When the skeletal remains of a young woman and her baby are found entombed behind the kitchen wall of a historic Tudor house, Cassandra is overcome with grief. She seems to know who the young woman was, but not how she knows, or how she came to be there. Cassandra becomes inexplicably drawn to the house and the mystery of the “Bones of Blackfriars.” As she begins to learn the truth about the … Thorne siblings who occupied the house during the reign of Elizabeth I, her own life takes an unexpected turn, and she finds out that her fate is linked to the Thornes in ways she never imagined.
Extensively re-edited 11/2015
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This was a such a unique and interesting story. It told in time of now and many years in the past. It’s two stories that intertwine with each other. Two women who are so different but are so alike. Cassandra is an author in a slump. She can’t get motivated for her next novel. And she has to deal with a new boss who drives her up the wall. Then she hears about bones found in a home with lots of history. She can’t help but be drawn to it. She buys the home and suddenly inspiration takes over. She has a new story and it’s one that might not be fiction. We learn about a family in the past, the Thorne’s and all that happened to them. This is a great mystery. I really had no idea where it would go next. It also is a romance hidden deep inside. I loved every minute. The back and forth between times was so much fun and I found myself researching the historical facts myself. This narrator’s voice represented both time periods, both main character women, perfectly. This is a must read/listen for romantic mystery fans.
When a body is found in an old Tudor house in London, successful author Cassandra is stunned at her reaction to the skeletal remains. She’s brought to tears by the news report, although the death would have taken place hundreds of years before. Her boyfriend doesn’t understand her fascination with the story, and as she begins to write a tale based on the Tudor house she buys impulsively, she unravels a tale that’s almost too close to home.
Constance is a Catholic in the time of Queen Elizabeth II, making her very religion dangerous to publicly claim. While her brother prepares to marry and her little sister flirts with a highborn man, she’s left wondering what her role is in a world where women don’t have many choices. A brief encounter with a spy leaves her rattled and she embarks on a journey of secret letters, arrests, and a marriage to the man she least expects.
While Cassandra reveals more of Constance’s life through her writing, her own life spirals out of control. She begins to question her own sanity and the realness of her haunting visions.
As in her Echoes from the Past series, she blends the past and present to perfection in a way I didn’t expect. Both time frames hold enough drama, intrigue, and romance to be books in their own right. I was hooked from the first page and the non-stop twists left me on the edge of my seat. Waiting to see how the lives of such different women turned out was nearly torture!
I enjoyed the parallel timelines. The fantasy aspects weren’t overdone and I felt as if everything that happened in Cassandra’s story was completely believable. Her emotions were real and her reactions to things were easy to relate to. I hope there’s more of her story one day.
I’ve never listened to anything narrated by Verity Burns, but I thoroughly enjoyed her work with this book. She had different inflections when reading for Constance and Cassandra, making it clear what time period the story was in. She’s very talented and I know this won’t be the last of her work I’ll listen to.
Overall, I’m thrilled with my latest Irina Shapiro book. I highly recommend it to all book lovers, no matter their favorite genre.
Time travel novel with murder, betrayal, suspense, intrigue taking place in Tudor and present day England.
Verity Burns tells this love story with a twist.
Oh what a wonderful book! I loved the story! It is written in the past and present and such a powerful and moving storyline. I felt as if I knew the characters and was actually in the story. Wonderful writing! I cannot wait to read another book by this author! A wonderful historical of Elizabethan times!
It has been a long time since I have read a book that I can truthfully say that I loved! This is that book. Usually I don’t care for going back and forth between time periods, but this was an exception.