Rating: 4.5 Stars

Fall under Victoria Scott’s spell with her latest hypnotic, captivating and engrossing new novel, The Storyteller’s Daughter.

1940 and at twenty-one years of age, Nita Bineham yearns for adventure beyond the claustrophobic walls of her parents’ estate in Surrey. When the chance for independence comes through an opportunity to work for a local newspaper, Nita jumps at the opportunity. Determined to prove herself, when rumours begin to spread all around the village about there being a traitor in their midst, Nita vows to expose the truth. But is she prepared for what she is about to uncover?

2008, after the death of her great aunt, Beth decides that this the opportunity she had been waiting for to get out of London and seek some privacy in rural Surrey. Safe within the walls of her family’s manor house that has gone to rack and ruin, Beth can lick her wounds and not think about her failed marriage and her career, which is in tatters. However, in Surrey, Beth finds herself drawn into a family mystery about a long-buried secret and a dangerous enemy whose evil intentions could still end up turning her entire world upside down.

Victoria Scott’s The Storyteller’s Daughter is a beautifully written page-turner that skillfully blends mystery, intrigue and tension in an unforgettable story that is impossible to put down. This dual timeline tale is sure to keep readers up way past their bedtime and will linger in their minds and hearts long after they’ve finished the book.

Readers who enjoy the novels of Kate Morton and Rachel Burton will be completely gripped by Victoria Scott’s The Storyteller’s Daughter.

"The Storyteller's Daughter" by Victoria Scott is an exciting dual-timeline novel where the lives of two women, belonging to the same family, are interwoven across generations. The novel starts in 1940 with Nita Bineham, a young woman who wants to break free from her family's control and seek a career in journalism. She gets into quite a dramatic twist when she finds out about the sinister rumor of a traitor in her village. Now, jump the clock to 2008: we meet Beth, who is Nita's great-niece. Her marriage and career are crumbling around her. It does not take long for her discovery of old newspaper articles about her great-aunt to propel her into a decades-old mystery that would shake her understanding of her family's past.

Scott masterfully develops her characters, giving them depth and relatability. Nita's determination to prove herself in a male-dominated field and her struggle to balance personal and professional life are portrayed with nuance. Beth's journey of self-discovery and her battle against familial expectations resonate with readers, making her a compelling protagonist. The emotional arcs of both characters are well-crafted, allowing readers to connect with their experiences and growth.

Scott's writing style is engaging and evocative, blending historical fiction with mystery in a way that is very fluid. The descriptions are vivid and full of detail, which helps transport the reader to the different timelines, bringing the settings to life. The narrative is well-paced, balancing tension and introspection, which keeps the reader hooked.

The novel addresses issues of independence, family secrets, and the effects of the past on the present. It covers the hardships that women went through in various ages, noting how much ground has been covered and how much remains to be overcome. It also underlines the need for discovering the truth, no matter how painful it is, and the strength required to face one's past.

Scott uses different literary techniques such as dual timelines, multiple perspectives, and foreshadowing. These help in giving a better depth to the story and also provide an insight into the inner world of the characters. Historical context also enhances the plot by making it informative and interesting at the same time.

The pacing of "The Storyteller's Daughter" is well-balanced, with suspense and reflection evenly dispatched throughout the novel. The structure is therefore cohesive since the two timelines converse to merge into a single narrative. The readability is great, reaching out to a wide range of readers.

The novel, "The Storyteller's Daughter", was a beautiful read of historical fiction and mystery. It helps readers to introspect about family secrets and the importance of finding out reality. It has so much depth of emotion and developed characters that it becomes a memorable and impactful story.

I would recommend "The Storyteller's Daughter" to any fan of historical fiction and mystery, and those who love books with a strong female protagonist. It is a unique and engaging novel that provides entertainment and insight into the human experience.

4.5 stars rounded up! The Storyteller’s Daughter was the first book that I had the pleasure of reading by author, Victoria Scott. I was quite impressed by how well written it was and how much research went into it. It was written in a duel timeline and told from the POV of two strong yet hampered women who had a lot in common with each other despite the fact that they lived almost 70 years apart. Nita Bineham’s story took place from 1940 to 1941 and Beth Bineham’s story took place in 2008 and 2009. The Storyteller’s Daughter took place in Surrey, England and London, England.

When Beth was a young girl, she, her older sister and her parents, often visited Great Aunt Nita at her home in Surrey. The estate was called Melham Manor and it sat on hundreds of acres of land. Beth recalled the time she spent with her Aunt Nita as some of the happiest times in her life. She remembered venturing into the woods and swinging on a handmade swing that hung from a tree branch. Beth’s mother did not particularly like Aunt Nita. She found her to be quite odd and strange. Those trips to Melham Manor and Aunt Nita ended abruptly. One year they ceased to visit and that was the end of spending time with Aunt Nita. Beth was never offered any explanation for why they no longer visited her aunt nor did Beth ever ask how come.

