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The Last Secret of Wickham Grange
When Caroline Alleyn inherits Wickham Grange, all she wants to do is sell up. There are bad memories there, linked to her childhood as the daughter of a single mother – and to all the other mothers she knew in that house. But her grandmother Frances's will means that it can't be sold without the consent of five elderly women, and they all refuse. None of them will tell her why she has to keep a house she doesn't want. Instead, she is given a stark don't look for Lizzie Sixpence.
Though Caroline has other worries. Someone is watching her; the house's elderly tenants are lying to her; and an old man is hoarding mementoes of her past.
Then she finds the bones.
And Caroline is left with a keep silent, or betray everything her grandmother stood for. Because there is one final secret to be revealed…
Though Caroline has other worries. Someone is watching her; the house's elderly tenants are lying to her; and an old man is hoarding mementoes of her past.
Then she finds the bones.
And Caroline is left with a keep silent, or betray everything her grandmother stood for. Because there is one final secret to be revealed…
392 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 23, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
May 1, 2026
The story begins in 2006 when Caroline is attending her grandmother Frances’ funeral. Although much loved, Frances was not a blood relative (its complicated) and then to find out that she. and not her mother Betty, had inherited Wickham Grange, a large Victorian building now converted into flats was a shock; even more so when she discovers that she cannot sell the property without the consent of five women – all strangers to Caroline, not to mention the two elderly tenants who were protected from eviction. I was immediately intrigued – why the restriction and who were these women who were so afraid and hostile when Caroline approached them.
There are many characters over the two timelines, the modern and late 1940s and it could have become confusing however the author manages the connections and transitions well. There were some characters that were quite unpleasant and I didn’t initially warm to Caroline. She had made her own life as a partner in a law firm and had the brusque manner of someone who just wanted rid of the building so that she could move on with her own plans.
There are so many secrets to be revealed in this atmospheric story. At one time the Grange had been a place of safety for women but Caroline felt anything but safe with strange and unsettling occurrences, including the warning not to look for Lizzie Sixpence. Whoever she may be.
This book may have had a sedate start but the two timelines led into an emotional and mysterious story with drama and sinister undertones. It didn’t take long to become engrossed in the lives of the residents at the Grange, especially with Frances and Maud and, despite a touch of misdirection, I correctly guessed part of the mystery, however there were more revelations that took me by surprise.
With a powerful storyline and fully drawn characters there is much to like about this book. It had a conclusion that was both emotive and satisfying – I very much enjoyed it and would happily read more from Zoe Manlow.
There are many characters over the two timelines, the modern and late 1940s and it could have become confusing however the author manages the connections and transitions well. There were some characters that were quite unpleasant and I didn’t initially warm to Caroline. She had made her own life as a partner in a law firm and had the brusque manner of someone who just wanted rid of the building so that she could move on with her own plans.
There are so many secrets to be revealed in this atmospheric story. At one time the Grange had been a place of safety for women but Caroline felt anything but safe with strange and unsettling occurrences, including the warning not to look for Lizzie Sixpence. Whoever she may be.
This book may have had a sedate start but the two timelines led into an emotional and mysterious story with drama and sinister undertones. It didn’t take long to become engrossed in the lives of the residents at the Grange, especially with Frances and Maud and, despite a touch of misdirection, I correctly guessed part of the mystery, however there were more revelations that took me by surprise.
With a powerful storyline and fully drawn characters there is much to like about this book. It had a conclusion that was both emotive and satisfying – I very much enjoyed it and would happily read more from Zoe Manlow.
June 29, 2026
Almost a DNF about half way through this.
Soooo long and the "secrets" were so obvious.
Soooo long and the "secrets" were so obvious.
May 6, 2026
I do love a novel that features an old house packed with history - even better when they are packed with mysteries too... Wickham Grange, in Kent, was just such a house. We meet the residents of the house now, AND back in 1947, when WWII was recent in everyone's memory. The old manor had a rich and storied history. It was first a manor house, then a refuge for the war's child evacuees, then a refuge where abused women and their children came.
