Whispers

by Rosie Goodwin

Sometimes the past really does come back to haunt you...

The old manor house has stood empty for years, left to rot since the last master of the Fenton family died. Until Jess Beddows steps inside, and feels she has come home. Against her family's wishes, she buys the house, promising to bring it back to life. Upstairs, in an attic room left untouched for a century or more, she finds a journal. It holds the heartbreaking tale of Martha, and of the cruel, entangled lives of the house's servants and masters nearly two hundred years before. As Jess is drawn into their tragedy, the whispers begin. Before long, everything she loves will be threatened by violent emotion and long-kept secrets. Can she survive the echoes from the past?

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Mystery

400 pages, Paperback

First published November 10, 2011

About the author

Before becoming a writer, I was a Placement Support Worker and foster carer, and worked in the social services department after completing a teacher training course. Many children have joined my family over the years. I still live in Nuneaton, where many of my books are set, with my husband, Trevor, and our beloved dogs.

I was thrilled to discover that I'd become one of the top 250 most-borrowed library authors in the UK, and would like to thank all of you who have taken out my books over the last few years! I love meeting my readers and am always pleased to hear from you. I hope you will all continue to get in touch and please do sign up for my newsletter!

Reviews

[Ali Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

One word.WOW! I do love Rosie Goodwin. Got this from the library well over a year ago was only in about two chapters took it back to renew but somebody had ordered it so couldnt. Luckily ended up with my own copy. I love any books that are intertwined with history and old houses. This did not disappoint. I loved all the characters and the whole feel of the book. Yes its a ghostly story not a horrror one but one of those that keeps you a bit on edge especially if you are reading late at night in bed and your floorboards creak! I had my suspicions early on in the book but it didnt spoil anything. Oh and I didnt expect to be in floods of tears TWICE towards the end. Rosie's style of writing is easy and simple to read. I have had emcouragement in the past from her to continue with my own writing but aside from that I absolutely loved this book to the point I didnt want it to end. I really cannot recommend it enough.

[Wendee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book, but kinda predictable...

[Shirley Revill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Storytelling at it's best. Really enjoyed this book.

[Ngu · Rating 1 out of 5]

Could there be a stupider person than Jess? The book isn't even well written. What a waste of time.

[Lynda Meyers · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book(found the past more interesting than the present) but was really frustrated with the main character Jess. The way she behaved was so unbelievable. As a mother myself I would not of left Mel alone so much and would of insisted on finding out what was going on. Not left her to cry or shut herself away in her bedroom. Also no one in their right mind would let their husband carry on like hers did. Iv read a lot of Rosie Goodwins books and loved every one of them but this one was different and is at the bottom of the list. I found it so frustrating!! Not only was Jess a weak person but also Laura should of come forward and been honest with her(especially when she knew Mel had been abused and also realised the identity of her daughters babies father). A lot of heartache could of been avoided.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never read a Rosie Goodwin book before and this was recommended to me. I couldn't put it down. It cleverly switches between present day with Jess and her young family and 200 years earlier with Martha and the house's servants and masters. Really sad to finish it.

[Anne Harvey · Rating 2 out of 5]

On viewing Stonebridge House, Jess feels instantly at home and, having come into a substantial sum of money and despite the objections of her family, promptly buys it. As she begins to renovate the property, she discovers an old journal written by a maidservant, Martha, who'd lived and worked there in the early 19th century. From then on, the story switches between Jess and her family and what was happening in Martha's life. I can't say too much about how the story develops because of spoilers but it's an intriguing story, if a little too full of tragic events. Personally, I found the first half of the book over-long and it irritated me how naive and gullible Jess was about what was going on in the house and the family. I'd sussed it out quite early on!

[Hana · Rating 3 out of 5]

To tell the truth I wasn't very keen about reading this book and the rather simple language didn't persuade me either. But I got sort of hooked up on the story and the heartbreaking scenes toward the end of the book did make me cry a lot. To sum it up, it was quite interesting but nothing to write home about and I feel that I will forget it quite quickly.

[Jane Taylor · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story was interesting but I felt that the telling was a bit naïve. I did guess quite early on the 'culprit'. A bit too much repetition about her feelings but, all in all an easy read. Liked the swapping from the different eras.

[Fi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The parallels between past & present gave the plot a very clever twist; but oh dear, how annoying is Jess (the main character)? She has to be the dumbest, most neglectful mother I've encounted in a novel for a long time! There were also numerous editing errors & anomalies in the story

[Richard Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic

What a book, couldn't put the book down it had you gripped all the way through. I would recommend this book to anyone. Brilliant

[Chloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an amazing read draws you in and makes you forget where you are. Would recommend to anyone

[Jane Woodcock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hadn't read a Rosie Goodwin, and to be honest, didn't think I would like it much. What's that saying, "Never judge a book by it's cover". Well, that's just what I did! But, thankfully I was wrong. I Loved it.
Very touching. Good story. Likeable and hateful characters.

[Carrie-Ann Huelin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy read but quite engaging characters. As with other reviewers I did predict all the 'twists' in terms of where the plot was going but it was good to know I guessed right in the end. First Rosie Goodwin I've read but I would read another.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the settings of the book because the area was where I grew up - I liked the idea of the story and the link with history - I felt do sorry for jess in do many parts of the book - having a lying deceiving husband and the way he treated her. jess's life in some ways was no better than the one of Martha in the journal that she was reading. you just can not imagine the horror that the servants were expected to put up with then. in some way I admire what Martha did to the master, it would have taken guts, and in those days there would not have been a way to prosecute. I am so that that jess's husband got his just desserts but did not see the circumstances with his daughter coming that was a surprise that's hard to stomach.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

After reading my first Rosie Goodwin book and really enjoying it I found it difficult to believe that the same person had written this. I thought Jess was unbelievably naive and stupid and also didn't understand how she let Simon get away with everything or how she seemed pretty much oblivious to her incredibly distraught daughter and never properly questioned what all the arguments were about. Also, there were lots of errors with names where Jess was sometimes referred to as Jo or Mel and at one point Martha's boyfriend Jimmy was called Billy. Did no one proof read this book before it went to print?

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thouroughly enjoyed this novel. Loved that the story went back & forth in time, two stories in one & carefully entwined. Loved Jess one of the main characters & the ghost Martha who tells a heart-rending tale which will change the life of Jess & her family. Story of ghosts, secrets, betrayal, a book filled with emotions & wonderfully written.. This is the first book I have read of Rosie Goodwin & it will certainly not be the last. Excellent read

[Penny Little · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the way the story went from the present day to the past via a maid's journal. Parts of the journal were given and then the story was written from the maid's point of view. A sad ending but with hope in sight. A page turner for me.

[mois reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whispers

Well what a corker of a book full of mystery and suspense jess Jo and Mel what a family and Simon and then Martha and grace and granny this was Rosie Goodwin at her best definitely worth 5 stars

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was times when I couldn't put this book down, such a page turner but I've marked it only 3 stars as it was a bit predictable and there was some character name mix ups which spoilt it a bit. Easy reading though.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant story

[Denise Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read most of Rosie' s books, but this one was different because it was about the lives of two families that lived in the house in two different eras.

[Lois · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think the author got fed up with this book in the last 100 pages and just wanted it to end

[Kim LOCKHART · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping read

[Sharon Jellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved the book,kept me engrossed throughout even though i had guessed the outcomes .Predictable but well written.

[Brenda Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brilliant read from Rosie goodwin,great writing highly recommend.

[Annemarie Farthing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can any man be trusted?

[Jennifer Mcgurgan · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was an interesting book however the storyline was predictable. I had only read 1/4 of the book and already guessed the plot and ending.

[Nicola McPherson · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of Theresa’s books I wasn’t going to read but mum said I’d like it. I enjoyed the story but didn’t think it was very well written, wouldn’t read another by the same author. Jess inherits money from her nan and chooses a huge old house to move her family to- neither her husband or daughters like it as it’s really run down- her husband, Simon is an arse from the start, he’s been unfaithful to her but this is a fresh start. Jess finds an old journal in the loft written by a servant who lived there years ago, Martha. We then flit between life for Martha and life for Jess. Turns out Martha is still haunting the place as the evil owner years ago raped her sister - the child turns out to be Simon!?! who ends up dying along with their lovely younger daughter, Jo. We then find out he sexually abused their older daughter, raped the mentally disabled girl down the road and got her pregnant, and tried to kill Jess for the inheritance! The oldest daughter knew all this but never told her mum. In the end we think Martha has gone because Simon died but because the girl carrying his child gives birth to a boy, she latches on to them as we assume he’ll be evil too.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't get me wrong, overall this was a good story, but based on the reviews from others, I was expecting a little more. In my opinion, this was a 3.5 star, but I have raised it to a 4. It grabbed my attention at the first, but then I started to feel like there were too many things going on and I could not connect the dots as to why. I had some difficulty in understanding the relationship between Simon and Jess. Though I couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was about Simon, I felt that there was something very wrong about him. At the end of the book, most of my questions were answered, but I'm still wondering, how could she not have known, or least have suspected. Even though I got a little frustrated with some of the characters, I still believe I would be interested in reading more of her books.