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Black Rabbit Hall
At Black Rabbit Hall nothing much ever happens - time seems to move slower at this idyllic holiday home in Cornwall. Until the worst thing happens and for the Alton children time feels like it's stopped altogether. In the present day, Lorna Smith is searching for her perfect wedding venue and is inexplicably drawn to the now crumbling Black Rabbit Hall, unaware that her own history is locked up in those derelict walls...
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First published June 26, 2015
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About the author
Eve Chase
11 books1,378 followersEve Chase is an internationally bestselling British novelist who writes rich, layered and suspenseful novels. Including R&J pick, no.1 kindle bestseller The Midnight Hour, The Birdcage, The Glass House (The Daughters of Foxcote Manor, US) Sunday Times top ten and Richard and Judy Book Club pick, The Vanishing of Audrey Wilde (The Wildling Sisters, US) longlisted for the HWA Gold Crown Award, and Black Rabbit Hall, winner of Paris' Saint-Maur en Poche prize for Best Foreign Fiction.
Say hello @evepollychase on Instagram, X, and Facebook
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,241 reviews
February 6, 2017
4.5 stars (REALLY close to 5 stars)! I loved this book! It was published in early 2016, yet I hadn't heard of it until very recently - special thanks to my GR friend Frances. The blurb mentions a Kate Morton comparison which is what made me decide to read it (I love Kate Morton!). I am so glad I read it. And isn't this cover gorgeous?!?
There are two storylines which weave and connect throughout the novel. The author, Eve Chase, did a fantastic job of keeping my attention piqued within each storyline throughout the book. I had a hard time putting this down.
Each character was well developed - I was completely immersed in their emotions and situations. I absolutely FELL IN LOVE with the Alton family, especially the four children - Toby, Amber, Kitty and Barney. Each one of them captured a different piece of my heart throughout the novel. I admired the strength the siblings had with one another - they loved and protected each other fiercely. I adored their mother, Nancy, who seemed to have such a natural, maternal way of loving them. What this family endured threw my heart all over the place - was a bit of an emotional roller coaster.
Black Rabbit Hall, the estate itself, seemed to have a life of its own that pulled me along, keeping me fully engaged as the story unraveled. Eve Chase drew such a vivid description of the property that I could actually feel myself within the rooms, in the forest, on the beach, etc., along with the characters.
While I wouldn't quite put this novel as an equal to Kate Morton's books, I still thoroughly enjoyed it and would highly recommend it. I look forward to reading the next book that Eve Chase writes!
There are two storylines which weave and connect throughout the novel. The author, Eve Chase, did a fantastic job of keeping my attention piqued within each storyline throughout the book. I had a hard time putting this down.
Each character was well developed - I was completely immersed in their emotions and situations. I absolutely FELL IN LOVE with the Alton family, especially the four children - Toby, Amber, Kitty and Barney. Each one of them captured a different piece of my heart throughout the novel. I admired the strength the siblings had with one another - they loved and protected each other fiercely. I adored their mother, Nancy, who seemed to have such a natural, maternal way of loving them. What this family endured threw my heart all over the place - was a bit of an emotional roller coaster.
Black Rabbit Hall, the estate itself, seemed to have a life of its own that pulled me along, keeping me fully engaged as the story unraveled. Eve Chase drew such a vivid description of the property that I could actually feel myself within the rooms, in the forest, on the beach, etc., along with the characters.
While I wouldn't quite put this novel as an equal to Kate Morton's books, I still thoroughly enjoyed it and would highly recommend it. I look forward to reading the next book that Eve Chase writes!
July 6, 2016
Really, REALLY good, a complete surprise to me. This is the perfect, unputdownable summer book to get completely lost in. Why is no one reading this or talking about it? A little bit gothic drama, a little bit historical fiction, a little bit of romance, a good bit of suspense, with wonderful characters and a fabulous decrepit mansion with a personality of its own. Take this on vacation and thank me later!
Loved it, every little bit of it.
Loved it, every little bit of it.
February 6, 2017
4.5* What is it about the crumbling mansion Black Rabbit Hall people are drawn to? It’s 1968 and the Alton family of five are happy and busy with their lives living in the huge mansion, massive gardens and woods full of gnarly trees and rabbits on their doorstep. Amber at 14 years of age is a twin to Toby who seems to have the world on his shoulder with dark moods and a depressing outlook on life. Amber adores her parents, other younger siblings but yet has a very special bond with Toby. Now, three decades later, a bride to be is anxiously exploring venues for her wedding day with fiancé Jon tagging along. Finally at the end of a long lane, Lorna sees Black Rabbit Hall and immediately has to have it for her special day. Nothing is out of place, not the buckets spread about the various rooms to catch the scattering raindrops from the leaky roof, wall paper peeling, or even the hydrangeas growing through the floorboards of the ballroom. All Lorna sees is floating down the grand staircase on the well worn carpet in her wedding gown, and therefore nothing else would ever do. But this atmospheric and strange dwelling is tugging strongly at her, and the more she wanders the grounds, the more Black Rabbit Hall draws her in. An entertaining with lyrical writing and a character driven book, it will keep the reader engrossed throughout the pages.
