The Puzzle Wood: The mesmerising new dark tale from the author of the Sunday Times bestseller, The Leviathan

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'Arresting... [a] tale of madness, murder, disputed inheritances and hints of the supernatural' Sunday Times

'Delicious ... dark ... sinister' Susan Stokes-Chapman, author of number one bestseller, Pandora
'Thrilling' Emilia Hart, author of Sunday Times bestseller Weyward
'Stunning' Lianne Dillsworth, author of Theatre of Marvels
'Marvellous' Naomi Kelsey, author of The Burnings

Deep in the woods, something is stirring

As Catherine Symonds, newly appointed governess of Locksley Abbey, arrives in the foothills of the Black Mountains, where England bleeds into Wales, she feels apprehensive.
It is not the echoing, near-empty Abbey with its skeleton staff that frightens her, nor the ancient woods that surround the house, or even the dogs that stalk the grounds, baying for blood. It is Catherine herself who fears scrutiny. She has come here under false pretences, determined to secretly investigate the fate of the last governess at the house, her very own sister, Emily, who is reported to have taken her own life out in the woods.

But despite the reports of her sisters death, Catherine finds herself increasingly drawn to the wood. A place of myth, memory and murder, she soon finds it will not give up its secrets easily, nor offer sanctuary to those who conceal dark deeds...

In the outstanding new novel from the author of the Sunday Times bestseller The Leviathan, an isolated forest becomes the unsettling, beguiling backdrop to a tale of myths, memory and murder

Reviews

Arresting . . . with its tale of madness, murder, disputed inheritances and hints of the supernatural, The Puzzle Wood . . . carries enjoyable echoes of Wilkie Collins and the sensation fiction of the mid-19th century * Sunday Times *
A richly layered Gothic mystery with delicious undertones of menace throughout, The Puzzle Wood is a story full of dark twists with an even darker heart at its sinister core -- Susan Stokes-Chapman, author of number one bestseller, Pandora
A tale steeped in myth, memory and a pervading sense of gothic menace, The Puzzle Wood is a truly dark and atmospheric historical novel * Culturefly *
Myths, menace and murder pepper the pages of this deliciously dark gothic mystery * Sunday Post *
A thrilling trick mirror of a novel, full of twists and turns, myth and menace. Brilliant -- Emilia Hart, author of Sunday Times bestseller Weyward
A beguiling mystery, a mythical tale of a forest, and a fantastic Gothic romance rolled into one. Its intriguing secrets and complex characters kept me guessing to the very last page. What will you find hidden within - and beneath The Puzzle Wood -- Laura Shepperson, author of Sunday Times bestseller, The Heroines
An immediately engaging tale of dark secrets, myths and the supernatural, The Puzzle Wood pulls readers into its labyrinth and refuses to let you go -- Alison Stockham, author of Sunday Times bestseller The Cuckoo
Marvellous - gothic tropes are given new menace and intrigue, from the mysterious reclusive wife to the savage pack of hounds, the local superstitions vying with the man of science, the precocious sweet-but-creepy child, the sinister master, and many more. The writing is visceral, at once brutal and beautiful, and the plot is twistier than the trees of the eponymous wood. A wonderfully haunting and eerie novel -- Naomi Kelsey, author of The Burnings
The Puzzle Wood is an intriguing, unputdownable take on the gothic mystery where identities are hidden, memories are lost and the death toll keeps rising -- Cari Thomas, author of Shadowstitch

The Puzzle Wood by Rosie Andrews is a twisty, masterfully creepy historical novel. It is a richly imagined gothic mystery, with a deep vein of the supernatural running beneath its roots. Perfect for fans of Mrs England by Stacey Halls, this dark tale is sure to enchant

-- Cailean Steed, author of Home
The skilfully woven threads of this tale reveal a dark and stunning tapestry. Rosie Andrews has crafted an enthralling, original and deeply satisfying read. I loved it -- Lianne Dillsworth, author of The Theatre of Marvels
Wonderful. A dark, twisting immersive tale of deception & duplicity, skilfully embroidered with myth, murder & mystery. Gothic as it should be beautifully written & crafted. Brava, Rosie Andrews -- Kate Griffin
The Puzzle Wood is an intriguing, unputdownable take on the gothic mystery where identities are hidden, memories are lost and the death toll keeps rising. As the puzzle pieces fall into place youll be left screaming -- Cari Thomas, author of Shadowstitch
Praise for The Leviathan: Darkly compelling and dripping with atmosphere, The Leviathan is a bewitching tale of good, evil and all of the shades in-between' -- Stacey Halls
Praise for The Leviathan: Spectacular - deliciously creepy, immensely atmospheric and exquisitely written. Rosie Andrews is a phenomenal new voice in historical fiction -- Lizzie Pook
Praise for The Leviathan: It's hard to believe that such an accomplished novel could be a debut - The Leviathan is a gloriously dark story that sweeps you along to its harrowing yet satisfying conclusion. Superb -- Susan Stokes-Chapman

Author Bio

Rosie Andrews was born and grew up in Liverpool, the third of twelve children. She studied History at Cambridge before becoming an English teacher. Her debut novel, The Leviathan, was an instant Sunday Times bestseller, going on to become one of the bestselling debut hardbacks of 2022, and has been shortlisted for the Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award, the HWA Debut Crown Award and the Books Are My Bag Readers Award for Fiction.
She lives in Hertfordshire with her husband and daughter.