Watch the Wall, My Darling

Christina Tretton, a courageous and intelligent young woman who was brought up in the USA, returns to her family home in Sussex, during the time of the Napoleonic wars. She's caught up immediately in intrigue and danger, involving smuggling and more; she finds herself attracted to her cousin Ross, yet not sure how far she can trust him.

Exciting, with people who I quickly cared about. Great for general social history too, and understanding a little more about this period in history, although the fictional subplots are the most significant in the book. Recommended to anyone who likes light historical novels.

Latest longer review: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/2026/01/watch-wall-my-darling-by-jane-aiken...

A classic Gothic Romance from 1966, now available as an ebook.

It's a bit flat, with the historical aspect more interesting that either the characters or the romance. It is 1804, and the southern coast of England is expecting Napoleon to invade at any time. When Christina Tretton travels to her estranged family's remote home, she runs afoul of smugglers in the marsh before she even reaches the house. Her welcome at Tretteign Grange is no warmer. When her grandfather decides that she must marry one of her cousins, tensions come to a head.

Not bad, but not great either.

American Christina Tretton arrives at her father's family home, intent on keeping the promise she made to her now dead parent. She is thrust into the middle of the secrets of "The Dark House". Can she navigate the danger without forfeiting her life in the process?

Christina was an interesting enough character. It almost seemed as though being American -practical, forthright, opinionated- was her entire character. She made no effort to understand the traditions of her family. It was all 'I am American and I am going to do things my way." Her acceptance of everything that came her way was a little unbelievable.

Those who filled "The Dark house" were appropriate for a Gothic style tale. Annoying, suspicious, and integral to the plot in show more turns, no one really stood out at all. Not even the hero of the tale.

The plot was a bit confusing from the start and it took some effort to continue reading.

Overall, I'm not sorry to have read a Gothic Regency, but I'm not so sure I will be in a hurry to reread it or anything like it again. For those who enjoy a story with a dark atmosphere and too many twists and turns to keep track of, this may be a book for you.

I received an copy through NetGalley for reviewing purposes. show less

If anyone is a fan of Poldark, they will probably really like this. It's mostly adventure with a romance on the back burner. There are smugglers, spies, family secrets, and so on. Set around the time of the Napoleonic Wars.

Jane Aiken Hodge was a master of the historical genre, but this gothic was my first and favorite of hers. It has all the right ingredients (willful heroine, mysterious gentlemen, smuggling, family with secrets) and everything just clicks.

An interesting enough gothic novel about intrigue, passion and betrayal. Watch the wall, my darling is about an American girl who comes to live with her grandfather in Tretteingn Grange. During the journey, she unexpectedly meets a man whose fate is intertwined with hers.

What a fun, historical romance! Smugglers, spies, a dark and gothic mansion by the sea, and romance with a strong, independent heroine and dashing, mysterious hero. Set at the time of Napoleon as England feared a French invasion.

The title comes from "A Smuggler's Song" by Rudyard Kipling:
Five and twenty ponies,
Trotting through the dark
Brandy for the Parson,
'Baccy for the Clerk;
Laces for a lady; letters for a spy,
And watch the wall, my darling, while the Gentlemen go by!