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TIME'S PRISONER: The Wyngrave Women Book 1
TIME'S PRISONER , the new novel from the author of Kindle bestsellers, THE MEMORY TREE and HOUSE OF SILENCE. A romantic gothic mystery for fans of Daphne du Maurier, Susanna Kearsley and Mary Stewart.
The dead are invisible. They are not absent.
With her personal and professional life in ruins, Jane Summers, author of historical whodunnits, receives an extraordinary bequest from an old enemy. But there’s a condition attached. If she is to become more than just a sitting tenant at Wyngrave Hall, a crumbling Elizabethan manor house, Jane must solve a centuries-old mystery.
She invites a motley crew of women to share her new life at the Hall: Rosamund, a tough but troubled nurse; Sylvia, retired actress and national treasure; loyal Bridget, gardener and handywoman, who knows the chequered history of Wyngrave Hall and understood the selfish eccentricities of its previous owner.
But unknown to the women of Wyngrave Hall, there is another, unseen occupant, one with a desperate agenda: to enlist Jane’s help solving the coldest of cold cases.
“I’d gone to great lengths to avoid the lonely life of a middle-aged, reclusive divorcée, but it was some time before I admitted to myself that I disliked spending a day working at home on my own, not because I feared to be alone in the ancient house, but because I feared I wasn't”
~~~
Praise for TIME'S PRISONER
“The writing is immersive, the story compelling, sometimes disturbing, but also quite wonderfully entertaining. Something the author does particularly well is balance the novel's lighter moments - and there are plenty - with a chilling historical tale. I loved everything about this book and read it in two glorious sittings. The world disappeared and I found it impossible to put down until the very end.”
ANNE WILLIAMS, Being Anne book blog
“A heart-warming and heart-stopping story. Once I started, I couldn’t stop until I’d finished. Romance, art and suspense… TIME’S PRISONER has it all.”
CLARE FLYNN, author of The Pearl of Penang and The Artist’s Apprentice
The dead are invisible. They are not absent.
With her personal and professional life in ruins, Jane Summers, author of historical whodunnits, receives an extraordinary bequest from an old enemy. But there’s a condition attached. If she is to become more than just a sitting tenant at Wyngrave Hall, a crumbling Elizabethan manor house, Jane must solve a centuries-old mystery.
She invites a motley crew of women to share her new life at the Hall: Rosamund, a tough but troubled nurse; Sylvia, retired actress and national treasure; loyal Bridget, gardener and handywoman, who knows the chequered history of Wyngrave Hall and understood the selfish eccentricities of its previous owner.
But unknown to the women of Wyngrave Hall, there is another, unseen occupant, one with a desperate agenda: to enlist Jane’s help solving the coldest of cold cases.
“I’d gone to great lengths to avoid the lonely life of a middle-aged, reclusive divorcée, but it was some time before I admitted to myself that I disliked spending a day working at home on my own, not because I feared to be alone in the ancient house, but because I feared I wasn't”
~~~
Praise for TIME'S PRISONER
“The writing is immersive, the story compelling, sometimes disturbing, but also quite wonderfully entertaining. Something the author does particularly well is balance the novel's lighter moments - and there are plenty - with a chilling historical tale. I loved everything about this book and read it in two glorious sittings. The world disappeared and I found it impossible to put down until the very end.”
ANNE WILLIAMS, Being Anne book blog
“A heart-warming and heart-stopping story. Once I started, I couldn’t stop until I’d finished. Romance, art and suspense… TIME’S PRISONER has it all.”
CLARE FLYNN, author of The Pearl of Penang and The Artist’s Apprentice
- GenresHistorical
278 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 8, 2024
18 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
About the author
Linda Gillard
19 books284 followersLinda Gillard lives in North Lanarkshire, Scotland and has been an actress, journalist and teacher. She’s the author of ten novels, including STAR GAZING, shortlisted in 2009 for "Romantic Novel of the Year" and the Robin Jenkins Literary Award, for writing that promotes the Scottish landscape.
HOUSE OF SILENCE and THE MEMORY TREE became Kindle bestsellers.
HOUSE OF SILENCE and THE MEMORY TREE became Kindle bestsellers.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
January 31, 2024
An unexpected legacy – the tenancy of the Elizabethan manor house of Wyngrave Hall – provides Jane with the much-needed opportunity of a fresh start. Her family relationships were always complicated, her career as a writer of Elizabethan whodunnits has stalled, her marriage has recently ended in divorce, she’s experienced significant personal loss, and she’s facing middle age alone – so she chooses to share her new home with three women also at crossroads in their own lives. As she grows increasingly comfortable with her new future, she gradually becomes able to put her past to rest – and move forward, enjoying her new friendships and even opening herself to the possibility of romance. But that “unseen occupant” opens up a whole new layer to her story – a long hidden mystery, complex and heartbreaking, that she’s committed (and particularly well-suited) to resolve.
I loved everything about this book, but particularly enjoyed the characterisation. Jane describes herself as a “sex-starved, embittered, middle-aged woman, struggling to rise above the ignominy of being left for a younger woman” – but she has a wonderfully wry take on the hand that life has dealt her, and I found her efforts to survive and flourish very easy to identify and empathise with. Her character becomes increasingly rounded through the sharing of her unsent emails to a friend recently lost – and through the interactions with the women she’s chosen to share her life with, all equally perfectly drawn.
Sylvia particularly won a place in my heart – a former actress with an anecdote for every occasion, her increasing fragility and diminishing eyesight handled with particular sensitivity. Ros’s acerbic asides frequently made me smile, and should I ever find myself acquiring a dilapidated Elizabethan pile needing constant maintenance, I really hope it’ll come complete with the capable Bridget. I very much enjoyed the developing relationships between them all – but also Jane’s slow steps, lowering her defences as she builds an increasingly strong relationship with Jesper, who joins them at first to restore some of the hall’s neglected paintings.
And then, of course, there’s that watching presence, and the elements of the supernatural you’ll undoubtedly be rather expecting – especially after the book’s intriguing death-bed prologue. It’s all so perfectly handled that it gave me no issues whatsoever for me around suspension of disbelief, becoming increasingly central to the narrative, and enabling the telling of an emotionally engaging and compelling story rooted in Elizabethan times.
You might notice the quotes from Hamlet that begin each chapter, hinting cleverly at the developments to come – and the shared resonances within the story itself as it unfolds, although unfamiliarity with the play certainly wouldn’t be an obstacle to your enjoyment. And then there are the “lamentations” that are interspersed throughout the story – a contemporary Elizabethan account, author at first unknown, but with their identity becoming increasingly evident and integral to the resolution of the mystery.
Something the author does particularly well is balance the story’s lighter moments – and there are plenty, along with gentle humour – with the warmth of the relationships and the developing romance and the rather more chilling, dramatic and moving historical story that makes the pages turn ever faster. The book has a well developed sense of place – Wyngrave Hall is far more than a mere backdrop, its history captured within its fabric. And another element I found fascinating was the depth of detail about art restoration, wonderfully researched, and very much part of the unfolding story.
I know I’ve said it before – possibly about every other book this exceptional author has ever written – but this really is storytelling at its very best. The writing is immersive, the story compelling, emotionally astute, sometimes disturbing, very moving, full of the unexpected – but also quite wonderfully entertaining, with a lightness at times that you might not be expecting. I read this book in two glorious sittings – the world disappeared, and I found it impossible to put down until the very end. Be sure to add it to your reading list – I promise you’ll love it as much as I did.
I loved everything about this book, but particularly enjoyed the characterisation. Jane describes herself as a “sex-starved, embittered, middle-aged woman, struggling to rise above the ignominy of being left for a younger woman” – but she has a wonderfully wry take on the hand that life has dealt her, and I found her efforts to survive and flourish very easy to identify and empathise with. Her character becomes increasingly rounded through the sharing of her unsent emails to a friend recently lost – and through the interactions with the women she’s chosen to share her life with, all equally perfectly drawn.
Sylvia particularly won a place in my heart – a former actress with an anecdote for every occasion, her increasing fragility and diminishing eyesight handled with particular sensitivity. Ros’s acerbic asides frequently made me smile, and should I ever find myself acquiring a dilapidated Elizabethan pile needing constant maintenance, I really hope it’ll come complete with the capable Bridget. I very much enjoyed the developing relationships between them all – but also Jane’s slow steps, lowering her defences as she builds an increasingly strong relationship with Jesper, who joins them at first to restore some of the hall’s neglected paintings.
And then, of course, there’s that watching presence, and the elements of the supernatural you’ll undoubtedly be rather expecting – especially after the book’s intriguing death-bed prologue. It’s all so perfectly handled that it gave me no issues whatsoever for me around suspension of disbelief, becoming increasingly central to the narrative, and enabling the telling of an emotionally engaging and compelling story rooted in Elizabethan times.
