A Place of Secrets

A Novel

By: Rachel Hore

Narrated by: Jilly Bond

Length: 14 hrs

Publisher's summary

A runaway bestseller in Britain with over 100,000 copies sold, a riveting historical mystery in the tradition of Kate Morton

In Rachel Hore's A Place of Secrets, auction house appraiser Jude leaves London for her dream job at Starbrough Hall, an estate in the countryside, examining and pricing the manuscripts and instruments of an eighteenth-century astronomer. She is welcomed by Chantal Wickham and Jude feels close to the old woman at once: they have both lost their husbands. Hard times have forced the Wickham family to sell the astronomer's work, their land and with it, the timeworn tower that lies nearby. The tower was built as an observatory for astronomer Anthony Wickham and his daughter Esther, and it served as the setting for their most incredible discoveries.

Though Jude is far away from her life in London, her arrival at Starbrough Hall brings a host of childhood memories. She meets Euan, a famed writer and naturalist who lives in the gamekeeper's cottage at the foot of the tower, where Jude's grandfather once lived. And a nightmare begins to haunt her six-year-old niece, the same nightmare Jude herself had years ago. Is it possible that the dreams are passed down from one generation to the next? What secrets does the tower hold? And will Jude unearth them before it's too late?

©2012 Rachel Hore (P)2012 WF Howes Ltd

Critic reviews

“Sumptuous prose, deft plotting, lush settings, troubling personal histories, tragedy, heady romance and even a smattering of 18th century scientific wonderment mark Hore's fourth novel as her most accomplished and enthralling yet.” —Daily Mirror

“Hore once again shows her gift for bringing the past to life: her understanding of memory, stories and craft is as strong here as in The Memory Garden.” —Waterstone's Books Quarterly

“Rachel Hore's intriguing Richard and Judy recommended read, which is layered with a series of mysteries, some more supernatural than others.” —Independent

The book that never got there

In honesty, I didn't finish listening. Definitely my preferences pushed me to move on. Too much little old lady to little young lady and I've never been a big fan of heavy British accented narration. But I try from time to time. This time simply didn't catch me.

Great mystery...like an adult fairy tale

I love how this story slowly unfolded. And it had more twists and turns that I adored. But the narrator was not my favorite by far. Even adjusting for the English accent I did not care for her voices for any of the characters except for the main one. When she did the children, it was really not attractive. But the story more than made up for it.

A Very Good Story

What made the experience of listening to A Place of Secrets the most enjoyable?

I really enjoyed this book. It was the story of multiple generations of different women that all came together. Yes it was a bit too coincidental to be real, but it was satisfying in the end. My only complaint is the narrator and her fault is not hers alone. Why must they whisper when the character whispers? The narrative says the person is whispering. But when it is read in a whisper, I cannot hear what is said. I listen in a car while commuting and I have the volume set as high as it will go and still I can't hear. It is so annoying.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Jude tried so hard to get along with her prickly sister.

How could the performance have been better?

Read so I can hear it.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

In the end I did cry

TERRIFIC

Where does A Place of Secrets rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the best - could listen to it again & again.

Which scene was your favorite?

Everything involving the folly.

Some voices seemed off, but what a great story!

Loved the story! So many loose ends thst were tied together by thr end of the book. A few voices were a little grating, especially Claire. she sounded more like a man than a pretty, petite woman.

This was a fantastic book!

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. The characters were very engaging, and the mysterious plot kept me constantly listening until the very end. I was sad to hear the last words - I wanted more! It was so wonderfully woven together with a satisfied ending, that I had to get on here at rate it right away. I highly recommend this -- you won't be disappointed! Who doesn't love a mystery about libraries and astronomy and old books and gypsies?

Marvelous read !!

Any additional comments?

I am such a fan of the books of Kate Morton, but I despaired of ever finding a book that would enthrall me as hers do. How lucky I feel to have found this one !! The main character's story is so absorbing, leading the reader into the maze with an inevitability that is magical... And the narrator is absolutely wonderful. Highly recommended, and now I want MORE books by this author.

I thoroughly enjoyed it

This book was a researcher/analyst's dream. It was a pleasure to follow the main character as she delved deeply into not only into the history of the collection but also the people involved. It was hard to put it down.

Loved it

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Really enjoyed story along with the plot and character development.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Jude- having the courage to look beyond what seems so ordinary and her ability to love once again

Which scene was your favorite?

The moth hunt

Any additional comments?

Love Kate Morton and Lucinda Riley. Bought this book only since some else mentioned this story was as lovely as those from the aforementioned authors. I am so glad to find another author who held my rapt attention for the whole performance.

What a tangled web!

Loved this story. It starts out with some threads of information, leads to a very tangled web of lives, and resolves in a circular pattern. I was very engrossed in the tale.