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A Place of Secrets

3.68 of 5 stars 3.68 · rating details · 1,363 ratings · 243 reviews

The night before it all begins, Jude has the dream again...

Can dreams be passed down through families? As a child Jude suffered a recurrent nightmare: running through a dark forest, crying for her mother. Now her six-year-old niece, Summer, is having the same dream, and Jude is frightened for her.

A successful auctioneer, Jude is struggling to come to terms with the death o...more

Paperback, 456 pages

Published September 2nd 2010 by Pocket Books (first published 2010)

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Jun 17, 2012 Hannah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-reads, gothics

Only the second Hore book I've read (the first being The Dream House), and I can see a maturity in her writing.

A Place of Secrets is a multi-layered novel very similar in style to the novels of Kate Morton, with generational family dynamics and disfunctions, multiple jumps between time periods, hidden secrets, and a mystery to be solved from the past in order for the characters from the present time period to move on. Very good stuff if that's your brand of reading pleasure, and Hore almost nail...more

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Dec 21, 2011 Avital Gertner-Samet rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

This book was absolutely fabulous [the missing star stems from feeling that some things just worked out too smoothly...].

Jude was working at an auction house, specializing in Eighteenth century manuscripts when Robert Weekham asked her to go back to Starbrough, Norfolk and assess his family's book and stargazing instruments collection. As Jude goes back to her childhood environment, on duty, she unravels the mystery of Starbrough Hall and folly together with the mystery of her unexplained nightm...more

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Apr 13, 2013 Robyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

I had read all of Rachel Hore's books before I picked up this one, so I knew what to expect and I definitely had high expectations from it. I think this book has to be one of my favourites from her. The main story line in the present follows the story of Jude (short for Judith) as she is employed by Richard Wickham, his wife Alexia and his mother Chantel to value the many books, astrology instruments and personal journals collected and written by their ancestor Anthony Wickham. It is here that s...more I had read all of Rachel Hore's books before I picked up this one, so I knew what to expect and I definitely had high expectations from it. I think this book has to be one of my favourites from her. The main story line in the present follows the story of Jude (short for Judith) as she is employed by Richard Wickham, his wife Alexia and his mother Chantel to value the many books, astrology instruments and personal journals collected and written by their ancestor Anthony Wickham. It is here that she learns of Esther Wickham, a relative who seems to have fallen off the family tree, and begins to uncover her story. On top of this, the mysterious folly is guarding it's own secrets, and how is it possible that Jude's niece Summer, the daughter of her sister Claire, is suffering from the same nightmares that Jude herself suffered from as a child? And who is Tamsin, the gypsy girl who befriended Jude and Claire's grandmother when she was a child?
I know all of the above seems a little hard to digest in one go, but the way that the author delivers each one of these plot lines to us makes each and every one of them make sense, even though I personally had no idea how they would fit together. Usually when I read books like these, where there are links to the past and present, I have some 'idea' of what the 'big secret' will be, and i'm usually right, give or take a few facts. I've had this with some books by Rachel too, such as 'A Gathering Storm' (although that was certainly my favourite Rachel Hore book until this one - now i'm not so sure!). I think it is a mark of a skillful writer when they are able to lead you into the story like that, with these big secrets in them, while still be able to maintain the 'big reveal' at the end. One of the impressive things about this book for me was that it never felt like there was a 'big reveal' even though all of the things mentioned in the first paragraph had a solution. It felt like a 'journey of discovery' as I moved through the book with Jude; some things became clearer while opening the doors to other questions. Each individual plot line was dealt with in it's own time, so I never felt like the book was leading towards some 'big reveal.' It felt like I was simply uncovering the answers with Jude, and I really enjoyed that aspect of this book.
The reason for the missing star is because, as mentioned by some other reviewers, the ending almost seems 'too perfect' or 'too coincidental.' Then again, coincidences can happen in life sometimes I guess :D But also some parts of some of the plot lines (not wishing to reveal spoilers here) relied on a very different kind of evidence, evidence which may in fact not be allowed to be called evidence. It would have been nice to have concrete evidence to support those parts of the story. But all in all, I really enjoyed this book. I'm really looking forward to her new book this year; I can tell from her 5 current books that she has been getting better and better with each one that she writes, and I can't wait to see how she develops in the next one.(less)

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Dec 09, 2012 Megan Readinginthesunshine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Jude works in London as an auctioneer, but escapes to Norfolk when she is given the chance to value a collection of manuscripts from an 18th-century astronomer, Anthony Wickham. At the same time, Jude’s niece Summer appears to be plague by the very same nightmares that Jude had as a child. Does the dream have anything in common with Anthony Wickham? And what will Jude discover?

