This was not at all what I expected. The book is described as historical fiction, mystery/thriller with brooding gothic atmosphere and a skeleton walled up in a secret room of an old manor house. Sounds exciting? Well, it wasn’t. It is basically just a decent, well written, slow going story. Takes place in modern times where a woman is dealing with a difficult young son who has violent emotional outbursts, an unfaithful husband, and a dying relative. There is a mild historical mystery regarding the skeleton but definitely nothing thrilling. It’s more of an emotional story dealing with women’s restraints in life. Not a bad book but I feel the promo set me up for disappointment.

Thank you Random House Publishing/Ballantine Books for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The book starts in present day with Hannah and her son Nicky going to Ashton Hall for the summer to care for her Uncle Nicky. Nicky quickly discovers the remains of a skeleton in an unknown walled in section of the house. Hannah becomes involved in trying to discover the identity of who this person is and how she came to be locked and hidden in this room.
The book then splits into 2 separate stories. Hannah who is dealing with personal and family troubles while trying to decipher all the documents, books and drawings found in the room and piecing them together to give the skeleton an identity.
It was when the story shifted back in time to the life of the mystery skeleton or Isabella that I would at times get lost. A little too much English History that had me drifting a bit. However, just when I would start to drift Beffer would shift perspective back to Hannah and the parallels between her life and Isabella’s and I would be drawn in again. Kudos to Belfer for making transitions seamless.
Initially I was leaning towards a 3 1/2 star review but went with 4 because well that ending I did not expect. I also really enjoyed reading the author’s notes at the end.

This was the 1st book I have read by Lauren Belfer and I will definitely read more. I would say this book was worth the read.
#ashtonhall #netgallet

This is a beautifully written novel provoking thought on the role of women in society for the last 500+ years. It is very well researched and quite fun to follow along as the modern day protagonist hunts for clues to the life and identity of an ancient corpse found in an old British castle. The author does a fabulous job with setting making the story really come alive for the reader.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books/Random House for the ARC to read and review.

So many people were talking about "Ashton Hall" being released, that I had to read it! I thought I was going to be reading a mystery, but it was so much more! First things first, this book exudes atmosphere. I felt like I was transported to the UK, and living in an ancient manor in Cambridge. It was a haunting experience at times, and I loved every minute of it.

"Ashton Hall" is about an American mother, Hannah, and her son, Nicky, who go to the UK for the summer to care for her terminally ill adoptive uncle. Hannah has recently found out her husband has broken their marital vows and is confronted with the harsh reality that her future may look much different than she expected. While at Ashton Hall, Nicky sets off to explore the castle and finds the remains of Isabella Creshan, who passed away during the Tudor era.

The mystery of this book centers around what happened to Isabella. Told through a historian's point of view, I learned so much about the period, and it left me wanting to do my own research about the Catholics, Protestants and anchoresses of the time. I also loved how the author mentioned the obstacles women faced in the 1500's, and brilliantly tied them to present day with the reminder that the past is never that far behind.

While this novel is a slow build, it is so interesting and held my interest for all 400+ pages. I highly recommend it. Thank you to Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book fell a little flat for me.

Hannah's marriage is in crisis, so her trip to England to care for an ill friend couldn't come at a better time. She brings her autistic son Nicky, who's prone to both obsessive behavior and occasional violent episodes. But when Nicky discovers a skeleton dating back centuries in the castle - now turned into apartments - that they're living in, Hannah's thrust back into the world of historical research she abandoned years ago.

However, the introduction of the skeleton didn't provide enough drama. While the characters stumble across tiny clues to the historical mystery, this book doesn't have much action. In the end, it felt like the author was so enamored with describing how historical research is conducted that she lost track of the plot in the middle.

This book had great themes - the way the characters accept and love Nicky, the way Hannah seizes her independence and the way women have been pushed aside over the years. Hannah is prone to flights of fancy where she imagines both what the skeleton woman's life was like when she was alive and what her life could have been if she had kept her career. She also meets an alternate love interest, making it interestingly awkward when her estranged husband comes to visit.

This book did make me want to live in an apartment in a castle.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Although I had hoped for more of a mystery than was presented, this book still gives the reader some interesting points of view and perspectives. The pace is slow and thoughtful. Throughout the story, difficult subject matter is carefully and tastefully delivered. There's betrayal, the challenges of raising children struggling with neurodiversity, family secrets and religious persecution, just to name a few.

After the difficult discovery of her husband's long-held secret, Hannah Larson, accompanied by her challenging son, Nicky, departs her home in New York City to spend a summer's visit in Cambridge with her adoptive uncle in his Ashton Hall apartment. The uncle encourages Hannah to reignite her pursuit of her History PhD thesis, which was halted with the birth of her son. The Uncle departs shortly thereafter for medical treatment back stateside leaving Hannah and Nicky with the full run of his section of the manor. Early one morning, Nicky drags his mom to a forgotten Tudor section of the manor to share his amazing discovery with her - a skeleton in repose. Who is this woman? When did she expire? Why was she trapped in the room? So many questions left unanswered. What will it take to unravel the mystery? The discovery soon moves from a police investigation to an archeological case study.

Author Lauren Belfer has obviously done her research into the travails of Tudor England Roman Catholicism. Hunted priests were hiding in manor house priest holes; private mass services were held quietly in homes; and neighbors were spying on neighbors. She slowly and deftly delivers the details of this fictional Tudor woman's history through Hannah's passion for research and eagerness to assist in cataloguing the manor's historic records. Meanwhile, there is Hannah's dealing with her child who has sudden angry and physical outbursts which are becoming increasingly so.

This book was interesting in its presentation of the ways of women through history. As much as times change, so much stays the same. Women are presumed the caregivers who place their professional development on hold as needed and men may do as they please without consideration. The Tudor period historical research infused into the story was fascinating. The discussion of childhood neurodiversity was a creative foil in the story's delivery. All in all, this was an informative and thoughtful book.

I am grateful to Ballantine Books for having provided a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.

Hannah Larson and her son, Nicky stand outside the gates and take in the breathtaking view of Ashton Hall. In so many ways it resembles the glorious house in the TV show Downton Abbey. Hannah can’t believe her good fortune that she will be living here this Summer. The offer from her uncle came at an opportune time. Hannah and her husband have been having problems and she hopes some distance might give her perspective.
Her uncle, Christopher, has cancer. Hannah notices he is but a shadow of his former self and it makes her sad. He also neglected to tell her that he would not be staying at the house with her and Nicky. She is not sure likes this but there are plenty of other people around. It’s not long before she discovers that her son Nicky has been sneaking off and exploring the lesser known parts of the huge house. In fact, he derives great enjoyment from shocking her with his latest discovery – a skeleton found in a walled-up room with a small opening low on the wall only big enough to pass food or books. Who is she and who put her there?

I hadn’t read Lauren Belfer before but I found this book rich in history and with a plausible mystery at its heart. Hannah is a complex character looking to find out what she wants from life. She set her career aside when Nicky was born. He is autistic and he often has sudden explosive, inappropriate outbursts – sometimes physical but more often with foul language. It is quite shocking and it makes educating him a problem. Her husband, she recently discovered has a wondering eye. It seems as if she has been keeping this family together by sheer will but she is beginning to question whether that is what she wants. The mystery of the poor soul walled into that room makes for fascinating reading as the archeologist and his students get to work on discovering what they can about her with Hannah’s help. Anyone who likes reading about the Victorian era and searching to solve a mystery from that time will enjoy this book.

Robyn Heil, Buyer for Brodart Co

As a fan of mysteries, old English manor houses, secret rooms and the Tudor time period, I thouroughly enjoyed this book!

Hannah Larson and her son, Nicky, travel to England to stay at Ashton Hall for the summer while caring for an elderly uncle. Soon after arriving, Nicky finds an unexplored part of the manor that has been closed off for hundreds of years. In this section, there is a room that has been mostly bricked off, but inside he is able to see a skeleton. This begins the search for the identity of the skeleton and how it got there.

I really enjoyed learning about the research that took place using the manor's own library to piece together the life of the woman whose skeleton was found in the bricked up room. Hannah with the help of researchers bring to life her world and that of those who lived in the manor during the Tudor period, and eventually unravel the reason that she was left to die in the sealed room. At the same time, we learn of the struggles that Hannah is having in her marriage and how the connection she feels to the woman helps her find the strength to make some tough decisions.

This was a great read and I will be looking to see what's next from Laren Belfer!

This book was a DNF for me. It was advertised as a historical fiction and mystery/thriller. It caught my attention from the beginning with Nicky finding the skeleton and we start learning about her and the era the she lives in, but it slowly fades into the background. I think this would have a better reception if it was advertised more of a contemporary fiction with the mystery as the background. If you're into contemporary fiction, I think this would be a great book. It follows Nicky and his mother as they navigate a sometimes rough life. We see Nicky struggle with the world around him and Hannah's struggles as his parent. I had some personal objections to the way Hannah received her husband's news and her behave towards the professor. It all came off very hypocritical, but as I never finished the book I don't know how this played out in the end. Not to repeat myself, but if you're into contemporary fiction, I would definitely recommend. As a historical fiction/mystery, it just didn't do it for me. I suppose the story swung around to be more historical in the end, but I just didn't care enough to stick around and find out.

Name of Book: Ashton Hall
Author: Lauren Belfer
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group ~ Ballantine
Genre: Mystery Thriller/ Historical Fiction
Pub Date: June 7, 2022
My Rating: 3.5 rounded up!

The description of a skeleton found in Ashton Hall ~ a historic gothic manor house outside Cambridge, England got my attention. I love mysteries and am okay with dark and creepy.

Hannah Larson and her nine year old son, Nicky, have traveled to Cambridge to live with ailing Uncle Christopher St. John Eckersley at Ashton Hall for the summer. Young Nicky is very curious and in his explorations finds the skeletal remains of a woman in a wall in what seems to be a hidden room. Since the identity of the women is a mystery the Detective Chief Inspector and the local university’s archaeological department run further tests and believe she died between 1545 and 1610.
Hannah has studied art history and wants to find out more about the woman’s past identity. She begins to recreate the Ashton Hall of the Elizabethan era working from old ledgers showing what the woman’s household must have looked like.
It is discovered that the woman was Isabella Cresham and the ledgers reveal more secrets.

At first my reaction was that this novel was disappointing as it wasn’t what I was expecting; however, the more I read the more interesting it got.

The information at the end of the book is a story in itself. The ‘Author’s Notes’ are so informative. Author, Lauren Belfer did a lot of research. In fact, there are pages of reference books and materials listed.
She states that the plot of her story unravels a secret from the past but she wanted to set the novel in the present to show readers how historians gather information about the past.

Want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group ~ Ballantine for this uncorrected eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for my honest comments.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for June 7, 2022.

In Ashton Hall Hannah has traveled to England with her son to take care of her sick Uncle. Her son finds a skeleton hidden away in an unknown part of the estate. Hannah works to figure out who the woman was and why she was there. Along the way, Hannah also learns much about herself and her son and struggles to determine the best way forward for them.

What worked for me:
- an interest and thought provoking plotline, combining a look into woman's lives in the 16th century and the challenges of today
- the setting - a historical estate in England and many detailed descriptions of the area
- I loved Hannah's Uncle Christopher! What a charming gentleman! I also enjoyed his relationship with both Hannah and her son.
- an intriguing look at the lives of some women during the 16th Century
- loved the way the characters used ledgers,, library records and the dead woman's drawings to deduce much about her life a d the lives of her family

What didn't work for me:
- almost too many details
- slow moving and meandering at times
- the label of thriller is misleading

Thank you NetGalley for letting me review this book.
Hannah Larson and her son Nicky are asked by a relative to visit Ashton Hall ( historic Manor) for the summer outside of Cambridge England. While exploring the Manor, her son Nicky discovers Skeleton remains of a young woman named Isabella Cresham who died between 1545-1610. Hannah with the help of her friend Matthew and other members working at the Manor set out to find out who was Isabella and how she died.
The historical part of the book is very well written especially about the Religious Persecution during the Elizabethan era.. Definitely read the author's notes in the end of the book.I just reviewed Ashton Hall by Lauren Belfer. #AshtonHall #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL

very disappointing. Earlier books by Belfer were far more engaging. These characters are less well developed and the historical context is less fully drawn.

This book was very interesting .. would be a great choice for people interested or sensitive to children with emotional disabilities. Shows a great mystery in a castle.

I loved this story! It started a little slow but quickly picked up and I couldn't put it down. Ms. Belfer paints pictures with her words. You can see Cambridge and Ashton Hall. We have a ringside seat to a wonderful mystery set in Tudor times. The tells us about things I never new existed or just completely ignored how they provide a window into the past.

This book is full of ambiance which made it really fun! We visit Ashton Hall, an old manor house that is now split up into different apartments with a house manager. This allows this large and historic "home" to remain open and enjoyed.

Two Americans, Hannah and her son Nicky visit Ashton Hall and a family member for the summer. Soon after arriving Nicky explores deep into the house. Upon doing so, he finds skeletal remains--the story then splits into two stories. Of the ancient bones and how they got there, and also the current life of Nicky and Hannah.

I definitely preferred the older story of Ashton Hall and the mystery of unraveling the story of the bones. I almost felt like I was the explorer and researcher into the past!

I did not care for the current story line for a couple of reasons. I did not care for the relationships and how they were handled. It seemed unnecessary and even a bit preachy to me. I also didn't care for how Nicky's problems were addressed and handled. I hate to say more without spoilers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the e-copy in return for my honest review.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Ashton Hall is full of potential, but I don’t know if I ever felt it was realized. The issue is that it promises too much, and was at least somewhat mismarketed. It’s not historical enough for the historical fiction lover in me, although history does make up a good part of the story, and does have creepy atmospheric vibes, but I don’t know if I’d call it a conventional “mystery.” As such, it’s so easy for the reader to go in with the wrong expectations.
I did like the history that was conveyed, although it is largely secondhand through the contemporary characters’ research. And the way it discusses the role of women, both in secular and religious cultural contexts, and compares it to the issues women face today is pretty well done, and I ultimately feel like Hannah, with all she's been through, is the right person to bring to light Isabelle’s story.
And the atmosphere is super well done, and I love how the environs of Ashton Hall feel so real. And to find out at the end that it was inspired by Blickling Hall, where Anne Boleyn, a real-life tragic woman of the Tudor period, spent her early years, adds a layer of authenticity to the narrative.
But I had mixed feelings about Hannah’s narrative overall. As alluded to prior, there are some parallels, like Hannah being in a marriage falling apart, and depending on her husband for financial security, but being hurt by his infidelity and secrets. I love mess, so I did enjoy reading about the soapy elements of her life. But I can’t say I was as endeared to her as I was to Isabelle, even with my small glimpses of her. She just lacks any real spine, because of how she’s backed into a corner. The only consolation is that the husband is worse in his manipulation of her.
I also had mixed feelings about the son, Nicky. He’s depicted as neurodiverse, and that feels like a mixed bag for me. He contributes to the “research” part of the storyline in a positive way, but I also feel like he is often treated by both his parents as “difficult,” with emphasis on his challenges. It’s something we often see with the portrayal of neurodivergent people, especially from an outside perspective. And while this may have been a safe perspective to take, as based on the author’s note, Belfer herself is likely neurotypical, it still comes off as disingenuous to say that he’s the “real star” of the book.
While this book was a disappointment for the most part, there are some redeeming features. However, I’d caution people to go in aware that this isn’t straight historical or mystery, but a contemporary with vibes of both. If you go in with that mindset, I think you’ll enjoy this a bit more than I did.

Hannah Larson and her son Nicky spend the summer at Ashton Hall, an English manor home. One day, Nicky discovers a skeleton, which launches an archeological exploration.
Meanwhile, Hannah discovers that her husband is bisexual but denies her the same freedom of an open marriage. And their son Nicky struggles with violent outbursts that threaten himself and his mother. Also, her adopted uncle and the reason for her move to England is dying. Will she be able to manage all the drama and discover the identity of the woman who died centuries ago in the manor?
I enjoyed reading about the research and library. The insights into English culture and life also fascinated me - how we can speak the same language but act differently.
I could have done without the bisexual part and the emotional abuse. Hannah's husband is emotionally abusive, which is triggering. And Nicky has serious issues and commits physical abuse - I am glad the author chooses to display neurotypical children with compassion, but several scenes could be troubling to parents.
At the heart of this novel lie two strong women. It takes them each time to find their strength, but they both become positive role models in the end.

This book’s biggest problem is that it’s being mismarketed, frankly; it’s pitched as an atmospheric gothic mystery and historical fiction, and compared to Rebecca and Jane Eyre, but aside from the significance of a big old English house, there’s nothing similar between them. (It also doesn’t become historical fiction just because the contemporary characters are investigating something historical.) The best thing to be said about Ashton Hall is it seems well-researched, but research alone is a poor substitute for plot, character development, action, interest, story… (Not even touching the infidelity plotline or the parenting a neuroatypical child aspect, which I thought were messily handled.)

I didn’t care for this book at all, though a reader intentionally seeking out a slow-moving dip into Tudor and religious history in a fictional presentation, or a rather depressing family drama, might enjoy it more. But an intriguingly spooky gothic mystery it ain’t.

Thank you Ballantine Books for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Hannah Larson and 9 year old Nick are spending time at Ashton Hall, one of England's historic homes, to help her uncle Christopher in his final illness.. When Nick, who registers on the autistic spectrum, uncovers a skeleton behind a brick wall while exploring. life gets interesting. When it is discovered that the remains are centuries old Hannah utilizes her training in historical art research to determine the woman's identity and background. Was she an anchoress or just a recluse? This well researched novel provides insight into life and issues of early Britain which this history buff savored. It made me reflect that modern women face many of the same challenges and choices that the early residents of Ashton Hall did.. The contemporary story line of Hannah and her struggle with the choice of the needs of her son and family over her personal fulfillment blended with the historical elements. The atmospheric prose made Ashton Hall come to life in my imagination and the well rounded individual characters held my interest. This multilayered novel was a slow burning yet evocative read. I had not read this author before but glad I discovered her..