December 26, 2016
Black Rabbit Hall by Eve Chase is a 2015 publication.
Many people will place a book in the Gothic category, using the term too loosely, in my opinion, but It’s very, very rare to find a story that delivers an authentic Gothic mystery. However, ‘Black Rabbit Hall’ delivers exactly that, and with relish on top!!
I’m thrilled and amazed by this book, which tells the story of four children living an ideal life in 1968, until tragedy strikes. From there, their lives quickly dissolve into madness, turmoil, and melancholy, with more tragedy to follow.
Fast forward to present day, where we meet Lorna and Jon, a couple madly in love, looking for a wedding venue. Oddly enough, an old Cornwall house on the list of possibilities, peaks Lorna’s interest, not only because she loves old houses, but because she has some fragmented memories of having visited there with her mother, who recently passed away. Once she sees the house, her heart is set on it despite Jon’s skepticism.
Before long, Lorna becomes involved with the matriarch of the house and the housekeeper, vowing to help bring in more clients by writing up an article regarding the history of the house, and its family legacy. Little did she know her vague memories of the house connect her in a direct way to its past and could possibly shape her future.
The lovely and isolated setting of Cornwall is a fitting backdrop to tell the history of the Alton children.
The mystery of what became of the family is told in alternate chapters, while Mrs. Alton shares her memories with Lorna in the present.
As the story unfolds, Lorna slowly begins to piece together her own memories of Black Rabbit Hall, revealing a shocking revelation that left me stunned.
This absorbing tale and family saga is full of dark secrets, betrayals, and manipulations, but as the two storylines begin to merge, the ghosts of the past will finally rest in peace, paving the way for healing and new beginning for all.
This is such a beautifully written novel, rich in details and vivid characterizations, cloaked with a haunting atmosphere that lingers long after the final page.
The ending is everything I hoped it would be and more. This is definitely my kind of book!!
5 stars
Many people will place a book in the Gothic category, using the term too loosely, in my opinion, but It’s very, very rare to find a story that delivers an authentic Gothic mystery. However, ‘Black Rabbit Hall’ delivers exactly that, and with relish on top!!
I’m thrilled and amazed by this book, which tells the story of four children living an ideal life in 1968, until tragedy strikes. From there, their lives quickly dissolve into madness, turmoil, and melancholy, with more tragedy to follow.
Fast forward to present day, where we meet Lorna and Jon, a couple madly in love, looking for a wedding venue. Oddly enough, an old Cornwall house on the list of possibilities, peaks Lorna’s interest, not only because she loves old houses, but because she has some fragmented memories of having visited there with her mother, who recently passed away. Once she sees the house, her heart is set on it despite Jon’s skepticism.
Before long, Lorna becomes involved with the matriarch of the house and the housekeeper, vowing to help bring in more clients by writing up an article regarding the history of the house, and its family legacy. Little did she know her vague memories of the house connect her in a direct way to its past and could possibly shape her future.
The lovely and isolated setting of Cornwall is a fitting backdrop to tell the history of the Alton children.
The mystery of what became of the family is told in alternate chapters, while Mrs. Alton shares her memories with Lorna in the present.
As the story unfolds, Lorna slowly begins to piece together her own memories of Black Rabbit Hall, revealing a shocking revelation that left me stunned.
This absorbing tale and family saga is full of dark secrets, betrayals, and manipulations, but as the two storylines begin to merge, the ghosts of the past will finally rest in peace, paving the way for healing and new beginning for all.
This is such a beautifully written novel, rich in details and vivid characterizations, cloaked with a haunting atmosphere that lingers long after the final page.
The ending is everything I hoped it would be and more. This is definitely my kind of book!!
5 stars
April 20, 2017
I fell in love with the crumbling Black Rabbit Hall with all it’s dark and tangled secrets and the connections it hid. With almost every house haunted with secrets it comes with the haunting presence of a malicious character that adds to the mystery it holds.
Through alternating chapters we meet the Alton family and the story is told by the oldest daughter Amber in the past and Lorna in the present, whose curiosity turns to obsession and finds herself desperate to uncover the hidden secrets and the connection she feels to the house. The two stories are drawn together creating a romantic, gothic mystery that left me alternating from tugging at my heartstrings to frustration.
Black Rabbit Hall is a haunting and romantic family saga that is so lusciously written that I highly recommend.
All of Norma’s & my reviews can be found on our Sister Blog:
http://www.twogirlslostinacouleereadi...
Through alternating chapters we meet the Alton family and the story is told by the oldest daughter Amber in the past and Lorna in the present, whose curiosity turns to obsession and finds herself desperate to uncover the hidden secrets and the connection she feels to the house. The two stories are drawn together creating a romantic, gothic mystery that left me alternating from tugging at my heartstrings to frustration.
