Hannah Larson put aside her dreams of moving to England and becoming a museum curator to take care of her son, Nicky. Upon invitation from her ailing uncle Christopher, the mother-son duo travel to Cambridge to stay in Christopher’s home, a renovated manor house that serves as a home, museum, and place of business for several unique characters. Hannah arrives in England anxious about the state of her marriage and her abilities as a mother to a neurodiverse child. When Nicky finds the skeleton of a 16th century woman within the walls of Ashton Hall, Hannah is thrown back into the world of research she abandoned. Lauren Belfer explores timeless ideas of family, sacrifice, and feminine resistance as Hannah rediscovers herself and the life she imagined living. Belfer pieces out information in a way that creates anticipation and frustration, and the labyrinthian portrait she paints of the home successfully conveys mystery and adventure in a mundane world. Ashton Hall shines in its strong sense of place and thorough research. It is a celebration of the academic work that goes into uncovering historical mysteries and will appeal to lovers of libraries and Tudor history.

Ashton Hall is a timeless story of the many kinds of love we have in our lives and the courage it takes to define our own role in society. I was initially drawn to the book by the description of a gothic mystery, a story of buried secrets. My first love is historical fiction and I mistakenly thought this would be a dual timeline story. However, the storyline was a contemporary one but I was pleasantly surprised at how engaged I was in Hannah's story. Plot was a little slow for me but on the whole an enjoyable read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher through Netgalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Ashton Hall

Hannah, who has almost completed her PhD in Art History, has been home caring for her emotionally challenged son Nicky, who is now 9. They move to Cambridge, England for the summer to care for her ailing uncle, who almost immediately leaves for New York for an experimental treatment.

Hannah and Nicky stay at Ashton Hall, parts of which are open to the public. Eloquent descriptions of the fine library, extensive gardens, and many architectural styles that compose the hall set the scene for a story that is both the present-day story of Hannah and Nicky and
a historical mystery. Nicky, bright and inquisitive and not concerned with rules, explores closed-off portions of the hall and discovers a walled-off room containing the skeleton of a woman.

Hannah, a local archeologist, and the librarian on the estate begin to unravel the mystery of who she is and why she was sealed inside the room. Using huge amounts of newly discovered estate records, parish ledgers, and family items they meticulously investigate the discovery.

Hannah finds parallels to the restrictions she feels in her life and the relative freedom of men as she explores the historical roles of women in the 16th century.
Her challenges in understanding and managing Nicky, who has explosive fits of rage, the lack of support from her spouse, her husband’s infidelity, and her long-neglected dissertation - all limit her choices, as other circumstances have limited women.

"Generations of women had made their home here, women with dreams, visions, intellect; women who’d struggled to find their way, to be taken seriously by the men around them, and who’d tried to achieve something, anything, and found themselves stymied. Their stories and their limited range of choices weren’t as distant as they sometimes seemed."

Ashton Hall is an engrossing story for those who enjoy historical fiction and are interested in the process of research, and those who enjoy exploring the complexities of relationships. The multiplicity of themes may be distracting to some, and the amount of detail in the investigation was fascinating to me, but could be tedious for those who prefer a faster pace.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for this honest review

Hannah Larson and her young son, Nicky travel to Ashton Hall in England to help an ailing family member. Her life as a professor and her marriage are falling apart., so this trip seems like it has perfect timing. however, Nicky finds the skeleton of a woman that walled into a long forgotten part of the mansion. This leads the two of them on a wild ride to figure out what happened to her. Along the way, Hannah discovers that her female ancestors led a life not unlike hers. Will she figure out her situation and that of the woman they found?

Ashton Hall has all the things I love... a rambling English manor house, a discovered skeleton, an archaeological and bookish Tudor-era mystery, and bruised but never broken characters. The modern story line of Hannah raising her neurodiverse son while supporting her dying uncle and navigating a shock to her marriage all while working to solve the mystery uncovered at Ashton Hall complemented the historical story and made both timelines all the more real. To date, this book hasn't gotten much publicity, and it really is deserving of much much more. This book is a tribute to women over centuries who work hard to discover and create, love their families tirelessly, give up so much without recognition, and remain strong despite their trials and grief. The gorgeous cover gives a hint to the wonderful stories inside its pages.

