A Place of Secrets

by Rachel Hore

400 pages

pub 2012

As a child Jude had a recurring nightmare. She is crying for her mother, lost in a dark forest. Now Jude’s six-year-old niece is having the identical dream.

As a successful auctioneer of rare books, Jude travels to an English estate to appraise a collection of astronomy books collected and used by a eighteenth century scientist. Jude’s grandmother’s house is located near the estate in Norfolk. Jude must face her own fears and conflicts with her mother and sister as she uncovers strange similarities in her own family history. Does history repeat itself?

I really enjoyed this book. There are lots of twists, some expected, some a little too neatly wrapped up in the end. But  the unraveling of history through different generations does show the common family thread that binds us all.

Critics can rightfully point out the ending is a little too neat, but it’s still a satisfying read.