I have not read many books that focus on history, but the cover and the blurb on the back was very intriguing, so I gave...more

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Oct 19, 2012 Kristin rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is one of those where there are 2 independent, and yet connected, stories are taking place throughout the novel. In this case, it's a story taking place in present day England and another story taking place in 1700s England. The main storyline is about Jude, an auction house appraiser, investigating the history of some manuscripts and astronomical instruments found in Starbrough Hall, a large estate in the small community where Jude's sister, niece and grandmother live. The two stories are...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Carolyn Hill rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is the type of story I can't resist: English country setting with an historic estate home, a mystery - or two or three - about the past, a modern day heroine whose profession involves research into antiquities or old documents, and a bit of romance with a likeable and non-stereotypical man. There is even a slightly paranormal angle where disturbing dreams reveal a haunted past. I admit this sounds like a fairly gothic set-up, and since romantic suspense (gothics as they were popularly terme...more This is the type of story I can't resist: English country setting with an historic estate home, a mystery - or two or three - about the past, a modern day heroine whose profession involves research into antiquities or old documents, and a bit of romance with a likeable and non-stereotypical man. There is even a slightly paranormal angle where disturbing dreams reveal a haunted past. I admit this sounds like a fairly gothic set-up, and since romantic suspense (gothics as they were popularly termed) was the favorite genre of my youth, it may be obvious that I've never quite grown out of it. Throw in two timelines to make it historical fiction as well, and you have me at the book jacket blurb.

A Place of Secrets is a romantic mystery, not the detective type, where the mysteries lie in the past but resonate with the present, where family relationships are a bit messy, and where place and ancestral roots have a lingering pull. There are a few different ways authors treat dual or multiple time frames. The past can be revealed through letters or documents or other material clues, but the primary narrative remains with the time period of the main protagonist. Or, characters may describe memories of their past or recount stories passed down. Or an author can take an omniscient approach and jump from one storyline to another, usually indicating a change by a chapter break, often heading it with a date, or, less obviously, by which characters show up on the page. Rachel Hore chose a rather unusual combination here. She uses the common device of the contemporary protagonist discovering an old memoir, to which she adds dreams the character has as if she's experiencing the life of the memoirist.

The protagonist Jude (Judith) finds a journal from the 1700's as part of her inventory of the Wickham family's library of astronomical books and instruments, whose value she is assessing for sale by the auction house where she is employed. The family's 18th century ancestor, Anthony Wickham, had been an amateur astronomer and kept journals of his observations. As Jude skims these, she begins to detect another voice in the writing. She digs deeper in the library and finds missing parts of a journal which details the story of Esther, who was taken in as a foundling by the unmarried and childless astronomer and had become not only his secretary but an astronomical observer herself. As Jude reads the journal, she identifies more and more with Esther, who does not show up in any of the family's genealogical charts.

Since childhood, Jude, now a widow, has been haunted by a particular nightmare. Staying at the Wickham estate to conduct her appraisal, she is near her own roots. In fact, her grandmother had once lived at the estate's gamekeeper's cottage, and her sister and niece still live nearby. Visiting with her sister, Jude realizes that her niece Summer seems to be having the same nightmare that had affected her as a child and that had reappeared shortly before her own visit. Not only that, but Summer's dreams seem to recount stories about Esther that Jude had only just uncovered in her journal and had not shared. Jude's sister Claire, with whom she does not have the best relationship, resents Jude's intrusions and warns her not to scare the child by prying into her nightmares.

Summer's nightmare began after a visit to the 18th century folly which was once part of the estate. Now dilapidated and in danger of being torn down for a housing development, the folly tower had been constructed by Anthony Wickham for his astronomical observations and had been particularly significant to Esther. According to local lore, it had been constructed on ancient burial grounds and was haunted, and had been the site of a tragic accident in the 1970's. Jude explores the folly on her own and later with Euan, the naturalist and writer who lives nearby. She is attracted to Euan, but realizes her sister Claire, who is already friendly with him, has the first claim.

Esther's account ends abruptly and unhappily, leaving unanswered questions about her fate. Along with the mystery of Esther, Jude's grandmother also asks her help in finding a childhood friend who had been a gypsy. Her grandmother still possesses an heirloom gold and diamond necklace that had once belonged to the gypsy girl. All of these various elements are woven into Esther's story.