You might notice the quotes from Hamlet that begin each chapter, hinting cleverly at the developments to come – and the shared resonances within the story itself as it unfolds, although unfamiliarity with the play certainly wouldn’t be an obstacle to your enjoyment. And then there are the “lamentations” that are interspersed throughout the story – a contemporary Elizabethan account, author at first unknown, but with their identity becoming increasingly evident and integral to the resolution of the mystery.
Something the author does particularly well is balance the story’s lighter moments – and there are plenty, along with gentle humour – with the warmth of the relationships and the developing romance and the rather more chilling, dramatic and moving historical story that makes the pages turn ever faster. The book has a well developed sense of place – Wyngrave Hall is far more than a mere backdrop, its history captured within its fabric. And another element I found fascinating was the depth of detail about art restoration, wonderfully researched, and very much part of the unfolding story.
I know I’ve said it before – possibly about every other book this exceptional author has ever written – but this really is storytelling at its very best. The writing is immersive, the story compelling, emotionally astute, sometimes disturbing, very moving, full of the unexpected – but also quite wonderfully entertaining, with a lightness at times that you might not be expecting. I read this book in two glorious sittings – the world disappeared, and I found it impossible to put down until the very end. Be sure to add it to your reading list – I promise you’ll love it as much as I did.
February 11, 2024
A brilliant book. I love Linda Gillard’s writing. She can make you believe in ghosts.
June 22, 2024
Author Jane is at a crisis point in her life, she's getting divorced, plus her publisher has asked her to stop writing her much-loved historical crime series, and come up with fresh material instead. Now why a publisher would ask an author to stop a successful series I don't know, and why doesn't the author go down the self-publishing route? Anyway, she suddenly finds that she's inherited an old house near Colchester, in Essex, which was once owned by another author, who broke up Jane's parents' marriage, which led to her mother's suicide,so not surprisingly Jane isn't too keen on the inheritance at first. But she decides to see what the situation is, and heads out to Essex, where she moves into the house along with the resident gardener/housekeeper, Bridget, and tries to get the house in working order again. Two other women also come to live there, the elderly author's nurse, and her ailing grandmother. And then Jane gradually becomes aware of another resident - one who is 400 years old, was an actor and who was murdered during a private performance at the house. What follows is a mixture of historical mystery, and a lot of introspection as Jane comes to terms with her parents' break-up and deaths, and also the passing of her best friend. The book is a mixture of humour - some of the ghost's lines are very droll - and a look at grief, which did get a bit depressing after a while and over all I don't think the balance quite worked. However it's beautifully written, and the search for Horace's murderer kept my interest, as did Horace himself, who sort of adopts the current chatelaine of the house as his companion as he tries to find out who really killed him. The author is now writing a sequel. 7/10
February 23, 2024
I loved this book! Unfortunately, it came to an end. The protagonist inherits a manor house, but there are strings attached. One of which is solving a mystery. Oh, and there's a resident ghost. I loved his character.
I've read all of Linda Gillard's books, and she raises the bar with each book she writes.
I've read all of Linda Gillard's books, and she raises the bar with each book she writes.
May 14, 2024
A wonderful novel. I don't often read paranormal stories, and some of those I have read just didn't make me willing to suspend my scepticism. But not this one: the characters are deftly drawn; the protagonist's inner problems are absorbing; the history and mystery of the old house are rich and plausible. Linda Gillard's great writing has further endeared me to her. Bring on another book!
June 3, 2024
A crumbling stately home and a woman in search of a new focus in her life. A mystery to solve and a voice from the past to offer clues and direction. A community of women making new beginnings or seeking peaceful closure. There is so much to love about this book!
I've enjoyed all the novels by Linda Gillard that I have read. They differ, and that's an amazing gift for a writer, to be able to bring her skills to a number of genres and themes. It's a gift for the reader too, as you never know what delights are in store.
Here, Gillard's masterful descriptions of shadowy corridors and flickering candlelight take centre stage, as does her rapier-sharp dialogue. Her depictions of women at various stages of their lives added nuance and maturity to the novel. The supernatural element was wittily done. I'm happy to hear there is to be a prequel.
I've enjoyed all the novels by Linda Gillard that I have read. They differ, and that's an amazing gift for a writer, to be able to bring her skills to a number of genres and themes. It's a gift for the reader too, as you never know what delights are in store.
Here, Gillard's masterful descriptions of shadowy corridors and flickering candlelight take centre stage, as does her rapier-sharp dialogue. Her depictions of women at various stages of their lives added nuance and maturity to the novel. The supernatural element was wittily done. I'm happy to hear there is to be a prequel.
March 5, 2024
I have read most of Linda's books since I met her and really enjoyed all ["Emotional Geology" is still my favourite]. This one has all her trademarks: romance for a middle-aged woman, a very special setting and a plot that draws in the reader.
The story of "Time's Prisoner" is the story of Jane aged 51 who, through a strange bequest, becomes the steward of a Tudor manor house. Its previous owner, Queenie, was, like Jane, a novelist and, it seems, quite a character. Jane gathers together three other women including Bridget, resident gardener, Rosamund, Queenie's nurse, and her grandmother, Sylvia, a retired actress. All three are drawn in detail, though I'd like to have known more about Bridget and Ros, and I loved their variety.
At this point the tale could have been about friendship as they worked to restore the house together, but the next character enters and changes everything. This is Horatio, the house's resident ghost. He is time's prisoner and it is his death that Queenie wanted Jane to investigate - Jane also wrote historical novels set in Elizabethan times.
As part of the restoration Jane wants the many paintings in the house cleaned and valued and so brings in an expert, Jesper, the handsome Scandinavian who turns out to be the love interest. Together they unearth the circumstances of Horatio's death as well as other mysteries of the house's history.
I loved the storyline and most of the characters. I loved Linda's skilful writing and plotting with the Shakespearean references and diary extracts adding an extra dimension. Sylvia was my favourite character and her feistiness despite losing her eyesight warmed her to me. The house itself was drawn well and I could imagine its architecture. Being told in the first person, Jane's character emerges [too?] slowly but this is often the case when things happen to the main character rather than by her. It's her feelings and thoughts that are important, after all.
What I didn't like as much is Jesper, almost too good to be true. "Disheveled" and "rumpled" were words used and he seemed to be a cross between Mr Darcy and Rochester, except with a more considerate personality. Too good to be true, perhaps? A stereotypical romantic lover? Certainly the relationship between Jane and Jesper was for me the least satisfying aspects of the book, though I confess I am not the intended reader!
So, for fans of Linda, this is another excellent book. Enjoy.
The story of "Time's Prisoner" is the story of Jane aged 51 who, through a strange bequest, becomes the steward of a Tudor manor house. Its previous owner, Queenie, was, like Jane, a novelist and, it seems, quite a character. Jane gathers together three other women including Bridget, resident gardener, Rosamund, Queenie's nurse, and her grandmother, Sylvia, a retired actress. All three are drawn in detail, though I'd like to have known more about Bridget and Ros, and I loved their variety.
At this point the tale could have been about friendship as they worked to restore the house together, but the next character enters and changes everything. This is Horatio, the house's resident ghost. He is time's prisoner and it is his death that Queenie wanted Jane to investigate - Jane also wrote historical novels set in Elizabethan times.
As part of the restoration Jane wants the many paintings in the house cleaned and valued and so brings in an expert, Jesper, the handsome Scandinavian who turns out to be the love interest. Together they unearth the circumstances of Horatio's death as well as other mysteries of the house's history.
I loved the storyline and most of the characters. I loved Linda's skilful writing and plotting with the Shakespearean references and diary extracts adding an extra dimension. Sylvia was my favourite character and her feistiness despite losing her eyesight warmed her to me. The house itself was drawn well and I could imagine its architecture. Being told in the first person, Jane's character emerges [too?] slowly but this is often the case when things happen to the main character rather than by her. It's her feelings and thoughts that are important, after all.
What I didn't like as much is Jesper, almost too good to be true. "Disheveled" and "rumpled" were words used and he seemed to be a cross between Mr Darcy and Rochester, except with a more considerate personality. Too good to be true, perhaps? A stereotypical romantic lover? Certainly the relationship between Jane and Jesper was for me the least satisfying aspects of the book, though I confess I am not the intended reader!
So, for fans of Linda, this is another excellent book. Enjoy.
February 17, 2024
She's done it again
Linda Gillard's stories just get better and better. I loved this book! I want the protagonist for my friend she was so real. Of course it's about ghosts so what's not to enjoy. This author just knows the right words, gets to the point without a lot of extra adjectives muddling your own imagination that takes you into the story.
There is one downside; the story ends. No, no keep going!
