A PLACE OF SECRETS by RACHEL HORE

A PLACE OF SECRETS

BY RACHEL HORE

THE BLURB:-

Can dreams be passed down through families? As a child Jude suffered a recurring nightmare: running through a dark forest crying for her mother. Now her six year old niece, Summer, is having the same dream, and Jude is frightened for her.

A successful auctioneer, Jude is struggling to come to terms with the death of her husband. When she is asked to value a collection of scientific instruments and manuscripts belonging to Anthony Wickham, a lonely 18^th century astronomer, she leaps at the chance to escape London, for the untamed beauty of Norfolk, where she grew up.

As Jude untangles Wickham's tragic story, she discovers threatening links to the present. What have Summer's nightmares to do with Starbrough folly, the eerie crumbling tower in the woods from which Wickham and his daughter, Esther, once viewed the night sky? With the help of Euan, a local naturalist, Jude searches for answers in the wild, haunting splendour of the Norfolk forests. Dare she leave behind the sadness in her own life, and learn to love again?

THE REALITY:-

Some books get read then put straight into the charity shop bag. And some get put on the shelf, if there's space, then shifted to the charity shop when something better needs to fill that space. And some get to stay forever- this novel certainly fits into the latter section.

What a great read! Slipping from the modern day to Georgian times (through Esther's diary) this book packs a punch of a tale. It's another of those stories that makes me wish I'd thought of all the ideas (and this book contains plenty of those!) first.

I've always had a thing for astronomy, and have made a point of visiting planetariums in both the northern and southern hemispheres. Whilst my teenage friends were more into astrology, I tended to prefer to immerse myself in Peter Davidson's stargazing programmes (kind of Patrick Moore for the less erudite!) which were on late on a Sunday evening. The finer points have been thoroughly researched and brought to life. Add to that the fairytale dimension of a Rapunzel-esque folly tower and strange dreams that connect both Jude and Summer to the past and you have a recipe for a magical story.  I also like the fact that this book is set in Norfolk, where I grew up, and includes areas I know.

I have read Rachel Hore before, and she seems to often add a human element by having a character who's getting over some kind of romantic break, and going through a personal metamorphosis, which adds a great dimension of sadness and new beginnings that the reader can connect to emotionally.

You'll love this book, with all its unexpected twists and turns: it is something really special!