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Whispers in the Glen
From the author of Lady’s Rock, The Unreliable Death of Lady Gange and The Green Lady, a tale of the sisterhood, heartbreak and resilience of the Scottish women on the World War II home front
Clova, Scotland, 1942. The midst of the Second World War. Sisters Nell and Effie Anderson live together in the Old Schoolhouse. Effie is a teacher, while Nell works as a postwoman, delivering news – often of the worst – from the frontline to her neighbours. Though they love and care for one another, there are unspoken tensions and mysteries that put distance between them.
Then, a plane carrying Canadian and British soldiers’ crashes over their village, and the only surviving soldier stumbles up to their front door. In his pocket is a photo that will set in motion a chain of events threatening to uncover their families’ generations-old secrets.
Told across a dual timeline of Effie and Nell’s adult years through World War II and their adolescence during World War I, Whispers in the Glen is a story about secrets, lies – and the dangers of keeping them hidden.
Clova, Scotland, 1942. The midst of the Second World War. Sisters Nell and Effie Anderson live together in the Old Schoolhouse. Effie is a teacher, while Nell works as a postwoman, delivering news – often of the worst – from the frontline to her neighbours. Though they love and care for one another, there are unspoken tensions and mysteries that put distance between them.
Then, a plane carrying Canadian and British soldiers’ crashes over their village, and the only surviving soldier stumbles up to their front door. In his pocket is a photo that will set in motion a chain of events threatening to uncover their families’ generations-old secrets.
Told across a dual timeline of Effie and Nell’s adult years through World War II and their adolescence during World War I, Whispers in the Glen is a story about secrets, lies – and the dangers of keeping them hidden.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
304 pages, Paperback
Published September 16, 2025
3 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
September 8, 2025
Glen Clova, Scotland. Nell and Effie Anderson are sister in their forties and live together in the Old Schoolhouse. Effie is a teacher like her late father, while Nell works as a postwoman, she dreads delivering telegrams and at night pulling pints at the hotel and Effie hates it. The sisters do love and care about each other, however they don’t talk a lot and have different personalities.
When a plane carrying Canadian and British soldier’s crashes near their village, and the only surviving soldier a gunner stumbles up to their front door and in his pocket is a photo of a young woman and this will uncover their family’s past.
The narrative has a dual timeline and is told from Effie and Nell’s points of view, and during World War II and their adolescence during The Great War.
Nell worked as an ambulance driver at Royaumont Abbey a Scottish Women’s Hospital, under the direction of the French Red Cross and they treated patients from the Battle of the Somme. Effie stayed home with their father James and she did spent some time with her Aunt Winnie at her farm and Nell has no idea what happened to Effie while she was gone.
I received a copy of Whispers in the Glen by Sue Lawrence from Edelweiss and Saraband in exchange for an honest review.
Set in Scotland and the picturesque Glen Clova, and popular place with hill walkers and for its views and wildlife and in France at Royaumont, a former Cistercian abbey, located near Asnières-sur-Oise in Val-d'Oise and north of Paris.
A story about the roles women took on during both wars, family and how it’s very hard to keep secrets and they always come to the surface and the shocking truth.
Five stars from me, the author was inspired by her homeland, a real plane crash near the Snub and Clova one of the five of the Angus Glens and reading Mary-Rose MacColl's book In Falling Snow, I'm glad I have a copy and plan on reading it asap.
When a plane carrying Canadian and British soldier’s crashes near their village, and the only surviving soldier a gunner stumbles up to their front door and in his pocket is a photo of a young woman and this will uncover their family’s past.
The narrative has a dual timeline and is told from Effie and Nell’s points of view, and during World War II and their adolescence during The Great War.
Nell worked as an ambulance driver at Royaumont Abbey a Scottish Women’s Hospital, under the direction of the French Red Cross and they treated patients from the Battle of the Somme. Effie stayed home with their father James and she did spent some time with her Aunt Winnie at her farm and Nell has no idea what happened to Effie while she was gone.
I received a copy of Whispers in the Glen by Sue Lawrence from Edelweiss and Saraband in exchange for an honest review.
Set in Scotland and the picturesque Glen Clova, and popular place with hill walkers and for its views and wildlife and in France at Royaumont, a former Cistercian abbey, located near Asnières-sur-Oise in Val-d'Oise and north of Paris.
A story about the roles women took on during both wars, family and how it’s very hard to keep secrets and they always come to the surface and the shocking truth.
Five stars from me, the author was inspired by her homeland, a real plane crash near the Snub and Clova one of the five of the Angus Glens and reading Mary-Rose MacColl's book In Falling Snow, I'm glad I have a copy and plan on reading it asap.
April 22, 2025
I received a free copy of, I Whispers in the Glen, by Sue Lawrence, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Sisters Nell and Effie are going through a hard time during the World Wars, 1 and 2. This was a sad read at times but a good read.
July 10, 2025
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book but I am so glad I had the chance to read it as I really enjoyed it for so many reasons. I do love a good historical fiction and loved the way this flowed even though we read it through the eyes of different characters and between different timelines. It is so well written it just worked.
What I enjoyed was the characters Nell and Effie and their lives in Clova, Scotland through the wars and the hardships of life in general. Both of the sisters had a story to tell and they intertwined with other characters from the book making for a story of family, friendships, love and so much more.
This scenery descriptions I loved, the notes at the back of the book were also a great help in letting us know the facts about different parts of this book. All wrapped up it is a great read and I highly recommend it.
Whispers in the Glen
Sue Lawrence
What I enjoyed was the characters Nell and Effie and their lives in Clova, Scotland through the wars and the hardships of life in general. Both of the sisters had a story to tell and they intertwined with other characters from the book making for a story of family, friendships, love and so much more.
This scenery descriptions I loved, the notes at the back of the book were also a great help in letting us know the facts about different parts of this book. All wrapped up it is a great read and I highly recommend it.
Whispers in the Glen
Sue Lawrence
September 1, 2025
Whispers in the Glen is a captivating work of historical fiction with an air of mystery rippling through from beginning to end. This story is incredibly moving in so many ways; there are times of sorrow, there are parts that made me smile, and there are numerous ‘wow’ moments. Even right through to the final chapters, the plot made me gasp and hold my breath.
Told across a dual timeline of World War One and World War Two, through sisters Nell and Effie we learn so much about village life on the Scottish home front and the impact both wars had on communities such as Clova.
Nell and Effie are such likeable characters. The dialogue really indicates how close the sisters are, yet at the same time there are many things left unsaid and hidden from each other. At the other end of the spectrum, there are a couple of very unlikeable, unsavoury male characters who made me reel with anger and disgust.
The setting of Glen Clova is so perfectly described. I had such a vivid sense of the rural, mountainous beauty of this location through each changing season.
Do make sure you read the author’s notes at the end for some fascinating historical and personal insights that cement why ordinary women such as Nell and Effie were actually highly remarkable.
Intriguing and at times heartbreaking; this is a beautifully crafted novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Told across a dual timeline of World War One and World War Two, through sisters Nell and Effie we learn so much about village life on the Scottish home front and the impact both wars had on communities such as Clova.
Nell and Effie are such likeable characters. The dialogue really indicates how close the sisters are, yet at the same time there are many things left unsaid and hidden from each other. At the other end of the spectrum, there are a couple of very unlikeable, unsavoury male characters who made me reel with anger and disgust.
The setting of Glen Clova is so perfectly described. I had such a vivid sense of the rural, mountainous beauty of this location through each changing season.
Do make sure you read the author’s notes at the end for some fascinating historical and personal insights that cement why ordinary women such as Nell and Effie were actually highly remarkable.
Intriguing and at times heartbreaking; this is a beautifully crafted novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.
April 19, 2025
Brilliant novel, not at all what I expected as far as the plot is concerned but in a very positive way! Switching from Effie and Nell, mostly, from WWI and WWII in the background, this novel offers a very realistic insight into family life, particularly between both sisters, Nell and Effie. I found it very interesting to experience life in a Scottish village at those times when patriarchy was privileged and its impact on the wife's and children's lives. The characters are very relatable, I love the relationship between both sisters and the Scottish environment.... A very fine novel which I highly recommend!
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.
June 3, 2025
Sue Lawrence puts women at the heart of her fiction and has written about women from the 16th century (The Green Lady and Lady’s Rock), the 18th century (The Unreliable Death of Lady Grange) and the 19th century (Down to the Sea). In Whispers in the Glen we read about two sisters who live in the village of Clova, near Kirriemuir in Scotland, and follow their experiences during the First and Second World Wars in this enthralling read.
Sisters Effie and Nell are brilliant characters. The story moves in time between their experiences in the First World War when Nell worked in France as an ambulance driver and Effie was sent to live with her aunt, and the Second World War when Nell works as the local postwoman while Effie teaches in the village primary school. I love reading about the experiences of ordinary people during the wars and how everyone had to adapt their lives to make the best of difficult situations.
The narrative unfolds from the points of view of both sisters giving us a rounded picture of what life was like for both of them, and reveals secrets which are being carefully guarded. There are also some chapters told from the perspectives of a couple of other significant characters but I won’t say who here as that may give too much away. I was fully caught up in the lives of the sisters and eager to read about each as we moved from one to the other and from one timeline to the other.
As with many of her books, the author has taken inspiration from history. Her own family has roots in the Angus glens where the book is set, she has used some family names for her characters, there was a military plane crash in Glen Clova during the Second World War and a remarkable postwoman from the glens was the inspiration for the character of Nell. I was fascinated too to read about Royaumont in the north of France, a former Abbey which was used as a hospital in the Great War and staffed by women. It was part of the Scottish Women’s Hospitals for Foreign Services founded by Dr Elsie Inglis, a well known name here in Edinburgh. All these elements are blended beautifully into the story.
I could not put this book down and flew through it in just a few sittings. Whispers in the Glen is as gripping as any thriller, often emotional and a compelling look at life in rural Scotland during the wars. I honestly think this is Sue Lawrence’s best book yet.
Sisters Effie and Nell are brilliant characters. The story moves in time between their experiences in the First World War when Nell worked in France as an ambulance driver and Effie was sent to live with her aunt, and the Second World War when Nell works as the local postwoman while Effie teaches in the village primary school. I love reading about the experiences of ordinary people during the wars and how everyone had to adapt their lives to make the best of difficult situations.
The narrative unfolds from the points of view of both sisters giving us a rounded picture of what life was like for both of them, and reveals secrets which are being carefully guarded. There are also some chapters told from the perspectives of a couple of other significant characters but I won’t say who here as that may give too much away. I was fully caught up in the lives of the sisters and eager to read about each as we moved from one to the other and from one timeline to the other.
As with many of her books, the author has taken inspiration from history. Her own family has roots in the Angus glens where the book is set, she has used some family names for her characters, there was a military plane crash in Glen Clova during the Second World War and a remarkable postwoman from the glens was the inspiration for the character of Nell. I was fascinated too to read about Royaumont in the north of France, a former Abbey which was used as a hospital in the Great War and staffed by women. It was part of the Scottish Women’s Hospitals for Foreign Services founded by Dr Elsie Inglis, a well known name here in Edinburgh. All these elements are blended beautifully into the story.
I could not put this book down and flew through it in just a few sittings. Whispers in the Glen is as gripping as any thriller, often emotional and a compelling look at life in rural Scotland during the wars. I honestly think this is Sue Lawrence’s best book yet.
September 4, 2025
I received a copy of the book for a recent virtual booktour.
Cosy crime fiction is my go-to reading choice, but every now and then, I'm drawn to historical fiction, especially novels written from the personal angle of ordinary everyday people.
The story is told from the point of view of Effie and her older sister Nell, and we read of their younger lives in World War I and adult lives in World War II, switching between these dual timelines.
We are vividly transported in our minds eye to the village of Clova in the Highlands Scotland during 1942 to 1944 and 1915 by the evocative language of the author as we walk and live alongside the characters who we really get to know and get to feel invested in their lives and wellbeing.
In WW1, Nell was an ambulance driver with The Royaumont Abbey, the exclusively female run hospital, which I was unaware had existed.
Personally I preferred Nell as a character she was more likeable and had had a much more interesting life but I felt sorry for Effie with the secret she kept hidden and which is slowly revealed along with the potential ramifications Nell becomes aware of.
The plot had me constantly asking questions and coming up with theories, not always correct and wondering if they were just red herrings! Who is Mathilde? Who is the elderly lady in the fur hat?
And I really didn't like the girls father, a cold, violent man who seems to have beat them regularly.
The author's notes at the end of the book are fascinating, enlightening, and really interesting to read.
Cosy crime fiction is my go-to reading choice, but every now and then, I'm drawn to historical fiction, especially novels written from the personal angle of ordinary everyday people.
The story is told from the point of view of Effie and her older sister Nell, and we read of their younger lives in World War I and adult lives in World War II, switching between these dual timelines.
We are vividly transported in our minds eye to the village of Clova in the Highlands Scotland during 1942 to 1944 and 1915 by the evocative language of the author as we walk and live alongside the characters who we really get to know and get to feel invested in their lives and wellbeing.
In WW1, Nell was an ambulance driver with The Royaumont Abbey, the exclusively female run hospital, which I was unaware had existed.
Personally I preferred Nell as a character she was more likeable and had had a much more interesting life but I felt sorry for Effie with the secret she kept hidden and which is slowly revealed along with the potential ramifications Nell becomes aware of.
The plot had me constantly asking questions and coming up with theories, not always correct and wondering if they were just red herrings! Who is Mathilde? Who is the elderly lady in the fur hat?
And I really didn't like the girls father, a cold, violent man who seems to have beat them regularly.
The author's notes at the end of the book are fascinating, enlightening, and really interesting to read.
January 4, 2026
📆 multi timeline.
👀 multi POV
🐢 -🐇 slow-paced
💬 "Not all women need men to be fulfilled"
What a host of delicious, long hidden secrets. Everytime I thought I'd worked the truth out, I was quickly shown to be wrong. And I love a book that does that. It really keeps me engaged in the story.
The use of a multi-timeline narrative worked really well for this book, with secrets being revealed slowly and the characters being as wrong as I was at times.
I loved all the women in this book, and the men less so. Much like real life to be honest. Anyone who follows my reviews knows I'm a fan of strong, independent women, which is why the quote above was my favourite. The characters were honest and realistic and fitted into the time period in which the book was set. I loved the Scottish setting too, despite never having been to the exact locations in the book.
I'm not sure how Lawrence's books have passed me by, but I'll soon be putting that to rights and reading them all.
👀 multi POV
🐢 -🐇 slow-paced
💬 "Not all women need men to be fulfilled"
What a host of delicious, long hidden secrets. Everytime I thought I'd worked the truth out, I was quickly shown to be wrong. And I love a book that does that. It really keeps me engaged in the story.
The use of a multi-timeline narrative worked really well for this book, with secrets being revealed slowly and the characters being as wrong as I was at times.
I loved all the women in this book, and the men less so. Much like real life to be honest. Anyone who follows my reviews knows I'm a fan of strong, independent women, which is why the quote above was my favourite. The characters were honest and realistic and fitted into the time period in which the book was set. I loved the Scottish setting too, despite never having been to the exact locations in the book.
I'm not sure how Lawrence's books have passed me by, but I'll soon be putting that to rights and reading them all.
September 4, 2025
What I loved most about this story:
The beautifully described Scottish landscapes and village life, which transported me straight into the heart of the Highlands.
The historical setting and how the book captured the strength, resilience, and courage of people living through the difficulty of world wars and how life was then-I felt this had clearly been well researched.
The sisterly bond between Nell and Effie and their relationship, alongside the wonderful sense of community around them-the good and bad.
Sue Lawrence’s writing is so vivid and evocative — it stirred up so many emotions as I turned the pages. A beautifully woven tale of love, mystery, family, secrets and survival that stays with you long after the final chapter.
The beautifully described Scottish landscapes and village life, which transported me straight into the heart of the Highlands.
The historical setting and how the book captured the strength, resilience, and courage of people living through the difficulty of world wars and how life was then-I felt this had clearly been well researched.
The sisterly bond between Nell and Effie and their relationship, alongside the wonderful sense of community around them-the good and bad.
Sue Lawrence’s writing is so vivid and evocative — it stirred up so many emotions as I turned the pages. A beautifully woven tale of love, mystery, family, secrets and survival that stays with you long after the final chapter.
June 13, 2025
Very good read - full on intrigue, history, connection, family life, community, stoicism, patriarchy, strong women and wonderful descriptions on unsung heroines - and some heros- best book yet! Well done. I can’t imagine starting with a blank page and ending with this lovely novel which would make a great film
I know Sue and was had a minor involvement in researching around Loch Brandy - without knowing the story!
I know Sue and was had a minor involvement in researching around Loch Brandy - without knowing the story!
September 6, 2025
Whispers in the Glen by Sue Lawrence.
I really am glad I got a chance to read this book. I really did enjoy this book. I loved the cover and blurb of this book. I loved the setting too. It was described really well. I did like the sisters Nell and Effie. This was beautifully written. I loved everything about this book. I did like the notes at the back of the book. It lets us know the facts about different parts of the book. It was interesting. I do recommend this book.
I really am glad I got a chance to read this book. I really did enjoy this book. I loved the cover and blurb of this book. I loved the setting too. It was described really well. I did like the sisters Nell and Effie. This was beautifully written. I loved everything about this book. I did like the notes at the back of the book. It lets us know the facts about different parts of the book. It was interesting. I do recommend this book.
July 22, 2025
This is the first book I have read by Sue Lawrence and after Whispers in the Glen I will definitely be looking for her other books.
Switches from Effie and Nell mainly and WWI and WWII timelines seamlessly.
A moving story with great detail into the background, making me truly immersed and vividly imagining being in the village of Clova
Switches from Effie and Nell mainly and WWI and WWII timelines seamlessly.
A moving story with great detail into the background, making me truly immersed and vividly imagining being in the village of Clova
August 16, 2025
I bought this on holiday in Scotland but didn’t get a chance to read it until back home in Australia. I love historical fiction and this came with a lovely sense of setting/landscape and a wonderful story to boot. Set amongst the backdrop of war (both WW1 & WW2), it is full of strong female characters and family mystery. It had me hooked from start to finish.
November 28, 2025
I love the setting of Glen Clova and could imagine the events unfolding. I also enjoy dual time line novels. The two sisters are very different and the plot revolves around their sisterly love for each other, but tensions and lies destabilize this. A clever plot.
August 29, 2025
Loved that it was based on a real person, and very thoughtful having three different narrators to tell the story.
September 7, 2025
This was such an emotional read. Once I began reading, I couldn't put it down. I felt like I just had to see Nell and Effie's story through to the end.
The book is told over two timelines during both the first and the second world war. The sisters went through so much heartbreak over the years, some of which sadly seemed to cause them to drift apart.
Both Nell and Effie had an interesting, interconnected story to tell. It had such a focus on friendship, love and family. I felt teary reading some parts.
It's a well written book and gives a fascinating insight into what life was like in wartime Scotland.
The book is told over two timelines during both the first and the second world war. The sisters went through so much heartbreak over the years, some of which sadly seemed to cause them to drift apart.
Both Nell and Effie had an interesting, interconnected story to tell. It had such a focus on friendship, love and family. I felt teary reading some parts.
It's a well written book and gives a fascinating insight into what life was like in wartime Scotland.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews