This story is set in 1968, with flashbacks to 1943. Liz Houghton is a journalist, & her friend Marisa is a detective. Liz is a good investigative journalist. She’s fortunate, sometimes due to coincidences, to piece together, & hypothesise correctly, the events of the past. This is a suspenseful mystery full of secrets, lies, lost & hazy memories, & many unanswered questions. There’s sadness & hope, with a potential romance

I love historical fiction and have enjoyed books from Rhys Bowen in the past. Unfortunately The Rose Arbor was more of a miss for me.

Reporter Lizzie is looking for her next big story to get her back into the newsroom after being demoted to obituaries. Her best friend Marisa is assigned to a buzzy case of a missing girl and Lizzie tags along to investigate herself. What she finds in a small abandoned town leaves her with more questions than answers, and those questions involve her own past as well.

Unfortunately the book became very disjointed to me. Lizzie mysteriously remembers a body being buried, and when the police find what she remembers this part of the plot is then put on the back burner for an extensive period of time. Lizzie then chases leads in attempts to find other girls who have gone missing over the past few decades.

I don’t want to spoil the book for others but I found Lizzie’s methods and outcomes to be very random and coincidental. This book felt like a mess of a wild goose chase and while I was curious at first I eventually became frustrated and impatient.

The Rose Arbor by Rhys Bowen is a wonderful novel written in her gorgeous and descriptive style. Set in 1968 London with flashbacks World War II, it is historical fiction with misty swirls of mystery. Love that combination. This has got to be one of the most beguiling covers there is! What's inside lives up to it.

In 1968 London, Liz, a determined journalist working in obits can't help but dream bigger. She's struck by the case of a young girl's disappearance and approaches her close friend for guidance and help. Marisa is a police officer whose male counterparts believe they are better suited for a man's job. But Marisa's position opens doors for Liz. In her investigation, Liz discovers so much more including intense feelings of deja vu and a remarkably sad WWII story. The village of Tydeham had no choice but leave their homes and livelihoods in the hands of the military for practice scenarios. In the midst of the war, three young girls disappeared. Liz is determined to peel back the layers to reveal the truth, regardless of repercussions. Though two decades later, the village is in tatters, its voices of the past reverberate in Liz's mind.

The story is based on true events, a deserted village ravaged by live ammunition in practice. The characters are interesting and believable. I like how the mysteries connect and flashbacks are well integrated. The murder aspect is...dare I say?...fascinating.

My sincere thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this captivating novel.

The Rose Arbor by Rhys Bowen is a Historical Fiction set in 1968 where Liz Houghton, a journalist recently demoted to obituary writer, becomes motivated to break a captivating story of a young missing girl in order to win back her seat at the journalists table. However, what she doesn't know but soon finds out is that this young girls disappearance could be the key to three girls who disappeared over two decades prior.

As Liz continues to uncover more details in the investigation, her initial selfish motivations for becoming involved slowly shift to those of wanting to help families find closure for the things they once lost. Rhys Bowen intertwines historical fiction with mystery and a sprinkle of supernatural capabilities in this one.

This was a captivating story that immediately draws you in wanting more. There were so many layers and complexities that came together so well in the end and although it wasn't entirely surprising to figure out the coincidences and connections it was a fun journey to be a part of nonetheless.

I have two major disappointments with this book, mainly regarding the ending. First, the supernatural ability component that Liz discovers she has was never really resolved or wrapped up. At one point you feel as if this could be a turning point in the investigation as Liz realizes she has this ability & it could help detectives answer questions of the distant past. But once the investigation of the young missing girl is over, it's never really explored further and left me wanting more closure or answers in this regard.

In addition, Liz's father and the bomb that was dropped about his involvement in Liz's childhood and her own mothers death seems completely out of the blue. It happens so quickly and Liz also seems as if it doesn't affect her as much as it should. I would be lying if I said the entire storyline of Liz's familial history & the mystery behind it throughout the entire book is necessary. It feels rushed and like an afterthought.

Overall, I really devoured this one and fell in love with Rhys Bowen's writing. I would love to reach more from her in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley for the E-Arc in return for an honest review.

