Rhys Bowen’s “The Rose Arbor” is a standalone mystery featuring reporter Liz Houghton who has been relegated to the obituary section of the newspaper. This, of course, happened after she uncovered a government scandal and her work was quickly sent to the trash bin to protect the guilty. Liz is looking for her next big break and thinks she has it in the story of a missing girl in 1960s London. But then she learns about missing girls from World War II, when she was a very young child. Are the cases similar? Can she solve the mystery in time to save Little Lucy?

This book has mysteries within mysteries and questions within questions. When Liz has a strange flashback she fears that her own story is somehow connected to those of the missing girls from across two decades. This is a story with more twists than a corkscrew!

“The Rose Arbor” is engaging and keeps the reader wondering “what’s the REAL story here.” I enjoyed the complex characters who often make morally gray choices in the name of the greater good. Rhys Bowen has done it again with another page-turner!

This story is great for those who like historical mysteries and a bit of slow burn romance.

I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

🌹 This book offers a mix of historical fiction and mystery, for an overall enjoyable, and engrossing read. Thanks to @authorrhysbowen and @uplitreads for my #giftedcopy. It’s out today!

🌹 This story starts in 1960’s, post WWII London. A disgraced journalist jumps on the story of a missing girl, only to discovery there are similar cases that happened during the war, that are still unsolved.

🌹 There’s a lot of red herrings in this one— which as a reader— keep you on your toes! It’s fun to try to figure things out along the way, alongside the MC. I also enjoyed the historical background you get out of the story.

🌹 My one complaint is there’s a lot of build up, and quite a windy path, to a very sudden end. While it stretched the believability of the MC’s talents a bit— it didn’t ruin the experience. I’d definitely recommend this to anyone whose interests may be piqued by what I’ve said here! And can we take just a minute for this cover?! Both the dust jacket and the book itself are 😍😍😍

The Rose Arbor by Rhys Bowen is a Post-World War II story outlining the confusion that reigned in England during and after the war. I tells the story of a hamlet, Tyneham, and it’s manor house that were requisitioned by the crown military as a place to rehearse the invasion in Normandy. None of them were given a choice and the move-out was hurried and inadequate. The manor house was to be spared but it’s inhabitants were moved as well. Much had to be left behind as they were moved from a mansion to a cottage. The whole place was destroyed, despite promises made and no compensation. Liz Houghton, a disgraced reporter accompanied her roommate, a police officer and her partner to hunt for a missing little girl who might have been spotted nearby. No little girl but Liz had flashes of being there earlier in her life. When she returned alone to search more carefully, she met the son of the owner of the manor house who was there salvaging. Then she had a vision that horrified her. She saw a woman being buried right there under the rose arbor. They went to the police and eventually the skeleton of a woman was found, but couldn’t be identified. The are so many subplots in this novel that they can’t be explained in a summary. Please, read the book. You won’t be sorry.

This book was so carefully plotted it is almost mind-boggling. Bowen was kept busy keeping all the balls in the air. It was a complex story with may moving parts, told by a master story teller. The main characters were well-fleshed out and interesting, with back stories that rounded out the personalities. It was extremely readable and interesting. I can’t say enough about how much I liked this book. Thanks, Rhys Bowen, for this lovely book!

I was invited to read The Rose Arbor by Lake Union Publishing. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #LakeUnionPublishing #RhysBowen #TheRoseArbor

1943 - the inhabitants of the small village of Tydeham are informed by the army that it has been chosen for invasion drills which will include the use of live ammunition. They have two weeks to vacate the village.

1968 - Liz Houghton is a reporter for the Daily Express in London but after uncovering a political scandal regarding a politician friend of the paper’s owner, she has been relegated to Obituaries. When her flat mate, Marissa, a member of the police is assigned to follow a lead on a missing child case, a little girl named Lucy, near the abandoned village, Liz decides to skip work and tag along, hoping it will lead to a scoop that will get her out of obits and back as a real reporter. Along the way, Marissa’s partner discusses an earlier but similar case of his regarding three little girls who went missing during the war years. The body of one was found but the other two still remain missing. The lead about Lucy turns out to be a dead end but Liz decides to remain in the area and do her own investigation of the earlier case. While in the abandoned village, she starts having strong feelings that she was here in this village before including the belief she witnessed a body being buried near the manor house. Except she was only a toddler in 1943 and her parents tell her they were never in the area.

The Rose Arbor is the latest historical mystery by author Rhys Bowen and it was one heck of a page turner. Although most of the story takes place in 1968, Bowen’s description of life in 1943 was fascinating especially the requisition by the army of an entire village which was actually based on a real place and the evacuation of children to the countryside and the anxiety, chaos, and confusion this created.

Bowen is a master of dropping clues and breadcrumbs, giving the reader plenty to follow to keep them engaged. The characters are all well drawn and I particularly enjoyed the relationship between Liz and Marissa. The story does, at times, seem to deviate into too many side forays and, at others, stretched my willing suspension of disbelief almost to the breaking point but, in the end, Bowen brings it all together for a satisfying ending and provides an entertaining and compelling tale that kept my attention throughout.

Thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

The Rose Arbor is anamazing book which blends historical fiction and mystery in a superbly executed dual timeline tale. I cannot believe this is the first book I have read by this author. She completely wowed me!

Liz is a newspaper reporter in London, and she follows her investigative hunches to help find a missing little girl. With her roommate Marissa who is a police officer, they find links to 3 girls who disappeared in WWII. While trying to solve these cases, Liz stumbles upon some secrets from her own life that she must resolve as well. She is lead to a deserted village that was ruined during the war and that is an actual village called Tydeham.

The Rose Arbor by Rhys Bowen was an outstanding story!
I loved the mystery which kept me glued to the pages.
Along with the romance, secrets and family made for a very entertaining read.

I’m a great fan of this author and this book was as good as anything else she has written. She writes with realism and such descriptions that with a few words she tell you a lot. Loved it.

It was 1943 when the tiny village of Tydeham on the south coast of England, was requisitioned by the military to use as invasion practice. The tenants and owners of the properties were given two weeks to vacate, to move somewhere else with only the belongings they could carry. There was anger and tears, devastation and heartache - but they were told they could return after the war. What they weren't told was that the ammunition used would be live...

In 1968, budding newspaper reporter, Liz Houghton, was investigating three missing children from back in the war years. Her flatmate, Marisa, was a police officer and with a young girl currently missing, Liz wondered if they were connected. Travelling to Devon, she accompanied Marisa and her DI to the small, abandoned village of Tydeham, where she suddenly had memories of having been there before. She knew the name of the old pub and knew the rose arbor in the grounds of the old manor house. What was going on? Liz was determined to find answers - her career at the paper depended on it. But so did some children, both from long ago and one who'd been missing for two weeks.

Based on a true story, The Rose Arbor is an outstanding read by Rhys Bowen, one I thoroughly enjoyed. I couldn't put it down, needing to know what was happening. Liz is an excellent character, with determination and grit, as well as being known for not taking orders - pushing her all the way. I think The Rose Arbor would be a great start to a new series! Highly recommended.,

With thanks to NetGalley & Lake Union Publishing for my digital ARC to read.

Liz Houghton wants to do investigative journalism. For no fault of her own, she has been relegated to obituaries. She is not giving up the fight though. When a little girl goes missing, and there is a sighting of her, Liz joins her police friend Marisa and the wary DI to unofficially go behind the scenes to find the girl.

When the conversation turns to three little girls who went missing during the war, Liz’s interest is piqued, whether there are any links. Liz also wonders why the village of Tydeham and especially the abandoned area (requisitioned by the military) brings back a flashback memory of her as a two year old. Equally perplexing is that her flashback leads to the discovery of a body and the strange news that her father insists that she had never visited this part of England as a child.

The story has several strands woven together with Liz as its focus. The present day disappearance of Lucy and the hidden story of Lucy’s mother. The disappearance of three little girls and the fact that it is a cold case now after decades of investigation, the romance that arises between James and Liz and the fact that Liz’s childhood was built on a facade of lies, leading to the murder of a young woman and later Liz’s own mother, that Liz’s father feels that it is all perfectly justified because he just wanted to protect his wife (and their reputation). It is a lot to put together in one story but it is a cohesive whole.

The settings were very descriptive and characterization was spot on.

In 1968, obituary writer, Liz, finds herself with an opportunity to get involved with a search for a missing girl, which leads her to Dorset.

While there, she starts to have flashbacks that some people believe could be psychic channeling, but Liz is certain they are memories. Her father assures her that they never visited Dorset when she was a young child and it’s impossible that she could recognise the area, but when she recognises a burial site and a skeleton is unearthed, she knows she needs to find out the truth.

I loved the writing, the immersive descriptions of Dorset (I live here) and the characters. Through Liz’s memories, the story is also told in part in 1943, when children were being evacuated to Dorset.

The story is captivating with plenty of intrigue, gripping twists, fabulous historical fiction and a drop of romance. Thoroughly enjoyable.

4 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Rhys Bowen and Lake Union for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Bowen does a fantastic job of telling this story without shifting timelines. I was fascinated through the entire read, and really enjoyed the mixture of two genres: crime and historical fiction.
I will definitely be recommending this book!

This book struck me as grimmer in some ways than Bowen's other books set in the same time period. The idea of the town that was abandoned and then destroyed, combined with the mother's mental problems, the deprivation of the time, and the protagonist's woo-woo of seeing a body buried seemed to overwhelm the underlying romance. I also didn't believe that the police would go along with her so easily.

An intriguing dual time line historical mystery that moves between 1968 and 1943, The disappearance of. young girl sends Liz, an obit writer who aspires to more, to a small village with secrets dating back to WWII, when other young girls disappeared. It's a good read which uses the WWII secrecy to advantage. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Rhys Bowen for early access in exchange for an honest review. What a unique story. It’s marketed as historical fiction but it read more like a mystery with historical elements. The story follows obituary journalist Liz Houghton who learns of a missing girl and she wants to be the one to break the story. The writing was great and I found the historical elements to be super interesting as it didn’t focus on the normal aspects of a World War II story. The author did a good job at sprinkling in information at the right time. The characters were all interesting and I was eager to learn what had happened. Would recommend!

4/5 Stars

Wow! This was not as I expected. This is a clear winner, and a perfect setup for Marissa and Liz to have other adventures in London. Marissa is a police detective and Liz is an investigative reporter. They are also roommates. They are an interesting pair, and I look forward to more of their cases. This one has lots of interesting aspects, that you don't see how they will pull together, but Rhys is a master. This takes war torn England, and has a great setting for a murder, and kidnapped child, a child who remembers where the body is buried, and 3 other missing children, past and present. This is a highly recommended five stars!

Whew this one was a slog for me. Despite The Rose Arbor being just slightly over 300 pages, I felt like I might never finish. While there was a mystery (or several really) to solve, I didn't even feel compelled to keep reading to find out what happened. I felt like the dialogue was very trite, and the plot was completely outlandish. I've really liked Bowen's other books that I've read, so I'm hoping this was just a one-off, because I would not really recommend this one to anyone.

Thank you Netgalley & Lake Union Publishing for an eARC♥️

Wow, this book is like I hit the jackpot - it's got everything I love! Historical fiction, mystery, and suspense all come together in a thrilling narrative that had me hooked from start to finish. I'm a huge fan of Rhys Bowen, and her latest novel does not disappoint💓

The dual timeline narrative is expertly woven, switching between 1968 and World War II with ease. I love how Bowen slowly reveals the connections between the past and present, keeping me on the edge of my seat.

In 1968, Liz Houghton is an obituary writer with a nose for news, and she's determined to break into the newsroom with the story of a young girl's disappearance. As she digs deeper, she uncovers a dark mystery that dates back to the war. I was fascinated by the historical aspect of the novel, and I appreciated the attention to detail. The way Bowen describes the abandoned village of Tydeham, requisitioned by the military during the war, is haunting.

This book is like I hit a bingo - it's got all my favorite elements! Historical fiction, mystery, suspense, and a dual timeline narrative all come together to create a story that's engaging, addictive, and impossible to put down. If you're a fan of any of these genres, you'll love this book. And if you're a fan of Rhys Bowen like me, you won't be disappointed. Can't wait for her next one!

As a longtime fan of mysteries, I was thrilled when I picked up "The Rose Arbor" by Rhys Bowen. Set against the backdrop of 1968 London and the haunting remnants of a wartime village, this book offers a compelling blend of suspense and history that kept me riveted from the first page.
I felt an immediate connection with Liz Houghton, a passionate obituary writer at the Daily Express who yearns to break into the world of serious journalism. Liz's frustration and determination mirrored my ambitions, and as I followed her through the gritty streets of London to the mysterious village of Tydeham, I couldn't help but root for her. When a young girl, Lucy Fareham, goes missing, Liz seizes the opportunity to investigate, enlisting the help of her best friend Marisa, a police officer who is crucial to the unfolding drama.
The dual timeline structure of the narrative was a masterstroke by Bowen. Seamlessly weaving between 1968 and the haunting echoes of 1943, when three young evacuees disappeared, adding layers of depth to the storytelling. I found myself flipping back and forth between the timelines, eagerly piecing together clues and trying to decipher how the past was intricately linked to the present. The way Bowen illuminated the repercussions of war on tiny communities was moving, making Tydeham more than just a backdrop; it became a character in its own right.
The author’s depiction of the abandoned village and the unsettling atmosphere that surrounded it was incredibly vivid. I felt the chilling weight of history as Liz explored its ruins, a sense of nostalgia mingling with unease. The village’s requisitioned history added a poignant layer to the mystery—what secrets were buried beneath those crumbling walls? And why did it seem so familiar to Liz, who was just a toddler when the area was deserted?
Bowen deftly creates a web of tensions and eerie coincidences, inviting readers to question everything. Was there a serial killer at work? What happened to the other girls from decades ago? The pacing was just right—suspenseful without feeling rushed, allowing me to savour every revelation. The characters were well-drawn, especially Liz, whose relentless quest for the truth and the personal stakes she faced made her journey all the more compelling.
Ultimately, "The Rose Arbor" is a blend of mystery, historical intrigue, and emotional depth. Rhys Bowen has crafted a story that lingers in the mind, wrapped in the shroud of lost memories and chilling discoveries. This novel is a gem that will appeal to anyone who loves a rich, atmospheric tale with secrets waiting to be unearthed.

"An investigation into a girl's disappearance uncovers a mystery dating back to World War II in a haunting novel of suspense by the bestselling author of The Venice Sketchbook and The Paris Assignment.

London: 1968. Liz Houghton is languishing as an obituary writer at a London newspaper when a young girl's disappearance captivates the city. If Liz can break the story, it's her way into the newsroom. She already has a scoop: her best friend, Marisa, is a police officer assigned to the case.

Liz follows Marisa to Dorset, where they make another disturbing discovery. Over two decades earlier, three girls disappeared while evacuating from London. One was found murdered in the woods near a train line. The other two were never seen again.

As Liz digs deeper, she finds herself drawn to the village of Tydeham, which was requisitioned by the military during the war and left in ruins. After all these years, what could possibly link the missing girls to this abandoned village? And why does a place Liz has never seen before seem so strangely familiar?"

Oh, I just have to know what Liz finds out!