Nita Bineham was still living under her parent’s roof at Melham Manor when she was twenty-one years old. Her parents were over protective and very domineering. Nita’s mother always commented about Nita’s choices of clothes she chose to wear and more often than not insisted Nita wear an outfit that her mother had selected for her. Nita was a tall woman and her mother always commented on her weight. Her mother’s most important and time consuming task was finding an eligible and appropriate husband for her only daughter. Nita wanted no part in this and longed to be able pursue a career instead. One night, Nita’s dream came true. Her parents had invited the owner of the local newspaper, The Bugle, to dinner. He was looking for someone to take over the position of assistant that was being vacated because the person who had been in that position was being promoted. Nita loved to write. This was everything she hoped for. Finally, she could leave her parent’s house for hours at a time. Even though the position was a glorified gopher position, Nita didn’t care. The man whose position she was replacing took Nita under his wing and helped her learn what was expected of her. The two easily formed a fast friendship. Then when Nita had been at the newspaper for a short time, she learned that there was a possibility that a Nazi spy was living somewhere in Melham Village. Nita was determined to find this spy. She became consumed with her need to discover who the spy was and make sure he/she got what was coming to him/her. Was Nita able to get to the bottom of this story and find the spy?

In 2008-2009, Beth returned to Melham Manor. She had learned that her aunt was dying and Beth wanted to see her great-aunt Nita one more time before she died. When Beth arrived At Melham Manor, she was taken to her aunt’s room by a woman Beth assumed was her aunt’s nurse. Her aunt did not have a lot of time left but she opened her eyes as Beth entered her room. She recognized Beth right away and was so glad to see her. Aunt Nita knew that Beth would come. In her last words that Aunt Nita spoke to Beth she told Beth about a box that contained secrets. Later that night, the nurse came to inform Beth that her aunt had died. Beth was sad but she herself was going through some tough times. Her marriage to her college sweetheart was ending. One day, her husband informed Beth that he wanted a divorce. Beth had not seen this coming. She was sad and angry. Beth had to think about her two children, Raphie and Ella. Their wellbeing came first and utmost. Then there was also the embarrassing incident at work. Beth worked in her family’s business but after the comment she made she was told to lie low for a while. Since she wasn’t working, Beth offered to help clear out some of her aunt’s things from the house. Melham Manor had been in Beth’s family for over two hundred years. Beth’s life was in a shambles so why not just loose herself in all that needed to be done at the Manor. At some point, Beth remembered about the box that her aunt had mentioned. When Beth finally found it she discovered that not only had her aunt been a reporter for The Bugle but she had been hunting for a Nazi spy. Beth went to the building that The Bugle had occupied when her aunt was a young woman during the early 1940’s and she discovered that The Bugle was still in circulation, but barely. The owner convinced Beth to write some stories for the paper. In exchange, the owner allowed Beth to access archived material that she felt might explain what her aunt had found out. What would Beth learn about her aunt? Had there really been a Nazi spy living in Melham Village back then?

I really enjoyed reading The Storyteller’s Daughter by Victoria Scott. In the future, I hope to read more books by her. The Storyteller’s Daughter explored the roles of parents in their children’s lives and how they could positively or negatively impact their lives. It focused on how women’s choices, rights and decisions during the 1940’s were dictated by their male counterparts. It feels like women are still striving for equality and opportunity. I really enjoyed Nita’s and Beth’s characters. Both women ended up being so much stronger than they thought they were. I also enjoyed the way Victoria Scott brought the rituals of Wicca and their knowledge of plants and love for the land into the story. Without any hesitation, I recommend this book very highly.

Thank you to Boldwood Books for allowing me to read The Storyteller’s Daughter by Victoria Scott through Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Overall, I enjoy this historical novel. Dual timelines are often hard to nail but Victoria Scott does a fantastic job connecting and bringing the 1940s timeline and the 2008 timeline together. The characters are easy to root for and I love getting to know them. The pacing is slow and inconsistent at times but if you push through, it will be worth it.

The Story Teller's Daughter is a perfect read for fans of historical novels. It's set in two timelines, the 1940s and the early years of the 21st century, featuring the lives of two women, Nita, and her great niece, Beth who is coping with her divorce while mourning Nita's recent death. As with most generational family stories there are secrets to be uncovered and both main characters are well drawn and convincing. Melham Manor, the house that Nita has lived in, is almost another character in itself. A most enjoyable read. Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read and review The Story Teller's Daughter.

The Storyteller’s Daughter is an intriguing dual timeline story set partly in 2008 and partly in 1941. The 1941 timeline drives the story with Nita Bineham at its centre. As the story opens she’s on her death bed, imparting information to her great-niece Beth Bineham about a box in the attic. As the story unfolds, we see Beth slowly cleaning out the family mansion where Nita has lived nearly her whole life, and as she does, she discovers Nita’s secrets. Nita is an extraordinary woman for her time, resisting pressure from her parents to enter into an arranged marriage and instead going to work at the local newspaper as a receptionist-come-journalist. While there she learns that there is a Nazi spy in her neighbourhood and sets out to discover who it is. Beth, meanwhile, starts her story with both marriage and career in tatters and at a very low ebb in her life. Being sent to sort out the manor turns out to be a Godsend for her and as she learns more about Nita’s life, she rebuilds her own. This story is intense at times, deeply emotional and a gripping read. I loved it and was sorry to close the book after reading the last page.

*The Storyteller's Daughter* by Victoria Scott follows two timelines: one set in the 1940s during WWII, with spies, small-town life, and women dealing with societal pressure; and the other in 2008, where a woman is navigating a divorce, mourning her aunt, and trying to uncover a family secret.

The 1940s storyline is the stronger of the two. It’s full of mystery, with the tension of wartime and the struggles of women in a difficult time. I found myself most engaged with this plot, curious to see how things would unfold. The modern-day storyline, however, felt a bit slow. The protagonist’s journey to uncover her aunt’s past was interesting but didn’t have the same emotional pull.

The characters, especially the women in the 1940s, felt a bit flat. I wanted to feel more connected to them, but they didn’t come across as fully developed or relatable. There was potential for more depth, which would have made the story even more engaging.

Overall, it’s a solid read for fans of historical fiction, especially if you enjoy mystery and wartime drama. While the pacing can be slow and the characters could use more depth, the story kept me hooked, especially in the 1940s timeline.

4.5💫 thank you NetGalley and Victoria Scott for the ARC of this book for an honest review.

This is a wonderfull generational story. I did need a little time to get used to the dual pov and the different timezones. Yet when i got to know the caracters better i had less trouble because there different voices were so clear to me. These likeminded women go through there own seperate life changing challenges. 

They struggle to meet the challages but actualy manage to find out who they are and want to be. Have the courage to stand up for themselfs and others. 

And they do it while both uncovering secrets and mistories. I also loved the jurnalistic and literairy ellement of the story and the hunt for X.

This was absolutely a realy engaging read and if you like stories that have some historic value and stories of women growing into there own. I would highly reccomend this story.

The Storyteller's Daughter follows two generations of women in the same family, Beth in 2008 and Nita in 1940. After Beth visits her dying Great-Aunt Nita she's set on the trail of uncovering long-buried secrets.

This book was dual-POV and switched between Beth and Nita each chapter. It worked really well and, unusually for me, I enjoyed both perspectives and I liked reading the parallels between both characters' lives. I liked Beth, but I adored Nita's character, her spirit and strength were fantastic and the pressures and attitudes she encountered felt accurate to the 1940s setting.

There was a mystery that ran throughout the book, tying both timelines together, and some common themes between Beth and Nita. Although we switched character and time each chapter, the book flowed really well and didn't feel disrupted by the change. Each character added depth to the story and both felt like fully-formed main characters in their own right. There was also a connection to Wicca which was more prevalent than I'd initially thought, and it was portrayed well and added to the story.

This was a slower paced book, but that gave me time to get to know the setting and the characters, and really connect with both. I thoroughly enjoyed it and couldn't put it down (I sped through it across 2 days) and I'll be looking out for more of Victoria Scott's work.

I really enjoyed this book! There is nothing better than a well executed dual timeline and that is exactly what this book delivered. I nearly finished this book in one sitting and would highly recommend to anyone who is interested in mystery and history. A great read!

A dual time line story set between 1940 and 2009 featuring two female members of the same family. A little predictable and overlong, I wanted more from the love story between Nita and Joe. An enjoyable, gothic type mystery.

What a wonderful read The Storyteller's Daughter turned out to be. I was absolutely spellbound from beginning to end and didn't ever want it to end.

Sometimes a book isn't there to be rushed and this was one of those, I wanted to be able to connect with the characters on a deeper level, savour the story and solve the mystery.

It's a dual timeline read and the story is told from the POV of Beth in present day and Nita, Beth's Great Aunt back in the forties.

A charming story of family ties and secrets steeped in mystery and intrigue.

An engaging dual time line read which is set across 1940 (WWII) and 2009. In 1940 Nita Bineham lives a privileged life in Melham Manor and wants to be a writer. Thanks to her father she takes up a voluntary job at the local towns newspaper ‘The Bugle’.
In 2009 Beth Bineham is struggling with working for her father’s company and going through a divorce. Her great aunt is Nita and when she hears of her ill health she travels to Melham Manor. As Nita is dying she tells Beth there is a box in the attic with a secret that needs to uncovered.
This is a great historical fiction story full of intrigue and family drama as Beth tries to uncover Nita’s secret.

