Barrington Hall will do what it must to make him remember.
Faye Morgan blames her husband for the death of their teenage son. She doesn’t want to leave the place Toby called home. But after ...more
Faye Morgan blames her husband for the death of their teenage son. She doesn’t want to leave the place Toby called home. But after ...more
Paperback, 342 pages
Published
April 7th 2020
by Ink Raven Press
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Start your review of The Ruin of Delicate Things

If you haven't read Beverley Lee's Gabriel Davenport Vampire Trilogy, you should remedy this post-haste! As soon as I heard that Lee was working on a tale of 'grief and horror', I was eager to get my hands on it.
The Ruin of Delicate Things is an appropriate title and a good indicator of what's in store for readers. Dan Morgan, grief-stricken over a tragic loss, brings his heartsick wife, Faye to his childhood manor called Barrington Hall.
Nestled in the woods, the cavernous Barrington Hall seems ...more
The Ruin of Delicate Things is an appropriate title and a good indicator of what's in store for readers. Dan Morgan, grief-stricken over a tragic loss, brings his heartsick wife, Faye to his childhood manor called Barrington Hall.
Nestled in the woods, the cavernous Barrington Hall seems ...more

There's something about the author being a friend that gets you even more excited but also even more nervous to read their new work. I already knew Bev was extremely talented from reading The Gabriel Davenport trilogy but I still didn't expect the brilliance that is The Ruin of Delicate Things.
Dan and Faye have lost their son and in that, their connection to each other. When Dan heads back to his childhood home at the bequeath of his aunt, he's also heading back to memories that had been buried ...more

The Ruin of Delicate Things by - @thecon - Book Review.
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First and foremost thank you to you Bev for sending me over an advanced reading copy, feeling super blessed!
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The story follows Dan and Faye Morgan, married couple on the seek to heal their marriage after the tragic death of their only son.
Dan receives news of his Aunts passing and the cottage from his childhood that has now come into his possession, thinking this would be perfect idyllic setting to heal the marriage wounds, Dan and Faye tra ...more
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First and foremost thank you to you Bev for sending me over an advanced reading copy, feeling super blessed!
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The story follows Dan and Faye Morgan, married couple on the seek to heal their marriage after the tragic death of their only son.
Dan receives news of his Aunts passing and the cottage from his childhood that has now come into his possession, thinking this would be perfect idyllic setting to heal the marriage wounds, Dan and Faye tra ...more

The Ruin of Delicate Things is a Gothic romp of a novel that combines the beauty of past masters into a meandering tale of grief, guilt, tragedy, retribution and healing of past wrongs.
Also what a title - it perfectly sums up this book, and what it does to you if you fall under its bewitching spell.
I’ve enjoyed some of Beverley Lee’s short fiction previously and I can testify now that her longer fiction is even more macabre and beautiful, it doesn’t take her long to cement the small town vibe w ...more
Also what a title - it perfectly sums up this book, and what it does to you if you fall under its bewitching spell.
I’ve enjoyed some of Beverley Lee’s short fiction previously and I can testify now that her longer fiction is even more macabre and beautiful, it doesn’t take her long to cement the small town vibe w ...more

Ruin is a beautiful soft watercolor full of light pastels. However this art is transforming before your eyes. There is a splash of dark in the background, growing, multiplying, quickly taking over. The light fades, the paper is torn, crumpled, stepped on. Darkness has infiltrated and you are left with sorrow and awe. The masterpiece is tainted and grotesque and still absolutely gorgeous.
Beverley Lee will sucker punch you repeatedly and you will enjoy it. Complacency will settle in and as she ge ...more
Beverley Lee will sucker punch you repeatedly and you will enjoy it. Complacency will settle in and as she ge ...more

Beverley Lee spins an atmospheric tale of tragedy, guilt, and unhealed wounds, with an opening scene that weaves its spell perfectly, ensuring you will be pulled ever deeper, losing yourself in a plot that entwines the Gothic horrors of a haunted house with the older, more sinister realm of Faerie. Wonderful stuff.

This book is "weighted down with the anchor of grief." This story rises out of that grief, it's built on that cornerstone, but also loss, and guilt, and bitter darkness. There is a lot to like here, folk horror elements, gothic horror, woodland cottage/remote village/huge haunted mansion setting, ghosts, mythical woodland creatures. All quality stuff, but then you get to that real stuff, that painful stuff. The revenge, remorse, retribution, regrets. There is an element here that talks about wha
...more

Are you a fan of deliciously dark and creepy tales? I certainly am, which is why Beverley Lee's latest offering is one of the most exciting book releases for me this year. Better yet, I am thrilled that it lived up to my expectations.
Following the story of Dan and Faye, a London couple who take up residence in seemingly idyllic woodland cottage after inheriting it from a weird aunt, The Ruin of Delicate Things soon gets dark and twisted, beckoning in things that go bump in the night and revealin ...more
Following the story of Dan and Faye, a London couple who take up residence in seemingly idyllic woodland cottage after inheriting it from a weird aunt, The Ruin of Delicate Things soon gets dark and twisted, beckoning in things that go bump in the night and revealin ...more

A Fairytale with razor sharp teeth
I found myself much impressed and fully invested right from page one. Beverley's descriptions and details border on poetic and the storyline is unique with a blending of whimsical fantasy and cold blooded terror. The use of multiple povs with the characters is flawlessly executed and I'm happy to say that I connected with each character, including the monster. ...more
I found myself much impressed and fully invested right from page one. Beverley's descriptions and details border on poetic and the storyline is unique with a blending of whimsical fantasy and cold blooded terror. The use of multiple povs with the characters is flawlessly executed and I'm happy to say that I connected with each character, including the monster. ...more

Because of the cover, I was afraid this was going to be a generic haunted house story. But it’s not. (Although there is a haunted house.)
This one is unusual, very well written, with likable characters and an excellent setting. I would definitely recommend it to fans of dark fantasy/horror.
This one is unusual, very well written, with likable characters and an excellent setting. I would definitely recommend it to fans of dark fantasy/horror.

Well, how do I start this? Beverley Lee is not a new author to me, and as an immense fan of her previous work, I was on tenterhooks to see what her dark, devious mind would come up with following the Gabriel Davenport Series. And boy, she did not let me down.
This tale is dark, it is twisted, it is breathtaking. But it is also heartwrenching and so, so sad. It grabs you by the cavities of your heart and fills them what emotions one normally tends to keep at bay - who wants to wander through the l ...more
This tale is dark, it is twisted, it is breathtaking. But it is also heartwrenching and so, so sad. It grabs you by the cavities of your heart and fills them what emotions one normally tends to keep at bay - who wants to wander through the l ...more

Faye and Dan Morgan retreat to a house in the woods where he spent his childhood summers in an attempt to escape the crushing loss of their son. Dan has no real memories of his time there—he is haunted and doesn’t even know why. Beverley Lee does a wonderful job creating a sense of foreboding. Both Faye and Dan know something is off right from the start but this couple is so detached from each other that they don’t compare notes. Their estrangement is not helped by the odd atmosphere both at the
...more

I think it's pretty safe to say this is my favorite book of 2020. All the things I love are inside. Haunted house/ ghost story, old family secrets, mysterious old home hidden away in the woods, and the fair folk. A dark gothic fairytale that feels like it was written just for me.
...more

Following the story of Dan and Faye, a London couple who has recently lost their son and take up residence in a seemingly idyllic woodland cottage after inheriting it from an aunt Dan used to spend his summers at as a child. But the upcoming childhood memories bring back things that would better be forgotten and buried. There is somethings about the woods that hum dark secrets and do not promise anything good. Faye finds herself pulled into this strangly dark world of her husbands past and risks
...more

I read this quite some time ago and I'm horrified I forgot to write up a review. Another truly creepy book by Beverley Lee. Very different from her previous series. It was dark from the very first page. You just knew something was off with the main characters, something awful was going to happen, but you can't predict it. The pace of intrigue remains for the entirety of the story, and when you get into that creepy house... shivers up my spine! As usual, the writing is beautiful, the language poe
...more

Easily a five star read for me. Short chapters, wonderfully vivid writing with characters you generally care about. This was an absolute pleasure to read.
If you're looking to immerse yourself in something that deals with grief, guilt and a little mystery, then pick this one up. Yeah, there's a little creepiness at times, too.
I've heard some say this was a bit of a slow burn but I didn't get that at all. I thought the pacing was spot on.
First class the whole way.
Highly recommended ...more
If you're looking to immerse yourself in something that deals with grief, guilt and a little mystery, then pick this one up. Yeah, there's a little creepiness at times, too.
I've heard some say this was a bit of a slow burn but I didn't get that at all. I thought the pacing was spot on.
First class the whole way.
Highly recommended ...more

Ghost, faeries. A slow start but somehow couldn't put down.
...more

The Ruin of Delicate Things sets out its stall fairly quickly as a haunting, with the creepy forest, creepier cottage and grief-stricken couple thrown into the middle of it all, ready to be chewed up and spat out by the environment. Or so I thought. It is, in fact, a story with many more twists than that in the tale.
The small town vibe is exploited to the full, with elements of folk horror and a sense of there being an open secret which the couple are not in on pervading everything. Then, as we ...more
The small town vibe is exploited to the full, with elements of folk horror and a sense of there being an open secret which the couple are not in on pervading everything. Then, as we ...more

Beverley Lee is a new author to me and one I was delighted to discover. I was totally gripped and absorbed in this Gothic tale of a haunted house, a haunted man, a forest which hums with secrets and ghosts which cannot be laid to rest, whilst it is also an exploration of what grief and loss can do to a person and a marriage. The protagonist, Dan Morgan, inherits his aunt Lucinda's cottage in the woods where he spent his childhood summers (until something terrible happened - which somehow Dan ha
...more

Dang! This turned out to be much better than I expected.
At first it's a story about a couple who've lost their teen son and are trying to heal and re-bond. Dan decides to bring his wife to the summertime home of his childhood after he receives word that his aunt has passed and has left him her cottage. This section, which takes up the first half of the book, lays all the groundwork for the big show later. The town elders all appear to believe there's a supernatural something ((view spoiler) ...more
At first it's a story about a couple who've lost their teen son and are trying to heal and re-bond. Dan decides to bring his wife to the summertime home of his childhood after he receives word that his aunt has passed and has left him her cottage. This section, which takes up the first half of the book, lays all the groundwork for the big show later. The town elders all appear to believe there's a supernatural something ((view spoiler) ...more

“We harvest our fear carefully. Always knowing we can switch on a light if the latest download crosses the line between sanitised scares and a dread that threatens to seep into our bones.”
Beverley has done it again. Her stunningly poetic words tug at your heartstrings despite the dark and tragic story unfolding before you. The loss of a child, a mother’s grief and a father’s forgotten secrets set the stage for unprecedented atrocities in this beautifully dark tale. My love for the strange and u ...more
Beverley has done it again. Her stunningly poetic words tug at your heartstrings despite the dark and tragic story unfolding before you. The loss of a child, a mother’s grief and a father’s forgotten secrets set the stage for unprecedented atrocities in this beautifully dark tale. My love for the strange and u ...more

I read an early(ish) version of Lee's newest dark tale, and I felt so fortunate when it landed in my inbox. I fell in love with her writing with The Making of Gabriel Davenport and couldn't wait to see what she'd done next!
This story is everything the perfect horror needs to be. I'm a huge wimp, so I don't do well with stories that are outright horrifying or gory for the sake of being gory. It was Lee's first books that made me realise that I had the genre all wrong, and The Ruin of Delicate Thi ...more
This story is everything the perfect horror needs to be. I'm a huge wimp, so I don't do well with stories that are outright horrifying or gory for the sake of being gory. It was Lee's first books that made me realise that I had the genre all wrong, and The Ruin of Delicate Thi ...more

