Very good Historical romance during the 7Year and French and Indian war and modern day.
Lydia goes to Long Island to start a museum with in a historical house.
She discover that there more to the story of the former owners.
Good drama,intrigue,mystery and romance.
You think you know how the outcome would be but all is not what you see.
Really enjoyed.
Voluntarily reviewed.

My Thoughts

What is there not to love about a new Susanna Kearsley book! Her stories are always fabulously written, well researched and completely captivating. To my mind she is the Queen of dual time storylines. When you open the pages of one of Susanna’s books, you enter into a new world, one that guarantees rich historical drama combined with present day ties.

‘I was motivated even more right now by seeing those two simple, soulless dates bookending what had been the life of a young woman; and by knowing that, through research, I could fill the space between those dates with something that approached that woman’s shape.’

So living up to the precedents set, Bellwether will present two women from two different times, yet seemingly tied together in some way. There will be plenty of historical detail, I knew so very little about the Seven Years War and there is much to learn about the British, French and slavery. There are many interesting characters here, from both timelines, but you are sure to develop a fondness for the Wilde family. In fact Susanna’s explanation at the end of the book will shed some interesting light on what inspired her, characters both real and in some cases based closely on prevalent figures of the day. They were interesting and easy to connect with. I enjoyed the multiple perspectives and how Susanna cleverly mirrored past with present - particularly how she linked the end and beginning of many chapters even though the dates differed.

Now whilst I enjoyed the book, I will have to confess that I was somewhat disappointed. Her writing finesse is indisputable, however, it was just so slow, really in need of more drama and action scattered throughout. There were, at times, endless descriptions of banal things. Even the ending proved a little too neat and tidy for some characters, yet others were left with unresolved issues. I’m still even a little confused over the significance of the title of the book.

So whilst I enjoyed the book, I did not love the book - rich in historical fiction and detail but just a little too slow in parts for me.

‘He was looking for the wound. He wouldn’t find one. All her true wounds were so deep within her nobody would ever see them’



This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Set in an eighteenth-century house on Long Island, Bellewether is told from three perspectives across two timelines. The Seven Years’/French and Indian War sections are narrated by a young colonial American woman, Lydia Wilde, as well as by a French-Canadian officer Jean-Philippe de Sabran. Lydia is grieving the loss of both her mother and her fiancé, who was killed in the war. When Jean-Philippe and another Canadian prisoner of war are billeted at the Wilde house, Lydia finds it difficult to hide her anger and disdain for these men she considers as the enemy. As time passes however, she begins to view Jean-Philippe not as the monster she has imagined, but instead as a kind and intelligent gentleman – and a rather dashing one at that. For his part, Jean-Philippe is smitten with Lydia from the start, but is not sure how to bridge the language and emotional barriers between them. Can there be such a thing as happy ever after for two people on opposing sides of this brutal war?

Meanwhile, the historical Wilde House is now a museum in the present day timeline. Charley Van Hoek has moved to Long Island to look after her teenaged niece after the death of her brother, having secured a job as the museum’s new curator. Working through her own grief, Charley develops a bit of an obsession with the house’s history and with the famous legend of a tragic love story between a young colonial woman and a French-Canadian officer. She sets out on a mission to both uncover the truth and to save the financially struggling museum. Along the way, she discovers a new community, a sense of belonging, and even a new romance.

Susanna Kearsley is one of my favorite historical fiction writers, so naturally I was beyond thrilled to receive an ARC of her newest novel. Once again, Kearsley vividly brings history to life. Bellewether is well-researched with descriptive writing and multi-dimensional characters. While I felt more emotionally invested in the historical timeline, I did love the museum setting in the modern storyline. It was such a clever and interesting way to connect the house (and its inhabitants) to both the past and the present. One of my favorite details of the book was the way in which Kearsley employed similar settings, themes, activities, or emotions across each alternating timeline. This cleverly highlighted the interconnectedness of these characters and their stories and allowed the chapters to flow nicely together.

The characters themselves all managed to capture my heart. Kearsley breathed life into each and every one of them; they felt like real people who became dear friends by the end of the novel. Her three narrators are presented as sympathetic, complex beings with a wide-range of emotions. I loved that Bellewether gives us a male protagonist as one of these narrators. The fact that we get to read Jean-Phillippe’s thoughts and perspectives in addition to Lydia’s made me even more invested in their love story. It also made me crush even harder on this swoon-worthy hero.

In comparison to Kearsley’s previous books, Bellewether is a fairly quiet novel. There is less drama and suspense and the stakes are never quite as high. Instead, the lovely characters and descriptive writing kept me engrossed until the final sentence. Kearsley left a few cards up her sleeve until the end, so there were still a couple of surprises. I would’ve enjoyed a bit more drama, but I didn’t mind the slower pace and more character driven focus. The ending did feel a tad rushed, although I suspect some of that feeling can be attributed to the fact that I simply hated to bid farewell to these characters.

Fans of Susanna Kearsley and/or well-written dual-timeline historical fiction are in for a treat with Bellewether. It’s an engrossing and romantic novel with vivid characters and an atmospheric setting. A quiet, gentle read that is perfect to curl up with when you feel like escaping from reality for a while. Bellewether is a sound vessel to carry you away to another shore.

**A huge thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review**

When Charley arrives at Wilde House in Snug Cove as the new curator she is determined to increase the scope of the displays....... especially when she hears the ghost story about the lovers Lydia Wilde and her French Canadian lieutenant Jean-Philippe, but she will have to fight the other board members to get it included until she finds the evidence. Jean Philippe was a prisoner of war in the Wilde household in the 1700s and gradually we hear of the love story between himself and Lydia, although she hated him at the start as her fiance had been killed in the war by the French.

Another great book by Susannah Kearsley, it worked well being told by Charley, Lydia and Jean Philippe so we got the full story from both time frames..... and I loved the ghost aspect!

Advance copy received for review purposes.

I have been a fan of Susanna Kearsley since I first picked up The Rose Garden years ago, and Bellewether did not disappoint. If you are not familiar with Kearsley's work the descriptions can sometimes sound cheesy, like cheap airport romance paperbacks. But this does not accurately reflect her work. Yes, romance is at the center of her novels. Yes, the romance often involves supernatural elements.
But Kearsley uses these premises to examine the meaning of memory, identity, history, and, above all else, the power of grief to break and rebuild individuals. Bellewether is no exception in this regard. It's an exciting tale in multiple timelines with some moments of real spookiness, but the overarching message if one of love in the face of total destruction, memory in the face of erasure.
Highly recommended.

Bellewether is different from other Susanna Kearsley books I have read in that there is no supernatural tool to unveil the past (time travel, ancestral memories, psychometry, to name a few I’ve run across in Ms. Kearsley’s writings). The main character, Charley is a museum curator and researcher and uses the artifacts, memoirs, and oral history to find the truth about what happened in the past.

She does this from her job at the Wilde House Museum. I mentioned that Charley uses just plain good detective skills to reveal the Wilde House past, but that does not mean there are no ghost stories associated with it. It is the telling of one such ghost story that seems to kick off Charley’s fascination with what happened in the years before the Revolutionary War. The ghost story involves Lydia and Jean-Philippe and their tragic love story. Some say you can still see the ghost today.

As an American, the Revolutionary War and it’s outcome was an integral part of my studies in school. We barely covered the history leading up to it. Bellewether is divided between current day and that time leading up to the Revolutionary War – The French and Indian War. So, like all of Ms. Kearsley’s books, the reader is offered a bit of history from a viewpoint not covered in school.

The book seesaws between current day and Lydia’s time, telling two separate stories. Chapter headings are character names, guiding you to perspective and to time setting. The current day chapters are all from Charley’s perspective, but the historical chapters are from Lydia’s and Jean-Philippe’s perspective.

I found Jean-Philippe to be one of the more interesting characters. He is a French officer, basically under house arrest in a place where nobody speaks French and he does not understand English. Jean-Philippe is observant though, and he learns by watching, helping with work, and eventually learning a few words of English.

Back in the present day, Charley lives with Rachel, her niece. Niels, Charley’s brother and Rachel’s dad had recently died, so Charley was taking care of Rachel. There is also a museum board of directors, some of which love Charley and a few that don’t like her one bit. And there is a grandmother that lives in town that disowned her father. And Sam.

Sam is the contractor that is restoring the Wilde House. He is also an all round handy man, dog rescuer and always-there-when-you-need-him type of a guy. There is a very understated thing going on between Charley and Sam. I like that it was understated. I really wanted to find out what happened in the past, rather than the present.

The book gets its title from a boat owned by the Wilde family. Bellewether was the ship captained by Benjamin Wilde, who made his mark as a privateer with that ship. The Wilde House Museum was meant to focus on Benjamin Wilde’s life, but as the ship had a life before Benjamin sailed on it, so too did the Wilde House. Bellewether’s role in the lives of Lydia and Jean-Philippe is slight, but important.

If you read Bellewether, do not skip the author’s ‘About the Characters’ section at the end of the story. Kearsley’s meticulous research leads the reader to believe that Lydia and Jean-Philippe really existed. In fact, the historical characters are a mixture of truth and invention. Kearsley’s skill in combining history with a really good story always entertains and Bellewether is no exeption.

Through NetGalley, the publisher provided a copy of this book so I could bring you my honest review.

There is so much to love about this book. Truly amazing characters. It would be hard to say who was my favorite. I did not know that much about the French and Indian War and it was interesting to learn more. The mystery kept me reading on and on and the surprise ending was one of the best. I did not see that coming at all. I gave this book 5 stars. Another fascinating novel by Susanna Kearsley who never disappoints.

In Bellewether, Susanna Kearsley’s beautiful prose and trademark twin-stranded story structure come together in a lovely novel about family divisions, love, loss, and healing.

The novel is beautifully constructed, the double strands of past and present interweaving in a kind of dance as we follow the stories of Lydia and Jean-Phillippe, a British colonist and a captured French officer during the Seven Years War*, and Charley, a modern-day curator in charge of turning Lydia’s family home into a museum. Wilde House itself provides the most obvious physical connection between history and the present day. As the story progresses, other artifacts also serve to tangibly bridge the gulf: a button, a chair, a set of books, a painting. Recurring events in the narrative often link scenes in the past and present, like an approaching storm or a light in the forest.

There are also thematic similarities. Both Charley’s family and Lydia’s are grieving and in pain, Charley’s from the death of her brother, the 18th-century Wildes from the loss of Lydia’s mother and from brother Joseph’s war trauma. Lydia and Charley are trying to fill the missing person’s shoes, and each feels inadequate to the task. Both families are or will be divided by war, and both experience fraught relations with extended family members. Other themes bridge the divide between the past and present stories as well, from racism and the rejection of it to the slow, almost unnoticed growth of love.

Subtle and perceptive, Kearsley’s writing combines the sensitive detail of a pencil drawing with something of the quiet richness of an oil painting. It shimmers with details that bring both worlds to life: the piercing beauty of a sunrise, the look and feel of a room, the sound and feel of soft waves against your legs, the quiet creak of a floorboard as someone moves in another part of the house. She brings the same insight and clarity to her characters, describing each one’s appearance and personality through the perceptions of the three POV characters. Charley, as the only first-person narrator and the sole POV character in the present time, is the only one whose personality we must assess through her thoughts and actions alone, without the aid of outside eyes.

Kearsley tells both stories chronologically, but there are deliberate jumps where weeks or months are omitted, and backstories are revealed only slowly, over time. Like a person doing historical or genealogical research, or a foreigner trying to make sense of those around them without knowing the language, the reader must construct the whole story out of the pieces they are given (though rest assured that all the necessary pieces are in place by the end.) This is also true of relationships within the story, particularly that of Lydia and Jean-Phillippe. Rather than being told in detail how each character feels, for some while the reader sees only hints of those feelings. The effect is a process of revelation and discovery not unlike the journeys experienced by Lydia, Jean-Phillipe, and Charley themselves.

Ms. Kearsley based this novel on aspects of her own family genealogy and history, as well as meticulous research. Burnished by the magic of her imagination and the beauty of her prose, the result is a lovely and luminous novel, and one of the best books I’ve read all year.

I’ve been a big fan of Susanna Kearsley’s books every since Marg introduced me to The Winter Sea quite a few years ago now. I was very excited to receive a review copy of this one some months ago but I was actually patient and waited until close to the release date to read it. Last weekend I had a truly lazy day, staying in bed all day to read this. I didn’t realise upon starting it how long it was. It’s definitely a hefty read.

It’s a dual narrative, historical and present day. In the current timeline, Charley is a curator who has recently moved from Canada to Long Island, New York for family reasons. She’s taken a job curating an exhibition at the Wilde House Museum which is undergoing renovations. It’s the former home of a war hero and the museum will celebrate and honour his life. Charley finds herself soon drawn into an intriguing mystery as locals tell her the strange stories that surround the house – that of a ghost and of a tragedy that happened many years before.

In the past, Jean-Phillipe de Sabran is a French Canadian lieutenant fighting in some war I honestly don’t know anything about. I’m not American or Canadian and this war takes place before the British “arrived” in Australia (therefore schooling never bothered to cover it) so I have to admit, I’d never actually even heard of this war. I’ve talked at length in various reviews about how bad my historical knowledge is and this is another example! This is prior to American independence anyway and Jean-Phillips along with another man seem to be some sort of very gentlemanly prisoners of war where they are billeted with American families. Apparently American/British prisoners of war were billeted with French families in Canada or something, it’s all very civilised. Jean-Phillipe doesn’t speak English but the man he is billeted with does, so he acts as a translator although Jean-Phillipe often finds this frustrating as he feels his fellow lieutenant is not translating everything, or with accuracy. Jean-Phillipe is also French Canadian whereas the other man is French French and this itself seems to suggest that they are very different and that the French French lieutenant looks down on the French Canadian Jean-Phillipe. The daughter of the house, Lydia, has reason to be resentful of soldiers of the opposing side and she’s dead against the men being billeted in her own home. Despite this, Jean-Phillipe is quite taken with Lydia and he wishes to get to know her.

I found all of the historical stuff quite interesting but I have to admit that at the same time, it felt quite slow. There’s a lot of information to process in both timelines as well so at times this is quite a dense read. It takes rather a long time for things to ‘progress’ in the historical portion of the novel. Neither Lydia nor Jean-Phillipe speak the other’s language and their interactions are so minimal, I just never really got to the point where I think I got invested in their future. I would’ve liked to become invested in it, but I don’t know, it just wasn’t enough for me. We are privy to both their thoughts and I enjoyed that but their interactions are so limited. I suppose despite really not speaking each other’s language they learn each other’s true characters by observation and Lydia does have to overcome a rather large (and understandable) prejudice to see the sort of man that Jean-Phillipe is and that’s admirable. But it still left me wanting.

I quite enjoyed the modern day story. Charley is undertaking something quite challenging, both at work and out of it. Her appointment was not unanimous and she deals with animosity of several members of the board and has to prove herself and her theories at every meeting. I really liked her and I also thought her eventual love interest was wonderful. There’s a brief connection in this story to a character from a previous Kearsley book and I do wonder if we might see that character in a book of their own one day. Charley’s family situation is interesting as well and I admired her for stepping up at a time of grief to really try and shoulder responsibility and provide support and stability.

I did enjoy this and it’s meticulously researched and written but I just didn’t find myself drawn into the historical aspect with the same intensity as with prior Kearsley novels. Perhaps it was because I was lacking in knowledge myself, perhaps it was because the interactions just weren’t enough for me. The modern day story definitely kept me involved though and I found that I really loved the little ‘twist’ at the end. That way very well done.

7/10

I am a long time fan of Susanna Kearsley, and I’ve read all of her books, Bellewether is a wonderful story that I wholeheartedly enjoyed. The main story of Lydia and Jean-Philippe is probably one of her finest, unfortunately I can’t say the same for the subplot of Charley and Sam, it felt forced while the main story has much to offer.

We have a ghost as in The Shadowy Horses, but the interaction here is more “normal”, more plausible and that is nice.
Compared to The Winter Sea and The Firebird this is a slow paced book, the story is built slower and it’s not until the very end that you can really gasp the beauty of the story.

If you are reading Susanna Kearsley for the first time, this is a great read but I won’t recommend it for starters, read the Rose Garden, The Winter Sea or The Firebird first, and then come back to Bellewether so you can fully appreciate this particular story and her talent as a writer and storyteller.

“But sometimes what we see is what we want to see, and not what’s really there. And that’s what gets us into trouble.” —Bellewether

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Many Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark, Susanna Kearsley and Netgalley for the opportunity.

Charlotte "Charlie" Van Hoek is the new curator at the Wilde family museum at Snug Cove, and stumbles upon a love story in the Wilde family that ends abruptly in tragedy. She's never been one to believe in ghosts, but rumor has it that one has been spotted wandering the property in despair. Gossip, or a heartbroken soul unable to be at peace after a tragic end?

Whatever the case may be, she thinks it could be a great story to research while she organizes the restoration of the Wildes' home. Along the way, she meets Sam, the contractor in charge with a soft heart and a sensitive soul. He's a quiet man, but strong and dependable. The kind of man that cares and looks out for you if you're in his small inner circle. Their friendship flourished gradually, and eventually bloomed into love. It was most definitely a slow burn, and very much in the background of the overall plot. The main focus was Charlie's investigation of the Wilde family, and her challenges with her own family.

Coming back to the town where her family originated from is painful for more reasons than one. The loss of her father and brother back to back, followed by assuming responsibility for her brother's daughter Rachel completely shook up her world. She's still trying to settle all the pieces back into some sort of order. Then there's the fact that the grandmother that she's never met lives in town. The grandmother who disowned her father after he became a Vietnam war draft dodger and split town.

There's a lot of buried bitterness and hurt, compounded by pieces of history that were hidden from her most of her life. Even if her grandmother were to reach out to her, would she even deserve her time after she turned her back on them and refused contact? Charlie deals with a lot of inner turmoil as she tries to be there for Rachel, prove herself at work, and make sense of her feelings for the man who is her rock through it all.

Bellewether is a ghost story at heart, but not quite in the way you anticipate when you pick it up. Throughout the entire book you're wondering if the ending you think you know will come to light, and hoping it isn't the more time you spend with Lydia and the rest of the Wildes. I loved that about it. The plot is chock full of pre-revolution history in finely researched detail, and wonderfully character driven. Admittedly, it took me a big chunk of the book until I was firmly sucked in and reading at a fast pace. Because of the depth of the family history that's being introduced, it takes a while to fully entrench yourself. But it's so worth it when you do, and I'm so happy that I pushed through the first half.

There are actually three alternating first person POVs, Jean-Phillipe and Lydia in the past, in addition to Charlie's in the present. One thing I really loved was the chapter transitions. As we moved from the past to the present, or vise versa, the two characters on different timelines would be experiencing or feeling similar things. Charlie would be at the cove enjoying the sun on her face and the breeze blowing through her hair. Contemplating a sailboat as it glided past her. Then we'd flip to Lydia who'd be watching the boats go by at sunrise worrying over her family. It kind of brought home the fact that even though we feel so separated from those who lived in other eras, we all share the same threads of humanity. Clothing, culture, and technology may change, but our internal struggle and basic human experiences are the common thread that continue to tie us together.

One really unique thing about the past storyline was the fact that Lydia and Jean-Pierre didn't speak the same language. At first it confused me because I wondered how in the world these two people who were on opposite sides of the war, with a language barrier between them on top of it would grow to care about each other. I admit, I was doubtful. But I ended up really loving that about these two, and I felt like it ended up being one of the most romantic and unique things about them.

Their feelings didn't grow purely out of each other's physical appearance. In fact, it took quite some time before Lydia could even see anything other than an Acadian French soldier who fought against her brother with their enemy. Getting inside both of their heads from the first person POV really helped us understand how they studied one another. How they discovered each other's quirks, strengths, weaknesses, and hearts through the long months of transition while he stayed in her home. Words aren't needed when actions can be quietly observed to reveal the true character of a person.

I personally was more drawn to the historical set of characters. Lydia's struggle to keep the peace between her brothers, and fill the space that her mother left when she passed away made me sympathize. There's a feeling that the entire family is on the cusp of some very drastic changes. That the peace they share in those moments is ephemeral, as if it's about to slip through their fingers never to return again. Of course there is some tension over Lydia's budding romance because we don't know how or if tragedy will strike.

The Wilde family was extremely well developed with a broad family tree that I would love to continue learning about. Lydia's brother Benjamin was a privateer and hero of the revolution, and we learned just enough of his life to leave me very curious and intrigued. I really hope there will be a full length story there for us in the future! The author's skill in drawing me into that time period with her vivid and lush writing compensated for the reading pace that lagged at times. And she more than made up for it in the chapters leading up to the resolution. I couldn't speed through them fast enough, as I was desperate to discover if there would be a HEA. I did feel as if the romance between Sam and Charley could have given me a little more to savor between them, but overall the originality and mystery of Bellewether won me over. This is only my second read by Susanna Kearsley, but it certainly won't be my last.

2.5 stars

Bellewether was ... just alright. I've loved Susanna Kearsly novels so I was going into it with high expectations & unfortunately it did not take me long to realize that this would not be my favorite Kearsley book. 

Bellewether is told from three perspectives. Charley is living in the present, working at the historical Wilde house turned museum & trying to piece together the true story of Lydia Wilde and Jean-Philippe de Sabran, whose forbidden love in 1759 was rumored to end tragically. At the same time, she is dealing with her own tragedies: the death of her brother, a struggling relationship & an emotional estrangement from her Grandmother.

But among Charley's story we are thrown into the past as Lydia & Jean-Philippe's histories unravel. It was here that the story began to lose me. After only a few chapters in 1759, I became bored with this story-line. I do not think that Kearsley did herself any favors by giving away so much of the novel in the very beginning. It was expected that there would be some sort of hidden truth revealed in the end, and certainly that did not disappoint, but it just was not enough to justify lagging through literally hundreds of pages where you knew exactly what was going to happen. 

And then (unfortunately again) about halfway through the novel, Charley's story also began to bore me. There was a love interest introduced early on that was so obvious I was counting pages waiting for her current relationship to end. And then Kearsley overdid it... One of my pet peeves in novels is when an author makes the "wrong" boyfriend/girlfriend so unbearably unlikable that it reflects badly on the main character for choosing someone so (obviously) awful. Even though we are thrown into the tail end of Charley's relationship with Tyler, we only ever see him as a jerk. He literally did nothing nice in the entire novel. Why was Charley with him to begin with? It make me think she was an idiot (which I hate to think about anyone).

One thing I really loved about Bellewether is how Kearsley created mirrors in the past and present. We were clearly living through the same seasons - if it was raining in one, so was it in the other. At one point, there was a dance in both story-lines.  I thought this mirroring was clever. I also loved the Wilde house ghost - who was probably the most interesting character in the entire novel. 

I'd like to say that the ending was amazing & it really made up for the slow start & mediocre middle, but that would be untrue. The ending just sort of happened, the reveal not surprising enough to really make a difference.

I like historical novels and if you are interested in the Seven Years War/French and Indian War, then you would appreciate the history. If not, I recommend skipping this one.

Bellewether is an excellent historical fiction. Susanna Kearsley weaves a colonial tale of the Wilde family alongside Charley Van Hoek's struggle to establish the Wilde Historical Museum. The two stories blend beautifully, growing from a place of misunderstandings and distrust in each story. Kearsley presents a wonderful picture of colonial life. She introduces the reader to realities of earlyAmerican life that seldom reach the history books.

Romances here are of the slow burn variety which actually worked well for me. Both are fairly obvious in how they will end but I enjoyed the telling looks, the mixture of courtly gestures in both time periods (gotta love a man who will rehang your door for you) and felt, despite the paucity of “yeah, this is exactly what I feel” words exchanged, their connections. What did annoy me is how someone as smart and perceptive as Charley wouldn’t see that her initial boyfriend is an ass (with literally no redeeming qualities) when every other frickin’ person does.

1759 was a time when a man’s word of honor meant something and we are shown that by several characters. I found the character notes at the end of the book fascinating as I didn’t realize one British Captain was a historical person skillfully woven into the story. The constant emotional and physical oppression of slavery as well as the more recent treatment of the Indigenous populations of Canada shade the narrative though Sam’s family’s abuse seemed more like a footnote chucked in to make a point. The villains of the story are more threatening than anything but in contrast to the other characters, I found them rather two dimensional.

This book did need a little time to take off for me. I ended up enjoying the romances though they are simmering rather than on the boil. The historical details are as usual well done however I was more ambivalent about the modern details of curating. Though I would have liked some more time spend on the resolution of the modern dysfunctional family relationships, still the writing captured me and drew me on. B

Fans of Susanna Kearsley have waited three years for Bellewether and I think the majority will find that this novel lives up to their hopes and expectations.

Charley Van Hoek doesn’t believe in ghosts, but she does believe in family. When her brother dies, Charley goes to Long Island’s Northshore to be near her niece and to take over the curatorship of the Wilde House Museum. The legacy of the building comes from Benjamin Wilde, a daring privateer and dashing hero of the revolution. Everyone seems most interested in him, but Charley finds herself fascinated by a different Wilde, Benjamin’s sister Lydia. The fable surrounding her has given rise to a saga of doomed romance; it is a love story built on honor and duty which ends with a tragic ghost.

In 1759 the Wilde clan is a knotted mess of familial threads. Eldest brother Reauben has no love for his youngest brother Zebulon and seems to delight in causing chaos in his life. Reauben’s latest volley in that arena is volunteering his brother to billet two captured French army officers, which is a problem, since that branch of the family has suffered at the hands of the French during the current war and has no desire for semi-permanent guests of that nationality. With no way to decline, Zebulon brings home his uninvited tenants.

Lydia, young and beautiful, has had the matriarchy of the family forced upon her by her mother’s death. She is struggling to keep the peace between her brothers Joseph and Benjamin and has no desire for the added burden of keeping peace between her brothers and the French officers. She is especially disturbed by French-Canadian lieutenant Jean-Philippe de Sabran. While not able to speak English, he communicates his lack of desire to be there and his deep wish to return to his men very clearly. He is also a vastly observant man – and that observation has Lydia being equally watchful of him. Which is literally all they do for eighty percent of the book: look at each other with varying degrees of interest, hostility or desire. The language barrier – Lydia speaks no French and Philippe no English – keeps them from exchanging more than a few words, most of which are banal pleasantries.

Our modern-day hero and heroine don’t fare much better. Charley was made curator of the museum against the wishes of one of the board members, and she has to fend off the hostility of that woman while establishing herself in the community and proving herself in the job. Fortunately, she has help with that. Sam, the contractor working on the reconstruction of various parts of Wilde House, is smitten with Charley from the first. He pretty much smooths things over for her as much as possible, from buying her practical gifts like a hard hat and boots, to fixing the wonky door in her home that never closes right. This couple also excels at longing looks and limited communication, keeping the bulk of their conversation centered on practical matters and not moving towards any kind of relationship beyond casual friendship until the story is almost over.

That novel revolves around three things. The first is life in pre-revolutionary America. The author does an excellent job of taking us through the day-to-day existence of middle-class people and giving us an interesting and informative glimpse at how The Seven Years War played out from a colonial perspective. Philippe, as a French Canadian, and the Wilde family as English colonists, hold divergent views on which land belongs to whom but they have a similar work ethic and lifestyle. Phillipe soon finds himself helping the family around the farm, in spite of the fact that it was against the rules for billeted officers to “aid the enemy” both because he likes the Wildes and to stave off boredom. I learned a lot I hadn’t known about this period of history from reading the book.

The second primary facet of the tale is the work of history itself. Charley, as a curator, has the job of pulling together the story of the Wilde family. While some details are known about the dashing revolutionary figure Benjamin Wilde, little is known about the rest of the clan. As Charley spends time tracking the facts, she begins to realize she is also tracking the truth. The author does a fantastic job of juxtaposing the two stories so that we see an event take place in Lydia’s world and then get to watch Charley discover the veracity of it for herself. It gives an interesting insight to the process of investigating the past.

The third aspect of the tale is family dynamics. The Wildes have a great many issues amongst themselves and Charley’s family in some ways mimics those dynamics. How women help the people around them balance hopes, hurts and expectations is what weaves the story together.

Which is fitting, since this is very much women’s fiction over romance. It’s not just that the love stories don’t start heating up till the last fifth of the book, it’s that the narrative doesn’t revolve around that love. Lydia and Phillipe have only a handful of encounters that could, if one were generous, be called romantic and in all but one other people are present. The same is true of Charley and Sam. The characters fall in love not by interacting but by observing traits they like in the other person. Phillipe sees Lydia’s love of her siblings and father, her care for those around her, the peace-making she does within her family/community and deeply admires it. Lydia sees his patience, honor, care for his men and hard work and admires that. In many ways it’s the same for Charley and Sam: he admires her integrity, her work ethic, and her love for her niece, and she admires his honorable nature, generosity, skilled workmanship and kindness. They display those traits towards others as well as each other. Passion, romance, intimate friendship, private jokes – those are all missing.

Two other threads weave in and out of the tale. The first is multi-culturalism. From the issue of slavery in American history, represented by the character of Violet, to the vibrant world Charley lives in which includes people of varying ethnicities and sexual orientation, the author paints her little corner of the world as inclusively as possible.

The second thread is a touch of the supernatural, represented by the ghost of Wilde house who proves to be an extremely helpful host to Charley.

Fans of historical books and dual timeline novels will thoroughly enjoy Bellewether. While the pacing here is slow and occasionally pedantic, the author’s smooth, lyrical prose and amazing ability to recreate life in another time and place make the moments spent within the pages a pleasure. I am happy to recommend this to fans of the author and to encourage anyone interested in a good tale to pick it up.

I received a complimentary ARC copy of Bellewether by Susanna Kearsley from NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark in order to read and give an honest review.

"...a slow unravelling, yet compelling story with unique, strong and resilient characters that truly make this a pleasure to read. "

Although not new to Susanna Kearsley’s work it has been a while since I’ve read her and I have to ask myself what was I waiting for.  Ms Kearsley is a master at weaving intricate, emotional and character-driven historical dramas that span centuries. She weaves a delicate tapestry rich with historical details that don’t feel like an info dump but is so carefully blended as to drive the story along.  

In Bellewether, we meet Charley a historian from Canada who returns to her ancestral home to care for her 19-year-old niece after the sudden death of her brother. She accepts a job as a curator of the Wilde House which is currently going through the restoration process. During the story, we are also introduced to two characters from the 1750’s on opposing sides of the seven-year war.  Jean Phillipe a captured soldier being held as a prisoner of war with his colleague at the Wilde family home and the daughter of the home Lydia who tragically loses her fiancé during the war are forced to live under the same roof. Lydia is at first disgusted that she must live under the same roof but with time they become less enemies and more just human beings trying to live.   The author also gives us insight into the main issues of the time time,  such as slavery, treatment of the Acadians and the general climate of the war are all used to build and shape a vivid description of life during the war.  

Charley is also facing a war during her time. An unhealthy relationship on the rocks, strained familial ties, battling bitter board members and mysterious events that make her wonder if she is losing her mind.  She also tries to get to the bottom of a tragic legend that surrounds the old Wilde House and the phantoms therein.  

Ms Kearsley gives us such a strong atmosphere, a touch of romance and a mystery that keeps the reader intrigued. Although this story isn’t a fast-paced thriller it’s a slow unravelling yet compelling story with unique, strong and resilient characters that truly make this a pleasure to read.  I would definitely recommend it and will be keeping Ms Kearsley’s books on my reading list!

It was okay, I think I just wasn't in the mood for the back and forth time shifts and involved story line.

Bellewether by Susanna Kearsley

2 stars

Charley has taken on the role as museum curator in a small town. The museum focuses on the Wilde family. The museum is well-known to the town for its ghost story about a young Wilde and her French-Canadian lover who was shot. This story melds the two narratives together and uncovers that many stories are fabrications and the truth isn’t always easy to explain. This novel was boring. I am honestly so disappointed. I’ve been wanting to read a Susanna Kearsley novel for years and I think starting with her most recent release was a big mistake, especially since reviews from fans are not saying this is a hit. My biggest problem with this novel is that there isn’t a problem to be solved. It’s supposed to be a mystery, but nothing about what Charley is doing in her timeline offers lend to this narrative and the story between Lydia and Jean-Philippe is kind of boring. There’s nothing wrong with Kearsley’s writing style. It has some nice lines, but nothing about this story gripped me. I can’t tell you what the point of this novel is because nothing really happens. I’m incredibly disappointed.


Whimsical Writing Scale: 2

Charley has an interesting job and I’ve never read about a museum curator before so that was interesting. She isn’t an interesting character to follow and I don’t know who she is as a person. In fact, I don’t really want to because I was intrigued enough by her to want more answers. She was lackluster. Her problems were uneventful and stereotypical and the chapters she was in didn’t revolve around her but the museum and them trying to get items for the museum. Lydia is kind of interesting. Her chapters were probably the best thing about this novel and that’s not saying much considering how uninteresting even her chapters were. I guess I liked her. I didn’t really buy into any of the troubles she was having or the supposed issues because Kearsley didn’t do a good job of presenting background to this heroine. She was just kind of there to be the focal point of a past love story.


