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The House Between Tides

Sarah Maine (Goodreads Author)

3.77 · Rating details · 6,896 ratings · 780 reviews

Fans of Kate Morton will love this atmospheric and immersive debut novel of a woman who returns to her ancestral home in Scotland and discovers a century-old secret buried in the basement.

Following the deaths of her last living relatives, Hetty Deveraux leaves her strained marriage behind in London and returns to her ancestral home, a crumbling estate in Scotland’s Outer H ...more

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Paperback, 380 pages

Published August 2nd 2016 by Freight Books (first published March 24th 2014)

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· 6,896 ratings · 780 reviews

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Jan 18, 2016 Diane S ☔ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

3.5 Hetty, the last of her bloodline inherits Muirlan House on Scotland's Outer Hebrides. She has plans to repair and turn it into a fashionable hotel with golf course. The house though would take a fortune to repair and when a young architect with ties to the island finds bones under one of the floors a mystery begins. Whose bones are these and how did they get there?

Dual storylines, time periods, from the present back to 1910 when a painter, Hetty's ancestor brings his new wife to Muirlan. Thi ...more

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May 19, 2016 Dale Harcombe rated it liked it · review of another edition

The setting of the crumbling mansion in the Outer Hebrides is portrayed well. A place that is accessible only when it is low tide makes for an atmospheric feel. Some of the descriptive writing is beautiful. I liked the character of Beatrice the story set in 1910, but was not as enamoured as the story in 2010 as I found Hetty to be largely a passive character. The secrets that the house has buried I thought were fairly predictable, despite a few hints trying to focus attention another way. At ti ...more

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Apr 11, 2016 Sheila rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2016, netgalley

3 stars--I liked the book.

This is one of those dual timeline novels, with family secrets galore and someone in the present trying to determine what happened in the past. I enjoy this genre, and think readers who like Kate Morton, etc., will enjoy this book. The Scotland setting is lovely, and characterization is vivid.

I would have given this four stars except the main character in the present-day chapters, Hetty, was the biggest doormat of all time. Bland and spineless, Hetty does nothing but li ...more

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Nov 04, 2016 Holly rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2016

I couldn't put this book down. It was atmospheric, had that gothic feel to it, & throughout, I felt the isolation that Beatrice felt. It one of those books that I get lost in, not because so much is happening but because of the wonderful storytelling. ...more

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Jan 20, 2016 Diana | Book of Secrets rated it liked it · review of another edition

THE HOUSE OF TIDES drew me in with its eerie crumbling mansion complete with a mysterious skeleton hidden inside. The story is set in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, and the land upon which Muirlan House sits is only accessible when the tides are out. The author created a wonderfully creepy Gothic atmosphere with this tumbledown house and isolated location.

The story alternates between different time periods - 2010, when Hetty inherits the house, and at the turn of the last century, when artist T ...more

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Dec 21, 2016 Magdalena aka A Bookaholic Swede rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2016

The House Between Tides is one of those books that I have wanted to read for a long time, I just never got the time for it. But, I've decided to go through my ARC's and read the ones that I've been meaning to read. And, I started with this one.

The House Between Tides title, description, and cover captured my imagination. The discovery of a hidden body that's been buried for decades is not the start Hetty had counted on when she arrives at the old house she has inherited. And, her restoration ...more

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Aug 04, 2016 Elizabeth of Silver's Reviews rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

From 1910 to 2010, The Isle of Skye, inherited castles, and human bones.

THE HOUSE BETWEEN TIDES takes us back to 1910 when Theo and Beatrice Blake spent their summers in Muirlan House in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland and then to present day when Hetty inherits the ruins of the house with hopes of turning it into a hotel.

Theo and Beatrice Blake didn't do too much to make Muirlan House a home so when Hetty arrived to see her inheritance many years later, she was taken by surprise to see it i From 1910 to 2010, The Isle of Skye, inherited castles, and human bones.

THE HOUSE BETWEEN TIDES takes us back to 1910 when Theo and Beatrice Blake spent their summers in Muirlan House in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland and then to present day when Hetty inherits the ruins of the house with hopes of turning it into a hotel.

Theo and Beatrice Blake didn't do too much to make Muirlan House a home so when Hetty arrived to see her inheritance many years later, she was taken by surprise to see it in ruins and more surprised to find bones buried under the rotting floorboards.

THE HOUSE BETWEEN TIDES was a lovely read for me especially because of the setting. I enjoyed going back and forth in time to see how the characters lived then and how they lived now.

The characters themselves were interesting because of the jobs they had on the estate in 1910 and present-day Hetty who really had no clue how to live in this remote area with peat as the heating source, the constant rain, and having to be mindful of the tides.

The connection Hetty had to her ancestral family was not very strong, but strong and interesting enough to want to find things out about the family's history. And what a history it is. All she has for information, though, are photographs, paintings, a few letters, and the ruins of Muirlan House. Will these bits of evidence reveal the answers to whose bones were found as well as the mystery of who Theo Blake was and what his connection is to the girl in his earlier photos?

THE HOUSE BETWEEN TIDES is a very captivating read. The detailed, marvelous descriptions of the life and the setting are wonderful. You could just feel yourself at the social gatherings, feel the rain, feel the tension between characters, and feel the dreariness of the landscape.

If you enjoy traveling back and forth in time, mysteries, finding old letters, love affairs, and figuring out family connections, you will love THE HOUSE BETWEEN TIDES.

We also can’t forget that alluring, eerie, pull-you-in cover. It definitely sets the stage for the book.

ENJOY if you read THE HOUSE BETWEEN TIDES. A marvelous summer read or any-time-of-the-year read. 5/5

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review. ...more

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Jul 01, 2016 Susan Johnson rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: net-galley

This book is being compared to Rebecca and books by Kate Morton and it is somewhat. It is set in beautiful Scotland in the Outer Hebrides and is about a house. The house's access is controlled by the tides and is quite isolated. It's owned by famed artist, Theo Blake, and where he brings his young wife, Beatrice after their marriage in 1910.

The story fluctuates between Beatrice and Hetty who inherits it 2010. The house and estate are run by the Cameron/Forbes family who tend it with care. The ...more

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Feb 21, 2017 Samantha rated it did not like it · review of another edition

I wanted to like this. Badly.

I didn't.

I kept waiting for the book to improve, or maybe just for ANYTHING at all to happen, but alas, what we have here is one of the worst faux-gothic novels I've encountered in quite some time.

I'm surprised anyone even attempted to pass this off as gothic. It's a slow build, sure, but that's got more to do with the fact that it's a draggy, boring plot than it does with structured gothic story-building. And most importantly, it is completely devoid of that deligh ...more

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Jun 29, 2019 Ceecee rated it really liked it · review of another edition

There was a lot a really liked about this book, not least the Hebridean setting which was captured extremely well and made me want to jump on the next ferry from Skye! It was set in two different timelines of 1910/11 and 2010 and I thought that the difficulties of the varying times were dealt with well. I liked a lot of the characters in particular Beatrice from 1910 and Hetty from 2010. Even the characters who were quite odious (Giles from 2010 in particular and some of the rich, entitled react ...more

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Apr 03, 2016 Primrose Jess rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: net-galley-reviews

Sarah Maine fabulously crafts a story feeding the reader tiny morsels at time. The first portion of this book is spent setting the scene in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides as Hetty Devereaux arrives to inspect the family ancestral home she has inherited. Orphaned and hopeful to start a hotel in the manor, she discovers the crumbling home is isolated, not easily accessed, and possessing a century old corpse. Flashback to the home's occupants in 1910, Theo Blake and his new bride, Beatrice. Escaping Ed
Sarah Maine fabulously crafts a story feeding the reader tiny morsels at time. The first portion of this book is spent setting the scene in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides as Hetty Devereaux arrives to inspect the family ancestral home she has inherited. Orphaned and hopeful to start a hotel in the manor, she discovers the crumbling home is isolated, not easily accessed, and possessing a century old corpse. Flashback to the home's occupants in 1910, Theo Blake and his new bride, Beatrice. Escaping Edinburgh for the summer, Theo is to paint and take in the birding. Beatrice, eager to please her new husband, embraces her surroundings and befriends Cameron Forbes, the property manager's son. Beatrice soon discovers her husband has secrets of his own, strong feudal ideas, and when he is determined to possess something;does so with singleminded determination.
The story unfolds as Hetty seeks to discover more information about her distant relative, artist Theo Blake and his wife, along with their possible connection to the woman's corpse found in the house. She also has to make a decision regarding the crumbling manor. Locals do not want her hotel, the idea of a Blake returning to assert property rights on the crofters, and perhaps even Hetty herself. Flashbacks to the summer of 1910 and 1911 occur revealing the secrets of the couple, the house, and the paintings of Theo Blake. As Hetty pieces together the intricate puzzle of Theo Blake, the house, and the lovely Beatrice; she discovers that her legacy in the Outer Hebrides will be a significant one and she must choose wisely.
This is a book that will completely absorb your attention. The descriptions of the Outer Hebrides, the wild life, and people that live there are rich, rugged, and thorough. Maine sets a scene and you will feel as if you can smell the salty sea air, feel the cold wet sand in your toes, and have the raw breezes move your hair. The storms, the tides, the peat, the kelp, the sea birds, the grasses, the crofters' homes, all are included in Maine's meticulous attention to detail. It's one I will recommend.
Thank you Netgalley and Atria books for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
...more

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May 21, 2020 Alice Lippart rated it it was ok

Shelves: historical-fiction, read-in-2020

Not really my jam, unfortunately.

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Jun 27, 2016 Fran rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

The Western Isles off mainland Scotland is the locale for Muirlan House a crumbling Gothic- like mansion inherited by Hetty Deveraux. Hetty is the last surviving relative of Emily Blake, sister of Theo Blake, chief resident, painter, bird cataloguer and mad man who drowned himself in 1912.

Hetty visits Muirlan House to assess the potential of turning the manse into a hotel. It will be a fresh start since she is reeling from the death of her parents and trying to escape a smothering, overprotectiv The Western Isles off mainland Scotland is the locale for Muirlan House a crumbling Gothic- like mansion inherited by Hetty Deveraux. Hetty is the last surviving relative of Emily Blake, sister of Theo Blake, chief resident, painter, bird cataloguer and mad man who drowned himself in 1912.

Hetty visits Muirlan House to assess the potential of turning the manse into a hotel. It will be a fresh start since she is reeling from the death of her parents and trying to escape a smothering, overprotective boyfriend. Island local James Cameron, a contractor has evaluated Muirlan House determining that the structure is unsound. Shockingly, he unearths a cracked skull, an empty eye socket, and a locket with the initials BJS secreted beneath the floorboards of the mansion's decaying conservatory. A crime of long standing must now be solved. Additionally, the stage is set for a battle between the locals who wish to conserve the refuge of wild beauty which is replete with croft houses, cottages and small harbors. Hetty is determined to restore Muirlan House and possibly embellish this new hotel with the addition of golf courses and wildlife shooting excursions.

Recounted in the alternating voices of Beatrice, Theo Blake's bride in 1910 and Hetty, the last Blake descendant in 2010, an unsettling story emerges. Hetty tries to evoke Theo's painting genius, Beatrice's isolation and the lives of the tenants on an island where the ebb and flow of tides dictate the lives of the dwellers. Hetty visits the landscapes defining Theo's paintings, reads old letters and views old photographs delving into her ancestry and that of the islanders. A history of love, passion and betrayal mimic the stark beauty and violent storms that occur on the remote island.

Sarah Maine has created an historical novel that merits comparison to Daphne du Maurier's atmospheric writing. Maine's descriptive style transports one to the unspoiled Outer Hebrides. An excellent debut novel.

Thank you Freight Books and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review The House Between Tides. ...more

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Aug 31, 2017 Ferdy rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: liked-the-setting, multiple-pov, it-was-okay

2.5 stars

The Outer Hebrides setting was excellent, everything else ranged between meh and somewhat interesting.

