Title
In The Lonely Hours
Author
Shannon Morgan
Genre
Fiction, Horror, Paranormal
Synopsis
On a small island in a remote corner of northwest Scotland lies Maundrell Castle, owned by its wealthy namesake family for centuries ~ until now. Edwina Nunn is shocked to learn a relative she never heard of has bequeathed the castle and its land to her. What awaits Edie and her teenage daughter, Neve, is even more startling, for the castle is home to a multitude of ghosts.
Yet there's a strange beauty in the austere architecture and the eerie, bloody waters of Loch na Scathanna, the Lake of Shadows. Beguiled by a frightened ghost who gazes longingly out of the castle's windows, Edie and Neve are drawn to the legends shrouding the island and the mystery of the Maundrell Red- a priceless diamond that disappeared decades before.
Is the gem really cursed, and the cause of the family tragedies that have all occurred on Samhain - Scottish Halloween? As Samhain approaches once more, Edie and Neve race to peel back the dark secrets entwining the living and the dead - a twisted story of bitter cruelty and hidden love - or they will become another Maundrell tragedy trapped in the lonely hours…
Review
Let me start with WOW! The Lonely Hours is an incredible book! I literally could not put this book down. I was hooked as soon as I started reading. The Lonely Hours is extremely well written and set in Scotland. The author intricately weaves the gothic architecture details into the breathtakingly beautiful story. I also love the fact that this book focuses on mother/ daughter relationships, the good, the bad and the extremely ugly. When Edie inherits the castle she is hoping it will lead her to learn who her birth parents are, what she wasn't expecting was the ghosts that were trapped in the castle and on the surrounding property. Edie’s teenage daughter Neve is thrilled about living in a haunted castle and the mystery of finding the missing diamond much to Edie's dismay. With an incredible cast of characters both good and bad, the story goes back and forth from the present day to the past but is done so in a way that it's interesting and not confusing. One thing I was really happy to see was an autistic character although from the past it was refreshing to see as one of the central characters in the book. When the book first started with Alice and her mother I could not get over the cruelty and malice Alice showed her mother but as the book progressed and Edie and Neve uncovered the horrible truth it made sense. Sometimes you find what you need and not what you want which is beautifully shown through this author's writing style. It also includes information on how families and doctors used inhumane treatments in the not-so-distant past to “cure” autism. I appreciate the special note from the author including the history of autism “ treatments” as this was something I was not aware of before reading this book. The author has also included questions at the end of the book that can be used for book club discussions. ( And yes, this would be a great Autumn read for any book club)
If you are looking for a book that will keep you turning the pages until the end this is a book for you.
Favorite Characters
Edie, Neve, Lottie, Mungo
Favorite Quote
From Neve-
“ He's not bad looking as old blokes go. A bit like an old Han Solo”
Rating
Definitely a Five Star Review
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