With This Curse

By: Amanda DeWees

Narrated by: Elizabeth Klett

Length: 10 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

Winner of the 2015 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in historical romantic mystery and suspense!

Can a curse strike twice in a woman's life? In 1854, 17-year-old chambermaid Clara Crofton was dismissed from Gravesend Hall for having fallen in love with Richard Blackwood, the younger son of the house. Alone in the world, Clara found a tenuous position as a seamstress, but she always blamed the Gravesend curse for the disaster that had befallen her - and for Richard's death soon after in the Crimean War.

Now, more than 18 years later, Richard's twin, Atticus, seeks out Clara with a strange proposal: If she will marry him and live with him as his wife in name only to ease the mind of his dying father, Atticus will then endow her with a comfortable income for the rest of her life. Clara knows that he is not disclosing his true motives, but when she runs out of options for an independent life, she has no choice but to become Atticus' wife.

For Clara, returning to Gravesend as a bride brings some triumph...but also great unease. Not only must she pretend to be a well-born lady and devoted wife to a man whose face is a constant reminder of the love she lost, but ominous portents whisper that her masquerade brings grave danger. "This house will take from you what you most treasure," her mother once warned her. But the curse has already taken the man Clara loved. Will it now demand her life?

Learn how Clara's thrilling story unfolds in With This Curse, an addictive Victorian romantic suspense novel by Amanda DeWees. Listeners who enjoyed DeWees' acclaimed gothic novel Sea of Secrets as well as those who love Victorian mystery and traditional gothic romance alike will be captivated by this strong yet vulnerable heroine and her suspenseful journey through the perils of heartbreak, danger, and love.

©2014 Amanda DeWees (P)2015 Amanda DeWees

With this curse

Any additional comments?

The story is a mystery of an old curse, but there are some great developments and turns in the plot to keep the interest and the curiosity up throughout.
Much is not what it seems when our heroine Clara enters a marriage of convenience, without ever quite knowing the real reasons behind this arrangement. The 19th century setting comes off as very convincing and engaging, the class system, the characters and the portrayal of the times provide an excellent background for the romance.

Great Book!

Well-written, keeps you listening expectantly. The narrator is outstanding; she has a melodious voice and does the English accents superbly.

Hard to put down..

What made the experience of listening to With This Curse the most enjoyable?

Besides the fact that the writing is excellent,the narration is flawless.

What other book might you compare With This Curse to and why?

You could compare this book to any of Victoria Holt's.

Which character – as performed by Elizabeth Klett – was your favorite?

Clara,but all the characters were performed very well.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No,but I was so happy to listen to such a well written,and well performed book. I don't think you need to have an extreme reaction to have a wonderful reading experience.

Any additional comments?

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. So very glad I could give it a big two thumbs up without any reservations. Both the author and narrator have made my "watch for" lists.

With this Curse

This book was a good old fashioned story about class,love and hatred within a family.Elizabeth Klett does a fine job narrating from Claras viewpoint.Clara is a servant in a house and is tossed out for indescretions that she was falsely accused of. She's had a hard life and just when she thinks there is no hope she is welcomed back into the house she left long ago. She is now the wife of the twin brother of the man she loved when she was 17,the man she thought loved her and the reason for her being forced from the house in the first place. The twists and turns in this story are reminiscent of Jane Eyre.
This book was provided by the author for a fair and honest review.

Suspenseful Rollercoaster of the Greatest Kind

Exceptionally well written story, full of the twists and turns we expect from the incredible Amanda Dewees. Highly recommended. Clara's journey through the curse at Graves End will thrill you, frustrate you, drag you in, and spit you out again!

Good Old Fashioned Gothic Fun

This book has all the elements of a classic Victorian Gothic novel - a virginal maiden, a troubled hero, and a spooky house. I found the overall reveal was a bit transparent, but there are a few surprises and twists as the story unfolds. The fun is in the suspense and ambiance of the story. I will definitely be reading more of DeWees work in future.
The narrator does a fantastic job. Klett brings the characters to life, giving each of them a distinct voice making it very easy to follow and enjoyable to listen to.

Exciting Read, with an Amazing Narrator!!

This book is definitely a modern Gothic novel. What I mean by that is it had all the elements of a Gothic novel written in a modern style. It kept you interested in the story to the very end in an enthralling way but it was a bit shallow. Maybe because I just reread Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre I was less impressed with this prose it was more a melodrama style with a very much less impressive twist than it's classic inspirations. I don't regret reading it at all and enjoyed it at the time but it won't make it on my rereads list.

Elizabeth Klett was an excellent narrator though, she was the best part of this book. One of my favorite narrators of all time! I love the way she gives life to the characters making me appreciate the author's intentions more clearly. I would listen to her time and time again.

Outstanding gothic historical romance!

Any additional comments?

OMG! I just loved With This Curse by Amanda DeWees! I listened to the whole thing in 2 days (plus worked 20 hours at work without listening ). I'm running on no sleep!

Written as a true Gothic historical romance, With This Curse is part murder mystery and part love story, with a few hints of the supernatural. The story centers on Clara who at 35 years old is asked by Atticus, the son of a former employer, to marry him. Clara is reluctant to accept because 18-years ago she was wrongly dismissed as a chambermaid after she fell in love with Atticus's brother Richard, who died soon after her dismissal. Fearing poverty when her current employer no longer needs her, Clara agrees to Atticus's proposal.

What I enjoyed most about this story is the slow development of admiration and respect that Clara develops for her husband, which soon matures into love. The story flows very naturally and seamlessly.

Elizabeth Klett’s narration is absolutely fantastic. She really brought the characters to life, giving each character their own distinct voice. She was very believable and helped me become totally engrossed into the story. Elizabeth Klett has quickly become one of my favorite narrators. Bravo!

Loved it!

A beautifully written story about true love. This story is clean and pure without losing the passion we all love to read about! Recommended to all ages. Definitely worth your while, don't miss this one!

great narration

the performance was excellent and took you right into the story it was very enjoyable to listen to