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A review by jacki_f
The Secret by the Lake by Louise Douglas
3.0
This is an atmospheric story which is reminiscent of Kate Morton's books. It's set in the early 1960s in a small village in Somerset and it's quite spooky. If you like period gothic novels this will be right up your street.
Amy has worked for many years as nanny to a family in Paris. When the father dies suddenly, the mother (Julia) and daughter (Viviane) move back to the small English village where Julia grew up. Amy goes with them to help. Julia is crippled with grief and Viviane becomes obsessed with Julia's long dead sister Caroline. The house where they are living is creepy and there are mysterious things happening: apparitions, strange noises, objects moving. It seems that Caroline is trying to reach out from beyond the grave and Amy becomes determined to uncover her secrets.
I was caught up in this book and I really enjoyed the atmosphere of it. The story unravels slowly but it holds your interest because you don't know i) what happened in the past and ii) what's happening now. Having said that, I also felt that it relied on too many unlikely plot contrivances - for example, a character who writes things on walls which get discovered at opportune moments. Plus I get irritated with the well used device in books when people have held secrets for 30+ years and then as soon as one woman comes along asking questions, out it all comes.
I read this quickly and found it intriguing. It's highly atmospheric and downright spooky in parts.
I received an advance copy for review from Net Galley.
Amy has worked for many years as nanny to a family in Paris. When the father dies suddenly, the mother (Julia) and daughter (Viviane) move back to the small English village where Julia grew up. Amy goes with them to help. Julia is crippled with grief and Viviane becomes obsessed with Julia's long dead sister Caroline. The house where they are living is creepy and there are mysterious things happening: apparitions, strange noises, objects moving. It seems that Caroline is trying to reach out from beyond the grave and Amy becomes determined to uncover her secrets.
I was caught up in this book and I really enjoyed the atmosphere of it. The story unravels slowly but it holds your interest because you don't know i) what happened in the past and ii) what's happening now. Having said that, I also felt that it relied on too many unlikely plot contrivances - for example, a character who writes things on walls which get discovered at opportune moments. Plus I get irritated with the well used device in books when people have held secrets for 30+ years and then as soon as one woman comes along asking questions, out it all comes.
I read this quickly and found it intriguing. It's highly atmospheric and downright spooky in parts.
I received an advance copy for review from Net Galley.