This was a very well-written Gothic with a very intelligent heroine. It is also a Southern Gothic. More mystery than romance. Basically, the plot involves a middle-aged doctor who goes South to visit her childhood friend, who has married into a Southern family and is trying to solve the mystery of the death of her husband's first wife. "A"

Would you recommend the book to male readers? It sounds interesting. I like intellectual protagonists, because they allow for more insight I think.

Of course, I'd recommend it to anyone. Just because you're male doesn't mean you can't enjoy a Gothic of any type. This is not your standard Gothic in the sense that the romance does not necessarily involve the main heroine.