The Book Ghost by Lorna Gray

THE BOOK GHOST 

PUB: ONE MORE CHAPTER 

PUB DATE: 14TH DECEMBER 2019

SYNOPSIS:

A page turning, literary post-war historical novel full of secrets and mysteries.

England, Christmastime 1946

A young widow leaves behind the tragedy of her wartime life, and returns home to her ageing aunt and uncle. For Lucy – known as Mrs P – and the people who raised her, the books that line the walls of the family publishing business bring comfort and the promise of new beginnings.

But the kind and reserved new editor at the Kershaw and Kathay Book Press is a former prisoner of war, and he has his own shadows to bear. And when the old secrets of a little girl’s abandonment are uncovered within the pages of Robert Underhills’s latest project, Lucy must work quickly if she is to understand the truth behind his frequent trips away.

For a ghost dwells in the record of an orphan girl’s last days. And even as Lucy dares to risk her heart, the grief of her own past seems to be whispering a warning of fresh loss…

The Book Ghost will be published in the UK as Mrs P’s Book of Secrets.

REVIEW/THOUGHTS:

The story begins in 1946, just after the end of WWII, during the wintertime in the north Cotswolds town of Moreton-in-Marsh where Lucy, better known as Mrs P has come back home to help out in her aging aunt and uncles’ publishing house “Kershaw and Kathay Book Press”.

Lucy’s husband was just killed during the war, and despite her experience is now working as a clerk/receptionist/tea girl alongside her uncle and a new editor named Robert Underhill. Underhill prior to the war was studying to become a doctor. Though he could have been excused, he volunteered in the war efforts only to be captured immediately and became a POW for the last 5 years. Underhill would disappear from the office from time to time and the mystery surrounding his disappearance from the office intrigues Mrs. P.

I love historical fiction reads especially the WWII period. I enjoy learning about the circumstances surrounding the story line and the author gifts the reader with amazing detail and backstories of the characters.

England at that time was still reeling from the war, and while the country recovers, the people remain in rations. The men have come back and the women have to step back from their roles - running the country while the men were gone. The widows are trying to find their way back and are dealing with the guilt from the loss of their loved ones, mostly finding difficulties with establish relationships.

There are new ways of speaking in society where prying questions are not acceptable unless information is freely offered. The men that have come back are dealing with their own trauma from the war and I find that the author did a great job in creating that world post WWII.

The story is told through Lucy’s experience and point of view. Overall, I did enjoy the writing as it feels very much to the time period and the details were rich and vivid. It did move a little slow for me though I did enjoy the beautiful descriptions and the character development in this story.

I recommend this book for HF fans who are interested in the post WWII England setting.

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT:

I have a strong relationship with the past just like Eleanor, the heroine of debut novel In the Shadow of Winter. My inspiration to write about 1940s Britain comes from the traces that still live around us today. It comes from the tales that my elderly neighbours tell, and from the details and contradictions that have been recorded from a time we know so much about and yet no two people ever describe it in quite the same way.

This is what first inspired me to write In the Shadow of Winter and to set the intensely emotional adventure that unfolds within it, with all of its danger, romance and mystery, in the winter of 1947.

My published titles include In the Shadow of Winter, The War Widow, The Antique Dealer's Daughter and Mrs P's Book of Secrets (published as The Book Ghost in the USA). I am published by One More Chapter.

I'm married and I live in the Cotswolds, UK.

I have a strong relationship with the past just like Eleanor, the heroine of debut novel In the Shadow of Winter. My inspiration to write about 1940s Britain comes from the traces that still live around us today. It comes from the tales that my elderly neighbours tell, and from the details and contradictions that have been recorded from a time we know so much about and yet no two people ever describe it in quite the same way.

This is what first inspired me to write In the Shadow of Winter and to set the intensely emotional adventure that unfolds within it, with all of its danger, romance and mystery, in the winter of 1947.

My published titles include In the Shadow of Winter, The War Widow, The Antique Dealer's Daughter and Mrs P's Book of Secrets (published as The Book Ghost in the USA). I am published by One More Chapter.

I'm married and I live in the Cotswolds, UK.I have a strong relationship with the past just like Eleanor, the heroine of debut novel In the Shadow of Winter. My inspiration to write about 1940s Britain comes from the traces that still live around us today. It comes from the tales that my elderly neighbours tell, and from the details and contradictions that have been recorded from a time we know so much about and yet no two people ever describe it in quite the same way.

This is what first inspired me to write In the Shadow of Winter and to set the intensely emotional adventure that unfolds within it, with all of its danger, romance and mystery, in the winter of 1947.

My published titles include In the Shadow of Winter, The War Widow, The Antique Dealer's Daughter and Mrs P's Book of Secrets (published as The Book Ghost in the USA). I am published by One More Chapter.

I'm married and I live in the Cotswolds, UK.I have a strong relationship with the past just like Eleanor, the heroine of debut novel In the Shadow of Winter. My inspiration to write about 1940s Britain comes from the traces that still live around us today. It comes from the tales that my elderly neighbours tell, and from the details and contradictions that have been recorded from a time we know so much about and yet no two people ever describe it in quite the same way.

This is what first inspired me to write In the Shadow of Winter and to set the intensely emotional adventure that unfolds within it, with all of its danger, romance and mystery, in the winter of 1947.

My published titles include In the Shadow of Winter, The War Widow, The Antique Dealer's Daughter and Mrs P's Book of Secrets (published as The Book Ghost in the USA). I am published by One More Chapter.

I'm married and I live in the Cotswolds, UK.I have a strong relationship with the past just like Eleanor, the heroine of debut novel In the Shadow of Winter. My inspiration to write about 1940s Britain comes from the traces that still live around us today. It comes from the tales that my elderly neighbours tell, and from the details and contradictions that have been recorded from a time we know so much about and yet no two people ever describe it in quite the same way.

This is what first inspired me to write In the Shadow of Winter and to set the intensely emotional adventure that unfolds within it, with all of its danger, romance and mystery, in the winter of 1947.

My published titles include In the Shadow of Winter, The War Widow, The Antique Dealer's Daughter and Mrs P's Book of Secrets (published as The Book Ghost in the USA). I am published by One More Chapter.

I'm married and I live in the Cotswolds, UK.Lorna Gray is passionate about understanding the past and takes much of her research from spoken history. She loves the fact that writing gives her the excuse to ask people about their memories, and treasures the unique little insights that every new conversation has to offer.

She writes post-WWII fiction and is published by an imprint of Harper Collins. Her titles are In the Shadow of Winter, The War Widow, The Antique Dealer's Daughter and newest release Mrs P's Book of Secrets.

She is also a published illustrator and her work has featured in a number of archaeological reports, children's books and non-fiction titles.

Above all, Lorna loves a good adventure. She doesn't mind whether it comes in the form of a good book, a film or rambling about the ruins of a castle as long as it is guaranteed to have a happy ending. She is married and lives in the Cotswolds, UK. She is very active on Facebook and would be delighted to meet you there.

I have a strong relationship with the past just like Eleanor, the heroine of debut novel In the Shadow of Winter. My inspiration to write about 1940s Britain comes from the traces that still live around us today. It comes from the tales that my elderly neighbours tell, and from the details and contradictions that have been recorded from a time we know so much about and yet no two people ever describe it in quite the same way.

This is what first inspired me to write In the Shadow of Winter and to set the intensely emotional adventure that unfolds within it, with all of its danger, romance and mystery, in the winter of 1947.

My published titles include In the Shadow of Winter, The War Widow, The Antique Dealer's Daughter and Mrs P's Book of Secrets (published as The Book Ghost in the USA). I am published by One More Chapter.

I'm married and I live in the Cotswolds, UK.