Foxcote Manor is slightly neglected and rundown, but its tranquil forest setting seems perfect for the Harrington family as they regroup following tragedy in 1971. Family secrets, choices, mistakes and consequences don't go away though. This tale uncovers the hidden secrets of the Harrington family and how the entire game plays out over time.

I normally don't really like stories that jump back and forth in time, but for this tale, it's necessary. Dead bodies in the forest. Babies left just outside gates. Every action, every choice, every lie or omission has a price....

It takes a talented storyteller to pull off a multi-layered, emotional story like this. And Eve Chase does a superb job of it! I was glued to the page from start to finish, even through all the time jumps. I recommend readers try to avoid reviews and discussions that reveal too much of the plot. To get the full effect, it's really necessary to go in with only bare bones facts. This story develops slowly and is definitely character driven. Eve Chase chooses each word and description carefully, revealing the emotions, motivations and soul of each of her characters.

A well told story with very deep characters -- enjoyable read! This is the first book by Eve Chase that I've read. I will definitely be reading more!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Penguin/Putnam. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

Fans of Eve Chase's other books - as well as the novels of Kate Morton - should enjoy The Daughters of Foxcote Manor. I found the beginning to be a little slow and, at times, even difficult to follow. There were a lot of threads to keep track of and in general the narrative gets off to a slow start and could've used some editing. However, I'm glad I stuck with the story. Once it picked up, I was immersed in this fairytale-esque setting and curious how the mystery of the dead body would be resolved. The resolution, while a bit coincidental, was satisfying and entertaining.

Another gorgeous and atmospheric gothic tale from Eve Chase! The Daughters of Foxcote Manor opens with the discovery of a dead body and the threat of a murder. Told in alternating voices, by two different women, past and present, each of our main characters has pieces of this tantalizing mystery, and watching them put them together is great fun! Perfect for fans of Chase's previous work.

I have liked Eve Chase’s previous books, so was excited to read this one. I found it a bit confusion at the start, but once it got underway it was quite intriguing. A family drama told in dual timelines, this story has characters with plenty of secrets, dysfunctional family members set in a crumbling old home in a forest.

This is told in a dual timeline between present day Sylvie and her mother, Rita, in 1971. A few different POVs also pop up outside of Rita and Sylvie but luckily everything is easy to follow. I was intrigued by a premise that spotlighted this for readers who enjoy Lisa Jewell and went in with the hope of mystery and family drama.

I was not disappointed! Layered with family secrets and a decent dash of drama, I found myself connecting with the characters easily. What I thought would be a who-dunnit novel turned more into a read to unearth what everyone’s tie was to that summer. Who’s the mystery mother, whose body was discovered, who’s the killer/peeping tom and how does everyone impact the events.

Some things were easy to pinpoint but the overall discoveries were enough to keep me guessing and flipping pages in my Kindle a bit too late into the evenings. There is so much depth to the feelings with these characters and what they are going through. Body image issues, adultery, depression and neglect are just a few themes and Jeannie is one mother that made me cringe with her actions (or lack thereof) more times than I care to admit.

For me this was more about family, support and acceptance more than a mystery thriller. I enjoyed immersing myself into their lives and watching everything unfurl. I’d recommend this for readers who like a family mystery with high drama and connectable characters. I also have to point out how beautiful the cover is. Perfectly fits this read.

Thank you G.P. Putnam’s Sons, Dutton, Plume & Berkley for this Shelf Awareness Win! All thoughts are solely my own. Rated 3.5/5, rounded up for NetGalley.

Five Stars. Wish I could give it 10! Even Chase has outdone herself with The Daughters of Foxcote Manor. If you're looking for the perfect gothic novel, here it is.

I received this from Netgalley.com for a review.

"Outside a remote manor house in an idyllic wood, a baby girl is found. The Harrington family takes her in and disbelief quickly turns to joy."

A very slow moving story and it just didn't grab and hold my interest.

1.5☆

Any book that alternates narrators and timelines is my kind of book. The suspense grabs the reader from the first page, and it's simply impossible to stop reading until its resolution. The writing style was interesting and different -- maybe a little reminiscent of Ruth Ware, if you like that sort. Two thumbs up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC of The Daughters of Foxcote Manor by Eve Chase. I have read all of Chase’s books, as I love gothic fiction. This new title veers slightly away from that genre, but still contains all of the key elements that make her books so captivating.

In 1971, Big Rita is a nanny for the Harrington’s two children, Hera and Teddy. They are a very wealthy family with many secrets. When a fire erupts in their London home, Walter Harrington insists that they move into Foxcote Manor near the forest, while he works and takes care of the repairs. When an abandoned baby girl is found on their property, their lives will be forever changed.

Forty years later, Sylvie has always buried the past. When she divorces her husband and learns about her own daughter’s secret, she is forced to dig deeper into her genealogical history in order to reconcile her family’s future.

Big Rita is the star of this book, an exemplary nanny and mother. She is tall, quirky, damaged, and a terrible driver, but everyone loves her. A true Mary Poppins figure! All of the characters are extremely well-developed and the story is well plotted over multiple timelines. There are also many twists and turns along the way. I did figure out a few secrets early on, but there were many that were a surprise too. There is an element of Romanticism as the characters’ relationships with nature influence their choices. I really enjoyed this unique story and highly recommend it!

4/5 stars

Dual timelines are the new trend in historical fiction, and The Daughters of Foxcote Manor follows events in both 1971 and the present. Complicating matters somewhat, there are three viewpoint characters: Rita (the nanny) and Hera (the daughter) in 1971, and Sylvie (Rita's daughter) in the present. Chase has a rich, ornate writing style complete with lots of figurative language. I found the beginning a little slow. There was no urgency, and it was initially difficult for me to differentiate between voices and wrap my mind around the family connections. But once I hit the later parts, the story flowed very quickly for me. Was the conclusion perhaps a little too coincidental? A bit! I also wish we had gotten more with Foxcote Manor--it had great gothic atmosphere.

Eve Chase has given us this summer's Family Upstairs with this twisted, tangled tale of love, loss, infidelity, betrayal, and the power of family.

The story moves between present time and a fateful summer of 1971. At the center of the story is Big Rita - nanny to a troubled family in 1971 and mother to the present-day protagonist. Rita's story is unfolded gradually - the heartbreak and horror of that 1971 summer juxtaposed against the family disruption in in the present-day and Rita's own health.

The full complexity of the connection is not revealed until later chapters, and Chase does a remarkable job of weaving in little hints of what's to come here and there throughout the narrative. She strings you along so that you simply can't put this book down. Several chapters end with a mini-cliffhanger, and I found myself skipping ahead to find out what happened, then going back and reading through.

As she did in Black Rabbit Hall, Chase has constructed a complex story that is rife with unbridled emotion held in check until it isn't. She writes relationships with a deft hand and develops her characters in ways that evoke a visceral response. Recommended.

In 1970, their family reeling from tragedy and scandal, the Harrington family and nanny escapes to their forest manor home. Here they find themselves with a foundling child and all their hidden secrets begin to bubble to the surface with devastating consequences for all involved.

Many years later, her mother in a coma, Sylvie finds herself wanting answers about her mother’s past. She must unravel the events of a long ago summer that was the defining moment in both her and her mother’s lives. How does her mother’s untold secrets connect to the Harrington family’s secrets decades earlier.

The chapters alternating between past and present kept me rapidly turning the pages. As one little bit of the puzzle was revealed I had to keep reading to discover the next clue. I also loved the characters. They were all human and damaged and flawed. I could identify with aspects of each one.

I really enjoyed this novel. I loved the atmosphere created by the author. The chapters set in the past at Foxcote Manor have a great timeless gothic feel to them. This was my favorite part of the book. The setting becomes another character in the book and has the feeling of a dark fairy tale. This book is a slow burn with the suspense slowly building to its final gratifying crescendo.

I would encourage people to read this book. It’s a great read for a lazy summer day when you have plenty of time to truly lose yourself in another time and place.

Based on the books title I probably would not have read it but a friend recommended. After a bit of a slow start I was drawn into the story that moves back and forth between now and the early 1970s, slowing twining together to a murder mystery. Well written and good character development.

The Daughters of Foxcote Manor takes the reader to a summer spent in the forest of Dean at an old country manor house. The Harrington Family has recently suffered a tragedy, and has escaped from city to recuperate at Foxcote Manor. Told from varying points of view and a dual timeline in both present day and past, the story involves family drama, postpartum depression, infidelity, and a baby found in the woods. Although I found this book a little slow to start, by the middle of the story, it picked up and tied the past and present together in a satisfying way. Another good read by Eve Chase which will appeal to readers who enjoy family drama set in a gothic setting. Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy.

What happened in the summer of 1971? After her mother's fall and hospital stay, Sylvie starts to search and learn the truth of that summer. All the while, she's contending with her 19 year old daughter Annie's recent pregnancy news. The story unfolds in alternating voices as it switches between current day and summer 1971. - An enjoyable mystery worth the read.

This novel is marvelous! If you love a good mystery, read this. If you love redeemable characters, read this. Although it was heartbreaking in places and seemed dark, the story itself is full of love and good intentions. I would recommend this over and over to any reader. Once I started reading it I couldn't stop! Eve Chase creates an atmospheric world in this secretive town. When you begin this novel, you get a creepy, crawly feeling and it definitely doesn't disappoint the further you read. This is a book that you will stay up late reading and won't have regrets doing so in the morning. One of my favorite reads of 2020!

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Rita works as a nanny for a troubled family. Disaster ensues and she is banished. Her life goes on and she prospers, raising 2 daughters with a loving husband. Through twists of fate, a mystery from her past is revealed, and Rita finds closure and peace.

Another enjoyable “gothic” thriller from Eve Chase! I adored The Wildling Sisters, and liked this one a lot. I found the two timelines came together nicely, though I felt character development was shunted a bit here.

Who wouldn’t just fall in love with the name Foxcote Manor?! Told in two time periods with the mystery of an abandoned child, secrets of the current and past, and a falling apart manor house. I really enjoyed this read. Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

FANTASTIC!!! I like how the story is laid out, jumping from present day to back when Big Rita was the nanny. Love Rita! Definitely Miranda Hart. I was finishing the book while sitting on the couch with my husband and when we find out that Helen is Hera I yelled very loudly “What!?!?!?!”. What a great twist! I knew there had to be something since she had terrariums but I didn’t think of that. Really a great mystery - the kind I like, not super violent but believable story plots. And characters to fall in love with. Perfection! I’m already recommending this to many.