The Silent Tide

by Rachel Hore

When Emily Gordon, editor at a London publishing house, commissions an account of great English novelist Hugh Morton, she finds herself steering a tricky path between Morton's formidable widow, Jacqueline, who's determined to protect his secrets, and the biographer, charming and ambitious Joel Richards. But someone is sending Emily mysterious missives about Hugh Morton's past and she discovers a buried story that simply has to be told…

One winter's day in 1948, nineteen year old Isabel Barber arrives at her Aunt Penelope's house in Earl's Court having run away from home to follow her star. A chance meeting with an East European refugee poet leads to a job with his publisher, McKinnon & Holt, and a fascinating career beckons. But when she develops a close editorial relationship with charismatic young debut novelist Hugh Morton and the professional becomes passionately personal, not only are all her plans put to flight, but she finds herself in a struggle for her very survival.

Rachel Hore's intriguing and suspenseful new novel magnificently evokes the milieux of London publishing past and present and connects the very different worlds of two young women, Emily and Isabel, who through their individual quests for truth, love and happiness become inextricably linked.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Contemporary, Mystery, Romance, Womens Fiction

464 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Rachel Hore worked in London publishing for many years before moving with her family to Norwich, Norfolk and turning to writing fiction.

Rachel is the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Dream House (2006), The Memory Garden (2007), The Glass Painter's Daughter (2009), which was shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association Novel of the Year 2010, A Place of Secrets (2010), which was a Richard and Judy Bookclub pick, and A Gathering Storm (2011), which was shortlisted for the RNA Historical Novel of the year, 2012. The Silent Tide was published in 2013, A Week in Paris in 2014 and The House on Bellevue Gardens in 2015.

Her new novel, Last Letter Home, will be published on 22nd March 2018.

Reviews

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two and a half stars
I was really looking forward to reading this as I loved The Glass Painter’s Daughter. This one tells the story of Isabel Barber. The prologue starts with a flood in 1953 before reverting to Emily Gordon and present-day London. Emily is left a book called Coming Home written by Hugh Morton. It is dedicated, ‘to Isabel who makes everything possible.’ Emily starts to wonder who Isabel is and determines to find out more.
The novel then reverts back to 1948 to tell Isabel’s story, of how she left home and ends up in London. It follows her life as she settles into the publishing business as an editor, the relationships she makes and the changes that occur in her personal live that affect her working life as well. The Silent Tide gives both Isabel’s and Emily’s stories. Each is labelled clearly so there is no confusion as to the time and place the reader is in. Even so I have to admit at times early on I got tired of being whisked around when I would rather have stayed with Isabel’s story. Whether it was this device that was unsettling or something else, but I never felt I connected that much with either Isabel or Emily.
I liked the way the setting in the publishing world in both instances was conveyed and also the difference between times and attitudes of the times. But as a whole the novel never gripped me. I found it too easy to put down and not pick it up again. It could be that maybe just busyness of life and tiredness got in the way, but this book didn’t appeal as I expected it to. I also had a few issues with some aspects of the ending that seemed a little too simplistic in my view. So to sum up it was okay, but not as good as the other book that I read by this author. I’d still be keen to read another of this author’s books though and see how I go with that.

[Aditi · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Your choices are your only freedom.”

Lailah Gifty Akita, a Ghanaian and founder of Smart Youth Volunteers Foundation, quotes this remarkable line.

Rachel Hore, an English author from London, has penned down a charming and alluring story about past and present connected by a manuscript in her new book, The Silent Tide.

Synopsis:
London, the present day: Emily Gordon has found her dream job, editor at a small publishing house. When the biography of a late great English novelist crosses her desk, she discovers, buried beneath the history, a story that simply has to be told...

London, 1948: Isabel Barber has barely arrived in the city when a chance meeting leads to a job offer, and a fascinating career beckons. But as she develops a close working relationship with a charismatic young debut novelist the professional soon becomes personal, and she finds herself fighting for her very survival...

I have heard that all of Rachel Hore's novels are very compelling because of her ability to create authentic characters against the historical backdrop. Her latest novel follows the lives of Emily and Isabel, two women moving in the world of publishing separated by many years. Emily is given the opportunity to find out more about a recently deceased famous author, Hugh Morton, whose biography will be published by her publishing house. She is soon drawn into the world of this famous author when she comes across Morton's previous novel with a dedication to a woman named, "Isabel" rather than Morton's dreadful widow, Jacqueline. Emily is buckled down to learn more about Isabel's untold story. Isabel- the fragile, little determined girl, who ran away from her home to search for a job and accidently stumbled upon the publishing world in the post-war London in the year 1948. Falling in love with Huge Morton was something extraordinary for Isabel but getting married to the same man was something equally horrifying for her. But what became of Isabel is a complete mystery to Emily. So could Emily learn about the last chapter of Isabel's life from Morton's terrifying widow?

I liked Emily and her publishing job right away. The author has given us a glimpse into the world of publishing which can sometimes be a tedious job, but a lot of fun while discovering new authors and their manuscripts. But I could not agree with her relationship with a struggling poet, Matthew, who used to treat her very poorly and still Emily, loved to hold on to his thoughts! I thought Emily was the epitome of a modern-day independent woman, instead I found that she is lacking from any self-respect since she clung to her boyfriend's memories even after her break-up. Hence that disappointed me a bit!

I not only loved Isabel's character, but also adored her as well as Rachel Hore for portraying her side of story in the form of a memoir. The author did not fed us with Isabel's everyday life instead she gave us a glimpse into her life and that kept me on the loop to keep on anticipating about her mysterious life-story. And the way the author has written about her issues made me empathizing with Isabel's situation. The author addressed all the issues faced by the women back in the 50s from finding a job, to making a decision, to getting pregnant against her wishes, everything has been portrayed very sensitively by the author thus presenting us with a long, well-researched historical novel in easy and approachable prose.

The author moved coherently between the past and the present and right at the end of a chapter, I knew what I wanted to know next. The author's narration is smooth like a free-flowing river. And the mystery about Isabel's past will pull you into the depth of the river. The setting of Norfolk and London was done quite strikingly, since I felt myself swaying from the contemporary London life to the 1950s life in Norfolk. And oh my! The beauty of the landscape was very well captured by the author.

Verdict: You can't miss out this sumptuously evocative historical masterpiece.

Courtesy: Thanks to the author and her publishers from Simon and Schuster, for providing me with a review copy of the book.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read and enjoyed previous books by Rachel Hore. I was very much looking forward to this one – firstly its set in the world of publishing and books which I love reading about and it’s a dual time novel, one of my favourite genres.

The prologue sets the scene in a very dramatic way with the devastating North Sea Flood of 31 January 1953 when so many lost their lives, including those along the East Coast, where much of this story is set. The story then starts in the present time with 28 year old Emily Gordon, who has just started her new publishing job at Parchment Press and then flips back to 1948, where we are introduced to Isabel Barber, 20 years old. Isabel has left home after an row with her parents and has landed on the doorstep of her mother’s sister, Penelope. Through Penelope’s author friend Berec, Isabel finds a job with a publisher and slowly begins her career as an editor, one of her authors being Hugh Morton. The Silent Tide of the title is the name of a book later written by Hugh.

Hugh Morton is the connection between the two women. When, following Hugh’s death, Parchment Press are approached by Hugh’s widow, Jacqueline, and given the opportunity to publish a biography of the famous author, Emily is assigned the task and inadvertently finds herself caught up in Isabel’s story – a copy of Hugh’s first book with a dedication inside to ‘Isabel’, is mysteriously left in her post tray whilst manuscripts and old files left are left anonymously on her desk. Someone is trying to tell her a story and they obviously want Emily to make sure that Isabel is not erased from Hugh’s life which Hugh’s widow Jacqueline seems intent on doing.

The story then goes back and forth between the present day and the late 1940’s/early 1950’s with individual chapters devoted to both Emily and Isabel.

I was engrossed in this story from the very beginning. Emily’s character was engaging and well written although really her main purpose is to be Isabel’s voice. However, as the focus of the story, Isabel’s character came alive through the pages and it was her that I was most interested in. When we first met her she was so vibrant and passionate about her career and life in general and yet her time with Hugh bought her much unhappiness. She was an independent woman who definitely didn’t fit in with the times and found it hard to conform with society’s idea of how she should live which bought her into direct conflict both with Hugh and his domineering and disapproving mother. We see how Isabel slowly loses her identity and how her life becomes smaller. She was not perfect by any means. She comes across as being sometimes very selfish and self-obsessed but I couldn’t help but feel sympathy for her – in today’s times she would have received much more sympathy and understanding.

Although the main characters were extremely well written – from Lavinia, Hugh’s formidable mother, to aunt Penelope whose character was in many ways similar to Isabel, I did think that Hugh’s character could have been explored further. Although he was instrumental in Isabel’s life, I didn’t really feel that he came across as a fully rounded character, maybe because we mainly saw him through Isabel’s eyes. The book deals expertly with the social prejudices of the time especially with regard to homosexuality and the suspicion and fear surrounding immigrants.

The narrative is cleverly constructed with twists and turns. It’s not a thriller, nor a mystery but has a much slower pace which suits the story perfectly. I very much enjoyed this and can’t wait to read the next book by Rachel Hore.

[Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best of her books so far in my opinion. For the first time I really felt connected to her characters and I was dying to find out what happened. It was a very sad story, particularly Isabel's, and I liked the honesty of that. I like books that aren't just complications followed by a blissfully happy ending. The ending wasn't unhappy but it was realistic.

The historical detail was excellent, particularly how people had viewed women and how very few people understood Isabel's desire to work. Her life after her marriage was very claustrophobic and it felt frustrating for me as well- a sure sign that I cared about the character. I did feel that this was "one side of the story" as they said in the book. I felt a bias from Isabel's point of view and found it difficult not to hate Hugh and Jacqueline. But as Joel said, Hugh was a product of his time and his views on women, although annoying to a modern reader (and to Isabel), were not necessarily his fault.

The ending was a hopeful one, both for Isabel and for Emily. It was almost a beginning and I can imagine them continuing their lives after the pages end. Which I don't always do with a book. Sometimes a book does seem to be the complete story. Here it was like a snapshot of their lives were told and, although you never saw it, the characters continued after the story finished. I liked that.

[Annette Hawkins · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok for Chic lit I guess. it kept me reading but constantly irritated me.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book absolutely mesmerising from beginning to end, an absolute page turner with none of that wrenching from historical (late 1940s/50s) to present day story that you sometimes get, perfectly paced, with engaging female heroines and a strong supporting cast. Hugh’s mother Lavinia is a real tour-de-force, and I also really enjoyed the publisher Stephen McKinnon, exotic Aunt Penelope and the manipulative Jacqueline. I loved the setting of the world of writers and publishing – a book about the world of books is always a sure-fire winner for me, and this one was so cleverly done with the clues being left for Emily in the present day while the reader gains more of the story by following Isabel and Hugh’s story. The background – the publishing world, the North Sea flood of 1953, the Suffolk settings – all seem meticulously researched. The social issues of the historical story are really well done too – the expectation that marriage meant the end of a woman’s working life, the challenges faced by those who don’t conform to the norm.

If you’re a lover of Susanna Kearsley, Barbara Erskine, Kate Morton – or have enjoyed any of Rachel Hore’s other books – I guarantee you’ll love this one. And I’m so relieved that the author is firmly back where she belongs in my personal top ten!

[Belinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wat een prachtige roman. In meerdere dagen heb ik dit boek echt verzwolgen. Je kunt er helemaal in opgaan. In dit boek worden de levens van Isabel en Emily beschreven. Isabel die leefde in een tijd dat de vrouw na haar huwelijk thuis bleef en geen baan meer had. Emily leeft in het nu. Beide zijn redacteur. Zij beoordelen en controleren boeken. Isabel rolt min of meer in het vak nadat zij is weggelopen. Emily heeft er echt voor gekozen. Het gaat Isabel enorm goed af, nadat zij zich heeft opgewerkt binnen het bedrijf. De schrijver die zij begeleid is Hugh Morton. En dat is ook de link met Emily. De weduwe van Hugh Morton wil een biografie laten schrijven. Zij benaderen de uitgever waar Emily werkt. Zij krijgt dit boek toegewezen om te begeleiden naar een biografie. Isabel en Emily hebben beide een grote liefde. Beide hebben ze zo hierin hun moeilijkheden. Daarnaast heeft Isabel ook nog te doen met het tijdsbeeld van haar tijd. Emily raakt meer en meer betrokken bij Isabel nadat zij iedere keer memoires van Isabel binnen krijgt. Ze weet niet van wie maar het verhaal van Isabel wekt haar interesse. Ze kan ook niet begrijpen waarom de schrijver van het boek haar niet benoemd. Tenslotte is het leven van Isabel wel degelijk verweven met die van Hugh Morton. Heeft dat wat te doen met zijn weduwe? Ik vond de titel goed gevonden, herkenbaar, de karakters worden steeds verder uitgewerkt en geplaatst in hun tijd en het verschil tussen beide tijdslijnen worden goed weergegeven. Je kunt echt meeleven met Isabel en Emily. Dat vind ik heel goed gedaan. Ik heb ook genoten van Droomtuin. Dus al met al wel een favoriete schrijfster van mij.

[Maggie Boyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

London, 1948: Isabel Barber gets a job at a publisher and works her way from a general Jill to book editor. When she meets author Hugh Morton she falls in love not only with his novel but the man himself.

London, present day: Emily Godon is an editor at a small publishing house. When she begins editing a biography of Hugh Morton, she starts to recieve mysterious packages in her in box - pages of handwritten notes which apparently tell the story of Isabel, Hugh's mysterious first wife who died young and tragically. Solving the mystery of what is meant by the notes and who is sending them to her just may cost more than she is willing to pay. . . .

I loved the look at post war London and present day publishing. I thoroughly enjoyed Emily's story. But I didn't like Isabel who in her own words has always been "too caught up in her own affairs" (p. 323).The character was selfish but also annoyingly unwilling to deal with problems. Whenever she got into trouble she expected her aunt, husband or another to come to her rescue. She also didn't care enough about the people around her- her daughter and husband weren't passionately loved but simply people she vaguely cared for and was surprised by their not putting her first.

Grade: B range for good writing and interesting story

[Bowerbird · Rating 2 out of 5]

I persevered with this book in spite of the constant swapping between Emily and Isabel. I could sympathize a little with Isobel - after the birth of her baby she was obviously suffering from a bad case of post-natal depression. However, from the very beginning she allowed both Jacqueline and her mother-in-law to overwhelm her. And Hugh, her husband was too blind to notice apparently. Yet as an author he is observing characters around him in order to write his books. He is not a sympathetic character.
Later in the book Isabel remembers the happiness of her honeymoon in Penelope's cottage but we were given to believe at the time that it wasn't especially wonderful tainted as it had been by her first sexual experience after their wedding.
Not convinced either by the grown-up Lorna's easy adjustment to her mother's desertion

[Dark-Draco · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of my Mum's favourite authors, so I thought it was about time that I read one of her books. Overall impression, a bit mixed. I kind of enjoyed it at the start, with the two storylines neatly linked and was leaning towards the one in the past as the more interesting story. But towards the end, I'd sort of started disliking most of the characters. Not because they were particularly badly written, but just because I wanted one of them to DO something and not just go into a chapter long retrospective about their lives.

However, I did read to the end to find out what the big mystery behind it all was ... and that ended up a bit of a damp squib. I was taken by surprise as to who was sending the packages, but everything else was a bit of a let down. And the final 'revelation' was such a cliché that it made me instantly dislike one of the characters I'd actually had a modicum of sympathy for.

Overall, an ok read and vaguely entertaining, but not something I'd rush to read again!

[Rainz ❤️rainnbooks❤️(on a break) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Silent Tide is a very compelling historical fiction. Like most books in this genre, there are 2 timelines, Isabel in the 1950's and Emily in the present. Both times are set in a publishing world and the author gives us a glimpse of the tedious job that lies underneath all the wonderful books that a reader digs into. Such a humongous process it is to get the final book on our table! Isabel's story takes us to the difficulties faced by a woman who wants to make a career for herself in that era and the depression she falls into after being forced by circumstances to let go of the success she wants her life to be.Emily however is making a mark in her time and wants Isabel's story told without any coloring of the truth.
The story was interesting but somehow not captivating enough,Isabel definitely struggles but I just couldn't get a connect to her turmoil and just a dash of mystery or spice was missing from the story. All the characters have been wonderfully done and the setting creates a different atmospheric feel to the story.
A very interesting read thou!

[Carolyn Fitzmaurice · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was the second of Rachel's novels that I have read and I really enjoyed the story about Emily and her relationships plus the mystery of the story behind Isabel and Michael Horton. There was even an unexpected twist at the end which was not apparent to me throughout the entire story. A really good read.

[Susan Pope · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story and well written. The two time-slip heroines were so similar I kept confusing them and their stories. Otherwise it was very atmospheric and thought provoking.

[Mi_er · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. The end :)

[o rowlands · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely, emotional family story with twists you dont expect . Really enjoyed it. Love Rachel Hore’s books

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

The use of colourful descriptions linking past and present describes the inner turmoil young women in the 50s encountered wonderfully. Rachel Hore never disappoints as an author who obviously combines a great story with accurate research.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an engaging read. It demonstrates post natal depression brilliantly and sheds light on life in the 1950s.

[Sharon Goodwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the prologue, we’re with Isabel on the East Suffolk coast on 31 January 1953.  It’s one of the worst storms on record and as the North Sea floods over the marshland we witness a devastating flood scene.
 
Straight away I felt as if I was a part of the story.  The scene is so clearly portrayed.
 
Part One begins with Emily in present day Berkley Square in November waiting for her boyfriend.  She sees a mysterious woman and then finds that an old book by Hugh Morton is left for her.  This is the beginning of the clues left for her.
 
We’re then with Isabel in London in November 1948.  Isabel had fled to her aunt’s home in London, away from her family in Kent.
 
This is the structure of the story. Alternating chapters of present day with Emily following her own journey of being a part of the publishing world, her relationship with boyfriend Matthew and her involvement in Hugh Morton’s biography and the intrigue surrounding his first wife. In the past with Isabel we become a part of the life in the late 1940’s/early 1950’s and her time in the publishing world and her emotional life.
 
I have to admit I loved being in the past.  Everything feels very authentic.  Isabel is an independent woman who finds it difficult to settle into married life and motherhood.  Her life would have been much less traumatic had she lived in the present day!  It was easy to empathise with her as she tried to find her place.
 
I had guessed one thing about Isabel although hadn’t realised it was unintentional but had no idea about the other!  They are connected though – one leading to the other. Sorry to be so cryptic – no spoilers!
 
I understood Jacqueline but even so, she is the character I liked the least.
 
There’s intense emotion in Emily’s life too but this didn’t pull me in as much as Isabel did.  The intrigue with the clues leads her on and motivates her to find out the truth.  I enjoyed being a part of Matthew’s literary world and I liked the significance of the Valentine’s card!
 
The Silent Tide is an apt title in more ways than one…
 
I would like to thank the publishers for providing an uncorrected proof in exchange for an honest review.

[Melanie Trevelyan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is well written and interesting, like her other novels this one combines the past and the present. It tells the story of 1940's Isobel and contemporary Emily. They both begin careers as editors in the publishing business and both have tangled relationships with literary figures in their lives!
Their story becomes entangles when Emily begins working with author Joel, who is writing a biography of Hugh Morton who penned the Silent Tide of the title. He is linked to Isobel who starts as his editor and then the story gets a little more depressing. Whilst the book depicts the female figures in the book well and shows how difficult it was to establish a career for women it also shows how some failed to thrive in this environment!
I enjoyed reading this story and thought that the way the stories of the women were linked together was clever but at the same time I couldn't help but feel a bit sad about how the story enfolded. I would read other books by this author as it was well written and held together well.

[Paula Sealey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've become quite fond of stories that traverse different eras, but only if they're done well, and The Silent Tide certainly was.

Isabel's story is set in the 1940's/50's, and Emily's in the present day. Their stories intertwine when Emily is chosen as the editor of a new biography on the late Hugh Morton, a previous husband of Isabel's. Emily begins to receive documents containing information on Isabel and her life, by someone who clearly wants her story to be included in the biography, but who and why?

Full of great characters and wonderful descriptions of life in post war Britain, this story with it's lovely twists and turns is an engrossing page turner, with the outcome unravelling at a steady pace.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Isabel's story in the past was so interesting and alive, while Emily's in the present day was very cardboard flat. It almost seemed like they were written by different authors. While I read most books in a couple of days, it took me longer to read this one than it should have because most of it was not a "can't put it down" story. This is not my favorite book by Hore.

[Roo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book of Rachel Hore that I have not really enjoyed! But I did finish reading it and I still think The Glass Painters Daughter is my favourite book written by Rachel Hore.

[Kiki · Rating 2 out of 5]

First time I've found a book by Rachel Hore... well, disappointing is perhaps too strong; but certainly underwhelming.

[KL Caley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is a dual timeline following the stories of Emily and Isabel. In present-day London, Emily is an up-and-coming editor who is helping a young biographer publish the life of a now-deceased famous writer, Hugh Morton. When mystery parcels begin to turn up at Emily's work telling the story of Isabel, Hugh's first wife, Emily becomes obsessed with Isabel’s story and must know more.
I often think it’s useful to see an extract of a book to get an idea of the writing style. Here is a brief extract so that you can see a sample of the writing yourself:

After a week of tense waiting she asked Stephen, ‘I don’t suppose you’ve had time to read that report on Hugh Morton’s book I left you?’
‘Ah, I’m sorry, I forgot to tell you about that,’ Stephen replied with a guilty look, and her hopes fell. But then he said, ‘The author’s coming in next week. I’ll make sure the two of you are introduced.’
‘We’re publishing the book?’ she asked, in surprise and not a little anger. She was used to not being told much, to having to pick up information through opening the post or by correspondence she was asked to type, but she was hurt that he hadn’t mentioned anything about this project.

Starting in 1948 we follow the story of Isabel. Isabel is working hard to find her place and forge a career in a man’s world in London. Having run away from home she is determined to manage life on her own. When she is given extra responsibility at work she relishes the challenge and after meeting a handsome young debut author soon her work and personal life begin to merge. Yet as these worlds merge she begins to struggle to keep her independence and personal identity.

I loved the characters in this book, especially those featured in Isabel’s story. Berec is a particularly interesting sub-character and I liked the hints the author left regarding how difficult someone in his situations life would have been at that time period, yet his jovial attitude was uplifting just when the book needed it. Hugh makes a great bad guy, that’s not all that bad, just attitudes of that time.

I must admit, the 40/50's is a time period I don’t know much about, being so close to our own (for a historical history novel) it is easy to picture certain things, yet attitudes and opportunities certainly for young ladies, was different and I think the author does a great job in capturing this.

The timeline shifts were handled well with clear indications of the time period and most of Isabel’s story was told through manuscript extracts of Isabel’s memoirs.

This novel also touches on the fragile emotional state of post-natal depression. This can be difficult reading but is nonetheless a fact of life and would have been much less understood in the time period.

Any Negatives? Not negative as such but I did enjoy Berec’s story and think it has a place to be told in more detail (perhaps a little novella). I also found Lydia a strange character, meek at first then emboldened later on. I feel to be more true to life, she would have been less forgiving and more resentful of Isabel’s choices. None of this detracts from the main story of Isabel or Emily though.

Overall View: A really interesting book. A strong and engaging storyline that really had me reading at every opportunity. It was a compelling and addictive read. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

Please leave a like if you think my review/feedback of the item was helpful to you. Alternatively, please contact me if you want me to clarify something in my review.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

[I've tried to be ambiguous with this review however, I ticked the spoilers box to be on the safe side.]

I surprised myself with this book. It's completely different to what I'm used to, a bit slower paced too. I liked that it is a sort of investigative story which jumps back and forth from present day to the past. I had to persevere with this story though because I found some of the subject matter quite ordinary which made progress slow in places and almost made me bored and not want to pick it up again. This part of the storytelling itself however was also quite refreshing in a way because it did pirtray ordinary life which is so different to what I'm used to reading and it portrayed life for a strong-willed independent woman in the 50s so well.

I couldn't help but notice similarities between the present day character Emily and the 50s character Isabel as the events in their lives seemed to have sone parallels thought not all of the time, but especially as their work backgrounds were similar. This built some frustration here with me too as I felt Emily was almost following the same sort of path in some aspects as Isabel did but as I said, not all. I think it made it easier that the two characters were similar in a way but I'm not sure if it was easier for the author or the reader as I was constantly comparing Emily to Isabel. Moving forward, I found the closure on this story was actually quite satisfying and I'm glad I didn't put the book down when I could have.

I even found myself feeling anger and frustration in parts for Isabel comparing the story to real life today, particularly if you look at it from a feminist point of view, there are so many things that would not be put up with nowadays to what Isabel went through. This is what I think makes the writing so clever and stirring, as I came to the close of the story, I came to forgive the slow parts and look at the book as a whole. I was actually quite happy with the way the events in the story panned out with a quite clever little twist which turned a quite bittersweet ending into quite a lovely well-rounded one. I'm now intrigued by Rachel Hore's other books as on the whole, this was a lovely, well written piece.

[Christina Rochester · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm going to try my best to type out a decent review but I might not be very successful as I have a cannula in my elbow and its at a very awkward angle. Its not painful but it's damned uncomfortable. The joys of being in hospital. But enough about me.

I have a disclosure to make. I absolutely adore Rachel Hore's work yet every time I go to pick up one of her books I panic. And that is for one simple reason. The blurbs do not do her books justice and every time I go am I about to read the same story with different characters again? But that's never the case.

I absolutely loved The Silent Tide and the characters were extremely well crafted. I can see how Hugh was rather dazzling, and although he was just a man of that time, it meant I rather hated his attitude once he was married to Isabel. I know it was common for men not to want their women working now the war was over, and I'm not going to start burning my bra or anything but that attitude really gets on my nerves.

Isabel by contrast was so sweet and passionate that I warmed to her instantly. Yes she was naive but one has to remember she has led a very sheltered childhood. I was especially moved by her struggle with postnatal depression, although of course she herself was unaware that was what it was.

And the twist at the end was absolutely beautiful. I didn't see it coming at all, and I was very much swept along on the tide of this story.

Concurrently of course there is Emily's story in the modern day and I have to admit that I quite liked Emily too, although I felt things were a little bit easy for her. But I think I'm just being nitpicky at this point.

But either way this is an absolute must read.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what a book, heart wrenching and full of twists and turns. Very cleverly written by Rachel Hore and although it is my first read from this author, I am already choosing the next one!
Emily Gordon, editor of a London publishers, has been asked to edit the life story of a famous 1940's novelist called Hugh Morton. Whilst she is working with the writer, numerous notes mysteriously appear on her desk, telling the story of Hugh's wife Isabel, who herself was an editor upon meeting Hugh. Isabel was a very promising editor back in the late 40's and when she marry's Hugh, she becomes very disillusioned with married life. This is made worse by the interference of Hugh's life long friend Jaqueline. The story is heart wrenching and I really felt for Isabel, struggling in a male dominated world. I did guess (or hope) how the book would end, but it did not disappoint me. A brilliant book!

[Sara G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mixed feelings about this one. As always, Rachel Hore does a great job talking about writers and the publishing industry in her fiction. This book is a dual timeline story - Emily in the current day editing a biography of a well-known writer Hugh Morton, and Isabel in the late 1940s and early 1950s starting a publishing house career and marrying the author. There are mysteries around Isabel as she's his lesser-known first wife and died at a young age. The story was okay but I wasn't enthralled. I felt like the characters didn't really stand out, and in particular, Hugh who seemed to totally mesh with the modern-day men that Emily encounters. Not her best but not a bad easy read for a rainy day!

[Mrs M. C. Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written but a sad story

This story is a good read but sad despite ending well - don’t read it to cheer you up! I was born in the early 1950s and remember a lot of my young childhood so this book rang lots of bells about how things were and was true to my memories. WW1 and WW2 had a devastating and long lasting effect on many people coupled with the lingering class society made life difficult for many of us in that era - although probably no more so than following other conflicts in many ways. So many things we are learning to understand now such as depression and mental health were an anathema then. The contrast between Isabel and Emily brings much of this to light and is well written and researched.

[Patsy Collins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Parts of it are lovely, and parts tragic, but it's all a compelling read. The two timelines are very cleverly woven together.

I'd have given it 5 stars were it not for the epilogue, which reveals something about Isabel and which spoiled the story for me. I'd much rather have remainded believing her actions regarding her daughter, as described in the rest of the book, were the result of post natal depression and not deliberate and lifelong cruelty as her survival and lack of contact show. I don't think it needed either the prologue or epilogue.