📖 Book Review ~ The Alchemist’s Secret by Clare Marchant

Boldwood Books
9 March 2026

My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book

Now: When Paige returns to her ancestral family home, Woodham Hall, she’s nursing an unbearable heartbreak. The man she’d thought she loved has told her the most terrible lie, one she feels she’ll never recover from. The only thing that seems to be able to hold her interest is the story of a poisoning that once supposedly happened in the house – depicted in brutal detail in a painting by an unknown artist…

1672: Jeanne’s life at Woodham Hall is happy. Admittedly her brother-in-law – the lord of the manor – is unfaithful to her sister, causing terrible discord in the house. But Jeanne adores her sister, and her niece, Helene, and even though her growing feelings for another member of the household are illicit, they are bringing her great joy. That is, until Sir Robert chooses to move his mistress in.

Jeanne and her sister are to be banished to a French abbey to live out their days, but all the sisters can think is how to get back to Helene, and the woman who Jeanne might just love. From the glittering court of the Sun King to the dark depths of French society and those who perform alchemy, they will do whatever they must. Even if it means murder…

📖My Review..

After a devastating relationship break up Paige returns to her family home at Woodham Hall where, in order to keep busy, she gets involved in the day to day running of the family business. With time on her hands Paige becomes intrigued by a rather macabre painting which has been hanging in the house for many years. The visual nature of the painting alludes to a catastrophic event which happened at Woodham Hall in the sixteenth century and thoroughly intrigued, Paige is determined to get into the heart of the mystery.

This wonderfully atmospheric dual time story takes us back to the events of 1672 when Jeanne and her sister Helene are banished from Woodham Hall by Helene’s unscrupulous husband. It’s a story of intrigue, danger and the ultimate revenge, all combined with a modern day story which wraps itself around Woodham Hall like a blanket, sheltering those who call this beautiful place home and gradually revealing the deadly secrets which have been hidden for centuries.

Beautifully written, with a real sense of atmosphere, I was engrossed in the story as both timelines fitted together really well, with neither one competing with the other. I have now read a few of this author’s previous books and I am always impressed with the amount of historical detail and the genuine believability of both the story and the characters. The Alchemist Secret is a fascinating story of family secrets, deadly lies and fatal retribution.

About the Author

Clare Marchant is the author of dual timeline historical fiction. Her books have been translated into seven languages, and she is a USA Today bestseller. Clare spends her time writing and exploring local castles, or visiting the nearby coast.

Facebook: claremarchantauthor

Twitter: @claremarchant1

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📖 Blog Tour ~ The Queen’s Necklace by Adrienne Chinn

One More Chapter
25 September 2025

My thanks to the publisher and Rachel’s Random Resources for the copy of the book to review

The most famous necklace in the world has finally been found…

Bryher Finch’s life isn’t just a disaster, it’s a catastrophe, until a chance invitation to chart her family tree changes everything. As Bryher uncovers the ancestry she never knew about, she stumbles on the find of the century – Anne Boleyn’s ‘B’ necklace, as enigmatic as Henry VIII’s most notorious Queen herself.

But Bryher isn’t the only one who wants the necklace…

📖My Review..

The lasting portrait we have of the ill-fated Tudor Queen Anne Boleyn features an enigmatic young woman wearing her trademark “B” necklace. This necklace is almost as iconic as the woman herself so to have a modern day mystery based around the whereabouts of this necklace adds an interesting dimension especially when it’s combined with the Tudor period and Anne Boleyn’s relationship with her older sister, Mary, together with Anne’s drive and ambition as she sets out on her path to destiny.

The Queen’s Necklace is an interesting dual time mystery which shows the differences, and some similarities, between characters who have been separated by time. I thought that both time frames were well written, although, for me, the Tudor sections had the edge as this is my favourite period in history and I rather enjoy stories about Anne Boleyn. However, I did enjoy the modern day mystery with Bryher Finch, she’s an interesting character, not always likeable and filled with all sorts of celebrity angst but that added to the overall appeal of the story.

