Summary:
London, 1662:
There was something the Winter Queen needed to tell him. She fought for the strength to speak.
‘The crystal mirror is a danger. It must be destroyed – ‘
He replied instantly. ‘It will’.
Ashdown, Oxfordshire, present day: Ben Ansell is researching his family tree when he disappears. As his sister Holly begins a desperate search, she finds herself inexplicably drawn to an ornate antique mirror and to the diary of Lavinia, a 19th century courtesan who was living at Ashdown House when it burned to the ground over 200 years ago.
Intrigued, and determined to find out more about the tragedy at Ashdown, Holly’s only hope is that uncovering the truth about the past will lead her to Ben.
My Thoughts:
House of Shadows is a hard book to pin down to just a single genre. There is history, suspense, murder, romance and so much more. I have only started reading historical fiction the last few years so I am no expert, but this is a really good multilayer story involving three strong women from three different time periods.
Of the three women I think that I liked Holly the best but Lavinia is a close second. Elizabeth is a good character but she seemed very selfish and shallow to me. Holly and Lavinia were characters that I could root for and I was very intrigued by their stories and very curious as to where the story would take them. All three women are embroiled in controversy involving a secret society, a bejeweled mirror, a giant pearl with rumored magical powers, and love that seems destined to fail.
There were times in all the periods that some inconsistencies popped up but never really over anything major. Mostly it was small things that didn't really make sense or seemed out of place but I am not too nit-picky about small things so I was fine with it. I think if you are looking for a good historical fiction book to curl up with this winter in front of the fire, House of Shadows would be an excellent choice. 3.5/5 stars
Author's site: https://www.nicolacornick.co.uk/
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