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Das Haus der Lügen
Stephanie Lam's stunning debut novel, The Mysterious Affair at Castaway House, is a gripping read laced with mystery, secrets and love.
It's 1965 and eighteen year-old Rosie Churchill has run away to the beautiful but run-down Castaway House in the seaside town of Helmstone. But when she uncovers a scandal locked away in the walls of the old house, she soon comes to realise that neither her own troubled past nor that of the house will stay buried for long. . .
In 1924 fresh-faced Robert Carver comes to Castaway House to spend a languid summer in the company of his much wealthier cousin, Alec Bray. But the Brays are a damaged family, with damaging secrets. And little does Robert know that his world is about to change for ever.
As Rosie begins to learn more about Robert, the further she is drawn into the mysterious history of the house, and their stories, old and new, entwine.
Stephanie Lam was born and raised in London. She is half English and half Chinese; her mother is from Sheffield and her father was raised on the island of Mauritius. As well as writing, she teaches English at Tinsley House Immigration Removal Centre, working with detained foreign nationals. She lives in Brighton. The Mysterious Affair at Castaway House is her first novel.
It's 1965 and eighteen year-old Rosie Churchill has run away to the beautiful but run-down Castaway House in the seaside town of Helmstone. But when she uncovers a scandal locked away in the walls of the old house, she soon comes to realise that neither her own troubled past nor that of the house will stay buried for long. . .
In 1924 fresh-faced Robert Carver comes to Castaway House to spend a languid summer in the company of his much wealthier cousin, Alec Bray. But the Brays are a damaged family, with damaging secrets. And little does Robert know that his world is about to change for ever.
As Rosie begins to learn more about Robert, the further she is drawn into the mysterious history of the house, and their stories, old and new, entwine.
Stephanie Lam was born and raised in London. She is half English and half Chinese; her mother is from Sheffield and her father was raised on the island of Mauritius. As well as writing, she teaches English at Tinsley House Immigration Removal Centre, working with detained foreign nationals. She lives in Brighton. The Mysterious Affair at Castaway House is her first novel.
480 pages, Paperback
First published August 28, 2014
15 people are currently reading
1275 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Lam
18 books24 followersStephanie Lam is a novelist, teacher and wellbeing journalist. She writes the popular Everyday Escape back page column for Breathe magazine on real-world ways to
achieve headspace and happiness, and for twenty years has also worked as a teacher alongside highly-stressed people held in immigration detention.
In 2015 a crisis transformed her life and forced her to rethink everything she thought she knew. From being a super-frazzled perfectionist who thought being busy was her special skill, she then became an expert on stress and how to escape it. She went on to devise Unfrazzle, an easy six-step plan to help everyone, no matter what their frazzle status, reclaim true calm within everyday life.
achieve headspace and happiness, and for twenty years has also worked as a teacher alongside highly-stressed people held in immigration detention.
In 2015 a crisis transformed her life and forced her to rethink everything she thought she knew. From being a super-frazzled perfectionist who thought being busy was her special skill, she then became an expert on stress and how to escape it. She went on to devise Unfrazzle, an easy six-step plan to help everyone, no matter what their frazzle status, reclaim true calm within everyday life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
February 6, 2017
This book was literally middle of the road for me. I don't dislike it but I wouldn't say I liked it either. The story was ok. It had all the elements that I love: dual time lines, a house that contains mysteries, and characters that are driven by love & hate. It was just missing that certain "spark" that other books have. The writing wasn't terrible...... maybe it's just me. Just an ok read and if I'm honest, I was a little disappointed that I didn't love it like I was hoping.
July 25, 2014
Note: I received this copy of The Mysterious Affair at Castaway House by Stephanie Lam for free through Goodreads First Reads. The opinions and thoughts I share in this review are my own.
I was delighted to receive this copy of The Mysterious Affair at Castaway House through the post as it was one which greatly appealed to me. I was shocked to discover on it's arrival that it is an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC), so I am not allowed to post any quotes from it - much as I may wish. At a little over 500 pages, this paperback book is rather thick but surprisingly lightweight with reasonably sized but not overly large text. I especially enjoyed the floppiness of the pages - it was a joy not to have to wrestle to open a book! The cover is somewhat sedate and rather dignified but striking - I adore it.
The Mysterious Affair at Castaway House is a story set in two different time periods. The scene is set in the seaside town of Helmstone, a place with sharp cliffs, holidaymakers, day-trippers, a fairground and a hotel - among other things. Chapter one begins the story in 1965 with the main character of that period Rosie Churchill. She is a young woman in her late teens and run away from home and sixth form to rent a bed in the rundown yet still beautiful Castaway House in Helmstone. Castaway House though has its secrets. Rosie is soon set on discovering who the mysterious 'R.C' is; a drawing of a man with the initials 'R.C.' is found wedged behind some skirting boards, a mysterious message is discovered carved and inked into the frame of a window and whispers of trouble years ago come to Rosie's ears.
In 1924, a young and somewhat naïve nineteen year old Robert Carver makes his way to Helmstone to stay with his wealthier, older and more exciting cousin Alec at his beautiful home, Castaway House. He arrives to find that Alec has married, walking straight into the lives of a damaged, un-loving couple with far-reaching secrets. Little does Robert know that his summer at Castaway House will change his life and the lives of all he comes in contact with.
At 500+ pages, The Mysterious Affair at Castaway House rather intimidated me upon first glance. Once I started reading however I was hooked. The story is written in the first person, from the viewpoint of either Robert or Rosie depending on which year the chapter was set in. I think the span of time covered in both 1924 and 1965 was only a few months; the summer of 1924 and sometime from September in 1965 although there were links between the two. The story was brought to life by the author's words. The characters were wonderfully flawed and exquisitely human. No one was perfect and each had characteristics and traits and got into situations that you could easily understand, feel and relate to.
This book was very much set in the UK - Helmstone sounded to me like the seaside town of Brighton on the south coast of England. There were also many mentions of the 1st and 2nd world wars. In 1924 and 1965, both would still be very near memory to the population. Many would have lost parents, bothers, cousins, uncles or sweethearts in the fighting. There would still be reminders, especially on the coast - shops previously used as lookout posts and maybe a pier destroyed so it couldn't be used to land enemy planes.
The story of Castaway House and its inhabitants in both 1924 and 1965 were linked wonderfully, with little tendrils of knowledge and hits at answers - and even more questions - coming throughout the story. The way the author intertwined the characters throughout the book and between 1924 and 1965 was magnificently done and I am completely in awe. I was kept guessing throughout the majority of the book until the full story was told and the characters truly unveiled. I will admit to making a few guesses which ended up evenly split between right and wrong!
The mystery of Castaway House and its inhabitants was one which touched many lives. I was completely enchanted and thrilled with the story and characters and didn't want to finish reading. Unfortunately I had to in order to find out what had really happened.
This book is one I will keep going back to and will loudly praise to all who will listen. Why? Because it's bl**dy brilliant.
I was delighted to receive this copy of The Mysterious Affair at Castaway House through the post as it was one which greatly appealed to me. I was shocked to discover on it's arrival that it is an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC), so I am not allowed to post any quotes from it - much as I may wish. At a little over 500 pages, this paperback book is rather thick but surprisingly lightweight with reasonably sized but not overly large text. I especially enjoyed the floppiness of the pages - it was a joy not to have to wrestle to open a book! The cover is somewhat sedate and rather dignified but striking - I adore it.
The Mysterious Affair at Castaway House is a story set in two different time periods. The scene is set in the seaside town of Helmstone, a place with sharp cliffs, holidaymakers, day-trippers, a fairground and a hotel - among other things. Chapter one begins the story in 1965 with the main character of that period Rosie Churchill. She is a young woman in her late teens and run away from home and sixth form to rent a bed in the rundown yet still beautiful Castaway House in Helmstone. Castaway House though has its secrets. Rosie is soon set on discovering who the mysterious 'R.C' is; a drawing of a man with the initials 'R.C.' is found wedged behind some skirting boards, a mysterious message is discovered carved and inked into the frame of a window and whispers of trouble years ago come to Rosie's ears.
