The House of Pearls

by Ali Mercer

A photograph of three young sisters. A forgotten pearl necklace that sends her tumbling through time . . .

Present Single mother Elsa Dean is shocked when she inherits a sprawling three-story house from her estranged uncle. Elsa hasn't seen the golden stone facade in over a decade. Then an antique pearl necklace and a black and white photograph hidden behind a secret door in the attic sweep her back into the past. Elsa sees her aunts, the three Merriwell sisters, each make their own terrible choice that will change their family forever . . .

1959: When sixteen-year-old Edie Merriwell finds herself pregnant just as her beloved mother dies suddenly, she has no one to turn to. All she has left is her mother's last a tiny seed pearl on a delicate silver chain. She never takes it off. Her sisters could never understand. And her father is courting a new wife suspiciously quickly. Within a year, gossip about the Merriwell family will reach fever pitch, and none of the sisters will ever live in the beautiful house again.

History repeats itself at this house of pearls and lies. What really happened to Edie and her baby? Elsa has been keeping her own secrets too. Will she be brave enough to confront her tangled history and lay the ghosts of the house to rest for good?

Genres: Mystery, Fiction

404 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 10, 2026

About the author

Ali decided she wanted to be a writer early on and wrote her first novel when she was at primary school. She did an English degree and spent her early twenties working in various jobs in journalism, including as a reporter for the showbusiness newspaper The Stage. She started writing fiction in earnest after getting married, moving out of London to the Oxfordshire market town of Abingdon and starting a family. She has two children, a daughter and a son who is autistic and was diagnosed when he was four years old.
Ali is fascinated by families, their myths and secrets, and the forces that hold them together, split them up and (sometimes) bring them back together again. She always travels with tissues and a book and has been known to cry over a good story, but is also a big fan of the hopeful ending.
For updates and pictures, follow Ali on Twitter (@AlisonLMercer) or Instagram (@alimercerwriter), or on her Facebook page (AliMercerwriter).

Reviews

[Nena Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an incredible journey of finding out about your ancestors. This book is beautifully written, she travels back to see the truth of her ancestors. There are so, so many layers to this story, it is very captivating. Dont miss this incredible book

[Hilary · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

• Book Title: House of Pearls
• Author: Ali Mercer
• Genre: Fiction; Womens fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Mystery
• Page Count & Format: Ebook, 435 pages on Kindle Edition
• Star Rating: 4.25 stars

My Review

A story that may seem slow at times but kept me engaged from start to finish and I didn’t see the big reveal at the end coming.

I really enjoyed this book. I felt like the story had a solid thread running throughout and the author did not stray from this at all. The characters were all very interesting and written as independent characters rather than carbon copies of each other. The story follows Elsa as she returns to the home she inherits from her uncle that had been the family home for a few generations. She digs in to her family history, rather unconventionally, and discovers the truth of her parentage by falling through time. *Not to Spoil* But she goes into these dream states that takes her into the bodies of her family members in the past and she experiences their lives for a day, or for a moment. I found this angle of story telling interesting. It seemed a bit ‘too easy’ at times, sometimes the modern POV of Elsa was shoved aside and Elsa was used as a tool to tell the stories of her ancestors in the past. However, I felt like the second half of the book went full steam ahead. If I was Elsa I would have relied on Ancestry.com as well as the ‘dreams’, however, this was still written in an interesting way.

I enjoyed reading about Elsas family and their experiences in the past. As an archaeology student and someone interested in family, I find it can be too easy to judge the people that came before us. I think this can easily be said of the choices made by Grandma Joan – what a mean woman! Even though we got her perspective, I found her interesting yet mean because of how she was a home wrecker. I loved Uncle Isaacs chapters! I wanted to be transported to having TV dinners with Uncle Isaac. How was such a gentle soul raised by such a cruel woman?

