The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

 The Lost Bookshop

Book Summary

The Keeper of Stories meets The Lost Apothecary in this evocative and charming novel full of mystery and secrets.

‘The thing about books,’ she said ‘is that they help you to imagine a life bigger and better than you could ever dream of.’

On a quiet street in Dublin, a lost bookshop is waiting to be found…

For too long, Opaline, Martha and Henry have been the side characters in their own lives.

But when a vanishing bookshop casts its spell, these three unsuspecting strangers will discover that their own stories are every bit as extraordinary as the ones found in the pages of their beloved books. And by unlocking the secrets of the shelves, they find themselves transported to a world of wonder… where nothing is as it seems.

My Thoughts

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods is an interesting story.  It is told from three points of view (Opaline, 1921 and the present day).  The story does contain good writing.  I found the pacing to be slow especially in the middle (it dragged).  The book is too long (407 pages).  I can tell that the author loves books based on her beautiful descriptions of the bookstore and books.  I can certainly relate to that special feeling you get each time you enter a bookstore.  The wonderful smell of the paper and ink.  You never know who you will meet or where you will go when you pick up a book.  Opaline created a special bookstore with creative displays. It is a tragedy what happened to her (I am not going to tell you).  The laws in early twentieth century were archaic and gave men too much leeway over the women in their “care”.  

There are a number of characters, and it can be difficult to keep them all straight.  The bookshop with its magic is intriguing.  I especially liked the stained-glass windows with their changing scenes.  I felt for Opaline, but I had trouble relating to Martha and Henry (I was not a fan of Henry).  The story had, of course, romance (I would have preferred two woman who came into their own and carved their own path).  I was not a fan of the intimate scenes.  The story does contain foul language (quite a bit).  Those who have suffered physical or mental abuse will find triggers in the story.  There are various things that happen without explanation.   I can understand letting a couple of things be mysterious, but all of them. It becomes frustrating.  The last twenty percent is the best (if you make it that far).   I like how everything came together.  The ending was expected because the storylines are similar to those I have read in other novels.  The Lost Bookshop has mystery, love, magic, and books.  Three strangers who discover their stories by unlocking the secrets of a special bookstore.  I wanted to like The Lost Bookshop, but I found it tedious to wade through it (long and slow).  The Lost Bookshop is a book for bibliophiles with beloved books, a Parisian paramour, a brutal brother, a helpful position, an absent bookshop, phantastic happenings, and a magical culmination. 

The Lost Bookshop will be out on June 22, and it is available from Amazon*.  You can find the author's other books here.  Thank you for stopping by today.  Tomorrow I am featuring Hiss Me Deadly by Miranda James which will be out on Tuesday, June 27.  It is 15th A Cat in the Stacks Mystery.   I hope that you have an enchanting day. I am off to get some work done around the house.  The painting is delayed again because I damaged the toes on my right foot again (that trunk we use as a coffee table jumped right out in front of me).  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The Spectacular by Fiona Davis

 The Spectacular

Book Summary

From the New York Times Bestselling Author of The Magnolia Palace: A thrilling story about love, sacrifice, and the pursuit of dreams, set amidst the glamour and glitz of Radio City Music Hall in its mid-century heyday.

New York City, 1956: Nineteen-year-old Marion Brooks knows she should be happy. Her high school sweetheart is about to propose and sweep her off to the life everyone has always expected they’d have together: a quiet house in the suburbs, Marion staying home to raise their future children. But instead, Marion finds herself feeling trapped. So, when she comes across an opportunity to audition for the famous Radio City Rockettes—the glamorous precision-dancing troupe—she jumps at the chance to exchange her predictable future for the dazzling life of a performer. 

Meanwhile, the city is reeling from a string of bombings orchestrated by a person the press has nicknamed the “Big Apple Bomber,” who has been terrorizing the citizens of New York for sixteen years by planting bombs in popular, crowded spaces. With the public in an uproar over the lack of any real leads after a yearslong manhunt, the police turn in desperation to Peter Griggs, a young doctor at a local mental hospital who espouses a radical new technique: psychological profiling. 