2006- Caroline Alleyn is a criminal lawyer with a busy and stressful life. When her 'grandmother', Frances, passes away and leaves her the big old house she grew up in, she views it as just another problem to be solved. She wants to sell up and get rid. When she visits the house, which has been converted over into flats, she realizes quickly that her plans won't come to fruition. There are sitting tenants in the house that have tenancy agreements. Though elderly, they will not be moved. Also, Frances has left Caroline a letter saying that she must get the consent of five other elderly ladies before she can even think of selling. When she contacts them, they firmly say NO! While temporarily residing at Wickham Grange, Caroline sees a man lurking outside. The elderly tenants seem hostile, and then the office of the old house has been robbed of the WiFi router AND the files for the five old ladies she was to gain consent from. To cap that all off, she discovers human bones buried under the greenhouse on the grounds.
In 1947 we meet Lizzie Sixpence. Hers was a very tragic and disturbing story. Though only about thirteen years of age, she was a war orphan with no support of any kind. She falls victim to an intimidating, unscrupulous thug of a man. A man who runs a gang. He takes advantage of the bombed out buildings and he sends Lizzie in the dangerous places to pilfer and steal anything of value. When she gets a bit older, he sells her to men. When the inevitable happens, and she gets pregnant, he threatens to sell her baby.
Also in 1947, we meet the residents of Wickham Grange. Frances, and her employer Maud. They were well portrayed, very sympathetic characters, that I came to really care for. They run a women's refuge, where the wives of demobbed soldier's turn to, to escape physical and emotional abuse.
At first, I found the book a bit hard to get into. Then about a quarter of the way through, I found that I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Yes, there were rather a LOT of characters, but the author wrote their stories in such a way as to keep them distinct in my mind. The story veers from mundane to sinister to downright menacing. Traumatic occurrences will beset the women of both timelines.
In summation, "The Last Secret of Wickham Grange" was a multi-layered, well rendered, historical mystery. Its dual time lines served the story well, and were expertly linked to form a cohesive whole. The ending was emotional and ultimately satisfying. I would be very interested in reading more work by Zoe Manlow. Recommended!
2006- Caroline Alleyn is a criminal lawyer with a busy and stressful life. When her 'grandmother', Frances, passes away and leaves her the big old house she grew up in, she views it as just another problem to be solved. She wants to sell up and get rid. When she visits the house, which has been converted over into flats, she realizes quickly that her plans won't come to fruition. There are sitting tenants in the house that have tenancy agreements. Though elderly, they will not be moved. Also, Frances has left Caroline a letter saying that she must get the consent of five other elderly ladies before she can even think of selling. When she contacts them, they firmly say NO! While temporarily residing at Wickham Grange, Caroline sees a man lurking outside. The elderly tenants seem hostile, and then the office of the old house has been robbed of the WiFi router AND the files for the five old ladies she was to gain consent from. To cap that all off, she discovers human bones buried under the greenhouse on the grounds.
In 1947 we meet Lizzie Sixpence. Hers was a very tragic and disturbing story. Though only about thirteen years of age, she was a war orphan with no support of any kind. She falls victim to an intimidating, unscrupulous thug of a man. A man who runs a gang. He takes advantage of the bombed out buildings and he sends Lizzie in the dangerous places to pilfer and steal anything of value. When she gets a bit older, he sells her to men. When the inevitable happens, and she gets pregnant, he threatens to sell her baby.
Also in 1947, we meet the residents of Wickham Grange. Frances, and her employer Maud. They were well portrayed, very sympathetic characters, that I came to really care for. They run a women's refuge, where the wives of demobbed soldier's turn to, to escape physical and emotional abuse.
At first, I found the book a bit hard to get into. Then about a quarter of the way through, I found that I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Yes, there were rather a LOT of characters, but the author wrote their stories in such a way as to keep them distinct in my mind. The story veers from mundane to sinister to downright menacing. Traumatic occurrences will beset the women of both timelines.
In summation, "The Last Secret of Wickham Grange" was a multi-layered, well rendered, historical mystery. Its dual time lines served the story well, and were expertly linked to form a cohesive whole. The ending was emotional and ultimately satisfying. I would be very interested in reading more work by Zoe Manlow. Recommended!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Last Secret of Wickham Grange is one of those novels that wraps you in its atmosphere from the first page — all creaking floorboards, inherited guilt, and the soft ache of returning to a place you once tried to forget. It’s a story steeped in memory and womanhood, threaded with the kind of secrets that settle into the bones of a house and refuse to be dislodged.
Caroline Alleyn’s return to Wickham Grange is anything but triumphant. She wants to sell it, close the door on the past, and move on. But the house — and the five elderly women who still live within its walls — have other ideas. Their refusal to let her walk away, paired with that unsettling warning not to look for Lizzie Sixpence, sets the tone beautifully: this is a place where the past is not just remembered, but guarded.
The author captures generational trauma with a gentle, observant hand. The women of Wickham Grange are not simply eccentric tenants; they are survivors, each carrying a story shaped by love, loss, and the quiet courage of enduring what should have broken them. As Caroline begins to peel back the layers of her grandmother’s legacy, the novel shifts from mystery to something more intimate — a meditation on the ways women protect one another, even when the world refuses to protect them.
And then, of course, there are the bones.
The discovery is chilling without ever tipping into sensationalism, and it forces Caroline into a moral crossroads: stay silent and preserve the fragile peace her grandmother built, or expose the truth and risk shattering everything. The tension here is emotional rather than explosive, and it works beautifully.
This is a slow-burning, deeply atmospheric novel perfect for readers who love Kate Morton’s sense of place and Lucinda Riley’s intergenerational secrets. It’s about the weight of inheritance, the resilience of women, and the unexpected ways we find our true selves when the past finally demands to be reckoned with.
A haunting, tender, and quietly powerful read.
With thanks to Zoe Manlow, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
Caroline Alleyn’s return to Wickham Grange is anything but triumphant. She wants to sell it, close the door on the past, and move on. But the house — and the five elderly women who still live within its walls — have other ideas. Their refusal to let her walk away, paired with that unsettling warning not to look for Lizzie Sixpence, sets the tone beautifully: this is a place where the past is not just remembered, but guarded.
The author captures generational trauma with a gentle, observant hand. The women of Wickham Grange are not simply eccentric tenants; they are survivors, each carrying a story shaped by love, loss, and the quiet courage of enduring what should have broken them. As Caroline begins to peel back the layers of her grandmother’s legacy, the novel shifts from mystery to something more intimate — a meditation on the ways women protect one another, even when the world refuses to protect them.
And then, of course, there are the bones.
The discovery is chilling without ever tipping into sensationalism, and it forces Caroline into a moral crossroads: stay silent and preserve the fragile peace her grandmother built, or expose the truth and risk shattering everything. The tension here is emotional rather than explosive, and it works beautifully.
This is a slow-burning, deeply atmospheric novel perfect for readers who love Kate Morton’s sense of place and Lucinda Riley’s intergenerational secrets. It’s about the weight of inheritance, the resilience of women, and the unexpected ways we find our true selves when the past finally demands to be reckoned with.
A haunting, tender, and quietly powerful read.
With thanks to Zoe Manlow, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Following the death of her grandmother, Caroline returns to her childhood home of Wickham Grange. She has inherited the house and intends to sell - until she finds a letter from her grandmother telling her she can only do so with the permission of 5 specific people. When she sets about trying to get their consent she discovers it's going to be harder than she imagined, so she sets down the path of why they're all so reluctant to let the house go. What exactly is the last secret of Wickham Grange?
This was a really compelling read. I did find that it was maybe a couple of chapters too long but aside from that I enjoyed it a lot. It's not always the happiest of stories but it is very human - the story of the house and its residents being told from post WWII years up to the mid-2000s by the people whose lives were touched the most.
Once the story gets started it's not too tricky to work out what secrets the house is hiding, so there were no major narrative altering reveals. The pacing is good, you can't help but loathe some characters and feel great empathy and admiration for others - and I always think that's a sign of a successful book.