I loved the chapters with the sisters, especially *not to spoil* the one in Southern France. I found these chapters really touching, these chapters really expressed what it was like for a young woman making her own way without their loving mother there. Despite having their father, they were really orphans once their mother died. The middle part of the book followed how these women were at loose ends and then there was the mystery of Edie. By the last third of the book, the loose ends were being tied up well by the author and the mystery of Edies death and her mothers roses were being solved.
I really enjoyed the writing style of the book. Although, I did find that Elsa rambled on a bit about her thoughts, though this didn’t happen so much with other characters so perhaps this is the author showing a character difference. I did love how we saw the difference between the women of different generations from Hester and Joan to the three sisters and Pearl and then to Elsa and Jessie. I also liked how Elsas relationship with Robbie wasn’t too overwhelming in the book, the romance is there but not the point of the book – Elsa is here to find out about the women in her family, her friendship with Robbie is a side project and a bonus.

I would love to read a sequel for this book, perhaps with Elsa discovering more about her family with Jessie in on her superpower – and perhaps with the special person Elsa discovers at the end, and she can further develop the friendships she has in the present. I found that her present friendships were sidelined, I would have liked to see her develop a deeper friendship with Miriam and Maggie.

Overall, I really liked this book! If you like Kate Morton, Lucinda Riley, Julia Kelly, Rhys Bowen, and Santa Montefiore then I recommend this book.

By Hilary

[Aisha Faisal · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Moving, Heartfelt, and Utterly Absorbing Masterpiece

Thank you, Netgalley, Bookoture, and Ali Mercer for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The House of Pearls completely swept me away. This is the kind of story that quietly pulls you in and then refuses to let go. Part family saga, part mystery, and part emotional journey through generations of women, it is a gorgeous novel about identity, belonging, forgiveness, and the secrets that echo through families long after they are buried.

What makes this book so unforgettable is the rich, beautifully developed cast of characters. At the heart of the story is Pearl, a woman searching for answers about her family and her place within it. As she uncovers hidden photographs, forgotten memories, and long-kept secrets, she slowly pieces together a complicated family history that has been concealed for decades.

Alongside Pearl, we meet Isaac, whose quiet wisdom and unwavering loyalty make him one of the most memorable characters in the novel. He acts as a guardian of family memories, carrying truths he has protected for years while helping Pearl navigate the mystery surrounding her past.

The emotional backbone of the novel belongs to three sisters from the past, each with her own distinct dreams, flaws, and struggles:

1. Felicity: The sensible eldest sister trying to hold things together.

2. Rosie: The rebellious and unpredictable middle sister who challenges boundaries.

3. Edie: The youngest sister, whose tragic story becomes one of the book’s most heartbreaking and compelling mysteries.

In the present day, the story is rounded out by Pearl's daughter, Jessie. Her relationship with Pearl adds a wonderful, modern layer to the book, beautifully illustrating how family connections continue to shape future generations.

One of my absolute favourite aspects of this book was the way the mystery unfolded. Every photograph, conversation, and discovery revealed another small piece of the puzzle. Just when I thought I understood where the story was heading, another revelation would emerge, making me question everything I thought I knew. The secrets are not simply included for shock value; each one carries genuine emotional weight and impacts the characters in deeply meaningful ways.

The writing itself is simply gorgeous. The atmosphere surrounding the old house, the canal, the recurring symbolism of the heron, and the perfectly executed shifting timelines all create a haunting yet comforting feeling. The author captures both the beauty and pain of family history, showing how the past can shape us while also reminding us that it does not have to define our future.

Beneath the mystery lies a deeply moving story about mothers and daughters, sisters separated by time and circumstance, and the enduring connections that survive even after years of silence. The ending left me feeling hopeful, satisfied, and surprisingly emotional.


My Perspective :

If you enjoy family dramas packed with secrets, dual timelines, compelling characters, and mysteries that unfold gradually rather than relying on constant twists, The House of Pearls is one I would highly recommend. It is a beautifully crafted story that reminds us that families are rarely simple, but the bonds between them can be stronger than we ever imagine.

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The House of Pearls is one of those rare novels that wraps you in its atmosphere from the very first page. Ali Mercer blends family mystery, emotional depth, and a touch of the uncanny into a story that feels both intimate and sweeping.

Elsa’s return to the grand, golden‑stone house she hasn’t seen in years is the perfect entry point into a tale about inheritance—of memories, of secrets, and of the stories families bury to survive. The discovery of the pearl necklace and the hidden photograph is wonderfully evocative, and the way Mercer uses these objects to bridge past and present gives the novel a quiet, magical pull.

The 1959 timeline is especially compelling. Edie Merriwell’s story is tender, heartbreaking, and filled with the kind of tension that comes from watching a young woman navigate impossible choices with no one truly on her side. The gossip, the grief, the claustrophobia of small‑town judgement—it all builds toward a family fracture that echoes painfully into Elsa’s present.

What Mercer does so well is show how history repeats itself, not in neat circles but in jagged, emotional patterns. Elsa’s own secrets, her hesitations, and her longing for belonging make her journey feel deeply human. By the time the threads between the two timelines tighten, the emotional payoff is powerful.

This is a beautifully written, atmospheric novel about mothers and daughters, the weight of silence, and the courage it takes to face the past. Perfect for readers who love Louise Douglas, Eve Chase, and multi‑generational mysteries with heart.

A moving, immersive read that lingers long after the final page.

With thanks to Ali Mercer, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC

[Ashley Cloninger · Rating 4 out of 5]

The House of Pearls by Ali Mercer is a time-slip novel about family secrets.

2019-Elsa Dean inherits her family home from her estranged Uncle Isaac. She is shocked that she has inherited the house as she has not had anything to do with her family in over 17 years. The house however is a lifesaver for her and her teenage daughter Jessie. When Elsa is reacquanting herself with the house, she discovers a pearl necklace and a picture of three young girls. The girls are Fliss, Rosie and Edie the daughters of her grandfather’s first marriage and therefore her half-aunts. Suddenly Elsa finds herself traveling through time and into the memories of the three girls and the tragedies that befell them. As the past slowly unfurls through each character, Elsa discovers secrets relating to her own past that she was never aware of. The secrets in her family have caused tragedies and heartbreak through three generations. Can Elsa’s unraveling of those secrets allow for forgiveness and a future free from all the pain that has come before?

I enjoyed the way Elsa regressed into the minds and lives of her family in the past. I felt bad for the girls, as once their father remarried to Elsa’s Grandmother Joan after the death of their mother, the secrets and heartache really escalated. Grandmother Joan was an unlikeable woman, but I could see how her fear of being a widowed single mother caused her to make the decisions she did, too bad they caused emotional wreckage to a horrible degree.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher Bookouture, and the author for the chance to read and reivew this ARC.

[Aga · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, Bookouture and NetGalley, for this ARC.

The House of Pearls is an atmospheric and emotional family mystery filled with long-buried secrets, betrayal, and heartbreak.

When Elsa inherits an old house from her estranged uncle, she is drawn back into a family history she has spent years trying to leave behind. The discovery of a pearl necklace and an old photograph hidden within the house begins to unravel the tragic story of the Merriwell sisters and the choices that changed their family forever.

I really enjoyed the dual timeline and the way the past slowly unfolded alongside Elsa’s present-day story. The house itself felt like a character, holding generations of memories, loss, and hidden truths within its walls. Ali Mercer created a strong sense of place, and I loved the mysterious, slightly haunting atmosphere that surrounded the family home.

The story explores motherhood, sisterhood, grief, and the lasting consequences of keeping family secrets. Some moments were heartbreaking, particularly as the expectations and judgement placed upon women in the past became clear.

It was a slower, character-driven read in places, but the mystery kept me invested, and I was eager to discover what had truly happened to Edie and her baby. The revelations were handled with sensitivity, and the different timelines came together in a satisfying and emotionally rewarding way.

A moving historical family drama about the secrets we inherit, the choices that echo through generations, and the courage it takes to finally confront the past.

[Deanne Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love an author whose books grab your attention and hers certainly do and keeps it right through the very last word.
If a book can be heartwarming and heartbreaking all at once this book delivers in spades.
The book is so realistic that I could easily picture the past and current time it took place very easily.
A single mom and her daughter's bad luck turns around quickly when she inherits a well to do home in an affluent area that she hadn't been in the home in years.
Going through the possessions she finds and old photograph and a necklace and they trigger her time traveling back in time and finding out secrets of family members that she would have never known about. The family has lots of secrets and there was a lot of drama in this family.
As each layer takes us back to the past, we see the pieces begin to become pieced together and the more I read the more I became engrossed. I read this over 400 pages book in less than a day.
My heart just aches for the injustice done and how things were more readily acceptable back in the day.
Some pretty big secrets revealed that really took me by surprise.
Excellent historical fiction. I'll definitely be returning to this author.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

[DianeLikesToRead · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I am still reeling from this story!

What would you do if you found a secret door in your attic containing a photograph and a pearl necklace that sent you hurling back in time? That’s exactly what happens to Elsa Dean when she inherits her estranged uncle’s sprawling three-storey house.

The story jumps between present day and 1959, following the three Merriwell sisters. Edie’s story in 1959 absolutely broke my heart—left pregnant and motherless while her father rushes into a new marriage. This house is built on secrets and lies, and watching Elsa try to piece together her family’s history while dealing with her own secrets was completely gripping.

If you love historical fiction with a touch of mystery and a "time-slip" narrative, you need to clear your schedule because you won't be able to put this one down. I can't wait to see what this author writes next!

Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

#TheHouseOfPearls #HistoricalFiction #AliMercer #NetGalley #Bookouture #NewBook #ILoveBooks #BookLove #Bookstagram #SummerRead

[loopyloulaura · Rating 4 out of 5]

2019, Elsa inherits a house in Oxford and faces the family secrets that are haunting her...
The House of Pearls is a time slip book with the main character visiting multiple events in the last 60 years of her family history.
Elsa's family circumstances are more complicated than most, with generational trauma that she wants to end for the sake of her own daughter. Her mother Pearl was an addict and died when she was young. A generation earlier in 1960 sees three sisters lose their mum but also have worries to contend with (pregnancy, overbearing fiancé, career).
Elsa goes into a trance and slips back into the past. However, I felt that it wasn't clear if she becomes the different members of the family or just watches, or if it varied depending on the person.
I felt fully immersed in the lives of the characters and wanted them to find happiness. There are some hugely emotive topics handled sensitively within the book. The complexities of family dynamics are explored thoroughly and inequalities based on gender are included.
The House of Pearls is an emotional and engaging book about the damage secrets can cause even with the best of intentions.

[Ashley Gillan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an absolute pleasure, from beginning to end!

It’s a family drama/domestic suspense that kept me guessing throughout, I was hooked and had to keep reading (just one more chapter!) to find out what happened next. The characters were well-drawn and complex, and I sympathized with them and their predicaments, which involved complex grief and generational conflict and trauma that led to some impulsive behavior and decisions that ultimately caused the events of the book.

I won’t say too much, but the book deals with some heavy topics in a way that doesn’t make them feel super heavy, which made it very compulsively readable and interesting.

The book is told from many POVs, which worked really well in this case, which I enjoyed, because we could get inside the heads of the characters and feel the intense emotions that they were experiencing in these big moments, which really made things so much more magnanimous and emotional.

It was so fantastic.

Overall this was a great suspenseful, character-driven drama - you’re missing out if you don’t puck this one up!

[Christina McLaughlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher and author for providing me with this advanced digital copy.

