House of Shadows

Nicola Cornick's new book "House of Shadows" will have you captivated from the very beginning. There are struggles, romance, royalty and danger all of which synchronize to make an intriguing historical fiction.

Elizabeth Stuart, Queen of Bohemia (Winter Queen) is depicted as devoted to her husband and maintains her royal influence and poise throughout the novel. Elizabeth's character is hard to relate to because of her royal status and as a reader we do not get to hear her opinion as much as we do the other two female protagonists. Lavinia however offers a dichotomy between royalty and a commoner.

Lavinia live a life far from the safety of the royal court. Lavinia's life is dependent upon her protectors and through her diary we get a glimpse into her emotions and frustrations.

Holly, the third female protagonist of this story, plays detective in the present day. Holly's character connects the history of Ashdown House in Oxfordshire for us and she is also just as complex and insightful as the other two heroines. Her brother Ben has gone missing and everyone around her seems to be downplaying his disappearance. Ben's disappearance leaves Holly feeling uneasy, she suspects something terrible has happened to him but she can't explain why and she also can't seem to interpret the sudden visions she has been having.

Cornick captures the spirit of a time slip narrative. At times "House of Shadows" can be deeply interesting from a historical perspective and at other times it is a page-turner you won't want to put down until you have solved the mystery! I would highly recommend reading this whether you are a lover of the historical fiction genre or just looking for a great read!

I would also like to thank NetGalley and the Publisher Graydon House for receiving a copy of this book to read and review.

The House of Shadows is a story connecting 3 women from 3 completely different times through an antique mirror. The Winter Queen in 1662, Lavinia in the 19th century and Holly in the present day all have something in common and Holly seeks to find what it is in order to try to find her brother Ben who disappeared doing exactly that. She seeks to find the truth at Ashdown House in Oxfordshire that was passed down through her family and finds the diary of Lavinia that she hopes will help shed some light on what strange happenings have caused her brother to disappear.
Nicola Cornick has written a compelling story and brought such realism and detail to every character and time period we visit throughout the book. The House of Shadows is a wonderfully written historical fiction novel weaving three very different women into one story in the most seamless and page turning way. No wonder this woman is an international best seller!

When brother Ben goes missing, Holly uncovers a mystery that is 350 years in the making. A perfect time slip novel that follows 3 couples with intertwining tales and mysterious Rosecrution artifacts. Perfect mix of historical fiction, mystery, romance and a splash of the supernatural. I had to finish this to know how it ended and then I wanted more!