I’m delighted today to be joining the blog tour for the latest book from Clare Marchant, The Shadow on the Bridge, and sharing my review. Published on 11th March by Boldwood Books, it’s now available for kindle (free via Kindle Unlimited), in paperback, and as an audiobook. As always, thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation and support, and to the publishers for my advance reading e-copy (provided via netgalley).
It really did take me far too long to discover Clare’s wonderful writing – and I have to say I was rather blown away by her first book with Boldwood, the quite wonderful The House of the Witch. You’ll struggle to find dual time fiction better written – two such strong story threads, the historical one impeccably researched and delivered, the contemporary one entirely involving and emotional, both beautifully wrapped around each other with common themes and links. Furious at the many betrayals, shocked by the unexpected twists and turns, willing on both women as they fought for their lives in their different ways – it was, of course, one of my 2024 Books of the Year, and you can read my full review again here. I’d already decided that her every future book would be top of my “must read” list – so I was particularly looking forward to reading her latest…
‘You must forever watch your back,’ I spoke the words clearly, though he could not hear me. ‘Come what may, I shall avenge my brother’s death.’’
Now: When Sarah’s summoned by her godmother to remote Norfolk, she doesn’t want to go. Crossing the bridges where the two rivers meet, said to be haunted by the ghost of a little boy, a large Tudor house looms in front of her. And Sarah’s instantly reminded her of the summer when she last visited. The summer she would like to forget. Which left her unable to ever move forward…
Can a person ever recover from the loss of a sibling?
1571: Anne Howard, newly-made countess of Arundel, has also lost a sibling. And been dragged from the relative safety of her home in remote Norfolk to London, by her overbearing, manipulative, new father-in-law Thomas Howard; the very person she suspects of killing her beloved only brother. The Howards have greater secrets than this though. Secrets that will lead Anne to a tragedy that will echo down the ages…
When Sarah finds a mysterious book of poems in a hidden chamber of her godmother’s house, she is drawn into Anne’s story. Perhaps the mystery will take her mind off her own loss? But – as the flood waters begin to rise under the bridges – is Sarah laying ghosts to rest, or bringing truths to the surface that should stay beneath?
A completely haunting, gripping historical novel, perfect for fans of Philippa Gregory, Alison Weir, and Diane Setterfield’s Once Upon a River.
Sarah’s childhood memories – a particularly traumatic event, gradually revealed – make her reluctant to return to Barnhamcross Hall in rural Norfolk. And it won’t be a brief visit – her godmother’s health is failing, and she needs her help in sorting out and cataloguing the house’s contents. The house itself has a rich past – a pre-Tudor convent converted into a family home – but the news that her godmother plans to leave it to her after her death, bypassing other family members, certainly isn’t something she’s happy to hear.
In the 1500s, Anne Howard thought of Barnhamcross as her home – although, after the death of her young brother and her subsequent forced marriage, she was required to move to London and into the turbulent world of the Elizabethan court. Driven by a quest for vengeance for her brother’s death, she becomes embroiled in espionage with a plan to bring about the downfall of her father-in-law Thomas Howard – exploring the house’s secret passages, passing on information through a pre-arranged code in the poetry she writes at the Queen’s behest.
While tackling the reorganisation of the library, Sarah discovers Anne’s hidden notebook, and begins to unravel her history – and the author’s narrative moves smoothly between the two timelines, as we discover the common elements between both women’s stories. There’s great sadness in both their lives – and a misplaced sense of guilt that has left Sarah unable to move on, and that has driven Anne down that dangerous path to ensure her brother’s death is avenged, however far-reaching the consequences.
The historical setting is quite wonderfully drawn, capturing Anne’s challenges as a naive newcomer to court circles, helped by her rather frowned-upon friendship with her long-suffering lady’s maid. I was particularly struck by the detail – the unfamiliar and uncomfortable clothing, the conventions that needed to be learned, the restrictions imposed on her to make wider friendships more difficult. And the characters really are so very well drawn – Thomas Howard himself really is evil personified, and you can feel the chill every time he makes an appearance.
But I also very much enjoyed the present day story – the house’s eccentricities (and it’s very much another character in the story) and the way that Sarah’s early-life experiences were slowly allowed to unfold. There are certainly edge-of-the-seat moments, very well written – and a few hints of the supernatural, but it’s really more about shadows and memories, and I particularly liked the way it was handled. And both stories were compelling and intriguing – nicely balanced throughout, with none of those uncomfortable wrenches from story to story.
This was a well written – and impeccably researched – dual-time story that I very much enjoyed. Both the women are strong, well defined and sympathetic, and their issues – separated only by history – most certainly entirely engaged me throughout and kept the pages turning. It’s very different from her last book – but I really couldn’t recommend the author’s writing more highly. I’m just looking forward to seeing what she does next…
About the author
Growing up in Surrey, Clare always dreamed of being a writer. Instead, after gaining a degree in history and an MA in women’s studies she accidentally fell into a career in IT. After spending many years as a project manager in London, she moved to Norfolk for a quieter life and trained as a professional jeweller. Now, finally writing full-time, she lives with her husband and the youngest two of her six children.
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