What do you think?
Rate this book
The Echo of Lost Stories
The BRAND NEW spellbinding, historical read from Victoria Scott, bestselling author of The Storyteller's Daughter
1842: London is preparing for Christmas, but Isabelle Burdett wants nothing to do with the world. Grieving her husband, she has withdrawn from work, family, and even her daughter. Yet as Christmas Eve draws to a close, an unexpected arrival at her door shatters her carefully built solitude – and brings a choice that could change everything.
Present day: Emily, a history lecturer still mourning her father, is called to a crumbling house in Cheapside, where developers have discovered a stack of old notebooks. They tell the story of three ghostly visitors on a Christmas Eve long ago. But who wrote them – and how could they have been written before Dickens’s famous tale?
As Emily searches for answers, the past and present collide, and long-hidden truths emerge that will haunt both women forever.
1842: London is preparing for Christmas, but Isabelle Burdett wants nothing to do with the world. Grieving her husband, she has withdrawn from work, family, and even her daughter. Yet as Christmas Eve draws to a close, an unexpected arrival at her door shatters her carefully built solitude – and brings a choice that could change everything.
Present day: Emily, a history lecturer still mourning her father, is called to a crumbling house in Cheapside, where developers have discovered a stack of old notebooks. They tell the story of three ghostly visitors on a Christmas Eve long ago. But who wrote them – and how could they have been written before Dickens’s famous tale?
As Emily searches for answers, the past and present collide, and long-hidden truths emerge that will haunt both women forever.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 28, 2026
About the author
Victoria Scott
9 books165 followersVictoria Scott is a bestselling British author of life-affirming fiction, known for her gripping gothic historical mysteries and uplifting book club novels that explore themes of hope, resilience and the power of human friendship and love. Her books are perfect for fans of Lucinda Riley, Kate Morton, and Jojo Moyes.
Her novels, The Storyteller’s Daughter and The Women Who Wouldn’t Leave, are both Amazon Top 100 bestsellers. Her latest novel, The House on the Cliff – a haunting, atmospheric tale of secrets and second chances – is out now.
Before becoming a novelist, Victoria worked as a journalist for the BBC, The Telegraph and Al Jazeera. She now combines her love of storytelling with lecturing in journalism at Kingston University.
Victoria lives on an island in the River Thames with her husband, two children, and a cat called Alice. When she’s not writing, she is a keen (but amateur) singer and gardener.
Follow Victoria for updates and behind-the-scenes book content:
Instagram & TikTok: @VictoriaScottAuthor
Facebook: @VictoriaScottJournalist
X/Twitter: @toryscott
Her novels, The Storyteller’s Daughter and The Women Who Wouldn’t Leave, are both Amazon Top 100 bestsellers. Her latest novel, The House on the Cliff – a haunting, atmospheric tale of secrets and second chances – is out now.
Before becoming a novelist, Victoria worked as a journalist for the BBC, The Telegraph and Al Jazeera. She now combines her love of storytelling with lecturing in journalism at Kingston University.
Victoria lives on an island in the River Thames with her husband, two children, and a cat called Alice. When she’s not writing, she is a keen (but amateur) singer and gardener.
Follow Victoria for updates and behind-the-scenes book content:
Instagram & TikTok: @VictoriaScottAuthor
Facebook: @VictoriaScottJournalist
X/Twitter: @toryscott
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
June 29, 2026
My Reviews Can Also Be Found On:
The Book Review Crew Blog
⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Echo of Lost Stories
Victoria Scott
Publication Date: June 28th, 2026
Boldwood Books
336 Pages
Amazon | Bookshop.org
Genre: Historical Fiction
Victoria Scott has written an atmospheric tale in a dual-timeline format with a historical mystery at its centre. It is a very clever take on A Christmas Carol. I love a dual-timeline story, with one in 1842 and one in the present. In 1842, we are in London at Christmastime with Belle. Her husband has died, and she has hidden herself from the world since. Then, on Christmas Eve, there are surprise visitors to her house. This sets her off on a journey into her past.
In the present, we have Emily, who is a history teacher and is also grieving her father. Some developers of an old house have come across very old notebooks, and Emily is asked to solve the mystery behind them. As she reads them, Emily learns they are the story of a woman who was visited by three spirits on Christmas Eve. The mystery is: how were they written even before Dickens wrote his famous book?! As Emily tries to figure out who wrote these anonymous journals, she ends up realizing there are some very unscrupulous people who want to use Emily and the discovery, and some who even want to steal them. And we mustn't forget the developers who want to tear this historical landscape up.
I enjoyed this story so much; it's very atmospheric and brilliantly written. I loved how the author mixed so many genres but kept the storyline very streamlined. It isn't a copy of Dickens's work, but more like a love letter to it. The dual timelines weave together seamlessly, with the mystery tying them together. The best bit of the book is the two female leads. I love well-rounded characters, both of whom are dealing with grief and are very intelligent. The pacing is fast because of the underhandedness happening. The writing is typical Scott: captivating, witty, and atmospheric. I like the way the author used the supernatural/spiritual parts to make them feel like a welcome addition instead of being scary. As is usual with me, I much preferred the older timeline—I could have read an entire novel about Belle alone. I have loved everything written by this author, and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.
I just want to take a moment here to go ga-ga over the cover of the book. It's beautiful. Her last four covers are very vintage-looking and are absolutely perfect for the stories inside.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
The Book Review Crew Blog
⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Echo of Lost Stories
Victoria Scott
Publication Date: June 28th, 2026
Boldwood Books
336 Pages
Amazon | Bookshop.org
Genre: Historical Fiction
Victoria Scott has written an atmospheric tale in a dual-timeline format with a historical mystery at its centre. It is a very clever take on A Christmas Carol. I love a dual-timeline story, with one in 1842 and one in the present. In 1842, we are in London at Christmastime with Belle. Her husband has died, and she has hidden herself from the world since. Then, on Christmas Eve, there are surprise visitors to her house. This sets her off on a journey into her past.
In the present, we have Emily, who is a history teacher and is also grieving her father. Some developers of an old house have come across very old notebooks, and Emily is asked to solve the mystery behind them. As she reads them, Emily learns they are the story of a woman who was visited by three spirits on Christmas Eve. The mystery is: how were they written even before Dickens wrote his famous book?! As Emily tries to figure out who wrote these anonymous journals, she ends up realizing there are some very unscrupulous people who want to use Emily and the discovery, and some who even want to steal them. And we mustn't forget the developers who want to tear this historical landscape up.
I enjoyed this story so much; it's very atmospheric and brilliantly written. I loved how the author mixed so many genres but kept the storyline very streamlined. It isn't a copy of Dickens's work, but more like a love letter to it. The dual timelines weave together seamlessly, with the mystery tying them together. The best bit of the book is the two female leads. I love well-rounded characters, both of whom are dealing with grief and are very intelligent. The pacing is fast because of the underhandedness happening. The writing is typical Scott: captivating, witty, and atmospheric. I like the way the author used the supernatural/spiritual parts to make them feel like a welcome addition instead of being scary. As is usual with me, I much preferred the older timeline—I could have read an entire novel about Belle alone. I have loved everything written by this author, and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.
I just want to take a moment here to go ga-ga over the cover of the book. It's beautiful. Her last four covers are very vintage-looking and are absolutely perfect for the stories inside.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
PUBLISH DATE: June 28, 2026
The Echo of Lost Stories by Victoria Scott ⭐⭐⭐⭐
DNF
I didn't read far enough into the book to fairly evaluate the entire story, I am choosing a 4 star rating based on the books strong average reception while acknowledging that it simply wasn't the right fit for me.
This is a dual timeline, multiple point of view book alternating between Isabel in 1842 and Emily in present day. This is a story where the 1842 timeline closely resembles A Christmas Carol, and it never felt original enough to draw me in. Instead, it kept feeling like i was simply reading a variation of a story I already know.
This idea doesn't hold my attention and I have picked this book up multiple times over the last few months never able to continue reading it. That said, it is very much a case of personal reading preference rather than poor writing. Readers wo enjoy literary historical fiction, reimagined classics, and stories that explore forgotten women in history may have a completely different experience than I did.
PUBLISH DATE: June 28, 2026
BOOK TITLE: The Echo of Lost Stories
AUTHOR: Victoria Scott
PUBLISHER: Boldwood Books
FORMAT: ebook
PAGES: 336
I received a complimentary digital ARC [Advanced Readers Copy] of this book via NetGalley. Thank you to the Publisher and the Author for the opportunity to read and review this title prior to publication. As always, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
The Echo of Lost Stories by Victoria Scott ⭐⭐⭐⭐
DNF
I didn't read far enough into the book to fairly evaluate the entire story, I am choosing a 4 star rating based on the books strong average reception while acknowledging that it simply wasn't the right fit for me.
