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Review
`Rachel Hore's intriguing Richard and Judy recommended read, which is layered with a series of mysteries, some more supernatural than others' --Independent
`Hore once again shows her gift for bringing the past to life: her understanding of memory, stories and craft is as strong here as in The Memory Garden' --Waterstone's Books Quarterly
`Sumptuous prose, deft plotting, lush settings, troubling personal histories, tragedy, heady romance and even a smattering of 18th century scientific wonderment mark Hore's fourth novel as her most accomplished and enthralling yet' --Daily Mirror
'Anyone who likes well written fiction will love this...I will with absolute certainty be getting myself the rest of Rachel's books, and I can't wait to get stuck into them all. Hopefully they'll all be as fantastic as A Place of Secrets' --ChickLitReviews.com
`Jude is an appealing heroine and Hore's writing draws the reader beguilingly into her world. An atmospheric, beautifully written romance, with an intriguing historical mystery woven through its pages'
--Living North
`Hore once again shows her gift for bringing the past to life: her understanding of memory, stories and craft is as strong here as in The Memory Garden' --Waterstone's Books Quarterly
`Sumptuous prose, deft plotting, lush settings, troubling personal histories, tragedy, heady romance and even a smattering of 18th century scientific wonderment mark Hore's fourth novel as her most accomplished and enthralling yet' --Daily Mirror
'Anyone who likes well written fiction will love this...I will with absolute certainty be getting myself the rest of Rachel's books, and I can't wait to get stuck into them all. Hopefully they'll all be as fantastic as A Place of Secrets' --ChickLitReviews.com
`Jude is an appealing heroine and Hore's writing draws the reader beguilingly into her world. An atmospheric, beautifully written romance, with an intriguing historical mystery woven through its pages'
--Living North
Product Description
The night before it all begins, Jude has the dream again ...Can dreams be passed down through families? As a child Jude suffered a recurrent 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's asked to value a collection of scientific instruments and manuscripts belonging to Anthony Wickham, a lonely 18th 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 forest from which Wickham and his adopted 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 woods. Dare she leave behind the sadness in her own life, and learn to love again?
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
56 of 61 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a fascinatingly complex story of how the past can affect the present. Jude, the main character, still trying to come to terms with the death of her young husband four years earlier, is a specialist in 18th century books and manuscripts. When she takes a call one lunchtime, intended for another employee of the small auctioneers business where she works, she feels a frisson of interest - as a child, her grandmother lived in the gamekeeper's cottage on the estate of Starbrough Hall, home of the caller Robert Wickham. Her Gran still lives nearby, as does her pretty but prickly sister Claire, whose daughter, Summer, has started suffering the same nightmares that plagued Jude as a child - running through a forest unable to find her mother.
Both Jude's Gran, and her mother, Valerie, seem to have some past, but unacknowledged, connection to a crumbling folly built in the 18th century by astronomer Anthony Wickham, the then owner of the estate, to enable him to study the stars. As Jude searches through the old manuscripts, she unearths the journals of the young Esther Wickham, whose story unfolds alongside the modern day tale and proves even more compelling. Who was she, and where did she come from? And what happened to her after Anthony Wickham died?
There is a large cast of characters, but they're clearly defined and there's never any problem knowing who they are. There's also the astronomical history, the romantic interest surrounding Euan, a naturalist and present occupant of Gran's old home, and the tense rivalry yet edgy closeness between the sisters, Jude and Claire.
It's a novel of many facets, and I had to admire the intricate plotting which enabled the author to piece together all aspects of the story and the secrets it contains. For me, there were just two detractions: the style in the early pages seemed at times forced and unnatural, although becoming more flowing as the story progressed - Esther's 18th century voice, for instance, was beautifully conveyed; and some of the coincidences that brought the loose ends together were, for me, just a little too coincidental.
Nevertheless it's an engrossing read, a perfect story for bedtime or curled up in front of the fire as the autumnal evenings set in. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes a light but intriguing read.
Both Jude's Gran, and her mother, Valerie, seem to have some past, but unacknowledged, connection to a crumbling folly built in the 18th century by astronomer Anthony Wickham, the then owner of the estate, to enable him to study the stars. As Jude searches through the old manuscripts, she unearths the journals of the young Esther Wickham, whose story unfolds alongside the modern day tale and proves even more compelling. Who was she, and where did she come from? And what happened to her after Anthony Wickham died?
There is a large cast of characters, but they're clearly defined and there's never any problem knowing who they are. There's also the astronomical history, the romantic interest surrounding Euan, a naturalist and present occupant of Gran's old home, and the tense rivalry yet edgy closeness between the sisters, Jude and Claire.
It's a novel of many facets, and I had to admire the intricate plotting which enabled the author to piece together all aspects of the story and the secrets it contains. For me, there were just two detractions: the style in the early pages seemed at times forced and unnatural, although becoming more flowing as the story progressed - Esther's 18th century voice, for instance, was beautifully conveyed; and some of the coincidences that brought the loose ends together were, for me, just a little too coincidental.
Nevertheless it's an engrossing read, a perfect story for bedtime or curled up in front of the fire as the autumnal evenings set in. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes a light but intriguing read.
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I was looking forward so much to this book as I've very much enjoyed Rachel Hore's previous novels, but oh dear - what a let down. It seemed a laborious read to me, and although I found some parts interesting, in general things were so slow-moving. But the thing that irritated me most were the coincidences. Goodness me, they came thick and fast. One or two I could have accepted, but by the end of the book everyone appeared to be related in some way to everyone else and I would cite examples except that I wouldn't want to spoil the story for anyone who really does want to read this novel and make their own judgment. But be prepared to have your credulity stretched!
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I really like to try to find something positive to say in a book review, but this one is something of a challenge! It was a present and I was absolutely determined to finish it. Well....., the picture on the cover is quite nice, the character of Anthony Wickham in the age of eighteenth century astronomical discovery was interesting, .....and I did actually manage to finish the book.
However, this has to be weighed against a really ridiculous storyline involving numerous absurd coincidences. For example, Jude the auction-house heroine just happens by chance to receive a call from the owner of Starbrough Hall, which just happens to be just down the road from her family home, which happens to have a folly in the grounds which is the subject of her and her niece's dreams, and happens to discover hidden diary accounts of Esther behind the bookcase in Starbrough Hall which gives clues to the origins of the dreams, and also finds a necklace that links her grandmother to Esther - oh but wait, there's a silver star missing from the necklace! Oh, panic over, here it is on the ground by the folly where it was dropped about 250 years ago.....and guess what, they end up being all related to each other! Then her niece's lost father just drops by because he's related to another key character in the story. Honestly, anyone would think Norfolk is some rural backwater where everyone is related to each other....er!
At one point the characters all stare at each other opened mouthed by some coincidence. Well, they're not the only ones. I was wondering whether the writer, in a moment of insight, had realised this was all so ridiculous it couldn't possibly be working. But no, on she goes!
Not only was the plotting very silly, reliant on coincidence and dreams, but the prose and dialogue were clunky and uninspiring. I did wonder how this actually managed to get published. Then I read the author's biography and saw she is in the publishing industry. Well, I guess that answers that! But wait, oh no, she's written three others.........
I feel like Craig Revel-Horwood having just watched an Ann Widdecombe samba...OMG!
However, this has to be weighed against a really ridiculous storyline involving numerous absurd coincidences. For example, Jude the auction-house heroine just happens by chance to receive a call from the owner of Starbrough Hall, which just happens to be just down the road from her family home, which happens to have a folly in the grounds which is the subject of her and her niece's dreams, and happens to discover hidden diary accounts of Esther behind the bookcase in Starbrough Hall which gives clues to the origins of the dreams, and also finds a necklace that links her grandmother to Esther - oh but wait, there's a silver star missing from the necklace! Oh, panic over, here it is on the ground by the folly where it was dropped about 250 years ago.....and guess what, they end up being all related to each other! Then her niece's lost father just drops by because he's related to another key character in the story. Honestly, anyone would think Norfolk is some rural backwater where everyone is related to each other....er!
At one point the characters all stare at each other opened mouthed by some coincidence. Well, they're not the only ones. I was wondering whether the writer, in a moment of insight, had realised this was all so ridiculous it couldn't possibly be working. But no, on she goes!
Not only was the plotting very silly, reliant on coincidence and dreams, but the prose and dialogue were clunky and uninspiring. I did wonder how this actually managed to get published. Then I read the author's biography and saw she is in the publishing industry. Well, I guess that answers that! But wait, oh no, she's written three others.........
I feel like Craig Revel-Horwood having just watched an Ann Widdecombe samba...OMG!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Really enjoyable
This is the first Rachel Hore book I have ever read and I loved it. Thought it was such a great blend of old and new, love and heartache, family and friends. Read more
Published 28 days ago by Emma E
enjoyable hokum, will entertain you for a few days
I loved The Glass Painter's Daughter, so was keen to read this book, despite the copycat cover picture with yet another old gate a la Kate Morton. Read more
Published 1 month ago by L. Bretherton
Review of "A place of secrets"
This is a good book. On the surface it appears to be a love story or a historical drama; whilst it has elements of both it doesn't fit in to either category.
Published 2 months ago by Cozydawg
Leave your credulity at the door and you might like this
Okay, so there are a lot of coincidences in this book, right from the opening chapters. Chance steps in a little too often to be entirely believeable. Read more
Published 2 months ago by J. Mccready
Easy reading nice but a bit fluffy
I think there are a lot of great ideas in this story and I like the idea of several timelines running alongside each other. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Beadyjan
undemanding but enjoyable
Other reviewers seem to be very hard on this book. It's just escapist fiction after all. I enjoyed it and thought the author wove in the two time frames rather skillfully. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Viv
super read
I just finished this book and was delighted with it. Loved the story and couldnt put it down. Why is there so many negative comments about this book!!!!!!!!!! Read more
Published 5 months ago by M. A. Seatter
A Place Of Secrets, Rachel Hoare
After reading seriously conflicting reviews of this book, which I have to admit had me shaking with laughter,( the reviews, not the book!) I thought I would add my humble opinion. Read more
Published 7 months ago by wendy
at the end of the book you have one question - why did I read it?
After reading this book, not too bad but the coincidences are outragous. Don't understand why Jude felt sorry for her sister Claire, and she was described as disabled, fgs she had... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Belinda
Ridiculous coincidences.
I finished this book because it was a gift but it was so bad I am about to break the recycling habits of a lifetime and bin it. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Jean Mc
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