The 2010 storyline was a chore to get through, mainly because of insipid Hettie, she was completely unlikeable and had no spine whatsoever or brain for that matter. She was a mouse who could barely speak up for herself, she let everyone constantly undermine her and treat her like an idiot. And her tragic backstory was totally boring, I wanted to skim over all her chapters.

The 1910 stor ...more

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Sep 27, 2018 Jeanette Lewis rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

The author has created a beautiful and dramatic setting to this story where the reader is transported to the West Coast of Scotland with it’s blustering cold winds and fierce seas. A past and present day story, 1910 and 2010, a family saga that on the surface seems that it could be fairly straight forward, however the author introduces a buried skeleton relatively early in the story that surfaces when building inspections are taking place on the crumbling Blake mansion that Hetty in 2010 to her The author has created a beautiful and dramatic setting to this story where the reader is transported to the West Coast of Scotland with it’s blustering cold winds and fierce seas. A past and present day story, 1910 and 2010, a family saga that on the surface seems that it could be fairly straight forward, however the author introduces a buried skeleton relatively early in the story that surfaces when building inspections are taking place on the crumbling Blake mansion that Hetty in 2010 to her surprise has inherited this part of the world along with crofts and tenants from earlier than 1910. Theo Blake’s father a self made man claimed the land and built the mansion to entertain the gentry in hunting pursuits etc. Hetty is out of her depth, still in mourning and feeling totally alone having just buried both parents and her grandmother. For most of the read she is buffeted about like the Scottish winds by the male friend and acquaintances, all present day like personalities, noisy, self opinionated and totally insensitive to her situation as well as the residents of her inherited property who understandably are suspicious of city people and anxious to maintain their lives in situ. Hetty is keen to restore the crumbling mansion but the force butting against her ideas is local identity James Cameron. The discovery of the bones puts all plans on hold until a forensic analysis has been completed. 1910 Beatrice marries the artist Theo Blake after a very brief courting. An older man, a well established artist and with his inherited wealth, Beatrice is in awe and feels assured that her life will not lack for anything. That is until the move to Theo’s father’s retreat mansion that is situated in this isolated part of Scotland where movement to and from dependant on the weather and tides. In a short time Beatrice becomes aware of her husband’s change in personality, his moods and his obsession with Cameron Forbes the son of the estate’s manager. Beatrice imagines that there is a sexual tension between her husband and Cameron, however it isn’t until the end of this complex story that the truth of the Blake family is revealed. The locket found and the bones, it maybe assumed are of Beatrice but this does not match any local knowledge from the small settlement. This book is well constructed, the parallel stories are easy to follow, all the characters are memorable, the twists and turns keep the story flowing until right at the end when all is revealed. ...more

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Feb 21, 2019 Teresa rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This story is set in dual time lines exactly one hundred years apart, in 1910 and 2010. The chapters that deal with the past are definitely the best part of the book.
Hetty in the present day is almost a nonentity pushed around by her annoying boyfriend. She meets James in Scotland and he comes across as an arrogant bully. I couldn't take to them at all.
So why the five stars?
For the wonderful, lyrical and descriptive writing!
I could hear the sea thundering up the beach on the island, the screechi ...more

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Dec 02, 2017 C. rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: riedel-titles-2017

“The House Between Tides”, Sarah Maine's 2014 début proved her an excellent storyteller with memorable characters. She crafted plots in which I remained invested. People will enjoy it, if they know it does not entail the tone or even the genre implied by the description. I was pleased to dig into the tantalizing scenario of a woman exploring a house but this was not the case. It is a shell Hetty only explores twice; both times with an island man yelling at her. Yet another author thought reader “The House Between Tides”, Sarah Maine's 2014 début proved her an excellent storyteller with memorable characters. She crafted plots in which I remained invested. People will enjoy it, if they know it does not entail the tone or even the genre implied by the description. I was pleased to dig into the tantalizing scenario of a woman exploring a house but this was not the case. It is a shell Hetty only explores twice; both times with an island man yelling at her. Yet another author thought readers would accept an ass for a love interest. I could not stand James any more than Giles. In 1910, I eventually like Cameron, as Theo lost favour.

