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The Mystery of Haverford House–multiple timelines
The Mystery of Haverford House
by Rachel Burton
Viola, originally from Australia, has had to reinvent herself several times. She has finally found a place that feels like home—a huge estate in Yorkshire. Her job is to manage Haverford House as a tourist attraction, but it is difficult to maintain it as a viable establishment financially given its size, age, and tax status. The current earl and owner wants to sell it, but his mother, the dowager countess, is sentimentally attached to it.
There is a mystery and legend that Viola emphasizes in her house tours. Annie Bishop, a serving girl at Haverford, disappears in 1933. Was she murdered or did she travel to America to start a new life? As the story unfolds for the reader, much of the status of women during the period between the two World Wars is revealed. There is also a focus on the works of Shakespeare, particularly Twelfth Night, as there is a production of it in both timelines. The characters are fleshed out in both timelines with some villains and heroes in both. It is interesting to see that the Haverford residents in the 1930’s, even the “nice” ones, were disdainful of the servants that worked in the house. There were also those in the lower classes who felt they and their peers should “mind their place.”
My interest in both storylines never flagged. I no sooner finished a chapter with my interest peaked than the focus changed to equally compelling events in the other storyline. This seesaw continues all the way to the end of the book with a number of surprises along the way.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Romance, Women’s Fiction, Mystery, Historical Fiction
Notes: clean in all aspects
Publication: March 14, 2024—Aria
Memorable Lines:
“I don’t know where you all find the time for reading,” Polly says regularly. In my opinion you make time for the things you love but she has no interest in fiction, or books in general. She hated dusting the library, but lucky for her I was always willing to do it.
I wonder if he knows why he is here—I wonder if he realizes how badly the estate needs his father’s money? And I wonder what it must be like for Prunella and Cecily, being duty-bound to marry somebody they might not even like, let alone love.
Viola wanted to run upstairs to her flat, get into bed and pull the duvet over her head. Alternatively if the ground would like to open up and swallow her that would be fine too.
Rebecca–fascinating classic with dark vibes
Rebecca
by Daphne du Maurier
First published in 1938, Rebecca has been republished multiple times and continues to gain new audiences. I read it as a young adult and remember being fascinated by it, but could no longer remember the details. When our book club decided to read it, I was excited to revisit this dark classic, and I was not disappointed.
The author’s technique is to begin the book with the situation of the characters at the end of the story. Then she deftly switches to current actions as she describes how the protagonist, who is never named, comes to meet Maxim de Winter, the owner of the magnificent Manderley estate. She is a shy young lady with less nobility in her background than Maxim. This suspenseful story is told from her point of view.
Manderley is almost a character in this book, not just a backdrop. The other important character is Rebecca, the dead wife of Maxim. Her presence is palpable to the new Mrs. de Winter as her touches are evident throughout the house in decor and in the general management of the household. Mrs. Danvers, Rebecca’s former maid and the current household manager, revered her first mistress who could do no wrong in her eyes. She is a leader among the servants in making the new Mrs. de Winter feel like an unworthy interloper.
Much mystery surrounds Manderley as the newlywed couple try to settle in. They have to endure proper welcoming visits from the locals who encourage them to host a costume party as Rebecca used to do. As the story progresses, the reader can feel the evil and sadness that has taken root in Manderley, but it is not obvious why.
Rebecca is certainly worth a reread. It has a complex plot with characters with hidden motivations. Secrets are gradually revealed as tension mounts. The climax is a gripping surprise. As an unusual twist for me, I found myself returning to the first two chapters to study how the author set the reader up for the rest of the book. Impressive craftsmanship!
Rating: 5/5
Category: Classic novel, Gothic, Suspense, Mystery
Notes: Goodreads refers to 864 editions!
Publication: 1938—Doubleday
Memorable Lines:
Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.
Describing Maxim’s sister Beatrice: She belonged to another breed of men and women, another race than I…If it had been Beatrice who had done this thing instead of me, she would have put on her other dress and gone down again to welcome her guests. She would have stood by Giles’s side, and shaken hands with people, a smile on her face. I could not do that. I had not the pride, I had not the guts. I was badly bred.
I wondered how many people there were in the world who suffered, and continued to suffer, because they could not break out from their own web of shyness and reserve, and to their blindness and folly built up a great distorted wall in front of them that hid the truth.This was what I had done. I had built up false pictures in my mind and sat before them. I had never had the courage to demand the truth.
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