Black Rabbit Hall is a haunting and romantic family saga that is so lusciously written that I highly recommend.
All of Norma’s & my reviews can be found on our Sister Blog:
http://www.twogirlslostinacouleereadi...
January 27, 2019
Black Rabbit Hall is the moldering, ancestral home where the happy Alton family spends every school vacation. It is 1968 and Nancy Alton is the perfect mother to her four children; she is kind, beautiful, smart and athletic. She is filled with joie de vivre and wants the same for the twins, 14 year old Amber and Toby, 5 year old Barney, and 4 year old Kitty. Her husband Hugo adores Nancy and their life as well. They have everything, until a horrific accident takes it all away and sends them all spiraling away from their center.
A modern day story is taking place too, Lorna and her fiance Jon are looking at wedding venues and come to Black Rabbit Hall after a long, arduous car trip. She is immediately taken with it, he is revolted by its decrepitude and seems shaken by her choice. They seem to be coming apart as well. Why should this old house be their undoing?
Wrapped up very neatly at the end, the story is a love letter to moms everywhere and succeeds at explaining how much our mothers influence our choices in life. "Momma's pleasure in spring was one of the pleasures of spring. I wonder then if all children just love the things that make their mothers happy."
A modern day story is taking place too, Lorna and her fiance Jon are looking at wedding venues and come to Black Rabbit Hall after a long, arduous car trip. She is immediately taken with it, he is revolted by its decrepitude and seems shaken by her choice. They seem to be coming apart as well. Why should this old house be their undoing?
Wrapped up very neatly at the end, the story is a love letter to moms everywhere and succeeds at explaining how much our mothers influence our choices in life. "Momma's pleasure in spring was one of the pleasures of spring. I wonder then if all children just love the things that make their mothers happy."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 18, 2015
3.5 Black Rabbit Hall has been in their family for generations. It is the place their family escapes to from London. The place where the four children are allowed to run wild, play and the place where their mother and father seem happiest. Until a tragic accident changes things forever.
Two storylines., the past getting to know the children, experience the changes in their family after the tragedy. The future, thirty years later when a young bride is looking for a place to have her wedding. Remember the hall from when she, her mother and father would travel to the Cornish coast each summer. Although now dilapidated and needing extensive work she falls under its spell.
But the hall hold secrets, betrayals, tragedies and lies. Very readable novel, simply told but covers alot of ground. Liked the children's stories better than the present day one. That one seemed a little awkward not as smooth, and a little too pat. The ending tied a little to tidily. I did enjoy this though, the children wormed their way into my heart. Loved the descriptions of the house and the clocks that never kept the correct time. Much to admire here, a complicated read told in an uncomplicated way.
ARC from NetGalley.
Two storylines., the past getting to know the children, experience the changes in their family after the tragedy. The future, thirty years later when a young bride is looking for a place to have her wedding. Remember the hall from when she, her mother and father would travel to the Cornish coast each summer. Although now dilapidated and needing extensive work she falls under its spell.
But the hall hold secrets, betrayals, tragedies and lies. Very readable novel, simply told but covers alot of ground. Liked the children's stories better than the present day one. That one seemed a little awkward not as smooth, and a little too pat. The ending tied a little to tidily. I did enjoy this though, the children wormed their way into my heart. Loved the descriptions of the house and the clocks that never kept the correct time. Much to admire here, a complicated read told in an uncomplicated way.
ARC from NetGalley.
July 23, 2016
I've discovered that life doesn't always turn on the obvious things - people dying, marriages, all the stuff that gets carved on the tombstones - but little unrecorded things too.
Black Rabbit Hall is a slow, atmospheric novel of family secrets told with beautiful prose and imagery. It is a dual time story set on an old English manor, beautifully done.
There is one big twist in the story which you could see coming from a mile away, but I don't think it takes anything away from the reader.
A great book for fans of Kate Morton.
Black Rabbit Hall is a slow, atmospheric novel of family secrets told with beautiful prose and imagery. It is a dual time story set on an old English manor, beautifully done.
There is one big twist in the story which you could see coming from a mile away, but I don't think it takes anything away from the reader.
A great book for fans of Kate Morton.
June 26, 2019
Lorna has set her sight on to get married at Pencraw Hall, more known as Black Rabbit Hall among the locals. But, the more she spends at the place the more she feels that the place has a special meaning to her. She tries to find out more about the history of the Alton family that owns the mansion, what really happened 30 years ago when the once happy family was torn apart.
I love books with parallel storylines, especially those that involve grand houses, a mystery that has to be solved and skeleton in the closet. So, when I saw this book I just knew I had to read it. And, I wasn't disappointed. I was instantly hooked and couldn't wait out to find out more about what really happened in the 60s that could destroy a family so.