Esther's journal narrative is compelling, and I was quite happily absorbed by it. However, once the memoir runs out and the author changes tack to telling Esther's story through Jude's dreams, I found it hard to buy it. For one, when do dreams unfold like a narrated story? Usually there are snippets and jumbled parts that don't connect or make a logical whole. But here the dreams are narrated exactly as the memoirs had been, and not only conveniently fill in the story but come on demand - Jude seeming to conjure Esther at will. While many books with a dual time element may play with the idea that the past characters are previous incarnations of the present ones, that's really not the case here, as both Jude and Summer experience Esther's past in their dreams. What is their link to Esther? Is it a genetic memory? The author reveals a connection, but never explains why only Jude and Summer were susceptible to dreams stemming from more than two centuries earlier. While the device may have been another way of telling Esther's story, I feel it failed. It was not convincing and too convenient. There was nothing dream-like about it. It felt like an author's trick, like seeing the wizard exposed behind the curtain.

The story while interesting often dragged and could have used some judicious editing. For instance, there was no reason to include Jude's boyfriend at the beginning of the book when a passing reference would have sufficed. The author seemed intent on spelling out every detail, leaving nothing for the reader to fill in for herself, and tying up every possible loose end. I like stories to be neatly tied up, but this one felt like it had been secured with multiple layers of heavy duty strapping tape. On the positive side, the author tells an intriguing story with good scene setting and relatable characters. The historical element of a woman involved in the nascent science of astronomy adds depth and interest. If your reading preferences tend to atmospheric mysteries combining past and present in the Kate Morton vein, you'll likely enjoy this one. (less)

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Feb 15, 2011 Julie Goucher rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book had a complex storyline and it takes great skill to weave the threads of the book separately then coming together to bring the story to conclusion.

The central character is Jude, who works at a London auctioneers house and by chance answers a ringing telephone in her office. The caller wants a valuation on a fascinating collection of early astronomical books and equipment which have been passed down through his family. On establishing that the seller is living in Jude's home town , wher...more This book had a complex storyline and it takes great skill to weave the threads of the book separately then coming together to bring the story to conclusion.

The central character is Jude, who works at a London auctioneers house and by chance answers a ringing telephone in her office. The caller wants a valuation on a fascinating collection of early astronomical books and equipment which have been passed down through his family. On establishing that the seller is living in Jude's home town , where her Grandmother, sister and niece still live Jude agrees to go and visit the seller for an assessment. Once she has arrived in Norfolk she sees the collection is a fine example of 18th Century history and immediately sets about assessing the collection, and Jude stumbles across a set of journals of the astronomer Anthony Wickham and his daughter Ester. She asks the mother of the seller if there is any more details on the family, only to be told that Wickham did not have any children. Jude is immediately curious.

Meanwhile, she sees her sister and niece and is suddenly aware that her niece is having dreams. Dreams that she too experienced as a child. Was this a coincidence? The seller of the collection then confirms that he is definitely going to sell the collection and Jude is then thrust into the world of the Wickhams. There is an Folly in the grounds and Jude is intrigued. In the forest surrounding the property she meets Euan, who by chance lives in the cottage her Grandmother lived in and we start to see the gentle threads of the complex story forming. Ester's journal is in some parts a summary of her early life, found as a young child by Wickham she is adopted as his heir, but later on we see that, after Wickham's death his wishes are not carried out. Over the course of a little more than 450 pages Rachel Hore weaves a complex story in which the lives of the Wickhams and Jude's family are connected, added to that are connections to other characters who do not appear until later in the book.

This book has been painstakingly written, and although a work fiction there has been research undertaken using the methods available as if the storyline were real. Certainly my best read of the year so far and I am looking forward to more from this author.(less)

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Oct 20, 2010 Lisa rated it 3 of 5 stars

As a child Jude suffered a recurrent nightmare where she dreamt she was running through a forest. It now seems that her niece is suffering from a similar nightmare and Jude is scared for her.

A successful auctioneer, Jude has been requested to value a collection of manuscripts and astrological instruments which belong to the Wickham family in Norfolk, where she grew up. As Jude begins to untangle the Wickham's tragic past, she discovers links to the present.

This is a tale of romance, mystery and...more

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Aug 17, 2011 Liyanna rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book is like a puzzle, in which auctioneer Jude tries to discover what happened to astronomer Anthony Wickham and his daughter Esther in the eighteenth century. Their story is tragic and moving, I loved that. Jude's own story is less interesting, but that doesn't matter, since the focus lies on how she untangles what happened to the father and daughter.

I must admit that there are an awful lot of coincidences to make the puzzle pieces fit together. You also have to go with the supernatural...more

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Apr 22, 2013 B.reader rated it 3 of 5 stars

Read this book because it was described as a Gothic literary mystery, which should appeal to fans of Barbara Michaels. That description was an immediate hook for me, as Michaels (aka Elizabeth Peters, aka Barbara Mertz) is my favorite author. While the book contained an appealing story, I did have some problems with it. I love the whole story-within-a-story structure, but get irritated when the frame of the book is so much more boring than the internal story. I was much more interested in the se...more

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Jan 21, 2012 Beadyjan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical

I think there are a lot of great ideas in this story and I like the idea of several timelines running alongside each other. Rather than a dual time romance it is more a quad time romance.

The women involved include Jude, a modern career woman working for an art auctioneers, her sister Claire, single Mum of 9 year old Summer, then there's their Mother and their Grandmother then the story of Esther Whickham an 18th century orphan adopted by an astrologer which comes to light when her journals turn...more

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Apr 06, 2012 PM rated it 3 of 5 stars

Great story!

I admit, I didn't know what this was going to be like when I picked up the book. When I saw the English countryside setting and last names like Wickham and Bennett, and girls named Darcey and Georgie, I thought this was a Jane Austen-related story. Not. LOL

This is a wonderful "onion-layered" mystery, with just enough touches of romance and paranormal activity to keep a paranormal romance reader happy. It reminded me a little of Daphne Kalotay's Russian Winter, revealing events in ti...more

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Jan 31, 2012 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher.

Combine a book-appraising heroine, a family mystery in the English countryside, ghosts and a little romance plus a dose of astronomy and you have me hooked! In Rachel Hore's A PLACE OF SECRETS, auction house appraiser Jude gets a phone call about an unusual collection of books on astronomy and assorted astronomical devices at an estate in the countryside that could be worth a quite deal. Taking a break from her London life and her lukewa...more

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Aug 04, 2012 Christie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I didn't expect to like this book, with such trite character names as "Whickham" and "Darcy" but it utterly charmed me. I read this as part of my plan to read the 100 books of the decade by Richard and Judy and at first, it was a little bit of a chore as the book is quite slow-paced but by the last third of the book I was desperately trying to read pages before going to work. I couldn't wait to finish work so I could read the conclusion. After reading "The House at Riverton" this was a far super...more

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Mar 08, 2012 Lesley rated it 3 of 5 stars

A Place of Secrets was a bit of a impulse purchase for me. I was in the mood for a fun, quick and somewhat mysterious read and when this popped up I knew it was what I was after. This is the kind of book I think of as an airport read. It's entertaining and engaging but not too taxing or time consuming.

This book served as my introduction to Rachel Hore and I feel like next time I'm stuck in bed ill and don't want to strain myself with anything too literary I would happy pick up another of her off...more

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Jan 30, 2012 Cathy Cole rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

First Line: The night before it all begins, Jude has the dream again.

Auction house appraiser Jude Gower answers the telephone one afternoon at Beecham's Auctioneers in Mayfair and finds herself embarking on a dream job. At Starbrough Hall in Norfolk, England, she is to examine and price the manuscripts and instruments of an eighteenth-century astronomer. She is welcomed by Chantal Wickham, and since both have lost their husbands, Jude feels close to the older woman almost immediately. Hard times...more First Line: The night before it all begins, Jude has the dream again.

Auction house appraiser Jude Gower answers the telephone one afternoon at Beecham's Auctioneers in Mayfair and finds herself embarking on a dream job. At Starbrough Hall in Norfolk, England, she is to examine and price the manuscripts and instruments of an eighteenth-century astronomer. She is welcomed by Chantal Wickham, and since both have lost their husbands, Jude feels close to the older woman almost immediately. Hard times are forcing the Wickhams to sell the astronomer's works; they've already sold most of their land and the old tower that was built as an observatory by Anthony Wickham, the astronomer. It was in the tower that Anthony Wickham and his daughter, Esther, made their most amazing discoveries.

Although Jude has spent most of her life in London, her family once lived in the neighborhood of Starbrough Hall, and she feels at home there. She meets Euan, a well-known writer and naturalist, and spends as much time as she can with her sister and six-year-old niece-- who's having disturbing dreams... the same dreams that Jude had as a child. The further Jude delves into the life of Esther Wickham, the more she begins to wonder if these dreams are passed down from generation to generation. Can she possibly find the answers she needs to make the dreams stop before someone is hurt?

