Mrs P's Book of Secrets is set in a small publishing house and in the aftermath of WW2 there are many difficulties still to be faced, with none more so than that of Lucy Peuse, who, as a young widow has been take in by her aunt and uncle who own the publishers, and whilst her position in the business is as a lowly secretary, Lucy, or Mrs P. as she is known, has the gumption to forge ahead with some difficult literary projects. Working alongside Lucy is the new editor of Kershaw and Kathay, Robert Underhill, a survivor, who has his own demons to face, particularly in light of his incarceration as a prisoner of war.

The author sets the scene well and introduces some interesting characters into the story. I enjoyed being an observer, watching as both Lucy and Robert's characters grow in confidence as the story progresses. The fascinating literary project which brings them together adds a nice level of mystery with some interesting light and shade that helps to give the story an altogether different atmosphere. Bringing together a ghostly story has its own limitations and both Lucy and Robert have to face several personal challenges as they struggle with restrictions in their private lives, so, whilst the mood of the story is, at times, quite serious, it is also has a promise of hope as both Lucy and Robert come to terms with their loss and grief.

Mrs P's Book of Secrets is an engaging story and a beguiling look at the aftermath of WW2, and it shows just how people were picking up the pieces of their lives again, going forward with renewed expectation and ambition

This is my first introduction to the work of Lorna Gray and I am thrilled to have found a new historical fiction author to add to my favourites list.
Mrs P's Book of Secrets is a story that you have to let it build like a perfect pot of loose-leaf tea were the leaves have to steep for a certain time, just like this book and it's words that are 'steeping' to reach it's peak leaving you with a satisfied glow. Please be patient with the words...
Lorna Gray has created a very atmospheric novel that is fitting to the characters and era, I could feel a sense of time and place and understood for the characters that life needed at this time to take on a more gentler rhythm.
Mrs P's Book of Secrets is a gentle, poignant love story that I felt held a few stories within it. I loved the steady building relationship of trust between Lucy and Robert and for them personally it was just at the right pace. They’ve both suffered with the aftermath of the war so a windswept romance wouldn’t have worked. I liked the sound of Robert he seemed very dark and mysterious at first but once he opened up your heart expands with love for him.
Lucy works for her uncle at his book publishing business and Robert has recently come to work as a new editor. I found it quite fascinating this side of the story to learn about the machinations behind book publishing back in the 1940’s and I never even thought that rations would come into play. To read about how an idea for a book, with the author approaching a publisher, for it then to become a reality with the type setting of the words in the print room for a book lover sounded enchanting. I appreciated the research that the author has undertaken giving the readers a step back in time into the world of publishing.
Mrs P's Book of Secrets held a certain chilling mystery around it taking you on a journey of self-discovery and starting anew following much sadness and the feeling of being lost within a world trying to forge on following the World War. It's a love story, a historical mystery novel and a story of new beginnings. All I'm saying is that the ending reaching out and grabbed me and I did feel a satisfied glow, just like a perfect cup of tea.

A fresh premise, quirky characters, and some twists along the way are just some of the reasons why I enjoyed MRS P'S BOOK OF SECRETS by Lorna Gray.

Lucy, now known as Mrs P, lost her husband during the war and is trying to forge ahead with her life as best she can. Moving back home to her aunt and uncle in the Cotswolds seems to be exactly what she needs and when she starts working for her uncle's publishing business, Lucy finds a certain sense of peace among the books that surround her. With only her uncle and the quiet and always reserved Mr Robert Underhill working there, the job is not exactly tasking, but as everyone tries to get used to life after war and all that that entails, Lucy feels lucky to have this place to occupy her thoughts. But when a new manuscript that Robert is working on appears to throw up a mystery about a little girl, Lucy gets caught up in this search for the truth. But facing the ghosts of the past is not always easy and as old pain resurfaces, can Lucy open herself up to love once again?

It is obvious that the author has researched the time period extremely well as I felt that I had stepped back in time instantly and I was caught up in the reality of that post-war era. The characters are well-developed and likeable, and I enjoyed getting to know more about Robert and Lucy as the story developed.

MRS P'S BOOK OF SECRETS by Lorna Gray is a wonderful tale of friendship, grief, and opening yourself up to new possibilities, and I look forward to reading more from this author.

This is a historical novel set in the aftermath of world war two. It’s a powerful reminder of just how different life was then especially for women.


Lucy, the eponymous Mrs P, is one of many young war widows, muddling along, day to day with little real purpose, no longer a wife. She is a quiet young woman and as she needs to earn a living just to get by, she is happy to accept the chance to work in a small fascinating publishing company owned by her uncle, where she spends her days in a dark and dusty cubby-hole of an office, acting as clerk and receptionist.

This was a time when success and recognition was reserved for men and women were expected to be subservient and obedient. It is of course, in that era, unthinkable that she could possibly be anything more important than a mere assistant to the men of the company!

One such man is Robert, a new addition he is an editor and as an ex- prisoner of war has his own secrets and sorrows. But he does extend a little kindness to Lucy and a little goes a long way when you are feeling pretty hopeless.

As she helps him with his work, unravelling the mysteries of the past gives her a purpose and maybe there is a chance of romance for her too. But what they are about to discover is a haunting and sad mystery surrounding an orphaned girl.

The whole book has a leisurely, melancholic feel redolent of the dark days in the aftermath of war.

The atmosphere of the story is somewhat reminiscent of “the Little Stranger” by Sarah Waters and the main character Lucy reminded me of the lead character Violet in the recent book “A Single Thread” by Tracy Chevalier.

It has a rather gentle but somewhat sombre nature which sets the tone of the era jolly well and is a pleasing and gentle haunting mystery.

I really wanted to like this book. The synopsis interested me but the book was not what I imagined. It was too slow and drawn out for me. I could not get interested in the story at all. Sorry.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Mrs. P's Book of Secrets is the story of Lucy, a war widow who comes to work at her aunt and uncle's publishing business after World War II, and Robert, a former POW who is the new editor. While the description of the book promised a ghost story, there is not much of a ghost story. I wouldn't call it a historical novel either, although there is some post WWII history provided. If anything, this is a long, drawn out romance. The book was hard to get through, as there was not much happening. Someone would ask Lucy a question, she would ruminate on the question for three or four paragraphs, then she would provide an answer, and that's pretty much how the whole book went. There were a couple of interesting points in the plot, but they were few and far between. I would pass this one by.

I was provided an ARC of this book by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Set in the Cotswolds, 1946 around Christmas, Lucy (Mrs P) returns home after the war, now a widow. Going home to live with her elderly aunt and uncle, Lucy finds that she’s lost her editor job to a former prisoner of war, who is also trying to rebuild his life. Lucy finds there are a lot of secrets to uncover at the publishers – who is the mysterious Robert Underhill, where does he disappear off to and what is the secret of the missing girl?

When I was invited to read this book, I was intrigued by the blurb. I love books set in this era and I also love to read stories with mystery and intrigue thrown in. I have to be honest and say it did take me a while to get into the story. I loved meeting Lucy from the beginning and was interested and sympathetic to her background. The author’s writing was very in-depth and detailed, and this did take some getting used to. However, once I had settled into her style and the story, the storyline flowed well. It is one of those books where you do need to take your time reading it to fully appreciate what is happening, and it was absolutely perfect for a quiet half an hour here and a quiet half an hour there!

Being set just at the end of World War II, Lucy and Robert’s storyline make you fully appreciate how difficult it was for people around that time. Yes, the war is over, but the ravages of war still continue and this book shows you how people have continued with their lives and try and rebuild themselves, both physically and emotionally. There is a lot of emotion running through this book, along with some mystery, and I have to admit it did tug at my heartstrings on more than one occasion. The relationship between Lucy and Robert was well written and held my interest throughout the story, along with the descriptions of what Post War Britain was like.

All in all, this book was completely different to what I expected, but not in a bad way! I did think by looking at the cover it would be a more light hearted read than it was and I also thought there was going to be a stronger supernatural theme to it. However, whilst it did start on a slower pace than what I would normally be used to, the story is exceptionally written and the research that must have been done by the author was outstanding!! It is a book that you need to work at, but if you’re willing to put that effort in then you will be rewarded with a heart-warming historical novel with a wonderful conclusion.

