For Ivy is sure there is more to what happened all those years ago: the fire at the great house, and the terrible events that came after. A truth she must uncover, if she is ever to be free. In the 1918 section, Ivy has married Richard Boscawen who is the coroner. She has always regretted not marrying the love of her life, Edward Tremain. She has recently found out her son has been killed in the war, and is determined to find out exactly how he died. When she reads in the deaths section of the newspaper that Edward’s son had died in the war she begins writing to Edward in the hopes of rekindling their friendship and perhaps take it further, now that her husband does not have long to live. In putting Alice centre stage, Underdown has to work out how, without violating period norms, her heroine can discover what Matthew is up to. Thankfully, there is only one episode of overhearing a conversation through the wall, that other trusty standby. Gradually she puts things together; there’s a slow burn of horror, the sense of something huge she is powerless to stop. There’s a chilling twist, indicating that the darkness never really goes away This lapses from 1888 and 1918 which spans a whooping number of years that accumulate a lot of dark secrets within family, relationships and is written in the style that I’ve come to love from Beth Underdown. On the fieldJuly seems to have been designated as white ball month, with enjoyable ODI & T20 series between England and both Sri Lanka & Pakistan. Complete domination against Sri Lanka was spoiled by Bristolian rain (*shakes fist*), but it was the ODI series against Pakistan that was the most satisfying; England had to pretty […] The Hundred: Initial Reaction

Play Review: The Witchfinder’s Sister - The London Horror Play Review: The Witchfinder’s Sister - The London Horror

I liked it that the story is told alternating between 1888 and 1918. It is beautifully written with touching stories about WWI, which show how much the world has changed between 1888 and 1918. So when the publisher asked if I’d like a copy sent to me in the mail, I did not hesitate for one second. For Ivy is sure that there is more to what happened all those years ago: the fire at the Great House, and the terrible events that came after. A truth she must uncover, if she is ever to be free. Told in split timelines, one in 1888-89 and one in 1918-19, we slowly uncover the truths behind what happened in the past and what's happening as a result in the present. Ivy's ready to reveal her secrets, and other players have their own secrets to share with us. I very much enjoyed the scares in The Witchfinder’s Sister. There are a couple of good jump scares awaiting you (though in my opinion there should have been more), but also some truly harrowing emotionally intense scenes that left me feeling very uncomfortable. In this regard, one of the best scenes is saved for the very end and makes for a ‘was it / wasn’t it’ witchcraft scenario. I must commend Lily Knight for her powerful performance here.I have to be blunt here: highly recommend if you're into pining for your teenage crush for 30 years, couples not communicating with each other, random trips to the other side of the country without telling anyone, more pining, mysterious deaths that are not so mysterious if you think about it, some more pining.

Beth Underdown - School of Arts, Languages and Cultures Beth Underdown - School of Arts, Languages and Cultures

An enjoyable, worthy and beautifully written follow up to a solid debut I feel. Look forward to seeing what comes next from the author. By day, Ivy Boscawen mourns the loss of her son Tim in the Great War. But by night she mourns another boy - one whose death decades ago haunts her still. Stars: Three, its a beautifully written story but for me the characters made it difficult to enjoy. In the dead of night a fire sweeps through a Manor House claiming more than just timber and objects of every day life. No, this fire also claimed the boy that Ivy still cannot forget for something happened that fateful night which to this day still haunts her. By day, Ivy Boscawen mourns the loss of her son Tim in the Great War. But by night she mourns another boy – one whose death decades ago haunts her still.The conflicts were just not it. The entire time i was rolling my eyes at how whiny everyone was with everything. Like chill, y’all. It’s not even that bad. This is a very well written novel in a style in keeping with the times and gives excellent historical context, depicting the world of 1888 and the changing world of 1918/19. It is abundantly rich in atmosphere especially in Polneath, Cornwall, allowing you to picture the big house, the gun powder mills, the unlikeable character of Old Tremain and the enigma of Edward Tremain, his son and William’s father. Polneath lies at the heart of everything we learn about Ivy and the death of William. The 1888 storyline is spooky, chilling, secretive and deeply mysterious and links well to 1918 when characters are unmasked. Been waiting for Beth Underdown's second book after the intense Witchfinder's Sister and this was an equally engrossing read. With a husband afflicted with serious health issues, Ivy feels the only way she will find peace and face the future is if she gets to the truth of what happened long ago when as Ivy Cardew, the daughter of a struggling doctor, she was helping him with nursing duties. This mystery of what happened at the country manor house of the Tremains is slowly revealed and the terrible repercussions that followed in the wake of the fire, including the inquest. The family that includes Edward Tremain, the heir to Polneath, the father of William, is a man Ivy fell in love with. In a narrative loaded with twists and turns aplenty, with its wide range of characters, little is as it appears, we learn that in this small community, everyone had secrets, both upstairs, with the Tremain family, and downstairs, with the servants. Dark an atmospheric as it may be, I found it interesting but a little too slow for my taste. It was quite obvious from the beginning that all characters had something to hide and although Ivy very bravely set out to find the truth, she's hindered by her own experiences and expectations.