Book Review / The Forgotten Tower by Lulu Taylor

1939

When Arthur Pendleton arrives at Wakefield Castle with cases of precious fossils from the Natural History Museum, all he wants is to protect them from London bombs in peace and quiet. Soon, though, he is drawn to the family there: the deaf old colonel with his Fortnum’s catalogues, Great Aunt Constance and her delicate constitution, and the grandchildren – from the eldest, Imogen, to the youngest, Archie. But who is the beautiful woman he has seen weeping in the castle grounds? Is she real or a ghost?

With war declared, the family at Wakefield Castle prepare to make sacrifices and to open their doors to newcomers. But while the castle offers a refuge for many, including evacuees, it is also a place to hide many things: sorrow, secrets and even people . . .

As winter deepens, an unwelcome arrival begins to change everything, and suddenly danger is apparent within the castle walls itself.

The present

Georgie Wakefield never wanted to be a chatelaine, but the castle is her husband Casper’s legacy and he is determined to restore its fortunes. Hiding from her troubled past, Georgie sets about learning all she can about the family who lived there before her, including from an inherited recipe book with notes in many hands. Who was Etti Boule and why are the children who were there during the war determined to remember her? Can she be connected to the West Tower, with its legends of hauntings and a weeping woman?

The arrival of her sister, escaping from a violent marriage, awakens Georgie’s darkest fears. As the secrets of Wakefield begin to reveal themselves, she realizes that, in order to be free, she must confront what she most dreads . . .

Published:  23rd November 2023   

Publisher:  MacMillan

Goodreads : Click Here

Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone

Source:  Bought

MY REVIEW

What I liked about this story...  Duel perspective, split timeline and historical drama.  What more can I say?  I loved this so much.  This story was so rich in atmosphere with the castle and its surroundings mixed with interesting characters and a plot that made it so I did not want to put this story down!  There's something about a split timeline, past and present, that somehow manages to weave itself together as the story goes on that always pulls me in.

What I did not like about this story...  Absolutely nothing!  Loved this.

Would I recommend...  Yes!  If you love Kate Morton and you haven't picked this up yet, you need to!