The Secrets of Rochester Place: Unravel this spellbinding tale of family drama, love and betrayal

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All my questions were answered and the whole story comes full circle. I loved the element of surprise and found the ending to be an emotional one. This story obviously has connections to the authors roots and I loved the inclusion of folktales, adding a more ghostly effect. When it coms to historical fiction I usually find it teaches me something new and in this case I learnt a lot about the evacuation of Spanish children in the civil war. Teresa’s story was particularly moving throughout and she ended up being my favourite character. The novel is well researched, and the author includes folklore stories she has grown up with which is such a special touch. A beautiful story of love and survival, going on beyond the time. Just the location stays the same, Rochester Place. I enjoyed this book very much. It is slow for perhaps two-thirds of the book. Not slow as in uneventful, but perhaps in the setting out of the many layers to the story. There are many characters who step in and out of the story, and because some chapters are long, I sometimes got a little frustrated trying to remember who they are, or where they fit in. I originally rated this 3.5 stars but had to up it to 4 stars after writing this review. I loved the characters and loved how the plot developed through the book.

There are two other timelines. One is Mary’s diary and the other is that of Teresa, an 8 year old girl fleeing the Spanish Civil War and the bombing of Guernica in 1937. The latter storyline is by far the more detailed and is the stronger of the three, but I did enjoy Corinne’s and Mary’s stories and the way they all became more and more entwined as the book progressed. This is an enjoyable and entertaining read..the mystery of the phone call really spiked my curiosity! I loved the slowly revealing mystery as the story builds through diaries and notebooks..I was more engrossed in the historical timelines and found these characters more compelling than Corinne and Nidra. I think inevitably with so many characters some were stronger than others. This is also a very atmospheric read with stories within stories. I found the history really interesting ..I know too little of Guernica and the Irish history behind Mary’s story.But these plot threads eventually come together in the most moving way and left me with that warm, fuzzy feeling you get with certain books. I’m so happy to have had the chance to read an advanced reader copy of this book! Although I did not finish it prior to its publication, but rather a month later, I am happy that I took my time with reading, because I really felt I had the chance to enjoy this fully, without rushing to finish books before the end of 2022. My thanks to Penguin Random House U.K. for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Secrets of Rochester Place’ by Iris Costello. In the current time, there are moments when I feel the world has become a confusing and scary place but books like The Secrets of Rochester Place makes me feel a little happier and more optimistic.

Is Mary calling from beyond the grave? And what actually happened at Rochester Place all those years ago?A well written historical fiction novel, the story opens with 9 year old Teresa on a ship to England after the bombing of Guernica in the 1930s. The story follows her life over the next few years, and beyond, with various timelines and lots of other characters being introduced as the story progresses. I loved the characters in this book, Mary’s voice called loudly to me initially but it was Teresa who finally kept my heart, with her bravery and strength, she is the one I will really remember. As is often the case with a dual timeline, I found I loved the earlier line of Mary and Teresa more than Corinne’s. It’s difficult to say why that is the case as Corinne has a vulnerability about her that I liked and her character really draws and ties both lines of the story together.

Teresa is a young Basque girl, frightened and alone and evacuated to London after the Guernica bombing in 1937. Her journey by ship, the grey slimy bacon to eat, and the feelings it instills all connect you to her straight away. She ends up at Rochester Place in the care of kindly Mary Davidson but trouble follows her. I found this to be a very interesting read. I know very little about the Guernica bombing during the Spanish Civil war so after reading the first few chapters from Theresa’s perspective I did a little online research to learn a bit more and what Theresa may have been faced with at the time. From my perspective Theresa is a very brave young girl. She leaves her country for another where she is unfamiliar with the language and customs. Whilst reading I would sometimes forget that Theresa was only 10 years old because at times she seemed very grown up for her age. I loved the idea behind the book, about being uprooted from the place you were from. I didn’t know about the evacuation of the Spanish children during the Civil War – this book has taught me something new. The ending is absolutely superb I thought, and I was certainly in need of a few tissues. A wonderful book that I will remember for some time to come. It was a notably mysterious start to the book as Corrine receives a phone call from a distressed woman, but when the emergency services get there the woman, and in fact the house, is nowhere to be seen. Not surprisingly, this both mystified and intrigued Corrine – and me as well.Spellbindingly spooky, this epic historical tale will take you on a wonderful journey. I went down many rabbit holes as I read and this is one of the things I really love about historical fiction. It brings history to life and I learn and read more widely as a result. This book has its roots in Guernica and the Irish Easter Rising and I read about these events to ground me in the novel. The xenophobia and hatred that people experienced then and now astounds me and it is brilliant to see it highlighted in this novel and threaded through the entire story.

Spring 1937: Teresa is evacuated to London in the wake of the Guernica bombing. She thinks she's found safety in the soothing arms of Mary Davidson and the lofty halls of Rochester Place, but trouble pursues her wherever she goes. Set between the dusty halls of Rochester Place and the bustling streets of modern-day Tooting, this emotive, intricately layered mystery tells the spellbinding story of two people, separated by time, yet mysteriously connected through an enchanting Georgian house and the secrets within its walls. I found this an atmospheric read and enjoyed the character driven story. Teresa had such a hard start to life I was hoping for happiness for her and Mary! I really enjoyed reading the diary entries from Mary from 1924 and her history as a girl in Ireland.Theresa’s story was fascinating and highlights a little-known historical event from 1937- a number of children were evacuated from Spain at the height of the Civil War but their well-being depended on charities kindness and not the government. Theresa’s grief, bewilderment and the resilience of children is beautifully described, and I couldn’t help feeling moved by her story. Firstly, Teresa’s writing in the diary during the air raid. I can’t believe that any 11 year old girl, whose first language is not English, would write so fluidly and eloquently. It read like it was written by a highly educated adult and just didn’t sit right for me.