Guy Hilliard is dead, but the legacy of his deceit remains. Emma—newly married to Matthew Lynes—is finding it difficult to shed the guilt she feels for her part in the accident that killed Guy. She has not only lost her position at Howard's Lake College, but her academic credentials have been called into question, threatening her career.
As if that weren't enough, Ellie, Matthew's great-granddaughter, holds Emma responsible for Guy's death. Ellie also has a bombshell to drop that will leave the family reeling.
Studying history at university, Claire Dunn followed a vocational route founding a specialist school dedicated to the needs of children with Dyslexia, Autism and related language difficulties.
Returning to her academic roots to incorporate elements of history into her stories of romance, mystery and suspense, Claire began writing Mortal Fire - the first in the five-book The Secret Of The Journal series - winning Gold in the ForeWord Book Of The Year Awards, 2012. She now writes full-time in the South-West surrounded by restless seas, ancient landscapes and wild, wide skies.
She is currently working on a major new Wars of the Roses series: The Tarnished Crown. Book One - Wheel of Fortune (pub. 2023 Resolute Books; revised edition pub. 2025 Sapere Books) Book Two - Sun Ascendant (pub. 2024 Resolute Books)
This review is for the whole series. It took me some time to read all five books, and I felt that parts of the earlier ones were rather slow-paced, yet I persevered with them. The fifth one more than made up for this: I spent one whole day reading it and it was relentlessly tense and compelling, and hugely dramatic. I often feel that the way a story ends defines it: so, I can say that CF Dunne’s conclusion here is magnificent. I felt that I loved it, and so I give her series 5 stars.
Matthew finds himself in a terrifying position: some might consider it the fulfilment of our greatest dreams, and yet CF Dunne shows us how this can turn into a nightmare. She turns the concept on its head, and several times throughout the series I felt that his condition is a curse, for himself, and for all those closest to him. He and Emma fall in love, and we learn they have a deep connection from the past; and yet life with him, accepting his condition, condemns them to a life of lies, subterfuge and distrust, always guarding their secret even from those closest to them, for fear of betrayal and exploitation.
I came to feel that the particular powers Matthew possesses and which he passes through his genes to his offspring, might eventually come to bedevil life as a human being in this world. The way the author combines history, metaphysics and science in her story is awe-inspiring. By the end of the series, I felt a more profound connection with our history and with our past, than I ever have before. The author confirmed an instinctive feeling I had long held about our nature and our inextricable and creative relationship with the past. I particularly liked the last couple of observations in her final appendix; beautiful, and full of truth. As the series closed, I found myself reflecting on ruined and disappeared manor houses I have known, and now plan to visit the area of the UK from which she drew her inspiration.
There will be spoilers in this review- so please prepare yourself or skip my review :) And to reassure those of you who think this is basically Twilight & Matthew is a vampire- he's not. Rest assured no one is a demon, werewolf, fallen angel, bloodsucking creature or anything of the like.
I loved the concept of this series. I loved the characters (for the most part), and the plot. It was so intriguing, romantic, out of the box and it was just really cool. Mortal Fire will probably rank as my favourite book of 2017- which is pretty hard to do when the year's list is 60 books long. It was just, different, and I really enjoyed it. It reminded me of The Age of Adeline and Nancy Drew kinda mixed together.
THE CONS:
1) MORAL FIDELITY: Book 2 came along, and all my hopes and dreams for the series died when I found out that Matthew was married and both he and Emma were okay with carrying on a romantic relationship when he was still technically a married man. Sure, there were extenuating circumstances that made it seem better than just "cheating on ones wife" but it just didn't feel right. Sure, they didn't have sex, but they kissed and touched, changed in the same room and kinda sorta lived together like a married couple before his wife died. Of course, they expressed some guilt over how it didn't "feel right" but they still continued having a romantic relationship until her death, when they were free to marry. Call me old-fashioned if you will, but I simply consider married people off limits, no matter what. So, that definitely cast a pall over the first book, all of the second, and most of the third, having the knowledge that Emma & Matthew's relationship, although condoned by his wife, was still a married guy investing in a woman other than his wife.
2) MELODRAMA: While I don't like flat, emotionless characters, as the books progressed, I felt like things increasingly leaned towards the melodramatic side of things. I love emotion, but the series started feeling a bit soap opera-ish as things went on, especially in the fourth book.
3) PACE: I felt things started lagging in the third book, picked up close to the end of it, lagged for a lot of the fourth, and most of the fifth book. I think it could've been a three-book series and been fine.
4) CONCLUSION: I felt like the ending of book five was a bit of a letdown. I was expecting some sort of familial reunion with Matthew's family, especially considering how involved they were in the rest of the books, but apart from two of the characters, the rest up and vanished. Once the reason for Matthew's strength, longevity, agelessness & the like were revealed, it didn't feel believable. Like, almost at all. I kept thinking back to the Age of Adeline and the reason why she lived for forever, and Matthew's reason just didn't seem even half probable, even for a Magical Realism type situation. And then there was the cliffhanger regarding Emma's seemingly new state as an immortal. It's clear that he gave her a transfusion and passed along some of his strengths to her, but now will he start ageing, and Emma not age, like he did for 400 years? I was so confused.
THE PROS:
A great plot. Colourful characters. Interesting plot twists. Swoon-worthy romance. Out of the box concept.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS: I loved Mortal Fire. Loved loved loved. But, as for the rest of the series, I feel like it had good bones, but there were some fairly large issues that made it hard for me to really feel great about it. Fidelity being the biggest one. I think I could have let the other issues go if that hadn't have been a thing, but alas, it was and I didn't feel good about it, no matter which way I reasoned or diced it. Then, add to the fidelity thing the melodrama, and the plot lagging a bit as the books went, then the very far left field explanation of Matthew's condition that didn't feel like it fit, and I just wasn't digging things as much as I had imagined, when reading book one.
But, if you don't mind some melodrama, a fidelity conflict, and a bit of a slower pace for a few of the books, this series will probably blow your mind and knock your socks right off.
While reading this book, I was terribly conflicted as I devoured the pages and yet regretted that this book was the fifth and final in the Secret of the Journal series. For the last several years, I've been following the development of Emma's and Matthew's relationship, their struggles, joys and family dynamics (which can get rather dicey when you're 400+ years old). To see it all come to an end is all rather sad, yet the conclusion is quite satisfying. Ms. Dunn, you've outdone yourself this time! Thanks for a great tale of love and suspense.
FEARFUL SYMMETRY – Just a few adjectives to start. WOW! Exhilarating! Suspenseful! Edge of your seat fiction! If you like a story that transports and completely draws you in, you need to read The Secret of the Journal series.
Though this is not my genre of choice-I’m not usually drawn to fiction that departs from reality- this series is the exception. I actually started the series by reading book two – Death Be Not Proud. I agreed to review book two for the publishing house not knowing the series had a Sci-Fi bent to it. So, I read with skepticism but that quickly changed. I was absolutely mesmerized! Wanting to find out more back story regarding the characters, I read book one. Again, I was completely blown away by the suspense, the intrigue, and the imagination of the author. I bought in to Matthew’s situation hook, line, and sinker.
So as not to give away the intricacies of the story, I will only say that C.F. Dunn birthed an exceptional series, hitting all the criteria. The chemistry between Matthew and Emma is off the charts. The intrigue-not knowing what is going to happen to them-is compelling. The suspense of not knowing when Matthew and Emma would finally let down their guard had me reading late into the night. Though I would’ve liked the series to continue, FEARFUL SYMMETRY provided for me a satisfying conclusion. It left me with peace regarding the characters and their future.
The Secret of the Journal series is escapism at its best!
The final book of a long series is always going to be particularly challenging for the author. There are loose ends to tidy up, without it seeming too neat, and there is no longer the option of leaving it for the next book. And there's always the danger that the plot might just run out of steam. Fortunately, Dunn does a very neat and effective job of avoiding the pitfalls and bringing the book and the series to a satisfactory conclusion.
It's not easy to give specifics without risking spoilers, but the resolution of the central mystery that has run throughout all five books - namely Matthew Lyne's unique nature is clever and effective. The series concludes on a surprisingly peaceful and (I thought) hopeful note - though there are some very tense and exciting moments along the way.
All written with the author's characteristically smooth and effective style, the series as a whole has been an enjoyable read from start to finish.
I won a copy of this book during a Goodreads giveaway. I am under no obligation to leave a review or rating and do so voluntarily. So that others may also enjoy this book, I am paying it forward by donating it a local library.
I have enjoyed this series and would recommend reading all the books in order, to really get to know the characters. I'm don't quite believe the science behind the mystery, but I loved the story enough to be able to suspend disbelief.
I won this book as part of a giveaway from a site called library thing. I enjoyed reading it. It had a good story to it. I hope to read more books by this author.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. I haven't read the other books in the series but I did enjoy the story nevertheless. It was interesting and intriguing and kept my interest, but I doubt I'll read the rest of the series.
Fearful Symmetry, The Secret of the Journal Series, C. F. Dunn Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers, General Fiction (Adult)
Well, I almost missed out in what has been a fabulous five books! Thankfully I didn't :-) When I started the first waaay back I just couldn't get into it, kept stopping, putting it aside and finally gave up. Fast forward about three months and I was looking for something new to read. I'd really liked the sound of this, felt a perfect fit for me and I was disappointed I hadn't got into it so decided to try again - and became hooked.
There have been comparisons to the All Souls trilogy by Deborah Harkness, but I feel that does both books a disservice. To me they are both very great reads, have a paranormal/thriller aspect, a romance and they span several books with an ever growing cast, but the comparison stops there. As a story they are so very, very different.
There a brief recap at the beginning, and as so much has been covered in the last four books I found that really useful. Its not a complete rehash, just a few pages reminding the reader of the important details. What I would have liked to see in each book is a cast list. I did keep getting Matthew's family confused, with who was who - son/daughter/granddaughter/niece/nephew etc. For practical reasons Matthew had to pretend to be other than the oldest, looking as he did. I had wondered how on earth this was going to end, whether there would be a real conclusion, or if Ms Dunn would take the ambiguous route, where we never really know what happens in their future but have to make assumptions about Matthew and Emma's future. I'm not keen on those, like a tidy ending, preferably the one I want:-) Read the last in a trilogy recently where the romance didn't end in a HEA or even a HFN and was so gutted. It was a great ending, just not the one I ( along with other readers) expected or wanted.
Ms Dunn does it though, and in such a perfect way, bringing the story full circle, and now the first and last titles make sense to me! I like endings that feel real, that feel as though if X was possible then Y is a natural conclusion. Yep - even in fantasy and paranormal reads I have to feel that things could happen as we read, that if people like Matthew and his family existed then things could happen in the way its written.
Its a book that spans several years, with Matthew always searching for answers, Emma still pursuing her research and university work, but their family is always changing and extending. There's the issue of Ellie and her pregnancy to deal with, Maggie's very clear hatred of Emma, Emma's family that have to be kept free of all the secrets, along with their freinds at uni too. It's a tough time, always watching what she says and does, and Emma finds it very hard.
Then it seems like the dangers they've always worried about, the fear of discovery and what will happen to the family is finally catching them up. Its a scary time, Matthew doesn't want to move them too soon, creating new identities and finding them homes and work, but also he has to not wait too long. They have to be ready to run at any time and that puts a huge strain on a family already bending under the burden of so many secrets.
Its another read full of discoveries and surprises, all the old characters we've met so far, Matthews ever growing family, and the story builds upon the previous books. When I think of the Emma I first met in book one it seems she's come such a long way, grown so much through her at times horrific experiences. Matthew never really seems to change and I so feel for him, he's full of guilt for the burden the secrets have put on his family, and he's so full of love for them all.
The finish is perfect, doesn't come racing up, but graduates all through the book, with little parts falling into place just at the right moment. I am so in awe of somoene who can write a story like this, where tiny moments, throwaway remarks from parts of the story in earlier books suddenly turn out to have been leading up to major revelations. That takes immense plotting and must mean a wall full of notes and cross references!! I have enough trouble keeping my normal life organised, and planning how to fit things in, doing a fictional one with much less restrictions would be a nightmare for me, but I'm so glad others can do it, and do it well, giving us these perfect, dense and complex stories.
Stars: Five, incredible finish, perfect ending and one to savour and reread right through all five books.
Well, if I'm honest I'd have to admit that, though I rated this 4 stars, I thought it had some real problems and I found it a frustrating and unsatisfactory conclusion to such a brilliant series. It seemed as if Dunn didn't quite know how to get out of the Gordian knot she'd created and the answers offered were disappointing at best. In fact, the plot revolves around Emma's new location, which to anyone actually pursuing her would be so obvious as to be ridiculous. I kept waiting for Dunn to defend the decision for them to end up there...but alas. The middle part dragged on pointlessly, and the hasty conclusion left, not unanswered questions, but unrequited skepticisms. I can't give it less than 4 stars out of simple loyalty to the whole body of work, but to say that it left me flat...after so much ardor...would be a vast understatement.
This book is well, interesting - it is slow though - and you can guess what is going to happen and you can't understand why the characters can't - they really should have - it is one book in a series and in the story anyone could have figured out where Emma's location was. The middle of the story was slow and the end was quick, I was a little disappointed, but the books concept and story was so good. I received a copy of this book to give you an honest review
Overall I'm glad I was able to read the end of this series. I've read all but book number four (mostly because I missed it coming out!) but, even with this missing read, I was able to piece together most of what I missed in book four. I really enjoyed the first third of the book and was disappointed with the finale of this series. [Spoiler!] As others have said, where Emma ended up in hiding was a tad surprising as anyone actually searching for Emma would check with her family and follow them to find her, even if they didn't know the history of the house she resides. Anyway, with that said I loved the relationships between family and location. I think that finally finding out the what's and how's of the mystery of five books was a bit of a let down. I would have rather had a bit more description of what happened, who was researching the family, etc. The books could continue, maybe with the family in the future, etc. but there may be more science needed to continue this story to be satisfactory for a continuation.
For those this are this far with the series, yes I'd suggest reading this book. Overall rating 3.5 stars.
Won a copy from Librarything.com for review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.