It’s an absolute pleasure today to share my review of Time’s Tyranny by Linda Gillard – published for kindle today (3rd April), with the paperback to follow in a few weeks’ time. I first discovered Linda’s writing with Star Gazing way back in 2008 – shortlisted for the RNA’s Romantic Novel of the Year in 2009 – and I’ve since read and loved every book she’s ever written. While there’s always an element of romance, her books are often difficult to define by genre or category – frequently with a historical thread, always distinguished by the most wonderful storytelling, with complex and well-drawn characters and the perfect emotional touch.
And for a few years now, I’ve been immensely privileged to be an early reader of her books. First, there was Hidden – full of secrets from the past, and with a compelling central mystery (you’ll find my review here) – and I was delighted to do so again for her last book, Time’s Prisoner (and you’ll find my review of that one here). So I was thrilled when she asked me to do so again for its sequel, her latest book, and gifted me an advance e-copy – thank you Linda. And as I always find that every new book is even better than the last, this was a read I was very much looking forward to…
1934
Hidden under the bed in her father’s studio, five-year-old Emerald Heskett watches as the picture gradually disappears, obliterated by white paint. The child doesn’t understand what she’s witnessed, but gives the new painting a name: The Snowstorm.
2020
The first lockdown is over and the women of Wyngrave Hall are coming to terms with their new lives. Retired actress, Sylvia Marlowe, now blind, cannot see or even touch her granddaughter, Ros, a nurse living in isolation in a cottage in the grounds. Her partner, Bridget, begs Ros to quit before she, too, becomes a Covid statistic. Jane Summers, owner of Wyngrave and author of historical whodunnits, hasn’t seen Jesper Olsen, art conservator, since he locked down with his frail mother.
At Howthwaite Castle in Cumbria, Bella Heskett and her brother, Nick care for elderly Cousin Em as they struggle to transform the roofless ruin of their family home and its abandoned gardens into a tourist attraction. When Nick asks his old friend Jesper to visit and assess some damaged paintings, he persuades Jane to go with him to Howthwaite where they encounter the enigma of The Snowstorm and Em’s curious attachment to it. But despite their passionate reunion, when Jane learns the truth about Jesper’s past, she questions their future together.
Nick gathered up the incriminating letters, replaced them in his father’s desk and locked it, though he wasn’t sure who needed to be protected from the contents. Cousin Em would never know and Bella wouldn’t care. Nick had never asked himself why his mother drank, or why his late brother took drugs. Hesketts didn’t ask questions. The family motto was “Perfer et obdura”. Persist and endure.
But would Howthwaite endure…?
A compelling art mystery, a community of women friends living through difficult times, a hidden family history and a love story that encounters unforeseen obstacles – all delivered with the strong characterisation and engaging storytelling that has made the author a personal favourite.
Time’s Tyranny is the sequel to the excellent Time’s Prisoner, which saw historical novelist Jane take on sixteenth-century Wyngrave Hall, sharing her home with three other women at a crossroads in their lives. The “unseen occupant” who provided such an intriguing layer to their experience has now been put to rest and the story resumes as the first Covid lockdown draws to its end. Jane’s romance with Jesper, the art conservator who helped solve the historical mystery at the heart of the earlier book, has necessarily been conducted long distance, but the easing of restrictions allows them to be together again. They travel to Howthwaite Castle in Cumbria, where Jesper assesses some damaged paintings for an old friend, and where his assistant, Bella, is currently helping with the care of her elderly cousin Em who, as a small child, played a part in the creation of a strange white painting known as The Snowstorm – a key to the solving of the mystery.
There are deeply buried family secrets, but also some unexpected and dramatic developments, giving rise to a deliciously convoluted mystery with the most unexpected twists and turns, and a final resolution that I found both ingenious and fascinating.
As well as creating the most engaging characters, all wonderfully developed and very real, the author does have a special touch with relationships. At Howthwaite, there’s another romance in the offing – between Bella and quirky gardener Merlin, engaged to restore the castle’s neglected gardens to their former glory. And the relationships between the Wyngrave women are as perfectly drawn as ever. I’m a particular fan of retired actress Sylvia, now almost entirely blind and this time enjoying a touching friendship with Jesper’s challenging mother, Iris.
The supernatural elements that intrigued so much in the earlier book are largely absent this time – yes, I’ll admit I did rather miss Horatio, although there are nods to his story – but Iris’ invisible companion was a welcome touch and a rather lovely part of the book’s lightness and gentle humour. The resumed relationship between Jane (so easy to empathise with) and Jesper – perhaps an unlikely romantic hero in the first book, but one I really took to my heart – was one I very much enjoyed and really believed in, although their path to future happiness isn’t a smooth one, complicated by the long shadow of Jesper’s past.
The storytelling is excellent, the different plot threads perfectly entwined and equally engaging, with plenty of moments that bring a smile or laughter (the dialogue is so well-handled throughout), but also a fair measure of real drama, sadness and poignancy. Several moral dilemmas are woven into the story, all handled with care, sensitivity and the perfect emotional touch. I also really enjoyed the way the mystery developed, with clues gently dropped here and there and I found the detail about art conservation and restoration and the part it played in the resolution of the plot fascinating – undoubtedly the result of extensive research, but every detail is made entirely accessible for a reader without the same level of knowledge.
The book’s ending is perfectly judged – satisfying and uplifting – but I’ll admit I was pleased to learn the author has plans to make The Wyngrave Women a trilogy. There are definitely some threads in the original story, Time’s Prisoner, that I’d be delighted to see explored further. But Time’s Tyranny was a book I really loved – and one I’d very much recommend to others.
About the author
Linda Gillard lives in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. She’s the author of eleven novels, including Star Gazing, shortlisted for Romantic Novel of the Year in 2009 and the Robin Jenkins Literary Award for writing that promotes the Scottish landscape.
House of Silence and The Memory Tree became Kindle bestsellers. Linda is now working on Book 3 of “The Wyngrave Women” series which began with Time’s Prisoner.
She has an excellent website where you can find out more about the author and her writing, and a Facebook author page.
Thanks, Anne for this lovely review. So pleased you’re enjoying the Women of Wyngrave series. I’ve had such fun writing it.
My absolute pleasure – and I know it’s a book that so many readers will enjoy every bit as much as I did…
Love that cover!
And I really should have mentioned it in the review – isn’t it gorgeous?
Thanks! Designed by Jane Dixon-Smith who does fantastic covers. This is the 3rd she’s done for me and I’ve loved them all.