5 Star Excellent Historical Novels I Read In July!
This is a beautifully written story that flows with ease and purpose. Caroline Beechham’s attention to detail in a World War II setting is commendable for its accuracy and authenticity. This historical fiction novel has plenty of mystery, love, friendship and hardship.
Alice Cotton is a character we immediately appreciate, admire and understand as we learn early on the issues she is dealing with. Any mother can relate to her fears and the shock and betrayal she feels when she awakens two days after the delivery of her child. The personal journey she must make is filled with danger and disappointment and, at times, though her efforts seem in vain, we cannot help but admire her courage and determination to never give up in her pursuit of finding Eadie.
The main focus on ‘baby farming’ gives the reader plenty to think about on the topic and the horrors some women had to face.
Another thread of the story is the book publishing world and how important books were and are in times of war. Books are life sustaining and offer hope and comfort during dark times. They become the light in a tunnel of fear and death.
The range of emotion I felt reading this novel proves Caroline has delivered an amazing story in both plot and characters. I found it hard to set aside and read the last 200 pages in one sitting. I am happy to highly recommend this novel. It is a story with lots of heart and heartbreak but also hope. Published by Allen & Unwin. You can also read more about this novel and interesting information on Caroline at her website.
“Weaving. Healing. Haunting. The spellbinding story of a mysterious boarding school sheltering a centuries-old secret by the bestselling author of The Botanist’s Daughter.”
The outstanding effects of this latest novel, The Silk House, by Kayte Nunn are still settling in my bones.
Kayte is a master of poetic detail. Her obvious interest in poetry, along with her travel writing background, prove to be very powerful tools in her exquisite scene descriptions. It is also easy to slip inside the skins of these characters and see what they see and feel their emotions. I could not help but get caught up in their experiences as the pages were fluttering past.
I am fascinated by old houses and the stories they harbour. And this old house with its chilling secrets certainly captivated my interest.
This novel’s deep character layers, dual timeline and haunting atmospheric settings are enthralling and intoxicating. A true page turner of pure mystery. Highly recommend!
Published by Hachette Australia. To learn more about Kayte, visit her site.
Over a weekend I completed Alison Stuart's newest novel The Goldminer's Sister: a brilliant companion to her previous The Postmistress set in the same fictional town of Maiden’s Creek during Australia’s gold rush years.
I enjoyed Alison’s first novel of the series but this newest addition took me to a whole other level of excitement and intrigue with its hair-raising, plot-twisting drama. I kept being amazed and surprised while the story unfolded. And Eliza Penrose is a character I instantly liked. She arrives in Australia to meet up with her brother but the news she receives is not quite what she expected. She experiences loss and betrayal, is shunned by some of the ladies in the village but through it all remains true to her purpose. In the process, she also finds unexpected love in the mining engineer, Alec McLeod.
Alison’s hard work and sharp skills shone through every nook and cranny of this book with brilliance. It is easy to realise the amount of research that went into its pages: especially with its engineering focus on a new design that aids gold mining in the latter 1800s. But Alison pulls it off with authenticity and finesse. She also delivers a beloved engineer hero. A profession that rarely gets such attention in fiction.
This is stunning work by an award winning Australian author that I will never forget. Pure mystery genius. Alison’s incredible amount of research sings with detail. I loved it from start to finish-- a real page turner. Highly recommend everyone read it! Published by Harper Collins Australia. Visit Alison’s site for more details on this and other works.
Darry Fraser’s latest novel Elsa Goody Bushranger is a gem of a story that had me breathless, shocked and moved with all its unexpected events.
I love Elsa’s strength that continuously shines through all the drama she encounters. I admire her passion to be the first woman voter. Freedom to make choices was not readily available to women in the 1800s. Elsa exhibits the drive to rule her own life and nothing will prevent that from happening. As she leads her sister Rosie through all the harrowing situations they find themselves in, her determination and smart thinking save them on more than one occasion. Her strength and resilience even begins to affect her sister and we see their relationship change and grow throughout the story in a positive way.
Although Elsa and Rosie are on a difficult journey to find their family’s treasure with hopes of buying their freedom, their challenging quest not only is wrought with danger and loss but also unexpected love and fulfilment.
This is an incredible read and Darry Fraser has handled the time period, language and setting with great skill. Highly recommend this bushranger story about a strong woman in a harsh era. Published by Harper Collins Australia. Also, visit Darry’s wonderful site and see a beautifully rendered movie soundtrack clip of her book.
