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The parcel sat unopened on Mia's kitchen table for a second day running. Each time she entered the kitchen her eyes were drawn towards the table despite all intentions to ignore the parcel. Something about it bothered her...
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The Blurb
A surprise inheritance. A hidden past.
Brisbane, 2024 - Barista and budding artist Mia Curtis is shocked to receive a package all the way from England informing her she's the heir to her late grandmother's cottage. Feeling lost in her own life, Mia travels across the world to claim her inheritance, where she begins to unravel the secrets passed down through the generations of women in her family.
Sussex, 1821 - Philadelphia Boadle wakes to find her husband, the tailor Jasper Boadle, dead. As the daughter of the local cunning woman, Philadelphia is soon accused of murder by witchcraft. Her future and that of her own daughter is at stake, unless she can convince the village she's done no wrong...
My Review
This was a five star read for me. It had everything that I love in a book. It is a dual timeline narrative, being set in both 1821 and 2024. Consequently, historical fiction runs alongside a contemporary narrative. I loved it.
I have previously read this author's title, The Secrets of Bridgewater Bay which was also a five star read for me. You can read my review by clicking on the title link.
The book opens with the main present day character, Mia, who lives in Brisbane, receiving a package from an English solicitor. In it, she learns that she has inherited a house from her English grandmother. Mia's mother had never told her about the existence of this grandmother, and this sets off an instant antagonism between the mother and daughter.
The other main character is Philadephia. Her narrative takes place in Sussex, England in 1821 when her husband dies and she is accused of witchcraft.
Both sections are based on a fabulous premise, and I quickly became engrossed by them both. There are family secrets which need to be unearthed, and it was gripping accompanying Mia on this journey of discovery.
However, for Mia it is about more than discovering her family's past. She has to face letting go of some of her own past, facing issues of belonging and identity, and ultimately discovering herself as a person.
The author did a fantastic job with this book. She has clearly researched the history of the section set in the past extremely well, and consequently, created a story set in the past that was compelling and tangible. I found this book to be completely immersive and almost felt I was there in both time periods.
This is a page turner that I did not want to put down. It is a compelling story of both past and present, and the author has done a marvellous job of bringing the two interconnecting stories to life within the covers of the book. I would highly recommend it.