As both Marion and Peter find themselves unexpectedly pulled into the police search for the bomber, Marion realizes that as much as she’s been training herself to blend in—performing in perfect unison with all the other identical Rockettes—if she hopes to catch the bomber, she’ll need to stand out and take a terrifying risk. In doing so, she may be forced to sacrifice everything she’s worked for, as well as the people she loves the most.

My Thoughts

The Spectacular by Fiona Davis transports readers to 1956 when Marion Brooks tries out for the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes.  The story alternates between 1992 and 1956.  I thought the story was well-written with realistic, developed characters.  The author has a way of bringing history alive.  I enjoyed the vivid descriptions of New York City, Radio City Music Hall, Brownsville, and Marion’s childhood home.  I especially enjoyed reading about Radio City.  I had no idea there was so much going on in that building.  Fiona Davis brought history to life and made it interesting.  There was never a dull moment.  I enjoyed learning about the Rockette audition process (I wish there was a television show about it), the lengthy rehearsals, costume fittings, and daily shows.  I cannot imagine doing four shows a day.  

The “Big Apple Bomber” has been hitting New York City landmarks for sixteen years without getting caught.  When Marion’s sister is killed, Marion is determined that the bomber shall be caught.  Marion wants the bomber identified and caught.  Marion seeks help from Dr. Peter Riggs, a resident at Creedmoor Psychiatric Center, in profiling the bomber.  It is something new and the police are naturally skeptical.  The mystery ramped up near the end.  I was up late quickly turning the pages to see how everything would turn out.  There were some great characters in the story.  I enjoyed getting to know Marion Brooks.  She had a special talent and Marion wanted to use it despite her father’s pressure to marry.  There is some repetition of details especially regarding the father, Simon, and Judy, Marion’s sister.  I appreciated the author’s note at the end of the book.  I like how the author brought the Rockette’s Christmas show to life, especially the wooden soldier number.  I had no idea that the kick line was accomplished without the dancers touching each other.  It is the details that elevate a story.  You will find yourself caught up in the case and wondering how Marion and her friends will help catch the “Big Apple Bomber”.  The Spectacular is a fascinating historical tale with an active audition, a straightlaced sister, old-fashioned dad, a baffling bomber, a brown-nosing boyfriend, a disobliging detective, and a dazzling dancer. 

The Spectacular is available from Amazon*.  You can find Fiona Davis's other novels here.  Also out today are Paint Me a Crime by Holly Yew and Q & A by Carolyn R. Russell.  Thank you for visiting today.  Tomorrow I am a stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours for Paint Me a Crime by Holly Yew.  It is the first A Rose Shore Mystery.  I am off to work in the garden.  I have raised garden beds down one side of my home.  Four of them are full of blooming plants.  The front planter is lacking.  It is the planter that gets the most sun.  I have planted native plants (that can handle the brutal Florida sun and drought), but they are not doing well.  I need to find another solution.  If anyone has any suggestions, please leave me a comment.  I hope that you have a sunny day!  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Rockettes Barbie

The Letter Reader by Jan Casey

 The Letter Reader

Book Summary

She read their secrets during the war. Now she cannot forget them...

1941. London. Keen to do her bit in the war, Connie Allinson joins the WRNS and is posted as a letter censor. Her task: to read and alter correspondence to ensure no sensitive information crosses enemy lines. At first, she is not sure she's up to it, but is soon drawn in by the letters she reads, and their secrets...

1967. Doncaster.

 Bored of her domestic life, Connie desperately wants a job, but her controlling husband Arthur won't hear of it. Looking for an escape and plagued by memories of letters she read during the war, she makes a bid for freedom and starts secretly tracking down their authors. Will uncovering their past give Connie the key to her present? And will she be able to find them all before Arthur discovers what she is keeping from him?

My Thoughts

The Letter Reader by Jan Casey is a dual timeline novel.  The novel takes readers between 1941 (through the war years) and 1967.  I decided to read this book despite my ban on books from World War II (there has been a glut of books on this topic, and I needed a respite) because I had not read a book about postal censors.  Connie Allinson joins the WRNS in 1941 and is posted as a letter censor (her husband wanted her to do something safe).  For those who are nosy, it would be the perfect occupation (as well as those who are curious).  It would be exciting to find a letter written in code.  I had no idea that some postal censors traveled around from post office to post office to complete their duties.  The war years part of the story was interesting, but I did not enjoy the 1967 portion.  It was boring and repetitive.  Connie is a housewife whose husband likes a strict routine.  He wants chores done on a certain day of the week, he has a meal schedule, and he gives Connie the bare minimum for housekeeping (aka the household budget).  Connie is bored staying at home and wants to get a job.  

I do not understand why she asked her husband’s permission to get a job (it was not needed).  I would have gotten a job and then told him about it (fait accompli).  Connie finds her thoughts consumed by certain letters that she read during the war.  She wonders what happened to the people who wrote the letters.  When Arthur, her husband, suggests Connie visit London every two months for three days (he is so generous) to catch up with her brother and sister-in-law, Connie jumps at the chance.  It will give Connie the opportunity to do some research at Somerset House.  I did find it odd that she would venture to find information on people who wrote letters.  

Connie signed the Official Secrets Act plus many people do not like “knowing” (there is knowing that your letter could be read and having someone show up saying they read your letter) that someone read their personal correspondence (much less remembered it twenty years after the war).    I found the story to be long with mixed pacing.  While the war year chapters flew by, the other chapters did not.  I did not find the ending satisfying.  The Letter Reader is a historical tale with a rough war, censored letters, a repetitive routine, a humdrum husband, and facing the future.

The Letter Reader is available from Amazon*.  You can read The Letter Reader for free if you are a Kindle Unlimited member.  You can find Jan Casey's other novels here.  Thank you for stopping by today.  I am taking next week off to get some work done around the house.  I have managed to carve out a small block of time to get a small list of items done (hopefully).  If I can get the living/dining area finished, I will be very happy (the last person I hired to paint finished the ceiling and never returned).  Wish me luck! I will return on Tuesday, May 23 with Blueberry Blunder by Amanda Flower.  It is the 8th An Amish Candy Shop Mystery.  It is a cute story that will have you chuckling often.  I hope that you have a lovely Mother's Day.  I am cooking dinner for my mother (she does not want to go out which was my choice) and I have a few gifts for her (one of them is Vera Bradley's Ohio State crossbody bag).  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The War Librarian by Addison Armstrong

 The War Librarian

Book Summary

The Paris Library meets The Flight Girls in this captivating historical novel about the sacrifice and courage necessary to live a life of honor, inspired by the first female volunteer librarians during World War I and the first women accepted into the U.S. Naval Academy.

Two women. One secret. A truth worth fighting for.

 

1918. Timid and shy Emmaline Balakin lives more in books than her own life. That is, until an envelope crosses her desk at the Dead Letter Office bearing a name from her past, and Emmaline decides to finally embark on an adventure of her own—as a volunteer librarian on the frontlines in France. But when a romance blooms as she secretly participates in a book club for censored books, Emmaline will need to find more courage within herself than she ever thought possible in order to survive. 

1976. Kathleen Carre is eager to prove to herself and to her nana that she deserves her acceptance into the first coed class at the United States Naval Academy. But not everyone wants female midshipmen at the Academy, and after tragedy strikes close to home, Kathleen becomes a target. To protect herself, Kathleen must learn to trust others even as she discovers a secret that could be her undoing.