The Ruin of Delicate Things: what a title, and it sums up this story to perfection.
Grief, guilt, tragedy, it’s all there, but interwoven through a tale set in a cottage, in a woods, with an abandoned mansion nearby. Yes, all the elements which make for a fantastical, spooky ride.
For me, Beverley Lee’s descriptive skills are spot on. Right from the start I was immersed in every scene, with Barrington Hall, in particular, vividly depicted. This gave it a gothic feel which I love.
I found myself em ...more
Grief, guilt, tragedy, it’s all there, but interwoven through a tale set in a cottage, in a woods, with an abandoned mansion nearby. Yes, all the elements which make for a fantastical, spooky ride.
For me, Beverley Lee’s descriptive skills are spot on. Right from the start I was immersed in every scene, with Barrington Hall, in particular, vividly depicted. This gave it a gothic feel which I love.
I found myself em ...more

The Ruin of Delicate Things by Beverley Lee
As a huge fan of Beverley’s work, I knew this book would have me sucked in from page one and that’s exactly what I got. Right from the get-go, Beverley turns the creepy on. Foreboding oozes from the pages as Dan and Faye, retreat to the countryside where Dan’s Aunt has bequeathed him her cottage in the woods. He hopes the quaint location will assist in mending his marriage, but his idyllic notions quickly vanish as forgotten childhood memories begin to ...more
As a huge fan of Beverley’s work, I knew this book would have me sucked in from page one and that’s exactly what I got. Right from the get-go, Beverley turns the creepy on. Foreboding oozes from the pages as Dan and Faye, retreat to the countryside where Dan’s Aunt has bequeathed him her cottage in the woods. He hopes the quaint location will assist in mending his marriage, but his idyllic notions quickly vanish as forgotten childhood memories begin to ...more

What does horror mean to you?
For me its subtle, creeping, that foreboding feeling that leaches up your spine threatening to choke you. A sensation that keeps you from sleeping, as you lay in the dark, long after the pages are closed. For me, these are the best horrors, ones that are tethered to your spine with sparking emotions rather than the graphic blood spatter of a slasher massacre.
The Ruin of Delicate Things, from the very first chapter, reached into my soul grasping all those inner fears ...more
For me its subtle, creeping, that foreboding feeling that leaches up your spine threatening to choke you. A sensation that keeps you from sleeping, as you lay in the dark, long after the pages are closed. For me, these are the best horrors, ones that are tethered to your spine with sparking emotions rather than the graphic blood spatter of a slasher massacre.
The Ruin of Delicate Things, from the very first chapter, reached into my soul grasping all those inner fears ...more

“𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙩𝙝 𝙧𝙚𝙛𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙙 𝙖 𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙨𝙤 𝙙𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙛 𝙞𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙚𝙧𝙪𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚.”
This was my first experience reading one of Beverley’s books, and like a fly in a spiderweb, I was immediately trapped in this mesmerizing array of poetic prose and vivid imagery. A beautifully written dark horror/ fairytale full of grief and layered with long forgotten secrets.
The place holding these secrets is Barrington Hall, and Dan Morgan has suppressed the awfu ...more
This was my first experience reading one of Beverley’s books, and like a fly in a spiderweb, I was immediately trapped in this mesmerizing array of poetic prose and vivid imagery. A beautifully written dark horror/ fairytale full of grief and layered with long forgotten secrets.
The place holding these secrets is Barrington Hall, and Dan Morgan has suppressed the awfu ...more
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Beverley Lee is a freelance writer currently residing in the south east of England. In thrall to the written word from an early age, especially the darker side of fiction, she believes that the very best story is the one you have to tell. Supporting fellow authors is also her passion and she is actively involved in social media writers’ groups.
The Gabriel Davenport Series (The Making of Gabriel D ...more
The Gabriel Davenport Series (The Making of Gabriel D ...more
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