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The Whispers of Wilderwood Hall
Ellis is losing track of time…
After leaving her friends to move to a crumbling Scottish mansion, Ellis is overcome by anxiety and loneliness. Then she hears whispers in the walls…and finds herself whisked back in time to 1912.
At first, she feels like she's finally home. But the past may not be as perfect as it seems – and is there more to hope for in the present than she first thought?
After leaving her friends to move to a crumbling Scottish mansion, Ellis is overcome by anxiety and loneliness. Then she hears whispers in the walls…and finds herself whisked back in time to 1912.
At first, she feels like she's finally home. But the past may not be as perfect as it seems – and is there more to hope for in the present than she first thought?
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2016
7 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
About the author
Karen McCombie
181 books196 followersKaren McCombie is a bestselling author of children's and young adult novels, and has had more than 90 books published. She is the author of the much-loved series 'Ally's World' (early 2000s) and her most recent books include the Carnegie-nominated historical adventure 'Little Bird Flies' (2019) and it's newly published partner novel 'Little Bird Lands' (2020, Nosy Crow Books), plus the 'St Grizzle's School' series for younger readers (Stripes). She has several books publishing in 2021.
Originally from Scotland, Karen lives in London with her husband, her teenage daughter and beautiful but bitey cat Dizzy.
Originally from Scotland, Karen lives in London with her husband, her teenage daughter and beautiful but bitey cat Dizzy.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
September 25, 2024
Picked this up in a second hand bookshop recently. I liked the premise even though it's what is referred to as middle grade. It was an excellent read and even as an adult I really enjoyed it! Wilderwood Hall is the main character, an old house that is living it's life over and over. The modern day family who move in are typical of our time. The young girl, Ellis has timeslip adventures, forcing her to take a look at her own life compared to girls of her age in the past. It's very well written and well worth a read.
July 11, 2016
Lovely timeslip book - the ending gave me shivers!
August 7, 2020
I loved this book. If I was feeling mean today, I'd give it a four star rating, because of one small conclusion that didn't sit well with me, but I gave it a 5 because I really enjoyed this book. I felt strangely dissatisfied at the end of this book because of the dark twist in the end of Flora's character. I feel slightly deceived because of the sympathy I felt for Flora only to find out that she might not be who she seems. I love that Ellis becomes brave and true to herself, and that she finds a happy ending, because she is a truly likeable character and deserves all the happiness in the world. This book evokes real emotions in the reader. I can truly love or hate every character in this book. I also love that enemies learn to find the true person behind the facade of their enemy, learning things that leads them to an understanding and trust of each other. This book also has a very important lesson for families and relationships. Secrets hurt. They tear people apart, and create distrust and doubt in relationships, however acceptable the reason behind them is. I love the way the end of this book works, and connects every part of the book to create a practically perfect story, in which every sentence counts. I have always loved the concept of time travel, in all it's forms, and find it a great addition to any book, because of the knowledge you gain about the past, especially the people, where they lived and how they lived, and also the inevitable ending; How do they get back?
By the way, this is my first review on Goodreads. Thank you for reading my review.
By the way, this is my first review on Goodreads. Thank you for reading my review.
June 12, 2016
3.5 Stars
There is something very reassuring about sitting down with a Karen McCombie book. You know you’re in safe hands, and of course The Whispers of Wilderwood Hall was no exception.
Reading The Whispers of Wilderwood Hall was very much a case of me snuggled up on the sofa turning the pages until the very end of the book. It’s an engaging story and I could picture everything perfectly. While I probably wouldn’t want to visit Wilderwood Hall during the refurbishments you can sign me up for a weekend trip after the Johnstone family have finished fixing it up.
Ellis was an interesting character to read. It’s always a bit harder to me to judge when protagonists are holding up mirrors to my everyday life. Anxiety is experienced differently by people, as is how we deal with it. What I liked about The Whispers of Wilderwood Hall is that it wasn’t the point of the story (as much as I appreciate books that deal with this subject).
There is something very reassuring about sitting down with a Karen McCombie book. You know you’re in safe hands, and of course The Whispers of Wilderwood Hall was no exception.
Reading The Whispers of Wilderwood Hall was very much a case of me snuggled up on the sofa turning the pages until the very end of the book. It’s an engaging story and I could picture everything perfectly. While I probably wouldn’t want to visit Wilderwood Hall during the refurbishments you can sign me up for a weekend trip after the Johnstone family have finished fixing it up.
Ellis was an interesting character to read. It’s always a bit harder to me to judge when protagonists are holding up mirrors to my everyday life. Anxiety is experienced differently by people, as is how we deal with it. What I liked about The Whispers of Wilderwood Hall is that it wasn’t the point of the story (as much as I appreciate books that deal with this subject).
Read
February 4, 2018this book is a really good one-just as all the books written by Karen McCombie-its thrilling and wonderful...recommended.
April 9, 2017
It was just flawless, the action, the adventure, the drama it was all there right in front of me. It was so fabulous that I would not put it down, and my parents would have to nag me to put it down! So if you are a person who like this kind of stuff my recommendation would be to have a go at reading this book.
I bet you're gonna ❤️this book!
I bet you're gonna ❤️this book!
July 22, 2016
An atmospheric tale of a girl who moves to a spooky old manor house in Scotland after her mother remarries. While struggling with loneliness and dealing with her anxiety issues, she finds herself slipping one hundred years into the past, where nobody can see her apart from a young servant girl.
I really enjoyed the mystery and the vividly depicted characters and locations. My one criticism is that the resolutions seemed a bit abrupt. Well worth a read.
I really enjoyed the mystery and the vividly depicted characters and locations. My one criticism is that the resolutions seemed a bit abrupt. Well worth a read.
June 9, 2016
Took me a while to get into this.
Ellis is going through anxiety attacks nothing prepares her for slipping through time to 1912 when she moves to a ln old Scottish mansion named Wilderwood Hall. Finding a new friend in a housemaid named Flora, will Ellis decide to stay in time with her new friend, or face the issues causing her panics? A sweet story for 9+
Ellis is going through anxiety attacks nothing prepares her for slipping through time to 1912 when she moves to a ln old Scottish mansion named Wilderwood Hall. Finding a new friend in a housemaid named Flora, will Ellis decide to stay in time with her new friend, or face the issues causing her panics? A sweet story for 9+
June 4, 2016
Very cute and lots of fun.
Full review to come.
Full review to come.
December 17, 2016
3.5 stars
Great for intended age audience.
Creep factor for children: Sudden startling moments of fear, otherwise pretty tame .
Great for intended age audience.
Creep factor for children: Sudden startling moments of fear, otherwise pretty tame .
August 27, 2019
When 13-year-old Ellis' mother remarries a famous musician her whole life is turned upside down. The whirlwind relationship and sudden marriage throw her completely, and she finds herself suffering from panic attacks and strange dizzy spells. Things get even worse for Ellis when her mother packs up their old life in London, and transports Ellis up into an old mansion in the Scottish highlands.
The dilapidated Wilderwood Hall is supposed to be a new start for Ellis and her mother, who's planned to renovate the old mansion and turn the stable block into a state of the art recording studio. But Ellis can't find happiness in the walls of Wilderwood as she worries about her future in this new family. Then Ellis begins to hear strange whispering in the walls, and soon finds herself slipping back in time to 1912, where she befriends a young maid named Flora.
It took me a while to get into The Whispers of Wilderwood Hall. The book begins with Ellis at her mothers wedding, an event that she clearly doesn't approve of or like. From here Ellis stays in a perpetual state of disapproval and moodiness. I understand that things have changed fast for Ellis, that she has had her entire life thrown upside down, but she doesn't seem to be able to find happiness in anything.
Ellis is intensely jealous of her mothers new relationship, and holds a grudge against her for almost the entire book. Her mother is juggling dozens of builders and contractors to restore Wilderwood Hall, all on her own because her new husband is touring, and Ellis gets angry every time she has to make a phone call. She wants her mothers undivided attention and can't stand it when she doesn't have it. She doesn't want her mother to speak to anyone but her, and any time that she speaks to her husband, RJ, she assumes they're plotting against her.
This sense of jealousy and self centred views gets worse when RJ's daughter Eloise turns up out of the blue. Eloise is clearly a very hurt young woman, a girl that's been betrayed and manipulated by her mother and put into a situation she hates, but Ellis hates her presence and gets moody when she and her mother need time alone to sort things out. Ultimately, Ellis comes across as a very unlikable character, one who has to be the centre of everyone's attention and life, and throws a mood if she's not.
During all of this Ellis begins to find herself slipping backwards in time to Wilderwood Hall when it was first built. She discovers that no one can see or hear her, except for a young maid named Flora. At first Flora thinks that Ellis is some kind of spirit or ghost, but the two of them soon form a friendship, with Ellis finding the trips back in time to be a nice distraction from her regular life.
As things begin to work out in the modern world, with Ellis coming to realise that her new family actually care about her and aren't trying to ruin her life, she makes some startling discoveries in the past. Flora isn't the kind and put upon girl that she makes out to be, but is the evil person that the rest of the household believe. She hurts others, steals, and even murders animals.
This revelation helps Ellis to find her place in the real world, as she realises that sometimes horrible people hide behind a nice face, and those that really care about you might not obviously show it. Ultimately, these journeys back in time help to show Ellis how good her new life is, and how much she's cared for.
There's more to the story, including the ultimate fate of Flora than I'm going to go into here, and the connection between Flora and Ellis, small little details that hint at perhaps more than just coincidences, but perhaps a hand of fate.
The Whispers of Wilderwood Hall is an interesting time travel book, one that focuses on how it affects someone personally, rather than some big question of how you can affect the past and change the present. It focuses on people, and has a very real, relate-able story at it's core. Aimed at teens, I'm sure that those within the core demographic will thoroughly enjoy it.
The dilapidated Wilderwood Hall is supposed to be a new start for Ellis and her mother, who's planned to renovate the old mansion and turn the stable block into a state of the art recording studio. But Ellis can't find happiness in the walls of Wilderwood as she worries about her future in this new family. Then Ellis begins to hear strange whispering in the walls, and soon finds herself slipping back in time to 1912, where she befriends a young maid named Flora.
It took me a while to get into The Whispers of Wilderwood Hall. The book begins with Ellis at her mothers wedding, an event that she clearly doesn't approve of or like. From here Ellis stays in a perpetual state of disapproval and moodiness. I understand that things have changed fast for Ellis, that she has had her entire life thrown upside down, but she doesn't seem to be able to find happiness in anything.
Ellis is intensely jealous of her mothers new relationship, and holds a grudge against her for almost the entire book. Her mother is juggling dozens of builders and contractors to restore Wilderwood Hall, all on her own because her new husband is touring, and Ellis gets angry every time she has to make a phone call. She wants her mothers undivided attention and can't stand it when she doesn't have it. She doesn't want her mother to speak to anyone but her, and any time that she speaks to her husband, RJ, she assumes they're plotting against her.
This sense of jealousy and self centred views gets worse when RJ's daughter Eloise turns up out of the blue. Eloise is clearly a very hurt young woman, a girl that's been betrayed and manipulated by her mother and put into a situation she hates, but Ellis hates her presence and gets moody when she and her mother need time alone to sort things out. Ultimately, Ellis comes across as a very unlikable character, one who has to be the centre of everyone's attention and life, and throws a mood if she's not.
During all of this Ellis begins to find herself slipping backwards in time to Wilderwood Hall when it was first built. She discovers that no one can see or hear her, except for a young maid named Flora. At first Flora thinks that Ellis is some kind of spirit or ghost, but the two of them soon form a friendship, with Ellis finding the trips back in time to be a nice distraction from her regular life.
As things begin to work out in the modern world, with Ellis coming to realise that her new family actually care about her and aren't trying to ruin her life, she makes some startling discoveries in the past. Flora isn't the kind and put upon girl that she makes out to be, but is the evil person that the rest of the household believe. She hurts others, steals, and even murders animals.
This revelation helps Ellis to find her place in the real world, as she realises that sometimes horrible people hide behind a nice face, and those that really care about you might not obviously show it. Ultimately, these journeys back in time help to show Ellis how good her new life is, and how much she's cared for.
There's more to the story, including the ultimate fate of Flora than I'm going to go into here, and the connection between Flora and Ellis, small little details that hint at perhaps more than just coincidences, but perhaps a hand of fate.
The Whispers of Wilderwood Hall is an interesting time travel book, one that focuses on how it affects someone personally, rather than some big question of how you can affect the past and change the present. It focuses on people, and has a very real, relate-able story at it's core. Aimed at teens, I'm sure that those within the core demographic will thoroughly enjoy it.
April 13, 2018
When Ellis's mum marries a lead singer from a band, RJ, she gets whisked away from her cozy London life and friend Shaniya to live up in Scotland in a huge mansion called Wilderwood.
Only when they get there, soon enough strange visions appear to Ellis alone which exacerbates her anxiety attacks she gets. However, she soon learns of the house's past owners and all their staff from 1912 and even befriends a girl working for the family as they see each other despite the differing years between them. But as lonely Ellis feels even more alone and lost than ever after her real friend Shaniya does something horrible, she finds Flora wants Ellis to stay with her in the past as she feels they could live and work together and be happy there.
But Ellis has a future in the present, with her mum, new stepdad and stepsister who she gets off to a rocky start bonding with due to her jealousy issues. There's also the matter of stanger Cam and his dogs who are welcoming from day one, so when shocking events occur, Flora and Ellis's lives both change forever as the course of history has a lot to tell Ellis about just what happened to Flora and everyone who worked in Wilderwood long ago and just what became of them.
A spooky mystery but with a great plot, I loved it how the girls had such different lives but became friends from loneliness as it gave them hope. The story shows how friendship can grow between the most random of people and times. The family bonding took a while but I'm glad it eventually settled into a rhythmic flow and the music star edge was great!
Only when they get there, soon enough strange visions appear to Ellis alone which exacerbates her anxiety attacks she gets. However, she soon learns of the house's past owners and all their staff from 1912 and even befriends a girl working for the family as they see each other despite the differing years between them. But as lonely Ellis feels even more alone and lost than ever after her real friend Shaniya does something horrible, she finds Flora wants Ellis to stay with her in the past as she feels they could live and work together and be happy there.
But Ellis has a future in the present, with her mum, new stepdad and stepsister who she gets off to a rocky start bonding with due to her jealousy issues. There's also the matter of stanger Cam and his dogs who are welcoming from day one, so when shocking events occur, Flora and Ellis's lives both change forever as the course of history has a lot to tell Ellis about just what happened to Flora and everyone who worked in Wilderwood long ago and just what became of them.
A spooky mystery but with a great plot, I loved it how the girls had such different lives but became friends from loneliness as it gave them hope. The story shows how friendship can grow between the most random of people and times. The family bonding took a while but I'm glad it eventually settled into a rhythmic flow and the music star edge was great!
May 7, 2017
It is a mysterious book with lots of detail. The map at the beginning is ace. I love this type of book.
When she went back to 1912 I was gripped. I knew there was something strange about Flora. She was so weird peering from the closet to Ellis. The end where Flora set fire to Wilderwood hall literally gave me the shivers. I knew that Ellis would be fine as Wilderwood survived as it was seen in 2016. I liked how it said she was half in her time half in 1912 it made the story very creepy. I thought it was a dream or something. I also like the character Wheezy.
So yeah I really, really like this book.
When she went back to 1912 I was gripped. I knew there was something strange about Flora. She was so weird peering from the closet to Ellis. The end where Flora set fire to Wilderwood hall literally gave me the shivers. I knew that Ellis would be fine as Wilderwood survived as it was seen in 2016. I liked how it said she was half in her time half in 1912 it made the story very creepy. I thought it was a dream or something. I also like the character Wheezy.
So yeah I really, really like this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 3, 2022
Interesting story set in an old Scottish property. The main character Ellis is a anxious and shy girl that gets whirled into moving to the Scottisch highlands from Londen after her mother remarries. This is where she starts hearing and seeing the 1912s occupants and makes a new friend.
It's an enjoyable read for teens, where Ellis is a very likeable character and you go through her emotions with her. The timetravelling can sometimes be a bit confusing, but it picks up soon enough. The ending was cute and not predictable.
Would recommend.
It's an enjoyable read for teens, where Ellis is a very likeable character and you go through her emotions with her. The timetravelling can sometimes be a bit confusing, but it picks up soon enough. The ending was cute and not predictable.
Would recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 20, 2022
I thought this book was only ok, because it did show how people with anxiety feel and stuff. Unfortunately, I didn't see much of a journey in this book and I don't know what the main idea and point of it was.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 3, 2020
A well written young teenage read
April 8, 2022
Very good. My only problem was the word Wilderwood. I thought it quite a mouthful. I preferred Wildwood. By the end, I quite liked the story.
June 20, 2024
I LOVE THIS BOOK ( i adore time travel books )
June 29, 2025
1 star for no plot
2 stars for being wholesome
3 stars for plot twist
2 stars for being wholesome
3 stars for plot twist
September 10, 2025
childhood fave
April 20, 2020
A nice book, really enjoyed it ~Nicole💜
August 2, 2024
One of the best books of my childhood 😭😭😭
And one of the first fantasy books I ever read
And one of the first fantasy books I ever read
March 27, 2020
Very engaging kept me busy and i didn't loose interest whilst reading it.
June 7, 2016
3.5 stars
December 26, 2020
An inspiring time travel book that gets you on the edge of your seat. Makes you want to read more!
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews