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beckys_book_blog 's review for:
Mrs England
by Stacey Halls
I was very pleased to be approved for this ARC on NetGalley as I loved The Foundling by Stacey Halls. I thought this book was even better and it is now one of my favourite books of 2021. I found the story completely compelling from the first few pages!
The story starts when Ruby has to find new employment as a nurse and finds herself moving suddenly to Hardcastle house in an isolated part of Yorkshire caring for 4 young children. There is a sense of foreboding right from the start when Mr England, the master of the house tells Ruby to direct any queries to him about the children instead of to the mistress, Mrs England. Slowly the tension builds as you are left to wonder why Mrs England hardly ever leaves her room or shows any interest in her children. At the same time I wondered what had happened in Ruby's past and why she wouldn't read any of the letters from her father.
Ruby slowly begins to uncover the secrets within the house and very gradually you also learn snippets about her previous life with her own family.
I found it very hard to predict what was going to happen in this story and I was desperate to find out why the main characters were acting so strangely and what was going on! I loved the mysterious nature of the book and the slow reveal. It all came together so brilliantly at the end. Stacey Halls creates such great characters that you feel you have met them and the brilliantly atmospheric, slightly eerie setting in the Yorkshire moors was fantastically created!
Definitely a 5 star read for me and one I will be recommending to anyone who loves a compelling mystery set in the past.
Thank you to NetGalley and Manilla Press for this ARC.
The story starts when Ruby has to find new employment as a nurse and finds herself moving suddenly to Hardcastle house in an isolated part of Yorkshire caring for 4 young children. There is a sense of foreboding right from the start when Mr England, the master of the house tells Ruby to direct any queries to him about the children instead of to the mistress, Mrs England. Slowly the tension builds as you are left to wonder why Mrs England hardly ever leaves her room or shows any interest in her children. At the same time I wondered what had happened in Ruby's past and why she wouldn't read any of the letters from her father.
Ruby slowly begins to uncover the secrets within the house and very gradually you also learn snippets about her previous life with her own family.
I found it very hard to predict what was going to happen in this story and I was desperate to find out why the main characters were acting so strangely and what was going on! I loved the mysterious nature of the book and the slow reveal. It all came together so brilliantly at the end. Stacey Halls creates such great characters that you feel you have met them and the brilliantly atmospheric, slightly eerie setting in the Yorkshire moors was fantastically created!
Definitely a 5 star read for me and one I will be recommending to anyone who loves a compelling mystery set in the past.
Thank you to NetGalley and Manilla Press for this ARC.