I was intrigued by this novel and was lucky to receive an ARC from Netgalley. Erica and Beth return to the family estate of Storton Manor after their Grandmother dies, leaving the estate to them with some stipulations: if they want to inherit it, they must both live there. If not, it will be sold, and they receive nothing.
This may sound like an easy way to make a lot of money, but there are issues: their Grandmother Meredith, was a cruel woman who made their summer visits miserable. Their cousin Henry also disappeared one day from the Manor over twenty years before, and was never seen again. Beth is haunted by this place, and by Henry's disappearance. It has sunk her into a deep depression that she cannot seem to shake. Erica believes if they live at the Manor, she can help Beth overcome her depression, and solve the mystery of Henry and what happened that long ago summer.
Dinny, a childhood friend, shows up and emotions from long ago surface between Beth, Erica, and Dinny. He's a traveler, and his family has been part of the Manor's life for decades, all the way back to when Caroline, Meredith's mother, was the Lady of the Manor.
Caroline's story from 1902-1905 is interspersed with present day, and I found her story to be heartbreaking. Caroline's story and the choices she made color the lives of Beth, Erica, and Dinny in present day. I finished the book with a heavy heart for Caroline. Her story will make you wonder at the depths of grief, and what it can do to a person.
I throughly enjoyed this novel, and the two mysteries to be solved--what was Caroline's story, and what happened to Henry? Erica is a strong character, and her desire to "cure" her sister of her depression is what drives her to keep digging into the past.
This is definitely a novel for fans of Kate Morton.
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