A Place of Secrets fleshes out the standard romantic suspense skeleton very well. Jude is a widow who's spent the past few years putting her dead husband on a pedestal. No man she's met can measure up to her memories. Euan is the perfect hero: handsome, articulate, talented... and jealously guarded by Jude's sister. Since the sisters haven't gotten along for most of their lives, Jude tries to steer clear of Euan to keep the peace. It's rather easy because the fascinating part of this book is all about Esther Wickham, a foundling who became a willing apprentice to a gifted amateur astronomer. Jude is every bit as mesmerized by Esther as the reader.

There is much said about dreams repeating themselves through the generations, but there's very little, if any, real paranormal activity going on at Starbrough Hall. The story has everything to do with how secrets fester the longer they remain hidden, with how the facts can be distorted and misinterpreted throughout the centuries. Jude proves to be an excellent detective as she catalogs the treasures that are soon to be sold. The more she learns about Esther, the more she is compelled to search for every single detail that exists. Esther is the stand-out character in this book, and she doesn't speak in dreams. She speaks the only way she can: through the documents and objects that were left behind.

Unraveling the pieces of the story and laying bare all the hidden details became my focus as I read A Place of Secrets. It was a difficult book to put down, and I find that the character of Esther haunts me still.
(less)

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Feb 19, 2011 Vanessa rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book had an interesting mystery, and I cared to find out about what happened to this person who lived in the 18th century. It's almost a propaganda book for doing genealogical research.
The characters were likable, but I didn't care as much for them as other books I've read. Even though I wanted to find out what was behind the mystery, it wasn't much of a page turner, because there aren't many cliffhangers at the end of the chapters. My major problem with the book was that it was too tidy....more

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Jun 08, 2013 Kerry rated it 3 of 5 stars

A nice read - Hore writes with such intelligence and passion that you can't help being swept up in her story, which is well-paced and creative. The characters are all very vivid, and the story is a well told one with a lovely ending.

I'd definitely consider reading works by this author again, although I did find this book painfully cliche in parts, particularly regarding the fortune telling gypsies and the suggestion that a young girl is possessed by a ghost ancestor. Moreover the love interest...more

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Jul 26, 2010 Annie rated it 5 of 5 stars

OK, so she doesn't write great literature, but Rachel Hore writes some of the best love stories with a historical/mystical twist ever - she's firmly on my list of top ten authors. This one isn't published in the UK until 5th August, and thanks to Liz for passing it on. This one has all the elements I've loved in her previous books - the strong modern heroine, the gorgeous love interest in Euan, the extended family with secrets, the supernatural bits, the finding of a diary from the 1700s (the fo...more

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May 01, 2013 Ruth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery, romance-clean

A mystery that contains and a cool old house, a handsome guy or two, some cool old relics and a spooky tower shouldn't be missed. Combine that with some strange dreams and spooky coincidences, a stunning one-of-a-kind necklace and people appearing and disappearing in history and you have a great mystery. I really enjoyed this book. It is a genealogy or family history mystery. That is exactly my cup of tea. I even found out what an English ha-ha was! If you type it into google it comes up in wiki...more

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Mar 15, 2013 Princess rated it 5 of 5 stars

Absolutely spectacular. It did take a little while to get into the book but then I was hooked. I enjoyed following Esther's story along with Jude's and I should probably read it again to pick up the pieces I missed along the way. The relationship between Jude and Claire was well-written and easily understood by those who have sisters. It's a complicated relationship. I also enjoyed Jude's personal journey from dealing with the death of her husband to her relationship with Caspar and then onto th...more

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Apr 15, 2012 Kristen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Jude is an appraiser in a London auction house. She has a chance conversation with Robert Wickham and soon after sets off for the countryside to begin examining the eighteenth century manuscripts and astronomical artifacts of Robert’s ancestor, Anthony Wickham.

The countryside which houses Starbrough Hall is also home to the childhood home of Jude’s Gran and close by is her sister Claire’s house. Upon arriving at Starbrough, Jude realizes her niece, Summer is suffering from the same sort of dream...more Jude is an appraiser in a London auction house. She has a chance conversation with Robert Wickham and soon after sets off for the countryside to begin examining the eighteenth century manuscripts and astronomical artifacts of Robert’s ancestor, Anthony Wickham.

The countryside which houses Starbrough Hall is also home to the childhood home of Jude’s Gran and close by is her sister Claire’s house. Upon arriving at Starbrough, Jude realizes her niece, Summer is suffering from the same sort of dreams that she herself had as a young girl. As Jude delves deeper into the manuscripts, the mystery of what happened so long ago becomes even more complex.

There are times when I pick up a book and know before I start reading that it is special. A Place of Secrets was one of those books. When I first started reading it, I kept trying to compare it to The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton but this holds up on its own. Maybe there is just something about a good British novel. It’s haunting in its prose, well-crafted, intriguing and it keeps you on your toes.

I loved Jude; I thought she was a smart, genuine character. Claire, who I loved to be annoyed at, was well-written. We were supposed to have mixed feelings about her and she is well done. All of the characters are beautifully developed and each contributes to the plot nicely.

The love story was top notch and while I’ve seen this scenario (widowed, coming to terms with grief) in books before, I think Hore’s take on it is one of the best I’ve read. The love story isn’t the primary focus of the novel and it never tries to be, it weaves its way in naturally and the development is realistic and spot on.

Every time you think you have the mystery figured out and you know what is going to happen, the characters come to the same logical conclusions as you do so you are always kept guessing and it never becomes predictable. I love that. I find it irritating when the clues are so obvious and the characters are basically too dumb to figure it out.

Overall, I think it should be on everyone’s spring reading lists. It would make a good book club selection as well.(less)

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Feb 27, 2011 Katie (It's Time to Read) Leversuch rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: library-book

This is a historical mystery that haunts one family, that is laced with a love story. Jude works for a prestigious auctioneer company in London. Things are looking bad for the company since the recession hit - that is until she receives a call from the Starbrough residence in Norfolk. They have a library which has many first additions and some historic star gazing equipment. Jude doesn't know what to expect when she arrives in Norfolk - her old home. What she finds is an old folly, a niece havin...more This is a historical mystery that haunts one family, that is laced with a love story. Jude works for a prestigious auctioneer company in London. Things are looking bad for the company since the recession hit - that is until she receives a call from the Starbrough residence in Norfolk. They have a library which has many first additions and some historic star gazing equipment. Jude doesn't know what to expect when she arrives in Norfolk - her old home. What she finds is an old folly, a niece having the same nightmares she used to have a family mystery and a lovely man...

I really enjoyed this book. It was not a quick read, but it was well worth reading. This is a book that encompasses the past and the present, love, history, astrology, travellers and family. The main focus of the book is the mystery. Jude is at Starbrough to look through and catalogue Anthony Wickham's library collection, however, very early on she comes across a diary, not kept by Anthony, but his adopted daughter Esther. There are no records of Esther in the family archives - who was she? Where did she come from and what happened to her? Are the suspicions right - is she a girl from a noble background? If so, how did she end up lost at the side of the road in Norfolk, aged three? There are so many questions for Jude to answer. She roams around the countryside, hunting for clues - is there another diary? I really enjoyed this story line. Hore includes sections from Esther's diary in the story - taking us back to her life - adding another dimension to the story.

Alongside this, Jude is still trying to recover from the death of her husband, her Gran has given her a necklace that belonged to her traveller friend, and wants Jude to find the friend to return the necklace and Jude is struggling with her sister Claire and the fact Claire's daughter Summer is having the same nightmares that Jude used to have. What is the connection? Why is Summer having those dreams too? The most exciting part of the book was the climax at the end - Summer goes missing. Her dream leads her to the old folly - the building where Anthony Wickham used to star gaze. It is unsafe, possibly haunted and scares Summer. Yet she sleep walks there. It turns out, she is going to try and save Esther - who was locked up there after her father died - even though Esther lived in the 1800s. What is the connection between Esther and Summer?

All is revealed at the end - loose ends tied up and questions answered. Maybe the connections were too predictable and unrealistic, but I liked it! The ending is very neat - the family line that runs down to Summer and the Lord who happened to be working with the Jude's auctioneer company. However, all answers were satisfying, and I enjoyed the way Hore wrapped the book up.

This is a complex book with many story lines, all linked fascinating. There is a love story - we get to see Jude's broken heart healed by Euan - even though there was confusion about which sister he was falling for. Again, this romance is fairly predictable, but it was lovely anyway, and didn't take over the story. It was a nice story that completed the book.

I thought all the characters were great to read about. I felt for Jude - finding it hard to relate to her sister, struggling with love and working hard to solve the Wickham mystery and get a great sale for her company. I really liked Chantel as well - the mother who lived at Starbrough Hall. She was caring, and loved the library - a great reason for me to like her!

This is a complex, exciting book. It has mystery, suspense and romance. This is the second book by Rachel Hore that I have read and I have really enjoyed both. She is fast becoming a favourite author and I highly recommend this book.(less)

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Apr 20, 2012 Elaine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Jude, sister of Claire and aunt to Summer, was plagued by strange and sinsister dreams as a child. Now that young Summer is approaching the same age, she too begins to experience the self same dreams. This is the underlying premise for this interesting work. It sounds rather far fetched-and in truth it probably was, but it nonetheless didn't detract from making it a good read-but a certain amount of suspension of belief was necessary! Once that is established, the work can be read and enjoyed fo...more

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Feb 19, 2013 Meleiana Jolley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: bookclub-pick

This book has reminded me the joy of looking at the heavens - something I did often as a child with my family. I really like the reminder that comes through the story of the value of considering the relationship between us and the heavens. In our fast paced,light filled world it is easy to forget and also more difficult to gaze into a night sky. This is really a sideview of what the story is about but it is something I continue to contemplate.

I HATED the title. The story was enjoyable and I like...more

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Apr 17, 2012 Coleen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was pleasantly surprised by this one. I was not familiar with this author, but the book description sucked me in, and although it was a little slow to begin with, the pace picked up & kept going. This doesn't really fall into one specific genre, I don't think. There's a little history, a little mystery, some subtle romance, and an English countryside setting. Altogether, a nice combination. Probably my biggest complaint about this novel was its title. Not sure what I would've titled it, bu...more

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Jul 05, 2011 Rachel Hirstwood rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed most of this book. It had history, murder, intreague, an interesting plot line in the modern day and an equally enthralling line in the past which was woven throughout with just enough detail to maintain interest. But, I have to say the ending was so awful I wish I didn't read it. It was so twee and had about 18 coincidences to tie together every single thread that had, til the end, been so subtly twisted with care into the plot. Please, please please re-write this ending! It's...more

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Mar 17, 2012 Keshena Booker rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was a satisfying diversion, for anyone looking to fill time between seasons of "Downton Abbey", or Kate Morton novels. It swings a bit farther into chick lit territory than Morton, though-even amidst multiple family secrets, possible ghost sightings, and surprise lineages,all in the obligatory old country manor, the story is essentially aboout a strong, smart career woman finding love again after a tragedy,and mending family fences. Sounds like Lifetime Network fare, but its well pace...more

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Feb 13, 2012 Krista Mercer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction

A really satisfying novel that melds past and present, with just a touch of the paranormal. Antiques appraiser Jude Gower acquires the perfect job - examining a collection of 18th century books, manuscripts, and astronomical instruments. While working on the collection, she uncovers a mystery - the astronomer in question was actually a woman, who disappeared before her discoveries became known. As Jude digs into the mystery, she uncovers links to her own family, and a series of seemingly unconne...more

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Sep 15, 2010 Leah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, books-read-2010

As a child, Jude Gower suffered from terrible nightmares, nightmares that featured her running through a forest desperate to find her mother. Years later, her six-year-old niece is having the exact same nightmare, and Jude is desperate to find out how and why. When Jude, a successful auctioneer specialising in 18th century books and manuscripts, is asked to value a collection of manuscripts as well as some scientific objects belonging to 18th century astronomer Anthony Wickham, she can’t wait to...more As a child, Jude Gower suffered from terrible nightmares, nightmares that featured her running through a forest desperate to find her mother. Years later, her six-year-old niece is having the exact same nightmare, and Jude is desperate to find out how and why. When Jude, a successful auctioneer specialising in 18th century books and manuscripts, is asked to value a collection of manuscripts as well as some scientific objects belonging to 18th century astronomer Anthony Wickham, she can’t wait to begin to decipher the mysterious world he lived in, and escape London for Norfolk to be closer to her sister Claire and niece Summer. As Jude begins to untangle Anthony Wickhams’s life, she discovers some frightening similarities to the dreams she suffered as a child and with which Summer is now suffering. But what connection does Jude have, if any, to Anthony Wickham and Starbrough Hall where he lived? And who is the mysterious Esther Wickham who appears to be an adopted daughter of Anthony, but isn’t recognised by any of the present Wickham family members?

Although I have heard of Rachel Hore’s novels, I’ve never actually gotten around to picking up one of her books. Mainly because I’m vaguely aware of the fact that most of her novels involve history of some sort and, to be frank, I don’t like books that delve into any sort of history; it’s just not my thing. However, I received a copy of her new novel A Place of Secrets and I thought it sounded incredibly intriguing. Yes, the blurb mentions history and astronomy, which made me wary, but on the whole it sounded like my kind of book. I then heard it had been picked as one of Richard & Judy’s Book Club picks and knew I would have to read it, and I began it in earnest not knowing what to expect!

A Place of Secrets encapsulates many different things inside its 456 pages. There are supernatural aspects to the novel, there is the mystery of the Wickham family which Jude tries to untangle, and there is quite a lot of historical elements thrown in to the book, too. It’s a very complex novel, that’s for sure, but once I got my bearings with the many different characters, I found it fairly easy to remember everybody. Rachel Hore has managed to weave such a magnificent story and I don’t even know where to begin so I can wax lyrical about this great novel. My synopsis above is the story in a nutshell but there is so much more depth to it that I couldn’t ever do it justice. It’s truly the kind of book you need to read to fully understand just how each separate story twines together to make one massive story.

As well as being very impressed with the main crux of the story: Jude’s untangling of the Wickham family history and her niece having the exact same nightmares she herself had as a little girl, I was also hugely in awe of the historical elements presented by Hore. As Jude works through the manuscripts of Anthony Wickham, an 18th Century astronomer, she happens across the story of a girl named Esther Wickham, alleged adopted daughter of Anthony but who appeared to be wiped out after Anthony died. Esther’s story then appears alongside Jude’s as Jude transcribes Esther’s memoir and I got completely involved in that side of the story. I was entranced by Esther’s way of words and I could very clearly imagine her going out with her father, Anthony, to gaze at the stars. It really captured my attention and imagination and although I loved Jude’s story, too, I was always eager to get back to Esther’s life story.

I really quite liked Jude. It’s clear early on that not only did she used to suffer the same nightmares that now plague her niece Summer, but she has also had a bit of tragedy in her life after her husband Mark passed away. She was easy to like and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know her. She really helped to make the story and I hoped she could eventually get over her husband’s death. I found the whole Wickham family incredibly enchanting. It felt as if I personally knew Esther and Anthony, despite both of them being dead for years and years and as for the present Wickham family, I liked Chantal the head of the family the best. Another fairly enchanting character was Jude’s grandmother Jessie. She had quite a story to tell and I liked how it unravelled and I was looking forward to fully understanding why she had so much guilt around her. I wasn’t quite taken with Jude’s sister Claire. Her rivalry with Jude was strange and I just wished that she would spit it out because she spent the majority of the book being snipe-y. Finally, we have Euan, a local who lives in the cottage where Jessie used to live and whom Jude becomes close to, I liked him a lot and the growing relationship between himself and Jude was great to witness.

I had absolutely no idea what the connection was between all the differing stories and I wasn’t sure if we would ever learn where Esther had come from and what had happened to her, but thankfully all was explained. It was quite astounding how it all came together and all suddenly made sense and you’ll need your wits about you to keep up, that’s for sure. Rachel Hore is a fantastic writer, and deserves all of the plaudits her previous books have received. I really really enjoyed reading A Place of Secrets, and I’ve surprised myself with how good I thought it was. Anyone who likes well written fiction will love this and the central mystery of it all keeps you hooked through out. I will with absolute certainty be getting myself the rest of Rachel’s books, and I can’t wait to get stuck into them all. Hopefully they’ll all be as fantastic as A Place of Secrets.(less)

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About Rachel Hore

Rachel Hore worked in London publishing for many years before moving with her family to Norwich, Norfolk. She is married to writer D.J. Taylor and they have three sons. Her first novel was The Dream House. Her second, The Memory Garden, was published in August 2007 and was an Amazon Top Ten bestseller. Her third, The Glass Painter's Daughter, is to be published in 2009. She teaches Publishing at t...more

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Quotes from A Place of Secrets

“Mark had gone, passed into the care of the Keeper of the Stars, but the stars were still there.” — 1 person liked it

“You're my lodestar – that's the one that sailors followed, the Pole Star that took them safely home to harbour.” he said.
“And I suppose you're like a shooting star” she responded “Always travelling in unexpected directions”
And like a shooting star, he had disappeared over the edge of her world, taking all the light and leaving her in cold darkness.” — 1 person liked it

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