The Mystery of Yew Tree House

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Pub Date Sep 14 2023 | Archive Date Sep 14 2023
Aria & Aries | Head of Zeus -- an Aries Book

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Description

'Always a treat reading Lesley Thomson.' Ian Rankin

For eighty years this house has held its secrets. Now, a buried body will reveal them all.

1941. In the pleasant countryside of Bishopstone lies a house with a pill box in the backyard. Here, Rupert and Adelaide Stride raise their two daughters, Clare and Rosa, alongside a young evacuee, Henry. But when war calls, Rupert dies on the beaches of Dunkirk, leaving his family to fend for themselves as bombs drop and food is rationed.

2023. Decades later, held afloat by state pensions and unable to heat the large house – nor able to afford to leave – Clare and Rosa have retreated to the annex, where they remain single and trapped in the place they were raised: Yew Tree House.

When the sisters put their rooms up for rent, Jack Harmon sees the perfect spot for a month away with his twins and cleaner-turned-detective Stella Darnell. Their first family holiday. But one day, as the twins run free through the garden, they discover a skeleton with a hole in its skull hidden in the brambles of a decommissioned WWII pill box.

This home has always been a complicated one, but Stella and Jack will have to dig deep into a history of revenge, desperation, and wartime tragedy to uncover the truth of what happened at Yew Tree House...

The new must-read psychological procedural in the Detective's Daughter series from critically acclaimed author, Lesley Thomson.

Praise for The Detective's Daughter series:

'Cunningly plotted.' Mick Herron
'One of the most original characters in British crime fiction... Thomson's plots are original and she draws her characters with genuine affection.' Sunday Times
'In the best traditions of the classic whodunnit, this is Midsomer Murders for grown-ups.' Jake Kerridge, Sunday Express
'Gloriously well-written... Thomson creates a rich and sinister world that is utterly unique.' William Shaw

'Always a treat reading Lesley Thomson.' Ian Rankin

For eighty years this house has held its secrets. Now, a buried body will reveal them all.

1941. In the pleasant countryside of Bishopstone lies a...


Available Editions

EDITION Hardcover
ISBN 9781804546161
PRICE £20.00 (GBP)
PAGES 400

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Average rating from 37 members


Featured Reviews

A cleverly plotted dual time line novel centered around the disappearance of 16 year old Greta during WWII. Stella and her partner Jack, along with his children, have rented an air b&b attached to Yew Tree House, presently occupied by sisters Clare and Rose. The discovery of a the reminds of a body in the present changes up everything for everyone. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Lots of old secrets and lies, a little present domestic drama. and a bit of creepiness make this a good read.

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The Mystery of Yew Tree House by Lesley Thomson is the ninth in the Detective Daughter series but the first for me. It didn't take long for me to become hooked and reeled in! It is a well-written and gripping dual timeline with interesting characters (my favourites are Lucie and the twins), atmosphere, historical bits and enticing plot. Though sometimes predictable, there is so much to recommend.

In the present, Jack and Stella along with Jack's seven-year-old twins go on a family trip, sort of a test to determine how everyone gets along with each other. On the trip the curious kids act like kids and speak in their youthful vernacular. They make fascinating discoveries including skeletal remains and begin to dig. Stella is a professional detective and also investigates. What they find is surprising. In the 1940s, WWII is raging and life is about survival. The two storylines are beautifully linked and both are equally intriguing to follow.

This mystery series is definitely one to pursue. I very much look forward to immersing myself in each installment.

My sincere thank you to Aria & Aries and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this arresting novel.

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This ninth book in The Detective's Daughter series is atmospheric, chilling, and poignant throughout the story. Stella and Jack are unique amateur detectives with complementary skills, troubled backstories and an undeniable chemistry that makes them effective investigators. This dual-timeline story begins in 1940 and updates in 2023 when Jack and Stella take his twins on an extended holiday. They uncover a body and a dark mystery that began in WW2. The suspenseful and twisty mystery is disturbing, and the sense of menace prevails, especially in the historical timeline. The dynamic between Stella and Jack makes the mystery distinctive. I particularly like these aspects of this story: the detectives, the chilling ethos and the setting.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

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