Ashton Hall

"Fred has a girlfriend" I had no idea how terrifying those words could turn out to be. A child with a unique look at the world makes a terrifying discovery and integrates himself and his mother on the case to solve a mystery over 500 years in the making. This is one of those rare books where the setting is a character of it's own and I loved it, the descriptions of Ashton Hall, the village, all of the places that Hanna and Nicky see, Castles to Cotttages, the setting is vibrant and comes alive under Lauren Belfers masterful storytelling. The natural flow of this book allows for seemless transitions between the current world and the late 1500's which is no easy task, and while there are a lot of almost educational moments I found it helpful as I'm sure not everyone has firsthand knowledge of the things used in the Edwardian era. From murder to affairs, priests hiding rooms to hidden passages, children with special needs to children that are just a handful this book has a little something that will interest anyone who loves a good, well written, engaging story. There are so many questions this book poses and doesn't fail to deliver answers that will leave you mind blown wondering how you never saw it coming. Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I truly enjoyed this book and would happily read anything else this author writes.