In 1924, a young and somewhat naïve nineteen year old Robert Carver makes his way to Helmstone to stay with his wealthier, older and more exciting cousin Alec at his beautiful home, Castaway House. He arrives to find that Alec has married, walking straight into the lives of a damaged, un-loving couple with far-reaching secrets. Little does Robert know that his summer at Castaway House will change his life and the lives of all he comes in contact with.
At 500+ pages, The Mysterious Affair at Castaway House rather intimidated me upon first glance. Once I started reading however I was hooked. The story is written in the first person, from the viewpoint of either Robert or Rosie depending on which year the chapter was set in. I think the span of time covered in both 1924 and 1965 was only a few months; the summer of 1924 and sometime from September in 1965 although there were links between the two. The story was brought to life by the author's words. The characters were wonderfully flawed and exquisitely human. No one was perfect and each had characteristics and traits and got into situations that you could easily understand, feel and relate to.
This book was very much set in the UK - Helmstone sounded to me like the seaside town of Brighton on the south coast of England. There were also many mentions of the 1st and 2nd world wars. In 1924 and 1965, both would still be very near memory to the population. Many would have lost parents, bothers, cousins, uncles or sweethearts in the fighting. There would still be reminders, especially on the coast - shops previously used as lookout posts and maybe a pier destroyed so it couldn't be used to land enemy planes.
The story of Castaway House and its inhabitants in both 1924 and 1965 were linked wonderfully, with little tendrils of knowledge and hits at answers - and even more questions - coming throughout the story. The way the author intertwined the characters throughout the book and between 1924 and 1965 was magnificently done and I am completely in awe. I was kept guessing throughout the majority of the book until the full story was told and the characters truly unveiled. I will admit to making a few guesses which ended up evenly split between right and wrong!
The mystery of Castaway House and its inhabitants was one which touched many lives. I was completely enchanted and thrilled with the story and characters and didn't want to finish reading. Unfortunately I had to in order to find out what had really happened.
This book is one I will keep going back to and will loudly praise to all who will listen. Why? Because it's bl**dy brilliant.
June 7, 2014
This debut historical fiction novel uses the, perhaps, overused plot device of two dual time lines – in this case 1924 and 1965. The book revolves around Castaway House, which overlooks the sea in Helmstone. In 1965 it is young Rosie Churchill who has fled her home and education, despite being the most promising pupil in her class and about to take her A Level exams. Castaway House was once a beautiful house which dominated the town, but by the time Rosie arrives, it is a slightly run down boarding house. She spends her time working for Mrs Hale; carrying cups of tea and washing up, instead of studying. The other boarders include a new visitor, ‘Dockie’, who says he is returning to the house, but claims he has lost his memory and drinks too much. In her room, she studies the pencil sketch of a young man, R.C. and wonders about the message, “Robert Carver is innocent,” etched into the wall. The old mystery takes her mind off her own troubles as her own life becomes more complicated.
The storyline in 1924 concerns Robert Carver, who arrives at the house to recuperate from a lung problem. The house belongs to his cousin Alec Bray, who inherited it after the death of his mother. However, when Robert arrives, he finds that Alec has married in haste – a young actress called Clara, who insults Robert, labelling him a “poor relation.” However, things are not as simple as they first seem - why does everyone say that Castaway House is full of secrets, why is the maid, Agnes, always crying and is Clara really the cruel and ungrateful wife she appears to be?
As the novel progresses, secrets are uncovered and we discover what Robert was accused of and why Rosie fled her home. The time frame of the novel means that Rosie can meet people from 1924 and makes the storyline more immediate. However, there do seem to be more than a few coincidences along the way and overall the plot is a little predictable. Saying that, it is a pleasant novel and an enjoyable, if easy, read.
Rated 3.5
The storyline in 1924 concerns Robert Carver, who arrives at the house to recuperate from a lung problem. The house belongs to his cousin Alec Bray, who inherited it after the death of his mother. However, when Robert arrives, he finds that Alec has married in haste – a young actress called Clara, who insults Robert, labelling him a “poor relation.” However, things are not as simple as they first seem - why does everyone say that Castaway House is full of secrets, why is the maid, Agnes, always crying and is Clara really the cruel and ungrateful wife she appears to be?
As the novel progresses, secrets are uncovered and we discover what Robert was accused of and why Rosie fled her home. The time frame of the novel means that Rosie can meet people from 1924 and makes the storyline more immediate. However, there do seem to be more than a few coincidences along the way and overall the plot is a little predictable. Saying that, it is a pleasant novel and an enjoyable, if easy, read.
Rated 3.5
March 25, 2020
Visit the locations in the novel Travel to Castaway House
Oh how I enjoyed this book! Creepy and exciting at the same time and I just love books about old creaky houses with secrets to share. There’s just something about them. This house had many secrets and it was just a great way to immerse myself into a lovely old building from start to finish. I just wish Helmstone was real as I would really like to go there!
The star of the show was the one setting described and evoked so differently that was a booktrail favourite, it was like holding a old black and white photo over a modern setting. The difference is as stark as silk and rough taffeta – Alec is trying to project an image of glamour and a privileged world with ladies who wear silk before switching to the poorer sixties where the texture of society as well as the clothes is somewhat darker and rougher. There was no rough friction slips between the two time periods however and the overall effect was smooth and effective.When they converge – the effect is quite something!
Oh how I enjoyed this book! Creepy and exciting at the same time and I just love books about old creaky houses with secrets to share. There’s just something about them. This house had many secrets and it was just a great way to immerse myself into a lovely old building from start to finish. I just wish Helmstone was real as I would really like to go there!
The star of the show was the one setting described and evoked so differently that was a booktrail favourite, it was like holding a old black and white photo over a modern setting. The difference is as stark as silk and rough taffeta – Alec is trying to project an image of glamour and a privileged world with ladies who wear silk before switching to the poorer sixties where the texture of society as well as the clothes is somewhat darker and rougher. There was no rough friction slips between the two time periods however and the overall effect was smooth and effective.When they converge – the effect is quite something!
July 5, 2015
A finely constructed, highly atmospheric mystery from a truely gifted storyteller.
I was swept away by "The Mysterious Affair at Castaway House". It was hugely enjoyable, surprising, with a bit of romance and all done with a tongue in cheek humour I absolutely adored. The book cleverly explores British cultural shifts between the 1920s and the 1960s through the eyes of contrasting yet equally intriguing characters, all living in the same fictional seaside town of Helmstone. The period details and contrasting literary styles of the 2 eras are staggering, you really feel tottaly immersed in the Jazz age of the 1920s and the sexual revolution of the mid 1960s. Yet we are allowed to make our own conclusions as to the impact of that rampant social change during those 40 years, and how that time has affected our own contemporary culture today. The excellent, thought provoking social history, and the gripping excitement of the writing all combine to make this a thinking womans juicy read. I loved it! and I would definitely recommend this great book.!
I was swept away by "The Mysterious Affair at Castaway House". It was hugely enjoyable, surprising, with a bit of romance and all done with a tongue in cheek humour I absolutely adored. The book cleverly explores British cultural shifts between the 1920s and the 1960s through the eyes of contrasting yet equally intriguing characters, all living in the same fictional seaside town of Helmstone. The period details and contrasting literary styles of the 2 eras are staggering, you really feel tottaly immersed in the Jazz age of the 1920s and the sexual revolution of the mid 1960s. Yet we are allowed to make our own conclusions as to the impact of that rampant social change during those 40 years, and how that time has affected our own contemporary culture today. The excellent, thought provoking social history, and the gripping excitement of the writing all combine to make this a thinking womans juicy read. I loved it! and I would definitely recommend this great book.!
August 12, 2014
Firstly I won a copy of this book via The Book Boutique's Facebook Page competition and very promptly received a pristine ARC copy of the book. So thank you to them for choosing me and I eagerly started to devour my copy. The book itself was a very well presented soft cover copy with a very satisfying 'floppiness' to it which felt good to handle. It also has an nicely beautiful cover which to me is always an attractive feature for any book.
Onto the review. The description on the back of the book gives a very nice overview of the story that you are about to enjoy and I wouldn't like to say too much more with regards to the plot as I think it would spoil another readers enjoyment to be told too much. Suffice to say it is a mystery full of interesting and well thought out characters set in a seaside town in two different decades of the twentieth century. The art Deco period of the 20's and the 'swinging' sixties. I must say that in lots of these dual stranded novels the two time periods are one 'older' era be it 20's, 30's, 40's etc and one modern twenty first century timescale. It made a nice change for the 'modern' part of the story to still be in a bygone era, pre mobiles, internet etc, etc so full respect to the author for the well chosen time settings.
There are three major characters in each time period - 1924 - Clara, Alec & Robert, 1965 - Rosie, Star and Dockie and a full supporting cast in each time also. I liked all the characters in both settings and thought they were very well developed and interesting. All of them adding tremendously to the story and how it develops.
I believe this is Stephanie Lams first novel and was very impressed with her skill as a writer and her ability to conjure up a well paced, thoroughly intriguing and very well written piece of work.
It was easy to imagine the setting of the seaside town in both its 20's heyday and its declining 60's persona and the balance between the two was brilliant.
The two parts of the tale were told in alternating chapters and flowed well into each other and helped the story along very well indeed.
It is a reasonably longish book (500 pages) but once you start it is quite a gripping read and I finished it in just a few days as I found myself reading it at any and every opportunity. (I wont say thank you for the couple of late nights it caused me!)
All in all I wouldn't hesitate to both recommend this book to others either by word of mouth or by this review and will definitely be looking out for Stephanie's next book and beyond.
Thank You Again for the opportunity and I hope this book is successful for the author she deserves the credit.
Onto the review. The description on the back of the book gives a very nice overview of the story that you are about to enjoy and I wouldn't like to say too much more with regards to the plot as I think it would spoil another readers enjoyment to be told too much. Suffice to say it is a mystery full of interesting and well thought out characters set in a seaside town in two different decades of the twentieth century. The art Deco period of the 20's and the 'swinging' sixties. I must say that in lots of these dual stranded novels the two time periods are one 'older' era be it 20's, 30's, 40's etc and one modern twenty first century timescale. It made a nice change for the 'modern' part of the story to still be in a bygone era, pre mobiles, internet etc, etc so full respect to the author for the well chosen time settings.
There are three major characters in each time period - 1924 - Clara, Alec & Robert, 1965 - Rosie, Star and Dockie and a full supporting cast in each time also. I liked all the characters in both settings and thought they were very well developed and interesting. All of them adding tremendously to the story and how it develops.
I believe this is Stephanie Lams first novel and was very impressed with her skill as a writer and her ability to conjure up a well paced, thoroughly intriguing and very well written piece of work.
It was easy to imagine the setting of the seaside town in both its 20's heyday and its declining 60's persona and the balance between the two was brilliant.
The two parts of the tale were told in alternating chapters and flowed well into each other and helped the story along very well indeed.
It is a reasonably longish book (500 pages) but once you start it is quite a gripping read and I finished it in just a few days as I found myself reading it at any and every opportunity. (I wont say thank you for the couple of late nights it caused me!)
All in all I wouldn't hesitate to both recommend this book to others either by word of mouth or by this review and will definitely be looking out for Stephanie's next book and beyond.
Thank You Again for the opportunity and I hope this book is successful for the author she deserves the credit.
July 18, 2015
Stephanie Lam’s The Mysterious Affair at Castaway House is an evocative, twisty narrative set across two timeframes. Vivid and brilliantly plotted it had me guessing till the very end. In 1960s Helmstone (a fictional town no doubt inspired by the author’s home town, Brighton) young Rosie Churchill has left home under a cloud and rents a room in dilapidated Castaway House. Here she finds a message scratched into the walls – Robert Carver is innocent – and uncovers a long buried scandal. In 1924 Robert Carver stays at Castaway, guest of his cousin Alec Bray and his stunning, ice-queen wife Clara. Mesmerised by the wealth and beauty of their existence he is blind to dangers which lurk in the corner of their world. As Rosie uncovers the mystery of what happened to Robert, she must face her own troubled past. I absolutely adored this novel; it reminded me of Sarah Waters in its sensuality – the love scenes are gorgeous. Lam weaves the two narratives seamlessly; she captures the flavour of both eras without resorting to cliché – the causal sexism and predatory attitude towards young women in 60s Britain is shocking in its realism and the superficial glamour of the roaring 20s is captured perfectly. The descriptions of the beautiful, careless rich, languid in the magnificent Castaway with its diaphanous curtains fluttering in the breeze brought to mind The Great Gatsby. And while Lam writes exquisite descriptive prose the story rips along at a cracking pace. If you enjoy being whisked away to the country of the near and not so near past and you enjoy well written, sensual mysteries to lose yourself in, then you could do no better than this fabulous book. LOVED IT.
September 8, 2014
I do like it when a book lives up to its title so I pleased to report that there are a number of mysteries between the pages of this debut novel by Stephanie Lam.
This book uses the dual time line style of narrative with alternate chapters narrated by Rosie Churchill in 1965 and Robert Carver in 1924. Rosie is just 18 and has left home before finishing school to share a flat in Castaway House. When Rosie is given a picture of Robert (because they share the same initials) her interest is piqued and she determines to find out more about him. Due to the two are separated by a mere forty years she is able to meet people who were around at the same time and as expected the more she finds out the deeper the mystery becomes. This is not all though because Rosie has her own secrets as do other members of the household.
In 1924 Robert Carver spends his summer with his cousin Alec Bray and his wife Clara in the summer while convalescing from an illness in the seaside town of Helmstone; no small shared flat for Robert though at this time the house is at its best complete with servants but it soon becomes apparent that Alec and Clara are far from happily married and Robert begins to regret his decision but then he meets the next door neighbours who include the Doctor’s daughter Lizzie and Robert graduates from boy to man.
This book is a whopping 500 plus pages but at no time did I feel that any parts of the book needed editing which illustrates the power of Stephanie Lam’s writing. The period details aren’t quite as defined as I would have liked but the two time periods were defined enough to avoid any confusion between them but I felt it relied quite heavily on the readers own knowledge to pick up on some of the references. The town of Helmstone although fictional felt like a real place and I was clearly able to visualise Castaway House from the description whilst wondering if the deterioration in the house over the forty years was a metaphor for the standards people were supposed to aspire to, although the evidence of some of the characters we met weren’t quite aspirational enough. Although we have two main protagonists the other characters have also had a lot of attention lavished on them, including those on the periphery to the tale which meant that when I closed the last page I was sorry to say goodbye.
I am very grateful to Penguin Books (UK) for giving me a copy of this book in return for this honest review and I can’t wait to see what Stephanie Lam delivers next, clearly an author to keep an eye out for.
This book uses the dual time line style of narrative with alternate chapters narrated by Rosie Churchill in 1965 and Robert Carver in 1924. Rosie is just 18 and has left home before finishing school to share a flat in Castaway House. When Rosie is given a picture of Robert (because they share the same initials) her interest is piqued and she determines to find out more about him. Due to the two are separated by a mere forty years she is able to meet people who were around at the same time and as expected the more she finds out the deeper the mystery becomes. This is not all though because Rosie has her own secrets as do other members of the household.
In 1924 Robert Carver spends his summer with his cousin Alec Bray and his wife Clara in the summer while convalescing from an illness in the seaside town of Helmstone; no small shared flat for Robert though at this time the house is at its best complete with servants but it soon becomes apparent that Alec and Clara are far from happily married and Robert begins to regret his decision but then he meets the next door neighbours who include the Doctor’s daughter Lizzie and Robert graduates from boy to man.
This book is a whopping 500 plus pages but at no time did I feel that any parts of the book needed editing which illustrates the power of Stephanie Lam’s writing. The period details aren’t quite as defined as I would have liked but the two time periods were defined enough to avoid any confusion between them but I felt it relied quite heavily on the readers own knowledge to pick up on some of the references. The town of Helmstone although fictional felt like a real place and I was clearly able to visualise Castaway House from the description whilst wondering if the deterioration in the house over the forty years was a metaphor for the standards people were supposed to aspire to, although the evidence of some of the characters we met weren’t quite aspirational enough. Although we have two main protagonists the other characters have also had a lot of attention lavished on them, including those on the periphery to the tale which meant that when I closed the last page I was sorry to say goodbye.
I am very grateful to Penguin Books (UK) for giving me a copy of this book in return for this honest review and I can’t wait to see what Stephanie Lam delivers next, clearly an author to keep an eye out for.
August 12, 2014
So! This is the first time I have written a proper review on goodreads and not on my wordy blogger blog. Regardless, I was honoured to win this book, "The Mysterious Affair at Castaway House" by Stephanie Lam, in a goodreads giveaway and I won't lie, when I read the back synopsis, I began to wonder why I entered said giveaway as it was not a typical book someone like me would take a gander with.
I take all of the latter back now upon completion of reading this first novel of Stephanie Lam's.
Of course, I cannot give too much away as I was rather shocked to realise that the copy that I had received was an advance readers copy (ARC).
I know people often frown upon it, however, I enjoyed the duel writing periods, one being 1924 and another being 1965. We have two characters, one for each period; Robert Carver, the protagonist of 1924 and Rosie Churchill, the protagonist of 1965. And ultimately, their tales interlink as a world of mystery and questions needing answers is unveiled to Rosie, to the point that you feel as if you are her and you are unwittingly at first, trying to figure out the truth of forty years ago. I guess uncovering the past several years down the line is something I do consider as mildly fascinating and I to, have often found myself wondering into the past and eager to find out more.
The way it is written, aids this concept. As something is hinted at in 1965, we return to 1924 to fill in some of the gaps and vice versa. However, this skill also plants more questions into your mind, like "Who is this Dockie?", "Why is he at Castaway?", "Why did Rosie run away to Castaway house?" and "What does that writing beneath the windowsill mean?" It's questions like these that propel you to read onwards and yet all along, you still do not know the truth until those last few pages but even then, there are doubts in your mind and the only one who can answer that is Dockie himself.
The style of writing, I feel personally, helps the reader flow through Rosie Churchill's journey but also, makes you feel as if, whilst you are reading, that you too are piecing together the facts as they come along, just as Rosie is doing throughout.
The historical aspect of the two eras in Helmstone are important as well, I feel. 1924 follows the aftermath of the first world war (I think? My history is sketchy >.<) and the era of jazz, dancing, how sexual promiscuity is frowned upon and everything is very much family based, sex and children after marriage and the such, yet 1965 shows an era of change, with council flats blooming high above the town and what I can only describe as the sexual revolution of the 1960's (what with the hints of gay men and female-on-female emotions and feelings). It's fun to read as you can see the change and morph of the years on this fictional seaside town of Helmstone, Castaway House being the feature point of the entirety of the novel.
The characters are each wonderfully designed and equally unique and distinguishable, which of course, makes for ease of reading. The relationships between characters are well piqued to grab your interest. Something else I actually enjoyed was how the relationships were not the main focus of the novel, albeit, they were important, and Rosie and Star were a treat for a reader such as I, but even then, Rosie and Dockie, Carver and the Featherses, and we cannot ignore Clara Bray both past and present. The relationships and characters added to the story and to the mystery of the house and although there were indeed characters you knew you should have disliked, you could not help but be torn and like them as well... again, I am looking at Clara Bray.
I must add, as well, that although when I received the novel, the 500 daunting pages loomed at me precariously and I worried I would struggle to read it, especially as I am a bigger fan of shirter, snappier chapters as well, it gives me time to breathe whilst reading and if I remember correctly, this novel only has 14 or 15 chapters spilt across the 500 pages, so you can see why I worried so. And yet, as soon as Rosie finds the mysterious drawing of R.C. from 1924, I wondered who he was and threw myself into the next chapter, and then I'd rush into Rosie's next chapter and repeat because I wanted to uncover the mysterious affair at Castaway House.
Of course, I won't ruin the ending, but it is to be enjoyed... and that is purely because I couldn't figure out who it was and why it happened and well, you have just done 40 years of delving into the past to find the answers. You will ask yourself questions along the way and you may find answers, you may even piece some sections together yourself, however you will also wonder a heck of a lot as to why you did not see THAT coming. Oh, it's beautiful. And its a different kind of mystery, that have families and unknown souls... not your typical murder mystery; that was enjoyable too.
This is definitely a novel for the female readers, a beautifully written and atmospheric piece of work that I think can be thoroughly enjoyed by many and all.
I am intrigued to see if Stephanie Lam will give us more in the future! I am keen on reading her work again as I have repeated constantly in updates whilst reading this book, I adored how beautifully written her prose is.
I take all of the latter back now upon completion of reading this first novel of Stephanie Lam's.
Of course, I cannot give too much away as I was rather shocked to realise that the copy that I had received was an advance readers copy (ARC).
I know people often frown upon it, however, I enjoyed the duel writing periods, one being 1924 and another being 1965. We have two characters, one for each period; Robert Carver, the protagonist of 1924 and Rosie Churchill, the protagonist of 1965. And ultimately, their tales interlink as a world of mystery and questions needing answers is unveiled to Rosie, to the point that you feel as if you are her and you are unwittingly at first, trying to figure out the truth of forty years ago. I guess uncovering the past several years down the line is something I do consider as mildly fascinating and I to, have often found myself wondering into the past and eager to find out more.
The way it is written, aids this concept. As something is hinted at in 1965, we return to 1924 to fill in some of the gaps and vice versa. However, this skill also plants more questions into your mind, like "Who is this Dockie?", "Why is he at Castaway?", "Why did Rosie run away to Castaway house?" and "What does that writing beneath the windowsill mean?" It's questions like these that propel you to read onwards and yet all along, you still do not know the truth until those last few pages but even then, there are doubts in your mind and the only one who can answer that is Dockie himself.
The style of writing, I feel personally, helps the reader flow through Rosie Churchill's journey but also, makes you feel as if, whilst you are reading, that you too are piecing together the facts as they come along, just as Rosie is doing throughout.
The historical aspect of the two eras in Helmstone are important as well, I feel. 1924 follows the aftermath of the first world war (I think? My history is sketchy >.<) and the era of jazz, dancing, how sexual promiscuity is frowned upon and everything is very much family based, sex and children after marriage and the such, yet 1965 shows an era of change, with council flats blooming high above the town and what I can only describe as the sexual revolution of the 1960's (what with the hints of gay men and female-on-female emotions and feelings). It's fun to read as you can see the change and morph of the years on this fictional seaside town of Helmstone, Castaway House being the feature point of the entirety of the novel.
The characters are each wonderfully designed and equally unique and distinguishable, which of course, makes for ease of reading. The relationships between characters are well piqued to grab your interest. Something else I actually enjoyed was how the relationships were not the main focus of the novel, albeit, they were important, and Rosie and Star were a treat for a reader such as I, but even then, Rosie and Dockie, Carver and the Featherses, and we cannot ignore Clara Bray both past and present. The relationships and characters added to the story and to the mystery of the house and although there were indeed characters you knew you should have disliked, you could not help but be torn and like them as well... again, I am looking at Clara Bray.
I must add, as well, that although when I received the novel, the 500 daunting pages loomed at me precariously and I worried I would struggle to read it, especially as I am a bigger fan of shirter, snappier chapters as well, it gives me time to breathe whilst reading and if I remember correctly, this novel only has 14 or 15 chapters spilt across the 500 pages, so you can see why I worried so. And yet, as soon as Rosie finds the mysterious drawing of R.C. from 1924, I wondered who he was and threw myself into the next chapter, and then I'd rush into Rosie's next chapter and repeat because I wanted to uncover the mysterious affair at Castaway House.
Of course, I won't ruin the ending, but it is to be enjoyed... and that is purely because I couldn't figure out who it was and why it happened and well, you have just done 40 years of delving into the past to find the answers. You will ask yourself questions along the way and you may find answers, you may even piece some sections together yourself, however you will also wonder a heck of a lot as to why you did not see THAT coming. Oh, it's beautiful. And its a different kind of mystery, that have families and unknown souls... not your typical murder mystery; that was enjoyable too.
This is definitely a novel for the female readers, a beautifully written and atmospheric piece of work that I think can be thoroughly enjoyed by many and all.
I am intrigued to see if Stephanie Lam will give us more in the future! I am keen on reading her work again as I have repeated constantly in updates whilst reading this book, I adored how beautifully written her prose is.
August 31, 2014
"The Mysterious Affair at Castaway House" by Stephanie Lam which I won through Goodreads Giveaways is an intriguing story spanning 1924 and 1965 and laced with scandal, tragedy and mystery. It begins when Rosie Churchill, running away from a secret, takes a room with two other girls at the dilapidated Castaway House near Helmstone. Struggling to put the past behind her and survive financially, Rosie's curiosity ignites when she finds not only an old pencil drawing of a man with the initials "R.C." but the cryptic phrase "Robert Carver is innocent" gouged under the window sill, discovering a connection between the two. The mystery becomes even more intoxicating when a drifter named Dorkie appears at Castaway House and starts remembering the man and the dark history of the house.
In a flashback to 1924 Robert Carver has been invited to Castaway House by his cousin Alec Bray hoping the sea air will revitalize his health. What Robert quickly comes to realize is that the Bray's marriage is tenuous, both hiding secrets that could tear them apart. Although he loves his cousin, he quickly falls into a web of illicit passion and intrigue that could endanger his life.
Told from the perspective of Rosie Churchill in 1965 and Robert Carver in 1924, the plot traces the history of the house linking past and present, and culminating in a climax that will shock the reader. With vivid description Stephanie Lam juxtaposes the former glory of the luxurious regency style home on Gaunts Cliff with the rundown Castaway House of the present, contrasting the wealth and power of the Brays in their heyday with their fallen fortunes and broken lives. Skilfully the author unveils the deceit and immorality in the Bray family that's hidden behind wealth, decorum and respectability and links it to the broken lives in 1965. Although the connection between the two periods is balanced and fluid, the plot doesn't spark much emotion until more than half way through. It also seems as if Stephanie Lam is trying to provoke more interest in the plot with the lesbian proclivity between Rosie and Star. Unlike Johnny Clarke who hides his homosexuality with quick encounters, theirs is more open which would have been considered offensive in 1965.
In the plot there are wonderful ghostly touches like the whistling and the open chest when Rosie slept in Clara's room, and moments of wry wit and humour. But there are problems in the story like Robert Carver's death. His death in prison is too pat. Where was his family? Why didn't he have a lawyer ? Why were no concessions made because of his health and a lack of evidence? Yet the plot is engaging especially with its dramatic mix of colourful personalities.
The characters are realistic, adding their own brand of power and drama to this story with all their flaws and faults. Rosie Churchill a high achiever at school is haunted by guilt and runs away. She's a trustworthy, loyal and kind eighteen year old with a conscience when she takes a drifter with an envelope full of money under her wing. Dorkie a muddled drunk who suffers from headaches is likeable but riddled with guilt as he determinedly searches for clues to his past while Rosie's friend Star is unreliable, self-obsessed and amusing. Her grandmother Clara Bray has few scruples, is bluntly honest, rude and foul-mouthed, a child of the streets who struggled to gain wealth and respectability through marriage. She's feisty and wilful, but open-minded enough in later years to meet and listen to Dorkie's story. Robert Carver the nineteen year old with a chest ailment is intelligent and good-hearted but is easily duped while his cousin Alec, born into wealth is impetuous, wild, and flighty. Yet for all the cracks in their relationship, Robert and Alec are loyal friends and thoughtful cousins.
For a first novel " The Mysterious Affair at Castaway House" is fascinating and enjoyable to read. I would give it a 3.5.
In a flashback to 1924 Robert Carver has been invited to Castaway House by his cousin Alec Bray hoping the sea air will revitalize his health. What Robert quickly comes to realize is that the Bray's marriage is tenuous, both hiding secrets that could tear them apart. Although he loves his cousin, he quickly falls into a web of illicit passion and intrigue that could endanger his life.
Told from the perspective of Rosie Churchill in 1965 and Robert Carver in 1924, the plot traces the history of the house linking past and present, and culminating in a climax that will shock the reader. With vivid description Stephanie Lam juxtaposes the former glory of the luxurious regency style home on Gaunts Cliff with the rundown Castaway House of the present, contrasting the wealth and power of the Brays in their heyday with their fallen fortunes and broken lives. Skilfully the author unveils the deceit and immorality in the Bray family that's hidden behind wealth, decorum and respectability and links it to the broken lives in 1965. Although the connection between the two periods is balanced and fluid, the plot doesn't spark much emotion until more than half way through. It also seems as if Stephanie Lam is trying to provoke more interest in the plot with the lesbian proclivity between Rosie and Star. Unlike Johnny Clarke who hides his homosexuality with quick encounters, theirs is more open which would have been considered offensive in 1965.
In the plot there are wonderful ghostly touches like the whistling and the open chest when Rosie slept in Clara's room, and moments of wry wit and humour. But there are problems in the story like Robert Carver's death. His death in prison is too pat. Where was his family? Why didn't he have a lawyer ? Why were no concessions made because of his health and a lack of evidence? Yet the plot is engaging especially with its dramatic mix of colourful personalities.
The characters are realistic, adding their own brand of power and drama to this story with all their flaws and faults. Rosie Churchill a high achiever at school is haunted by guilt and runs away. She's a trustworthy, loyal and kind eighteen year old with a conscience when she takes a drifter with an envelope full of money under her wing. Dorkie a muddled drunk who suffers from headaches is likeable but riddled with guilt as he determinedly searches for clues to his past while Rosie's friend Star is unreliable, self-obsessed and amusing. Her grandmother Clara Bray has few scruples, is bluntly honest, rude and foul-mouthed, a child of the streets who struggled to gain wealth and respectability through marriage. She's feisty and wilful, but open-minded enough in later years to meet and listen to Dorkie's story. Robert Carver the nineteen year old with a chest ailment is intelligent and good-hearted but is easily duped while his cousin Alec, born into wealth is impetuous, wild, and flighty. Yet for all the cracks in their relationship, Robert and Alec are loyal friends and thoughtful cousins.
For a first novel " The Mysterious Affair at Castaway House" is fascinating and enjoyable to read. I would give it a 3.5.
December 24, 2025
A book for the summer holiday easy reading shelf. That doesn't mean I am disparaging it. It is an entertaining and undemanding read and sometimes everyone needs a book like that. It is quite a fairytale in fact – an evil stepfather, a pretty young damsel to face up to her peril, Prince Charmings are in short supply it's true, but there is a brooding queen ready to look at her reflection and demand, “Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who of us is playing with them all?”
It's a shame about the title, though. The hint of Agatha Christie is misleading. It can't be a murder mystery without a murder, and if “Mysterious Affair at” was replaced by “Mystery of” then The Mysterious Affair at Castaway House would have to have been a kids' thriller. And this is not a book for the kiddies. Everyone is “at it”, as might have been said in the Folkestone of 1924 or 1965.
Yes, a sprightly and promiscuous time is had by all the champagne, whiskey and gin-soaked cast. It is little wonder that lives go awry. Shifting times between the bright young things enjoying the high life of wealth and privilege in the 1920s and the Carnaby Street crowd of the 1960s works well enough, though there are too many stereotyped characters around. Too many types and too few individuals. Only Clara Bray and Rosie Churchill stand out as believable personalities, and even Rosie seems to belong more with Cathy Come Home than Carnaby Street.
I could cope with Alec Bray falling into the sea in 1924 and suffering from total amnesia until 1965. I could handle Clara being the tarty gold-digger with a heart of ormolu. What I found difficult to accept was the pointless spooky bit. Eerie bronchial wheezing in the dead of night and the lid of a trunk that won't stay shut terrify Rosie, but it is hard to understand why a ghost was doing it. He struggled to say boo to a charlatan while he was alive and kicking, why be nasty to a teenager who has enough trouble dealing with her horny stepfather? It added nothing to a story that was pacy enough without it.
It passes an afternoon in the sun with a bottle of something fizzy and chilled to hand. All the loose ends are tied up perhaps a little too neatly and happiness prevails as it should it all good fairytales – and amazingly, not for a lack of trying, no one catches an unwelcome infection.
It's a shame about the title, though. The hint of Agatha Christie is misleading. It can't be a murder mystery without a murder, and if “Mysterious Affair at” was replaced by “Mystery of” then The Mysterious Affair at Castaway House would have to have been a kids' thriller. And this is not a book for the kiddies. Everyone is “at it”, as might have been said in the Folkestone of 1924 or 1965.
Yes, a sprightly and promiscuous time is had by all the champagne, whiskey and gin-soaked cast. It is little wonder that lives go awry. Shifting times between the bright young things enjoying the high life of wealth and privilege in the 1920s and the Carnaby Street crowd of the 1960s works well enough, though there are too many stereotyped characters around. Too many types and too few individuals. Only Clara Bray and Rosie Churchill stand out as believable personalities, and even Rosie seems to belong more with Cathy Come Home than Carnaby Street.
I could cope with Alec Bray falling into the sea in 1924 and suffering from total amnesia until 1965. I could handle Clara being the tarty gold-digger with a heart of ormolu. What I found difficult to accept was the pointless spooky bit. Eerie bronchial wheezing in the dead of night and the lid of a trunk that won't stay shut terrify Rosie, but it is hard to understand why a ghost was doing it. He struggled to say boo to a charlatan while he was alive and kicking, why be nasty to a teenager who has enough trouble dealing with her horny stepfather? It added nothing to a story that was pacy enough without it.
It passes an afternoon in the sun with a bottle of something fizzy and chilled to hand. All the loose ends are tied up perhaps a little too neatly and happiness prevails as it should it all good fairytales – and amazingly, not for a lack of trying, no one catches an unwelcome infection.
February 12, 2016
I received this free from the publisher via NetGalley
Actual Rating 2.5
Release date - August 28th
Rosie Churchill, in 1965, has moved out from her mother’s house, and left school and moved to Castaway House in a seaside town. But she finds clues to the houses past which uncovers a scandal which took place there. In 1925, Robert Carver is invited to stay at Castaway House over the summer by his cousin, Alec Bray, who owns the place. While there he grows close to his cousins wife and secrets are spilled and made which leads to Roberts life being changed forever.
I was really looking forward to reading this. I got accepted on NetGalley ages ago but I am making my way through all my NetGalley books. I thought the story sounded suspenseful and intriguing, but I was sadly disappointed. I don’t read many adult books, I much prefer my YA, but I have been trying to read out of my comfort zone. Unfortunately, The Mysterious Affair at Castaway House was a bit of a letdown. That isn’t to say that this was a bad book, and I did enjoy aspects of it, but overall, I was a little disappointed.
I felt little suspense or mystery. Over half the book was just background information of the family and leading up to the affair, and frankly it bored me quite a bit. I much preferred reading from Rosie’s POV. I enjoyed her character more, and the mystery surrounding the old man was much more interesting that anything about Robert Carver. I did like how the author linked the past and the present together, she did do it pretty well. But other than that I felt myself get very bored. Whenever Robert’s POV came up, and I felt myself rushing through it to get back to Rosie. I preferred her relationships and friendships to Robert’s. I felt more mystery in her time than in Roberts. Robert was a boring person with little interesting qualities. But Rosie was a whole different story with a more interesting past and I just preferred her much better. She had a lot more character growth and development, she was learning independence, finding her sexuality, etc. Whereas Robert fell in love with his cousins wife and had an affair. Far less interesting in my opinion, but others may like it.
Overall it was an okay read. I wouldn’t recommend to anyone under the age of 18 as it had mature themes. I would suggest having a look at this if you enjoy adult historical fiction, as my opinion is a personal one and others may enjoy this, even if I didn’t as much as I would have liked.
This is released on August 28th
Actual Rating 2.5
Release date - August 28th
Rosie Churchill, in 1965, has moved out from her mother’s house, and left school and moved to Castaway House in a seaside town. But she finds clues to the houses past which uncovers a scandal which took place there. In 1925, Robert Carver is invited to stay at Castaway House over the summer by his cousin, Alec Bray, who owns the place. While there he grows close to his cousins wife and secrets are spilled and made which leads to Roberts life being changed forever.
I was really looking forward to reading this. I got accepted on NetGalley ages ago but I am making my way through all my NetGalley books. I thought the story sounded suspenseful and intriguing, but I was sadly disappointed. I don’t read many adult books, I much prefer my YA, but I have been trying to read out of my comfort zone. Unfortunately, The Mysterious Affair at Castaway House was a bit of a letdown. That isn’t to say that this was a bad book, and I did enjoy aspects of it, but overall, I was a little disappointed.
I felt little suspense or mystery. Over half the book was just background information of the family and leading up to the affair, and frankly it bored me quite a bit. I much preferred reading from Rosie’s POV. I enjoyed her character more, and the mystery surrounding the old man was much more interesting that anything about Robert Carver. I did like how the author linked the past and the present together, she did do it pretty well. But other than that I felt myself get very bored. Whenever Robert’s POV came up, and I felt myself rushing through it to get back to Rosie. I preferred her relationships and friendships to Robert’s. I felt more mystery in her time than in Roberts. Robert was a boring person with little interesting qualities. But Rosie was a whole different story with a more interesting past and I just preferred her much better. She had a lot more character growth and development, she was learning independence, finding her sexuality, etc. Whereas Robert fell in love with his cousins wife and had an affair. Far less interesting in my opinion, but others may like it.
Overall it was an okay read. I wouldn’t recommend to anyone under the age of 18 as it had mature themes. I would suggest having a look at this if you enjoy adult historical fiction, as my opinion is a personal one and others may enjoy this, even if I didn’t as much as I would have liked.
This is released on August 28th
September 8, 2014
The star of this story is the house. Castaway House sits high above the seaside town of Helmstone, once a place of grandeur and beauty, the setting for wonderful parties, it is now, in 1965, quite run-down. It's shabby exterior hiding the fact that this old family home is now a warren of seedy little flats, inhabited by drifters and loners.
The dual-time narrative of this story works so very well. It is becoming more and more popular to write a novel in this way, and I do particularly enjoy the compare and contrast of different eras. I especially enjoyed it in Castaway House as two of my favourite periods are depicted; the 1920s and the 1960s.
Rosie Churchill comes to live at Castaway House as an escape. She's just eighteen and has fled home and her studies. Sharing a room with two girls and working as a waitress was not in her plans, but things happen, and things change and this is where she's ended up. Rosie is intrigued by a sketched portrait of a man who shares her initials; RC. The mystery deepens when she finds a message carved under the window ledge, also featuring RC. When an old, tramp-like man called Dockie arrives on the doorstep of Castaway House, Rosie feels compelled to help him out, and as Dockie spends more time at the house, his memory returns and the mystery of RC gradually emerges.
Alternate chapters transport the reader back to the early 1920s, when Castaway House was inhabited by wealthy Alec Bray and his beautiful, if very aloof wife Clara. Robert Carver arrives to spend the summer with his rich relations, and finds himself smack bang in the middle of a warring couple on the brink of financial ruin. As Robert's summer progresses, so too does his story, the story that is linked back to that sketch and carving found by 1960s Rosie.
Stephanie Lam has created a house with its own huge character, the plot evolves around it, ably assisted by a cast of characters who are beautifully crafted and very realistic. Some of them are sad, some are damaged, but all of them are well rounded and vibrant. The story skips with ease from the dreary, down-at-heel house of the 60s back to the busy and elegant abode of the 20s, and the author drops hints and adds links subtly throughout the process.
Crimes of passion, hints of horror - there are a couple of quite spine-chilling scenes that had me holding my breath in anticipation. The Mysterious Affair of Castaway House is a elegantly written debut by an author to watch out for.
The dual-time narrative of this story works so very well. It is becoming more and more popular to write a novel in this way, and I do particularly enjoy the compare and contrast of different eras. I especially enjoyed it in Castaway House as two of my favourite periods are depicted; the 1920s and the 1960s.
Rosie Churchill comes to live at Castaway House as an escape. She's just eighteen and has fled home and her studies. Sharing a room with two girls and working as a waitress was not in her plans, but things happen, and things change and this is where she's ended up. Rosie is intrigued by a sketched portrait of a man who shares her initials; RC. The mystery deepens when she finds a message carved under the window ledge, also featuring RC. When an old, tramp-like man called Dockie arrives on the doorstep of Castaway House, Rosie feels compelled to help him out, and as Dockie spends more time at the house, his memory returns and the mystery of RC gradually emerges.
Alternate chapters transport the reader back to the early 1920s, when Castaway House was inhabited by wealthy Alec Bray and his beautiful, if very aloof wife Clara. Robert Carver arrives to spend the summer with his rich relations, and finds himself smack bang in the middle of a warring couple on the brink of financial ruin. As Robert's summer progresses, so too does his story, the story that is linked back to that sketch and carving found by 1960s Rosie.
Stephanie Lam has created a house with its own huge character, the plot evolves around it, ably assisted by a cast of characters who are beautifully crafted and very realistic. Some of them are sad, some are damaged, but all of them are well rounded and vibrant. The story skips with ease from the dreary, down-at-heel house of the 60s back to the busy and elegant abode of the 20s, and the author drops hints and adds links subtly throughout the process.
Crimes of passion, hints of horror - there are a couple of quite spine-chilling scenes that had me holding my breath in anticipation. The Mysterious Affair of Castaway House is a elegantly written debut by an author to watch out for.
August 4, 2014
I was very lucky to have been given a free ‘advance reading’ copy of this book free from ‘Goodreads First Reads’.
I found this book very interesting. The intertwining of the lives of those in two time periods was very thought provoking for me and the way they came together at the end made me want to start the next book and I felt sure that there was more to come, so I do hope that there is a second book or perhaps a trilogy. It certainly held my interest and drew me into the story. I would be delighted to read any of Stephanie Lam’s future books and would recommend this book for others to read.
I’m haven’t received an advance reading copy before so am unsure what I should and shouldn’t say but there is a ‘typo’ on page 502 when a sentence doesn’t complete the line but continues on the line below a little way in?!
I found this book very interesting. The intertwining of the lives of those in two time periods was very thought provoking for me and the way they came together at the end made me want to start the next book and I felt sure that there was more to come, so I do hope that there is a second book or perhaps a trilogy. It certainly held my interest and drew me into the story. I would be delighted to read any of Stephanie Lam’s future books and would recommend this book for others to read.
I’m haven’t received an advance reading copy before so am unsure what I should and shouldn’t say but there is a ‘typo’ on page 502 when a sentence doesn’t complete the line but continues on the line below a little way in?!
August 15, 2014
I was lucky enough to receive this book from Goodreads and I'm very glad I did, as I became more and more engrossed in the lives of the various characters.
The setting is, as the title suggests, Castaway House, in the seaside town of Helmstone.
There are two stories running along side by side; one set in 1924 and the other in 1965. They move along independently, both periods being brought to life quite vividly,and both eventually converging in a somewhat surprising manner.
This is a very well written novel and well constructed, as both stories progress smoothly in tandem with no friction as is quite often found in stories penned in this manner, and I will look out for other works by Stephanie Lam.
The setting is, as the title suggests, Castaway House, in the seaside town of Helmstone.
There are two stories running along side by side; one set in 1924 and the other in 1965. They move along independently, both periods being brought to life quite vividly,and both eventually converging in a somewhat surprising manner.
This is a very well written novel and well constructed, as both stories progress smoothly in tandem with no friction as is quite often found in stories penned in this manner, and I will look out for other works by Stephanie Lam.
March 6, 2018
An interesting dual time period mystery.....but...was lacking something. This story had all the components I enjoy: dual time period, great characters, long held secrets it just didn't grab me. I'm not sure why. I finished this debut novel and will definitely look out for others by this author.
January 13, 2021
I am so so tired of historical novels that go back and forth between time periods. The one I started after this is the same as well! It's so overdone. Please stop.
September 14, 2014
Original review can be found at http://kristineandterri.blogspot.ca/2...
I received an ARC of this book through a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
This book alternates between Rosie Churchill in 1965 and Robert Carver in 1924. The common thread throughout both stories is Castaway House in the seaside town of Helmstone. Although the house is completely tranformed between stories there is a common thread that mysteriously links the two.
I really enjoyed both parts of this story. Normally I tend to favour one over the other but that was not the case with this book. I found both Rosie and Robert's story to be interesting and when clues started popping up about the link between the two I was fully engaged. I desperately wanted to know what happened and what the connection was. Some things I was able to figure out easily whereas others I was not.
I sort of fell in love with Lam's description of Castaway House and could picture it vividly in my mind. Her writing style was easy to follow and made a large book feel like a short one. She writes in a way that makes you feel like you are there and creates characters that you feel like you know.
I won't re-tell the story (you will have to read it) but I will say that this was a book that I was truly happy to read. Lam is a new author to me and I will be sure to check out any and all future work by her.
I received an ARC of this book through a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
This book alternates between Rosie Churchill in 1965 and Robert Carver in 1924. The common thread throughout both stories is Castaway House in the seaside town of Helmstone. Although the house is completely tranformed between stories there is a common thread that mysteriously links the two.
I really enjoyed both parts of this story. Normally I tend to favour one over the other but that was not the case with this book. I found both Rosie and Robert's story to be interesting and when clues started popping up about the link between the two I was fully engaged. I desperately wanted to know what happened and what the connection was. Some things I was able to figure out easily whereas others I was not.
I sort of fell in love with Lam's description of Castaway House and could picture it vividly in my mind. Her writing style was easy to follow and made a large book feel like a short one. She writes in a way that makes you feel like you are there and creates characters that you feel like you know.
I won't re-tell the story (you will have to read it) but I will say that this was a book that I was truly happy to read. Lam is a new author to me and I will be sure to check out any and all future work by her.
October 11, 2014
The Mysterious Affair at Castaway House is one of those cleverly controlled dual time novels which draws you into both times frames and very quickly the narrative starts to work its magic.
The book starts in 1965 when eighteen year old Rosie Churchill escapes to the seaside town of Helmstone and takes refuge in Castaway House, but this is a house with troubles and very soon Rosie gets drawn into the mystery of the past. Back in the 1920s, Castaway House is a very different place, and the devastating charm of the wealthy owners, Alec Bray and his wife beautiful wife ,Clara will have dramatic consequences on their young visitor, Robert Carver.
Gradually, and with great skill, the author brings Castaway House to life, and as the two stories start to intertwine,long buried secrets start to emerge. I thought the narrative was really well controlled and both time frames were nicely developed so that neither one outshone the other. The decadence of the 1920s is nicely contrasted against the slightly run down and seedier atmosphere of the 1960s.
This is an exciting debut novel from an author who shows much promise. It will be interesting to see what she writes next.
The book starts in 1965 when eighteen year old Rosie Churchill escapes to the seaside town of Helmstone and takes refuge in Castaway House, but this is a house with troubles and very soon Rosie gets drawn into the mystery of the past. Back in the 1920s, Castaway House is a very different place, and the devastating charm of the wealthy owners, Alec Bray and his wife beautiful wife ,Clara will have dramatic consequences on their young visitor, Robert Carver.
Gradually, and with great skill, the author brings Castaway House to life, and as the two stories start to intertwine,long buried secrets start to emerge. I thought the narrative was really well controlled and both time frames were nicely developed so that neither one outshone the other. The decadence of the 1920s is nicely contrasted against the slightly run down and seedier atmosphere of the 1960s.
This is an exciting debut novel from an author who shows much promise. It will be interesting to see what she writes next.
August 16, 2015
I received a free copy of this book via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book took me ages to read, I was reading other books at the same time, but this just dragged for me. The premise was good but the book was slow and every time I thought a secret was going to resolved, it was just put on hold. It was a long book for what happened it could have been shorter, and in my opinion, it would have been much better.
The story was fine but the secrets were not enough to hold my attention for long, I only finished it because it was a review book. I wish the secrets were stronger and held more clout. I did really like the separate time lines and how both sets of stories came together at the end.
I did feel with Rosie and Star that what happened between them came out of the blue and didn't feel real. It was like it was an afterthought and just shoved in.
I wasn't a fan of Clara Bray, she was mysterious and hard to predict, she was also selfish and moody.
The name of book wasn't really fitting, it wasn't a mystery as such, it was more a bunch of secrets.
3 out of 5 stars
This book took me ages to read, I was reading other books at the same time, but this just dragged for me. The premise was good but the book was slow and every time I thought a secret was going to resolved, it was just put on hold. It was a long book for what happened it could have been shorter, and in my opinion, it would have been much better.
The story was fine but the secrets were not enough to hold my attention for long, I only finished it because it was a review book. I wish the secrets were stronger and held more clout. I did really like the separate time lines and how both sets of stories came together at the end.
I did feel with Rosie and Star that what happened between them came out of the blue and didn't feel real. It was like it was an afterthought and just shoved in.
I wasn't a fan of Clara Bray, she was mysterious and hard to predict, she was also selfish and moody.
The name of book wasn't really fitting, it wasn't a mystery as such, it was more a bunch of secrets.
3 out of 5 stars
January 2, 2015
Mystery. Secrets. Tragedy. The Mysterious Affair at Castaway House is a stunning debut novel by Stephanie Lam.
They say never judge a book by it's cover but in this books case go ahead. The eerie Art Deco style is beautiful and relevant to the story.
The book is set in the seaside town of Helmstone. It is split between the time periods of 1924 and 1965 in alternate chapters. This style is often confusing however Stephanie Lam's writing ensures this intriguing story is seemless and draws you right in. As it progresses the links between the main characters living in Castaway House including, Robert Carver in 1924, and Rosie Churchill in 1965 begin to come together.
I enjoyed this book and found I couldn't put it down. It is a wonderful read which I would recommend and hope to see more books from this author.
- Received my ARC of this book free from Goodreads firstreads and Penguin Books.
They say never judge a book by it's cover but in this books case go ahead. The eerie Art Deco style is beautiful and relevant to the story.
The book is set in the seaside town of Helmstone. It is split between the time periods of 1924 and 1965 in alternate chapters. This style is often confusing however Stephanie Lam's writing ensures this intriguing story is seemless and draws you right in. As it progresses the links between the main characters living in Castaway House including, Robert Carver in 1924, and Rosie Churchill in 1965 begin to come together.
I enjoyed this book and found I couldn't put it down. It is a wonderful read which I would recommend and hope to see more books from this author.
- Received my ARC of this book free from Goodreads firstreads and Penguin Books.
November 1, 2014
If you want a compelling tale and a historical page turner, then this is for you. With a touch of Agatha Christie, and the charm of Sarah Waters, I'm impressed by the ease with which Stephanie Lam writes, particularly given this is her debut novel. Interestingly, I didn't start off liking the two main protagonists, but as the book progressed I found I was gunning for them both... I couldn't pinpoint the moment at which point I decided to like them, which I think further points to Lam's artful writing skills. However, whether you like the protagonists or not, the book is stuffed with amusing and vibrant characters, and no detail has been left unattended to, and even passing references have clearly been meticulously researched. This gives the book a solid weight and I believe it's a firm foundation for Stephanie Lam to launch her writing career. A true story teller. Certainly one to watch.
August 14, 2014
I was absolutely delighted to receive this book through a Goodreads giveaway. It is beautifully written and captured my interest from the start. I really enjoyed the dual time frame and the characters were interesting and seemed very real. The book kept me guessing throughout, making it difficult to put down. I really like how the author showed a contrast between the 20s and 60s and how the story centres around a house in both time periods. This is the first book I have read from a character's point of view (in the first person). It alternates between Rosie' point of view in the 60s to Robert's in the 20s and this took a little time for me to get used to but once I had read a few chapters I really enjoyed this style of writing. If you enjoy fiction set in the past with mysterious twists and turns, I'd recommend this book wholeheartedly.
June 5, 2015
The cover blurb for this sounded amazing and so suspenseful. I've read similar books by Kate Mosse and been absolutely entranced so I expected a lot from this.
I did not expect so much boredom. Page after page of stuff that I just didn't care about. I started with characters that interested me, but the more I turned the pages, the more that magic disappeared and they became flat and incredibly dull.
The weaving of the timelines from chapter to chapter resulted in a book where JUST when a story line was getting interesting, the chapter would end and we would switch to the other time period and start again building tension and suspense. This didn't work well for me. I found it frustrating and it destroyed any interest the individual stories held for me.
Such a disappointment overall, but this book gets a lot of great reviews, so I suspect it just isn't for me.
I did not expect so much boredom. Page after page of stuff that I just didn't care about. I started with characters that interested me, but the more I turned the pages, the more that magic disappeared and they became flat and incredibly dull.
The weaving of the timelines from chapter to chapter resulted in a book where JUST when a story line was getting interesting, the chapter would end and we would switch to the other time period and start again building tension and suspense. This didn't work well for me. I found it frustrating and it destroyed any interest the individual stories held for me.
Such a disappointment overall, but this book gets a lot of great reviews, so I suspect it just isn't for me.
October 9, 2014
I was looking for a good read to recommend for the book group I belong to and I couldn't resist the cover of The Mysterious Affair at Castaway House. Elegant and seductive, this novel didn't disappoint. I indulged myself the luxury of disappearing into the world Stephanie Lam conjured up so atmospherically.
As a book group choice it was brilliant and it threw up plenty to talk about. This is an additive read and I would love to see this novel on the big screen. I especially loved the character of Clara – can I play her please?!
It's one of the those books you want everyone you know to read -
I've already bought a couple more copies to give as Christmas presents.
As a book group choice it was brilliant and it threw up plenty to talk about. This is an additive read and I would love to see this novel on the big screen. I especially loved the character of Clara – can I play her please?!
It's one of the those books you want everyone you know to read -
I've already bought a couple more copies to give as Christmas presents.
August 12, 2014
***Won as part of a goodreads giveaway - but that doesn't influence my review***
I really enjoyed this debut novel from Stephanie Lam. Another timeslip novel (a bit of a theme in my reading at the moment!) this time set in the 1920s and the 1960s. I really liked both of the story lines which intertwined really pleasingly and (trying not to give too much of the plot away) Lam was confident enough not to spell everything out for you which I liked.
I'll be looking out for more from Stephanie Lam.
I really enjoyed this debut novel from Stephanie Lam. Another timeslip novel (a bit of a theme in my reading at the moment!) this time set in the 1920s and the 1960s. I really liked both of the story lines which intertwined really pleasingly and (trying not to give too much of the plot away) Lam was confident enough not to spell everything out for you which I liked.
I'll be looking out for more from Stephanie Lam.
July 30, 2015
Quite an unexpected find, I enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would. The characters are well developed and the back and forth time being in the20's and the 60's (vs. current day) was a nice change of pace. The story had some predictable threads that conveniently wove together at the end, but it was still an enjoyable read.
Read
July 23, 2014A really enjoyable read. Fast moving and sympathetic characters. I will look our for more novels from the same author.
February 9, 2016
Sometimes it's good not to read everything right when it came out! Loved the mysterious way we are not given all the info so we get to enjoy the uncovering that much more.
October 30, 2022
I love dual time/timeslip novels; I love the 1920's time period. This failed in so many ways. Unappealing characters I could not care for. Even the "mystery" had me thinking "meh". The novel read like a Simone St. James Wannabe (or Kate Morton or Suzanne Kearsley) and falling so short of the mark. Finally, I flipped to the end and just skimmed backwards, confirming my suspicions as to the identity of the mysterious (Sheesh I can't even remember his name FOR THE LOVE - that's how freakin boring it is). Anyway, A DNF and I'm pretty sad about that.
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