Bookseller Reviews
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What secrets are buried within these walls?
For 150 years, above the Scottish cliffs, Caldonbrae Hall has sat as a beacon of excellence. A boarding school for the most promising girls who will emerge... READ MORE
Perfect blend of Circle and The Handmaid’s Tale
This deliciously, twisted gothic tale had me intrigued from page 1 and I was captivated until the very end. Everything about this book was crafted so perfe... READ MORE
Synopsis
A contemporary gothic debut with a feminist edge, for fans of Naomi Alderman and Madeline Miller
'The simmering menace and mystery kept me absolutely gripped' Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne
'Rebecca meets The Secret History. Gloriously dark, gloriously gothic' Sara Collins, author of The Confessions of Frannie Langton
For 150 years, Caldonbrae Hall has loomed high above the Scottish cliffs as a beacon of excellence. A boarding school for girls, it promises that its pupils will emerge 'resilient and ready to serve society'.
New to the school, Classics teacher Rose Christie is soon overwhelmed by the institution's arcane traditions and terrifyingly cool, vindictive students. Her classroom becomes her haven, until her lessons about fearless women starts to draw the suspicions of the powers that be.
As Rose uncovers the darkness that beats at the very heart of Caldonbrae, the lines between myth and reality grow ever more blurred. Can Rose - and the fierce young women she has come to love - find a way to escape the fate the school has in store for them, before it is too late. . .
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'A highly entertaining and atmospheric read' Kate Sawyer, author of The Stranding
'Imagine if Donna Tartt and Margaret Atwood got together to write a creepy, suspenseful novel . . . ' Chandler Baker, author of Whisper Network
'Strange, dark, and utterly consuming . . . I loved it' Katie Lowe, author of The Furies
'Chilling, eerie and very clever. I devoured it' Polly Crosby, author of The Illustrated Child
'A thrilling debut, reminiscent of Du Maurier. Leaves us breathless at each twist and turn' Nydia Hetherington, author of A Girl Made Of Air
Publisher information
- Publisher: Quercus Publishing
- ISBN: 9781529408768
- Number of pages: 448
- Dimensions: 196 x 130 x 34 mm
- Weight: 320g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
View allBoarding School with a Difference
Ok so I did enjoy this book, but would it be a book that I’d pick up and reread? No its not. The story is based in Scotland during the 1990’s. Where there ... READ MORE
A deliciously gothic tale
It is 1992 and young Classics teacher Rose Christie has been offered a post at elite girls’ school Caldonbrae Hall, a Victorian mansion perched on cliffs i... READ MORE
A powerhouse of a gothic, feminist novel
"After all, this is more than just a school - it's an institution" Welcome to Caldonbrae Hall, a boarding school that has promised to educate girls for the... READ MORE
Too "book-group-y" for my taste
An interesting and twisty contemporary Gothic novel, but with a troubled sense of place and plotting--the twist wasn't as shocking as I wanted it to be, an... READ MORE
Creepy
Very creepy story about a prestigious private girl's school which is not what it seems. With echoes of The Handmaid's Tale this book kept me wanting to rea... READ MORE
A dark secret at the heart of a girls boarding school
Madam is a gripping thriller set in a boarding school for wealthy girls nestled in a remote corner of the Scottish mainland. Isolated within its walls from... READ MORE
A wee bit overhyped...
I usually shy away from reviewing books that I have really not enjoyed, but in the spirit of balance, and my credibility as a blogger, I couldn’t go withou... READ MORE
A Compelling read
There's a phrase - too good to be true, and usually, it turns out to be the case. This is quite a fitting phrase for Rose, who gets offered a job teaching ... READ MORE
No-brainer 5 star book!
There is one thing that will ALWAYS draw me to reading a book, and that is if it’s in some academic setting. If it’s a boarding school, even better.
There... READ MORE
a mystery at its heart and feminism in its veins
Madam was just the book I needed to read last week! It kept me engrossed from start to finish and made me question everything I was reading. I kind of gues... READ MORE
A Gothic tale with a cautionary feminisit twist
There's a truly Gothic feel to this modern-day boarding-school tale! It's 1992, and Rose Christie has just taken a post as head of Classics at Caldonbrae S... READ MORE
Dark and disturbing
Madam by Phoebe Wynne is a brilliantly sinister, feminist tale set in Caldonbrae Hall, a prestigious boarding school for girls, located in a remote part of... READ MORE
No-brainer 5 star read!
There is one thing that will ALWAYS draw me to reading a book, and that is if it’s in some academic setting. If it’s a boarding school, even better.
Ther... READ MORE
Silly, but fun
Madam was a very readable and pacy book, but I didn't believe a word of it.
I attended an English girls' boarding school in the 1990's, sitting my Latin... READ MORE
Edgy read
Rose Christie at 26 years-old had been offered and taken the position of head of her department in the most prestigious school for young ladies. Caldonbrae... READ MORE
A chilling Gothic feminist tale
This was a fast paced, atmospheric and gripping read. A touch of gothic, a hint of creepiness, a handful of the classics and a whole lot of feminist outrag... READ MORE
Superbly creepy
If you’ve heard the hype surrounding this book, believe it!