Kick-Butt Heroine Scale: Charley-2 Lydia- 2

Jean-Philippe is also interesting, but still just a cardboard cutout to show, “Hey, this is the guy that people think is a ghost roaming around with a lantern.” In theory, I love this concept, but I’m not a fan of Kearsley’s execution of it. He wasn’t a bad guy and I liked that he could only speak French and Lydia couldn’t. It made it hard for them to communicate, but Lord, was I bored. Charley also has to have a love interest. Sam’s a nice. I liked him a lot. He’s funny and he has a dog. That’s about it.


Swoon Worthy Scale: Jean-Philippe-2 Sam-2

There are a lot of characters in this novel and I don’t have any favorites. Not one of the twenty-plus characters I came across gripped me enough to remember them. In fact, I finished this today and I’m struggling to remember side characters names. I did like Charley’s dynamic with her niece, Rachel, and Malika was funny. That old guy (was his name Frank?) was a great storyteller and he was sassy. Charley’s boyfriend was a douchenozzle and I don’t know why she bothered to continue a long-distance relationship with him because it was obvious that she cared about him as much as she cares about her cellphone (which isn’t much because she left that thing at home at least five times). I liked Violet, the slave’s story, a lot and how it played out. I was a little disappointed that she didn’t have more page time because I loved her story.


Character Scale: 2

Overall, I think I’m going to give Kearsely another shot, but I don’t recommend checking this one out. She has a huge backlist and I’m definitely going to look into her more popular titles. This one just missed the mark for me and was a total snooze-fest. Oh, well. You win some, you lose some. This was definitely a loss.


Plotastic Scale: 2

Cover Thoughts: I love this cover so much. It looks so beautiful and it has a magical realism feel to it. I wish this novel had carried that same whimsy because this is beautiful.

Thank you, Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark, for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest.

This book has a bit of a ghost story, and usually I don’t go for that type of book. But here it was unobtrusive to the overall story line that I forgave it and went on. It’s not that the ghost aspect goes away, but it isn’t the main focus. Instead we have a story of family.

This historical novel is told from alternating three view points. Two are from the past and one is modern times, with the main focus being a house of the Wildes family. In modern time the house is being turned into a museum, one of the family members in the past, Benjamin Wilde, become famous for his exploits, which happen outside the frame of this book.

During the other two viewpoints, it’s the mid-1700’s during the seven year’s war, between England and France that draws in the colonists who still consider themselves British. The Wildes home is on Long Island New York near Snug Cove and are brought two captured French officers billeted there until their release by exchange. One of the officers Jean-Philippe de Sabran is one of the main viewpoints, and the other is Lydia Wilde. She is taking care of the household now that her mother recently passed away. Lydia is also trying to keep the peace between her two remaining brothers at home, Joseph Wilde who came back home after time in the war in Canada. He hasn’t been the same since he saw his best friend, and Lydia’s fiance killed in action. Benjamin Wilde is the youngest of four boy, while the other two are making their living, and he is itching for some adventure, something instead of staying home and helping on the family farm.

This alternating view points was a good way to tell this story. During current time we have this mystery, trying to uncover what happened in the past. They see clues and have a legend that’s been passed down through time. Then we see the other two people and the real story unfolding of what happened in their time. There aren’t too many surprises in the book overall, but my attention was captured.

I enjoyed my time with the book, and felt like I learned a little about how one goes about preparing an older house to becoming a museum with acquiring the past objects there once were in use with the original occupants. The book felt very well researched and true to life. The end notes explain the author’s interest in the topic and how her own family history lead her to write this novel.

Bellewether tells the story of two women living in different times. Lydia Wilde lives with her family during the war in the colonies between the French and the English. During that time if a battle was lost and soldiers surrendered, they would be billeted in homes until they were exchanged for their own soldiers that were being held. Lydia, her father and two brothers “hosted” two French Lieutenants. Charley is in present time and has been hired as historian and curator of the house Lydia lived in with her family. that will soon be a museum. As Charley unearths historical facts about the family that lived in that house, Lydia’s story is told. When Charley hears about a forbidden love story between Lydia and one of the French Lietenants, she wants to make their story part of the museum.

I loved the back and forth between Charley revealing a new item and Lydia’s history playing out. It was so easy to fall in love with both of these women and watch them live through very similar emotions. Susanna Kearsley writes as a historian. You read the descriptions of the clothing they are wearing and can fell the weave of the cloth running through your own fingers. She has a real talent. Both heroines had stories unfold in a very loving and gentle manner, dealing with grief in different ways. Charley’s story was more humorous as she is helped along by a spirit and Lydia’s a little more stoic as being the only female managing a family of men. What they had in common was heart, each defined by their own circumstances but at their core very similar.

I love the flow of a Susanna Kearsley novel. They’re not something you speed through, but savor slowly. The language unfolds and every sideways look has a meaning. She has a deft hand with description and doesn’t get bogged down with the details in a sewing basket. You are able to enjoy the story without needing to skim through pages. I was enmeshed in the story and actually wanted a few more chapters of Lydia’s story to end the book. That is the sign of a good book! ❤️❤️❤️❤️