The publisher’s summary
1924. Lord and Lady Kearsley’s glittering Summer Ball is in full swing when their betrothed daughter Xanthe slips out of the orangery and into the maze for a secret encounter. By the next morning, the grand house will be in ashes and two bodies removed, but no one will ever know what happened that night in Winterthorne.
2024. Juliet Stewart discovers she has inherited a cottage in the cliff-top village of Winterthorne from a relative she never knew existed. Stumbling upon the ruins of Kearsley Castle, she learns about the fire that destroyed the family. Puzzled by the disturbing gifts appearing on her doorstep, Juliet realises that someone doesn’t want her in Winterthorne. But as she becomes drawn deeper into Xanthe’s story, she discovers that danger lies not only in uncovering the past, but in the present too…
My reading notes
When, in 2024, Juliet learns that she has inherited a cottage in a village, she decides to visit and feels she has arrived in her dream place. But her exploration of the nearby ruins of Kearsley Castle, the behaviour of some of the villagers and disturbing recurring dreams connect her to the past. Connections emerge between her life and that of Xanthe, the daughter of Lord and Lady Kearsley.
This is an original and very nicely written time slip novel that explores the weight of the past and how events that have occurred can have effects on people for ever. I read about transgenerational trauma some time ago and this book resonated a bit with this topic. As I was reading this story, it reminded me of stories of my childhood in villages of Provence where something happened a long time ago but the lives of those left behind are still somewhat determined or influenced by what happened.
I could not stop reading to find out the whole story. The plot is unveiled slowly, maybe too slowly for some readers, but for me it was part of creating the uncomfortable and mysterious atmosphere of the book. I thought it worked well. I liked the characters of Xanthe and Juliet, the descriptions of the locations, the vibes of the village and I enjoyed reading the author’s note at the end.
Writing this book took a long time, and it was worth it. A puzzling, immersive and excellent read.
You can find out more about the work of Zoë Marriott on her Facebook page.
Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for giving me the opportunity to review this book. All opinions are my own.
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