Widow's Lace

by Lelita Baldock

A hundred year old mystery, the widow left behind, a fallen soldier, an unnamed body and a young student determined to find the truth. In 1886 famous English poet Edward Barrington moves from Derbyshire, England to a farm on the Finniss River, in South Australia. Two years later he disappears. 25 years later Archie Hargraves abandons his fiancée Clara and travels from England to meet with Edward’s widow, Rosalind. He plans to write a biography and make a name for himself, independent from his wealthy father. Returning to England in 1914 he abandons his work to join the war in Europe. His journal of notes from Australia is never released. Ellie Cannon, a young PhD candidate at Sydney University, is writing a thesis on one of Barrington’s last known poems, The Fall. It’s not going well. Struggling with her relationship with her mother and loss of her father, Ellie is on the brink of failure. Then a body is found by the Finniss River, 130 years after Edward’s disappearance. Could it be the famous poet? The discovery draws Ellie into the worlds of Edward, Archie and Clara, taking her across Australia and England in her search for the truth. Covering life in remote South Australia, the social pressures of 1900s Britain and the historical role of women, Widow’s Lace is an historical fiction, mystery cross-over dealing with themes of obsession, fear, love, inner-secrets and regret. But also the hope that can come from despair.

Genres: Historical Fiction

204 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 23, 2020

About the author

Lelita Baldock is an author of historical and literary fiction.

Lelita's novels focus on lesser-known aspects of history and the incredible everyday people who endure and overcome.

You can follow her on BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lelit...

Reviews

[Rebecca Cousins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m hooked and I want to read more from Lelita Baldock! This debut novel is just captivating, it has multiple layers of worth. As a historical fiction the novel impresses as it transports the reader to multiple times and stunning places. The narrators are endearing and as for the characters they are fascinating and charming. This novel really had me hocked; Widow’s Lace is a wonderful piece that evokes intense feelings of anticipation and hope, and it’s hard to put down!
Historical fiction is definitely my preferred genre. I’ve always had an interest in history, so being immersed in the lives and experiences of fictional historical characters, is an absolute joy for me. In Widow’s Lace I was transported to different times and different places immersed in the social nuances of the times, the complexities of relationships and love and the natural beauty of the world. It was thoroughly refreshing to visit times and places, a fabulous distraction from the events of the world at this point in time.
I really must comment about the multiple narrators in the novel. I guess you’d describe my thoughts on multiple narrators as that of a love-hate relationship. I love…absolutely love the characters in this novel, but I hate when their stories are put on hold or paused, it feels like a relationship has been shockingly severed. Before too long however, Lelita Baldock has me hooked again, thoroughly immersed in the stories of each narrator and I’m eager to discover the new perspectives. Lelita Baldock really did perfect this technique. While some author’s struggle to execute the multiple narrator taking the reader on a labyrinth of confusion Lelita Baldock has managed, in her debut novel none the less, to execute this style with such flair to create and maintain suspense.
Do yourself a favour, read Widow’s Lace.

[Lost in a book · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, this book blew me away! I stayed up way past my bedtime so that I could finish it. Widow's Lace is an enthralling mystery that had me guessing right up until the end, and wow, Lolita Baldock knows how to write a great plot-twist!

This story is set in two very different times - modern-day (2018) and the latter part of the 19th century. In 2018, Ellie's life is falling apart, and she has no interest in her studies. But that all changes (I will not give away any spoilers as I don't want to ruin this marvellous book for anyone). Needless, to say Ellie finds herself in the middle of a compelling - who done it, and who is it, adventure!

The historical setting was wonderfully portrayed. I must admit, I don't know a great deal about Australia in 1886, so I was really interested in what it must have been like to live there and how vastly different it was from old Blighty. I really sympathised with Rosalind and Edward because, due to Rosaline's health, they had no choice but to up sticks and make a new life on the other side of the world. It must have been a terribly traumatic experience to leave everything and everyone you knew, knowing that you would probably never see them again. I could understand Rosaline's misery, but I also admired Edward's determination to make the best out of the situation.

I am trying to be really careful in what I say, as it would be so easy to give away the plot. But let me end this review by saying that there are secrets aplenty in this novel. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this book, and I think you will too.