About the Author

Adrienne Chinn was born in Grand Falls, Newfoundland, grew up in Quebec, and eventually made her way to London, England after a career as a journalist. In England she worked as a TV and film researcher before embarking on a career as an interior designer, lecturer, and writer. When not up a ladder or at the computer writing, she often can be found rummaging through flea markets or haggling in the Marrakech souk. Her debut novel, The Lost Letter, was published in 2019. Her second novel, the international bestseller, The English Wife, was published in 2020. Her third novel, Love in a Time of War, the first in a series of four books in The Three Fry Sisters series, was published in 2022. The second book in the series, The Paris Sister, was published in 2023, and the third book, In the Shadow of War, was published in March 2024. Her next book, an historical timeslip novel, The Queen's Necklace, will be published in September 2025, followed by the fourth book in The Three Fry Sisters series, set during WWII, in 2026.

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📖 Blog Tour ~The Shadow on the Bridge by Clare Marchant

Boldwood Books
11 March 2025

My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book
And to Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation to be part of the tour

You must forever watch your back,’ I spoke the words clearly, though he could not hear me. ‘Come what may, I shall avenge my brother’s death.’’

Now: When Sarah’s summoned by her godmother to remote Norfolk, she doesn’t want to go. Crossing the bridges where the two rivers meet, said to be haunted by the ghost of a little boy, a large Tudor house looms in front of her. And Sarah’s instantly reminded her of the summer when she last visited. The summer she would like to forget. Which left her unable to ever move forward… Can a person ever recover from the loss of a sibling?

1571: Anne Howard, newly-made countess of Arundel, has also lost a sibling. And been dragged from the relative safety of her home in remote Norfolk to London, by her overbearing, manipulative, new father-in-law Thomas Howard; the very person she suspects of killing her beloved only brother. The Howards have greater secrets than this though. Secrets that will lead Anne to a tragedy that will echo down the ages…

When Sarah finds a mysterious book of poems in a hidden chamber of her godmother’s house, she is drawn into Anne’s story. Perhaps the mystery will take her mind off her own loss? But – as the flood waters begin to rise under the bridges – is Sarah laying ghosts to rest, or bringing truths to the surface that should stay beneath?

📖My Review..

With her godmother’s health failing Sarah returns to Barnhamcross Hall in Norfolk where she spent part of her childhood. However, Sarah’s memories of the house are not happy ones and as we flit between the present day and 2004 we start to understand the sadness which she has carried within her for so long. Connnected by ancient memories we also learn the story of Anne Howard who also lived at Barnhamcross Hall in the 1500s and whose marriage, into the Howard family, is filled with sadness, intrigue and revenge.

There is a good sense of history and the author has obviously taken the time and care to make everything feel authentic especially as Anne Howard’s intriguing story is not a well known one. The dual time aspect is imaginatively done, with seamless transitions which bring both past and present to life. I enjoyed Sarah’s modern day story, her sadness is palpable, as is her need to put the trauma of the past behind her. Anne’s story is particularly intriguing especially her uneasy relationship with her father-in-law, and her need to seek vengeance for the death of her younger brother. Throughout it all, the house, with its mysterious shadows, very quickly, becomes another character in the story, especially as it gives up its secrets slowly.

The Shadow on the Bridge is a fascinating glimpse into the complex lives of two strong young women whose voices are very clearly heard throughout the whole of this intriguing dual time story.

 

About the Author

Clare Marchant is the author of dual timeline historical fiction. Her books have been translated into seven languages, and she is a USA Today bestseller. Clare spends her time writing and exploring local castles, or visiting the nearby coast.

Facebook: claremarchantauthor

Twitter: @claremarchant1

Instagram: @claremarchantauthor

@BoldwoodBooks #BoldwoodBloggers 

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📖 Blog Tour ~ The House of Echoes by Alexandra Walsh

Boldwood Books
30 January 2025

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of the book
and to Rachel's Random Resources for the invitation to the blog tour

‘The Brandon blood is dark with lies and treachery and as it flows through my heart, my vow is this: they will all pay.’

Hampton Court Palace - 1530s

Anne Brandon has always understood the power of a king’s patronage and, though the court of Henry VIII is a dangerous place for women, as the daughter of the king’s best friend, Anne feels safer than most. But Anne’s husband Lord Powis is tiring of her childlessness and when Henry VIII begins plotting to rid himself of a queen in his quest for an heir, suddenly Anne’s life is in danger. And as whispers of the name of her friend Anne Boleyn get ever louder, there is peril in every loose word, every forbidden conversation.