Sometimes one storyline can be weaker than the other, but this time, I found both equally interesting to read. In the 60s are Amber Alton's trials and tribulations touching to read about. She is a young girl that is desperately trying to keep her family together, but at the same time, she is on the verge of womanhood and sometimes actions can have dire consequences. Lorna, on the other hand, is moving forward in life after suddenly losing her mother, a loss that is still raw for her. And, Black Rabbit Hall has a special connection to her. She has photos of her there with her mother standing at the house. Why was her mother so eager to travel just to Black Rabbit Hall when she was little?
I liked the book very much. I was intrigued by the mystery of the Alton family and the mystery of Lorna's connection to the mansion. I think this book will appeal to those that like me like to read books about secrets, old mansions and the people that used to live there. It's a well-written book and I hope to read more from Eve Chase!
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through Edelweiss for an honest review!
Read this review and others on A Bookaholic Swede
I love books with parallel storylines, especially those that involve grand houses, a mystery that has to be solved and skeleton in the closet. So, when I saw this book I just knew I had to read it. And, I wasn't disappointed. I was instantly hooked and couldn't wait out to find out more about what really happened in the 60s that could destroy a family so.
Sometimes one storyline can be weaker than the other, but this time, I found both equally interesting to read. In the 60s are Amber Alton's trials and tribulations touching to read about. She is a young girl that is desperately trying to keep her family together, but at the same time, she is on the verge of womanhood and sometimes actions can have dire consequences. Lorna, on the other hand, is moving forward in life after suddenly losing her mother, a loss that is still raw for her. And, Black Rabbit Hall has a special connection to her. She has photos of her there with her mother standing at the house. Why was her mother so eager to travel just to Black Rabbit Hall when she was little?
I liked the book very much. I was intrigued by the mystery of the Alton family and the mystery of Lorna's connection to the mansion. I think this book will appeal to those that like me like to read books about secrets, old mansions and the people that used to live there. It's a well-written book and I hope to read more from Eve Chase!
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through Edelweiss for an honest review!
Read this review and others on A Bookaholic Swede
December 14, 2017
I don't know why it took me so long to pick this book up, but I'm glad I finally did. It's a clever, engaging story about a family, a house and the secrets it holds. The writing is wonderfully evocative and the characters well-developed and intriguing. The multiple POVs and jump back and forth in time are done so well, and add great intricacy and depth to the story. I am already looking forward to reading Eve Chase's new book, The Wildling Sisters. Recommended!
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
November 14, 2015
This is a mystery that unfolds in two timeframes. In the late 1960s, Amber and her family spend idyllic holidays at the family estate in Cornwall, nicknamed Black Rabbit Hall. However tragedy and change are just around the corner. Over 30 years later, Lorna and her fiance Jon visit Black Rabbit Hall in search of a location for their upcoming wedding. Instead of Amber's family, the house is home to only an eccentric grand old lady. However Lorna will stumble on clues that point to dark events in the house's past.
I was drawn into this book by the gorgeous cover and reviews promising me an atmospheric family mystery, but it failed to live up to my expectations. There is an interesting story at its core and this is what kept me reading, wondering how things would all pan out. But it's an unlikely and drawn out story. Fans of of Hannah Richell or Kate Morton may enjoy this, but they may also suspect that those authors could have tightened and polished it, ironed out some of the fortuitous and unlikely kinks in the story.
I also got irritated by the absence of even one character who behaved in a realistic way. Among others, I didn't buy into Caroline who has nothing more to her than being an archetypal villian, to Lorna who accepts an invitation to stay with a creepy lady that she doesn't know in a creepy house or to Hugo who has a permanent personality change overnight.
I was drawn into this book by the gorgeous cover and reviews promising me an atmospheric family mystery, but it failed to live up to my expectations. There is an interesting story at its core and this is what kept me reading, wondering how things would all pan out. But it's an unlikely and drawn out story. Fans of of Hannah Richell or Kate Morton may enjoy this, but they may also suspect that those authors could have tightened and polished it, ironed out some of the fortuitous and unlikely kinks in the story.
I also got irritated by the absence of even one character who behaved in a realistic way. Among others, I didn't buy into Caroline who has nothing more to her than being an archetypal villian, to Lorna who accepts an invitation to stay with a creepy lady that she doesn't know in a creepy house or to Hugo who has a permanent personality change overnight.
September 24, 2017
FROM THE BLURB
This is a magnificent read. My word, what a brilliant book! Gothic and grizzly, sad sad sad, and then ....I'm not telling.
One of the best reads this year!
For fans of Kate Morton and Sarah Waters, here's a magnetic debut novel of wrenching family secrets, forbidden love, and heartbreaking loss housed within the grand gothic manor of Black Rabbit Hall.
This is a magnificent read. My word, what a brilliant book! Gothic and grizzly, sad sad sad, and then ....I'm not telling.
One of the best reads this year!
July 12, 2015
Book of the year for me so far. I am a sobbing emotional heap on the floor. Loved it. Loved the characters, the setting, the writing, everything.
