*I was sent a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.*
The first thing to say about this book is that I was pleasantly surprised. It features a dual timeline, which I tend to really enjoy, and a mysterious murder. When I began reading, I wasn't sure that the time period in which it is set would appeal to me. However, I became gripped, and ended up pacing through the second half of the book in a single day.
The first timeline is set in post WW2 Britain, where we follow the protagonist, Caro. Caro and her husband, Alasdair, have just had their first child. Caro is dealing with the struggles of being a new mother, along with the presence of an overbearing and hard to please mother-in-law, and the re-appearance of a female friend of Alasdair's who she feels threatened by.
Caro, Alasdair, and their young child end up moving in to Kelly Castle with her mother-in-law. This is Alasdair's family's long-standing home and, whilst there,
Caro uses her historical research skills to try to uncover the identity of Alasdair's mysterious great-grandmother; a figure for whom information in the family archives is strangely absent.
The second timeline, set in 1874 at Kelly Castle, slowly unfolds the story of Alasdair's ancestors and the identity of his mysterious great-grandmother. I found this storyline the most gripping, as it followed a compelling love story and an expedition to the Arctic with a crew of Scotsmen and Inuits.
The beautiful scenery in this book was one of its greatest strengths. My biggest criticisms of this book would be that it felt repetitive at times, and that certain points were dragged out too much - such as the stress on parent-child relationships.
I would recommend this book as a cosy read, perfectly suited to the Autumn time.
The first thing to say about this book is that I was pleasantly surprised. It features a dual timeline, which I tend to really enjoy, and a mysterious murder. When I began reading, I wasn't sure that the time period in which it is set would appeal to me. However, I became gripped, and ended up pacing through the second half of the book in a single day.
The first timeline is set in post WW2 Britain, where we follow the protagonist, Caro. Caro and her husband, Alasdair, have just had their first child. Caro is dealing with the struggles of being a new mother, along with the presence of an overbearing and hard to please mother-in-law, and the re-appearance of a female friend of Alasdair's who she feels threatened by.
Caro, Alasdair, and their young child end up moving in to Kelly Castle with her mother-in-law. This is Alasdair's family's long-standing home and, whilst there,
Caro uses her historical research skills to try to uncover the identity of Alasdair's mysterious great-grandmother; a figure for whom information in the family archives is strangely absent.
The second timeline, set in 1874 at Kelly Castle, slowly unfolds the story of Alasdair's ancestors and the identity of his mysterious great-grandmother. I found this storyline the most gripping, as it followed a compelling love story and an expedition to the Arctic with a crew of Scotsmen and Inuits.
The beautiful scenery in this book was one of its greatest strengths. My biggest criticisms of this book would be that it felt repetitive at times, and that certain points were dragged out too much - such as the stress on parent-child relationships.
I would recommend this book as a cosy read, perfectly suited to the Autumn time.