- Thanks to NetGalley for granting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review
This was a really compelling read. I did find that it was maybe a couple of chapters too long but aside from that I enjoyed it a lot. It's not always the happiest of stories but it is very human - the story of the house and its residents being told from post WWII years up to the mid-2000s by the people whose lives were touched the most.
Once the story gets started it's not too tricky to work out what secrets the house is hiding, so there were no major narrative altering reveals. The pacing is good, you can't help but loathe some characters and feel great empathy and admiration for others - and I always think that's a sign of a successful book.
- Thanks to NetGalley for granting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is a complex, compelling and well written book. I wasn't sure what to expect, on the surface it wasn't one of my preferred genres, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. All the characters were interesting and complex. They had depth and nuance, and the various time periods were woven together impressively. At it's core it's a book about vulnerable, strong women, who stand together, against a backdrop of abuse and use by men, who refuse to be beaten down or manipulated into behaving as others would wish. It's a part of the world I know quite well, one of my early boyfriends lived in West Wickham, so I knew the feel of the place, and this aspect didn't disappoint. It flowed well, had a good amount of tension, which was ultimately resolved. How this was done was my only slight negative. Everything was tied up rather too neatly and predictably at the end. I won't add spoilers here, but I felt a little disappointed that the ultimate outcome was a traditional fairy tale type one. But overall this was well crafted and I'm delighted to have been given the opportunity to read and review it.
May 3, 2026
Caroline Alleyn is partner in a law firm and has her life all mapped out until her ‘grandmother’ Frances dies and leaves Caroline her home, Wickham Grange. The property has been converted into flats. However, the will stipulates that the property cannot be sold without the agreement of five named women, plus there are two protected tenants. Told in dual timeline, the late 1940s and 2006; and from multiple POVs this is a satisfying read.
Briefly, Caroline’s memories of Wickham Grange are not good and she just wants to sell so she searches out the woman but they all seem hostile and refuse outright and Caroline is warned not to look for Lizzie Sixpence. Then Caroline believes she is being followed and strange things happen, then she finds bones!
This is a novel steeped in secrets harking back to the earlier period when the house was a safe haven for women. Well drawn characters in this slow build historical drama that really ramped up as it progressed. It was dark and mysterious and explored themes of betrayal and forgiveness. An enjoyable and engaging read.
Briefly, Caroline’s memories of Wickham Grange are not good and she just wants to sell so she searches out the woman but they all seem hostile and refuse outright and Caroline is warned not to look for Lizzie Sixpence. Then Caroline believes she is being followed and strange things happen, then she finds bones!
This is a novel steeped in secrets harking back to the earlier period when the house was a safe haven for women. Well drawn characters in this slow build historical drama that really ramped up as it progressed. It was dark and mysterious and explored themes of betrayal and forgiveness. An enjoyable and engaging read.
Review of advance copy
I almost didn’t read this but I’m so glad I did! I loved it from start to finish. It takes place in two timelines – 2006 when Caroline Alleyn’s beloved grandmother Frances has just died and Caroline has inherited Wickham Grange, and just after the war when we learn the history of the residents and why a group of five women all left on the same day in 1947. Unfortunately for Caroline, she is not allowed to sell the Grange without the permission of those women.
If they are still alive – they would be pretty old by now – Caroline needs to contact them. But when she does get hold of the women, she is met with outright hostility. The answer is a definite no. What is it they don’t want her to discover? She is told not to look for Lizzie Sixpence, the one Frances had said she couldn’t save. And the elderly residents of Wickham Grange, including Mr Harris, are also hiding something. And then she finds the bones…
As Caroline looks through her grandmother’s belongings, she finds a number of interesting things, but why are some personal items, including her own graduation photo, in Mr Harris’s desk drawer?
As we go back and forth, the story begins to unravel in ways that I could never have dreamt of, and becomes more complicated and sinister at times. It appears that the women and the residents are hiding secrets that Caroline could not have imagined.