Thank you to Random House/Ballantine and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

This book is marketed as a gothic mystery, but that is not what I got. Instead it is a slow paced fiction novel. That in itself wasn’t terrible, but the way relationships are portrayed was. Our protagonist who has a special needs son is very weak when it comes to him and her manipulative husband. Also, adultery is portrayed to be excusable in certain circumstances her and I’m not ok with that. All of these things combined made this not the boom for me. If I was not reading an ARC for review, I would have dnf’d this one. I gave this two stars instead of one because the historical part about the Tudor era of England was of interest to me.

Ashton Hall was an interesting book combining several elements that I enjoy. It had some history about a time in British history with which I was not familiar. It had relationship issues, a little romance, and talked about dealing with a special needs child who could turn violent. It was also a story about a woman discovering who she really is and coming to terms with the fact that her life isn't exactly what she wanted it to be. My only issue with the book was the way the historical information was provided got a little tiresome about 3/4 through the book. But it was distracting enough to not finish to find out what really happened to the characters.

I liked most everything about this book. Like I loved the storyline of Nicky, his mother Hannah and Christopher. Loved the Isabella Cresham story and finding out why she was treated as she was. The twist at the end was not what I was expecting at all!! But there were some things about the story that I didn’t fully agree with, especially why would a man want another MAN, when he had plenty enough with the woman he had?? I hate because now Hannah has to deal with everything with Nicky alone. That has got to be exhausting and just so hard. But not to be concerned,, Hannah was helped in a big way by Christopher. He knew what she would need….. Want to thank #NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review #AshtonHall ! with my honest thoughts and opinions! Really great book. There was just one storyline I didn’t care for.

I went into reading this with a high expectation of a creepy Gothic thriller. However it just wasn’t that for me. The book went very slow and did not keep me anticipating the next page as I had hoped for. It was a struggle for me to finish.

This book is a historical fiction based on the real Ashton Hall built in 1856 in Lancashire England.
Hannah Larson is researching her doctoral dissertation and the subject matter of Ashton Hall plays in. There is a dark history about the house and a mystery about a skeleton which was found in a locked room. You will eventually discover who that person was. The backstory on that and the house history is revealed at the end. This is not a ghost story and just about all of the book is set and present time.

Hannah's life is basically a dumpster fire with a marriage in trouble and her son Nicky having emotional difficulties. I don’t mean he’s unruly or acting up, but more like a medical condition which causes him to become unpredictably violent. Yet he is bright and it's Nicky who discovers the skeletal remains.

Hannah's research brings the Elizabethan era to life as she goes through old account ledgers and diaries.

Publication date is June 7, 2022 by Random House Publishing - Ballantine Books. Genre: General Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mysteries and Thrillers.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy of this book. I was not compensated for the review, all opinions are mine.

Sharing with Joy's Book Blog for British Isles Friday and Marg at The Intrepid Reader for the Historical Fiction Readng Challenge.

Ashton Hall by Lauren Belfer is three stories in one interesting novel. Firstly, we meet Hannah Larson who struggles to come to terms with the infidelity in her marriage. Hannah must find her own way to her own destiny. Her son, Nicky, has many of his own struggles. However with the help of a loveable dog named Duncan and a group of caring and understanding neighbors, Nicky soon learns how to handle his difficulties and to become his own person. These stories play out against the discovery of a mysterious skeleton in the walled off area of Ashton Hall. All work together with the authorities to help solve the mystery of Ashton Hall. A very good and enjoyable read.

I was intrigued by the synopsis of this book and enjoyed the beginning of the story. However the further I got into the story the less of a mystery I felt it was. I never got the gothic vibe either which was disappointing. I think if you like women's fiction with a light mystery then this book would be for you. If you like mystery/thrillers like me, then this isn't the book for you.

I’m short, art buff Hannah and her son Nicky travel to Ashton Hall to act as companions for a dying family friend. When they arrive, Hannah is reeling from a devastating betrayal and throws herself into the mystery of a woman’s remains discovered by her son in the walls of the storied home.

I wasn’t at all sure what I was getting into when I requested this ARC (thanks Random House / Ballentine!), but was pleasantly surprised to be greeted with a thoughtful exploration on what it means to be a woman and a mother, and how little that has (and hasn’t) changed over time. Additionally, Ashton Hall provides great windows into the parenting of neurodiverse children, the culture clash between the English and Americans, and how the definitions of marriage and family have more fluidity than some would like to believe.

While the portrayal of the dreary weather and the brusque manner of the British is a tad stereotypical, I found the imagery of Ashton Hall and its inhabitants to be both charming and dynamic. Despite the fact that a possible murder has taken place (albeit some time ago), the story never wades into the heavy emotional territory that I was expecting. It provides somewhat dueling perspectives on everything from matrimony to religious devotion, from parenting to abuse. While the book touches on various topics, I didn’t find it crowded or overwhelmed by any of them.

Lastly, a bit of a spoiler, I thought the very final chapter was a lovely epilogue of sorts, and I was thrilled to see it included. While it wasn’t at all necessary, and I felt the story was nicely wrapped up with Hannah and Nicky’s future before them, I was delighted to get a glimpse into Isabella’s faith and how our treatment of women over the centuries and our limited expectations of them turned each of Katherine and Isabella to extremes we would fine abhorrent in modern times.

Belfer exquisitely executed an analysis of the faithful without judging their practice, their right to believe, and the comfort and peace they receive from religion

As someone who now detests organized religion but was raised with a religious education and had a Christian deity infused into nearly every aspect of my young life, I found the portrayal of the faithful delicately and tactfully done. It’s rare to see an objective view that doesn’t preach or proselytize, or conversely, condemn the godless to an eternity of misery and hell. We seem, as a society, to have forgotten how to coexist with differing beliefs, and part of that magical recipe requires an understanding of why and when people do what they do, and how the benefits they receive from their behaviors outweigh the tolls. Specifically, faith, in the Tudor era, may have been a way for many women to avoid the pain of constant pregnancy and child-bearing, the misery of losing so many children to disease and violence, and servitude to their husbands. Is Katherine really what she seems? Is Isabella? And then, is Hannah really much different, and what are the avenues of freedom available to her that may not have been available to her predecessors?

Things aren’t always as they appear, especially for women, and Ashton Hall was a refreshing commentary on that.

I really wanted to like this book. It seemed like it would check all my boxes, but I felt like it went on forever and nothing much really happened.

I really loved the sound of the synopsis of this book. However, it was not at all what it was described to be. Not recommended.

This wasn't entirely what I expected, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it and find myself still thinking about it at times. There were quite a few things I could relate to and understand from the main character's perspective, making it a much more intriguing and good story for me.
In this story, the mother, Hannah, and her son, Nicky, who's on the spectrum and having issues, end up visiting a family friend in England, who's in poor declining health. Hannah has recently found out about her husband having an affair that is still ongoing and hasn't stopped yet. She decides to finish her dissertation that she set aside years ago because of her son, Nicky, and having to do more with him and his special needs. They're staying in an old gothic-type manor called Ashton Hall and within the first few days, while Nicky is exploring, he finds the skeleton, which leads to the investigation of what happened to them and who they were, and how long ago they died. This introduces the handsome Matthew, to who she has an attraction and also has a daughter with special needs similar to her son, Nicky. This goes deep into the history of the manor and everything, which is fascinating to read. It also goes into Hannah realizing more about herself, who she was, who she is and wants to become, and about finding herself and realizing what she wants to do with her life. I love how Hannah has her defining and deciding moments in what to do with her husband who's cheating and what she wants for herself in life and her future.
This was a very thought-provoking and enlightening read. I would highly recommend it to those who enjoy gothic stories, mysteries, historical fiction, and the like. Thanks so much to Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine Books and NetGalley for letting me read and review this enjoyable read. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If you like a bit of Tudor history, you'll appreciate this one. The mother of a young "on-the-spectrum" son in a failing marriage goes to live in an ancient mansion for an extended visit with her ailing uncle. While there, her son comes across an historically significant find, and the book takes off from there. The mystery at the heart of the story sometimes takes a back seat to the mother's relationship with her son and marriage woes, and I found that whole situation, the marriage specifically, somewhat far-fetched. But then, I am a huge fan of Tudor times, and I would have preferred a storyline that didn't involve so much of her modern-day issues. Solving the mystery in the house would have been enough.