I have a few questions in with the author and will write up a full review along with the answers to those questions as a feature on the blog soon.
Highly Recommended.
I have a few questions in with the author and will write up a full review along with the answers to those questions as a feature on the blog soon.
Highly Recommended.
March 2, 2016
What secrets does Black Rabbit Hall hold, and will Lorna find out what the secrets of the Alton family are as she explores the Alton's summer home?
Lorna is looking for a place for her wedding and is pulled toward Black Rabbit Hall. She has a feeling that it is somehow connected to her past.
Tragedies were plentiful at Black Rabbit Hall when the Altons lived there. Lauren's fiancé isn't comfortable about having their wedding there, but Lorna insists that there is some connection to her and her family, and she wants to find out and have her wedding there.
We learn about the Alton's family life at Black Rabbit Hall through flashbacks and then move forward to present day.
Toby, Amber, Kitty, and Barney told the story of Black Rabbit Hall....a story with great family dynamics.
Ms. Chase's descriptions are marvelous. You can put yourself into every scene of the story and clearly picture what is happening and carried out. I loved going back in time and seeing what was left behind in the kitchen and other areas of BLACK RABBIT HALL.
The old house definitely is a trove of memories and untold secrets and stories. You can smell the dust, see the family’s comings and goings, hear the water dripping from the leaky roof, and visualize the people who lived there.
BLACK RABBIT HALL was a family saga with hints of foreboding as you turned each page.
BLACK RABBIT HALL had marvelous characters that were loving and endearing and of course there was a villain who ruined it all.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book...an excellent debut. The only disappointment, which really isn't a disappointment, was when Ms. Chase left you hanging and waiting with something "juicy" at the end of a chapter and took you back to the past or from the past to the future. :)
ENJOY when you read....the ending was emotional, and the entire book is addicting!!
Loved the book. 5/5
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.
Lorna is looking for a place for her wedding and is pulled toward Black Rabbit Hall. She has a feeling that it is somehow connected to her past.
Tragedies were plentiful at Black Rabbit Hall when the Altons lived there. Lauren's fiancé isn't comfortable about having their wedding there, but Lorna insists that there is some connection to her and her family, and she wants to find out and have her wedding there.
We learn about the Alton's family life at Black Rabbit Hall through flashbacks and then move forward to present day.
Toby, Amber, Kitty, and Barney told the story of Black Rabbit Hall....a story with great family dynamics.
Ms. Chase's descriptions are marvelous. You can put yourself into every scene of the story and clearly picture what is happening and carried out. I loved going back in time and seeing what was left behind in the kitchen and other areas of BLACK RABBIT HALL.
The old house definitely is a trove of memories and untold secrets and stories. You can smell the dust, see the family’s comings and goings, hear the water dripping from the leaky roof, and visualize the people who lived there.
BLACK RABBIT HALL was a family saga with hints of foreboding as you turned each page.
BLACK RABBIT HALL had marvelous characters that were loving and endearing and of course there was a villain who ruined it all.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book...an excellent debut. The only disappointment, which really isn't a disappointment, was when Ms. Chase left you hanging and waiting with something "juicy" at the end of a chapter and took you back to the past or from the past to the future. :)
ENJOY when you read....the ending was emotional, and the entire book is addicting!!
Loved the book. 5/5
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.
November 22, 2016
Man, this novel is a hot mess. If you are even considering reading this, you should just go read Brat Farrar instead. The attempted atmosphere in this book is downright silly and doesn't even come close to matching the countryside and characters that Tey can so deftly depict without any effort at all. The plot is convoluted, the two time period conceit is silly, and frankly it's all very boring. There's enough story (well, "story") here for about 100 pages max, but what it really is is a lurid and vaguely distasteful imagining of 1960s Cornwall that comes nowhere close to reality, or even a Gothic reality. Ugh. Skip it.
September 22, 2016
I had two problems with this book: 1. The writer's weird use of strange metaphors (which, thankfully, she used less and less as the book went on. And 2. I disliked Lorna, the "modern story" narrator. She seemed overdramatic to me, and some of her decisions illogical. Her story wasn't very interesting to me.
That said, I still really liked this book. It's one of those dual timeline novels, and I was absolutely engrossed in the "past" storyline. The setting is a huge, decaying house in Cornwall (old houses are a favorite of mine), and of course there are lots of secrets, lots of heartache, and lots of gothic elements. Even though I saw some of the twists coming, a couple things surprised me.
The ending was perfect, though bittersweet. Recommended for lovers of dual-timeline novels or gothic fiction.
That said, I still really liked this book. It's one of those dual timeline novels, and I was absolutely engrossed in the "past" storyline. The setting is a huge, decaying house in Cornwall (old houses are a favorite of mine), and of course there are lots of secrets, lots of heartache, and lots of gothic elements. Even though I saw some of the twists coming, a couple things surprised me.
The ending was perfect, though bittersweet. Recommended for lovers of dual-timeline novels or gothic fiction.
November 12, 2020
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This is the title I was most looking forward to in my “Most anticipated titles of 2016” blog post and I was not disappointed! A wonderful saga of family secrets, tragic loss, and enduring love with a dual storyline, it will appeal to fans of Kate Morton, Rosamund Pilcher, Maeve Binchy and Sarah Waters.
“Black Rabbit Hall” is a large, dilapidated country house on the Roseland Peninsula in Cornwall. It is a place of rest, relaxation and family togetherness. Its charms include turret rooms, a sea view, and bountiful rabbits. On the down side it is also plagued with damp, leaking ceilings, unsynchronized clocks, a dining room far away from the kitchen, and… family tragedy. It has been in the Alton family for five generations, though has fallen into disrepair since the family suffered heavy losses in the crash of 1929.
We first meet Lorna Dunaway, who wants to rent out Black Rabbit Hall as a charming wedding venue. She feels inexplicably drawn to the place, much to her fiancé Jon’s displeasure. She has memories of her mother bringing her to the area repeatedly during her younger years. The present occupants of the house are an old lady, Caroline Alton and her maid/companion, Dilly. They invite Lorna to stay at Black Rabbit Hall in order for her to make a more informed choice of venue and, in truth, to persuade her to use the Hall as they badly need the revenue a wedding would bring in.
Then, we revert back to the late 1960s where we meet the Alton family. In particular we experience events through the eyes of the eldest daughter, Amber. They live in London, but all family holidays are spent in Cornwall. There is Hugo, the father, who works very hard and is head-over heels in love with his wife; Nancy, the mother, a fun-loving American besotted with her husband, all of her children, and Black Rabbit Hall; fifteen year old twins, Amber and Toby, six-year old Barney and three-year old Kitty. When tragedy strikes the family it is Amber who must shoulder the burden/blessing of caring for the family.. that is until their father finds a new wife, Caroline Shawcross. The family is never the same – partly due to their mother’s death – partly due to the advent of Caroline (the very epitome of the wicked stepmother) and her college age son, Lucien.
Every page of this novel was a treat. I loved the story of the Alton family and admired the way the author brought the two story lines together. Resplendent with atmosphere and all of the things that make for good fiction, love, heartbreak, bitterness, guilt, loss, and regret – this novel is an auspicious debut for Eve Chase. It has ascertained that I will be reading all of her future novels!
It definitely gets 5 stars from me!
Heartfelt thanks to the author and the publisher Penguin/Putnam via NetGalley for providing me with a free digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an unbiased review.
This is the title I was most looking forward to in my “Most anticipated titles of 2016” blog post and I was not disappointed! A wonderful saga of family secrets, tragic loss, and enduring love with a dual storyline, it will appeal to fans of Kate Morton, Rosamund Pilcher, Maeve Binchy and Sarah Waters.
“Black Rabbit Hall” is a large, dilapidated country house on the Roseland Peninsula in Cornwall. It is a place of rest, relaxation and family togetherness. Its charms include turret rooms, a sea view, and bountiful rabbits. On the down side it is also plagued with damp, leaking ceilings, unsynchronized clocks, a dining room far away from the kitchen, and… family tragedy. It has been in the Alton family for five generations, though has fallen into disrepair since the family suffered heavy losses in the crash of 1929.
We first meet Lorna Dunaway, who wants to rent out Black Rabbit Hall as a charming wedding venue. She feels inexplicably drawn to the place, much to her fiancé Jon’s displeasure. She has memories of her mother bringing her to the area repeatedly during her younger years. The present occupants of the house are an old lady, Caroline Alton and her maid/companion, Dilly. They invite Lorna to stay at Black Rabbit Hall in order for her to make a more informed choice of venue and, in truth, to persuade her to use the Hall as they badly need the revenue a wedding would bring in.
Then, we revert back to the late 1960s where we meet the Alton family. In particular we experience events through the eyes of the eldest daughter, Amber. They live in London, but all family holidays are spent in Cornwall. There is Hugo, the father, who works very hard and is head-over heels in love with his wife; Nancy, the mother, a fun-loving American besotted with her husband, all of her children, and Black Rabbit Hall; fifteen year old twins, Amber and Toby, six-year old Barney and three-year old Kitty. When tragedy strikes the family it is Amber who must shoulder the burden/blessing of caring for the family.. that is until their father finds a new wife, Caroline Shawcross. The family is never the same – partly due to their mother’s death – partly due to the advent of Caroline (the very epitome of the wicked stepmother) and her college age son, Lucien.
Every page of this novel was a treat. I loved the story of the Alton family and admired the way the author brought the two story lines together. Resplendent with atmosphere and all of the things that make for good fiction, love, heartbreak, bitterness, guilt, loss, and regret – this novel is an auspicious debut for Eve Chase. It has ascertained that I will be reading all of her future novels!
It definitely gets 5 stars from me!
Heartfelt thanks to the author and the publisher Penguin/Putnam via NetGalley for providing me with a free digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an unbiased review.
May 17, 2016
This book should have been better. Mention a crumbling old mansion filled with secrets and I'm in. Told in 2 timelines and tied together at the end, it was interesting enough, if a bit urealistic. Our modern day "heroine" Lorna is compelled, drawn to take a complete stranger's offer of a weekend at this mansion under the premise of it becoming her wedding venue. Now, who the Hell does that? Not to mention she stays even after being drugged, watched whilst sleeping (can you say "Creepy"?) because she can't let go of the mystery of the house. Oh, and she almost broke up her engagement over this strange haze that comes over her, on the first day of her visit. Now, the older story line was great. I loved Amber and her family, her strong willed American mother. Those characters came to life for me and I really cared about all of them. Too bad I couldn't get the same feelings for Lorna and the newer crew. The ending had a few little surprises, and the epilogue was unexpected and sadly wonderful. There were bits of brilliance among a lot of "meh"So I can't say it was a terrible book, but I wish it had been better.
did-not-finish
September 30, 2015This had been in my reading plan since I first heard about it - I mean, all you have to do is put 'crumbling country hall' in the description of a book and I'm chomping at the bit to read it. Unfortunately I found it poorly written from the beginning. A lot of the description made me cringe, and some of the phrases and the ways words were used actually had me laughing out loud - my favourite bit would have to be when we were told Lorna's boyfriend 'smelled of sex and digestive biscuits' (um... nice?), pages after the revelation that he was 'built like a hammer' (what does that even mean? He had a really gigantic head?!) I didn't go into this thinking it was going to be a great work of literature, but even so, I just couldn't take it seriously at all, and the daft way the characters were portrayed made them annoying to me.
March 3, 2016
Rebecca, Little Stranger, The Distant Hours...
Gothic, romantic, house-centered fiction laden with family secrets is a favorite of mine. I enjoy nothing more than cozying up with a multi-period mystery, set in an unforgettable estate, peopled with men and women brought together by blood and circumstance.
Black Rabbit Hall is a welcome addition to the genre. I could see the action as if I were watching a film. The prose is elegant, the plot kept me reading late into the night, and though the story is heartbreaking, redemption comes. Prepare to be drawn to, beguiled by, and to fall in love with Chase's moody, fascinating characters.
Fans of multi-period mystery set on crumbling British country estates will devour Black Rabbit Hall.
Gothic, romantic, house-centered fiction laden with family secrets is a favorite of mine. I enjoy nothing more than cozying up with a multi-period mystery, set in an unforgettable estate, peopled with men and women brought together by blood and circumstance.
Black Rabbit Hall is a welcome addition to the genre. I could see the action as if I were watching a film. The prose is elegant, the plot kept me reading late into the night, and though the story is heartbreaking, redemption comes. Prepare to be drawn to, beguiled by, and to fall in love with Chase's moody, fascinating characters.
Fans of multi-period mystery set on crumbling British country estates will devour Black Rabbit Hall.
December 18, 2018
All the stars!!! 🖤 What a fabulous novel! I love gothic historical fiction and this one didn’t disappoint. A crumbling English mansion that has seemingly odd mysterious powers that draws people to it? No sense of physical time inside it’s walls? Sign me up! Within the secrets of it’s halls two women’s lives in different time periods cross bringing (main character) Lorna the answers she’s needed but never received from her adopted mother. Rich and detailed in scenery this story literally pulled me inside it’s pages making it unputdownable. A must read that I’m still thinking about!
December 22, 2017
2.5 stars. Long, long, long and pretty predictable. Evil stepmother, absent father, adolescence, young love, secrets, grief, unsympathetic attitude to therapy, mistakes aplenty, blah, blah, blah.
Read
December 18, 2021I don’t know how I feel about this book. Despite ending on a note of hope and healing and all that jazz, I was just left … sad? Really fucking sad.
And while I don’t inherently consider inspiring ANY sort of human feeling as evidence of merit, I think in this case it sort of was. I felt stuff because I discovered I cared. And in another time, place, world I would have been moved and appreciated the bittersweetness of it all and any shifty tears I might have shed.
But I am just not in the right emotional space just now to value feeling … um … any of that?
Anyway, this is beautifully written and wonderfully atmospheric, and gothic as fuck. As the name implies, the gothic locus is a crumbling English country house. Which, y’know, is some of my favourite gothic as fuckery. It’s one of those dual timelines that run together things (though it’s not exactly difficult to figure how they do) which mostly works—although the bit told in third person and set in the present suffers from being infinitely less interesting than the bit set in the past and in first person. Basically, Amber (the protagonist of the past section) was a nuanced and complicated and fully rounded character. And Lorna (the protagonist of the present) was … a person?
Lots to love here, though. Gorgeous descriptions of Cornwall. Complicated characters—even the ones taking antagonistic roles, felt if not sympathetic at least consistently understandable. And, of course, lashings of sex, violence, melodrama and tragedy.
