Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. It was a really enjoyable read set across two timelines and telling the story of Hollowpark Hall. With a creepy, gothic atmosphere and likeable characters this was a really good read!

I was so intrigued by the plot of this book. However, I was at the 45% mark before the first mention of the missing girl who went missing in the 1970s. Prior to this point, the chapters had alternated between modern day and early to mid 19th century. We don’t visit the 1970s until after 2/3 of the book so it felt a little like the 1970s chapters were an afterthought.
My favourite chapters were the ones set in the 19th century. I think I could have liked Deirdre and would have loved to have had more of her story featured. It felt like she went through an awful lot that didn’t get mentioned
The majority of the story took place in the modern day. The romance between Grace and Patrick really just came from nowhere. It didn’t seem believable at all. I really liked Isla despite repeated mentions of her being standoffish but seemed warm and friendly, just a bit flakey or distracted. I really didn’t warm to Grace at all. I found myself really disliking her. I saw the twist coming but it was still quite exciting.
I do feel like this book could have cut out all of the 19th century chapters and would have remained basically the same book. This made me a bit sad as I wanted more spookiness and less annoying nanny.
Ultimately this book wasn’t for me but I really did enjoy the historical chapters

I see this book as half ghost story and half thriller. I think it is alright. I find the first person current tense odd to read - it comes off uncomfortable and there are parts that seem poorly written but i do think that is just the style. It's alright though, a nice easy read if nothing else. It is cliche in parts and some characters and their interactions are awkward but the main character is easy enough to get along with. I don't think I will pick it up in the shops, but I still enjoyed it overall.

Overall I really enjoyed this book - a ghostly thriller which kept me reading.
Thank you to Net Galley for ARC in return for my honest review

I knew from the first few pages that this book was going to be right up my street and I was not disappointed. It's a family drama that takes place over several generations and is full of unpredictable twists and turns. It has a blend of some of the conventional expectations of a house with a dark history with relationship problems we are much more aware of in modern society. I would highly recommend this to anyone who is a lover of Kate Morton's novels.

This story is told in alternating chapters exploring the present and the past occurrences in Hollowpark Hall, an old house in the Irish countryside.

Grace is a 29 year old qualified nanny who was previously happy moving from job to job, but now wants something permanent. A chance encounter in Greece leads to a nannying job in Ireland, where she is originally from.

Grace arrives at Hollowpark Hall, a house with many secrets… and shadows. She is left in charge of little Skye Fitzmahon, Patrick and Isla’s daughter. The house is also occupied by Patrick’s mother, Delia, a practical woman, who takes Grace under her wing.

Ever since arriving at the house, Grace has been seeing ghosts: one of a dark haired middle aged woman, and the second of a teenage girl wearing jeans. She appears to be the only person who can see them. Why? Do they need help? Will Grace piece the puzzle together?

Read this book for yourselves to find out. I loved it from start to finish, the plot was full of intrigue and mystery.

I enjoyed the dual timeline, especially the ones set in the past as we get a glimpse of the previous occupants of Hollowpark Hall.

I loved Grace as a character, she seemed a little bit lost and lonely, but I found myself rooting for her.

Just when I thought I knew where the book was going, the author threw in a twist, which I didn’t expect.

Overall, it is a great story which I highly recommend.

Hollowpark Hall - today, a few decades ago and early 19th century. The new nanny brings reawakens the past and brings history to the fore with murder, romance, life in the past, past trauma and current undertones. Well written, evocative although somewhat predictable. Thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I hugely enjoyed this historical drama/mystery. Such believable and engaging characters. I'm a huge fan of dual timeline novels and am looking forward to reading what comes next from Sinead.

My thanks to Head of Zeus Aria for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Belladonna Maze’ by Sinéad Crowley in exchange for an honest review.

This proved an atmospheric Gothic mystery told primarily in two timelines. I accompanied my reading with its unabridged audiobook edition narrated by the author.

The story opens in 1825 at Hollowpark Hall in the west of Ireland. At the heart of its gardens is an intricate maze, named the Belladonna Maze for the deadly flowers found within it. Deirdre Fitzmahon’s great-grandfather had built Hollowpark and she is fiercely protective of it. Tragedies follow both in Deirdre’s life and in Ireland during this period of history.

In 2007 Grace splits her time between working as a nanny during the winter and as a kids’ rep at Greek resorts during the summer. She impresses Patrick and Isla FitzMahon with how well she interacts with their daughter, Skye. They offer her the position of nanny and Grace travels to Hollowpark.

She becomes fascinated by the Hall’s mysterious past including learning that in 1973 a teenager went missing following a Halloween party on the estate. Almost from the start she gets glimpses of a teenage girl dressed in black and later the apparition of a woman appears to her pleading ‘Find Her’. While a little shaken by these happenings, Grace also wants to help if she can.

