Hannah and her son travel to England, to an old mansion lived in by an ill family member. Soon after they arrive, Nicky discovers hidden passages and skeletal remains. Hannah's life is already in upheaval. She has not been able to work, choosing instead to care for her child and husband. Her husband stuns her with betrayal. Escaping from her own life, she puts all her resources into the mystery that Nicky has uncovered. This book progresses slowly without major events to keep it lively and interesting. The secret passages along with a part of the house that hadn't been discovered was a little disbelieving to me. The words flow easily. It is a good book though not great and am able to rate it 3 stars in an honest appraisal which I give freely in exchange for the ARC from NetGalley and the publisher.

This is my first time reading this author’s work. The book description caught my interest. I found the story to be very slow paced and very descriptive often to the point of being tedious. The research and historical aspects of the story were what I found most intriguing. Hannah was not a very likable or interesting character nor was her husband. Other characters were introduced and then simply disappeared from the story. The story of Isabella was really enjoyable.

Very unique plot. It is apparent that the author had done considerable research and the ending had considerable detail woven in. A dark manor with a sorted past was slightly out of my realm of enjoyable reading but I have to say that this may have changed my reading genre for the better. Loved this writing and do so.look forward to more.

Ashton Hall by Lauren Belfer
Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. The book will be published on June 7th, 2022.

Writing: 4/5 Characters: 5/5 Plot: 5/5

A fabulous book full of all the literary things that I love.

Hannah Larson and her neurodiverse son, Nicky, move to a historic manor house outside of Cambridge to care for a beloved, elderly relative. Hannah uses the opportunity to take up her abandoned dissertation while simultaneously escaping a recent and devastating betrayal. While there, Nicky, through his “oddities” discovers a skeleton (dated ~late 1850s) in a bricked up room.

It’s a rich, multi-layered novel delving into both the mystery of the female skeleton, the historical context of her life, and the historical research process by which Hannah uncovers the story. In the current day story, Hannah faces a pretty major problem in her marriage and some real difficulties in raising her son who appears to be on the autism spectrum though is never officially labeled as such. He is finding a place — and friends and interests — in the new world he inhabits while continuing to have “incidents” that she is not able to control. In the past, our skeleton inhabits a world rife with religious conflict, plague, and famine. A strong theme running through both time frames is the choices women have made and the options they were given over the centuries. Interesting parallels and the author never slips into anti-man territory (thank you — so sick of that).

The author does a brilliant job at bringing to life both the world of 1800s for our bricked in skeleton and the current world of an American on leave from her “real” life in a place that opens her eyes to new possibilities. While each of these “worlds” is a context, it is a context experienced by individuals with different wants, desires, personalities, and situations. I love a book filled with individuals who not only don’t fall into the stereotypes of their culture, but actively question their decisions and roles!

Great for fans of Julia Kelly and Carol Goodman.

Hannah Larson has dropped her art history schooling to take care of Nicky, her emotionally challenged son. He has been evaluated for autism, adhd, oppositional defiant hyperactivity and neurodiversity, with no therapy really working. The majority of her time goes to Nicky, but she has a part-time online job finding art images for manufactured goods. Then Hannah gets a call from her honorary uncle who is dying to come stay with him and his caretaker at Ashton Hall. The house dates from the early 1600's and some architecture earlier, with a fine library and gardens, etc., open to the public. Just before leaving New York, she discovers her husband has been seeing someone else, which adds to her pain. Nicky likes exploring Ashton Hall and finds a secret room containing a skeleton, along with various ledgers and a few other objects. Was she an anchoress of sorts in 16th century England when being a Protestant or Catholic was a death sentence depending on who was on the throne? Was she walled in by choice? It is through the parish ledgers and family items in the room that the skeleton is eventually identified as Isabella Cresham. It is through these items that a local archaeologist, the librarian on the estate, and Hannah learn her story and it is the most interesting of the two. There are all kinds of secrets in the story and the fact that Hannah does not tell the young woman, Alice, the estate keepers' granddaughter who take care of Nicky, that he has fits of rage is an unforgiveable action on her part for me as a reader. Nicky and Isabelle are compelling characters as is the art history and history, but Hannah I could not warm up to. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Hannah Larson and her young son, Nicky are living in New York City when a close relative from England, Christopher, unexpectedly falls ill. Hannah and Nicky quickly travel to Ashton Hall, the historic home where Christopher lives. As Nicky is exploring his new temporary home, he finds the skeletal remains of a woman who was hidden in the walls of the manor. When they find out that the remains is actually centuries old, Hannah starts some home detective work to try to figure out who she was, and what happened to her. Along the way, much of the rich history of the manor is uncovered!

What a great spin on a Historical Fiction book! I really enjoyed this one, it had the most unique plot. Lauren Belfer is an amazing writer and her extensive research preparing for this book is apparent on every page. The basic premise of an old creepy manor with a sorted past was a winner for me! I will be looking forward to Laren Belfer’s next book!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the eARC. I found this work absolutely captivating. The mystery wasn’t what I was expecting from a “mystery”. It was there but intertwined with the character’s lives and challenges. The main characters were emotionally complicated but I would have appreciated some more details or exposition in the later half of the book on Hannah’s decision and her relationship with other characters. It felt like a few characters were dropped in then ignored. Overall great book that I would recommend to those who are interested in old homes, and characters facing emotional struggles.

Hannah and her emotionally challenged son travel to England to help care for one of Lauren’s infirm family members. Ashton Hall is a grand and ancient estate filled with a number of eccentric characters and Hannah hopes to get some distance from her troubled marriage. Almost immediately, her son, Nicky uncovers a hidden room with the skeleton of a woman who is later determined to have died during Elizabethan times. Getting caught up in the mystery of who this woman was and why she was entombed in the house prove a distraction from the disaster Hanna’s marriage becomes when she discovers her husband’s secrets. I really wanted to like this book, but between Hannah’s selfish, clueless husband and her deeply disturbed son, I just couldn’t. Hannah seems to suppress everything for others, and I didn’t care for the way her son’s horrific behavior was handled.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Ashton Hall.

I've never read a book by this author before but Ashton Hall was a good introduction to her work.

I enjoyed the tale of Hannah Larson and her neurodiverse son, Nicky, who discovers a skeleton in the old-timey fun-timey mansion they are staying at with her uncle in the UK.

This is a slow burn of a story, focused on character development with intriguing historical context about the roles women played in the 16th century.

I liked learning about anchoresses, and though the hostility between Catholics and Protestants is not unknown to me, I liked how the novel focuses on Isabella Cresham as a devout Catholic and her choice to serve God.

My favorite characters were Duncan (no surprise there!), Martha and Christopher.

I didn't dislike Hannah, but I didn't like her very much.

I found her behavior oddly naive for an educated woman raised by an unconventional mother.

Hannah didn't believe Isabella would choose a life of an anchoress, I get it, she's not a religious person, but for an educated person, she seemed uneducated about the few roles women had other than wife and mother in the past.

I found this ironic since Hannah was married to a man she depended on for financial security.

I enjoyed the brief chapter at the end about Isabella's fate and it was a not surprising twist to Isabella's story.

The writing was great; the tone was comfortable and flowed easily.

I'll check out the author's earlier books.

I love gothic mysteries like this book. One of my favorite genres and the author did not disappoint. The book starts off with a skeleton in a closet and the story that the authors weaves is a spellbinding one full of mystery and intrigue.. This is my first book by this author but it won't be my last.

Ashton Hall was a good, quick, slow burn of a story.
An easy to read thriller that has sufficient suspense to keep the reader interested.
This storyline was very interesting, it flowed quiet nicely.
My first time reading Lauren Belfer and honestly her writing held my attention.
Like I said the book is a slow burn but nonetheless a interesting read.
A well written book with good characters that had me scanning this story quickly to finish.

Ballantine Books,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
I will post my review to B&N, platforms, blog and Waterstone close to pub date!

I was intrigued by the description of this book and it started off strong with a mystery of a skeleton in a gothic house. I liked the mystery aspect, but there were some underlying themes I didn’t care for. Overall, it was just okay.

This book was sent to me electronically for review by Netgalley. The characters are likable...the main character is an intriguing young woman with a child...discovering mysteries...trying to determine the outcome...this author is talented and weaves a story that is mysterious and leaves one pondering what will happen next. I am looking forward to the next book by this author...That being said, at times, the story moves a little slowly, but eventually, it picks up and moves on...

Meh. Slow and a tad boring despite some interesting and good plot points. Did not finish.

P.S. Thanks for to #NetGalley for the ARC.

I have never read this author before but the description intrigued me. A great read for a snowy cold day. A young woman and son return to England to care for her uncle in his last years. There she meets an assortment of characters (all interesting and well developed) who will help her decide what family means and where her life will go. I particularly liked the character of her son, a vital part to the storyline . I plan to go back and read this author's other books. I will recommend to my friends and to my library.

Ashton Hall by Lauren Belfer is a fascinating fiction full of mystery, suspense, history, and kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end.

This is the first I have read from this author and it won’t be the last.

I really enjoyed the dark, mysterious, cold, Gothic feel of the novel…as if someone was following me. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up a time or two.

I liked how the author played out the mystery and kept me guessing and in suspense. She balanced this eerie, Gothic aspect with the more realistic modern family and relationship troubles.

I enjoyed the pacing, plot, and how it all was slowly laid out and presented to the reader as the story developed and went on. I can’t say too much without spoiling the twists and surprises for others, but I really liked how it all finished and her attention to detail in regards to the location and historical aspects were excellent.

I will definitely read another book by Ms. Belfer in the future.

4/5 stars

Thank you NG and Random House/Ballentine for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 6/7/22.