An extended family gathers in late August to celebrate the seventy-fifth birthday of its formidable matriarch, Leonora. She is the daughter of the famous Edwardian painter Ethan Walsh, whose paintings are kept at the family home, Willow Court in Wiltshire. At Leonora's house party will be her daughters, Gwen and Rilla, whom she raised alone after she was widowed in her late twenties; Rilla's stepdaughter Beth; and Gwen's husband and three children with their spouses and lovers. One outsider joins the group: Sean Everard, a television director who's making a documentary about the life and work of Ethan Walsh. All families have their dark side and Leonora's is no exception. By the time the marquee is dismantled and all the guests have gone their separate ways, two shocking past events have come to light, to rock complacency and change for ever the lives of Leonora and her daughters.
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'An enthralling mystery that maintains a sense of suspense through each spellbinding page.' (GOOD BOOK GUIDE )
About the Author
Adele Geras was born in Jerusalem. Since 1976 she has published many acclaimed books for children and young adults. She lives in Manchester with her husband and they have two daughters.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful
By Sophie Masson
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Mass Market Paperback
This is a compelling, thoughtful and warm novel that makes for an eminently satisfying read. The action is set around the extended Walsh family which is gathering together to celebrate the 75th birthday of its matriarch, Leonora, at the family home, Willow Court, home also to the beautiful paintings of Leonora's artist father, Ethan Walsh. But all families have secrets, and the Walshes are no exception--and in the course of the visit, many hidden things will come to light, and darkness lifted from many hearts.
The characters are so real and well-drawn that you feel you absolutely know them; the style is limpid, engaging, flowing, the plot tightly-structured yet subtly revealed. Though there is much unhappiness revealed, this is a very life-affirming, and love-affirming book, full of hope and forgiveness and a great compassion. It makes you glow inside. And the description of art, of the paintings themselves, and the feeling in them, is so vivid that you are sure you can see them there in front of your eyes. A delight of a read. Highly recommended.
The characters are so real and well-drawn that you feel you absolutely know them; the style is limpid, engaging, flowing, the plot tightly-structured yet subtly revealed. Though there is much unhappiness revealed, this is a very life-affirming, and love-affirming book, full of hope and forgiveness and a great compassion. It makes you glow inside. And the description of art, of the paintings themselves, and the feeling in them, is so vivid that you are sure you can see them there in front of your eyes. A delight of a read. Highly recommended.
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Adele Geras is a well-established and respected author who writes to a consistently high standard. This first adult novel, an adroit and delightful book, confirms the quality of her writing. All the best books have an enigma at their heart and this book has not just one but two revelations for the reader to anticipate and puzzle over. Willow Court,the country house in which the main events occur, permeates the book and has a personality in its' own right rather as Manderley does in 'Rebecca'. Adele Geras skillfully entices the reader, encouraging one to swiftly devour the book after the opening chapter, by suggesting and developing growing tensions, irregularities and questions.
The carefully drawn characters take it turns to share centre stage and their perspectives are gradually shifted and changed as Geras moves the spotlight from one to another and constantly refocuses on their characters. This helps to heighten the tensions and the tight time scale of present day events is moved on by timely flashbacks.
This is a book for a wide audience - those who love family sagas will have the pleasure of adding a new author to their reading list; readers who eagerly await new books from Adele Geras; those who read her outstanding novel for young adults, "Troy" and primarily those who like an absorbing, well written novel.
This is a cracking read. Buy it!
The carefully drawn characters take it turns to share centre stage and their perspectives are gradually shifted and changed as Geras moves the spotlight from one to another and constantly refocuses on their characters. This helps to heighten the tensions and the tight time scale of present day events is moved on by timely flashbacks.
This is a book for a wide audience - those who love family sagas will have the pleasure of adding a new author to their reading list; readers who eagerly await new books from Adele Geras; those who read her outstanding novel for young adults, "Troy" and primarily those who like an absorbing, well written novel.
This is a cracking read. Buy it!
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
What a wonderful book this is! Great characters, believable dialogue and a weaving of storylines and times that gently ease us along to the conclusions the author draws. It is almost a mystery book, with clues and tempting glimpses into what happened in the past to affect the future. Buy this book and dedicate some time to just relaxing into another world. I am very impressed and will certainly be hoping for more adult works from this author. I loved it and you will too - I guarantee it!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
The book I wish I'd written
I discovered this book in a hotel room in Ireland a couple of years ago, and was not bold enough to steal it when I could not finish it in time, so I bought it as soon as I arrived... Read more
Published 10 months ago by LadyJaguar
3.0 out of 5 stars
Relaxing Read
A relaxing family saga, focussed around a weekend celebration in which the troubled Walsh family make peace after various secrets from the past are revealed. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Kate Hopkins
1.0 out of 5 stars
No intrigue in heirloom paintings
Our group really struggled to come up with a positive slant to our review of this tome: it is a book that is interesting to criticise. Read more
Published 23 months ago by M. Dunlop Ferraro
5.0 out of 5 stars
I could not put this down!
I loved this book, I think it is my favourite of the year so far! I love books set in country houses with eccentric families and mysteries and long-kept secrets; this book has all... Read more
Published on 25 Nov 2008 by Dot
5.0 out of 5 stars
Secrets and Lies
What an excellent read! I thoroughly agree with all the previous reviewers about the merits of this book. Read more
Published on 31 Aug 2006 by P. Burt
4.0 out of 5 stars
Absorbing,enjoyable read.
I really enjoyed this book.
The characters were totally believable and the story was really engrossing.I couldn't put it down. Read more
The characters were totally believable and the story was really engrossing.I couldn't put it down. Read more
Published on 1 April 2005 by susiebe
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