Clearly Grace has a touch of the Sight and is able to sense the restless dead as well as the powerful ambiance of Hollowpark. Life becomes even more complicated by her growing attraction to Patrick.

I found this a well written historical mystery with a touch of the Gothic and a down-to-earth approach to the paranormal and hauntings. Definitely could relate.

Grace was a very appealing protagonist who I felt addressed her attraction to Patrick as a mature adult, even gently teasing herself about it: “I was the ultimate cliché, a nanny with a crush on the daddy, and it was embarrassing really, that was the truth of it.”

I felt that Sinéad Crowley’s descriptions of Hollowpark Hall and the maze were excellent, and I felt myself immersed in the narrative and invested in the outcome for its characters.

After such a positive experience I will definitely be seeking out more of Sinéad Crowley’s writings.

This book is mysterious and haunting and it drew me in from page one. It's set in 3 different time frames 1840's, 1970s and 2007 telling different elements of the story from the perspective of 3 women - Deidre, Catherine and Grace who all have I terests in Hollowpark Hall at varying stages. As their stories emerge and overlap there are mysterious and eerie consequences culminating in a twist I didn't foresee. Great book.

The start to this book was slow for me, I loved the concept of history and of course, the Belladonna Maze, so continued reading!
I enjoyed the storyline with mystery between past and present, although I felt like there could have been more ‘fleshing out’ of the main plot and characters.
The twists and unexpected aspects kept my interest, the ending was a little lacking.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Set in West Ireland in the present day and in the 1800s, this book has everything. Love, loss, sadness, happiness and an old house full of ghosts..
The plot lines are cleverly woven between past and present.
In 1825, Deirdrie and Ciaran (son of the gardener) are in love, but her parents force her to marry another man. When he is killed, Ciaran and his family are forced to leave Hollowpark when a cousin inherits the hall.
Jump to modern times, and the house is in disrepair. Grace meets Patrick and family whilst she is a nanny working in Greece. She is asked to work for the family at Hollowpark. But Grace sees Deirdrie in her room in the main hall.
Gripping to the end. Would highly recommend.

I really enjoyed this book. I don’t usually like ‘eerie’ reads or a dual timeline but this had enough of a story to keep me interested. I found it beautifully descriptive and Hollowpark Hall and specially the maze drew me in. The twists and turns kept me guessing until the end which was a bonus. A very enjoyable read.

Set in Ireland in two times the narrative jumps from the past to the present effortlessly. In both eras the characters and their dilemmas are engaging and the mystery element to the saga ensures pace and rapid page turning. The drama takes you to the wire and I read this in a day. Recommended holiday reading!

The dual timeline of the book is well handled and adds to the intrigue and suspense rather than detracting from it (which can often be the case).
Hollowpark and its haunting are creepy and dark and as the mystery unfolds around Grace (the new Nanny) the haunting aspects are cleverly interwoven and explained without ever becoming unbelievable.
An intriguing mystery in a beautiful setting!

My first time resfing Sinead Crowley, certainly won't be my last. Loved the characters, fabulous depiction of Ireland and an ending I did nit forsee

This is a modern gothic story set in both the present day and with flashbacks to previous eras of a haunted manor and its maze. It takes a particularly gifted storyteller to take what might appear to be a slightly tired and clichéd plot premise and reinvent it in a way that feels modern and relatable and Sinead Crowley achieves just that. Exploring issues of class, morality and values among the Irish aristocracy from the early 1800’s to the present day, this is more than just a good ghost story and provides mystery, action and romance. A Daphne du Maurier for the 21st century!

With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy to read and review.

An atmospheric, gothic mystery set in West Ireland. In terms of setting and tone this book might have been written with me specifically in mind. What really sold it to me however was the layers of detail, and the individual mysteries behind the character. This is the perfect example of a ‘haunted house’ mystery done right.

I was quite skeptical when I read the information about this book. I am not really into ghost stories, however the setting in an Irish village did grab me and I have to say that I am pleased that I gave it a go. The plot is interesting, there are a few twists in the story and the atmosphere is well described. You feel the creepiness in the half restored old house . The characters are mostly well depicted and the stories of the residents told in different time eras interesting.
Grace , the main narrator is an interesting character though I found the reason for her moving to Ireland from Greece a bit vague.
I will look out for more from this author . My thanks to Net Galley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I found I struggled at the beginning with this book as it seemed to be so slow. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the last bit which certainly moved at a faster pace with the middle being a mix. I also couldn't take to the main character Grace especially as she seemed totally exhausted most of the time but, again, towards the end found more empathy for her. Set in Ireland in the present day but also harking back to the 19th century and the desperate times in Ireland then.