I’m delighted to be sharing Laura’s thoughts about Secrets of the Watch House by Jenny Ashcroft.
- Category : Historical Romance
- Publisher : HQ (26 Sept. 2024)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 480 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0008469091
- ISBN-13 : 978-0008469092
The Truth is Waiting to be Told …
Cornwall, 1934.
Violet Ellis is living in the shadows of her father’s ruined reputation. So, when wealthy widower James Atherton offers her employment, she immediately begins the treacherous journey to his home on the remote Cornish island of Aoife’s Bay – despite the bone-chilling allegations surrounding his late wife Elizabeth’s death.
In James’s company, Violet begins to feel the love that has been missing all her life. But when anonymous letters start to plague the bay’s residents, threatening to expose what really happened to Elizabeth, Violet feels the hostility towards her grow. She has an unsettling sense of being watched in her new home, and as the mysteries of the island draw her in, she starts to fear she might never find a way out …
Sweeping across London, Oxford and the wilds of the West Country, this novel is perfect for fans of Santa Montefiore, Louise Douglas and Lucinda Riley.
Secrets of the Watch House Review
I thoroughly enjoyed this book set on a small island off the rugged Cornish coastline.
Violet Ellis feels rescued by her employer when he offers her a job at his house but on arrival, she soon discovers hostility and intrigue. The servants are cold and unwelcoming. Violet understands that James Atherton lost his wife, presumed dead a few years ago and her shadow looms over the house.
There is a similarity between this story and Daphne De Maurier’s Rebecca, however it did not stop me from really enjoying reading this book.
The setting is written wonderfully, it’s mysterious, dark and isolated. I also enjoyed the dual timeline as the author revealed Elizabeth’s thoughts and actions leading up to her disappearance. Her behaviour towards others was at times at shocking and led me to ponder what happened to her.
Secrets of the Watch House is a wonderfully written mystery, set in a beautiful setting.
About the Author
Jenny Ashcroft is the author of several historical novels, including The Echoes of Love, Beneath a Burning Sky and Island in the East. She previously spent much of her life living in, working in and exploring Australia and Asia, and now splits her time between Australia and the UK.