4.5 stars 
 Some of the very first books I read in my younger day were the new gothic romance novels by authors like Victoria Holt and Mary Stewart. Gothic romance is all about atmosphere and twisty turn of events, so when I heard that Tifffany Reisz was writing a short story in gothic style, I was really excited to read The Headmaster. 
 On her way to Chicago to find a job, Gwen stops at a old-time diner. While there, she hears of a nearby school that might be looking for teachers. Without anything to lose, she decides to stop and apply for a job. Distracted as she's driving to the remote boarding school, Gwen has a car accident at it's gates. 
 When she wakes, she meets Edwin the headmaster. He's not exactly nice or welcoming, but Gwen sees underneath that gruff exterior and sets out to seduce him. I liked this update on the gothic theme with the heroine as the initiator of the relationship. 
 The students are thrilled to have her there and want her to stay, but as the hours go by, there's that distinct feeling of something not being quite right. As that feeling grows and Gwen investigates, she also manages to hook up with Edwin. They do great banter together and it's perfect foreplay to their love scenes. 
 Tiffany Reisz does a good job of keeping the secrets until the very end of the story, dropping little distractions along the way and building a creepy yet romantic atmosphere. Although you might figure out what's going on before the ending, there's still a great punch at the end when everything becomes clear and I loved it! 
 I'll buy this volume of short stories just for The Headmaster. Nicely done gothic romance in a more modern style. Loved the atmosphere and the story here. I'll probably read the rest when I can find some time on my reading schedule. 
 ARC provided for review. 
 This review also appears on my blog at: 
 http://redhotbluereads.blogspot.com/2014/10/review-headmaster-by-tiffany-reisz.html