This story is told alternating between present day and the 1940s. In the 40s, Nell is married to a clockmaker who helps keep Big Ben running, and they have a baby daughter. With all of the bombing, Nell is forced to take her daughter and go live with her parents in the country. But then she loses touch with her husband, and returns to London. She tries to find him. Meanwhile, in present day, Ellie finds a watch that belonged to her grandmother, when she is helping clean out her mother's home, now that Alice is in a home. Ellie does more digging into her past.

1940 - Nell and Arthur are living in London during the Blitz. Arthur is a clockmaker that has the important job of keeping Big Ben ticking. As things get worse Nell and baby Alice flee to the country to live with her parents while Arthur must stay on and continue looking after Big Ben.

Present day - Ellie finds some things that once belonged to her grandmother and now she is determined to figure out more about her grandmothers life.

This book was just ok for me.
I found it very slow going until I was a good 50-60 percent through the book. I had thought of abandoning it but I am glad I stuck it out because that is when the story really started to pick up.
I thought the present day narrative was a little slow going and I struggled to get through those sections more so than the past. I would have liked to see more time spent developing Arthur and Nell’s characters in the first half of the book that would have drawn the reader in more.

Thanks to Avon UK and Netgalley for the advanced copy.

This review contains spoilers

1940, London: Britain is under attack by the Germans with bombs dropping at random. Nell Spelman has no choice but to escape the city to keep her and her daughter alive. She misses her husband Arthur, a clockmaker who keeps the Big Ben chiming on time.
A sudden call from Arthur, followed by his disappearance, causes Nell to reach London and find out what went wrong. The search leads Nell into darker places, and as the mystery unfolds, Nell has to risk her life to save the day.
2021, New York: Ellie has been dissatisfied with her life for a long time. When she meets her mother Alice in a nursing home one day, Ellie finally decides to know more about her past. Using her grandmother’s beautiful watch, she goes all the way to London to dig out the truth.
But will Ellie find what she wants? How does the truth change her life?
With such an attractive cover and premise, I had high hopes for this book. Dual timelines are interesting to read. The book started strong, and though I didn’t like Nell as much, I was interested to know how the story progressed.
Then came Ellie and her mother, Alice, a teeny baby when things got worse in 1940. Alice grew up, found Jeff, got married, and left for the US. Ellie is her only child, a 38-year-old, single woman and an owner of a kitchenware store in NY.
Both Ellie and Nell have the same name, Eleanor. The nicknames were a good touch. Ellie wants to find the truth about her mother’s past and wants to connect with her step-aunt, Gillian. She books her flight and flies to London right before the New Year of 2022. I was told the flights between countries are expensive during this time and had to be booked in advance. For someone with limited resources (mentioned quite a few times), this seemed a little odd.
And soon enough, Dan, Ellie’s best friend’s brother and childhood crush, also hops on a flight on impulse to help her in London.
Anyway, back to Ellie’s search, which is the crux of the story. Not once did it look like Ellie really wanted to know about her grandmother or even her mother’s childhood. It’s her friend, Beth, who searches Alice’s house for the clue. It’s Beth who finds it after Ellie gives up.
Then this lady jumps to conclusions and declares that her grandmother is a fascist because she found a pamphlet and a party symbol in the old bag. She goes to London with almost no research. It’s Dan who calls her to share the news of Nell’s death anniversary.
At the slightest hint, Ellie is ready to give up and drop everything because she known her grandmother is a fascist. Really? Surprisingly, someone unrelated to her tells her to look beyond what she sees and keep an open mind.
Ellie finds a few transcripts and comes to the same conclusion; again. It’s not until Dan arrives that she starts to put any effort to find out more. Even then, Dan is the one doing most of the work. Imagine going to an old woman’s house knowing she might have information about the grandmother but not even being interested to wait after knocking on the door! A 90+ old lady isn’t going to run to the door, is she?
The author did try to give Ellie a few redeeming attributes by making her take care of her step-aunt. Somehow, throughout the book, Ellie seemed immature, self-absorbed, and judgmental. Not the kind of heroine one would like to read for long.
Nell wasn’t exactly a strong character either. Her intro didn’t do her much justice and made Arthur seem more capable and efficient. As the story progressed, the roles reversed. We get very little about Arthur. Nell’s character has better development compared to Arthur (and Ellie). Some of the scenes seemed farfetched, but I was willing to overlook them. At least, there was some action and tension in the 'historical' track.
The love track doesn’t do much either. We don’t know enough about any character to root for them. I still liked Alice and Gillian for their grit, even if they sounded rude most of the time. They had some bite, after all.
The book has an epilogue of sorts and ends on a happy note. That’s one plus because I like happy endings. The narration picks up speed after the first 25%, so that’s another plus. Some of the descriptions seemed a bit extra (this is coming from someone who loves imagery and descriptive prose).
Overall, The Clockmaker’s Wife is a decent story spanning different genres and timelines. The premise needed a better execution and an even better character development.

Thank you, NetGalley and Avon Publishers, for the ARC.

This book was brilliant. The past and the present come joining together in a story that tells about two loves. One from the past and one from present. I immensely enjoyed reading both entwined stories, the beautiful love story of Nell and Arthur from the horrible time of the WW II and the story of Ellie and Dan, (kind of unexpected yet longed for) from present day.

Ellie's mother Alice is ill and Ellie wants to find out more about her family in England and her heritage, before it's too late. In an old box she discovers her grandmother's gold pocket watch and other belongings that seem to point toward her possibly being involved with Fascists.
Although the truth could be really horrible, Ellie decides to find out what happened. She only knew her grandmother Nell died during the Blitz in London in 1940, when her mother was just a baby.

Nell and Arthur's story is one, that shows their life and love but also how people suffered during WW II. To save her husband, Nell has taken her daughter to her parents, and goes back to London to bring Arthur home with her. Nell's time in London is not easy, but while seeking a way to help Arthur, she discovers many secrets and at last tries to stop the impossible.

Ellie's path in London is laid with stones as her aunt at first, believes, she is after something else. With time, when her aunt is in need of help, she tells Ellie all she knows and finds an old family photoalbum. From then on the puzzle pieces slowly come together. When Dan, her bestie's brother arrives in London because he is also intrigued with these discoveries, he wants to help. During their time old hidden feelings rekindle.

If you decide to read this book, you won't be disappointed. It's truly amazing. I loved every second.

Overall a good book. I love historical fiction and this gave a unique look at Britain during the war.

Thank you to Avon Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. The story is set in WWII London and the city is under siege by the Germans. Nightly bombings send everyone into shelters and the morning brings the devastating sight of property destroyed and loss of life into horrific view.

Nell and Arthur are newlyweds and have just had their first child, Eleanor. Their neighbors are kind enough to invite them into the shelter they have built, but Nell frets about the well being of her child as any mother would, but the baby carriage? Really? Nell is also somewhat insufferable. Arthur has a fascinating job keeping Big Ben’s mechanical systems working at perfection even during the war.
The dual storyline introduces us to Nell’s granddaughter (Eleanor’s child). Elle is at loose ends. She loves her job, but makes little money. She would like to know more about her extended family, but her mother makes little effort to help her. Elle decides to just head off to London and do some detective work.

This is 100% a page turner. To call it historical fiction is a stretch. Aside from the war and the bombings the story is pure fiction. It is not based on anyone’s life or even a compilation of factual circumstances. Nell just marches around Parliament without the necessary papers? She has access to people and documents just by chance? And what became of Arthur who has just disappeared?

Elle’s story has similar inconsistencies. Who in 2020 can afford to own a shop in NYC if it isn’t doing well? Who manages to get a flight to London in late December at a second’s notice without paying an extravagant fare which Elle does not have? Who goes without even googling their somewhat famous grandfather? Morning flight from JFK? There probably is one, but most international flights for Europe leave at night. The convoluted love interest is so predictable. Hey, there’s a cousin? Again, Google. London shops and museums are also closed up for much of the time between Christmas and New Years and Elle does a minimum of research even once in London.

The author wrote the book during the Pandemic. Did she use Google? Big Ben is still undergoing renovations which are not expected to be done until 2022. So just use my imagination that the story takes place before 2020 or some time in the future? There are too many contradictions in the timing (sorry, bad pun) to allow for that. There are great twists and turns though the writing is somewhat amateurish (spaghetti fragrant with garlic). I stormed through the book. But it isn’t historical fiction. It is historical fantasy.

This is a very nice WWII story that is told in dual timelines. We are in London in 1940 and present day America and London.

The story follows Nell, Arthur, baby Alice through the war and later Ellie. They are separated, bombed and in some cases, jailed. Through it all, love never fails.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Avon UK for this advanced readers copy. This book is scheduled to release in July 2021.

The Clockmaker’s Wife is a beautifully written and wonderfully historically detailed novel by Daisy Wood. The dual timeline: 1940 Britain and present-day New York were easy to follow with smooth transitions.

The Clockmaker’s Wife has a bit of everything to make up a great book: history, espionage, endearing characters and a little romance.



Thank you #netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

In my list of books based on the WW2 I was happy to add The ClockMaker’s Wife by Daisy Wood. It was my first by the author and I look forward to reading more from her.

Following dual timelines, that of the war (1940) and the present day (2021), the author traces the difficult moments of bombing, living in shelter, evacuation, fascism, espionage building life in difficult circumstances; and offsets it by the tender moments of romance and love of family.

Based on a woman’s quest to find answers about her family, we learn about Arthur, the clockmaker, his wife Eleanor (Nell) and their adorable girl, Alice. Arthur works at the Westminster, looks after the clocks including the chiming of the iconic Big Ben. This London landmark is of great importance in the read which gives it a very unique storyline. As London is ravaged by bombs, Arthur’s wife and daughter leave for the safety of the countryside and Arthur hopes to be able to join them soon. However, the story takes a turn when he is arrested and Nell returns to London even though it is fraught with risks.

In 2021, Ellie ( Eleanor, named after her grandmother), living in the US, comes across a beautiful watch of her grandmother. She had never questioned her family history till then but now crosses the sea to find answers to her questions in the UK.

The author builds up the atmosphere in ravaged London very well. The war period of the story is much more captivating than the ‘present’ timeline. The reader learns in detail about the London blitz. Another strength of the book is the fleshing out of the women characters, their relationships and intertwining of generations.

The author Daisy Wood earlier wrote books for children . This is her first adult novel and it is a commendable, well -researched debut work.

Being published on July 8, 2021 I wish the book and the author much success.

Thank you to Avon Books and Net Galley for making available an e-arc for review. Opinions expressed are my own.

This is a dual timeline novel, set in 1940's and present day. During the war Nell lives with her husband Arthur, a Clockmaker looking after Big Ben, and baby Alice. When their home is bombed Nell goes home to her parents leaving Arthur in London. When she hears he's been arrested she returns to London leaving Alice with her parents.
In New York in 2021 Eleanor knows nothing of her Grandparents, she travels to London to meet extended family for the first time and discover the secrets behind her Grandparents.
A very enjoyable historical fiction novel. Many thanks to Netgalley and publishers for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 4.5 Stars for the Clockmaker’s Wife.

New York 2021... Ellie is 38 and knows nothing about her extended family except for the fact that she is named after her grandmother Eleanor, who died in the Blitz when mother Alice was a baby, her grandfather was a clockmaker, and he mother has a half-sister who she hasn't seen in 60 years. Alice’s health is in decline, and Ellie is determined to learn more about her mother’s family before it's too late.

London 1940...Eleanor “Nell” Spellman is married to Arthur - a clockmaker employed at the Palace of Westminster. Their duties include setting ad maintaining the Clock Tower (Big Ben is the bell, not the clock 😉). They've been married for 18 months and are parents to 9-month-old Alice when their terrace home in Vauxhall is destroyed in the Blitz, and so Nell finally relents and returns to her parent's home in Oxfordshire.

When Arthur calls Nell suddenly days before Christmas and hears Arthur being dragged away by Scotland Yard, she rushes back to London to find out what mess or misunderstanding he's gotten himself involved in and is determined to have him released from prison no matter what. Nell quickly gets caught up in a fascist plot to bomb the clock tower at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve.

This book was gripping. I loved Nell’s story, her determination, and her deep love for Arthur...no wonder his new wife and daughter hated Alice when Nell literally gave her life to save London from a domestic terrorist attack at the height of the war.

I thought the book balanced Ellie’s chapters from Nell’s, and it focused (rightly so) more on Nell than Ellie. My only complaint is that Ellie was a bit of a drip, and her romance with Dan did not feel natural to the story..

Grandmother’s Story

This is a dual timeline story. Ellie’s mother is failing, but before she does Ellie wants to find the story of her Grandmother so her mother’s mind can be at ease before she passes. The time in 2021, the place is America.

Ellie travels to England to find a long lost aunt and try to find out about her grandmother. The story she finds of her Grandmother Nell is one of love, patriotism, and sacrifice.

Nell and Arthur live in London. Arthur works keeping Big Ben running, he is a clockmaker. Nell and Arthur have a young daughter named Alice. When the blitz starts Nell leaves London and takes Alice to her parent’s home in the country leaving Arthur behind. When Arthur disappears for no reason Nell comes back to find out what is going on and in doing so uncovers a dark plot against Britain. In trying to help her husband she makes a great sacrifice.

The story was interesting and a very clean read. It is filled with love, patriotism, evil forces, and tragedy. I would recommend this book.

Thanks to Daisy Wood, Avon Books,U.K. , and NetGalley for allowing me to read a copy for an honest review.

The Clockmakers wife by Daisy Wood is an interesting story set in dual timelines 1940 WW2 and present day.
Alice has just moved in a care home as she suffers from dementia. She never knew her mother as she died when she was a baby. She didn’t get on with her stepmother. Her daughter Ellie doesn’t know anything about her mother who is British, so she decides to leave her Manhattan home and travel to England to find out about her mother’s background and what happened to her grandmother. She also meets her aunt that her mother never really got on with.
It’s 1940 London Nell lives with her husband Arthur and their daughter Alice. Arthur is a clock maker at the Palace of Westminster. He was born here, but his parents are German. Nell goes and lives with her parents while the Luftwaffe drop bonds on London but Arthur stays. But when Arthur rings her and he is arrested she goes back to London to see what happened.
This was an intriguing historical novel with two timelines and a bit of romance thrown in. Which I really enjoyed up to a point but left me with questions about her time back in London being a spy.
4 stars from me.

This novel is et in 2 countries and times.
First is in 1940 Britain and other present time in New York
It is based on a young girl going to London to try to figure out the mystery of her grandmother’s death and to meet her English relatives.
History and espionage combine to make this a very good read.
Highly recommend if you love historical fiction
Thanks to #NetGalley and Daisy Wood for the advance copy in return for an honest review

Told in two timelines, 1940 Britain and present-day New York, this wonderful story is a fiction story drawn on factual information as inspiration. The author, Daisy Wood, also injects bits of historical events at the time such as Nazism sweeping various countries. She also describes the inner workings of Big Ben and the Silent Minute. That the minute hand alone is fourteen feet long is amazing. The character, Arthur, maintains the clock which is far more complex than I had imagined. What a fascinating perspective!

Nell falls in love with and marries Arthur. They have a darling daughter, Alice, who is the joy of their lives. However, staying in an Anderson shelter during the London Blitz is less than ideal. When the unthinkable happens, life changes forever and the young family is forced to make difficult choices. The effects of war are shown realistically such as queueing in line with ration coupons, destruction of buildings and hatred of Jews. Characters find themselves doing things they wouldn't have thought possible. During the Blitz small things of just days ago are suddenly incredibly important as people cling to hope.

In present day New York Ellie discovers something which really makes her ponder her ancestry. Her subsequent research takes her on a different road than she'd dreamed and her findings start connecting dots, dots she did not even know existed. She finds that her family was extremely courageous, heroes and heroines, though ordinary people. Which makes them extraordinary in my view.

Historical Fiction readers, especially those who enjoy well-written dual timelines ought to seeks this out.

My sincere thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this enthralling book. I especially enjoyed the unique perspectives.

Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed this historical fiction book set during world war 2 and present day. I enjoyed the granddaughter going to London to try to figure out the mystery of her grandmother’s death and to meet her English relatives. I enjoyed that this was a different type of world war 2 novel and I think you may too if you enjoy historical fiction!

Bringing the human touch into a WW2 story has away for grabbing me and not letting go. Is this a true story. I don't know. What I do know it that there is truth imbedded in the story.

The author's brilliance in using the granddaughter of Arthur and Nell to tell a story created a believable tale. Like me, Ellie hasn't been told much of those times. The reader follows along with Ellie as she searches out the truth of Nell's death in the story of The Clockmaker's Wife that takes place early in the war.

After a bomb destroys their home, Nell had returned to the country. Arthur remained in London, continuing his job as one the men responsible for the inner workings of Westminster Clock, better known as Big Ben. When he discovers a plot he knows he must intercede. A strange call to Nell, brings her to London, leaving her daughter with her parents in the country, following in his footsteps. A plot needs to be uncovered.

Daisy Wood did a great job of describing events. I felt the heat. I smelt the dust. I felt the earth rumble. Fear grew as I read page after page of Nell's experience in London as she ran through the darkened streets with only a torch lighting her way.

If you want to learn about the war in Britain grab this book. By pass the boring textbook that forgot that real people, normal people were an important part of the country's success.

The Clockmaker’s Wife by Daisy Wood is a World War II era story told with dual time lines. One is 1940s England and the other is 2021.

Arthur Spellman (the clockmaker) works at the Palaces of Westminster maintaining the clocks, including Big Ben. When their home is destroyed by a bomb, Arthur send his wife and infant daughter to the country to live with her parents while he stays in London. Eventually Arthur is arrested on unknown charges, and his wife returns to London to try to clear his name. This is her story.

There are two Eleanors in this book. There is Eleanor Spellman (Nell) (the clockmakers wife) who is the central focus of the story, and there is her granddaughter Ellie, who travels to London in search of the truth about her grandmother‘s past.

History and espionage combine to make this a very good read. Neil‘s story is fascinating and well told. The supporting characters are well written and add depth to the story. Although a little slow in the middle, it kept my attention and was hard to put down. Definitely recommend it!

The Clockmaker’s Wife by Daisy Wood will be published July 8, 2021 by Avon Books UK. I received an advance reader copy from the publisher and Net Gallery in exchange for my opinion.

This was such an interesting and enjoyable read full of facts I didn’t know and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Told in two different timelines it was written in such an excellent way as we learn the story of Nell in the past as the present day Ellie her granddaughter investigates the mysterious happenings of Nell's life. This book really grew on me and I found myself eager to find out why such mystery surrounded what had happened to Nell in the past and I loved finding out a lot more about Big Ben it really captured my interest. There is a lot going on in this read and if you love historical fiction I certainly hits the mark.
I thought the characters in this book were all well crafted and believable, the historical facts and story also made for a brilliant read and I look forward to reading more from the author in the future.
My thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Courage, bravery and heroism come in many forms, but Daisy Wood has focussed on those Britons who heeded the battle cry for bravery at home. This dual timeline historical fiction novel masterfully captures the essence of London at war.

Arthur Spelman works at the Palace of Westminster winding, adjusting and maintaining the hundreds of clocks that mark the hours as Parliament goes about its business. As the Blitz of London continues, you’ll see the heroes rise as they find the inner strength to help others survive the loss and devastation. Arthur’s wife, Eleanor, puts aside her fears and does whatever it takes – even risking her life to save Big Ben.

Educating readers on the Blitz, Anderson shelters, the evacuation of children to the countryside, food shortages and rationing, fascism, and King George VI speeches, Wood’s story accurately depicts London during wartime. She showcases the impossible choices ordinary people had to make and the defining moments that changed lives forever.

This novel has something for everyone: history, espionage, romance, and mystery.

I was fascinated learning about the origins of ‘The Big Ben Silent Minute'.

There's a great image in the May 30th edition of Daily Mail featuring restoration work. Google “Big Ben won’t bong until 2022”

To be published July 8, 2021, this novel will undoubtedly shed light on the restoration of the Elizabeth Tower and Big Ben.

I was gifted this advance copy by Daisy Wood, Avon Books UK, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.