Robert and Lucy are both healing from WWII. He was a prisoner of war for five years- what an immense burden he carries. She's a widow. She's at loose ends and without resources so she opts to return to the Cotswalds where her aunt and uncle have a publishing company- which is were Robert is working. The two of them slowly (very slowly but to be fair, this is probably more realistic than not) bond over a manuscript he's editing. This is interesting for the descriptions of immediate post War Britain and for a thoughtful approach to the two characters. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

I really tried hard to get into this book but it made no sense to me. Lucy is the heroine. She is a widow, childless, who goes to work at her uncles small publishing house- doesn’t that premise catch your attention? It did mine. She ends up living over the office of the publishing house because the other new employee is living with her aunt and uncle. I’m still with the story and thinking of all the good paths it could take...only it doesn’t. It is too wordy, too convoluted and too uninteresting. I really tried. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy for my honest opinion.

I jumped at the chance to read an early preview copy of this book from the Publishers and Netgalley.
I really loved the description of this book, and I love reading historical books about the War.
Sadly for me, I struggled to read this book. It didn't keep my interest and although I kept going back to it, I found it difficult to get into and finish. I expected to live this book, but sadly it didn't live up to my expectations.

Looking at other reviews on this book they are not always positive and I can see why. It is a very quiet book that doesn't quite fit the description of a ghost story given in the synopsis and I did put it aside a couple of times to read something else. I did persevere and the threads started coming together to a surprising twist at the end.
So in summary I wouldn't recommend this book if you are after a ghost story, however as a story about people recovering from their experiences of suffering during WW2 with a twist it is worth considering.
Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book, although this did not influence my review

Mrs. P's Book of Secrets is a story which has a little bit of everything...mystery, romance, history and ghosts...which all add up to an intriguing adventure.

Mrs. Lucy Peuse, or Mrs. P. is a war widow in 1946 who has begun to work in her uncle's publishing business. She is hired to make coffee and answer phones, but soon is put to work to edit a book.

Robert Underhill is a former doctor, and prisoner of war who was hired by the company. What exactly he was hired to do is the first mystery. Lucy is wary of him, at first...

But when Lucy is given the opportunity to assist with edits of a book about a family named Ashbrook, which in the galley seems to be always misspelled, she soon discovers an Ashbrok family mystery. See what I did there?

Lucy and Robert try to find out what happened the Ashbroke family member thought to have died as a young child, but with no grave or obituary they are at a loss. No one seems to even remember the child, which is strange for such a well-known family.

As the two grow closer, Lucy must wrestle with her own ghosts. Due to the loss of her husband she is afraid to love again first because she does not want to betray him but also because she fears her new love will be taken away.

This tale is a love story in so many ways...the love between family members, people we have lost, or people we feel we have disappointed, or the love between family who are not blood, but are still bonded as family, and what they will do for each other no matter what.

As a long ago mystery is put to rest, so are Lucy and Richard's questions as to who and how we love and that sometimes ghosts can give the permission we need to love again.

Thank you #NetGalley #HarperCollins #LornaGray #Mrs.P'sBookofSecrets for the advanced copy. The book will be available in the United States on January 23, 2020.

Even if it's well written and the historical background is well researched I couldn't connect to the characters and the story fell flat.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

1946 is such an interesting time in British history. The immediate post-war years were very hard on the people. Rationing of food and other essential goods, men returning from the war changed both physically and mentally. Women, who had kept the country's farms and industry running in the WW2, forced back to their former lives. This led to inevitable adjustment and unrest, after the relative freedom of wartime, for women, in terms of employment. Then, there were the men who didn't return from the war and the widows who had to carry on.

Lucy, known as Mrs P, is one such widow, who finds herself unemployed in 1946 and bereft of the husband who was hers for such a short time. Returning home to her aunt and uncle and their Cotswold printing business is the only viable alternative, but even here things are not the same. They have a lodger and new employee, and Lucy struggles to fit in. The historical setting of this book proves to be the perfect backdrop for this story, and the details of life at the time and the intricacies of the printing and publishing world are absorbing.

This is Lucy's story of coming to terms with her loss, accepting her world as it is now, and learning to live again. As the story progresses, events from Lucy's past illuminate her present unsettled feeling, and her search to belong. The mystery of the missing girl, she discovers in a book, entangles itself with her childhood and loss, making her question everything, doubt those she should trust, and obsessively search for what happened to the young girl.

