On Good Authority

A Novel of Suspense

By: Briana Una McGuckin

Narrated by: Lauren Irwin

Repressed desires, irresistible obsessions, and perception-twisting games.

When lady’s maid Marian Osley and footman Valentine Hobbs assume their positions at the cliff-top estate of Valor Rise, they already share a history. Raised together as paupers in a London workhouse, they escaped through games of imaginary crimes and sublime punishment. Now they’ve been unexpectedly reunited—in subservience to the brooding Wythe Bornholdt and his frail wife, Diana. A master and mistress with their own dark secrets.

In private, Marian and Valentine return to their playful and addictive games—now tinged with BDSM. But when lecherous Wythe sees something he desires in Marian, he turns the pair’s diversions violently against them.

The line between servitude and bondage is drawn, and the dynamics of dominance and submission will shift in this sensually charged novel of Gothic suspense.

©2022 Briana Una McGuckin (P)2022 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“The stuff of which BBC movies are made…ably and effectively narrated by an outstanding vocal performance by Lauren Irwin.”—Midwest Book Review

“The prose is entertaining and readable. The life of ‘downstairs’ servants is well rendered, as is the life of a child in a workhouse. Definitely a dark romance with a happily ever after.”—Historical Novels Review

“Don’t stop ‘till you get enough…which you won’t.”—P. J. Vernon, award-nominated author of Bath Haus

One of the best books you'll read this decade

A novel of suspense is an apt descriptor for this but it's so much more. If you read nothing else, read this.

Nail biter

A great novel. It kept me on the edge of my seat and wanting to listen to what happened more and more.

Keeps you listening

The narrator was fabulous - really embraces the character. Storyline kept me coming back for more. Great listen!

Full of Gothic Atmospheric and Simmering Emotions

While there are so many content warnings for this book, it was so good. I was pleasantly surprised with just how well written this debut novel is. It's full of gothic atmospheric and simmering emotions. I loved Marian and Valentine, together and apart. They were such great characters to follow. Especially, Marian. I loved how she stood up for herself and always did the right thing even thought it made things even more difficult for herself.

There's so much dread and tension mixed with hot and heavy BDSM romance. And somehow it all just works. This is not necessarily an explicit novel, but there are erotic elements and several scenes that crackle with sexual/romantic chemistry. It's clear that the author really grounded the more kinky scenes with the emotions and romantic connection between Marian and Valentine, and I think that's what made their relationship work for me.

I enjoyed the portions of this story is told in epistolary form. The future correspondence Marian is sending to an unknown recipient and those letters really helped us to sense what was about to come in the previous timeline. There's a twist I didn't see coming and I'm not ashamed to say that I loved the ending. Everyone gets their just desserts in the end and I think that's what makes it so satisfying.

Thank you to Goodreads and Amazon Publishing for my giveaway copy of this book! I'm sorry for the late review.

Sense and Sensibility Meets Story of O

If On Good Authority were simply an Upstairs Downstairs tale, it would be a really good read. If it were like a better written 50 Shades of Grey, then it would be a really good work of erotic fiction. By folding the two in together, McGuckin has created something quite extraordinary in this novel. It is a riveting read of control and powerlessness and power regained. Lauren Irwin's voice is perfectly suited to this story of the master as Monster and the beast within all of us. Without giving plot points away, I will praise Briana McGuckin's use of suspense as well. I pride myself as a fairly astute reader, and yet the reveal elluded me until the very end. Highly recommend this book!