Book Review ~ Black Rabbit Hall by Eve Chase

Penguin
2016

Reminiscent of the style of Daphne du Maurier, Black Rabbit Hall’s air of Gothic mystery invokes the long forgotten summer of 1969, when everything changed for the Alton family.

The four Alton children, Amber, Toby, Barney and Kitty, spend idyllic summers at Pencraw Hall in Cornwall, which due to its proliferation of rabbits, is known locally as Black Rabbit Hall. They spend cheerful carefree days running wild as only children can, sharing games, building dens, chasing rabbits and squabbling amongst themselves. But even the most idyllic paradise is not without tragedy and on the night of a great storm something happens which will change the lives of the Alton children forever. Thirty years later, Lorna and her fiancé, Jon are looking for the perfect wedding venue and Pencraw Hall, whilst far from perfect, seems to reach out to Lorna, although she doesn’t know why.

What then follows is an interesting family saga which looks, at both the Alton story and Lorna’s connection to it. The mystery at the heart of the novel is nicely explored and whilst the story seems rather slow and languid at times, it does nurture a real sense of atmosphere. The faded grandeur of Black Rabbit Hall becomes almost as much a character in the novel as the people and I enjoyed exploring its dark and shadowy corners, and of course, speculated on the mystery which was being revealed, piece by tantalising piece.

There is much to enjoy within the story, as the author does a commendable job of recreating the past. The secrets and lies at the heart of the novel are well explored and both the older and the more modern parts of the story come together well. In the hands of this competent author, the mystery of Black Rabbit Hall, which has been hidden for thirty years, is about to be revealed.

 Best Read with…. glasses of ice cold milk and fat pieces of Peggy’s ginger cake.

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My thanks to Penguin and Lovereading.co.uk Reading Panel 

for my review copy of  Black Rabbit Hall

More reviews of Black Rabbit Hall can be found here

Available to buy online and at all good books shops from the 19th May 2016