It’s creepy, feminist, shocking, and so so intriguing!
Set in a boarding school for girls in a... READ MORE
I didn't enjoy this book at all
What an unpleasant book. Unpleasant characters, setting, happenings. A disturbing read and not one I enjoyed. I received an e-ARC from Netgalley and the pu... READ MORE
Suspiria in Scotland
I love school stories, I've read all of them- from Enid Blyton to PG Wodehouse to Chalet School. This book is what you would get if you mixed up Get Out, S... READ MORE
Unsettling
This book appears to be dividing readers, I must say that I loved it. 4.5 stars.
From the moment Rose steps into the Scottish school (which made me think ... READ MORE
A highly engaging Gothic mystery set in an exclusive girl’s boarding school
My thanks to Quercus Books for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Madam’ by Phoebe Wynne in exchange for an honest review.
This was an amazing novel and once start... READ MORE
A slow burner
I was sent a copy of Madam by Phoebe Wynne to read and review by NetGalley. This novel wasn’t quite what I was expecting but once I got used to the layout... READ MORE
Poorly paced with plot holes
Madam certainly has an air of unease within its writing - it reminded me of something like The Demon Headmaster or the Stepford Wives in places. That said,... READ MORE
Recommended!
I was recommended this as dark academia since I loved The Secret History and this did not disappoint! Very gothic and thrilling, a shocking twist and then ... READ MORE
Gripping
With echoes of "Rebecca" and "never let me go", this fascinating novel kept me gripped from the start. Jane is recommended for the position of Classics te... READ MORE
3.5/5 Stars
*ARC RECEIVED*
*SPOILERS*
3.5/5 Stars.
This book felt like similar to the film Mona Lisa Smiles in the best way. We follow Rose Christie as she starts a... READ MORE
What an amazing story this is and beautifully written. Phoebe Wynne is an author to look out for.
This is the best novel I have read in a long time. It is mysteries and scary. Rose is offered the job as head of classics in a Scottish public school but w... READ MORE
Phoebe Wynne – Madam
Rose Christie cannot believe it when she is offered a job at the prestigious boarding school Caldonbrae Hall, set on a recluse peninsula above the Scottish... READ MORE
Recommended
This is a fascinating book and I loved the style of writing, the sense of dread and the growing tension.
The author delivers a good story that kept me read... READ MORE
What is so special about Caldonbrae Hall?
Rose Christie is a Classics teacher and accepts a job at Caldonbrae Hall, a boarding school in Scotland.
This should be a wonderful opportunity but Rose f... READ MORE
Not for me
2.5
In 1992 Rose Christie is employed at Calonbrae Hall, a boarding school in Scotland for girls of wealthy and influential families. She is to be the new... READ MORE
Feminism and school
Dramatic, intriguing, educational, surprising and political are some of the epithets to describe this school-based story. The theme is an almost cult-like ... READ MORE
Some interesting ideas
There were some interesting ideas in this book, particularly around class, power and the role of women, and it was well written. However, for me, there wer... READ MORE
Unusual storyline and compelling read
Rose goes to teach at an old established school in a Scottish castle. She struggles to understand the ancient traditions and tries to change things but the... READ MORE
Absolutely loved it!
This book has been sitting on my tbr for so long as due to the pandemic (I presume) the publication date was pushed back and back.
The date is finally al... READ MORE
Exciting and creepy
An exciting, creepy and thrilling story.
Rose Christie is a new teacher in Classics at Caldonbrae Hall, in the isolated countryside of Scotland; she's the... READ MORE
Well worth reading
Very creepy story about a prestigious private girl's school which is not what it seems. With echoes of The Handmaid's Tale this book kept me wanting to rea... READ MORE
Novel set in SCOTLAND
2.5*
Rose Christie, young Classics teacher, secures a job at Caldonbrae Hall, a boarding school for girls set in an ancestral castle in remote Scotland. ... READ MORE
Creepy but a slow burner
This is a creepy and suspenseful novel which Claverley weaves present day events and blends them with classical heroes and heroines. It's a slow burner tho... READ MORE
I wondered if it would work better as a short story.
'Madam' by Phoebe Wynne is set in a prestigious boarding school - Caldonbrae Hall - in Scotland. Rose, a young Classics teacher is excited to have been sco... READ MORE
Good, creepy tale!
Rose is delighted when she is offered the job at Caldonbrae, becoming the head of the Classics department at an exclusive girls school. Not only is it a si... READ MORE
A haunting setting for a thriller!
Rounded down from around 3.5 Stars
Madam follows Rose, the new classics teacher at a mysterious and foreboding boarding school. Tradition, class and secr... READ MORE
Not the school I’d send my daughter to, but it’s a cracking read!
Rose Christie is a young Classics teacher who gets a teaching post at an elite public boarding school in Scotland: Caldonbrae Hall.
But this school isn’t... READ MORE
obsessed
Obsessed with this book and I have been talking to everyone I know about how good it is!
A position comes up as Head of Classics at one of the most highly... READ MORE