Natalie G. Bergman

In Bergman’s queer Gilded Age gothic-horror novel, the supernatural powers of the Morrigan, a Celtic Phantom Queen, are unleashed against unspeakable evil.

Readers first meet Eve Kelly in 1883, when she’s 3 years old, living in upstate New York. She has begun to show signs that she possesses mystical abilities, which erupt suddenly and result in the death of her father. Her mother, Moira, takes Eve to an Irish spiritualist, who locks the child’s powers away in a magical pearl. In 1899, 18-year-old Eve and her mother are housekeepers in the Tarrytown Inn, north of New York City. Facing discrimination because they’re Irish, they’ve moved from job to job and place to place. Now, Eve must contend with the lascivious advances of the men of the Tarrytown Inn.

She convinces her mother to apply for work with the ultra-wealthy Rennard family, owners of the massive Greythorne Mansion, just outside Poughkeepsie. To Eve’s delight, their applications are accepted, and within a few days the Rennard coach arrives to pick them up. Inside the coach are the beautiful heiress, Saskia Rennard, and her aunt, Winifred Price, who are on their way home following a year in Europe. Much to her displeasure, Saskia has returned at her father’s command because it’s time for her to find a husband. She’s immediately intrigued by Eve, and soon Eve’s powers begin to break loose as Bergman pulls readers into a tale that combines a chronicle of a developing passionate relationship between two women and a graphically dark horror story, filled with malevolence. The profound wickedness that lurks within the stone walls of the massive estate emerges gradually. Alternately narrated by Eve and Saskia, the plot unfolds in a fashion that offers vivid lifestyle descriptions (“My attention drifted to the exquisite gold Lalique bracelet I had acquired from my Parisian admirer, the Marquis d’Limousin”) and well-developed portraits of the two vastly different women. When Saskia’s father hosts the Rennard family’s annual Ambrose Hunt, the sinister plot that is hiding behind upper-class graces and accoutrements unfolds in gripping detail.

A chilling, addictive read with a powerful protagonist. Verdict: Get It!

— Kirkus Reviews

A dark, exhilarating tale of revenge and renewal. Eve begins as a servant in a ominous gothic mansion ruled by men whose brutality scars both people and animals. As her uncanny powers awaken, she breaks free from their grip, learning not only is she able to fight but also to heal. A romantic adventure with shades of The Hunger Games, Fingersmith, and Resurrection(1980), —fast-paced, gripping, and deeply satisfying.

- Simone Wallace, Co-founder & co-owner, Sisterhood Bookstore, Los Angeles

This riveting sapphic gothic horror novel is imbued with exquisite detail and a sense of locale that deftly amplifies the terror taking place in a wealthy New England estate at the turn of the century. The author adroitly upends us in the best sort of way as the novel twists and swerves through lush landscapes and sitting rooms, heavenly scented bathtubs, tea parties, and a forbidden affair between members of the different classes while shocking us with visceral, magical, unforgettable horror. Hooked from the first chapter, this novel delivers from start to finish with the unexpected and the incredible weaved into a richly spun tale of an upper class home that hides particular cruelties. Nature, magic, misplaced affection, and the resilience of a young woman who carries an incredible legacy all lead to an explosive, satisfying finish. Readers who’ve enjoyed works like Sarah Waters’ Fingersmith and Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth will love Pearl Bound.

- Martha Browing, Professional Story Analyst