A review by booksnbookends
The Secret of the Chateau: Gripping and heartbreaking historical fiction with a mystery at its heart by Kathleen McGurl

4.0

A group of five friends, who went to University together whilst chatting decide now that they've paid off their respective mortgages and their children have grown up, it might be the perfect time to move into a mansion in France. Crazy as it is, it just makes sense. After finding the perfect chateau, they up sticks and move to a their new property, which has more history that even history teacher Lu could possibly imagine!

This is a gorgeous contemporary book with a dual timeline. I loved the historical elements in the story being interspersed throughout. There's a great deal of history relating to the French Revolution with plenty of mystery to slowly unravel throughout the book.

The book seemed to be perfectly paced and the two narratives ran seamlessly alongside one another. Both sets of characters from each timeline were likeable and realistic. It felt like a real mix of a read with very vivid imagery of both narratives. I found myself excited to swap timelines each chapter and felt like it was brilliant escapism.

A lovely easy read perfect for being stuck inside during lockdown but it would be even more enjoyable to read on holiday!