The Story Keeper by Kelly Rimmer

A crumbling mansion, a forgotten book, and a mystery that could destroy them all . . .

Beneath the decaying grandeur of Wurimbirra, a family estate on the east coast of Australia, dark secrets lie buried. Fiona Winslow returns to restore the mansion she once called home, but what she uncovers is more than just decay - it is a mystery locked away for generations.

A forgotten book, The Midnight Estate, leads her into a story of love, loss, and betrayal mirroring her own. And as the lines between fiction and reality blur, Fiona must confront a chilling Is the true mystery hidden in the walls of her ancestral home, or within the pages of a book that seems to have chosen her?

A Gothic tale told across three timelines, The Midnight Estate is a haunting mystery entwining a family's darkest secrets and a captivating book-within-a-book puzzle.

Kindle Edition, 416 pages

Expected publication July 21, 2026

 by MIRA

4.5/5 stars

Published in Australia as The Story Keeper and releasing in North America as The Midnight Estate, Kelly Rimmer’s latest completely drew me in.

Fiona returns home to Australia after a betrayal leaves her scarred, homeless, and without a job. But her homecoming is far from welcoming. When she becomes connected to a long-neglected estate, unexpected happenings begin to unfold, creating that layer of mystery, unease and intrigue.

The Story Keeper has that feel of a dual time-period story, even though one of the perspectives is revealed through a manuscript written by an unknown author. I loved the novel-within-a-novel structure, I found myself just as invested in the story on the page as in Fiona’s present-day journey. As the layers slowly peel back, the secrets emerge and the emotional weight builds. 

I've always loved a good Australian setting, it's a place on my bucket list and books like this have me itching to visit. I was also fortunate to receive both the digital and audiobook ARCs,  I especially loved the audio experience, the narrator’s accent made the story feel even more immersive.

The Story Keeper is a layered, atmospheric and compelling story about betrayal, identity and the power of uncovering the past. It ticked all the boxes and had me reading just one more chapter.

My thanks to Mira and Harlequin Audio for advanced copies in exchange for a honest review.