Pembrokshire - Present Day

Caroline Harvey has spent years helping her grandfather, the reclusive bestselling novelist Dexter Blake, hide from his legions of fans in his home on the Pembrokshire coast. After his death, the vultures begin to circle Dexter’s fortune. When Caroline’s ownership of the house she has inherited is called into question, her research into its history reveals it was once owned by Anne Brandon who had sought refuge there. Intrigued, Caroline is determined to discover why Anne fled the court of Henry VIII.

Two women divided by centuries but joined by secrets and courage. And when a twist in their histories threatens them both with the same fate – losing the man they love – their revenge will be the same too. Because there’s no one mightier than a woman underestimated or more powerful than the need to save those they love.

My Review..

Growing up in the shadow of the Tudor court was no easy place to be and with her step-mother being, not only Mary Tudor, Dowager Queen of France, but also Henry VIII’s beloved younger sister, Anne Brandon is more than familiar with court intrigue. Anne’s ill-fated arranged marriage to Edward Grey of Powis and the subsequent scandal of Anne living openly with another man forms part of the story and is the link to the modern day element of the book which features Caroline Harvey and her quest to discover more about the history of her Pembrokeshire house, and land on which she is living.

The dual time plot is complicated and whilst both heroines are very different there are connections which are revealed as the story moves along. I found both Anne and Caroline fascinating and not knowing much about Anne Brandon other than her scandalous relationship with a man who was not her husband, I looked to discover more about her, as women at this time had little choice in the way they lived their lives, so it was interesting to see how all the stands of her particular puzzle came together. I also really enjoyed the literary references in Caroline’s part of the story and in particular her association with a series of sci-fi novels written by her grandfather. I thought this was cleverly done and brought an interesting dynamic, especially when some big twists are revealed at the end of the book. Keeping everything together is the House of Echoes itself which gives up its secrets slowly. 

The House of Echoes is an interesting dual time story about the lives of two strong women and the place which connects them both.

About the Author

Alexandra Walsh is the bestselling author of dual timeline historical mysteries, previously published by Sapere. Her books range from the fifteenth century to the Victorian era and are inspired by the hidden voices of women that have been lost over the centuries. Formerly a journalist, writing for national newspapers, magazines and TV, her first book for Boldwood will be published in Spring 2023.

Facebook: @themarquesshousetrilogy

Twitter: @purplemermaid25 #TheHouseOfEchoes

Instagram: @purplemermaid25

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📖 Blog Tour ~ Hidden in the Mists by Christina Courtenay ( and Giveaway)

Headline
18 August 2022

My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book
and to Rachel's random Resources for the invitation to the blog tour

A love forged in fire lives on through the ages . . .

Skye Logan has been struggling to run her remote farm on Scotland's west coast alone ever since her marriage fell apart. When a handsome stranger turns up looking for work, it seems that her wish for help has been granted.

Rafe Carlisle is searching for peace and somewhere he can forget about the last few years. But echoes of the distant past won't leave Skye and Rafe alone, and they begin to experience vivid dreams which appear to be linked to the Viking jewellery they each wear.

It seems that the ghosts of the past have secrets . . . and they have something that they want Skye and Rafe to know.

📖 My Review..

Through the mists of time comes a dual time story which takes us from an isolated croft in Scotland where Skye Logan in struggling to maintain the farm where she and her husband once hoped to build a future together and then further back in time to a ninth century Viking settlement where Ásta Thorfinnsdóttir is left alone following the death of her father.

Both time elements blend seamlessly with no awkward moments which detract from the beauty of the story. Travelling back in time to a Viking settlement is done with fine attention to detail, bringing everything to life in an authentic way. It's difficult for us to imagine what it was like in ninth century Scotland but all credit to this talented writer for giving us a special glimpse into life in a Viking settlement and a sense of what it might have been like to sit at table in the hall surrounded by the sights, sounds and dangerous atmosphere of this ancient world. Equally, I was just as comfortable in present day Auchenbeag as Skye tends her smallholding with enthusiasm and passion, and as someone who loves yarn, I was especially interested in the author's intricate descriptions of dying the yarn from Skye's small flock of sheep, blending natural dyes from plants found in the woodland around Skye's house.

Linked by gold, the secrets of the past are revealed, and as Skye and Ásta's lives intertwine so the elements of the past and present come to life as we follow in the footsteps of these two indomitable women, and of the men who fall in love with them.

