This book is a historical fiction based on the real Ashton Hall built in 1856 in Lancashire England.
Hannah Larson is researching her doctoral dissertation and the subject matter of Ashton Hall plays in. There is a dark history about the house and a mystery about a skeleton which was found in a locked room. You will eventually discover who that person was. The backstory on that and the house history is revealed at the end. This is not a ghost story and just about all of the book is set and present time.
Hannah's life is basically a dumpster fire with a marriage in trouble and her son Nicky having emotional difficulties. I don’t mean he’s unruly or acting up, but more like a medical condition which causes him to become unpredictably violent. Yet he is bright and it's Nicky who discovers the skeletal remains.
Hannah's research brings the Elizabethan era to life as she goes through old account ledgers and diaries.
Publication date is June 7, 2022 by Random House Publishing - Ballantine Books. Genre: General Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mysteries and Thrillers.
Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy of this book. I was not compensated for the review, all opinions are mine.
Sharing with Joy's Book Blog for British Isles Friday and Marg at The Intrepid Reader for the Historical Fiction Readng Challenge.
This sounds interesting and researching the history of a house like this (especially one with a secret room and a skeleton) is pretty much my dream.
ReplyDeleteKatherine, the setting is very nice as well. I think you'd enjoy this book. Netgalley may still have it as a request.
DeleteIt's revealed and you'd be surprised how it happened!
ReplyDeleteI like this way of reading about history, alongside a fictional history researcher.
ReplyDeleteHer life is a dumpster fire! Ha! I never heard of this phrase before but I love it.
ReplyDeleteI just got this from the library - looking forward to it!
ReplyDeleteI do enjoy a book where a house is one of the characters.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this with the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge