‘What an emotional journey, beautifully written and with an unforgettable setting . . . A stunning novel full of heart, hope and enduring love in all its forms. A heart-wrenching mystery to savour’ AMANDA GEARD
A haunting mystery of a family’s darkest secrets from the worldwide bestselling Australian author
In the aftermath of a tumultuous year, Fiona Winslow finds solace in the decaying grandeur of Wurimbirra, the rambling family estate. Intent on restoring it – despite her mother’s objections – she discovers the keys to more than just the dilapidated country mansion. Beneath the crumbling plaster are secrets that have been buried for a generation.
When a book, The Midnight Estate, catches her attention, Fiona is plunged into a tale that mirrors her own life – a story of love, loss and betrayal. She dismisses the similarities as coincidence, but as she’s drawn deeper into the story, the lines between fiction and reality blur, and Fiona must ask herself: how well does she know her family
A gothic epic that spans generations, Kelly Rimmer weaves a tale as immersive as Kate Morton’s Homecoming, inviting readers into the heart of a family’s darkest secrets with an absorbing book-within-a-book mystery.
‘Kelly Rimmer is at her most skillful here, beautifully capturing in exquisite detail an emotional, haunting tale that is sure to keep readers eagerly turning the page’ JULIA KELLY
‘A mesmerising read which had me glued to the pages from beginning to end. Absorbing, important, impactful, this will stay with me’ LOUISE FEIN
(3/5)
This novel is a story within a story, and despite the slow start, I’m glad I persevered. I also found it helpful to keep a list of the many characters within the two stories.
The main story follows Fiona, who moves into her uncle’s long-abandoned mansion in rural New South Wales with the plan of renovating it to it’s former glory. The mansion is apparently haunted, with the locals gossiping about strange occurrences, and tradesmen reluctant to help with renovations. Once Fiona moves in, she experiences unexplained noises and events.
The other story is about a woman in 1960’s California in a coercively abusive marriage.
I wondered how the two stories were related, and this eventually become clear. It was a clever way of telling a backstory. In the Author’s Note, Kelly says she had a number of storylines she’d been considering for some time, and she seems to have combined them all in this book. Which meant that most of the storylines were skimmed over without being given much depth.
It was an easy read. I enjoyed The Midnight Estate, but I prefer her earlier works.
(3/5)
I was very keen to read The Midnight Estate as I have enjoyed a few other books by the same author.
The book is a blend of historical mystery with some emotional drama. Although I found this story a bit slow from the start, midway through I started to gain some interest in wanting to know more about the mystery of Wurimbirra estate, the house Fiona Winslow purchased after her marriage fell apart and found herself single. I wanted to know why Fiona’s mother was so unhappy that she had chosen to live alone in this supposedly haunted house. I particularly enjoyed how Fiona found a book in the house titled “The Midnight Estate” by FJ Wilkie, a title and writer she’s never heard of before, and started reading it.
My favourite sections were the storyline within the fictional novel, as Silas’s and Marie’s situation was so engaging. I like the way the author included a mystery in this book, and the rich detail in which she writes which kept me reading.
Although it’s not my favourite of Kelly Rimmer’s books, I still enjoyed it.
(5/5)
This book is a book within a book i.e. a story within a story. Fiona learns her family history when she discovers a box of books in her late Uncle’s old house. A house that was left to her Uncle’s son, but he never liked the place as a child, nor as an adult, but is forced to care for it after the Uncle’s passing.
Fiona can’t put this book down and neither will you. A great concept and a clever way for author Uncle Tad to pay homage to one strong woman. With many endearing characters and a plot set in Forbes NSW, The Midnight Estate will make you a sucker for the book-within-a-book story.
(4/5)
This is the first book I’ve read by Kelly Rimmer, and I’m sure it will not be my last.
I thoroughly enjoyed the different time periods in which the book is set. The book centres around Fiona, who moves back to her childhood home of Wurimbirra, a house that has lain empty for 10 years following the death of her uncle. The house is rumoured by the locals to be haunted.
Fiona moves in with the intention of renovating the property and making it her home, following a recent relationship break up. She finds a book amongst her deceased uncles belongings, and this then sets off a book within a book.
I enjoyed the back and forth timelines and grew to appreciate all the different characters, however would probably say that the story became a bit predictable. Still a very enjoyable read, and I would certainly recommend The Midnight Estate.
(5/5)
I’ve read many books by this author before and always come away moved by the complexity of the story. The Midnight Estate was similar in the way it draws you in and is beautifully written in the details building the characters. I also loved the dual timelines and had that AHA! moment when it became clear how the two stories intertwined.
The character of Rupert was repulsive, and I was a bit confused by Tad’s mannerisms, but it all became clear later. I loved the story and how it unfolded. The only criticism I have of the book is some misspelling (being an uncorrected proof copy, this is a given). I already look forward to Kelly Rimmer’s next book. I haven’t read a single so-so story by her.
(4/5)
As a long time fan of Kelly Rimmer’s work, I was looking forward to reading The Midnight Estate, even more so when I realised it featured my hometown of Forbes, and boy it did not disappoint!
This book is a bit of a deviation from Rimmer’s usual style of storytelling, but she weaves a tale of mystery, family sagas, and rich, atmospheric settings in a captivating ‘book within a book’ style. The setting of Forbes is vividly brought to life, with Rimmer’s descriptive writing immersing the reader in the beauty that is our Central West.
The Midnight Estate is a deeply emotional and thought-provoking read, not shying away from the topics of domestic violence and coercive control in a tale that spans across the globe. The main characters are well developed, showing a strength and empathy that resonates with the reader, making this all the more of a heart warming read.
(4/5)
Kelly Rimmer’s novel tells the story of Fiona, who is facing upheaval following the demise of her marriage. Arriving at Wurimbirra, the stately mansion in rural NSW where she grew up and now owns, she tries to ignore the mysteries and ghost stories surrounding it as she begins to make it her home. But some hidden stories need to be uncovered and, slowly, the house reveals its secrets.
Rimmer weaves two stories, those of Fiona’s family and a strange book she finds at Wurimbirra called ‘The Midnight Estate’, to create a family epic that spans generations. I enjoyed uncovering the mystery as I read the two stories in alternating chapters, and felt the characters were well drawn, particularly Tad, Fiona’s eccentric author uncle. I would have loved more backstory between Fiona and her mother to help unpack their spiky relationship, but it’s a petty gripe.
If you’re a sucker for a family mystery with touches of the Gothic, and where the home itself is as much a character in the novel as the protagonist, and if you love reading a book-within-a-book, then you’ll love The Midnight Estate.
(3/5)
I was keen to read this new work by Kelly Rimmer as I’ve enjoyed her previous novels. This one had a different feel and I’m generally not a fan of the story within a story; however, I enjoyed the writing so I was kept engaged. I also took pleasure in the mansion as a character which was beautifully penned.
The plot became predictable which was a little disappointing and the characters, although I found them interesting, their shallow development became unsatisfying. Despite some heavy themes and some general shortcomings, overall, I enjoyed The Midnight Estate.
(4/5)
Wurimbirra is a grand old house in a small rural Australian town, infamous to locals for being haunted. Fiona is a sympathetic and relatable protagonist, down on love, and back in her hometown. Ready to take on a new chapter in her life, Fiona faces the daunting task of restoring her family’s old home. Unsettling discoveries at Wurimbirra make her question her family’s past and secrets begin to unravel.
What appears at first to be a gothic love letter to small Australian towns turns into a genre-bending, page-turning historical fiction thriller, traversing the USA and Australia. Though somewhat predictable, the story is thoroughly engrossing. Anyone who loves books, bookstores, small town Australia and a cracking good read will appreciate this.
(3/5)
Kelly Rimmer covers a lot of ground and some weighty topics in this enjoyable novel, with the central character being Wurimbirra, a decaying gothic mansion with a cemetery in the back yard and a reputation for being haunted.
The main character Fiona Winslow has embarked on a project to restore the mansion to its former glory. When Fiona finds a novel while cleaning up, we are introduced to a second story set some 60 years earlier about a woman in California who is trapped in an abusive relationship.
There are many tantalising threads in this novel, such as the potential love interest of Fiona, the collection of colourful characters in the community book group, and not least the ramifications of history, with the location of Wurimbirra near the site of an Aboriginal massacre. But the main focus is on exposing a story of domestic violence and its traumatic ongoing effects. Revelations of dark family secrets filter down through the generations, which absolutely keeps you turning the pages.
While the exciting promise of a haunted mansion in a rural Australian town is not quite realised, it has its spooky moments, and is an easy read with a clever convergence of stories.
(3/5)
An enjoyable mystery set in rural Australia and America, with a story-within-a-story and three separate timelines.
While it had a slow start I loved the inclusion of an intriguing historic mansion, the spookiness and the possibility of romance between characters. Although it was easy to work out the twist halfway through the book it was nonetheless a worthwhile good read. I would be happy to read other books by this author.
(4/5)
Kelly Rimmer’s The Midnight Estate is a deeply atmospheric novel that blends gothic mystery with intergenerational trauma. When Fiona Winslow inherits her family’s crumbling estate, Wurimbirra, she expects dust and disrepair – not a manuscript that eerily echoes her own life.
As Fiona delves into the manuscript text, she’s forced to confront decades of silence, buried trauma, and complicated family legacies. The “story within a story” structure is executed with skill, blurring fiction and memory in a way that feels unsettling and powerful. The estate itself becomes a symbol of what’s been hidden – haunting, fragile, and filled with unspoken truths.