Linda Gillard's stories just get better and better. I loved this book! I want the protagonist for my friend she was so real. Of course it's about ghosts so what's not to enjoy. This author just knows the right words, gets to the point without a lot of extra adjectives muddling your own imagination that takes you into the story.
There is one downside; the story ends. No, no keep going!
May 12, 2025
Another great read, with another big old manor house as a character with secrets. Left to Jane, she has to work out what to do with house. Loveable female characters young and old. I loved the mystery of the unseen occupant and the connection with Wyngrave Hall and how it unfolds. Once again Linda writes with great descriptions of old rambling houses and you can truly imagine being there. Looking forward to the sequel Linda.
February 15, 2024
Jane Summers writes Tudor detective novels and receives an unexpected bequest from a woman she blames for the suicide of her mother. She fall in love with the Tudor house she is left while being confused about the mystery she has been told to solve. Difficult to put down with excellently written characters.
February 18, 2024
Time’s Prisoner was a long time coming but completely worth the wait and I’m delighted to
learn that there is a second episode coming. The historical fiction tale is pure Linda Gillard and there are elements of the book that are newer, more exciting, surprising. It’s a fabulous book that I couldn’t put down.
learn that there is a second episode coming. The historical fiction tale is pure Linda Gillard and there are elements of the book that are newer, more exciting, surprising. It’s a fabulous book that I couldn’t put down.
March 10, 2024
Another wonderful story from Linda Gillard
I love Linda Gillard’s books and this latest tale does not disappoint. I was completely absorbed by the characters and, as with all great stories , feel a sense of loss now I have finished the final page and will need to spend several days thinking about the story before I can move on to another book. A lovely read!
I love Linda Gillard’s books and this latest tale does not disappoint. I was completely absorbed by the characters and, as with all great stories , feel a sense of loss now I have finished the final page and will need to spend several days thinking about the story before I can move on to another book. A lovely read!
March 17, 2024
You will sympathize with Horatio Fortune, a victim of a cruel fate 4 hundred years ago.
Linda writes about a woman (Jane) who has lived, loved, and endured the betrayal of her husband. Now she’s been given a life tenancy in a Tudor mansion with many gruesome secrets. She gathers several occupants for the house and unwillingly begins to unravel her inherited mystery. Gothic, tragic and hopeful
April 24, 2024
This is my first book by Linda Gillard and having thoroughly enjoyed this book I will definitely be reading more. Jane has had an amazing journey in this book and I feel like I have as well. Although I couldn’t wait to get to the end to see what happened I wish I still had more to read. Thank you to Clare Flynn for recommending this book. Well worth the read.
February 9, 2024
Linda Gillard does it again with a wonderfully layered mystery. Loved it from the first page!! It’s always sad when a good book ends, but this was such an enjoyable read. Give it a go!
February 13, 2024
Wonderful Story!
I really liked this a lot. It took me a bit to get into the story. There were relatable themes woven throughout the story that I enjoyed.
I’ve read all of Ms. Gillard’s books and have enjoyed them all. After taking my time with this, and enjoying it very much, I look forward to reading her next novel.
I really liked this a lot. It took me a bit to get into the story. There were relatable themes woven throughout the story that I enjoyed.
I’ve read all of Ms. Gillard’s books and have enjoyed them all. After taking my time with this, and enjoying it very much, I look forward to reading her next novel.
June 12, 2024
A decent enough book with a story that’s a bit different from the norm.
February 12, 2024
This is another wonderfully absorbing story from Linda Gillard. A cosy romance, a gothic thriller, and an exploration of female friendships. Definitely recommended.
April 13, 2025
I've read several of Linda Gillard's books and always enjoy them. However, I found this one rather hard to get into. Once I had, though, I thoroughly enjoyed it. A Jacobean manor house, family portraits of varying quality and interest, an interesting group of women brought together through necessity and a love story. What's not to like?
December 12, 2024
Review to follow.
April 23, 2024
Jane Summers is astonished by an unexpected legacy which gives her the tenancy of Wyngrave Hall, an Elizabethan Manor House which has its fair share of secrets. Sharing her good fortune with three other women, Jane soon finds that the house has its own distinct personality and with a centuries old mystery to solve she soon finds that there is certainly enough to keep her occupied.