Hetty's Great-Grandma is Emily, sister of famous Scottish island painter, Theo Blake. All she knew is that he had a short-lived marriage. While assessing whether or not the building can be made into a hotel, she finds bones. Sarah subtly portrays real life. Theo was not unkind. Although I doubt a grown-up would boo-hoo over a past flame, we understand that fractured relationships need no explosive cause. My disbelief was lodged the most in the exaggerated idea that Beatrice could only turn to the croft family next door. She had a family in London, Emily and Kit, Theo's brother! A one-hundred year -old mystery can only be investigated insofar as DNA testing, therefore the old story explains what happened. Meanwhile, Hetty ponders the high cost of stabilizing her ancestor's actual house. Would today's generation of islanders and the land, be an authentic enough connection to forge with her heritage?

I docked one star because there is no mysterious atmosphere of exploring a mansion for relics. Another, because the author had us fall in love with rare animals several times but each time, they were murdered. If you had a wife appalled about this, you would not do it. Plot-wise, every outcome was obvious to me. I don't normally fault authors if I clue into them but this many felt cliché. Is this a result of being a big reader, or could Sarah have surprised us? There should have been no mystery to Emily's eventual passing, because Hetty's Grandmother inherited her estate. It came across as a belated desire for another dramatic insert. Lastly, novelists need to stop having characters like James show up everywhere protagonists go. That was cliché but I enjoyed a lot about this novel. ...more

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Aug 12, 2016 Dilushani Jayalath rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

*Kindly received and ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

These are one of those rare gem-like books you found in Netgalley. This was such an amazing book, beautifully written, cleverly suspenseful and brilliantly put together.
There wasn't a word I skipped in this one and I loved every single thing about this one. This is one of those book where the thrill and suspense is crafted in just perfect.

The story was intriguing. I loved how they kept jumping between the two times. General ...more

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Mar 26, 2016 Tracey Allen at Carpe Librum rated it liked it · review of another edition

When a novel includes a crumbling estate, an inheritance, a mystery and a dark secret then I've got to read it and The House Between Tides by Sarah Maine has it all.

Set in Scotland, the landscape is truly the main character in this novel. It's wild and atmospheric and you can almost feel the wind in your hair, lick the salt spray from your lips and hear the squawk of the birds in the air.

Unfolding in dual time frames, we learn the present story from Hetty Deveraux (2010) and the past from Beatr ...more

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Jul 31, 2016 Dorine rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: fans of gothic historicals with a mix of contemporary, mystery and romance

Shelves: historical, art-theme, ebooks-kindle, women-s-fiction, mystery, fiction-with-romance-elements, for-nature-lovers, scottish, gothic, 1900s

Reminiscent of the Gothics of the 1970s, THE HOUSE BETWEEN TIDES by Sarah Maine takes the reader on a stimulating stroll through two time periods, igniting the senses with a classic mysterious aura. The moodiness of the location easily placed my mind on holiday in the past while unraveling the mystery in the present.

For more book reviews, plus travel, garden and food topics with photos, visit The Zest Quest, my pursuit of a zestful life.

It took me a month to read this book due to my hectic life, Reminiscent of the Gothics of the 1970s, THE HOUSE BETWEEN TIDES by Sarah Maine takes the reader on a stimulating stroll through two time periods, igniting the senses with a classic mysterious aura. The moodiness of the location easily placed my mind on holiday in the past while unraveling the mystery in the present.

For more book reviews, plus travel, garden and food topics with photos, visit The Zest Quest, my pursuit of a zestful life.

It took me a month to read this book due to my hectic life, but I’m so glad I savored it. THE HOUSE BETWEEN TIDES was a respite, the calm that soothed my personal storm. I relished the words and breathed in the atmosphere while anticipating the quirky characters and the darkness descending very slowly over their lives.

As with most classic Gothic romances, the house becomes a character – a watching, listening entity, keeping its secrets until the end. In 2010, Harriet “Hetty” Deveraux inherits Muirlan House in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Anxious to get started on her renovation ideas, as well as running from the stifling binds of her current boyfriend, Hetty visits her recently acquired estate without warning to the caregivers or her boyfriend. The locals aren’t very enthusiastic about renovating Muirlan House as a hotel. Hetty is determined to find out why they’re reluctant, as well as whether she can afford to recondition what seems to be in ruin.

When human remains are found under the floorboards of the house by contractor James Cameron, Hetty begins to wonder if her project will survive the stigma of a possible murder. James Cameron is also a mystery begging to be solved. Is he friend or foe?

Meanwhile, the reader is taken back to 1910 when the original owner, famous artist Theo Blake, returns to his home with a new wife. Beatrice met Theo at a gallery showcasing his paintings and he fell for her immediately. Anxious to show Beatrice his inspiration, Theo takes her to his sanctuary along the coast where he works on his bird illustrations and personal collection. Hoping to be inspired to paint again, Theo traipses off alone with his easel, leaving Beatrice to find her own entertainment. Beatrice walks the land and becomes acquainted with the locals. She gradually becomes alarmed by Theo’s seeming obsession with Cameron Forbes, a young man who helps him catalog his birds and manuscripts.

Throughout their stay in the country, Theo insists that Beatrice play hostess to his relatives and business associates. Their parties and activities are fun to witness, showcasing what life was like for the landowners of this time period in comparison to those who serve them. Political unrest exists, adding to the mystery. Beatrice and Theo’s lifestyle is often unnerving because it’s so relaxed, when all I sometimes wanted to know was what was going to happen to lead us to why or how the bones ended up under the floorboards.

Theo and Beatrice’s houseguests are often ridiculous and over-the-top, which enhances the authenticity of the time period when women weren’t quite in control of their lives. I was ready to pack the guests’ bags more than once just for Beatrice’s sanity. I really loved her as a main character and rooted for her to find happiness.

Back in present day, Hetty is discovering her own joy. Will she be brave enough to follow her dream, jumping into unpredictability, and leave the naysayers behind her? Or will she take the safe route to a satisfactory but more controlled life?

Even though this story takes place partly in the present, it will entertain historical lovers most significantly. More historical fiction with a touch of romance and mystery, this novel will appeal to a wide audience, but I especially enjoyed the detail of the birds and mammals along the coast. It also has many of the favorable attributes of a well-planned historical saga where the characters break society’s rules and their lives unravel because of their actions.

Author Sarah Maine has a gift for writing a scene in which the reader can imagine themselves there in person. Ms. Maine also creates a coastal background alive with controversy, especially appealing to nature lovers. I can’t wait for BEYOND THE WILD RIVER, Sarah Maine’s next historical novel set in North America which will release in 2017. I’m highly intrigued by her talent and this next location ignites my curiosity even more.

Review by Dorine, courtesy of Romance Junkies and The Zest Quest. Digital ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley for an honest review. ...more

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Apr 04, 2016 Judy D Collins rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-read-in-2016, 2016-releases, netgalley-arc, historical-fiction, mystery, sarah-maine, scotland

British author, Sarah Maine, delivers an atmospheric mysterious and suspenseful debut, THE HOUSE BETWEEN TIDES —a compelling mix of historic, Gothic and contemporary. A mystery of two women a century apart.

From 1889 (Theo), 1910 (Beatrice) - 1945 to present, 2010, (Hetty) a woman returns to an inherited home and discovers a hidden secret.

A crumbling mansion, an estate in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides. With the intentions of renovating and selling it as a hotel. Hetty begins her journey.

Howev ...more

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Apr 18, 2016 Cindy Burnett rated it liked it · review of another edition

3.5 stars

The House Between Tides was an interesting read. The story takes place in a variety of time periods which got a little confusing a few times. I really liked the storyline in 2010 with Hetty inheriting Muirlin, her family home in the Scottish Outer Hebrides. The descriptions of that area were wonderful and made me want to visit. I think a map of the house, the additional buildings, and the island would be a great addition to the book so that it would be easier to understand exactly where ...more

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Sep 26, 2016 PennsyLady (Bev) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, book-group, historical-mystery, 2018

The House Between Tides
by Sarah Maine

I loved Sarah Maine's debut novel.
A part of that is attributable to the reading by Justine Eyre.

The story revolves around a crumbling ancestral mansion.
Hetty Devereaux (2010) has inherited an estate in Scotland's
Outer Hebrides.
Our second protagonist is Beatrice Blake (1910) who then inhabits the estate with husband Theo, a celebrated painter.
This is a novel of atmospheric suspense..
Sarah Maine beautifully communicated to me the literal lay of the land, well d ...more

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Dec 31, 2019 Elinor rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: for-the-love-of-scotland

Sometimes dual timelines work well, and sometimes they can be confusing. It didn't help that I was reading this over the busy Christmas season, and therefore had to take several reading breaks, but I just could not keep the male characters from merging and overlapping in my mind. Having said that, I enjoyed the story of the old house (I'm obsessed with old houses) and the Scottish setting (I'm also obsessed with my ancestral homeland). The female characters were much better drawn -- the woman in ...more

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Nov 11, 2015 Morgan (The Bookish Beagle) added it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-arc, historical-fiction, dnf

DNF at 20%. Once again I was lured in by the promise of a twisty, dual timeline Kate Morton sort of novel. Unfortunately I had a very hard time connecting with the characters despite the interesting, remote Scottish setting. I had trouble keeping the timelines straight and didn't find the mystery or anyone very compelling. I'm a fan of atmospheric, slow books like this so I have to conclude that this one simply isn't for me. ...more

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Apr 05, 2017 Book Gala rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This book centers around a house on an island off the coast of Scotland, and two women who are involved with it. Hetty, who lives in modern day London, is the last of her line and inherits the house; she plans to turn it into a hotel. Beatrice, who lives in 1910, is married to Theo Blake, Hetty's indirect relative and the owner of the house. A skeleton is discovered underneath the floor in the modern day, and the story goes from there. I found Beatrice's story much more interesting than Hetty's ...more

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Jun 14, 2016 Sally906 rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, historical, gothic

The house between tides is an eerie, tumbling down and abandoned mansion. Set in the beautiful Outer Hebrides of Scotland, Muirlan House sits on a tiny island joined to another island by a land bridge that is only accessible when the tides are out. The new owner, Hetty, arrives to inspect her inheritance on the very day that a skeleton is found hidden beneath the rotting floorboards.

Slowly the story works towards the resolution of who the body is and how it got there. Told from 3 main viewpoint ...more

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Jul 04, 2016 Deborah rated it liked it · review of another edition

Many have already said this, I realise, but The House between Tides by Sarah Maine reminded me very much of Kate Morton's work.

This book started a little slowly for me. I wasn't immediately engaged in either the events of 'now' or those of 1910. I liked both of our main protagonists however: the somewhat down-trodden Hetty; and the coming-into-her-own Beatrice respectively and kept turning the pages eager to learn their stories.

Theo Blake's family built Muirlan House and his father uprooted loca ...more

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Mar 28, 2016 Reading Reindeer 2021 On Proxima Centauri rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

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Review of THE HOUSE BETWEEN TIDES by Sarah Maine

This debut novel is so reminiscent of the favourite authors of the early 20th century, such as Daphne DuMaurier and Isak Dinesen, in its ability to transport the reader into locale, multiple eras, and inside the minds and hearts of the characters. The main character is the stately mid-Victorian manse, Muirlan House, set inexplicably and dangerously on Muirlan Strand, in the Hebridean Isles, a land of gracious and surpassing beauty, yet terrible sto ...more

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Aug 16, 2019 Sherrie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

One of the best books I've read this year! Couldn't put it down. Its a crime, thriller, historical but above all a love story, not my thing at all usually. It has unexpected twists and turns which I never saw coming, and a degree of sadness which lasts through the book. And of course a murder, the identity only revealed near the end! ...more

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About Sarah Maine

Sarah Maine

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Sarah Maine was born in England and emigrated to Canada with her family at the age of ten. A small northern Ontario community was home for the next two years before the family moved south, and Sarah went to high school in Toronto. She returned to England to study archaeology, stayed on to do research and work, married there and has two sons.
Books were always important. She grew up on a diet of Ar ...more