The Women of Heachley Hall

by Rachel Walkley

Overview

A family saga mystery about a decaying house with secrets only women can discover and a tragedy that needs forgiveness and self-sacrifice to resolve.

Twenty-eight year old Miriam moves into abandoned Heachley Hall and she plans to continue to work as an illustrator while renovating the property. She's the sole surviving heir to her great-aunt’s estate, however, great fortune comes with an unbreakable contract. To earn her inheritance, Miriam must live a year and a day in the decaying Heachley Hall.

Located on the Norfolk coast in a fictional village near Hunstanton, the house is neglected and surrounded by woods draped in sea mist. With the help of a local handyman, Charles, she begins to transform the Victorian house and when she struggles with the scale of the renovations, she increasingly relies on him and ignores his peculiar habit of coming and going without explanation.

Miriam is desperate to discover the truth behind Felicity’s terms. But, delving into Felicity and Heachley’s long past is going to turn Miriam’s view of the world upside down.

After tracking down her aunt’s lost possessions, Miriam uncovers the consequences of a devastating fire, the plight of a selfish lover and the history of her own fragmented family.

The book is in three parts and narrated from the perspective of two characters in the first person.

Fans of family sagas will enjoy the historical aspect of the book, while readers of women’s fiction and authors such as Lucinda Riley, Kate Morton, Karen Swan and Lulu Taylor, will appreciate the independent spirit of Miriam.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781999630706
Publisher:	Spare Time Press
Publication date:	05/04/2018
Pages:	352
Product dimensions:	5.25(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.79(d)

About the Author

For most of my working life, I've been a scientist and librarian, and throughout that career my love of creative writing has never ceased even when surrounded by technical reports and impenetrable patents. Among moments of mummy taxi, delving into museum archives, drawing pictures and flute playing, I shall continue to pen my stories.

Table of Contents

Part 1. The Will - contemporary

Thirty numbered chapters.

Part 2. The Journal - Historical account 1900-1960s

Six chapters titled:

The Marsters Family (1873–1914)

The Great War and beyond (1914–1934)

The First Tenants (1934–1946)

The Hinderton Affair (1947–1953)

The Branston Family (1953–1965)

Felicity Marsters (1966)

Part 3. The Grave - contemporary

Four numbered chapters plus Epilogue

Author bio

Editorial Reviews

The mystery aspect of the novel is well integrated into the narrative, and although I had my suspicions about what was going on, the story is beautifully constructed and precious, and it is very satisfying. If you are one of those readers who hate cliff-hangers and always feel that there is some explanation missing and you’d like to know a bit more, you’ll be over the moon when you read this novel. - Ogla Nunez Miret, author of The Man Who Never Was

From the Publisher