The Infamous Gilberts

A Novel

By: Angela Tomaski

Narrated by: Michael Bertenshaw

The Remains of the Day meets The Royal Tenenbaums in this darkly funny debut novel about a wealthy, eccentric family in decline and the secrets held within the walls of their crumbling country manor.

Thornwalk, a once-stately English manor, is on the brink of transformation. Its keys are being handed over to a luxury hotelier who will undertake a complete renovation—but in doing so, what will they erase? Through the keen eyes of an enigmatic neighbor, the reader is taken on a guided tour into rooms filled with secrets and memories, each revealing the story of the five Gilbert siblings.

Spanning the eve of World War II to the early 2000s, this contemporary gothic novel weaves a rich tapestry of English country life. As the story unfolds, the reader is drawn into a world where the echoes of an Edwardian idyll clash with the harsh realities of war, neglect, and changing times. The Gilberts’ tale is one of great loves, lofty ambitions, and profound loss, and Angela Tomaski’s mordantly witty yet loving account is an immersive experience. Reminiscent of the haunting atmospheres in Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca and Shirley Jackson’s We Have Always Lived in the Castle, The Infamous Gilberts offers a fresh take on a classic genre, capturing the essence of a troubled but fascinating family.

Critic reviews

"Bertenshaw's dignified, perceptive narration adds dimension to a uniquely crafted family tale."

A gentle massage

The performance was perfect. The narrators voice was so intoxicating and as descriptive as the authors story. It was the sort of listen that made you visualize the whole thing as a progressed. The book was very poignant when it came to understanding possession and how important things are to people, that might not be important to anyone else at all. I will never look at dust the same way again.

Awful people

The characters in this novel are uniformly insufferable. Except, perhaps, for Annabelle. But she is so shallowly drawn, how is one to know? The performance of the reader is excellent. It’s the author who is lacking. Or perhaps it is the Brits, in general.