My Thoughts

The War Librarian by Addison Armstrong is a dual timeline historical novel featuring courageous women.   We get to meet Emmaline Balakin who went from working in the Dead Letter Office to a librarian in an army camp in France in 1918.  Kathleen Carre is admitted as one of the first women into the United States Naval Academy in 1976.  Each woman will face obstacles as they enter areas dominated and run by men.  I thought the author beautifully wove the two storylines together.  The book contains good writing with realistic characters. I enjoyed getting to know Emmaline, Kathleen, and Nellie (Emmaline’s friend in France).  We get to see what life was like for them.  It was especially difficult for Kathleen who was not wanted by the male cadets or the people who ran the school.  Prejudice, banned books (censorship), secrets, lost love, courage, and bullying are the themes in The War Librarian.   

It was interesting learning about the Library War Service who was responsible for getting books to servicemen training in camps and those overseas.  At first blush, it would seem that the two storylines would be worlds apart.  As the story progresses, we get to see the similarity.   The twist was something I saw coming, but I enjoyed seeing how it played out. I do want to let readers know there is bullying, mild foul language, and an intimate situation.   If you are someone who has been bullied, you might find it hard to read one of the scenes.  I was shocked at what the female recruits were subjected to at the academy.  That they were expected to carry a purse and wear three-inch heels was idiotic.  I understand they are training soldiers, but I do not know how recruits put up with the demanding routine, the yelling, and all the rules (some of them are ridiculous). The War Librarian is an emotional story with a special ending.  The War Librarian is a captivating tale that historical fiction lovers will enjoy. 

The War Librarian is available from Amazon*.  Addison Armstrong has also written The Light of Luna Park.  You can follow Addison Armstrong on Amazon so you can receive an email when she has a new book release.  Thank you for reading my review today.  Next time I am featuring A Killing in Costumes by Zac Bissonnette.  It is the debut of A Hollywood Treasures Mysteries.  I hope that you have a happy day.  Take care, stay cool (it really is the dog days of summer), and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The Last Dress from Paris by Jade Beer

 The Last Dress from Paris

Book Summary

The secret is hidden within a collection of Dior dresses...

London, 2017. There’s no one Lucille adores more than her grandmother. So, when her beloved Granny Sylvie asks for Lucille’s assistance with a small matter, she’s happy to help. The next thing she knows, Lucille is on a train to Paris, tasked with retrieving a priceless Dior dress. But not everything is as it seems, and what Lucille finds in a small Parisian apartment will have her scouring the city for answers to a question that could change her entire life.

Paris, 1952. Postwar France is full of glamour and privilege, and Alice Ainsley is in the middle of it all. As the wife to the British ambassador to France, Alice’s job is to see and be seen—even if that wasn’t quite what she signed up for. Her husband showers her with jewels, banquets, and couture Dior dresses, but his affection has become distressingly elusive. As the strain on her marriage grows, Alice’s only comfort is her bond with her trusted lady’s maid, Marianne. But when a new face appears in her drawing room, Alice finds herself yearning to follow her heart...no matter the consequences.

The City of Light comes alive in this lush, evocative tale that explores the ties that bind us together, the truths we hold that make us who we are, and the true meaning of what makes someone family.

My Thoughts

The Last Dress from Paris by Jade Beer is a dual timeline novel that takes place in 2017 and 1952.  A grandmother (Granny Sylvie) tasks her granddaughter (Lucille) with recovering a special dress from Paris.  It sounds like an easy task, but grandmum may have left out a few details.  Lucille soon finds herself on a journey in Paris that could change her life.  I thought the story was well-written.  Jade Beer is a descriptive writer.  I enjoyed the word imagery of the couture dresses.  I could imagine sitting at the Dior fashion shows seeing all the gorgeous creations.  I delighted in the detailed descriptions of Paris.  I thought the author beautifully blended the two timelines together.  The Last Dress from Paris has a forbidden romance, couture fashions, elaborate parties, Paris landmarks, a dress hunt, friendship, a strained mother/daughter relationship, and an unexpected romance.    I liked the strong female friendship between Anne and Alice.   I did have a hard time getting into the story.  It took me some time to become engaged.  I did find Alice’s storyline to be on the sad side, but it was balance with the more upbeat atmosphere in Lucille’s storyline.  I like that we get to see Lucille grow and become self-assured.  I appreciated the epilogue that nicely wrapped up the story.  The Last Dress from Paris is a heartfelt tale about friendships, fashion, and familial relationships.    