This one wasn't as successful for me as some of this author's other works. I really enjoyed her last one. There was just too much going on. It started very slow and was a bit long too.

I've been meaning to try one of Rhys Bowen's books for quite some time now, and I saw it as a sign when her newest story The Rose Arbor appeared on Netgalley. I really liked the sound of the premise with the missing girl case, the journalist angle and the possible connection to a couple WWII cold cases... And I'm definitely glad I decided to add The Rose Arbor to my shelves now, because I ended up having an excellent time reading it!

This story is mainly set in 1968, where we follow journalist Liz Houghton and her best friend Marisa, a detective assigned to the missing girl case, as they try to find where Lucy disappeared to. I really enjoyed this angle, as it's very much Liz's POV and not the official investigation we follow. Instead, we only see glimpses of that investigation, and the main focus is on Liz using her sources and instincts to try and discover what happened to the little girl. This means that The Rose Arbor is more a historical mystery than a thriller, although the story doesn't shy away from darker topics either.

Through the WWII cold cases, we also travel back to 1943 as we learn more about the three little girls who went missing during the war. This includes a couple flashback chapters in between the 1968 timeline; they enriched the plot for me as well as adding yet another mystery to solve. Both timelines are intriguing in its own way, and the descriptions of the settings and circumstances really made both come alive. It was fascinating to learn a little about Tydeham and the fact that whole villages were requisitioned during the war... I was aware of some of the bigger mansions being repurposed, but not whole villages just for training purposes.

It was very easy to warm up to Liz Houghton as a main character, and I like how she wasn't afraid to step on some toes in her search for the truth. Marisa made for a great ally, and I liked their dynamics during the plot. There is also a dose of romance to help balance out the more serious topics, although it isn't too overpowering and the main focus is still on the missing girl cases both past and present. There is also another mystery that pops up later on though, which will hit very close to home indeed for Liz... I confess it was quite predictable and I guessed what happened early on, but I still enjoyed the journey itself.

If you enjoy well written historical mysteries with a dose of romance as well as family drama, I can definitely recommend The Rose Arbor. I will be looking forward to dive into her backlist next, and I can already tell you Rhys Bowen will appear on my list of favorite new author discoveries of 2024.

Among the best of Bowen’s standalone novels! Rhys Bowen’s The Rose Arbor is a fascinating, well plotted, fast-paced tale that showcases once again Bowen’s status as a master storyteller. I was drawn in to the story from the first pages and loved the spunky, intelligent, and creative newspaper reporter, Liz, who had been demoted to writing obituaries, and her roommate and best friend, policewoman Marisa. Set primarily in England in the late 1960s, the novel intertwines a myriad of mysteries - several dating back to World War II - set against a backdrop of a Devonshire village requisitioned and destroyed by the British Army during the War. The result is quite a compelling story.

I did feel as though the ending was a bit rushed, and might have been more impactful had Liz’s relationship with her family been more developed. That said, this book is highly recommended to fans of Rhys Bowen’s novels and to those who enjoy historical mysteries featuring strong, independent women.

Many thanks to NetGalley and to Lake Union for the complimentary electronic ARC. Opinions are my own.

Two friends and flatmates, one a reporter (Stuck at the obitury desk) and the other a police officer start investing a case together, that leads them to three missing childrens that were evacuated to the country during World War II. What happened to them? Are they alive?

I look forward to every book that Rhys Bowen relases..she is great with multiple storylines. I enjoyed this book, so much I read it in one day because I dind’t want to put it down.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an advanced copy!

What an enjoyable book! The premise of a historical fiction book paired with a mystery seemed intriguing and it really worked well!

The beginning of the book we meet Liz and her roommate and follow them as they follow a lead about a missing girl. The story unfurls, but it’s not the only lead Liz follows. We learn more about Liz, her past, other missing girls and more.

Advance reader copy provided by Lake Union and NetGalley but all opinions are my own.

In 1968 London, Liz has been demoted to writing obituaries at the newspaper where she works. Her friend and flat mate, Marisa, is one of the police officers assigned to the case of a missing little girl. Without permission from the paper and with plenty of objections from the police, Liz follows Marisa to a town where the girl was reportedly seen. While there, Liz learns that three other little girls went missing during the war. As she digs deeper, she uncovers information not only about the village, but about herself as well.

I really like Rhys Bowen’s books, am working my way through all three of her series and have been enjoying her standalone books as well. Like the other standalones I’ve read, this one is historical fiction, but instead of being set primarily during WW2, this is set in the late 1960s, although it does flash back to WW2 somewhat regularly. The dual timelines were not hard to keep straight, as the events and the people were distinctly different.

I like Liz as a character, her friend Marisa, and even came to like DI Jones and James before the book was over. As the story developed and it was obvious that some really bad things happened, I wasn’t sure if some of the characters could be trusted, but isn’t that what a mystery/puzzle is supposed to do? There were several mysteries within this book, with some being easier to figure out than the others. Although I shouldn’t have been, I was surprised by the resolution to one of them, and I was glad things ended the way they did.

I look forward to reading the next Rhys Bowen book on my list, whether it’s continuing one of her series – I haven’t visited with Molly lately, so maybe that will be next? – or reading another standalone book.

Master storyteller Rhys Bowen has done it again! This is a finely woven, dual timeline tale of mystery, determination and redemption set in England 1940s and 1968.

1968 - Liz Houghton is determined to regain her newspaper reporting job by taking advantage of her roomie’s police constable’s status. A missing girl in London, and possible leads on the South Coast lead Liz to discovering a village claimed and abandoned by the WWll Armed Forces, an unidentified buried body and a previously unsolved disappearance of three girls. Liz feels an unexplainable connection to this village and is compelled to try and solve the mystery. Along the way, she uncovers startling secrets and truths.

This is a stand alone Historical Fiction mystery that keeps your interest and keeps you guessing. A compelling and enjoyable read!

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the complimentary eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The investigation into a little girl's disappearance interests Liz Houghton who works as an obituary writer for a newspaper and is awaiting her big break into the newsroom. Liz inserts herself into part of the police investigation after her friend Marisa, a police employee, is assigned to the case. The story uncovers the abandoned village of Tydeham, raises questions of children who were sent away during the war, and Liz begins to question her own past.

Liz is languishing in her job as a obit writer, but she knows her chance for a big break comes to her as a young girl disappears without a trace. If she can solve the mystery, with the insider info. of her BFF and roommate, Marisa, who just happens to be assigned to investigate, As the women dig deeper, they realize there maybe a pattern and other potential victims tied to the WWII. Will the now abandoned village of Tydeham, once commandeered by the army to prepare for the D-day invasion, help break open the case? A quick read and a good blend of dual timelines set in 1943 and in the late 60s giving this mystery a dose of historical fiction. This is my second Bowen book, and will not be my last! She's a masterful storyteller and you will engrossed and kept guessing until the very end.

Liz Houghton is an obituary writer at the Daily Express, a London newspaper, it’s not her dream job and when a young girl Lucy Fareham goes missing and she thinks this could be her chance for a big scoop. Liz wants to be a news reporter, her best friend Marisa and flat mate is a police officer, she follows Marisa to Dorset and just happens to be staying at the same guest house as her and Detective Inspector Jones.

They discover twenty five years ago three young girls went missing, evacuees from London and one was found murdered by a train line. The two other girls haven’t been seen since, Liz explores all of the possible scenarios, could the cases be linked, is anything similar in the girl’s disappearances, and could it be the work of a serial killer?

Liz uncovers during the Second World War, the village of Tydeham, in Dorset was requisitioned by the military, to be used for D-Day preparations and it’s now an abandoned ruins. Could the girls have stayed in the village prior to everyone leaving, or could it have been used later to hide them and even their remains? Liz, Marisa and Detective Inspector Jones get permission from the army and visit Tydeham, they discover the villagers and owner of the land and main house called Tydeham Grange were given two weeks' notice to leave, they thought after the war ended they would be able to return and it didn’t happen. Liz is fascinated by Tydeham Grange, when the others return to London she decides to have a better look, she has an odd feeling that she has been there before and she would’ve been a toddler at the time.

There’s nothing like an interesting and well written dual timeline narrative to get your attention, set in 1968 and 1943 and it kept mine for the entire book.

Using a real wartime village on the South Coast of England as her inspiration for The Rose Arbor, Rhys Bowen has created a story-line full of mystery, suspense, secrets, odd coincidences, unanswered questions, eerie feelings, lost memories, and great characters, one being a journalist who joins the dots together and leaves no stone unturned in her search for the truth. Ms. Bowen has composed yet another five star read and I highly recommend The Rose Arbor and her previous book, The Venice Sketchbook.

This novel gives the reader a historical account of a small coastal town which was taken over by the British Army during WWII. The inhabitants were told that they had two weeks to vacate to another location in 1943. It’s a situation that no one would want to think about especially those few villagers that had been there for generations. In 1968 London Liz Houghton, a newspaper reporter, is eager to solve the cases of 3 missing girls from WWII and a little girl missing recently in London. Her roommate is a policewoman and the 2 of them are determined to follow up any leads they find. Very enjoyable. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Rose Arbor slowly but surely draws you into the story of the small town of Tydeham in WW2 that the British government commandeers and everyone must leave their homes.

It is also the story of Liz Houghton in 1968 who is a newspaper reporter desparte for her big scoop who not only investigates the little girl missing presently but also the three little girls that went missing during WW2.

She is tenacious, she is strong willed and with determination she sets out on her own time to find out the truth.

Rhys Bowen always does a remarkable job of not only writing very well but her research is extremely well done and The Rose Arbor is no exception.

I got inmersed in the mystery of all the girls and could not put this book down.

Highly recommend you get your copy and settle in for a fantastic read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the privilege and opportunity to read and review The Rose Arbor.

This was a pretty solid standalone historical mystery from Rhys Bowen. Liz Houghton, an aspiring journalist in 1968 London, has been demoted to obituaries after upsetting some powerful men, and she's constantly looking for ways to prove herself as a reporter. Her best friend and roommate is a police officer with the Met, and Liz manages to attach herself to a case involving the disappearance of a young girl. I expected the book to be a bit more about that disappearance, but there are actually a few historical disappearances (all related to girls who were evacuated from London during the war) that reveal themselves to be somewhat connected to the current case that pique Liz's interest, especially after she has a sudden and powerful memory of being in a village that was requisitioned by the British military and used for live training, ultimately destroying the homes of those who once lived there. While I do think there was a bit too much going on here, I still enjoyed the mystery and was really interested in the setting of the abandoned village that was requisitioned by the military as well as the stories of the evacuation of children from London during the war. Not my favorite by Bowen, but a solid read.

Another wonderful book by Mrs Bowen . I began reading her Royal Spyness series years ago .
This story was a great change for me

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.

What an excellent plot for a story! I was sucked into this book from page 1, It begins with the removal of all the residents of a village during the Second War. The army has requisitioned the village and all must leave. Forward to 1968 and Liz, an ambitious young journalist looking for a story, and her flatmate just happens to be a policewoman investigating the disappearance of a child.
This book will have you hooked, the reality of the army taking over villages and leaving them abandoned at the end of the war is fascinating and the mystery is well plotted and executed. I highly recommend this book and hope to see more from this author. Thanks for an ARC of The Rose Arbour.

📖 Book Review 📖

📱 "The Rose Arbor" by Rhys Bowen

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
To be published August 6, 2024

A slow moving, suspenseful historical fiction novel about the investigation into a young girl’s disappearance, which uncovers a mystery dating back to World War II. In 1968 Liz Houghton is a London obituary writer wanting to become a journalist. Her best friend and roommate Marisa, is a police officer and assigned to the case. Over 25 years ago, 3 young girls disappeared right off the train while evacuating London during the Blitz. One was found dead in the woods but the other two were never found. Liz follows the case and clues which leads her all over England. She learns of a clue in the small village of Tydeham, which the British military requisitioned during the war for training and left in complete ruin.

This was not my favorite Rhys Bowen historical fiction novel since I found it slow and just not enough happening to keep my attention. I loved her previous novel “The Paris Assignment” and would recommend that book if you have never read anything by this author.

Thank you to @netgalley for this eARC

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