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| Boldwood Books 15 January 2025 My thanks to the publisher and Rachel's Random Resources |
A secret buried for decades… A story that will change everything.
1940: When twenty-one-year-old Nita Bineham is offered the chance of independence, away from the high walls of her family’s Surrey estate, she grasps it with both hands. But her new role at a local newspaper coincides with the emergence of a sinister rumour in their quiet village: that there is a traitor in their midst. Nita is determined to prove herself by uncovering the truth, but is she prepared for revelations that could change her life forever?
2008: Following the death of her great aunt, Beth flees London for the privacy of rural Surrey. Within the confines of her family’s dilapidated manor house, she hides from the dual wreckage of her career and her marriage. But when her aunt’s dying words lead her to a stack of old newspaper articles, Beth finds herself drawn into a decades old mystery: about a long-buried secret, and an enemy dangerously close to home.
📖 My Review..
This haunting dual time story gives us a wonderful insight into the lives of two strong female characters and although separated by time, their shared story will resonate as family secrets are gradually revealed. Both Nita Bineham in the 1940s, and Beth Bineham, in 2008, have more in common than they realise and as the family bonds get pulled ever tighter, so a secret is revealed which began with Nita during the war years.
Beth has always had a strong bond with Melham Manor, the place her great-aunt called home, and after Nita’s death, Beth becomes thoroughly invested in discovering more about this enigmatic older woman and in doing so realises the significance of Melham Manor and Beth’s modern day emotional connection to it. Told in alternate timelines we follow Nita’s story as she begins to discover her independence during the war years when she worked as a journalist for the local newspaper and also Beth’s story as she too must learn to rationalise some significant changes in her personal life.
The story flows seamlessly with neither timeframe seeking to outshine the other, I was equally as comfortable walking alongside Beth as, using the clues Nita left behind, she tries to makes sense of some long buried family secrets. I thought Nita’s story was particularly well done and I enjoyed being immersed in her life and the restrictions that her wealthy family placed upon her. Beautifully told, with a sharp eye for historical detail, and with a strong emphasis on the problems that families create The Storyteller’s Daughter is an emotional story which kept my attention from start to finish.
About the Author
Victoria Scott has been a journalist for many media outlets including the BBC and The Telegraph. She is the author of three novels published by Head of Zeus. Her first book for Boldwood is a Gothic timeslip novel
X : @Toryscott
X @BoldwoodBooks #BoldwoodBloggers
X @raresources
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