House of Shadows by Nicola Cornick

Amazon UK £2.99 £7.99

Amazon US N/a

Amazon CA $17.61

Shortlisted for Book of the Month

Time-slip

Modern / 17^th & 19^th century

England

Captivating Romantic Historical Suspense

There are places in England where the veil between past and present is gossamer-thin, and in Nicola Cornick’s skilfully-wrought romantic thriller House of Shadows, the past springs alive in a glorious tale of three women and one grand house. Fans of Victoria Holt, Susan Howatch and Katherine Neville will love the strong and compelling women—Holly, Lavinia and Elizabeth, The Winter Queen—who shape the story with their passionate voices and compelling personalities. Woven throughout the narrative echoes a fourth voice; that of a grand house and its beautiful landscape, drawing the reader into a world both as a vivid and wistful as England herself on a misty summer’s morn.

In true time-slip tradition, the thread weaves together their relationships over the centuries – modern day England, a 19^th century mistress and a 17^th century queen and her courtier. And in each case, the talisman of a precious jewel and a mysterious mirror brings an ominous twist of suspense and doom to the heroines. Against a backdrop of fine historical detail, these women travel towards their destiny, while the house itself waits for them in the shadows.

Each of these women has a counterpoint in the men they have loved, lost and loved again, and the theme that echoes through the centuries is one of courage to make difficult choices, and the rewards of independence. These are women we can all relate to—they love passionately, make mistakes, and have strengths and weaknesses that bring life to every page. Their lovers are not mere shadows either; each of the men who enter their lives is a personality with his own charisma and flaws, and the resulting partnerships are multi-faceted and unpredictable.

When I was reading House of Shadows I was often startled to look up and find myself in my own world, for the story is completely immersive. And when I was finished, I found myself thinking of the characters long after I had put the book down. A gorgeous novel, and a book I will keep close to hand to re-read when I feel the urge to escape to another world.

© Elizabeth St John

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