This is a story of Nita in the 1940s and her great-niece Beth in 2009. This dual-timeline novel tells the story of how decisions made several decades before will affect life now. There was excellent character development with a touch of mystery. I wanted to keep reading to find out what happened in both their lives. Often, I find with dual timelines I care about one more than the other but that was not the case with this one!

Victoria Scott takes you on a journey through different times, Nita went through so much in her lifetime and Beth being able to dive into her history to find the secrets. The twists and turns tugged at my heart wondering what was going to happen next. Beths Journey to finding herself again during this process was amazing to read aswell after her own heartbreak.

Publication date: 15th January, 2025
Read dates: 9th January – 15th January 2025

The Storytellers Daughter by Victoria Scott

A great book set in 1940 and present day .
Loved the dual timeline of the book.
The characters were so interesting and the book kept up my interest all the way through.
Highly recommend this one.

This book follows a dual timeline, with one set in 1940/41 and the other in 2008/09. As usual, I found myself drawn more to the earlier timeline. The story alternates between the perspectives of two main female characters: Nita, a determined reporter in the past, and her great-niece, Beth, in the present. Nita’s journey was especially captivating as I learned about the challenges she faced as a woman reporter, particularly given her influential family background. What stood out to me is how many of the struggles Nita faced are still relevant today—women still battling to break through the glass ceiling in a male-dominated world while desiring a family life. Both Nita and Beth navigate these hurdles in their own ways, 70 years apart. I found both characters compelling and rooted for them every step of the way.

I love when a fictional story also teaches me something, and this one did just that. I gained new insights into the war, espionage, and Wiccan practices. This book deepened my appreciation for the time we live in and the ancestors who fought in WWII. It also reminded me to value and celebrate our differences, regardless of beliefs or rituals. I highly recommend this novel to historical fiction lovers who enjoy a rich, atmospheric read.

Beth finds herself drawn into a decades old mystery: about a long-buried secret, and an enemy dangerously close to home.

This is an engaging, dual timeline story with a little bit of mystery and a touch of magic. I couldn’t put it down. Being the historical fiction fan that I am, I did enjoy the 1940 timeline of Nita a bit more than the 2008 timeline featuring Beth, Nita’s great-niece. However, both kept my interest, and I loved noticing the similarities in Nita’s and Beth’s stories, despite the large gap in time.

I also adore stories featuring old manor houses and this story had the addition of featuring spies during WWII and women practicing Wiccan. Everything flowed together seamlessly and I had no issues traveling back and forth in time.

I especially enjoyed rooting for Beth and Nita and watching each character come into their own. I felt all the emotions as I read along, and despite some truly heartbreaking moments, the story is full of hope and love. Highly recommend.

Beth Bineham's life is falling apart. Her husband wants a divorce, and she made a terrible gaffe on National TV which lead to her being stood down from her role in the family firm. When her great-aunt Nita passes away, her family charges her with sorting out the house before they can sell it!

Beth made it to the family home, Melham Manor, just in time to see Nita before she passed, and her last words have intrigued Beth. There is a box in the attic which contains some documents that related to Nita's past, in particular in relation to her short period working at the nearby town's local newspaper during WWII.

Nita is what you would call eccentric, but Beth has great memories of spending time with her at Melham Manor, until suddenly the visits stop, mainly because her mother didn't like Nita. Now, Beth is trying to work out what Nita's secrets are.

Nita had been raised as the privileged daughter of a wealthy industrialist. Her brother Frank is off fighting in the war, but Nita is expected to marry and have children. Nita is given the chance to work as a volunteer at the local newspaper, never expecting that she would have the chance to be a reporter. When she and her colleagues hear a story about the possibility of a German spy working in their area, they are all determined to track him down.

This is a dual timeline book, so whilst we hear Nita's story, we also get to see Beth as she follows the clues of her great-aunt's story, and navigates her own trials. She was a bit blindsided by her husband's determination to divorce and so she is trying to figure out what comes next for her and her young children. When she is offered the chance to do a little reporting of her own for the same small town newspaper that Nita worked for, she begins to see a way to reimagine her own life, away from the control of her family.

I love a book where an old house is a character in a book. In this case, Melham Manor is a place which has clearly been loved over the years, but as Nita has gotten older she has been unable to keep up. She does have many items hoarded within the house, including some items that are worth a lot of money, if only Beth can uncover them all before her father sells the house, unless Beth can perhaps change his mind.

This was a good read, and there were some really interesting things that came up, including some Wiccan practices, old secrets, secret identities, WWII intrigue and more.

I hadn't read Victoria Scott before either under that name or her other name of Victoria Darke. I will be looking for more from her at some point.

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews, and the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge which I host. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy.

Rating 4/5