The book is set near Bromley, just outside West Wickham, an area I know well as my son lived there for a number of years. I love reading about familiar places in stories.
Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours
If they are still alive – they would be pretty old by now – Caroline needs to contact them. But when she does get hold of the women, she is met with outright hostility. The answer is a definite no. What is it they don’t want her to discover? She is told not to look for Lizzie Sixpence, the one Frances had said she couldn’t save. And the elderly residents of Wickham Grange, including Mr Harris, are also hiding something. And then she finds the bones…
As Caroline looks through her grandmother’s belongings, she finds a number of interesting things, but why are some personal items, including her own graduation photo, in Mr Harris’s desk drawer?
As we go back and forth, the story begins to unravel in ways that I could never have dreamt of, and becomes more complicated and sinister at times. It appears that the women and the residents are hiding secrets that Caroline could not have imagined.
The book is set near Bromley, just outside West Wickham, an area I know well as my son lived there for a number of years. I love reading about familiar places in stories.
Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours
April 25, 2026
I really enjoyed this book. it felt like a very realistic story, with the hardships and emotional battles, as well as the friendships and devotion, nothing was too over dramatised. I can’t comment on whether it was historically accurate but I enjoyed the elements and it felt true to form. Sometimes I got a bit muddled with the characters, but I liked the mix of perspectives and the present and past views throughout. I did find some of the twists obvious, but this book didn’t feel to be intended to shock, but to pull you in on a more emotional level, which it did. The ending was nicely written, with a steady pacing from start to finish.
April 26, 2026
Caroline Alleyn inherits her grandmother Frances’s converted home - Wickham Grange. A stark and implacable building, Frances had vowed that she could never leave it and put restrictions on any sale Caroline might want to make in order to protect a group of innocent people. Caroline has to seek the permission of these five elderly women and, in doing so, uncover a nearly seventy year old secret. This book builds as the story unfolds, I enjoyed this structure - the forwards and backwards timelines as Betty, Lizzie and Frances’s truths are revealed. This is a very compelling read about betrayal, forgiveness and secrets. I loved the cover, the overall plot and the main characters.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A really enjoyable read, especially if you love a story with a strong historical thread. The dual timeline was handled well, and I found myself more drawn to the past storyline, the sense of intrigue that kept me turning the pages
I found the beginning of the novel quite slow and it didn’t grip me quite as much, but once i reached part 2 the unfolding secrets and connections between past and present made it worth it.
Overall, a solid 4-star read—engaging, mysterious, and perfect for fans of historical fiction with a touch of suspense.
I found the beginning of the novel quite slow and it didn’t grip me quite as much, but once i reached part 2 the unfolding secrets and connections between past and present made it worth it.
Overall, a solid 4-star read—engaging, mysterious, and perfect for fans of historical fiction with a touch of suspense.
May 3, 2026
An intriguing tale featuring a dual timeline where mystery and secrets are to be discovered.
I loved the storytelling and characters in this book it flowed well and the way the mystery unfolded kept me gripped, it also kept me guessing with a few twist along the way.
I wouldn’t say it was fast paced but it was just right for the setting and story.
An excellent read and I look forward to reading more from this author.
I loved the storytelling and characters in this book it flowed well and the way the mystery unfolded kept me gripped, it also kept me guessing with a few twist along the way.
I wouldn’t say it was fast paced but it was just right for the setting and story.
An excellent read and I look forward to reading more from this author.
May 3, 2026
This is a really lovely read. It’s a nice heartwarming story that spans three generations of a family. The four main leading ladies are all strong characters across the three generations. The story is a nicely balanced mix of history, crime thriller and romance but mainly it is about friendships and female relationships and the value of sticking together.
July 6, 2026
I really loved The Last Secret of Wickham Grange. Zoe's clever characterisation and gentle humour made this a pleasure to read. I dont usually like stories with parallel timelines as they can become confusing - but this was sharp - cleverly done to move along plot and bring the characters' back stories to life. Thoroughly recommend!
May 9, 2026
Sweeping across timelines, The Last Secret of Wickham Grange was a satisfying story strewn with secrets and a house melded in mystery.
Moderately paced it's narrated from multiple POV, which is always a winner for me because you're able to look at the story from both sides leading up to and after the 'main event'.
It comes with a great cast of complex characters, a multi-layered plot, and an overwhelming urge for 'just one more chapter'. What's not to like?
Absolutely riveting.
Moderately paced it's narrated from multiple POV, which is always a winner for me because you're able to look at the story from both sides leading up to and after the 'main event'.
It comes with a great cast of complex characters, a multi-layered plot, and an overwhelming urge for 'just one more chapter'. What's not to like?
Absolutely riveting.
June 11, 2026
An atmospheric and suspenseful read that even though it took me a while to get into, I did enjoy this one and it was a change from my usual reads
Review of advance copy
🩵 Blurb-
When Caroline Alleyn inherits Wickham Grange, all she wants to do is sell up. There are bad memories there, linked to her childhood as the daughter of a single mother – and to all the other mothers she knew in that house. But her grandmother Frances's will means that it can't be sold without the consent of five elderly women, and they all refuse. None of them will tell her why she has to keep a house she doesn't want. Instead, she is given a stark don't look for Lizzie Sixpence.
Though Caroline has other worries. Someone is watching her; the house's elderly tenants are lying to her; and an old man is hoarding mementoes of her past.
Then she finds the bones.
And Caroline is left with a keep silent, or betray everything her grandmother stood for. Because there is one final secret to be revealed…
💚 Review -
This was such a lovely read. I loved the mix of history and romance which made for an interesting read. I loved the author's writing style and the pacing was just right. I also loved the place settings in the story and there was a great cast of characters. There was plenty of content to keep me interested and reading until the end. Overall a brilliant novel that I highly recommend to other readers. I look forward to reading more by the author.
💝 Thank you to Random Things Tours, the author Zoe Manlow and the publisher Bedford Square Publishers for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
When Caroline Alleyn inherits Wickham Grange, all she wants to do is sell up. There are bad memories there, linked to her childhood as the daughter of a single mother – and to all the other mothers she knew in that house. But her grandmother Frances's will means that it can't be sold without the consent of five elderly women, and they all refuse. None of them will tell her why she has to keep a house she doesn't want. Instead, she is given a stark don't look for Lizzie Sixpence.
Though Caroline has other worries. Someone is watching her; the house's elderly tenants are lying to her; and an old man is hoarding mementoes of her past.
Then she finds the bones.
And Caroline is left with a keep silent, or betray everything her grandmother stood for. Because there is one final secret to be revealed…
💚 Review -
This was such a lovely read. I loved the mix of history and romance which made for an interesting read. I loved the author's writing style and the pacing was just right. I also loved the place settings in the story and there was a great cast of characters. There was plenty of content to keep me interested and reading until the end. Overall a brilliant novel that I highly recommend to other readers. I look forward to reading more by the author.
💝 Thank you to Random Things Tours, the author Zoe Manlow and the publisher Bedford Square Publishers for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
An unputdownable, multilayered and moving historical mystery.
I thoroughly enjoyed following the many threads that made up this intriguing, and at times emotional, story. The author did an excellent job of taking several different points of view and time periods and weaving them together in a way that kept me turning the pages, eager to solve the mysteries of Wickham Grange.
The characters were well-drawn with realistic personalities and their actions, both good and bad, were portrayed in a sensitive and understandable manner.
Overall, a very satisfying read. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Thanks to NetGalley & the publishers for this gifted eARC.
I thoroughly enjoyed following the many threads that made up this intriguing, and at times emotional, story. The author did an excellent job of taking several different points of view and time periods and weaving them together in a way that kept me turning the pages, eager to solve the mysteries of Wickham Grange.
The characters were well-drawn with realistic personalities and their actions, both good and bad, were portrayed in a sensitive and understandable manner.
Overall, a very satisfying read. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Thanks to NetGalley & the publishers for this gifted eARC.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews