"A mesmerizing tale that spins a web of mystery, murder and the supernatural."
Reviewed by Lynn Cunningham
Posted March 11, 2016
Mystery | Thriller | Suspense
The year 1885 finds Frances Flinch Barnett having a visit
with her twin brother Harry at a New England mental
hospital. During this visit, she recounts the events that
led to her being a patient in this hospital. She blames
pregnancy and childbirth for her lapse of sanity, but there
is also an undercurrent of evil that runs through her
story.
Fast forward to 2014 and meet Abby Bernacki and her husband
Chad. They have moved into the house formerly owned by
Frances and her husband prior to her hospital stay so long
ago. Their baby, Lucy, is still only a few months old and
Abby has taken a leave of absence from her teaching
position
to care for her baby. There is something strange going on
in
the house, though. Odd sounds and shadows broadcast over
the
baby monitor from Lucy's room that vanish as soon as Abby
gets to the nursery.
In her quest to find out more about the house, Abby starts
to research the Barnetts, particularly Frances. With some
luck, she comes to possess Frances's long ago journal and
is
surprised at how similar their circumstances are. However,
the more she reads the more concerned she becomes. In
addition, the rather odd events she has been
experiencing in the house tend to get more active making
her
more determined than ever to figure out the mystery that
seems to surround her home.
THE EVENING SPIDER is a beautifully written and very
compelling story that will keep you glued to each page
until
the final one. There is one chill after another, which
begins
almost from the start. I was captivated by the very first
page and felt rather let down when it ended. Author Emily
Arsenault knows exactly how to draw in her readers and hold
them in thrall.
Reading THE EVENING SPIDER is an experience to be reveled
in
rather than just a way to pass the time. The main
characters
are perfectly crafted in a way that makes them three
dimensional. I could totally imagine myself hanging out
with
Abby and, possibly, visiting Frances during her stay at the
hospital. That is just the beginning of all of the amazing
things you will find between the pages.
Once you have begun reading, THE EVENING SPIDER is quite
difficult to put down. You have the privilege of walking in
the long ago shoes of Frances and the modern ones of Abby.
Even though there is the past and the present woven
together; it only adds to the building apprehension and
curiosity about what exactly is happening.
THE EVENING SPIDER is one of the most deliciously
tantalizing books you do not need to miss.
SUMMARY
A gripping blend of psychological suspense and historical
true crime, this riveting novel—inspired by a sensational
real-life murder from the 1800s—by critically acclaimed
author Emily Arsenault delivers a heart-stopping mystery
linking two young mothers from different centuries. Frances Barnett and Abby Bernacki are two haunted young
mothers living in the same house in two different
centuries. 1885: Frances Barnett is in the Northampton Lunatic
Hospital, telling her story to a visitor. She has come to
distrust her own memories, and believes that her
pregnancy, birth, and early days of motherhood may have
impaired her sanity. During the earliest months of her baby’s life, Frances
eagerly followed the famous murder trial of Mary Stannard
—that captivated New Englanders with its salacious
details and expert forensic testimony. Following—and even
attending—this trial, Frances found an escape from the
monotony of new motherhood. But as her story unfolds,
Frances must admit that her obsession with the details of
the murder were not entirely innocent. Present day: Abby has been adjusting to motherhood
smoothly—until recently, when odd sensations and dreams
have begun to unsettle her while home alone with her
baby. When she starts to question the house’s history,
she is given the diary of Frances Barnett, who lived in
the house 125 years earlier. Abby finds the diary
disturbing, and researches the Barnett family’s history.
The more Abby learns, the more she wonders about a
negative—possibly supernatural—influence in her house.
She becomes convinced that when she sleeps, she leaves
her daughter vulnerable—and then vows not to sleep until
she can determine the cause of her eerie experiences. Frances Barnett might not be the only new mother to lose
her mind in this house. And like Frances, Abby discovers
that by trying to uncover another’s secrets, she risks
awakening some of her own.
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