The Last Dress from Paris is available from Amazon*.  You can find Jade Beer's other novels here.  Thank you for stopping by today and reading my review.  Tomorrow I will be featuring Donut Disturb by Ellie Alexander which will be out on Tuesday, June 28.  It is the 15th A Bakeshop Mystery.  I hope that you have a joyful day.  Take care, stay cool, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The Magnolia Palace by Fiona Davis

 The Magnolia Palace

Book Summary

Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue, returns with a tantalizing novel about the secrets, betrayal, and murder within one of New York City's most impressive Gilded Age mansions.

Eight months since losing her mother in the Spanish flu outbreak of 1919, twenty-one-year-old Lillian Carter's life has completely fallen apart. For the past six years, under the moniker Angelica, Lillian was one of the most sought-after artists' models in New York City, with statues based on her figure gracing landmarks from the Plaza Hotel to the Brooklyn Bridge. But with her mother gone, a grieving Lillian is rudderless and desperate—the work has dried up and a looming scandal has left her entirely without a safe haven. So when she stumbles upon an employment opportunity at the Frick mansion—a building that, ironically, bears her own visage—Lillian jumps at the chance. But the longer she works as a private secretary to the imperious and demanding Helen Frick, the daughter and heiress of industrialist and art patron Henry Clay Frick, the more deeply her life gets intertwined with that of the family—pulling her into a tangled web of romantic trysts, stolen jewels, and family drama that runs so deep, the stakes just may be life or death.

Nearly fifty years later, mod English model Veronica Weber has her own chance to make her career—and with it, earn the money she needs to support her family back home—within the walls of the former Frick residence, now converted into one of New York City's most impressive museums. But when she—along with a charming intern/budding art curator named Joshua—is dismissed from the Vogue shoot taking place at the Frick Collection, she chances upon a series of hidden messages in the museum: messages that will lead her and Joshua on a hunt that could not only solve Veronica's financial woes but could finally reveal the truth behind a decades-old murder in the infamous Frick family.

My Thoughts

The Magnolia Palace by Fiona Davis is a dual timeline novel that takes readers between 1919 and 1966.  Lillian Carter, an artist’s model known as Angelica, finds herself on the run after her landlord is killed and the police suspect her of the crime.  Sheer luck has her obtaining the position as personal secretary to Miss Helen Frick, the youngest daughter of Henry Clay Frick.  Miss Lilly, as she is called, works with the mercurial Helen.  She learns to manage the household, organize functions, handle the household accounts, and much more.  Miss Lilly hopes to earn enough money to get to Hollywood where she can become an actress.  Henry Clay Frick tasks Miss Lilly with helping to get his daughter wed.  He promises her a nice sized bonus if she can get Helen engaged by Christmas.  Miss Lilly gets drawn into the family drama that soon lands her in a precarious situation.  Veronica Weber was discovered in London after an unfortunate (or in this case fortunate) haircut.  She lands a plum assignment that has her in America in 1966 doing a photoshoot for Vogue at the Frick Museum.  After an altercation with the photographer, Veronica hides out in pipe room (where the pipes for the pipe organ are arranged) to avoid the other models.  She ends up locked in the building with an assistant archivist during a blizzard.  Veronica had found clues for a scavenger hunt in the pipe room and the pair unravel the riddles.  The result of the hunt could help settle Veronica financial dilemma and solve two long unsolved crimes.  I thought The Magnolia Palace was well-written with developed characters.  The author captured both time periods, but I thought her portrayal of 1919 was spot on.  I could tell that she did her research on the Frick family and their collections.  I am amazed at the art they collected.  Their home which is now a museum is just beautiful.  We get to see what daily life was like inside the Frick mansion in 1919 with the demanding Henry Clay Frick and the difficult Helen Frick.  I liked the action and activities that propelled the story forward to the end.  The ending nicely wrapped up the book.  I appreciated the author’s note at the end along with her reading recommendations.  I was baffled by a detail in the last chapter.  I thought it was a week or so since the previous chapter, but then there was a 1977 reference.  I wish the date has been clearly specified.  The Magnolia Palace is an intriguing historical novel with a misplaced diamond, a lady lost at the loss of a loved one, a demanding dad, a devoted daughter, a strange scavenger hunt, an attractive art assemblage, and a mysterious mystery. 

The Magnolia Palace is available from Amazon*.  You can find Fiona Davis' other novels here.  The pictures I used today show Helen and her father, Henry Clay Frick.  The second picture is of Audrey Munson, a popular artist's model during the same time period as Lillian Carter.  Thank you for joining me today and reading my review.  Tomorrow I am featuring Easter Bonnet Murder by Leslie Meier.  It is the 28th A Lucy Stone Mystery.   Did you know that you can create a wedding registry on Amazon?  I found it helpful when my nephew was getting married.  I was able to go the couple's registry and pick out a gift without leaving home.  I liked knowing that I would be getting the new couple something that they wanted.  I hope that you have a cheerful day.  Take care, stay safe, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain

 The Last House on the Street

Book Summary

A community’s past sins rise to the surface in New York Times bestselling author Diane Chamberlain’s The Last House on the Street when two women, a generation apart, find themselves bound by tragedy and an unsolved, decades-old mystery.

1965

Growing up in the well-to-do town of Round Hill, North Carolina, Ellie Hockley was raised to be a certain type of proper Southern lady. Enrolled in college and all but engaged to a bank manager, Ellie isn’t as committed to her expected future as her family believes. She’s chosen to spend her summer break as a volunteer helping to register black voters. But as Ellie follows her ideals fighting for the civil rights of the marginalized, her scandalized parents scorn her efforts, and her neighbors reveal their prejudices. And when she loses her heart to a fellow volunteer, Ellie discovers the frightening true nature of the people living in Round Hill.

2010

Architect Kayla Carter and her husband designed a beautiful house for themselves in Round Hill’s new development, Shadow Ridge Estates. It was supposed to be a home where they could raise their three-year-old daughter and grow old together. Instead, it’s the place where Kayla’s husband died in an accident—a fact known to a mysterious woman who warns Kayla against moving in. The woods and lake behind the property are reputed to be haunted, and the new home has been targeted by vandals leaving threatening notes. And Kayla’s neighbor Ellie Hockley is harboring long buried secrets about the dark history of the land where her house was built.

Two women. Two stories. Both on a collision course with the truth--no matter what that truth may bring to light--in Diane Chamberlain's riveting, powerful novel about the search for justice.

My Thoughts

The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain is a dual-timeline novel.  We meet Ellie a twenty-year old Caucasian who signs up for the SCOPE project.  Kayla in 2010 is a recent widow with a young daughter.  Her husband died before their dream home was completed.  It is the only house in a new development and Kayla is warned away.  Just outside the development is a home that has been there for three generations and the dying owner refuses to sell.  After Kayla moves into her new home, she meets Ellie Hockley who grew up in the old home and they become friends.  Kayla can tell, though, that Ellie has secrets.  Something happened in this area almost fifty years ago.  Is it time for the secret to come to light?  The Last House on the Street contains good writing, but I thought the pacing was slow.  As I kept reading, I was wondering if the book would ever get moving.  I enjoyed Ellie’s story more than Kayla’s.  Ellie’s story tells of the bigotry, violence, and hatred that was prevalent in the south during this time.  There was a great deal of unrest in the south. It was interesting learning about the SCOPE project.  Ellie’s character was significantly more developed than Kayla’s.  For most of the book, Kayla is unnecessary.  Her character lacked emotion and depth.  As I read, I could soon see how everything tied together and how the story would play out.  I wish the storyline had not been so obvious.  I had trouble getting through the first two thirds of the book because of the slow pacing and there was little action up to this point.  The ending nicely wrapped up the story.  This was not my favorite Diane Chamberlain story.  It was not the same caliber as her last novel.  The Last House on the Street is an emotional and dramatic story that will take you back to 1965 in North Carolina.  

