Blackwater by Jacqueline Ross

Publisher's Synopsis

A baby will never be born at Blackwater.

There is much that heavily pregnant Grace still doesn’t know about her new husband King’s background. So, when word comes that King’s father is dying, Grace is eager to accompany him to his childhood home, Blackwater, located in a remote part of Tasmania.

Things go badly from the start. The house is in terrible repair, King’s dying father yells at Grace to leave and King’s twin sister, Ruth, seems disturbed by Grace’s presence. After his father’s death, King convinces Grace they must stay and help Ruth settle the estate, but as time stretches on he grows strange and distant. When Grace learns about Blackwater’s dark history, she begins to fear that it is the house itself exerting an evil influence on her husband.

Feeling increasingly isolated, and with the birth of her child looming, Grace knows she must uncover the secrets of Blackwater if she hopes to free her family from its grip.

My Review of Blackwater by Jacqueline Ross

Grace and King return to King’s childhood home in Tasmania, an old and creepy house that is in a state of disrepair. His father is dying and they’ve returned to be there for him. Also living in the house is Ruth, King’s twin sister, a character who is largely spoken about but rarely seen. 

Grace is seven months pregnant, has trouble moving around without feeling ill and has an instant feeling of foreboding when she enters the old house. 

Her state of mind is not helped when she starts talking to some of the locals who recount rumours and superstitions about the house and its inhabitants. Early on, there is quite a bit of mystery surrounding Ruth, especially given that Grace has not seen her despite being there for a couple of days, and King appears to change the subject whenever her name comes up.

This is a first person account told from Grace’s perspective. Although she is itching to finally meet the evasive Ruth, when she does she’s kind of sorry she did. She’s also more than a little alarmed at the change coming over King as he becomes distracted, manic, prone to wandering in the middle of the night and falling into random moments of deep confusion. And no matter how much she pleads with him to leave, his obstinance becomes a sticking point.

It’s difficult to decide whether to be completely frustrated with Grace’s repeated pleas to leave Blackwater (yet she stays) or be impressed by her sense of duty when she decides to remain with her husband.

There is a history to the house, a history that is deeply disturbing and, if the tales are to be believed, could prove to be extremely dangerous for Grace. By doing her own checking with some of the locals she learns more and more about the house and its inhabitants over the years, ratcheting up her fears with all manner of dread building up inside her.

Right from the start the house is given a sinister, almost otherworldly personality that offers a past steeped in pain and suffering…

“There are ruins of several other buildings near the house…In another setting the ruins might be romantic, but this was part of a convict outstation...On the walls is mustard-coloured embossed wallpaper, heavy and cloying, and in places the plaster is soft and damp. The room smells, impossibly, like wet dog.”

This is a strong story of suspense that makes use of the historical background of Tasmania as the basis for the growing feelings of unease that pervade every page. You can see the change in King’s mental state the longer they stay in the house. It has the effect of him withdrawing both physically and emotionally from Grace. The result: Grace is in a creepy house, effectively on her own. 7 months pregnant with the knowledge that a maxim for the place is “A baby will never be born at Blackwater”. (Yikes)

A real strength of this story lies in Jacqueline Ross’ highly descriptive prose when it comes to the house itself. It virtually becomes an immersive experience as Grace ventures into each room for the first time. From the rank smells emanating from rooms that have been closed for years to the clouds of fleas rising from the carpets when they’re disturbed , the rot, dust and bits falling off. Through all of this you get a complete picture of just how run down and dangerous the place is.

This is a dramatically compelling book with a well-constructed plot that had me whizzing through the pages at a frantic pace. It’s your typical slow burn, never a comfortable ride but always powerful in its imagery.

My thanks to NetGalley and Affirm Press for the opportunity to read, enjoy and review a cope of the digital ARC of this book.