This is a dual timeline, multiple point of view book alternating between Isabel in 1842 and Emily in present day. This is a story where the 1842 timeline closely resembles A Christmas Carol, and it never felt original enough to draw me in. Instead, it kept feeling like i was simply reading a variation of a story I already know.
This idea doesn't hold my attention and I have picked this book up multiple times over the last few months never able to continue reading it. That said, it is very much a case of personal reading preference rather than poor writing. Readers wo enjoy literary historical fiction, reimagined classics, and stories that explore forgotten women in history may have a completely different experience than I did.
PUBLISH DATE: June 28, 2026
BOOK TITLE: The Echo of Lost Stories
AUTHOR: Victoria Scott
PUBLISHER: Boldwood Books
FORMAT: ebook
PAGES: 336
I received a complimentary digital ARC [Advanced Readers Copy] of this book via NetGalley. Thank you to the Publisher and the Author for the opportunity to read and review this title prior to publication. As always, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
May 21, 2026
What an unforgettable, inspiring and captivating dual timeline by Victoria Scott! The title The Echo of Lost Stories is so apt as you will quickly see when entering this book’s charm. This stunning tale carried me away to the fascinating and atmospheric world of Charles Dickens of 1842 and also to a highly competitive and unscrupulous modern day academia environment. Added to that in the current thread is a battle to keep an allotment-garden for members of the community. There is so much here to keep you occupied and the content is incredibly intriguing! For these and many other reasons The Echo of Lost Stories has to be my all-time favourite of Victoria Scott’s books.
Besides a well painted and vivid setting, the characters have emotional depth and are well developed. Belle and Emily are at the top of my favourites list but I enjoyed the other cast members who offer important contributions to the plot’s development which is intricate, multi-layered, magical and uplifting. I got the sense of Dickens’s Christmas Carol from the very start and those images we all love are woven beautifully into the past timeline but also flutter into the present through mysterious appearances. The past definitely runs not only alongside the present in perfect unity but at times merges or overlays what is happening in 2025. This may appear as ghostly elements in the story and there are plenty of spirit experiences. It is a fun journey in both timelines that flow back and forth effortlessly, and blend beautifully in the finale.
This novel carries a number of messages: a very big one is about transformation and second chances. But another is about saving an important tradition and preserving a plot of land for green purposes. This message is imprinted in the dedication of the book how ‘we all need space, unless we have it, we cannot reach that sense of quiet in which whispers of better things come to us quietly.’ Quoted from Octavia Hill’s Article Space For the People. Allotments are set up for those who do not have space for gardening. It is a unique practice particularly in England (and other European countries) that has been happening since Anglo Saxon days. A subdivided plot of land is assigned to various individuals or families to grow their own food. This provides a measure of freedom to those living in residences like apartments or homes with small yards. This privilege also offers neighbours some social activity and it can be a place where people get in touch with nature to clear their minds, lighten their hearts and connect with the natural world around them. In The Echo of Lost Stories a particular allotment comes under threat of termination when a duke wants to repurpose the land. The deed is in question and Emily must find a way to fight this potential loss that her friend and others rely on. Of course, the community rallies around to stop the takeover but Emily plays an important part in trying to save this land from ‘private redevelopment’.
In 1842, Isabelle/Belle Burdett is a complex, transformative character. After her beloved husband dies, grief overtakes her and she withdraws from her work life, family connections and even her daughter. But close to Christmas something happens that changes her life forever. She begins to see the world in a very different light. People from her past will reappear and she will question the intentions of some but positive things will come as a result of opening her heart again. I enjoyed immensly watching this woman grow and change and to see her get a second chance at life and love. Her unusual ‘rebirth’ story will be shared in a way others would never expect. And her secrets will remain hidden, until years into the future, when all will be revealed to Emily in 2025 and she will have an opportunity to put this information to good use. But not without conflict.
In the present timeline, history lecturer Emily is still grieving at the loss of her father. But one day she is called to an old dilapidated house in Cheapside that is being demolished. One of the developers has made an important discovery. A pile of old notebooks that may have some historical merit. The story within the pages sounds a lot like Dickens’s A Christmas Carol but how can this be as this account was written before his tale was released? Of course, this throws up all kinds of questions and theories. And who wrote this as there is no name? This is a goldmine for Emily who wants to write a book but little does she know what war she will encounter after sharing her find.
This novel is pure delight: a real feast I thoroughly enjoyed. I read it almost non-stop as it is so good I did not want to put it down. And when the end came, I really did not want to say good bye to the characters of both timelines which I found equally immersive. Everything came together like a dream.
Do I recommend it? Totally! It is a real treasure that will inspire, warm, uplift and send your heart soaring into the stratosphere. The spiritual elements are gentle and welcoming. The love stories tender and triumphant. A great novel for those who love a good Christmas Carol mystery. 5 Stars and beyond. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the review copy.
Besides a well painted and vivid setting, the characters have emotional depth and are well developed. Belle and Emily are at the top of my favourites list but I enjoyed the other cast members who offer important contributions to the plot’s development which is intricate, multi-layered, magical and uplifting. I got the sense of Dickens’s Christmas Carol from the very start and those images we all love are woven beautifully into the past timeline but also flutter into the present through mysterious appearances. The past definitely runs not only alongside the present in perfect unity but at times merges or overlays what is happening in 2025. This may appear as ghostly elements in the story and there are plenty of spirit experiences. It is a fun journey in both timelines that flow back and forth effortlessly, and blend beautifully in the finale.
This novel carries a number of messages: a very big one is about transformation and second chances. But another is about saving an important tradition and preserving a plot of land for green purposes. This message is imprinted in the dedication of the book how ‘we all need space, unless we have it, we cannot reach that sense of quiet in which whispers of better things come to us quietly.’ Quoted from Octavia Hill’s Article Space For the People. Allotments are set up for those who do not have space for gardening. It is a unique practice particularly in England (and other European countries) that has been happening since Anglo Saxon days. A subdivided plot of land is assigned to various individuals or families to grow their own food. This provides a measure of freedom to those living in residences like apartments or homes with small yards. This privilege also offers neighbours some social activity and it can be a place where people get in touch with nature to clear their minds, lighten their hearts and connect with the natural world around them. In The Echo of Lost Stories a particular allotment comes under threat of termination when a duke wants to repurpose the land. The deed is in question and Emily must find a way to fight this potential loss that her friend and others rely on. Of course, the community rallies around to stop the takeover but Emily plays an important part in trying to save this land from ‘private redevelopment’.
In 1842, Isabelle/Belle Burdett is a complex, transformative character. After her beloved husband dies, grief overtakes her and she withdraws from her work life, family connections and even her daughter. But close to Christmas something happens that changes her life forever. She begins to see the world in a very different light. People from her past will reappear and she will question the intentions of some but positive things will come as a result of opening her heart again. I enjoyed immensly watching this woman grow and change and to see her get a second chance at life and love. Her unusual ‘rebirth’ story will be shared in a way others would never expect. And her secrets will remain hidden, until years into the future, when all will be revealed to Emily in 2025 and she will have an opportunity to put this information to good use. But not without conflict.
In the present timeline, history lecturer Emily is still grieving at the loss of her father. But one day she is called to an old dilapidated house in Cheapside that is being demolished. One of the developers has made an important discovery. A pile of old notebooks that may have some historical merit. The story within the pages sounds a lot like Dickens’s A Christmas Carol but how can this be as this account was written before his tale was released? Of course, this throws up all kinds of questions and theories. And who wrote this as there is no name? This is a goldmine for Emily who wants to write a book but little does she know what war she will encounter after sharing her find.
This novel is pure delight: a real feast I thoroughly enjoyed. I read it almost non-stop as it is so good I did not want to put it down. And when the end came, I really did not want to say good bye to the characters of both timelines which I found equally immersive. Everything came together like a dream.
Do I recommend it? Totally! It is a real treasure that will inspire, warm, uplift and send your heart soaring into the stratosphere. The spiritual elements are gentle and welcoming. The love stories tender and triumphant. A great novel for those who love a good Christmas Carol mystery. 5 Stars and beyond. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the review copy.
July 17, 2026
When I heard Dickens and Christmas I was intrigued since it is one of my favorites. This is a beautifully written book. It is my first read by this author and won’t be my last! I loved it!
Thank you Victoria Scott, Net Galley and Boldwood Books for the arc. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
Thank you Victoria Scott, Net Galley and Boldwood Books for the arc. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
July 4, 2026
Okey, con este libro me costo empezar pero luego de que empieza todo el tema de los espíritus de las navidades me atrapo (es de mis cuentos favoritos) y déjenme decirles que fue UNA JOYA DE LIBRO, dios, es que la doble línea de tiempo que nos muestra la autora esta tan bien estructurada que fue un viaje leer este libro, desde 1842 hasta el 2025, todo se sintió como ver un documental y eso fue lo mejor de todo.
Este libro nos narra la historia de Isabelle (1842) y Emily (2025), dos mujeres diferentes pero con un sentimiento de duelo que creo que por eso siento que se unieron, ninguna de las dos se conocen, esto no es un libro sobre viajes en el tiempo pero siento que conocer la historia de Isabelle fue lo que ayudo a Emily a superar todo.
La historia de Charles Dickens acá fue espectacular, todo lo relacionado con la historia me encanta y este libro sin duda fue una muy pero muy buena historia!
*******
Okay, I had a hard time getting into this book at first, but once the whole Christmas spirits storyline kicked in, it really hooked me (it’s one of my favorite stories) and let me tell you, it was A REAL GEM OF A BOOK. Oh my gosh, the dual timeline the author presents is so well structured that reading this book was a real journey from 1842 to 2025 it all felt like watching a documentary, and that was the best part of it all.
This book tells the story of Isabelle (1842) and Emily (2025), two very different women, but both dealing with grief which I think is why I feel they connected. Neither of them knows the other; this isn’t a time travel book, but I feel that learning about Isabelle’s story was what helped Emily get through it all.
The Charles Dickens storyline here was spectacular; I love everything related to history, and this book was undoubtedly a very, very good story!
📌 I received an e-arc through netgalley, and this is my honest opinion/review of it.
Este libro nos narra la historia de Isabelle (1842) y Emily (2025), dos mujeres diferentes pero con un sentimiento de duelo que creo que por eso siento que se unieron, ninguna de las dos se conocen, esto no es un libro sobre viajes en el tiempo pero siento que conocer la historia de Isabelle fue lo que ayudo a Emily a superar todo.
La historia de Charles Dickens acá fue espectacular, todo lo relacionado con la historia me encanta y este libro sin duda fue una muy pero muy buena historia!
*******
Okay, I had a hard time getting into this book at first, but once the whole Christmas spirits storyline kicked in, it really hooked me (it’s one of my favorite stories) and let me tell you, it was A REAL GEM OF A BOOK. Oh my gosh, the dual timeline the author presents is so well structured that reading this book was a real journey from 1842 to 2025 it all felt like watching a documentary, and that was the best part of it all.
This book tells the story of Isabelle (1842) and Emily (2025), two very different women, but both dealing with grief which I think is why I feel they connected. Neither of them knows the other; this isn’t a time travel book, but I feel that learning about Isabelle’s story was what helped Emily get through it all.
The Charles Dickens storyline here was spectacular; I love everything related to history, and this book was undoubtedly a very, very good story!
📌 I received an e-arc through netgalley, and this is my honest opinion/review of it.
June 28, 2026
The Echo of Lost Stories is a dual time novel by Victoria Scott.
1842, Isabelle is mourning the loss of her husband. She has become a recluse in her grief and is barely surviving day to day.On Christmas Eve she is viisted by the ghost of her husband who advises her that she will be visisted that night by three ghosts. Sound familiar? As the night goes on she is indeed visited by the ghosts and discovers that her life may not be over after all.
2025 Emily is a professor writing a book of Victorian working class women. SHe is mourning the death of her father, is socially awkward, and living a lonely existence. She is offered some notebooks that are discovered in an old Victorian townhouse and comes across Isabelle’s story. The adventure of confirming Isabelle’s story and how it translated into Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol brings Emily to life the same as it did for Isabelle,
I enjoyed the dual time period and the new take on A Christmas Carol. Isabelle’s story drew me in a bit more than Emily’s but I love the dichotomy between the two stories.
Thanks to Netgalley, Boldwood Books and the author for the chance to read and review this ARC.
1842, Isabelle is mourning the loss of her husband. She has become a recluse in her grief and is barely surviving day to day.On Christmas Eve she is viisted by the ghost of her husband who advises her that she will be visisted that night by three ghosts. Sound familiar? As the night goes on she is indeed visited by the ghosts and discovers that her life may not be over after all.
2025 Emily is a professor writing a book of Victorian working class women. SHe is mourning the death of her father, is socially awkward, and living a lonely existence. She is offered some notebooks that are discovered in an old Victorian townhouse and comes across Isabelle’s story. The adventure of confirming Isabelle’s story and how it translated into Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol brings Emily to life the same as it did for Isabelle,
I enjoyed the dual time period and the new take on A Christmas Carol. Isabelle’s story drew me in a bit more than Emily’s but I love the dichotomy between the two stories.
Thanks to Netgalley, Boldwood Books and the author for the chance to read and review this ARC.
May 20, 2026
I have read Victoria Scott previously and was pleased to be offered a proof copy of this story. It is a retelling of A Christmas Carol in an unusual way. It is a dual timeline with Isabelle’s story taking place in 1842 and Emily’s in 2025.. Bella has just lost her husband Henry and Emily has lost her father, so both women are trying to come to terms with grief.
Henry’s ghost appears to Bella one evening and he tells her she will be visited by 3 spirits. He tells her she has to start to live again.
Bella lectures at a university in London. and is keen on researching history. When a construction firm find a box of old documents and books, Greg offers it to the university and it is passed to Emily. She discovers Bella’s story and is amazed when she finds it is dated before Dickens wrote his story. Could he be retelling Bella’s story? Or has Bella copied his? The dates don’t work for that.
The book is an easy read and very enjoyable.
I would like to thank NetGalley
, the publishers, Boldwood Books and Victoria Scott for an arc of this lovely book.
Henry’s ghost appears to Bella one evening and he tells her she will be visited by 3 spirits. He tells her she has to start to live again.
Bella lectures at a university in London. and is keen on researching history. When a construction firm find a box of old documents and books, Greg offers it to the university and it is passed to Emily. She discovers Bella’s story and is amazed when she finds it is dated before Dickens wrote his story. Could he be retelling Bella’s story? Or has Bella copied his? The dates don’t work for that.
The book is an easy read and very enjoyable.
I would like to thank NetGalley
, the publishers, Boldwood Books and Victoria Scott for an arc of this lovely book.
July 26, 2026
A mystery, a romance, and one of my favorite books of all time made this a story that captured my attention right from the start. I felt Bella’s despair and Emily’s excitement. This is a tale as old as time - a woman being discovered as the author or scientist or you can name any occupation who has not been given the credit she deserves for her work. Both Emily and Bella have that in common. A fantastic holiday read.
June 14, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy! I absolutely loved this story and the depth of the characters. If it came out closer to Christmas, that would’ve been icing on the cake.
Well done!
Well done!
July 19, 2026
Loved this book more than I thought I would. Dual time storyline, the author wove together will read more of this author!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
British author Victoria Scott’s dual-timeline novel, The Echo of Lost Stories, reimagines Charles Dickens’ 1843 classic A Christmas Carol. That connection drew me to this advance review copy before its June 28 publication. It is my favorite Christmas story, and I revisit adaptations like the Patrick Stewart and Richard E. Grant version and retellings like It’s a Wonderful Life, Scrooged, and Family Man. Scott honors Dickens while imaginatively reworking some of the ideas behind his famous tale.
The Story
The novel opens on Christmas Eve 1842 in Cheapside. Walking home, Isabelle Burdett glimpses a man she believes is her husband Henry, dead exactly one year, and is startled enough to almost touch a stranger. In the year since Henry’s death, Belle has withdrawn from the world. She is reclusive and increasingly distant from her daughter Octavia, son-in-law Alexander, and new grandson Jolyon, telling herself the young family does not need her.
Even small choices reflect her grief. When her housekeeper, Mrs. Pratchett, asks if she will attend church, Belle has no intention of leaving home. She mourns not only Henry, but also Angela, a daughter who died at three, and two miscarriages.
After her housekeeper leaves, Belle eats in the study, writes in her journal with her cat Jasper nearby, and then hears a ringing bell announce an unexpected visitor in a clear echo of A Christmas Carol. The visitor is Henry’s spirit. Worried about Belle, he calls her a spirit among the living because she has abandoned her community, charitable work, and relationship with Octavia. Before leaving, Henry warns that three spirits will visit Belle, mirroring A Christmas Carol.
When the bell tolls, the first spirit appears. Lucinda, a ghost from Belle’s past, takes her back to Battersea in 1804, where Belle sees her younger self, her brother Peter, and her sister Clare, who would die at eleven. Lucinda also shows the family’s earlier Chelsea home, when her father Samuel, a banker devoted to social reform, was still alive and her mother Charlotte was the daughter of a pioneering doctor who served the poor.
