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A Grave Inheritance
“Grace and Amelia looked at the gravestone propped up against a tree, its surface tinged green with age and moss. Grace had already scraped away accumulated dirt and grime to reveal a crudely chiselled out initial, name and date. With a sinking feeling in her stomach, Amelia read the inscription.”
When their parents died, Amelia and Grace Farrell believed they had no other family. Then out of the blue a letter arrives informing them they have inherited a cottage from their paternal grandfather. Amelia and Grace move into the cottage and make Woodbury their home, but when Grace finds a headstone in the garden, they are plunged straight into an age-old mystery.
Infatuated with the handsome vicar, Amelia looks to him for help, and Grace wants to know if he has any gravestones missing. But it is an elderly aunt, and an old diary which hold the answers to secrets long buried. Grace decides to look into their past for the truth, but someone is determined to stop her. Unknowingly, Grace puts both their lives in danger and they realise they must face the consequences so that the dead can be laid to rest at last.
1911-1928:
When the wrong twin, Laurence Deverell, is brutally murdered, John Farrell does his best to cover up the crime, trying only to protect his wife and daughter. Seventeen years later when history is about to repeat itself, the murderer strikes again, and this time, they make no mistakes.
When their parents died, Amelia and Grace Farrell believed they had no other family. Then out of the blue a letter arrives informing them they have inherited a cottage from their paternal grandfather. Amelia and Grace move into the cottage and make Woodbury their home, but when Grace finds a headstone in the garden, they are plunged straight into an age-old mystery.
Infatuated with the handsome vicar, Amelia looks to him for help, and Grace wants to know if he has any gravestones missing. But it is an elderly aunt, and an old diary which hold the answers to secrets long buried. Grace decides to look into their past for the truth, but someone is determined to stop her. Unknowingly, Grace puts both their lives in danger and they realise they must face the consequences so that the dead can be laid to rest at last.
1911-1928:
When the wrong twin, Laurence Deverell, is brutally murdered, John Farrell does his best to cover up the crime, trying only to protect his wife and daughter. Seventeen years later when history is about to repeat itself, the murderer strikes again, and this time, they make no mistakes.
- GenresMystery
317 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 2, 2012
92 people are currently reading
159 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
September 6, 2020
Wow! Yet another fabulous read for me.
I found this story very interesting, it had everything I'm interested in and more. Set in two time eras covered my interest in history and family stories. So many twists and turns I wasn't expecting the end of this story!
Most families can claim a story of this sort in their family tree myself included. Growing up, I loved hearing stories from both sides of the family. One side had a similar story to this one. When I was older and started to research my family tree I asked questions and found dates didn't match so I started to investigate it and found what I think is the truth but I can of course never prove it.
I found this story very interesting, it had everything I'm interested in and more. Set in two time eras covered my interest in history and family stories. So many twists and turns I wasn't expecting the end of this story!
Most families can claim a story of this sort in their family tree myself included. Growing up, I loved hearing stories from both sides of the family. One side had a similar story to this one. When I was older and started to research my family tree I asked questions and found dates didn't match so I started to investigate it and found what I think is the truth but I can of course never prove it.
January 13, 2021
Twisting tale secrets to be uncovered
a bit of a hard story to follow family siblings brothers so different covering up of truth leads to more wrongs trying to right this a person from the past two families United in the past but secrets come out in present day by righting the past mistakes is it Grace or Sophie
a bit of a hard story to follow family siblings brothers so different covering up of truth leads to more wrongs trying to right this a person from the past two families United in the past but secrets come out in present day by righting the past mistakes is it Grace or Sophie
March 20, 2021
Not British words!
We use the words jobs around the house not chores that's American and caskets is American we use Cofffin . The story was good. All Americans mess with our words stop it!
We use the words jobs around the house not chores that's American and caskets is American we use Cofffin . The story was good. All Americans mess with our words stop it!
April 9, 2021
A page Turner
I really enjoyed this book just couldn’t stop reading it so many twists and turns will definitely read your books by this author it kept you guessing all the time loved it
I really enjoyed this book just couldn’t stop reading it so many twists and turns will definitely read your books by this author it kept you guessing all the time loved it
April 13, 2021
A charming and pacy mystery.
Engaging from the outset. A tale that contains likeable characters with a good dose of nasties and some intriguing ghosts who help the living clear up some past rings. A good read.
Engaging from the outset. A tale that contains likeable characters with a good dose of nasties and some intriguing ghosts who help the living clear up some past rings. A good read.
Read
October 25, 2020Very enjoyable.
November 13, 2020
really enjoyed this book .
December 9, 2020
Bit slow to start
Bit slow to start but ended up not wanting to put it down.
I would recommend this book to my friends
Bit slow to start but ended up not wanting to put it down.
I would recommend this book to my friends
January 27, 2021
A Mystery Solved
Well drawn characters who quickly engage the.reader. I would definitely recommend this book to lovers of historical and mystery/crime novels
Well drawn characters who quickly engage the.reader. I would definitely recommend this book to lovers of historical and mystery/crime novels
February 6, 2021
Really enjoyed this !
March 15, 2021
A good mystery of family secrets from way back being finally revealed
March 29, 2021
Found it intriguing, different. Well written, shows how lives intertwine. Good story
April 3, 2021
Fantastic
Couldn't put the book down, really enjoyed the story, couldn't have guessed what would have happened, one shocker after another.
Couldn't put the book down, really enjoyed the story, couldn't have guessed what would have happened, one shocker after another.
May 8, 2021
This book
This was a pleasant story but not very exciting and it seemed so old fashioned particularly with Amelia and Grace.I was rather disappointed
This was a pleasant story but not very exciting and it seemed so old fashioned particularly with Amelia and Grace.I was rather disappointed
August 19, 2021
Good
Really enjoyed this story .It was very intriguing the twists and turns of the story
kept me interested all the way through.
Really enjoyed this story .It was very intriguing the twists and turns of the story
kept me interested all the way through.
September 9, 2021
Good read very interesting
October 17, 2021
A very enjoyable read.
April 11, 2025
good read
I did enjoy reading this, but felt it was a little bit ‘twee’ and also rather stretched out towards the end.
I did enjoy reading this, but felt it was a little bit ‘twee’ and also rather stretched out towards the end.
February 5, 2014
I loved the whole idea of sisters inheriting a quiet country cottage from an unknown grandfather and being confronted by a ghostly, unsolved mystery from the past. I really wanted to love this book and couldn’t wait to jump into it but I have to say it just didn't 'grip' me as a book I couldn't put down.
There were lots of characters in this book - lots of characters. Some of them were noticeably superfluous to the story. I kept expecting them to resurface at a later date in some significant way but they never appeared again, which made me wonder why the author bothered to introduce them at all. It took a long time for me to get to know the varied characters and at first I had to keep reminding myself of who they were and where they fitted into the story. Sadly this delayed my connection to the story until about half way through. I felt that the sisters’ characters weren't developed enough as individuals and I kept confusing them which was very frustrating considering they were the main characters. Thankfully more time was spent developing the characters from the past and this resulted in me caring what happened to them more so than those from the present day.
As the story unfolded in the second half of the book I felt myself becoming more absorbed in the tale. The mystery from the past was well thought out and was revealed at an appealing pace. The ending was a little predictable but overall I enjoyed the story. It’s not a book that I will read again and again but it was a pleasant journey, well written and I will definitely look out for more books by Ms Renshaw.
There were lots of characters in this book - lots of characters. Some of them were noticeably superfluous to the story. I kept expecting them to resurface at a later date in some significant way but they never appeared again, which made me wonder why the author bothered to introduce them at all. It took a long time for me to get to know the varied characters and at first I had to keep reminding myself of who they were and where they fitted into the story. Sadly this delayed my connection to the story until about half way through. I felt that the sisters’ characters weren't developed enough as individuals and I kept confusing them which was very frustrating considering they were the main characters. Thankfully more time was spent developing the characters from the past and this resulted in me caring what happened to them more so than those from the present day.
As the story unfolded in the second half of the book I felt myself becoming more absorbed in the tale. The mystery from the past was well thought out and was revealed at an appealing pace. The ending was a little predictable but overall I enjoyed the story. It’s not a book that I will read again and again but it was a pleasant journey, well written and I will definitely look out for more books by Ms Renshaw.
December 12, 2013
This was a great ghost story that was also a kind of family saga. The characters of the two sisters in the present day, Amelia and Grace, were appealing. I liked the way the story unfolded as the two sisters arrive at the cottage they've received as their inheritance from their paternal grandfather. The story was gripping as it told of Amelia and Grace's discovery of a gravestone in the garden of their cottage. I was constantly keen to find out what happened next.
The mystery of the gravestone in the garden kept me reading on, as did the flashbacks to Amelia and Grace's ancestors in the Edwardian era. I liked the way that nearly all the modern day characters were related to those in the past and how they all had dark secrets. The story of Amy Farrell in particular was heartbreaking and her story fitted seamlessly into the present day mystery.
I thought the characters were compelling and realistic except for that of Leo Deverell who was obviously a villain with no complexities to him. However this didn't detract too much from my enjoyment of the book, which I thought was a ripping yarn and hugely enjoyable.
The mystery of the gravestone in the garden kept me reading on, as did the flashbacks to Amelia and Grace's ancestors in the Edwardian era. I liked the way that nearly all the modern day characters were related to those in the past and how they all had dark secrets. The story of Amy Farrell in particular was heartbreaking and her story fitted seamlessly into the present day mystery.
I thought the characters were compelling and realistic except for that of Leo Deverell who was obviously a villain with no complexities to him. However this didn't detract too much from my enjoyment of the book, which I thought was a ripping yarn and hugely enjoyable.
January 21, 2013
This is a really good book overall, Anne Renshaw has woven a very complicated web throughout history. I loved the story because of the subtle supernatural element, but also because I know all the places where the novel is set. It's amazing how familiar places can bring a novel to life more than ever- I don't have to imagine the places, I already know them. I also love the English-ness of it. Tea anyone?
I didn't give it five stars because there were a few typos and in some places there was a lot of superfluous description (in my opinion). I'm not an expert, but I'm inclined to feel that with a bit more editing this book could be even better. Also, the characters overwhelmed me a little bit in the first part and I had to make an effort to try and remember who was who. However, about half way through I was completely engaged in the story and really didn't want to go to sleep until I had finished! I'll be looking out for more supernatural-Midsummer murders-type books by Anne Renshaw in the future :)
I didn't give it five stars because there were a few typos and in some places there was a lot of superfluous description (in my opinion). I'm not an expert, but I'm inclined to feel that with a bit more editing this book could be even better. Also, the characters overwhelmed me a little bit in the first part and I had to make an effort to try and remember who was who. However, about half way through I was completely engaged in the story and really didn't want to go to sleep until I had finished! I'll be looking out for more supernatural-Midsummer murders-type books by Anne Renshaw in the future :)
July 10, 2013
I really wanted to like this. It was one I'd had in my wishlist a good while and then it was free so I was delighted. I just couldn't really get into it, though. It seemed to jump around all over the place and not one task would be completed before the person being written about jumped onto something else !! So all a bit untidy for me. I got to page 87 and had to pack it in. There was another missing comma on the page I'd got to and it wasn't the first time one was left out.
Position was used in place of positioned, the word a was left out of a sentence, misused apostrophe in Farrell's and they're was written as there're. As in the last book I picked up there were words with spaces added for some reason. Not sure if it's a formatting thing but I'm happening across it a lot at present. In this your selves and wild life were written like that.
This sounded an intriguing story but just wasn't for me at all.
Position was used in place of positioned, the word a was left out of a sentence, misused apostrophe in Farrell's and they're was written as there're. As in the last book I picked up there were words with spaces added for some reason. Not sure if it's a formatting thing but I'm happening across it a lot at present. In this your selves and wild life were written like that.
This sounded an intriguing story but just wasn't for me at all.
February 10, 2017
Recommended by friends.
May 13, 2013
I picked this book up a few weeks ago meaning to read it at some point inthe future - it was not top of my TBR list. However, for some reason I found the title intriguing so thought I would read it before my next book club read.
I'm glad I did as I really enjoyed the story.
It was reasonably well written and scanned well. I cared enough to warm to the characters and to envisage the surroundings. I also kept wanting to pick it up and find out more - always a good sign I feel.
I can imagine this as a film.
I'm glad I did as I really enjoyed the story.
It was reasonably well written and scanned well. I cared enough to warm to the characters and to envisage the surroundings. I also kept wanting to pick it up and find out more - always a good sign I feel.
I can imagine this as a film.
January 12, 2014
I'd read some of the other reviews and was prepared to not like this book. Boy, was I wring, I quite enjoyed it and found is fairly simple to keep the characters and entwined storylines straight. the only downside was that I found some of the dialogue simple and the characterizations of Amelia and Grace somewhat one dimensional.
May 3, 2013
Great mystery with flashbacks to the past. This might bother readers who do not like flashbacks, but I loved them. Made me feel like I was following the clues to piece together the identity of who was in the grave -- was it a person or a family pet. Set in England.
May 12, 2013
Too many characters and far too convoluted. Had a great deal of trouble remembering who characters were. Story would have been tighter and more suspenseful with a good editing. Maybe the Reader's Digest version would be better. Two stars, although the system seems to want to give it three.
June 6, 2013
I really enjoyed this, especially as the full story was not revealed till the end.
July 3, 2013
What a great read. A new author who brings her characters to life. Someone I will be looking out for in the future.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews