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aditurbo's review against another edition
4.0
I can't for the life of me understand how even though Hartshorne keeps writing practically the same book again and again, she still manages to get me completely engrossed in it every time. The premise of her books are always the same - dual time lines, two women, the one in the present being possessed by the one from the past, who is desperate to tell her story. The present woman's world is unraveling as she delves more and more into the past woman's story, till the dramatic climax releases both of them. This time the present woman is from London, and her marriage is in trouble after the husband reveals that he has a 14-year-old child from a past relationship, even though he has always said he never wanted to be a father. She moves to York to get a new start and work on promoting the opening of a grand old house. There she is taken over by Jane, a Tudor-time woman who is connected to the place. I don't want to spoil anything, but I can say that there are some parallels between the two women's lives, and that there are a few mysteries solved on the way to the usual conclusion. But even with everything being quite expected (especially after you've read Hartshorne's previous books), this is a fast and very suspenseful read that I couldn't put down for a minute. I do wish Hartshorne would move on to a new plotline in her next book. She is a super-talented storyteller and I'm sure she has more in her than this one story.
avidlyreading's review
4.0
Time travel books I have come across before; I have read plenty of dual narrative stories: but a time slip novel? [a:Pamela Hartshorne|3147675|Pamela Hartshorne|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1351466122p2/3147675.jpg]'s [b:The Edge of Dark|25506623|The Edge of Dark|Pamela Hartshorne|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/50x75-a91bf249278a81aabab721ef782c4a74.png|42865233] was the first I have read and it was a rollicking story involving secrets, scandal and long unresolved past conflicts, from four centuries earlier and more recent times, resurfacing again. The story draws you in and doesn't let you go; just like how the ghosts possess the modern day characters.
Roz Acclam is escaping the troubles of her marriage and returns to York, a city she has avoided since her family burned to death in a tragic house fire when she was a young child. Invited to Holmwood House as an advisor Roz has an unusually strong affinity with York, feeling that she has been there before. Four centuries earlier Jane Birkby, a butcher's daughter, was married to Sir Robert and also deeply unhappy in her marriage. A deathbed promise to her sister shapes the course of her life in ways she could not envision. It is Roz alone who can reveal what happened to Jane centuries earlier and tell the rest of her story.
Roz's situation is described more at the opening of the novel as she has coped with recent changes in her life and a crisis in identity, which leaves her vulnerable. Jane's story is introduced gradually into Roz's perspectives, a little enough at first that it can be dismissed as a dream, until it seems that Jane takes control of her host. Where dual narrative novels usually keep separate the stories of the two characters leading parallel lives, devoting an alternating chapter to their viewpoint, Hartshorne's change of perspectives without warning kept me engrossed in story rather than confused me. Psychologically this disturbs Roz who never knows when Jane is going to possess her but does keep you on your seat as a reader as you experience some of the disorientation Roz undergoes.
What was also surprising to me was just how emotionally written some of the other characters are. Helen who is the PA to Sir Adrian, the modern day owner of Holmwood Hall, is a fantastically barmy woman that cannot restrain how much she loathes Roz; the mysterious Jeff is also preoccupied with the house. Although there is a reason for their behaviours it all adds to the volatile mix in this novel where tensions simmer under the surface and identity is repeatedly called into question.
Most of the action for The Edge of Dark happens in the past. However, due to Hartshone's ability to weave two stories into one continuous narrative this maintains the pace of the narrative especially as we get further into Jane's past. Unlike with dual narrative novels where parallels between the older and modern day characters help the modern ones change course of their own life (see Lucinda Riley's [b:The Light Behind the Window|15718885|The Light Behind the Window|Lucinda Riley|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1342910986s/15718885.jpg|21390550] or Jojo Moyes's [b:The Last Letter from Your Lover|9574234|The Last Letter from Your Lover|Jojo Moyes|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347586105s/9574234.jpg|11340098]), so in some sense the connections are artificial, in The Edge of Dark the past is replicated through various ways making it seem like their own life is now a shared existence. It just helped to add in that edge of extra menace and danger into the narrative that made this book such a page turner.
Roz Acclam is escaping the troubles of her marriage and returns to York, a city she has avoided since her family burned to death in a tragic house fire when she was a young child. Invited to Holmwood House as an advisor Roz has an unusually strong affinity with York, feeling that she has been there before. Four centuries earlier Jane Birkby, a butcher's daughter, was married to Sir Robert and also deeply unhappy in her marriage. A deathbed promise to her sister shapes the course of her life in ways she could not envision. It is Roz alone who can reveal what happened to Jane centuries earlier and tell the rest of her story.
Roz's situation is described more at the opening of the novel as she has coped with recent changes in her life and a crisis in identity, which leaves her vulnerable. Jane's story is introduced gradually into Roz's perspectives, a little enough at first that it can be dismissed as a dream, until it seems that Jane takes control of her host. Where dual narrative novels usually keep separate the stories of the two characters leading parallel lives, devoting an alternating chapter to their viewpoint, Hartshorne's change of perspectives without warning kept me engrossed in story rather than confused me. Psychologically this disturbs Roz who never knows when Jane is going to possess her but does keep you on your seat as a reader as you experience some of the disorientation Roz undergoes.
What was also surprising to me was just how emotionally written some of the other characters are. Helen who is the PA to Sir Adrian, the modern day owner of Holmwood Hall, is a fantastically barmy woman that cannot restrain how much she loathes Roz; the mysterious Jeff is also preoccupied with the house. Although there is a reason for their behaviours it all adds to the volatile mix in this novel where tensions simmer under the surface and identity is repeatedly called into question.
Most of the action for The Edge of Dark happens in the past. However, due to Hartshone's ability to weave two stories into one continuous narrative this maintains the pace of the narrative especially as we get further into Jane's past. Unlike with dual narrative novels where parallels between the older and modern day characters help the modern ones change course of their own life (see Lucinda Riley's [b:The Light Behind the Window|15718885|The Light Behind the Window|Lucinda Riley|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1342910986s/15718885.jpg|21390550] or Jojo Moyes's [b:The Last Letter from Your Lover|9574234|The Last Letter from Your Lover|Jojo Moyes|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347586105s/9574234.jpg|11340098]), so in some sense the connections are artificial, in The Edge of Dark the past is replicated through various ways making it seem like their own life is now a shared existence. It just helped to add in that edge of extra menace and danger into the narrative that made this book such a page turner.
scatterbooker's review against another edition
5.0
The Edge of Dark is mysterious time slip novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. The novel is centred around the enigmatic Elizabethan home, Holmwood House, in York in the 1500s and present day.
In the 21st century Holmwood House is being meticulously restored to its former glory by the pompous Sir Adrian, whose family is descended from the home’s original owner. The story begins when he hires London based Events Director, Roz Acclam from London, to oversee the grand opening and future events.
Roz has no memories of her tragic childhood history in York and jumps at the chance to work at such a beautiful historic home, despite her Aunt’s warnings to stay away from the area. She has been having relationship problems and thinks some time apart from her partner is just what she needs.
Things start to get strange as soon as Roz arrives in York. She begins to have vivid dreams about Jane, who lived at Holmswood House in the 1500s. At first Roz thought she was having some kind of adverse reaction to being back in York, but she eventually comes to believe that Jane is real and has been trying to send her an important message.
But what is Jane really trying to tell her? Will the dark forces of Holmswood House claim another victim? And what really happened to Roz’s family when she was a child?
The answers to these questions and more are skilfully revealed, and I was certainly surprised by the climatic ending. Pamela Hartshorne has mastered the art of the time slip novel and I’m looking forward to reading more of her work.
Originally posted at https://scatterbooker.wordpress.com/2015/11/29/the-edge-of-dark-by-pamela-hartshorne-bookreview/
In the 21st century Holmwood House is being meticulously restored to its former glory by the pompous Sir Adrian, whose family is descended from the home’s original owner. The story begins when he hires London based Events Director, Roz Acclam from London, to oversee the grand opening and future events.
Roz has no memories of her tragic childhood history in York and jumps at the chance to work at such a beautiful historic home, despite her Aunt’s warnings to stay away from the area. She has been having relationship problems and thinks some time apart from her partner is just what she needs.
Things start to get strange as soon as Roz arrives in York. She begins to have vivid dreams about Jane, who lived at Holmswood House in the 1500s. At first Roz thought she was having some kind of adverse reaction to being back in York, but she eventually comes to believe that Jane is real and has been trying to send her an important message.
But what is Jane really trying to tell her? Will the dark forces of Holmswood House claim another victim? And what really happened to Roz’s family when she was a child?
The answers to these questions and more are skilfully revealed, and I was certainly surprised by the climatic ending. Pamela Hartshorne has mastered the art of the time slip novel and I’m looking forward to reading more of her work.
Originally posted at https://scatterbooker.wordpress.com/2015/11/29/the-edge-of-dark-by-pamela-hartshorne-bookreview/
beedee's review
4.0
It is an interesting idea to mix the present times with history, through two characters, living now and then. And everything is happening in the same house. However it seems to me that Tudor times were much better presented than haunting atmosphere in the house now. I tried to get to the next fragment where the historical character of Jane was shown more quickly and impatiently then to Rose story told nowadays. May be, because I don’t believe in ghosts? All together, it is a very well written book, with good historical atmosphere.
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