There is also a lovely friendship, which flowers into romance for Lucy. Slow-burning, because even though she feels physical attraction, feelings of guilt and fear of loss, push any thoughts of life beyond her single state, away for Lucy initially.

The echoes of her childhood, recent bereavement and the strange events that occur serve to haunt Lucy's already emotionally unstable mind. The reader experiences this first hand, as the story is told in the first person. Sometimes, this is an uncomfortable place for the reader to be, the emotions are raw, and realisation slow to arrive, but the ending makes the angst worth suffering.

The conclusion of the mystery is not what you might expect, but it is believable, poignant, and shows how much Lucy has healed. There are still unexplained events, which you may interpret as you please. I am sure that we do not understand everything in this world, and choose to accept Lucy's explanation.

A gently paced, historically detailed, romantic literary adventure. A young woman's struggle with widowhood, as she explores an unusual mystery and experiences a few occurrences that defy explanation. Something original to enjoy that demands your ability to concentrate and become part of the story.

I received a copy of this book from Harper Collins UK - One More Chapter via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I love historical fiction, so I truly wanted to like this book, but I didn’t. I had a hard time connecting to the characters and plot.

I wanted to like this book so much. But I couldn't. The story was flat. The characters aren't relatable. The mystery is no show. I just can't connect with the book at any point. But I think maybe if I have read the first part it would have been interesting. But I didn't so I'm just gonna say that this book isn't for me.

From the description, I was really looking forward to this. However, it wasn't what I was expecting and I found it hard to connect with any of the characters..The mystery element was quite weak and I found the plot slow at times.

This is a very sweet and thoughtful story about a war widow who is haunted by thoughts of her late husband. Mrs P lives with her Aunt and Uncle, Who have acted as her parents. There is a burgeoning romance with Robert Underhill, who works for her Uncle's publishing business. Three stars.

Plot

The Cotswolds, Christmastime 1946: A young widow leaves behind the tragedy of her wartime life, and returns home to her ageing aunt and uncle. For Lucy – known as Mrs P – and the people who raised her, the books that line the walls of the family publishing business bring comfort and the promise of new beginnings.

But the kind and reserved new editor at the Kershaw and Kathay Book Press is a former prisoner of war, and he has his own shadows to bear. And when the old secrets of a little girl’s abandonment are uncovered within the pages of Robert Underhills’s latest project, Lucy must work quickly if she is to understand the truth behind his frequent trips away.

For a ghost dwells in the record of an orphan girl’s last days. And even as Lucy dares to risk her heart, the grief of her own past seems to be whispering a warning of fresh loss.

There are no white shrouded spectres here, no wailing ghouls. Just the echoes of those who have passed, whispering that history is set to repeat itself.

Review

Argh! I hate giving bad reviews and I tried so hard to find a positive in this book but I just couldn’t.

The blurb really excited me and I settled myself for a bit of gothic mystery. But alas I didn’t get it. The mystery is barely mentioned and then hurriedly all tied up at the end. Seances are mentioned once then forgotten about and other throw away plot lines make this book really jarring to read.

I couldn’t connect to any of their characters at all. Lucy is meant to be formidable but I just think she’s spoilt and a bit direct. The “romance” between her and her uncle’s business partner seems extremely forced and I couldn’t get behind it at all.

The books dragged on for me and then ended abruptly without any real sense to me at least.

I would like to say thank you to NetGally and Harper Collins for an advance copy in exchange for this review. I am sorry I couldn’t be more positive.

Rating

2 stars

Recommend

I can’t I’m sorry. I am a horrible person. 😕

This work of historical fiction also has elements of romance, friendship, and a bit of the supernatural. Lucy, a war widow also known as Mrs. P, took employment at her uncle's publishing house. Though she is tasked with secretarial duties, Lucy soon finds herself researching the disappearance of a young woman who is the subject of a book her uncle is publishing. Along the say, Lucy finds her place in the world again and opens herself up to new experiences, friendship, and love.

I really wanted to love this story, but it fell flat. The plot and characters seemed underdeveloped and the ending was fairly predictable. Additionally, some portions were very wordy and dragged along, while other portions seemed a bit rushed. I had a difficult time getting into the story and connecting with the characters, who were a bit one-dimensional. I liked the book enough to try another from this author, but I didn't like it enough to want to read it again.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the privilege of reading an advanced digital copy of this book.