*I received a copy of this book from The Coffee Pot Book Club for review consideraiton

[Whispering Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I admit, I was a little concerned when I agreed to read this book because of the three vastly different timelines — I was worried that I might find it difficult to keep up. How completely wrong I was! There is mystery aplenty, which means that this is the kind of book that one cannot walk away from. It is a sit down and finish book.

The story grabbed me and held my attention until the very end — if you do read this book, you must read to the end to get the full explanation, to find the truth about the mysteries.

The author has certainly put a lot of work into this book, for the timelines flow together without the jarring feel that dual timelines can sometimes possess, and the stories blend together wonderfully. One timeline is living a story, the next is trying to write a book about them and the third is trying to find the truth about them both. That third timeline, the modern one, shows just how difficult research can be, for there is always gossip that twists the truth, not all sources are reliable and for the ones that are, if can often be difficult to prove their reliability.

Nearly every character ends up on the other side of the world at one point, all of them spending time in both England and Australia, and the differences between the two countries are described wonderfully.

I thought this novel was brilliant from start to finish. If you’re looking for a good mystery book that will keep you guessing, not to mention reading all night, then look no further

*I received a copy of this book from The Coffee Pot Book Club for review consideration.

[Emé Savage · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a slow burn which I love. But for those of you who aren't fond of slow burns, you still need to read this. It is so worth the time! When I got to the end I was yelling, YELLING, at the screen.

It's about a Grad Student who is working on her dissertation about the famous poet Edward Barrington. Our character is unmotivated and not in a good place when a body is found at the old Barrington place. Part historical fiction part mystery we follow the trail of clues to find out what really happened.

What I liked:
Hands down the description. The author has a way of painting scenery that makes you feel like you are at Goolwa. It draws you in and then sets the story in motion from there. I also enjoyed the structure. I wasn't sure where it was going at first as it bounced between time periods, but when you get to the end, it ties things up with a bang.

What I didn't like:
The only criticism I had was a few typos in the first couple of chapters, but it wasn't enough to take me out of the story. That is literally the only criticism.

Overall:
This was not your typical historical fiction and I really enjoyed the twist and turns this story took. And that ending... Well, you will just have to read it to see what I mean.

[Sarah El-aasser · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not usually the genre I read, but it caught my attention and I wasn't disappointed. The descriptions of were beautifully written you could feel the surroundings. The flow of events was smooth and helped keep me in the story's world. Also each character was carefully written which made them interesting to follow. Really enjoyed reading this novel.

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author writes beautifully. I didn't like the story as much, but still, it was suspenseful to the end.

[Oh Look,AnotherBook · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will admit, between agreeing to read this book and reading it, I completely forgot about the blurb and what this book was about, other than the fact that it was historical fiction. Therefore, imagine my surprise when it starts in 2018, with a woman called Ellie who is putting off doing her thesis and drinks too much alcohol! Nonetheless, I continued reading and soon I was in 1886, with the very poet that Ellie is researching. Skip ahead a couple of days (it wouldn’t have been so long, but I have a very needy child) I am in 1913, with yet another timeline that somehow fits in perfectly with the other two.

Let us go through each timeline separately. In 2018, Ellie isn’t having the greatest of times. She has no motivation to work on her thesis (haven’t we all been there?) and is miserable after the death of her father. She drinks, she smokes, she sleeps. Then, just as everything seems incredibly forlorn, a little ray of hope appears in the form of a pile of bones found at the poet’s old house. Of course, finding bones is incredibly exciting, and Ellie ends up on a mission to find out who the bones belong to and is determined to find the truth about the poet’s life. He disappeared, never to be heard of again, and Ellie wants to know why and what happened to him. At one point, she ends up in London, the first time, for she grew up in Australia. When in a new country, there is always a moment of awe as you see a new culture, a new environment, and I found it both incredibly amusing and so very true that as Ellie takes in London, she feels the need to point out the never-ending amount of pigeons.

In 1913, Archie and Clara are also not having fun. At least, they would be, but Clara desperately wants to marry Archie and Archie is never around. She is the most patient person I have ever read about, he runs off to Australia for a year and she forgives him with a kiss. No, Clara, ignore him for a year and see how he feels. Then, when he inevitably doesn’t have the patience to wait that long, hope that he understands how you feel (but he is a man, so he won’t). Archie wants to write a book about the poet, but since he is missing and presumed dead for 25 years, he visits the poet’s wife instead. And stays with her all year. Seriously, I feel so bad for Clara, even though I know why Archie is so closed off towards her (I’m not telling, read the book yourself!)

1886, the poet, Edward Barrington, is moving from England to Australia because of his wife’s health. Rosalind has consumption, and Edward sorely hopes the heat of Australia will help to rejuvenate her, to give her back her health. Edward, being a man, ends up making some very big choices in Australia, affecting both his and his wife’s entire futures, without consulting her. He likes Australia, much more than she does. In my opinion, she should be thankful she is not dead and learn to love the country, but I have never moved across the world so I can’t relate to the homesickness she has for England.

The mystery throughout, the bones, the disappearance of Edward, is intensely gripping and, if I had such a thing as a day to myself, I might have read this in a single sitting. Nothing is fully revealed until the end, so there is the constant incentive to continue reading and I didn’t want to put this book down, as much as I loved pretending to eat the *Play_Doh food my child had made while I read. This is the kind of book that I wish I could completely forget about, purely so I could read it and experience it again.

*There are other kinds of dough out there, you can even make it yourself, but I don't have time to do things like that. Needless to say, I am not in any way biased towards Play-Doh, it is just my dough of choice because It comes in pretty yellow pots and smells lovely - not so good on the taste though.

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story opens in 2018 with Ellie Cannon struggling to complete her thesis, the subject of which is The Fall, a poem by Edward Barrington, a renowned English poet, who mysteriously disappeared in Australia in 1888.

When bones are found that could be those of Edward Barrington, Ellie is given an ultimatum by her supervisor: go visit the area and get back on track with her thesis or lose her funding and her tutorial position at the University. Her visit to the Coorong and to Edward's former home reignites Ellie's passion for her thesis, although the focus shifts from analysis of the poem to solving the mystery behind Edward Barrington's disappearance.

In 1886, Edward Barrington accepts a commission from Alistair Harbinger, a wealthy landowner, to write a poem about the area and put the river port of Goolwa on the literary map. Edward hopes that the move to a drier climate will be beneficial to his wife's health. At first he his dismayed that the journey has taken its toll on Rosalind, but soon the wild beauty of the Coorong and the tranquillity of the farm, situated on the Finniss River where they eventually settle, has the desired effect. Rosalind's health improves and Edward finds inner peace. He no longer feels the need to express his emotions through poetry and finds enjoyment in working with his hands, alongside his young Aboriginal employees, Allambee and Balun, of the Ngarrindjeri people. Two years later, Edward disappears without a trace.

In 1913, 25 years after the disappearance of Edward Barrington, Archie Hargraves visits the farm to gather material for a biography of the poet he is intending to write. The following year when war is declared, Archie returns to England, bringing with him Rosalind Barrington, veiled and still wearing mourning clothes for her dead husband. His unusual concern for the reclusive widow's welfare raises many questions. Even Clara, his fiancée, is puzzled and hurt by his behaviour. She is devastated when he abandons her once again to fight in France. The biography is never written and Archie's journal from his stay in Australia is never released.

Widow's Lace is one of those novels that starts slowly and, before you know it, has you completely in its grip. Not only does Lelita Baldock write beautiful descriptions of the landscape to draw you in, she also has a knack for creating characters with flaws and insecurities that give credence to their actions.

The multiple timelines work so well, seamlessly moving the story forward through each character's section as Ellie makes the discoveries in her timeline and comes closer to finding out what happened to Edward Barrington. I did pick up on a clue that confirmed for me who the bones belonged too, but how it was possible thoroughly escaped me. I was totally unprepared for that final twist that revealed all.

In the novel, The Fall is described as "a poem of darkness and longing" and heading each chapter with a line or two from the poem is a nice touch. Reading the poem in its entirety at the end of the book, brings into perspective Edward Barrington's state of mind and highlights the events that make this such a wonderful story.

My review doesn't do justice to this brilliant historical mystery. There is more that I would like to say, but I'm afraid of letting something slip that would spoil it for others. This is one of the best books I've read this year. I highly recommend it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book as a participant in a book blog tour.

*https://adarngoodread.blogspot.com/

[Andie Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first read the blurb for Lelita Baldock’s debut novel, Widow’s Lace, my immediate impression was that I was in for quite a story. A missing person, an unknown body, an abandoned fiancé, a struggling grad student–this book was hitting all of the right buttons to catch my attention. Already, I could see that this novel was made of a series of many threads, intricately woven into the picture of a tragic mystery set across the span of a century. I was hooked from the word “go.”

Broken up into multiple perspectives, Baldock’s story is told through the process of her main protagonist, Ellie’s research. We learn as she makes her discoveries, sitting like flies on the wall through interviews with distant relatives and the readings of long lost diaries (my favorite!). These perspectives display Baldock’s excellent character work. The cast of Widow’s Lace accurately shows people from varying walks of life, even as they span across the decades. The character of Clara Forsyth, a young woman born before the Second World War, has as much humanity and depth as the main protagonist, even though readers don’t spend as much time with her as they do Ellie. Baldock is able to capture both deep emotion as well as the finer details of life that brings an almost tangible humanity to her characters. They feel real, like people you could know, or see in everyday life.

These characters act as the grounding point of the novel, the mystery itself perfectly unfolding through each introduction and interaction. By the time I finished this novel, I was so disappointed to leave these characters behind. While I did feel that the ending of this novel felt a little rushed, Baldock left no loose ends, making this story feel satisfyingly complete.

I am giving this book a four out of five star rating for it’s riveting story, excellent pacing, and the perfectly executed twist! Baldock will keep you guessing, as you follow Ellie Cannon’s journey across Australia as she attempts to learn the truth behind Edward Barrington’s death, as well as finish her thesis.

If you are in the mood for a historical mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat from page one, than Widow’s Lace is the book for you. From the beautiful setting of Southern Australia, to a jaw dropping twist, Baldock’s novel is one for the “To Read” list.

[Neats · Rating 5 out of 5]

Widow's Lace is an historical fiction / mystery / dual time thriller which follows a young PhD student called Ellie Cannon, as she conducts her research for her thesis on 'The Fall', one of the last known poems by Edward Barrington, written before he mysteriously disappeared.

Ellie has lost her mojo and is struggling to muster up any enthusiasm for writing her thesis, but then a body is discovered at Finniss River. She knows that this is the place where Barrington was last seen over 130 years ago, and it's this that reignites her fire for her thesis. Ellie heads off to Hathrone Farm, the former home of Edward and his wife Rosalind, with a renewed passion.

Widow's Lace is an outstanding debut novel which I read in one sitting. The descriptions of Australia were beautifully written and so vivid I could have been there, hearing the insects and feeling the oppressive heat on my skin. Every transition between timeframe and protaganist was done with flair and without losing any focus, enabling the story to flow effortlessly. Lelita kept me engrossed even further by the fact that each timeframe ended with a well placed cliffhanger encouraging me to read on faster and faster.

With an excellent and well-rounded cast of characters, I found myself to be fully immersed in the lives of all of them but I have to confess that it was the enigma of Rosalind that truly captivated me. Why was she so secretive, what secret was she hiding even all these years later? When I did finally discover the missing part of the story I was genuinely left open mouthed.

With all the references to Edward's poem 'The Fall' I resisted the temptation to look it up on the internet and so it was a lovely surprise to find the poem in it's entirety at the end of the novel. It made, for me, the perfect ending to a fantastic read.

Lelita has set the bar high for herself with her first novel and I can't wait to read more from this talented author.

[Kim Uren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished this book last night and I am recommending it to family and friends.

It was such a good read. I thoroughly enjoyed it and found it completely engrossing. The plot was definitely ‘hard to put down’ gripping, with a surprise ending. I particularly enjoyed all of the settings Lelita chose, both past and present, as well as the diversity of personalities that took us on this intriguing journey.

The locations and characters were so believable that, I confess I found myself googling them to find out more information. But to my surprise none of them seem to exist, not even Edward! (surely The Fall is a genuine poem of note? But, it seems not!)

I must say that I usually find it annoying when authors jump around between timelines and protagonist, but not so with Widow’s Lace. Lolita did it very skilfully and I was always keen to hear another characters’ contribution to the plot first hand.

Thankyou Lelita for a great read. I can't wait to see what you do next.

Regards

Kim

[Sawyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Irritated, but for the first time in a long time, energy bubbled in my core.”
Isn’t that a fantastic way to start and adventure? The book is paced well, it has a solid set up and jumps into its plot right away. With quotes like the one above, it keeps your curiosity engaged the whole way through.
The writing was beautifully descriptive and written so naturally; the author built a scene and atmosphere that you could jump right into. The plot pulled you to read just one more chapter every time you thought of putting it down.
I enjoyed the way the author switched between different perspectives/characters, it made the story more dynamic and interesting to read. It was a clever and very effective way to tell a story set in multiple time periods. The characters themselves were believable and relatable.
This book was easy to read and follow without being written too simply.
Overall, I quite enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from this author!

[Kez Booth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant historical novel that moves flawlessly between events of the past and the present day. The story if full of well-rounded and overall very likeable characters; although there are not too many to cloud the plot.
I loved the story being told from different viewpoints; they are written so well and you can tell exactly which character you are following and it was great to hear the other main characters’ contribution to the plot. These viewpoints and the jumping between timelines allows the author to 'drip feed' the information and create real anticipation about what happens next. Plenty of twists and turns that make the story gripping and hard to put down. The ending was fantastic (no spoilers here - read it to find out). A highly enjoyable historical & mystery novel - a must read.

[Mohamed-Nour Akalay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lelita Baldock is a keen observer of human nature and that makes her characters so human and relatable. I can't count how many times I reacted at her characters' trials as if they were my own. And she has style, literary style, and class.

I found myself sometimes cursing at the author, craving to know where she was taking me without going through the motion of reading it all. Taking me back and forth between different timelines and historical times while blurring the lines, the pressure was high, to be honest, but I resisted the urge to read the ending before anything else, and am I glad I did!

I can't recommend this book enough and I can't wait for the next.

"Well played... Well played indeed"

[Alyse Jansons · Rating 5 out of 5]

When reading, I felt deeply immersed in each of the settings. The descriptions are absolutely beautiful, and allowed me to retain the visual in my mind as I read. Each of the characters have been fully developed, which made me want to read more about their lives. I felt completely captivated by the plot throughout. Often with multiple perspective narratives, it is hard to engage with all of the characters, but this has been pulled off very cleverly by Lelita. Would recommend for sure!

[Yami’s Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a phenomenal read! Lelita Baldock’s novel will grab you from the very first chapter and you will not want to stop reading it. It’s an amazing read and it’s sure to resonate with you until the very last chapter.

The book has intrigue and the ending does not disappoint! A thoroughly enjoyable read. A definite 5 stars read!

Thank you, Lelita, for writing such an amazing book! You’re truly a phenomenal author.

[K McMahon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Widow’s Lace is written with wonderful descriptive prose. The reader is transported to each setting and place in time, forming close connections with each character and their individual stories. The plot line creates intrigue, reader investment throughout and the ending does not disappoint! A thoroughly enjoyable read.

[Rabiatu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This is one of the most amazing books I’ve read this year. I really can’t wait to read more of lelita Baldock’s books , it’s really unbelievable see as this is the first book she has written. Very mysterious indeed, I don’t want to give anybody spoilers... you just read and see how it ends📚🥂❤️

[J. M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a delight to read this lovely descriptive historical/mystery novel. I liked the different cultures in this Oz and Uk read, and also the different time periods. It went down nicely with a rum or two. I'll be looking out for future offerings from this author.

[Elizabeth Grout · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great first novel. Believable characters w we hi you really get to know and beautiful descriptions of the settings and an original story line with an unexpected twist at the end.

[Beryl Lester · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful first novel! Very easy to read. Some great characters and really enjoyed the descriptions of Goolwa. The ending took me totally by surprise - absolutely amazing!

[Deborah Trusser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely story that has you just wanting more. The characters are heart warming and descriptions of places makes the plot complete.

[Alisha Rowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review was originally posted at .









Ellie made her thesis on a poem, The Fall, by Edward Barrington. A deep, sorrowful poem written by a man who married an older woman in London before they left together to Australia. Once there he forged a new life before me mysteriously disappeared. It was her father's favorite before he died, but now her drive has waned. That is until a body is discovered on the property where Edward and Rosalind Barrington lived. A forced trip leads Ellie on a path to discovery where she just may learn more than she bargained for.
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I have had this book for over a year and feel bad about how long it has taken me to get to it, but better late than never. This book is by an indie author and when I began it had no memory of what the book was about. I quickly realized it was a death mystery about a poet and was skeptical.

After all anyone who has read my review policy knows that I don't enjoy poetry and will turn down any and all review requests about poetry. There was poetry in this book and I fully admit that I read none of it. Each time there was lines after the chapter began I just skipped it. I also didn't read The Fall which was included at the end of the book.

That being said, if you don't enjoy poetry and you skip it, as I did, the book is interesting. I frequently struggle to enjoy period books since I'm not much for meek and mild females, but this book wasn't like that. It jumped back and forth between then and now, but I didn't feel like the female characters were beneath anyone else.

While I can't say I had a favorite character I did enjoy the characters. Ellie was a bit lost at the beginning of the book, but as the story progressed we learned more about her background. With that progression she was able to find purpose. Edward was a simple man at the beginning of the story. Met a woman who was going through a divorce and was much older than her. Fell in love and decided to marry her even though it would be social suicide at that time. Even ended up moving them to Australia so she could live. Rosalind was an older woman who was sick and told she would never get what she wanted most. Clara was a young woman seeking the affections of her childhood friend and making the most of tough situations. Then there was Archie. Young man who wanted to make a name for himself by solving the mystery behind the Barrington disappearance and finally get the widow to talk. Each of these characters are well-rounded and developed.

With each person there were things that I both expected and didn't that developed. I expected the development with Ellie, Clara, and Archie. Rosalind and Edward were a bit of a surprise. The type of surprise I will leave to you.

[E.S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Rating: ★★★★★ (4.75 / 5 stars)

Edward Barrington disappeared without a trace in 1888. With him, he left a labyrinth of mysteries: what happened to him? Why did he leave behind his wife? And how did his disappearance impact his poetry? These questions continue to haunt a select few over the course of a century, including Archie Hargraves…as well as Ellie Cannon, 130 years later. With no evidence as to what happened to Edward Barrington, Ellie dives into the mystery. Can she finally solve the mystery of Barrington’s disappearance? Or will she end up just as lost as his body?

I’ll be honest, reading this book…I thought it was going to be a 4 star book. It was good, well written, with embedded mystery. Some parts were slow, or I would put the book down and not pick it up again for a few days (at no one’s fault but my own). But then I reached that ending…wow! I did not expect that in the slightest.

Widow’s Lace is a literary portrait of how one event can link multiple people together, similar to a spider web…or lace. The loss the characters suffered, followed by the connections they have over more than a century, shows the true impact that one moment can have. Grief can transcend decades, and not only does this story uncover the mystery behind Edward Barrington’s body, but takes time to understand the grief of the widow as well. All of these together create a well rounded story that transports the reader into each time period. Not every author is successful in investigating this, so this in itself is phenomenal.

Personally, I’m taking off 0.25 stars more so because of how long it took me to read, and because I feel like there was just a tiny bit missing at the end. Perhaps a longer internal reflection? Or something else? I’m not entirely sure. I was so enamored by the ending (which I won’t give away here), that I couldn’t pinpoint it. I just knew it was missing something.

Nevertheless, Widow’s Lace is a hidden gem that historical fiction, and perhaps even mystery, lovers will adore. If you want to read a story with a shocking twist at the end, I encourage you to check it out. I’ll definitely be checking out more of Lelita Baldock’s work soon!

[Aisyah · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a 3.5⭐ for me!

First and foremost, I crossed path with Widow's Lace thanks to booktasters and Lelita. To be honest, this is quite a new, unusual pick for me; a historical fiction with a sense of mystery. The description is so promising and it did piqued my interest.

Widow's Lace was quite a journey; it wasn't entirely about our modern times, but the writer also brought us back to 19th century. I put a halt when the POV and timeline were switched back to late 19th century (Edward's) since I'm not really a fan of switching POVs. Probably just me, but I found Edward's POV was slow paced. Some things were put to their end very quick too despite of writer's descriptive writings from earlier chapters.

Nevertheless, I love how detailed the writings could be; it is impressive that readers can imagine things based on the writing. I don't know much about Australia and aborigines , but I can say it manages to put an interest to know more. I searched for Edward Barrington too on internet, in case I was left behind. Although Edward's POV didn't do much to me, I really like how the story unfolded when Clara and Archie came to the picture. It is very interesting for me.

"I mean, I know it’s the poet you are interested in. But there is more to all this." Exactly.

Other than that, I love when it says about how affecting wars could be to everyone in the past. It has a decent twist too. There are a lot of characters; I was confused at first but Widow's Lace is a book that requires my focus on its timeline and characters (like what I've experienced with Turton's 7 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle)

Overall, it is a great debut work. And I am glad that I picked it as a way for me to read other genres!

[lexi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Got the copy from Booktasters for an exchange of an honest review (thank you!).

Actual rating would be 2.5 stars.

I was hooked the second I read the descriptions. I love thriller and I love historical-fiction, esp the ones set in around war times. What could go wrong, right?

I appreciate the author for making multi-layered storyline with their own problems and twists and turns. But in the end, there were too many loose ends, and unnecessary, and sometimes it’s *really* hard for me to be interested in anything about anyone other than the truth about Rosalind & Edward.

[ BTW! The twist in the end about them? That was GOOD. I wasn’t expecting that at all. It was raw, it made sense (in a way), and it fits into both Rosalind & Edward’s characters. ]

My primary issue with this book was: it was SUPER slow-paced! It wasn’t a relatively long book, but it surely felt like one.

The characterizations weren’t the best either. I found it really hard to like Ellie and to care about her problems. I pracfically skimmed on all her parts😂. Her “romance” with Taj didn’t make sense at all—no chemistry, Taj had zero character, just a super nice and helpful hot guy. The “dad” twist felt like it was written just for extra kicks, which was just unnecessary for me. Archie/Clara’s characters and storyline was predictable, yes, but it is fairly interesting.

Last point: I appreciate the author for including the map of South Australia in the beginning of the book. It helped a lot for someone who isn’t from Australia and certainly not familiar with the landscape. So that’s a plus point!

[Sarah Maxwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivating story. Multiple pov’s handled beautifully. Every character coming alive with their story. This is the author’s first book and after falling in love with her most recent, ‘Where the Gulls Fall Silent’, it is obvious how much Baldock loves to explore different places and eras. In this book, we travel between Australia and London in the 19th and 21st centuries. As the mystery deepens, the reader journeys alongside the characters, fully invested in their story. Feeling every heartbreak, every victory, every snatched moment of peace. In many ways ‘Widow’s Lace’ is a troubling book— the restrictions of females in a misogynistic world and the heartbreak of same sex love, but alongside these unsettling topics, we experience love, sacrifice and the strength of the human spirit.
The disappearance of a famous poet and the discovery of bones of an unknown female in Australia is the basis for the book. But just you wait for the twist! It’s a surprising, delightful read. Highly recommended.

[Margaret Sharpe · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought the book as I hd read that the author, Lelita Baldock came from South Australia and now lives in Woking, as I do. I am familiar with the area in South Australia she writes about and enjoyed her descriptions. The story, or three stories merging into one, was well planned and intriguing, the characters very life-like.
However, there is a but, and a rather big but I'm afraid. She really needs to get a professional editor to read through her work before publishing. I was shocked at some of the grammatical and spelling errors, something as simple as 'dinning' instead of dining, should not have been overlooked. The errors become more numerous towards the final chapters, perhaps she was tiring by that stage. I wonder if she used an app which translates spoken word into written, some of the spellings appear to be directly from the sound. I feel she should at least read through her script and make necessary changes before publishing again.

[Karen Heenan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Widow's Lace is a multi-timeline historical mystery about Ellie, a graduate student, who, for personal reasons, has lost interest in her thesis project - a prominent Victorian poet named Edward Barrington, who disappeared in Australia 100 years before.

The story moves between Ellie's present day problems and hrt investigation into Barrington, the poet's widow, a young man named Archie and his discarded fiancee, and the sudden discovery of an unidentified body on the property where Barrington once lived.

Set in both England and Australia, the locations are vivid - particularly Australia. The author describes the landscape in such a way that you feel the heat and taste the dust.

The variations in the timeline are handled well, and even when I wasn't ready to switch to another character yet, the story convinced me to follow along.

A solid first novel. Looking forward to reading more from Lelita Baldock.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a habit of reading books but not finishing them - simply because I find that a book just doesn't keep my attention. Fortunately with Widow's Lace I found that it was one of those stories that I HAD to finish due to its engaging story.

It's beautifully written, and does a great job at capturing both the English and Australian settings. Whilst the story does change between characters and settings repeatedly (something I can personally struggle with), it flows really well and never feels disjointed.

This is a great book for anyone who loves historical fiction, with generous serving of intrigue and mystery!