This is a story about a woman in the present, Elsa, who inherits her family home and is now able to travel back to the past and view the lives of her ancestors. The family has a lot of secrets that she is now able to uncover through her time travels. The story moves back and forth between the present and past timelines, however, the way Elsa is able to go to the past is not fleshed out very well. She just appears to be able to relax herself enough that she travels back in time. I found myself enjoying the past timeline a lot more than the present, and I didn’t feel like Elsa or her daughter were very realistic characters. I was also unable to connect to the characters, so I had nothing keeping me hooked on the story. I think if this was purely a story about the family in the past I would have been a lot more interested but the inclusion of the present day characters really took me out of the story. Ultimately this book just fell a little flat for me.

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love time-hop stories with an atmospheric setting, or a twisted family mystery, featuring believably flawed yet relatable characters who deal with heaping emotional turmoil, don’t miss this one! I promise that these characters and their secrets will pull you into their story and keep you guessing.

Mercer’s focus is on the impact of losing a parent at a young age, and she explores the aftershocks that the loss causes for generations. She also examines how we navigate towards the past when we need a chance to escape. I was absorbed in a great story with characters who embodied bravery as they confronted past betrayal and laid the memories of the house of pearls to rest. I loved that Mercer peopled her story with both likeable and love-to-dislike characters. Jack and his lady friend on the boat and at the party, I'm talking to you!

Mercer shows us that history does indeed repeat itself.

I was gifted this copy and was under no obligation to provide a review.

[Melissa * bookedwithmel · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s a good amount of magical realism in this one. It reminded me a lot of Nora Roberts’ The Lost Bride Trilogy (high praise in my book).

Elsa inherits her grandmother’s home when her uncle dies. Returning to that house forces her to reconnect with the women in her past and look for answers. With a combination of hypnosis and an heirloom necklace, Elsa travels back to find out the truth about her family.

I enjoyed the multiple timelines. The current is the primary, and returning to the past wasn’t chronological, but I think that was important to the tale. We learn about Elsa’s grandmother, aunts, and her own past through the dream states. I liked that Elsa was forced to share her own secrets along with discovering her family’s. And I enjoyed her connecting with Robbie. It’s always nice to read a little romance in my historical fiction, in my opinion.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my copy of this book.

[Libby Reidy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written story of family secrets, sibling relationships and betrayal. The reader meets Elsa who has inherited her family's home from her estranged uncle. Moving there with her teenage daughter,she finds a photograph of three sisters who had lived there years before. Looking at the photograph, she is transfered back to the past where we meet Edie, a pregnant 16 year old. What happeneded to her and her sisters? In her search for answers, Elsa discovers her family's secret history and how the past has shaped who she is. An emotional story that I will highly recomend.

[Tatyana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the idea behind “The House of Pearls”—the way the past and present intertwine was definitely one of my favorite parts of the story. The mystery and the connection between the two timelines kept me interested.

However, some parts felt a little unrealistic, and I felt the author stretched the story out more than necessary. There were several places where I started to lose interest and felt the pacing was too slow.

Overall, it was a good book with an interesting premise, but for me, it was slightly too long and drawn out.

[Janilyn Kocher · Rating 4 out of 5]

The family roots are very gnarled and intertwined in this story.
Elsa is able to transport herself back into the lives of her three aunts as well as her mother in order to delve into what actually happened.
The grand house she inherited is full of secrets and heartache.
It’s an interesting read because it reminds us our pasts very much help,shape our futures.
Thanks NetGalley and Bookouture for the early read.

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book isn't what I was expecting, but I can't put my finger on why, and it's not a bad thing in any way. I think it was at times darker than I thought it was going to be, although a lot of subjects were only touched upon very lightly.

This was a book full of secrets, unfortunately I think I guessed pretty much all of them but still enjoyed reading about why those secrets had come about.

[Sallie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book!

[Nicola “Shortbookthyme” · Rating 4 out of 5]

✅This was an interesting time-hop story.
The characters draw you in with their secrets.
The mystery aspect drew me in right away.
The house had a magical element full of memories.
A very emotional story.