Ashton Hall

A Novel

By: Lauren Belfer

Narrated by: Kristen Sieh, Jayne Entwistle

An American woman and her son unearth the buried secrets and past lives of an English manor house in this masterful and riveting novel from New York Times bestselling author Lauren Belfer.

“Infused with the brooding, gothic atmosphere of Jane Eyre or Rebecca . . . a novel that must be savored, one page at a time.”—Melanie Benjamin, author of The Children’s Blizzard

ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New York Times

“How many lives can you imagine yourself living?”

So Hannah Larson wonders. When a close relative falls ill, Hannah and her young son, Nicky, decide to join him for the summer at Ashton Hall, a historic manor house outside Cambridge, England. Hannah gave up her academic career to raise her beloved child, who is neurodivergent and experiences the world differently from others, and she’s grateful to escape her life in New York City, where her marriage has been upended by a devastating betrayal.

Soon after their arrival, ever-curious Nicky discovers the skeletal remains of a woman in a forgotten, walled-off wing of the manor, and Hannah is pulled into an all-consuming quest for answers. Working from clues in centuries-old ledgers and the personal papers of the long-departed family, Hannah begins to re-create the Ashton Hall of the Elizabethan era in all its color and conflict. As the secrets of her own life begin to unravel, and the rewards and complications of being Nicky’s mother come into focus, Hannah realizes that Ashton Hall’s women before her had lives not so different from her own. She confronts what women throughout history have had to do to control their own destinies and protect their children.

Rich with passion, strength, and ferocity across the ages, Ashton Hall is a novel that reveals how the most profound hauntings are within ourselves.

Critic reviews

“Exquisite . . . The way the author has weaved several storylines together is brilliant.”—Mystery and Suspense

“This book has Daphne-Du-Maurier-meets-Kate Morton-vibes and I was THERE FOR ALL OF IT. The setting, the skeleton, the mystery, the lovable characters ... What an addictive read!”—Julie Clark, New York Times bestselling author of The Lies I Tell and The Last Flight

“Belfer’s writing is gorgeous.”—The Jewish Book Council

“Lauren Belfer’s Ashton Hall is masterful, riveting, and atmospheric historical fiction. It made me want to don a velvet cloak, brew a cup of tea, and settle in to watch Hannah and her ingenious son unravel the fascinating, dark, centuries-old secrets of a manor home.”—Alka Joshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Henna Artist

“In Ashton Hall, Lauren Belfer has treated us to a novel infused with the brooding gothic atmosphere of Jane Eyre or Rebecca. And like those classics, this is at its heart a story about a woman’s journey of self-discovery. How does a wife and mother reclaim her dreams when her world is turned upside down? In her quest to learn the identity of a skeleton entombed in the heart of a British manor house, Hannah Larson tries to piece together the puzzle that has become her own life. This is a novel that must be savored, one page at a time.”—Melanie Benjamin, New York Times bestselling author of The Children’s Blizzard

“Belfer’s latest is a brilliant, immersive story about one woman searching for answers after a terrible discovery from centuries earlier. The captivating threads of the plot—an English manor house with secret rooms and a dark past, a mother struggling with her atypical son—are rounded out by a lively cast of locals who had me laughing out loud.”—Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Magnolia Palace

“Belfer explores timeless ideas of family, sacrifice, and female resistance. . . . The labyrinthian portrait she paints of [Ashton Hall] successfully conveys mystery and adventure. . . . For lovers of libraries and Tudor history.”—Library Journal

“A touching story about the themes that resonate through centuries.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Belfer offers a nuanced exploration of the ways women’s lives are constricted. Anglophiles and Tudor history buffs will enjoy this immersive tale.”—Publishers Weekly

“[Belfer’s] exquisitely illuminated story offers the vicarious indulgence of a stay at an English country house combined with an Elizabethan-era mystery and a meditation on women’s age-old struggles between independence and motherhood. . . . Belfer shows how history is a tangibly close presence.”—Booklist

Another deep immersion in historical fiction

I have enjoyed as I read all of Lauren Belfer's novels to date and this is no exception. The story line and characters interesting , I could see part 2 but know that is up to us the reader . Thank you again Lauren for new knowledge and great read / listen .

Immersed in an English manor, seeing women’s choices/strengths across centuries

Multiple mystery is to be solved here, from “who is the skeleton” to “should this marriage be saved?” As with every Belfer novel, a great story unfolds along with historical details that live on beyond the novel.

It was ok, no suspense

I love suspense books with maybe some spookiness thrown in. This had none of that. I felt like there were 3 parts to this book and the “romance/husband” part could have been completely eliminated as it added nothing to the story other than to make me think her husband was a total jack***!! Not only that, but this relationship weakened a woman who might have otherwise been a stronger character. The second part was her being a mother. This was pretty good as you can feel her pain & struggles that many mothers go through but with the added struggles of parenting a child that has some challenges. Now the third part was the story of her in England and the mystery that was there. This was pretty good and could have been it’s own book, which probably would have made it a GREAT book. I felt the author could have spent more time building this part of the story rather than wasting time on building an unnecessary relationship. Anyways, it was good…not great, not excellent…but pretty good.

convincing narrative and history

The construct of this book, taking place in the present while the principal character stumbles through unexpected research into the past lives of Ashton Hall, was convincing and pulled me further and further into the narrative along with the protagonist Hannah. The author manages to balance a story about a woman navigating problematic relationships, personal disappointments, and uncertainty about the future, along with painstaking research into English history which is slowly revealed to Hannah (and the reader) as she delves deeper into the project. Hannah's indecisions and insecurities resonated, as much as the randomness of historical research and the thrill of discovery. This novel was far more satisfying and plausible than most historical fiction, whose authors shall remain nameless. The narration by Kristen Sieh and Jayne Entwistle were excellent as well.

Great Historical Novel

I have enjoyed other books by Lauren Belfer so I was excited to learn that Ashton Hall was to be published this year. It was a double gift for me as historical fiction is my favorite genre with British history one of the periods I like best.
I found the characters to be well developed and believable with each one successfully representing life in their time period. Though moving between time periods can make a story confusing, it was successfully done in this book. Finally, the author’s research is evident and provides a richness and believability to the story.