As always this talented author brings time and place alive in the imagination, the story is wonderfully descriptive and as the mystery is revealed piece by piece so we get a glimpse into the dark heart of Wyngrave Hall and the deadly secret which as been kept for centuries. The cast of characters blend into the story so seamlessly that there are never any clunky moments or the distraction of one character hogging the limelight although there is one mysterious character who I developed a real fondness for and enjoyed their time on the page. Moments of humour interspersed with a genuine feeling of doom the story reads like a Shakespearean tragedy which is enhanced by quotations from Hamlet which head each chapter and which herald events as they unfold.
Time’s Prisoner is a lovely blended story which takes the sadness and secrets of the past and brings them entirely up to date in a compelling story which resonates from the chilling prologue and which doesn’t let go of your imagination until the last page is turned and even then days after I finished I found myself wondering how the occupants of Wyngrave Hall were faring. I’m thrilled to learn that the author is writing a sequel. Fabulous!
As always this talented author brings time and place alive in the imagination, the story is wonderfully descriptive and as the mystery is revealed piece by piece so we get a glimpse into the dark heart of Wyngrave Hall and the deadly secret which as been kept for centuries. The cast of characters blend into the story so seamlessly that there are never any clunky moments or the distraction of one character hogging the limelight although there is one mysterious character who I developed a real fondness for and enjoyed their time on the page. Moments of humour interspersed with a genuine feeling of doom the story reads like a Shakespearean tragedy which is enhanced by quotations from Hamlet which head each chapter and which herald events as they unfold.
Time’s Prisoner is a lovely blended story which takes the sadness and secrets of the past and brings them entirely up to date in a compelling story which resonates from the chilling prologue and which doesn’t let go of your imagination until the last page is turned and even then days after I finished I found myself wondering how the occupants of Wyngrave Hall were faring. I’m thrilled to learn that the author is writing a sequel. Fabulous!
August 14, 2024
Time's Prisoner begins with Jane Summers, author of a once popular but now out of favour historical fiction series, receiving two unusual bequests from somebody she has never met (but there's some history between them, nevertheless). She has been left the tenancy of Wyngrave Hall and, if she accepts it, a mystery to be solved. Deciding to accept the bequests, she moves in with three other women who have links with the hall and makes new and lasting friendships with them.
As I've previously found with Linda Gillard's books, it's very difficult to summarise this book without going into too much detail, but it's fair to say that Jane gets a little more than she bargained for with the other bequest and the mystery turns out to be something quite unexpected and other-worldly. This thread is constructed so well that I didn't need to suspend belief - it just worked, testament to the quality of the writing.
Gillard always writes insightful stories which delve deep into the innermost feelings of the characters. Jane becomes very involved with her new home and in particular develops strong emotions about some of the former residents. This leads her to meet Jesper, an art restorer who I understand will appear in the planned sequel to Time's Prisoner (which I'm looking forward to very much).
There are some real lump in the throat moments and as I read on I became more and more invested in the outcome of the mystery and whether Jane would solve it. I really enjoyed the way that storyline was weaved into the present day events. This is not a dual timeline story but one where the past has echoed down, leaving disquiet and unfinished business in its wake.
Time's Prisoner has it all. Its characters and plot are equally strong, and Wyngrave Hall and the centuries of family life and secrets contained within its walls make for an enthralling setting. Once I'd got stuck in I found it very difficult to put down. A wonderful read.
As I've previously found with Linda Gillard's books, it's very difficult to summarise this book without going into too much detail, but it's fair to say that Jane gets a little more than she bargained for with the other bequest and the mystery turns out to be something quite unexpected and other-worldly. This thread is constructed so well that I didn't need to suspend belief - it just worked, testament to the quality of the writing.
Gillard always writes insightful stories which delve deep into the innermost feelings of the characters. Jane becomes very involved with her new home and in particular develops strong emotions about some of the former residents. This leads her to meet Jesper, an art restorer who I understand will appear in the planned sequel to Time's Prisoner (which I'm looking forward to very much).
There are some real lump in the throat moments and as I read on I became more and more invested in the outcome of the mystery and whether Jane would solve it. I really enjoyed the way that storyline was weaved into the present day events. This is not a dual timeline story but one where the past has echoed down, leaving disquiet and unfinished business in its wake.
Time's Prisoner has it all. Its characters and plot are equally strong, and Wyngrave Hall and the centuries of family life and secrets contained within its walls make for an enthralling setting. Once I'd got stuck in I found it very difficult to put down. A wonderful read.
April 27, 2024
Thoroughly enjoyed this book
May 10, 2024
I enjoyed it less as it went on. The main character Jane appeared entitled and treated her 'housemate' Bridget like a servant. It was a tad predictable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews