I will try to convey what this book meant to me all this week long. I began to read mainly because of the cover (yes, I'm that superficial). A portrait of a victorian lady in a cover was just too much temptation. My first impressions on the book were based on false suppositions. Not being English my mother tongue and believing that the author's name was that of a female, I undertook my reading well pleased. When I first met Miss Halcombe my supposition was but confirmed. Who else but a woman would have created such a strong female character? I was wrong, and allow me to say I happily accepted it when I found out. It just makes him admire the most; being a man in victorian England (as sexist as it was) and treating women's problems as hard as they were and creating such a complex character is formidable and admirable.
Besides that, two more reasons captivated me. First, the writing games, the framed tales, the way in which something is announced but never enunciated quite soon(this works beautifully in Spanish anunciado-enunciado). Second, I could feel the tension of the mistery, my heart beating fast; I was really distressed. Every time I finished a chapter I had to beg for more, luckily I had it (not like our victorian friends :/).
This book will have you on the very edge of your feelings, your brains and your chair.