The Artist of Blackberry Grange

May 15, 2025May 15, 2025 by onemoreexclamation

Welcome to the The Artist of Blackberry Grange by Paulette Kennedy book tour hosted by Suzy Approved Book Tours.

About The Artist of Blackberry Grange

Title: The Artist of Blackberry Grange

Author: Paulette Kennedy

Released: May 1, 2025

Find it: Amazon

In the summer of 1925, the winds of change are particularly chilling for a young woman whose life has suddenly become unbalanced.

Devastated by her mother’s death and a cruel, broken engagement, Sadie Halloran learns that her great-aunt Marguerite, a renowned artist now in the throes of dementia, needs a live-in companion.

Grasping at newfound purpose, Sadie leaves her desolate Kansas City boardinghouse for Blackberry Grange, Marguerite’s once-grand mansion sitting precariously atop an Arkansas bluff. Though Marguerite is a fading shell of the vibrant woman Sadie remembers, she is feverishly compelled to paint eerie, hallucinatory portraits of old lovers—some cherished, some regretted, and some beastly. All of them haunting.

With each passing night, time itself seems to shift with the shadows at Blackberry Grange. As truth and delusion begin to blur, Sadie must uncover the secrets that hold Marguerite captive to her past before reality—and Marguerite’s life—slips away entirely.

Book Blurbs

“A bold, fresh story about the ghosts that haunt us and the ones we overcome. Paulette Kennedy explores loss and humility through the eyes of a saucy flapper who may bend the rules but not her sense of morality. This book will linger in your heart like the fond memory of a loved one.” ―Mansi Shah, bestselling author of The Direction of the Wind

“Paulette Kennedy has once again proven herself to be a true master of gothic fiction. The Artist of Blackberry Grange is unsettling, atmospheric, and deeply moving, a haunting and heartfelt exploration of love and letting go. Perfect for readers who appreciate both the beauty and darkness of the human experience.” ―Molly Greeley, author of Marvelous

“With The Artist of Blackberry Grange, Paulette Kennedy continues her streak of writing brilliant gothics. Part Dorian Gray and part exploration of the dark legacy of family trauma, I adored every twisty, gorgeously written page. Don’t miss this one!” ―Kris Waldherr, author of The Lost History of Dreams and Unnatural Creatures: A Novel of the Frankenstein Women

“The Artist of Blackberry Grange is an utter gothic delight. [Paulette Kennedy’s] signature use of an atmospheric Southern setting, evocative prose, and gothic suspense creates a winning combination. Kennedy keeps readers hooked until the very last page. Pitch-perfect pacing combined with very real characters make this a novel that will stick with you after the final page.” ―Jess Armstrong, USA Today bestselling author, The Curse of Penryth Hall

Review for The Artist of Blackberry Grange

This book is part Gothic, part mystery. It has a good plot structure, though at times, it is a bit slow. There are several characters to keep up with, but they are interesting. Aunt Marguerite has a fascinating story as a forward-thinking rebel. With dementia, she provides much of the story; with the dementia angle, the reader is never certain if the information is reliable. Sadie definitely shows growth throughout the story, which is refreshing. Weston plays a large role through sexual encounters, and there are plenty of them. Be sure to review the trigger point warnings listed.

The supernatural is a major plot point of the story. There are painting portals, revenge for mistreatment, and a few other tidbits that are never fully explained. I would have appreciated some loose ends to be tied up. Though the writing is good, perhaps I wasn’t in the right mood for this dark fiction.

About The Author

Paulette Kennedy is the bestselling author of The Witch of Tin Mountain, The Devil and Mrs. Davenport, and Parting the Veil, which received the prestigious HNS Review Editor’s Choice Award.

She has had a lifelong obsession with the gothic. As a young girl, she spent her summers among the gravestones in her neighborhood cemetery, imagining all sorts of romantic stories for the people buried there. After her mother introduced her to the Brontës as a teenager, her affinity for fog-covered landscapes and haunted heroines only grew, inspiring her to become a writer. Originally from the Missouri Ozarks, she now lives with her family and a menagerie of rescue pets in sunny Southern California, where sometimes, on the very best days, the mountains are wreathed in fog.

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