Fiona is a complex and compelling protagonist: flawed, determined, and emotionally raw. Her emotional journey feels authentic and is handled with nuance and empathy. Rimmer’s prose is lyrical and vivid, especially in her depiction of the decaying estate and its suffocating atmosphere.
The emotional payoff and layered storytelling make the novel deeply satisfying. Rimmer invites readers to reflect on the stories we inherit – and those we have the courage to rewrite.
A haunting and emotionally rich read, perfect for fans of literary mystery.
(4/5)
Having read all of Rimmer’s previous books, The Midnight Estate does not disappoint. Rimmer has created another piece of intricate storytelling, spanning decades.
After a tumultuous year, Fiona Winslow returns to her family home, intent on restoring it to its former glory. But things are not as they seem. The story is woven through storylines with a clever ‘book-within-book’ narrative. Whilst it takes a while for the story to unfold, when it does, you are along for the ride. There is a lot of food for thought about how the era that we are born into affects our life choices and, ultimately, the paths that we take.
(4/5)
Kelly Rimmer is a fantastic author and this book too, shows her wonderful ability to engage readers in her story.
I will be honest in that I found the first few chapters a little slow, but once the book involved another story, one which I found myself questioning how or why it was placed, I was intrigued. The history of the house, the piecing together of Fiona’s family all tangled within a story, that I as a reader knew had to be connected in some way, meant for some excited reading. The book also explores issues such as domestic violence and the treatment of First Nations people, which makes it relatable to our current world.
For readers of Kelly’s previous books, this one I am sure will be enjoyed but in a slightly different way. It is mysterious and questioning, and I found myself eagerly wanting to know more of a family that clearly had secrets.
(5/5)
Kelly Rimmer’s The Midnight Estate is a beautifully written gothic mystery set in a crumbling old mansion on the Australian coast. The story follows Fiona Winslow as she returns to her family estate, Wurimbirra, to restore it—and uncovers secrets buried in both the house and her family’s past.
Told through multiple timelines, the book blends historical drama with personal discovery. It’s emotional, atmospheric, and full of intrigue. The crumbling mansion and rambling estate almost act as an additional character, enhancing the atmospheric feel of the story. While the mystery isn’t overly complex, the rich setting and heartfelt storytelling make it an enjoyable and satisfying read. The strength of the narrative lies in its exploration of family dynamics and the haunting allure of the estate.
Perfect for fans of family sagas and haunting old houses.
(5/5)
The Midnight Estate is a captivating and engaging read. This is a story within a story. Fiona Winslow buys the family mansion, Wurimbirra Estate and starts restoring the home. During this time Fiona discovers a book called ‘The Midnight Estate.’ The chapters alternate between Fiona’s story and what she reads in the book she has picked up by chance.
The contents of the book within this book are fascinating even though sad too. I found the story or Marie’s marriage to Rupert very interesting and intriguing. References to Marie’s brother and then the connection between Marie and Silas is very interesting.
This book has great writing, as can be expected from Kelly Rimmer. Both stories were great but I was more intrigued by Marie’s story which we read about in ‘The Midnight Estate’ chapters. There is an unexpected twist which warms your heart as you keep reading. Highly recommend this book to other readers.
(4/5)
What drew me to The Midnight Estate was a love of Australian writers and particularly stories set within Australia. What kept me reading (way past bedtime) was the mystery unfolding across three timelines.
Fiona Winslow returns to a dilapidated family mansion named Wurimbirra to find refuge and complete renovations, despite her mother’s objections. She finds a forgotten book in the decay that strangely mirrors her own life. The book within a book concept weaves a story of love, betrayal and buried family secrets spanning generations.
Fiona notices similarities between the books fictional characters and her own family causing her to question how well she really knows her own past. And so the mystery begins to unfold unlocking the truth behind Wurimbirra AND her real family.
(5/5)
I really enjoyed reading The Midnight Estate!
The history of the estate makes it hauntingly tragic, and the story of the book within a book is mysteriously engaging. It got me spooked and hooked! I loved the characters and the twists and the tension that is building throughout the story was done beautifully.
My first book of this author and it won’t be my last. Another book that I can recommend to our library members.
(4/5)
I was so invested in this mystery!
I really enjoyed the dual POVs/timelines and trying to figure out all the connections between the FMC and the novel she was reading. There was a little romance/love interest on the side, but it’s definitely not a huge part of the story so don’t expect any spice.
This was the first novel by Kelly Rimmer I’ve ever read and I thought it was so well written. I loved the easy and complicated family relationships that were so relatable, the family secrets and drama, as well as the even more serious topics that the book touched on such as domestic violence.
I especially loved the Aussie setting and could easily picture the small country town! And the characters were really well written and completely relatable which made this such an enjoyable read. If you love a good mystery, then this is definitely for you!