The family once lived comfortably, but Samuel’s business and reform ventures failed. The collapse overwhelmed him, and he eventually died in a mental institution. After Samuel’s collapse, Charlotte supported the family as a governess, and Isabelle later did the same. When Charlotte appears in the vision, Belle instinctively reaches for her, only to be reminded she is seeing only shadows of the past.
Belle’s encounters with Lucinda and the later spirits explain her commitment to helping the poor without treating them as objects of charity. One striking scene takes her back to the end of her relationship with Edward, echoing Scrooge and Belle and raising an intriguing question: what became of Scrooge’s Belle?
The second chapter shifts to Emily Sinclair in 2025. A history lecturer at Clarendon College, part of the University of London, she studies working-class Victorian women and uses a grant to turn that research into a book.
Emily is invited to examine papers found in the basement of an office building later revealed to be Belle’s former home. A contractor named Greg gives her a box of notebooks and medical registers from the 1830s and 1840s. The find is especially striking because the sealed basement had apparently never been opened and no one even had a key.
Emily takes the box home to Battersea and discovers journal entries about childbirth and a ghostly Christmas Eve story written before Dickens published A Christmas Carol. Like Belle, Emily is grieving. Her father died of cancer a year earlier, and she regularly checks on her widowed neighbor Wendy. While Wendy’s son William is away, Emily helps at the allotment, where she begins to find solace and heal.
The allotment also draws Emily into a wider community. She meets Alistair, a teacher at a special education school, and eventually joins the other plot holders when the Duke of Battersea threatens the land. The allotment becomes a place of hope and recovery.
Meanwhile, Emily searches for the author of the ghostly account and connects with people who help fill in the story of Belle’s daughter Octavia and her philanthropic work. The novel also reveals Belle’s role in providing housing and support to people otherwise at risk of poverty and diseases such as cholera.
Emily shares her Dickens-related discovery with a renowned scholar who shows little interest. Help instead comes from Hugh, a graduate fellow who helps authenticate the materials and becomes a romantic interest, though that storyline soon goes sideways.
My Thoughts
I admired how Scott threads Dickensian elements through the novel. My background in English literature, teaching writing, and enjoying archival research made Emily’s search especially appealing, giving the story the feel of a murder-free mystery.
Like Belle and Emily, I see words as a sanctuary, so I wished Scott had shared more of Belle’s writing directly instead of filtering so much through Emily. I also didn’t like how much of the novel is told in the present tense. I understand why some readers enjoy its immediacy, but I found that choice distracting. My stronger concern was pacing. Though I admired the world-building, Scott often overexplains routine actions and small decisions, which occasionally slows the narrative.
Even so, the novel held my attention. By Belle’s final ghostly encounter, I was eager to know what happened next. For such an ambitious dual-timeline story, it remains accessible and full of rewarding Easter eggs. Ultimately, Scott offers a thoughtful novel about grief, loss, and the healing power of community, and that resonated with me. The book shows how grief has no fixed timeline, how one loss can revive earlier ones, and how dangerous it is to let sorrow cut us off from others and from purpose. I found it deeply moving, absorbing, and one of my new favorite Christmastime novels.
The Story
The novel opens on Christmas Eve 1842 in Cheapside. Walking home, Isabelle Burdett glimpses a man she believes is her husband Henry, dead exactly one year, and is startled enough to almost touch a stranger. In the year since Henry’s death, Belle has withdrawn from the world. She is reclusive and increasingly distant from her daughter Octavia, son-in-law Alexander, and new grandson Jolyon, telling herself the young family does not need her.
Even small choices reflect her grief. When her housekeeper, Mrs. Pratchett, asks if she will attend church, Belle has no intention of leaving home. She mourns not only Henry, but also Angela, a daughter who died at three, and two miscarriages.
After her housekeeper leaves, Belle eats in the study, writes in her journal with her cat Jasper nearby, and then hears a ringing bell announce an unexpected visitor in a clear echo of A Christmas Carol. The visitor is Henry’s spirit. Worried about Belle, he calls her a spirit among the living because she has abandoned her community, charitable work, and relationship with Octavia. Before leaving, Henry warns that three spirits will visit Belle, mirroring A Christmas Carol.
When the bell tolls, the first spirit appears. Lucinda, a ghost from Belle’s past, takes her back to Battersea in 1804, where Belle sees her younger self, her brother Peter, and her sister Clare, who would die at eleven. Lucinda also shows the family’s earlier Chelsea home, when her father Samuel, a banker devoted to social reform, was still alive and her mother Charlotte was the daughter of a pioneering doctor who served the poor.
The family once lived comfortably, but Samuel’s business and reform ventures failed. The collapse overwhelmed him, and he eventually died in a mental institution. After Samuel’s collapse, Charlotte supported the family as a governess, and Isabelle later did the same. When Charlotte appears in the vision, Belle instinctively reaches for her, only to be reminded she is seeing only shadows of the past.
Belle’s encounters with Lucinda and the later spirits explain her commitment to helping the poor without treating them as objects of charity. One striking scene takes her back to the end of her relationship with Edward, echoing Scrooge and Belle and raising an intriguing question: what became of Scrooge’s Belle?
The second chapter shifts to Emily Sinclair in 2025. A history lecturer at Clarendon College, part of the University of London, she studies working-class Victorian women and uses a grant to turn that research into a book.
Emily is invited to examine papers found in the basement of an office building later revealed to be Belle’s former home. A contractor named Greg gives her a box of notebooks and medical registers from the 1830s and 1840s. The find is especially striking because the sealed basement had apparently never been opened and no one even had a key.
Emily takes the box home to Battersea and discovers journal entries about childbirth and a ghostly Christmas Eve story written before Dickens published A Christmas Carol. Like Belle, Emily is grieving. Her father died of cancer a year earlier, and she regularly checks on her widowed neighbor Wendy. While Wendy’s son William is away, Emily helps at the allotment, where she begins to find solace and heal.
The allotment also draws Emily into a wider community. She meets Alistair, a teacher at a special education school, and eventually joins the other plot holders when the Duke of Battersea threatens the land. The allotment becomes a place of hope and recovery.
Meanwhile, Emily searches for the author of the ghostly account and connects with people who help fill in the story of Belle’s daughter Octavia and her philanthropic work. The novel also reveals Belle’s role in providing housing and support to people otherwise at risk of poverty and diseases such as cholera.
Emily shares her Dickens-related discovery with a renowned scholar who shows little interest. Help instead comes from Hugh, a graduate fellow who helps authenticate the materials and becomes a romantic interest, though that storyline soon goes sideways.
My Thoughts
I admired how Scott threads Dickensian elements through the novel. My background in English literature, teaching writing, and enjoying archival research made Emily’s search especially appealing, giving the story the feel of a murder-free mystery.
Like Belle and Emily, I see words as a sanctuary, so I wished Scott had shared more of Belle’s writing directly instead of filtering so much through Emily. I also didn’t like how much of the novel is told in the present tense. I understand why some readers enjoy its immediacy, but I found that choice distracting. My stronger concern was pacing. Though I admired the world-building, Scott often overexplains routine actions and small decisions, which occasionally slows the narrative.
Even so, the novel held my attention. By Belle’s final ghostly encounter, I was eager to know what happened next. For such an ambitious dual-timeline story, it remains accessible and full of rewarding Easter eggs. Ultimately, Scott offers a thoughtful novel about grief, loss, and the healing power of community, and that resonated with me. The book shows how grief has no fixed timeline, how one loss can revive earlier ones, and how dangerous it is to let sorrow cut us off from others and from purpose. I found it deeply moving, absorbing, and one of my new favorite Christmastime novels.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC!
The Echo of Lost Stories is one of those rare books that feels both comforting and magical at the same time. Victoria Scott has created a beautifully emotional dual-timeline story that blends grief, hope, mystery, romance, and a love of literature into something truly special.
In 1842, Isabelle Burdett is trapped in grief after the death of her husband Henry. When his ghost appears on Christmas Eve warning her that three spirits will visit her, the parallels to A Christmas Carol immediately become clear — but this story quickly becomes something entirely its own. Isabelle’s journey is emotional, atmospheric, and deeply moving as she slowly rediscovers purpose, compassion, and connection.
In 2025, historian Emily Sinclair is also struggling with loss after the death of her father. When she discovers a collection of Victorian notebooks hidden inside an old townhouse, she uncovers a ghostly Christmas story written before Dickens published A Christmas Carol. Watching Emily piece together the mystery behind the journals was absolutely fascinating, especially as the two timelines slowly begin to connect.
I loved how seamlessly the past and present narratives worked together. Sometimes dual timelines can feel uneven, but here both stories were equally compelling. The Victorian sections had such a rich, Dickensian atmosphere — full of candlelight, sorrow, social reform, and quiet hope — while Emily’s modern storyline brought warmth, mystery, and heart. The themes of grief and healing were handled beautifully throughout.
One of my favorite aspects was how the novel explored the hidden stories of women whose contributions were overlooked or erased. The historical details surrounding working-class women, healthcare, housing, and philanthropy added so much depth to the story without ever feeling heavy-handed.
And as someone whose favorite version of A Christmas Carol is also The Muppet Christmas Carol, I appreciated every single nod and echo to Dickens woven throughout the book.
This is such an original, heartfelt, and absorbing read — part historical fiction, part literary mystery, part ghost story. Perfect for readers who love atmospheric dual timelines, emotional character journeys, and stories that feel quietly magical.
A truly lovely read that I could easily see myself revisiting during the holiday season. 5 stars.
The Echo of Lost Stories is one of those rare books that feels both comforting and magical at the same time. Victoria Scott has created a beautifully emotional dual-timeline story that blends grief, hope, mystery, romance, and a love of literature into something truly special.
In 1842, Isabelle Burdett is trapped in grief after the death of her husband Henry. When his ghost appears on Christmas Eve warning her that three spirits will visit her, the parallels to A Christmas Carol immediately become clear — but this story quickly becomes something entirely its own. Isabelle’s journey is emotional, atmospheric, and deeply moving as she slowly rediscovers purpose, compassion, and connection.
In 2025, historian Emily Sinclair is also struggling with loss after the death of her father. When she discovers a collection of Victorian notebooks hidden inside an old townhouse, she uncovers a ghostly Christmas story written before Dickens published A Christmas Carol. Watching Emily piece together the mystery behind the journals was absolutely fascinating, especially as the two timelines slowly begin to connect.
I loved how seamlessly the past and present narratives worked together. Sometimes dual timelines can feel uneven, but here both stories were equally compelling. The Victorian sections had such a rich, Dickensian atmosphere — full of candlelight, sorrow, social reform, and quiet hope — while Emily’s modern storyline brought warmth, mystery, and heart. The themes of grief and healing were handled beautifully throughout.
One of my favorite aspects was how the novel explored the hidden stories of women whose contributions were overlooked or erased. The historical details surrounding working-class women, healthcare, housing, and philanthropy added so much depth to the story without ever feeling heavy-handed.
And as someone whose favorite version of A Christmas Carol is also The Muppet Christmas Carol, I appreciated every single nod and echo to Dickens woven throughout the book.
This is such an original, heartfelt, and absorbing read — part historical fiction, part literary mystery, part ghost story. Perfect for readers who love atmospheric dual timelines, emotional character journeys, and stories that feel quietly magical.
A truly lovely read that I could easily see myself revisiting during the holiday season. 5 stars.
July 1, 2026
In this rich tale set in 1842 and present day the story behind the famous Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol is unearthed in the most synchronist manner, as two women, more than a century apart walk similar pathways, learning to heal and enjoy life once again.
The Echo of Lost Stories from Victoria Scott peals back the layers of history when a company restoring a crumbling building in Cheapside find hidden deep within the basement a collection of notebooks, all carefully preserved.
Dr Emily Sinclair is called out to view the find and when she arrives at the building she is escorted down to room tucked away in the basement that at first glance looks like a well-stocked dispensary. The books are carefully stored in a tea chest sized box.
Isabelle Burdett is mourning the loss of her beloved husband Henry. It is Christmas Eve, she is reluctant to leave the house, having become almost a recluse over the past year, since his death. She often wished she had died as well. She realises she is leaving her world, carefully built over many years, to look after itself and really has not go the strength to cope with anything, other than to grieve.
Finally falling into a deep slumber, she is visited by a series of three people who take her on a journey she is reluctant to take; the past, present and future of her life. She finds she is totally overwhelmed. Isabelle is a woman who enjoys writing and so decides to write the experience down.
Emily is now faced with a series of challenges in her life. She desperately wants to read the books but must go to her mothers. She is grieving the loss of her beloved father, a man who never judged her. She has always felt inadequate in her family but understands that this time, as it is the anniversary of his death, she must put on a brave face.
Victoria Holt has woven a captivating tale of love, loss, and friendship as these two women seek to find a pathway through grief, face challenges, are forced to face their own reality, fight for what they believe in and by doing so, discover there can be a second chance at love if you are brave enough to grasp it.
Captivating, enchanting, charming and intriguing, is this the real tale behind the beloved A Christmas Carol or a masterful recounting lead by the ghostly forms of past, present and future who wish to tell their own tale.
The Echo of Lost Stories is highly recommended for all lovers of historic fiction.
The Echo of Lost Stories from Victoria Scott peals back the layers of history when a company restoring a crumbling building in Cheapside find hidden deep within the basement a collection of notebooks, all carefully preserved.
Dr Emily Sinclair is called out to view the find and when she arrives at the building she is escorted down to room tucked away in the basement that at first glance looks like a well-stocked dispensary. The books are carefully stored in a tea chest sized box.
Isabelle Burdett is mourning the loss of her beloved husband Henry. It is Christmas Eve, she is reluctant to leave the house, having become almost a recluse over the past year, since his death. She often wished she had died as well. She realises she is leaving her world, carefully built over many years, to look after itself and really has not go the strength to cope with anything, other than to grieve.
Finally falling into a deep slumber, she is visited by a series of three people who take her on a journey she is reluctant to take; the past, present and future of her life. She finds she is totally overwhelmed. Isabelle is a woman who enjoys writing and so decides to write the experience down.
Emily is now faced with a series of challenges in her life. She desperately wants to read the books but must go to her mothers. She is grieving the loss of her beloved father, a man who never judged her. She has always felt inadequate in her family but understands that this time, as it is the anniversary of his death, she must put on a brave face.
Victoria Holt has woven a captivating tale of love, loss, and friendship as these two women seek to find a pathway through grief, face challenges, are forced to face their own reality, fight for what they believe in and by doing so, discover there can be a second chance at love if you are brave enough to grasp it.
Captivating, enchanting, charming and intriguing, is this the real tale behind the beloved A Christmas Carol or a masterful recounting lead by the ghostly forms of past, present and future who wish to tell their own tale.
The Echo of Lost Stories is highly recommended for all lovers of historic fiction.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Brilliant! Just brilliant!
1842 London and Isabelle Burdett wasn't looking forward to Christmas. She had lost her husband Henry twelve months prior and was still grieving deeply. She had cut herself off from her family, from the work she was doing for the poor, from everything that she'd enjoyed. The only thing she'd done in that time was write in her journals. But on Christmas Eve, Isabelle had some visitors who would finally pierce the crushing blanket of her grief and show her the way forward.
2025 and Dr Emily Sinclair was mourning her beloved father. She didn't have much to do with her mother and sister, who were also mourning, but Emily couldn't face them. Her job as a history lecturer kept her mind off her dad, mostly. When she was called to an old house in Cheapside in her role as historian, she was delighted by the find of old journals, letters and notes. Emily was determined to discover who had written the old stories, when and why. And when she came across evidence of Charles Dickens and his famous A Christmas Carol, she was even more excited. Would she find the answers she sought?
The Echo of Lost Stories is, in my opinion, Victoria Scott's best yet. I loved the 1842 part of the story; the intrigue, poignancy, mystery and ghostly experiences all made the story exceptional. Both MCs - Isabelle (Belle) and Emily - are well written, with great depth; extremely likeable. The Echo of Lost Stories is a wonderful story and the reimagining of Charles Dickens’ 1843 classic, A Christmas Carol topped it off. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley & Boldwood Books for my digital ARC to read and review.
1842 London and Isabelle Burdett wasn't looking forward to Christmas. She had lost her husband Henry twelve months prior and was still grieving deeply. She had cut herself off from her family, from the work she was doing for the poor, from everything that she'd enjoyed. The only thing she'd done in that time was write in her journals. But on Christmas Eve, Isabelle had some visitors who would finally pierce the crushing blanket of her grief and show her the way forward.
2025 and Dr Emily Sinclair was mourning her beloved father. She didn't have much to do with her mother and sister, who were also mourning, but Emily couldn't face them. Her job as a history lecturer kept her mind off her dad, mostly. When she was called to an old house in Cheapside in her role as historian, she was delighted by the find of old journals, letters and notes. Emily was determined to discover who had written the old stories, when and why. And when she came across evidence of Charles Dickens and his famous A Christmas Carol, she was even more excited. Would she find the answers she sought?
The Echo of Lost Stories is, in my opinion, Victoria Scott's best yet. I loved the 1842 part of the story; the intrigue, poignancy, mystery and ghostly experiences all made the story exceptional. Both MCs - Isabelle (Belle) and Emily - are well written, with great depth; extremely likeable. The Echo of Lost Stories is a wonderful story and the reimagining of Charles Dickens’ 1843 classic, A Christmas Carol topped it off. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley & Boldwood Books for my digital ARC to read and review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is the kind of story that you want to give yourself time to experience! Cozied up in a corner, and ready to take a trip to the past!
I loved the cover of this book, and the summary intrigued me! It is told with a past/present timeline. It's Christmas Eve 1842 when we meet Bella in London. Her husband died a year ago, and she is still grieving. She has withdrawn from everything that she was involved in, and is experiencing tremendous loneliness. One night she is visited by her husband's ghost, and he encourages her to live again. He even tells her that she will have 3 visitors. Bella decides to write all her thoughts and experiences about this night in a journal. Journaling has been the one way that Bella has been able to cope with her grief.
In present day, Emily is a literary academic grieving the loss of her father. She is called to a home that is being redone because old journals were found, and they believe they could be of interest to her. The journals are the paper of an unknown woman, telling a tale quite similar to Dicken's "A Christmas Carol". But... these papers are dated before Dicken's wrote his story.
I really liked each of these women. They are dealing with grief, yet become champions of social causes: Bella trying to improve the housing conditions of the disabled and poor. While Emily is in trying to get the allotments stopped from shutting down. And the way the "mystery" unfolded about who the true author was of the manuscript kept me quite interested! Although the manuscripts are similar, there are some important differences that add depth to the story. The way these two stories come together is done in a way that is emotional, heartwarming and somewhat bittersweet.
And I really loved the tie to Dickens!
Highly recommend if you enjoy historical fiction, a bit of romance, Charles Dickens, and an emotional read!
Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.
I loved the cover of this book, and the summary intrigued me! It is told with a past/present timeline. It's Christmas Eve 1842 when we meet Bella in London. Her husband died a year ago, and she is still grieving. She has withdrawn from everything that she was involved in, and is experiencing tremendous loneliness. One night she is visited by her husband's ghost, and he encourages her to live again. He even tells her that she will have 3 visitors. Bella decides to write all her thoughts and experiences about this night in a journal. Journaling has been the one way that Bella has been able to cope with her grief.
In present day, Emily is a literary academic grieving the loss of her father. She is called to a home that is being redone because old journals were found, and they believe they could be of interest to her. The journals are the paper of an unknown woman, telling a tale quite similar to Dicken's "A Christmas Carol". But... these papers are dated before Dicken's wrote his story.
I really liked each of these women. They are dealing with grief, yet become champions of social causes: Bella trying to improve the housing conditions of the disabled and poor. While Emily is in trying to get the allotments stopped from shutting down. And the way the "mystery" unfolded about who the true author was of the manuscript kept me quite interested! Although the manuscripts are similar, there are some important differences that add depth to the story. The way these two stories come together is done in a way that is emotional, heartwarming and somewhat bittersweet.
And I really loved the tie to Dickens!
Highly recommend if you enjoy historical fiction, a bit of romance, Charles Dickens, and an emotional read!
Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
There’s something about The Echo of Lost Stories that feels like stepping into a quiet room lit only by candlelight — the kind of story that asks you to slow down, breathe, and let its ghosts settle around you.
Victoria Scott weaves the past and present together with such gentle precision that you barely feel the shift; one moment you’re in the soot‑softened glow of 1842 London, the next you’re in modern Cheapside with Emily, brushing dust from forgotten notebooks that hum with someone else’s grief. Both women are suspended in their own winters — Isabelle, hollowed by the loss of her husband, and Emily, still aching from her father’s absence — and the novel lets their sorrow echo across time without ever drowning them in it.
What I loved most is how Scott handles the Dickensian thread. It’s not a retelling, nor a gimmick, but a quiet, clever question: what if the ghosts came for someone else first? The notebooks at the heart of the story feel like little lanterns, illuminating truths both tender and uncomfortable, and the way Emily unpicks their origins has a lovely, almost archaeological intimacy.
The historical sections are beautifully atmospheric — frost‑rimmed, candle‑warm, and threaded with that particular Victorian melancholy — while the contemporary storyline brings a softer, more reflective tone. Together they create a narrative that feels both haunted and hopeful, a reminder that grief doesn’t vanish but can be reshaped, re‑understood, even shared.
It’s a spellbinding, quietly emotional read, perfect for anyone who loves stories about memory, motherhood, and the strange ways the past insists on being heard. A Christmas tale, yes — but one steeped in shadows, compassion, and the fragile courage it takes to step back into the world.
With thanks to Victoria Scott, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
Victoria Scott weaves the past and present together with such gentle precision that you barely feel the shift; one moment you’re in the soot‑softened glow of 1842 London, the next you’re in modern Cheapside with Emily, brushing dust from forgotten notebooks that hum with someone else’s grief. Both women are suspended in their own winters — Isabelle, hollowed by the loss of her husband, and Emily, still aching from her father’s absence — and the novel lets their sorrow echo across time without ever drowning them in it.
What I loved most is how Scott handles the Dickensian thread. It’s not a retelling, nor a gimmick, but a quiet, clever question: what if the ghosts came for someone else first? The notebooks at the heart of the story feel like little lanterns, illuminating truths both tender and uncomfortable, and the way Emily unpicks their origins has a lovely, almost archaeological intimacy.
The historical sections are beautifully atmospheric — frost‑rimmed, candle‑warm, and threaded with that particular Victorian melancholy — while the contemporary storyline brings a softer, more reflective tone. Together they create a narrative that feels both haunted and hopeful, a reminder that grief doesn’t vanish but can be reshaped, re‑understood, even shared.
It’s a spellbinding, quietly emotional read, perfect for anyone who loves stories about memory, motherhood, and the strange ways the past insists on being heard. A Christmas tale, yes — but one steeped in shadows, compassion, and the fragile courage it takes to step back into the world.
With thanks to Victoria Scott, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
May 17, 2026
The Echoes of Lost Stories is a compelling historical fiction novel based on A Christmas Carol. It unfolds over two timelines starting with Bella in 1842 who is grieving the loss of her husband and child. She receives a visit from her husband’s ghost, encouraging her to live and to let her know she’ll be visited by three ghosts who will show her the past, present and future. In the modern timeline Emily is an academic, grieving the loss of her father and researching working condition of Victorian women. She receives a call from a construction company who has found a hidden room filled with papers that they think she may be interested it. In this she finds the diary of an unnamed woman who has written about her strange account with three ghosts which was written before Dickens’ published novella.
I enjoyed getting to know both women and their storylines. It was fun to see The Christmas Carol plot play out and seeing Emily piece together the story and work out who the author was and either Charles Dickens had been involved. Whilst grief was one of the big themes in I enjoyed the social justice side where Bella tried to improve the housing conditions for the poor and disabled and Emily fought to keep their allotment from being shut down. It was interesting to learn more about academic life and how hard it can get ahead and I was particularly frustrated that in both timelines men stole ideas from women and profited from it. I enjoyed Victoria’s authors notes and learning about the women who inspired the characters. For people who enjoy historical mysteries with a touch of paranormal elements.
I enjoyed getting to know both women and their storylines. It was fun to see The Christmas Carol plot play out and seeing Emily piece together the story and work out who the author was and either Charles Dickens had been involved. Whilst grief was one of the big themes in I enjoyed the social justice side where Bella tried to improve the housing conditions for the poor and disabled and Emily fought to keep their allotment from being shut down. It was interesting to learn more about academic life and how hard it can get ahead and I was particularly frustrated that in both timelines men stole ideas from women and profited from it. I enjoyed Victoria’s authors notes and learning about the women who inspired the characters. For people who enjoy historical mysteries with a touch of paranormal elements.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Christmas Eve 1842. Isabelle Burdett is still in mourning for her late husband, Henry, who died a year ago. She is writing a book about her grief and despair, that has caused her to withdraw from her many charitable works concerning the housing and welfare of the working class women and children.
When Henry reappears, he tells her that life is for the living, and warns her that three spirits will visit her that night and will show her the errors of her ways.
2025. Dr Emily Sinclair is dreading the Autumn. She works at the University, loves education, but realises that her social awkwardness is putting off her students. She is writing a book about the hidden lives of Victorian working class women. When Emily is notified that a cache of documents have been found in a Victorian town house, she goes to collect them. They date from the years 1830- 1840’s and provide a wealth of details about female health and childbirth experiences. The name of the author has been carefully removed. One notebook stands out, it tells of strange events that happened on Christmas Eve 1842, very similar to the novel by Charles Dickens, with some important differences. Did one ghostly event lead to the creation of such a great novel?
How these two stories dovetail is very emotional, with a perfect blend of historical fact, fiction and romance.
Confession time! I have never read any Dickens novels, but like the author, The Muppets Christmas Carol is a firm favourite of our family, and I am told it is quite accurate and faithful to the book, minus the Pig, Bear, Frog, Rat and other associated animals!
Full of originality and flair, and so enjoyable, a great read.
When Henry reappears, he tells her that life is for the living, and warns her that three spirits will visit her that night and will show her the errors of her ways.
2025. Dr Emily Sinclair is dreading the Autumn. She works at the University, loves education, but realises that her social awkwardness is putting off her students. She is writing a book about the hidden lives of Victorian working class women. When Emily is notified that a cache of documents have been found in a Victorian town house, she goes to collect them. They date from the years 1830- 1840’s and provide a wealth of details about female health and childbirth experiences. The name of the author has been carefully removed. One notebook stands out, it tells of strange events that happened on Christmas Eve 1842, very similar to the novel by Charles Dickens, with some important differences. Did one ghostly event lead to the creation of such a great novel?
How these two stories dovetail is very emotional, with a perfect blend of historical fact, fiction and romance.
Confession time! I have never read any Dickens novels, but like the author, The Muppets Christmas Carol is a firm favourite of our family, and I am told it is quite accurate and faithful to the book, minus the Pig, Bear, Frog, Rat and other associated animals!
Full of originality and flair, and so enjoyable, a great read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A beautifully written historical romance with a touch of mystery that has a dual timeline story. The ties this story with the well-known book, A Christmas Carol, written by Charles Dickens. This story definitely has a touch of fantasy that is actually the basis of the book.
The book starts in 1842, Christmas Eve, with Isabelle Burdetter who is mourning the death of her husband, Henry, a year earlier. For the most part, she has withdrawn from her life and any interactions with others. She is visited by four spirits — her husband Henry, who urges her to begin living again, and spirits who show her the past, present, and future. Isabelle is shocked by what she sees, but the experience lifts her from her grief and sets her on a path to continue her charitable work.
Present day character Dr. Emily Sinclair is an academic historian Dr Emily Sinclair still mourning the loss of her father a year ago. She is a definite introvert and a little socially awkward who is given notebooks found in a home which once housed the Hargreaves Trust headquarters that is being renovated. The notebooks are beautifully written, and Emily delves into their background to determine who write them as well as why they seem so similar to the tale by Charles Dickens.
Definitely a character driven story with rich characters and a touch of a gothic mystery filled with grief, hope and concludes with a warm feeling for all the characters. This is not my normal style book; however, this was so well written I could not put it down.
The book starts in 1842, Christmas Eve, with Isabelle Burdetter who is mourning the death of her husband, Henry, a year earlier. For the most part, she has withdrawn from her life and any interactions with others. She is visited by four spirits — her husband Henry, who urges her to begin living again, and spirits who show her the past, present, and future. Isabelle is shocked by what she sees, but the experience lifts her from her grief and sets her on a path to continue her charitable work.
Present day character Dr. Emily Sinclair is an academic historian Dr Emily Sinclair still mourning the loss of her father a year ago. She is a definite introvert and a little socially awkward who is given notebooks found in a home which once housed the Hargreaves Trust headquarters that is being renovated. The notebooks are beautifully written, and Emily delves into their background to determine who write them as well as why they seem so similar to the tale by Charles Dickens.
Definitely a character driven story with rich characters and a touch of a gothic mystery filled with grief, hope and concludes with a warm feeling for all the characters. This is not my normal style book; however, this was so well written I could not put it down.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
It’s Christmas Eve, 1842, and Isabelle Burdett, who’s withdrawn from life after the death of her beloved husband, is about to have a supernatural experience (or is it a dream?) - three spirits who show her the past, present and future, helping her change the course of her life and make a difference to the lives of others. Sounds familiar? Yes - and that’s the crux of the story.
In the present day, Emily - socially awkward, a distinctly uncomfortable history lecturer hoping for approval to research and write a book instead - acquires Isabelle’s notebooks, spots the similarities between her experiences and Dickens’ story, and knows there’s a story to be told.
Told in dual time, I will admit it took me a while to settle into the story. While both the linked threads were engaging, I did find everything just a little slow - although the historical thread was certainly atmospheric and well written, the present day thread intriguing with an endearing main character. And, if I’m honest, perhaps the Christmas setting didn’t feel entirely right for June.
But a third of the way in, the pace really picked up - Emily’s investigations became compelling reading, her relationships adding texture (and emotional depth) to the story, and I was particularly engaged by the social history aspects of the earlier thread and the way women are so often written out of history. Do read the author’s note at the end of the book - her research is fascinating.
And the links between the threads (and especially the Dickens connection) were really ingenious - beautifully crafted, and entirely believable. This was a book I really enjoyed.
In the present day, Emily - socially awkward, a distinctly uncomfortable history lecturer hoping for approval to research and write a book instead - acquires Isabelle’s notebooks, spots the similarities between her experiences and Dickens’ story, and knows there’s a story to be told.
Told in dual time, I will admit it took me a while to settle into the story. While both the linked threads were engaging, I did find everything just a little slow - although the historical thread was certainly atmospheric and well written, the present day thread intriguing with an endearing main character. And, if I’m honest, perhaps the Christmas setting didn’t feel entirely right for June.
But a third of the way in, the pace really picked up - Emily’s investigations became compelling reading, her relationships adding texture (and emotional depth) to the story, and I was particularly engaged by the social history aspects of the earlier thread and the way women are so often written out of history. Do read the author’s note at the end of the book - her research is fascinating.
And the links between the threads (and especially the Dickens connection) were really ingenious - beautifully crafted, and entirely believable. This was a book I really enjoyed.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Echo of Lost Stories is a charming historical fiction with dual settings. Throughout the story, we follow Isabelle on Christmas in 1842 London, while also following Emily, in present day London.
Isabelle is a grieving widow, who is ready to hide herself away after the loss of her beloved husband, Henry. However, on Christmas Eve, Henry appears to Isabella and informs her she is going to be visited by three ghosts. We follow along her journey of these visits and her how this alters her life trajectory.
Emily is a professor of history, who specializes in the Victorian Era. She comes across manuscripts from the mid-1800's, where a story eerily similar to Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Story", is written. Is this the work of the original creator of the famous holiday story, or is this some form of fanfic from the time?
The Echo of Lost Stories is beautifully written, historically accurate, and a treat for both history lovers and contemporary fiction lovers. I believe each of the narrator's stories would have held up on their own, but together it combines to create a wonderful story that I predict will be an instant favorite of many readers. I am grateful to be one of the first to read this wonderful story, and I look forward to reading more from Victoria Scott!
Thank you NetGalley and BoldWood Books for an Advanved Reader Copy of this book.
Isabelle is a grieving widow, who is ready to hide herself away after the loss of her beloved husband, Henry. However, on Christmas Eve, Henry appears to Isabella and informs her she is going to be visited by three ghosts. We follow along her journey of these visits and her how this alters her life trajectory.
Emily is a professor of history, who specializes in the Victorian Era. She comes across manuscripts from the mid-1800's, where a story eerily similar to Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Story", is written. Is this the work of the original creator of the famous holiday story, or is this some form of fanfic from the time?
The Echo of Lost Stories is beautifully written, historically accurate, and a treat for both history lovers and contemporary fiction lovers. I believe each of the narrator's stories would have held up on their own, but together it combines to create a wonderful story that I predict will be an instant favorite of many readers. I am grateful to be one of the first to read this wonderful story, and I look forward to reading more from Victoria Scott!
Thank you NetGalley and BoldWood Books for an Advanved Reader Copy of this book.
July 9, 2026
In this fascinating new dual timeline novel, readers follow history lecturer Emily as she discovers a stack of notebooks in a crumbling Cheapside house that tell the story of three ghostly visitors on a Christmas Eve a long time ago. Back in 1842, Isabelle Burdett wants to lose herself in her grief instead of celebrate Christmas, but three unexpected arrivals upend her life and shatter her solitude, perhaps providing the push she needs to get back into her social work with the community and reunite with her family and struggling daughter. Emotional and detailed, readers will love the characters’ emotional journeys and the ways in which their struggles mirror each other despite never meeting, and their individual journeys really pull readers into the story. The side characters flesh out the narrative and bring the two different Londons to life, and readers will really enjoy seeing how Emily and Isabelle’s relationships shape their decisions over the course of the narrative. The historical details really immerse readers in the grungier and elite sides of 1842 London and show how these worlds coexist and intersect through Isabelle’s life, making this a great historical fiction novel from Victoria Scott that fans of the genre will love.
Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the advance copy.
Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the advance copy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Echo of Lost Stories by Victoria Scott is an engrossing and emotional read. Told through a dual timeline, the novel alternates between London in the mid-1800s and present-day London.
In 1842, Isabelle (“Belle”) Burdett is a grieving widow who, on Christmas Eve, is confronted by four spirits — her husband Henry, who urges her to begin living again, and spirits who show her the past, present, and future. Isabelle is shocked by what she sees, but the experience lifts her from her grief and sets her on a path to continue her charitable work.
In the present-day storyline, academic historian Dr Emily Sinclair is mourning the loss of her father when she is presented with a collection of Victorian notebooks uncovered in what was once the Hargreaves Trust headquarters. The notebooks reveal a story strikingly similar to A Christmas Carol — except they were written before Charles Dickens created his famous tale. Emily becomes determined to uncover the truth and write a book about the mysterious woman behind the notebooks.
Past and present collide in this beautifully written gothic mystery filled with grief, hope, and the power of storytelling.
In 1842, Isabelle (“Belle”) Burdett is a grieving widow who, on Christmas Eve, is confronted by four spirits — her husband Henry, who urges her to begin living again, and spirits who show her the past, present, and future. Isabelle is shocked by what she sees, but the experience lifts her from her grief and sets her on a path to continue her charitable work.
In the present-day storyline, academic historian Dr Emily Sinclair is mourning the loss of her father when she is presented with a collection of Victorian notebooks uncovered in what was once the Hargreaves Trust headquarters. The notebooks reveal a story strikingly similar to A Christmas Carol — except they were written before Charles Dickens created his famous tale. Emily becomes determined to uncover the truth and write a book about the mysterious woman behind the notebooks.
Past and present collide in this beautifully written gothic mystery filled with grief, hope, and the power of storytelling.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I loved this dual timeline historical story, with links to Charles Dickens and A Christmas Carol, through the eyes of 2 women living very different lives.
In the present timeline, we follow Emily who is socially awkward professor, who is asked to investigate some documents/notebooks that have been found at a building site. With her love of history, she's immediately drawn into discovering more about the author of these works, especially when she starts to read more of them!
And that links us back to Isabelle, in 1842, who is struggling to deal with life after the death of her husband, and what a story she has to tell! I loved her timeline especially as it took you through her life and shared her ghostly goings on in her notebooks as she's visited by 3 ghosts to show her different perspectives on life and to get back out there.
There's so much going on in both timelines, that you're really absorbing the stories as they unfold and you really capture that amazement of Emily as she uncovers more unknowns about this woman from the past, which in turn leads her to reach out to more people out of her own comfort zone.
A really absorbing and enchanting historical read!
In the present timeline, we follow Emily who is socially awkward professor, who is asked to investigate some documents/notebooks that have been found at a building site. With her love of history, she's immediately drawn into discovering more about the author of these works, especially when she starts to read more of them!
And that links us back to Isabelle, in 1842, who is struggling to deal with life after the death of her husband, and what a story she has to tell! I loved her timeline especially as it took you through her life and shared her ghostly goings on in her notebooks as she's visited by 3 ghosts to show her different perspectives on life and to get back out there.
There's so much going on in both timelines, that you're really absorbing the stories as they unfold and you really capture that amazement of Emily as she uncovers more unknowns about this woman from the past, which in turn leads her to reach out to more people out of her own comfort zone.
A really absorbing and enchanting historical read!
August 3, 2026
The Echo of Lost Stories is a beautifully crafted historical mystery that seamlessly intertwines grief, family, history, and the enduring power of storytelling across generations. Victoria Scott masterfully connects two timelines, drawing readers into an emotionally rich narrative where forgotten manuscripts, long-buried secrets, and personal loss gradually converge. The novel's atmospheric Victorian setting, combined with its compelling contemporary investigation, creates a reading experience that is both haunting and deeply satisfying. By blending historical fiction with literary mystery and emotional depth, Scott delivers a story that explores hope, redemption, memory, and the lasting impact of the past on the present. Richly imagined and elegantly written, the novel offers a rewarding experience for readers who appreciate intelligent historical fiction with emotional resonance. It is highly recommended for historical fiction enthusiasts, book clubs, mystery readers, literary fiction audiences, librarians, educators, and anyone who enjoys stories where history and human emotion beautifully intersect.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was utterly invested from the very first pages of The Echo of Lost Stories, a charming and deeply moving novel that seamlessly blends history, mystery, and a classic ghost story. As someone who really enjoys dual-timeline narratives, I was incredibly impressed by how beautifully balanced and effortless the transitions between past and present felt.
The Christmas Carol-inspired back story is a brilliant stroke of genius, grounding the book's eerie, atmospheric secrets in a gently paced but thoroughly engaging plot that holds your attention from start to finish. To top it all off, the novel concludes with a deeply satisfying ending and includes a truly great author's note that adds wonderful context to the history behind the fiction.
Thank You to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy.
5 Excellent read, loved it.
4 Enjoyable read, Really Liked.
3 Average read, OK and passed the time
2 Below average read, MEH
1 Regrettable read, nearly a DNF
The Christmas Carol-inspired back story is a brilliant stroke of genius, grounding the book's eerie, atmospheric secrets in a gently paced but thoroughly engaging plot that holds your attention from start to finish. To top it all off, the novel concludes with a deeply satisfying ending and includes a truly great author's note that adds wonderful context to the history behind the fiction.
Thank You to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy.
5 Excellent read, loved it.
4 Enjoyable read, Really Liked.
3 Average read, OK and passed the time
2 Below average read, MEH
1 Regrettable read, nearly a DNF
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was a gorgeous dual-timeline story that had me hooked from the off.
Set partly in Victorian London and modern-day London, the story centres around philanthropy and an interesting connection to a famous Victorian author and one of his most successful novels.
Isabelle, or Belle, keeps a set of journals about her life in the 1800s, as well as a recount of a rather otherworldly event she experienced, and then buries her writing somewhere so it won't be found easily...
Nearly 200 years later, Emily, a history lecturer, is given access to the newly unearthed journals in a crumbling old house in Cheapside, and the discovery sends her on an emotional journey of her own.
There is so much to unpick here, from second chances to personal transformations, as well as bringing to the forefront the importance of certain historical places and their origins.
I don't want to rehash the story, but I will say that this is one of my favourite Victoria Scott books!
Set partly in Victorian London and modern-day London, the story centres around philanthropy and an interesting connection to a famous Victorian author and one of his most successful novels.
Isabelle, or Belle, keeps a set of journals about her life in the 1800s, as well as a recount of a rather otherworldly event she experienced, and then buries her writing somewhere so it won't be found easily...
Nearly 200 years later, Emily, a history lecturer, is given access to the newly unearthed journals in a crumbling old house in Cheapside, and the discovery sends her on an emotional journey of her own.
There is so much to unpick here, from second chances to personal transformations, as well as bringing to the forefront the importance of certain historical places and their origins.
I don't want to rehash the story, but I will say that this is one of my favourite Victoria Scott books!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really enjoyed this unique take on Dickens’s Christmas Carol. I almost wish I had read the author’s notes regarding the inspiration for the book first, though, as she truly did capture the idea of figuring out who the barely mentioned Belle was. The dual timeline was well done, and I liked how you learned Isabelle’s story as Emily read through her notes, even if Emily never learned all the specifics. I also appreciated that it wasn’t greed that Isabelle was fighting against, but grief. The only downside for me was that it felt like Emily was overly naive when it came to who she trusted with her work and how openly. I did like how her story wrapped up with her standing up for herself, but I didn’t love that some of the credit for her success falls on her relationships.
Thank you to the publisher for providing this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to the publisher for providing this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 stars. This is a dual timeline story taking place in 1842 and 2025. Emily is researching the hidden lives of Victorian working-class women. She is given some pages that appear to be written in 1842. They were written by a woman and what unfolds on the pages is incredibly close to the story in Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. But...the pages were written before the book. The author of those pages is the main character in the earlier time line.
What follows is Emily trying to figure out who that woman is. There is a little romance, some duplicity and also some wonderful character development and side stories for both of the main characters.
The main characters were interesting and likable.
I'm definitely open to reading more by this author.
Thanks to Boldwood Books for the digital copy via NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.
What follows is Emily trying to figure out who that woman is. There is a little romance, some duplicity and also some wonderful character development and side stories for both of the main characters.
The main characters were interesting and likable.
I'm definitely open to reading more by this author.
Thanks to Boldwood Books for the digital copy via NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the chance to read The echo of lost stories by Victoria Scott. This was a fabulous and emotional retelling of Charles Dickens' A Christmas carol, and the only thing that would have made this a better read, was if I had read it during the Christmas season! A dual timeline story about Isabelle, a grieving widow on Christmas Eve 1842 who is visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future and Emily, a history lecturer who is given a box of old journals from a old office in 2025. The story is seamlessly weaved between these two grieving women, and I couldn't put it down. This will be definitely be one of the Christmas stories I will re-read in the future and while this is the first book by the author I have read, it will definitely not be the last!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews