Echoes Down The Centuries
House Of Thieves by Rachel Walkley is an enthralling dual timeline that entertained me from the start.
The action is set in 1812 and present day in a large old house with artefacts looked after by a trust.
As we read, the story unfolds in both periods by the same, single voice – alive in 1812 but walking the corridors, unable to rest, in present day, waiting for her story to be told.
In present day, a character searches for a diary, longing to hear the tale of her family long gone.
A gruesome discovery in the gardens throws up even more questions.
We see that the family’s old money was built up on the abomination that is slavery. They owned a plantation in Barbados.
Slaves had no rights. Those who became friendly with slaves were shunned, even by their own family.
We see that people stole in both time periods. In 1812 they stole people. In present day it was objects. The narrative is similar but different in both time periods.
I enjoyed House Of Thieves. It had an entertaining plotline that engaged me from the start.
I received a free copy via Rachel’s Random Resources for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
JULIA WILSON
House of Thieves
At Terrington Hall, objects are treasured while people are forgotten.
Chief conservator Amy is restoring the Hurly family’s guilt-stained hoard when a theft forces her to hire Harrison, a security adviser on a personal quest to uncover his own history.
Unknown to anyone, an invisible presence woven into the fabric of the house watches their every move.
When Harrison uncovers a room sealed for decades, the investigation shifts from simple theft to the resurrection of murderous secrets. In a house where the past is too heavy to escape, the dead don’t need bodies to tell their stories — they just need someone to listen.
One house. Two mysteries. Two centuries apart.
Trailer: https://youtu.be/SpbHfueEYdU
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Author Bio –
Rachel Walkley is a former librarian and scientist who lives in the North West of England, where she spends her spare time making music and writing. Her debut novel, The Women of Heachley Hall, was a bestseller in the UK and Australia. Known for weaving together family secrets, magical mysteries, old houses and inspirational women, Rachel also writes gripping female-led crime novels under the pen name Rae Shaw.
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Rachel Walkley’s author website
