A young couple return to a family home to await the arrival of their first child, but the horror of the past is doomed to be repeated. A well paced, very atmospheric tale, I particularly liked the bond between mother and baby which added another dimension to this dual time line story. A page turning read.

A wonderful dual timeline historical novel full of suspense, secrets and a great murder mystery. It has a bit of everything!

This is s story of a family, over generations, about the secrets they keep and about a murder and finding out the truth. The characters are strong and make this an intriguing read, It is exciting, suspenseful and is full of tension and emotion. It is a book that you just want to keep reading so you can get to the end, so you can find if if secrets have been revealed and if a murder has been solved.

Great book and highly recommend!

This was such a great read I couldn’t put it down. Set over two timelines the atmosphere of this read really drew me in. Well written and captivating. I couldn’t wait to see if the hidden secrets were revealed. I would definitely recommend this book, a great storyline.

[ could not put this well-written book down. The beautiful ancestral home at Helygen is the setting for family

intrigue across two eras. Both In the 19th and 2ist centuries, we meet two new brides Eliza and Josie, and their

two prickly mothers-in-law, the not-so-perfect backdrop for sinister retribution. The wonderful house and

gardens hide a host of evil secrets from the past which mingle with the present..

A tense, shocking tale. of obsession and hope. The mystery keeps the pages turning..

This is a historical novel with gothic overtones, when events of 1881 have resonating echoes in 2019. In the present day, a young couple expecting their first child are excitedly planning renovations and ways of using the house and grounds so that it can pay for its upkeep when the young man appears to commit suicide. In searching for some kind of answer, the question of why so many siblings living in Helygan House died in the late nineteenth century appears to be significant. This is essentially a good story despite some clumsiness in changing between the time lines leaving this reader slightly confused at times.

Soon after relocating to Cornwall Josies husband commits suicide completely out of the blue at his family mansion. The unusual behaviour of her mother in law and oppressive nature of the house makes Josie suspicious.
Her investigation of the past and present reveals a very dark story which merges into a dramatic conclusion.
The beautiful cover attracted me to this intriguing story.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I really really enjoyed this book, loved all the characters, the location and most of all the storyline, I would recommend to other readers

Familial Secrets Simmer…
Familial secrets simmer in this dual timeline historical mystery, rich in atmospherics and detail. Will the secrets of the past shed light on the future and begin to make sense for new bride Eliza? With a credible cast and an intriguing storyline this is a sweeping, engaging and most enjoyable read.

The House at Helygan by Victoria Hawthorne

2019

When Henry Fox is found dead in his ancestral home in Cornwall, the police rule it a suicide, but his pregnant wife, Josie, believes it was murder. Desperate to make sense of Henry's death she embarks on a quest to learn the truth, all under the watchful eyes of Henry's overbearing mother. Josie soon finds herself wrestling against the dark history of Helygen House and ghosts from the past that refuse to stay buried.
1881
New bride Eliza arrives at Helygen House with high hopes for her marriage. Yet when she meets her new mother-in-law, an icy and forbidding woman, her dreams of a new life are dashed. And when Eliza starts to hear voices in the walls of the house, she begins to fear for her sanity and her life.
I really enjoyed reading this novel , loved the characters Josie and Eliza in the timelines and how their story eventually came together.
I do have to say I was a little put off by the house being called Helygan ! Everytime I read this I immediately thought of Helligan which is also in Cornwall. Wish it was called something else .