Well-written and mostly engaging, I'm giving this a 3.5, rounded up. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I absolutely loved this book. It's comprised of several different mysteries needing o be solved, from "who is the skeleton?", "should the marriage be saved?", "how can I improve my son's life". This author consistently creates great stories and this one unfolded beautifully, sharing with the reader historical details that live on beyond the novel. Fantastically developed characters and plots, I found myself so hooked into this book that I couldn't put it down. It was wonderful.

Thank you to Lauren Belfer, Random House/Ballatine, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

SPOILERS

This was an interesting book. Not bad, but not what I expected....or wanted. If you're looking for a paranormal ghost story, look elsewhere; yes, they find remains in the house and investigate them, but there's no ghost, no haunting, no spooky. There is a somewhat gothic flavor, though. And it's not historical fiction; the book just talks about English history a lot. It's all set in the present, save for one chapter toward the end that's included to provide answers. The present-day characters apparently never get to the bottom of it, which makes the resolution of the mystery rather unsatisfying. But at least the reader knows, which I suppose is the important part.

More than anything, this was women's fiction. Or perhaps mainstream fiction, if you don't like the term "women's fiction." It's about a woman and the shit storm that's her life: she moves to England for the summer to help her very sick honorary uncle (who might have been her father? We're to draw our own conclusions.); she can't decide how to feel about her husband cheating on her with another man; said husband reveals himself to be a royally selfish asshole; her son has some kind of mental/behavioral disorder that defies diagnosis and causes him to become verbally and physically violent; she struggles with her self-esteem as a mother and also to understand English culture and trust her new friends; oh, and they find the skeleton of someone who had been trapped in a room deep in the historical manor in which she's staying. And she has a day job on the side. It kinda stresses me out just listing it all.

Though I was hoping for more of a ghost story, I didn't necessarily dislike this book. I liked exploring some of the history; the stuff about religion was pretty damn dry (which the author can relate to) but it's a prevailing motivation for much of England's history, so it's important to include. I liked exploring Nicky's precarious condition, having had some experience with a child like that in my family (worse, though *shudders*). I found Hannah very sympathetic and liked her well enough. And I agreed with her about Kevin; what a sanctimonious, power-mad jackass.

My biggest complaint is that there was a lack of focus on the mystery; in part that's due to all the other crap going on in the story, and it's also due to the fact that it seemed to reflect realistic wait times for test results, as in forensic analyses. Well, I'll qualify that--it seemed to my impatient, short-attention-spanned self that it took forever to get answers, so I assume it was reflective of reality. It was probably still faster than reality, which makes me sad.

But anyway, I do wish the story had focused on the mystery more. Perhaps there should have been two timelines, one past and one present, which would have given Belfer room to flesh out Isabel's storyline. The trouble with Hannah's husband, while intriguing to read, could have been cut. Some of the exposition explaining history could have been cut. Her friendship with Lizzie could perhaps have been cut. I didn't particularly like Lizzie; she seemed to have an in-your-face personality, though that could just be my introverted POV of an extrovert.

So overall, this wasn't a bad book, but it wasn't quite right for me.

"Ashton Hall" definitely started out in a creepy manner, as the main character and her son discover hidden rooms and somewhat of their occupants! This novel had a lot of potential, but I felt at if there were "boxes being checked off" in terms of social issues (neurodivergent son, LGBTQ, women's roles). Unfortunately, too many current novels seem to follow this pattern. Advertised as a Gothic mystery, that might be so in some aspects, and the historical detail is interesting. However, I felt as if the main plot ideas got sidetracked in some parts of the book. Other readers would probably find this story more intriguing that I did.

I received this book from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.