The Last House on the Street is available from Amazon*.  You can find Diane Chamberlain's other novels here.  Thank you for reading my review today.  I will be back tomorrow with A Three Book Problem by Vicki Delany.  It is the seventh A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery.  I hope everyone has an uplifting day.  We need more positivity in our lives.  Take care, stay safe, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The London House by Katherine Reay

The London House

Book Summary

Uncovering a dark family secret sends one woman through the history of Britain’s World War II spy network and glamorous 1930s Paris to save her family’s reputation.

Caroline Payne thinks it’s just another day of work until she receives a call from Mat Hammond, an old college friend and historian. But pleasantries are cut short. Mat has uncovered a scandalous secret kept buried for decades: In World War II, Caroline’s British great-aunt betrayed family and country to marry her German lover.

Determined to find answers and save her family’s reputation, Caroline flies to her family’s ancestral home in London. She and Mat discover diaries and letters that reveal her grandmother and great-aunt were known as the “Waite sisters.” Popular and witty, they came of age during the interwar years, a time of peace and luxury filled with dances, jazz clubs, and romance. The buoyant tone of the correspondence soon yields to sadder revelations as the sisters grow apart, and one leaves home for the glittering fashion scene of Paris, despite rumblings of a coming world war.

Each letter brings more questions. Was Caroline’s great-aunt actually a traitor and Nazi collaborator, or is there a more complex truth buried in the past? Together, Caroline and Mat uncover stories of spies and secrets, love and heartbreak, and the events of one fateful evening in 1941 that changed everything.

In this rich historical novel from award-winning author Katherine Reay, a young woman is tasked with writing the next chapter of her family’s story. But Caroline must choose whether to embrace a love of her own and proceed with caution if her family’s decades-old wounds are to heal without tearing them even further apart.

My Thoughts

Caroline Payne is approached by old college friend, Mat Hammond who is writing an article.  While doing research for a family, he discovered that a secret about Caroline’s namesake and aunt, Caroline.  Caroline was told that her aunt died of polio as a child, but that is not the truth.  It turns out that the twin sister of Caroline’s grandmother betrayed her country.  She went to France to be with her German officer lover.   Caroline does not believe this is the truth.  She heads the family home in London to dig through letters and diaries buried in a trunk in the attic.  The more Caroline reads, the more questions she has about Caroline Waite.  Caroline and Mat keep digging until they uncover the truth.  

The London House by Katherine Reay is an engaging story.  I thought The London House is well-written with developed characters.  This story takes readers from the present day to the late 1930s and early 1940s.  I can tell the author did her research for this story.  The details are what brings this novel to life.  Katherine Reay brings her world and characters alive with her descriptive writing.  The pacing varies throughout the book (action speeds it up while overly detailed sections slow it down) and I thought the book was a little long.   Quite a big of the story is told through letters and diary entries (very realistic) as Caroline and Mat work to uncover the truth.  I wish the story had followed a straightforward timeline.  It would have made for easier reading.  I enjoyed the tie in to Elsa Schiaparelli.  I enjoyed the descriptions of her design house and her gorgeous dresses.   Those who love historical fiction especially the World War II era will enjoy reading The London House.  The London House is a dual timeline novel about misperceptions, misunderstandings, love, jealously, hope, and injustice.  

The London House is available from Amazon*.  You can find Katherine Reay's other novels here.  Thank you for reading my review today.  I will return on Monday with The Christmas House by Victoria James.  Thank you for visiting.  I am off to bathe my dog, Doozy.  He is a wily dog who will do what it takes to avoid a bath.  I will have to employ bribery (cookies).  I am glad that Tuxxe, my Chihuahua is an easy mark.  I just grab in and set him in the tub.  Doozy, though, is too large (over 60 pounds) for picking up, dragging, and pulling.  He is my special furbaby whom I love very much.  I hope that you have a relaxing day.  Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.