Best read with...a sip or two of mead

About the Author

Christina Courtenay writes historical romance, time slip and time travel stories, and lives in Herefordshire (near the Welsh border) in the UK. Although born in England, she has a Swedish mother and was brought up in Sweden–hence her abiding interest in the Vikings. Christina is a former chairman of the UK’s Romantic Novelists’ Association and has won several awards, including the RoNA for Best Historical Romantic Novel twice with Highland Storms (2012) and The Gilded Fan(2014) and the RNA Fantasy Romantic Novel of the year 2021 with Echoes of the Runes.Hidden inthe Mists (timeslip/dual time romance published by Headline Review 18th August 2022) is her latest novel. Christina is a keen amateur genealogist and loves history and archaeology (the armchair variety)

Twitter @PiaCCourtenay #HiddenintheMists

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Book Review ~ The Ladies of the Secret Circus by Constance Sayers

 

Piatkus
11 November 2021

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book

The surest way to get a ticket to Le Cirque Secret is to wish for it...

Paris, 1925: To enter the Secret Circus is to enter a world of wonder – a world where women weave illusions, carousels take you back in time, and trapeze artists float across the sky. Bound to her family’s circus, it’s the only world Cecile Cabot knows until she meets a charismatic young painter and embarks on a passionate affair that could cost her everything.

Virginia, 2004: Lara Barnes is on top of the world, but when her fiancé disappears on their wedding day every plan she has for the future comes crashing down. Desperate, Lara’s search for answers unexpectedly leads to her great-grandmother’s journals.

Swept into a story of a dark circus and ill-fated love, secrets about Lara’s family history come to light and reveal a curse that has been claiming payment from the women in her family for generations. A curse that might be tied to her fiance's mysterious fate.

My Thoughts...

Family secrets, with a hint of fantasy, takes us on a journey into the hidden world of the ladies of the secret circus which begins with the intriguing mystery of a groom disappearing on his wedding day, that the same thing happens every thirty or so years is what makes the premise of the book so intriguing.

The Ladies of the Secret Circus is a story of guarded secrets which span decades taking us into the alternating world of 1920s Paris and back to America in the 2000s and with two very different narrators who gradually reveal a shadowy and secret world which you enter only if you dare. Once I became involved with the story, and I must admit that it took a while, I started to enjoy watching how the story unfolded. The magical realism part of the tale is handled imaginatively, with good attention to detail, although my guess is that the story could have been more succinct in places. 

Part historical fiction, part magical realism/fantasy, The Ladies of the Secret Circus is an interesting family drama which shows how hidden secrets from so long ago can have a devastating effect on future generations. 

Best read with...a glass of champagne and a red delicious apple.

About the Author

Constance Sayers received her MA in English from George Mason University and her BA in writing from the University of Pittsburgh. She is a media executive at Atlantic Media. She has been twice named to Folio’s list of “Top 100 Media People in America” and was included in their list of “Top Women in Media.” She is the co-founder of the Thoughtful Dog literary magazine and lives in Kensington, Maryland.

Twitter @constancesayers #TheLadiesoftheSecretCircus

@LittleBrownUK @PiatkusBooks

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📖Book Review ~ The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

Legend Press
2021

My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book

A female apothecary secretly dispenses poisons to liberate women from the men who have wronged them - setting three lives across centuries on a dangerous collision course.

Rule #1: The poison must never be used to harm another woman.

Rule #2: The names of the murderer and her victim must be recorded in the apothecary’s register.

One cold February evening in 1791, at the back of a dark London alley in a hidden apothecary shop, Nella awaits her newest customer. Once a respected healer, Nella now uses her knowledge for a darker purpose - selling well-disguised poisons to desperate women who would kill to be free of the men in their lives. But when her new patron turns out to be a precocious twelve-year-old named Eliza Fanning, an unexpected friendship sets in motion a string of events that jeopardizes Nella’s world and threatens to expose the many women whose names are written in her register.

In present-day London, aspiring historian Caroline Parcewell spends her tenth wedding anniversary alone, reeling from the discovery of her husband’s infidelity. When she finds an old apothecary vial near the river Thames, she can’t resist investigating, only to realize she’s found a link to the unsolved “apothecary murders” that haunted London over two centuries ago. As she deepens her search, Caroline’s life collides with Nella’s and Eliza’s in a stunning twist of fate - and not everyone will survive.

📖 My Review..

I'm a bit late to the party with my review of this one but better late than never!

