Blackthorn House was a place you didn't want to visit.

Blackthorn House had the odd Gifford family living there.

Blackthorn House had secrets.

Connie Gifford and her father lived at Blackthorn House and were well known for their taxidermy, but no one ever came around any more for visits or taxidermy.

What had happened to make them outcasts? Was it because of their business? Was it because Connie had had an accident many years ago and sort of became a recluse? Was it because her father was quite odd and always would disappear? Or was it that Gifford and a select few had a secret?

There was something going on in the town that had people watching the Blackthorn House and holding secret meetings that resulted in the men of the town going missing, hiding, and worrying.

?As the book continues, we keep hearing about something that happened ten years ago that frightened the men in the town because of their involvement.?

THE TAXIDERMIST'S DAUGHTER had odd, mysterious characters and ?a ?dark undercurrent.? Some parts of the book are not for the faint of heart...pretty gruesome.?

It took a while to get interested, but the story line was well crafted and became good after a woman's body was found and the secrets kept for ten years began to be revealed.

The writing was very descriptive, and you could see the characters as they represented that time period no matter what their social class was.

I can’t say it was a favorite, but it did keep me interested by keeping me wondering what the secrets were. 3.5/5

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation in return for an honest review.

This is a murder mystery set in the early 20th century on a British Isles coast. Vivid descriptions of the setting and people. The art of taxidermy is described in detail - very interesting information. If you want a mystery and learning experience, this is the book for you. Some of the names and details confused me and I wish I had read the book, not on Kindle, so that I could easily go back to other chapters and follow the maps of the area.