Deep in the bowels of 18th century London an apothecary goes quietly about her trade helping those women who seek to hurt the men who betray them in so many different ways. Following the tradition set by her mother before her Nella uses her skills as a mixer of potions to help women on the understanding that the poison she gives never hurts another woman and that all her transactions are recorded in her ledger. A ledger which, if it fell into the wrong hands, would send Nella to the gallows.

There's a real sense of foreboding in this rather dark story of vengeance and retribution but the author brings it all to life with a lovely authenticity allowing a glimpse into the dark and dangerous world of 18th century London. I also enjoyed the dual time aspect of the story particularly in the modern day when we get to know Caroline Parcewell, an American on holiday in London, who is having to deal with the after effects of a ruined relationship where she has been hurt beyond repair. Caroline's quest to discover more about the lost apothecary is what knits the two halves of the story together. Whilst I found both time aspects fascinating I found myself looking forward more to Nella's story in the 18th century especially when  the story takes a decidedly dangerous twist for her and her companion.

The Lost Apothecary is beautifully written dual-time fiction with a strong sense of atmosphere and a well defined plot.

Best read with....with a mug of chamomile tea and a dish of eggs with gravy..

About the Author

Sarah Penner is the debut author of The Lost Apothecary, to be translated in eleven languages worldwide. She works full-time in finance and is a member of the Historical Novel Society and the Women's Fiction Writers Association. She and her husband live in St. Petersburg, Florida with their miniature dachshund, Zoe.

Twitter @SL_Penner #TheLostApothecary

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Book Review ~ Under the Bridge by Jack Byrne

 

Northodox Press 
2021

Liverpool Mysteries #1

My thanks to the author for my copy of this book

2004 - The discovery of a skeleton in the Liverpool docklands unearths long buried secrets. Reporter, Anne McCarthy, is keen to prove herself and dives into the case with abandon where she finds Michael, an old Irish caretaker who knows far more than he’s letting on and may have a connection to the body.

Meanwhile, Vinny Doyle, is starting a postgrad degree, researching Liverpool’s immigrant history and a burgeoning Scouse identity. But Vinny has been neglecting his own family history and stranger Michael might know about his father's disappearance in the 70s.

1955 - Escaping violence in Ireland and fresh off the boat, Michael falls in with Wicklow boys Jack Power and Paddy Doyle, who smuggle contraband through the docks putting them at odds with unions while they rally the dock workers against the rackets and the strikebreakers. A story of corruption, secret police, and sectarianism slowly unravels. But will the truth out?

As the conflict heightens, Michael questions the life sprawling out ahead of him. In the present, Anne races to solve the mystery, but is she prepared for what she’ll find?

My Review..

The discovery of human remains on a Liverpool building site offers local newspaper reporter, Anne McCarthy, the chance to do a bit of investigative work however, researching her article for the The Chronicle brings Anne into contact with those who wish the skeletal remains had never been unearthed. Together with her friend, Vinny Doyle, who is trying to find out more about his Irish/Scouse identity, they try to put together the pieces of a complicated puzzle, which dates back to 1955. 

The mystery at the heart of the novel is well thought out and I enjoyed learning more about Liverpool's rich heritage and the influx of Irish immigrants who have added their own unique history to this complex city. I found the story particularly relevant as my own family arrived via the port of Liverpool, from Co. Wicklow in Ireland, in order to make a new start in the North West of England.

This dual time story moves effortlessly between time frames and I felt equally at home in the complicated Liverpool of the nineteen fifties as I did in the more modern interpretation of the city. The author, himself a native of Liverpool, certainly knows his city well, and I felt like I had a knowledgeable guide as we went around the various locations all so realistically described it's as if you are walking the same streets as the characters who make this story all their own.

Under the Bridge is the first in a proposed series of four books and it certainly allows these Liverpool  mysteries to get off to a fine start. I look forward to seeing where this talented author will go next with this journey into a fascinating city and the people who call it home.

Best Read with... A bowl of lob scouse and a pint of half and half..

About the Author

Twitter: @jackbyrnewriter #UnderTheBridge

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📖 Blog Tour ~ The Memory Box by Kathryn Hughes

 

I'm delighted to open this blog tour today

Headline Review
Paperback 11 November 2021

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of the book
and to Rosie Margesson for the invitation to the blog tour

Some love stories can't be forgotten...

Jenny Tanner opens the box she has cherished for decades. Contained within are her most precious mementoes, amongst them a pebble, a carving and a newspaper cutting she can hardly bear to read. But Jenny knows the time is finally here. After the war, in a mountainside village in Italy, she left behind a piece of her heart. However painful, she must return to Cinque Alberi. And lay the past to rest.

After a troubled upbringing, Candice Barnes dreams of a future with the love of her life - but is he the man she believes him to be? When Candice is given the opportunity to travel to Italy with Jenny, she is unaware the trip will open her eyes to the truth she's been too afraid to face. Could a place of goodbyes help her make a brave new beginning?

📖 My thoughts...

Jenny is celebrating her one hundredth birthday with a party in the care home where she has been resident for some time. Her young carer, Candice, fusses over her comfort and is determined that Jenny will have a celebration to remember. However, with great age comes long buried memories and Jenny, over her long life, has had more than her share of heartache and by confronting her past Jenny hopes to lay away the ghosts which have followed her for such a long time.

The story moves seamlessly between Jenny and Candice's story in 2019, whilst, at the same time, allowing us to go deeper into Jenny's past and to the time she spent, with her brother, Louis, as an evacuee to Wales during the Second World War. Jenny keeps the reminders of her treasured memories in a beautifully made wooden box which has great significance, particularly a pebble, a carving and a newspaper cutting and as the story behind each one is revealed so a story emerges of heartbreak and pain. 

The story flows beautifully and I was just as enthralled by Jenny's complicated past as I was in the sadness of her present, and particularly enjoyed the warmth of the relationship between Jenny and Candice where old and young come together with tenderness and compassion. Moving effortlessly between northern England, Wales and Italy, The Memory Box is a wonderfully imagined story about both the joy and heartbreak of love which is made all the more poignant by both its wartime setting and the intricacies of maintaining a difficult relationship in the present day.

Beautifully written with a fine eye for even the smallest detail, The Memory Box is an emotional read which is both heartbreaking and heartwarming in equal measure and is a perfect read for a cosy afternoon by the fire.

About the Author

Kathryn Hughes is the internationally best selling author of The Letter,The Secret, The Key, Her Last Promise and The Memory Box, Her novels have been translated into 28 languages. Kathryn lives with her husband near Manchester and has a son and a daughter.

Twitter @KHughesAuthor #TheMemoryBox

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📖 Book Review ~ The Midwife's Secret by Emily Gunnis

Headline Review
28 October 2021

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book

When six-year-old Alice Hilton goes missing in the snow on New Year's Eve 1969 from Yew Tree Manor, suspicion immediately falls on local man Bobby James. James had a grievance against Alice's father, wealthy Richard Hilton, and he is arrested, tried and found guilty for Alice's death. Tragically the child is never found.

Decades later, Willow James, an architect working on a development at Yew Tree Manor, discovers that the land surrounding the house is holding a secret. And when another little girl goes missing from Yew Tree, Willow realizes the key to her disappearance lies in the history of the house, and the two families attached to it. A terrible wrong needs to be made right...and to uncover it, Willow must unravel events from long ago, when in 1919 a court sentenced a midwife to death, for a shocking crime that happened at Yew Tree Manor.

📖 My thoughts..

This multi-generational story sweeps us through decades of secrets and even when the story comes right up to date, the complicated mystery of Yew Tree Manor still reaches out to future generations.

Alice Hilton is just six years old when she goes missing on the night of her parents New Year's Eve party and despite a frantic search, little Alice is never found. This disturbing thread which runs like a river throughout the story will have tragic repercussions for all those who remember that snowy night in 1969. Whilst the story is very much caught up in past events, especially that of midwife, Tessa James, who was involved in her own tragic events linking her to Yew Tree Manor in 1945, there is also a modern day element to the story as architect Willow James attempts to clear the way for a redevelopment of Yew Tree Manor.

The author writes well and very cleverly weaves all the twists and turns of this complex story into a compelling read. I particularly enjoyed the midwifery elements and was eager to discover just what secret the eponymous midwife was hiding. Overall, I thought the story flowed with just enough tension, and even though I had pretty much thought out the final twist, the denouement when it arrived was handled well with a fine sense of drama. I liked how everything was finished to a satisfactory conclusion.

The Midwife's Secret is a multi-generational drama filled with secrets, sorrow and the need for restitution.

About the Author

Emily Gunnis previously worked in TV drama and lives in Brighton with her young family. She is one of the four daughters of Sunday Times bestselling author Penny Vincenzi.

Twitter @emilygunnis #TheMidwifesSecret

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