The basic set up here is that you have the Altons: owners of a rambly pile in Cornwall, the traditionally English father fell in love with a warm-hearted American heiress, because don’t they always. Anyway, they had four kids (two twins, Amber and Toby, then Barney, then Kitty) who had a pretty much idyllic childhood with their stupidly-in-love parents and their country house to spend their summers in. But then Nancy dies in a horse-riding accent and everything unravels from there.
Recommended for people who like that sort of thing who are in the right sort of mood to read it.
What messed me up was pretty random and pretty personal:
Back to kinky Disney fanfic for me.
And while I don’t inherently consider inspiring ANY sort of human feeling as evidence of merit, I think in this case it sort of was. I felt stuff because I discovered I cared. And in another time, place, world I would have been moved and appreciated the bittersweetness of it all and any shifty tears I might have shed.
But I am just not in the right emotional space just now to value feeling … um … any of that?
Anyway, this is beautifully written and wonderfully atmospheric, and gothic as fuck. As the name implies, the gothic locus is a crumbling English country house. Which, y’know, is some of my favourite gothic as fuckery. It’s one of those dual timelines that run together things (though it’s not exactly difficult to figure how they do) which mostly works—although the bit told in third person and set in the present suffers from being infinitely less interesting than the bit set in the past and in first person. Basically, Amber (the protagonist of the past section) was a nuanced and complicated and fully rounded character. And Lorna (the protagonist of the present) was … a person?
Lots to love here, though. Gorgeous descriptions of Cornwall. Complicated characters—even the ones taking antagonistic roles, felt if not sympathetic at least consistently understandable. And, of course, lashings of sex, violence, melodrama and tragedy.
The basic set up here is that you have the Altons: owners of a rambly pile in Cornwall, the traditionally English father fell in love with a warm-hearted American heiress, because don’t they always. Anyway, they had four kids (two twins, Amber and Toby, then Barney, then Kitty) who had a pretty much idyllic childhood with their stupidly-in-love parents and their country house to spend their summers in. But then Nancy dies in a horse-riding accent and everything unravels from there.
Recommended for people who like that sort of thing who are in the right sort of mood to read it.
What messed me up was pretty random and pretty personal:
Back to kinky Disney fanfic for me.
June 21, 2022
A gothic story of a family and a house with deep secrets on the coast of Cornwall. There are 2 alternating timelines told which intertwine towards the end to bring necessary closure. Present day Lorna is drawn to Black Rabbit Hall as it sticks in her mind as a memory from the past. The Alton family is the past set in the 1960's. The paths converge but I felt Lorna's storyline became a bit awkward towards the end. It was somewhat choppy and the reader is able to pretty much figure out what is coming. However, I enjoyed the book and the descriptions of the coast and the house were done really well.
March 20, 2018
1,5 Sterne
Altes Herrenhaus, ein großes Geheimnis, eine Familiensaga mit der Prise Mystik.. ja wer liest das nicht gerne.. und dann bekommt man eine grenzwertige Schnulze mit wenig liebevollen Charakteren und einem merkwürdigen Erzählstil...
Black Rabitt Hall muss toll sein aber immer wenn der Fokus zum Haus kam und ich mich schon gefreut habe, wandte er sich auch schon wieder ab... und das ging mir nicht nur mit dem Haus sondern mit den meisten spannenden Stellen so. Die Sprache auf dem Unterhaltungsbarometer erhält schon einige Punkte aber der Erzählstil hat mich bis auf wenige Stellen komplett kalt gelassen. Auch die Charakter konnte oder wollte ich nicht greifen, weil einfach kein wirklcih liebenswürdiger dabei war. Dabei hat die Autorin sich zeitweise in konstuierten Situationen verloren, die zur tiefgreifenden Charakterisierung dienen sollten, die mich aber schlichtweg gelangweilt haben. Und das schlimmste war das Ende....
Altes Herrenhaus, ein großes Geheimnis, eine Familiensaga mit der Prise Mystik.. ja wer liest das nicht gerne.. und dann bekommt man eine grenzwertige Schnulze mit wenig liebevollen Charakteren und einem merkwürdigen Erzählstil...
Black Rabitt Hall muss toll sein aber immer wenn der Fokus zum Haus kam und ich mich schon gefreut habe, wandte er sich auch schon wieder ab... und das ging mir nicht nur mit dem Haus sondern mit den meisten spannenden Stellen so. Die Sprache auf dem Unterhaltungsbarometer erhält schon einige Punkte aber der Erzählstil hat mich bis auf wenige Stellen komplett kalt gelassen. Auch die Charakter konnte oder wollte ich nicht greifen, weil einfach kein wirklcih liebenswürdiger dabei war. Dabei hat die Autorin sich zeitweise in konstuierten Situationen verloren, die zur tiefgreifenden Charakterisierung dienen sollten, die mich aber schlichtweg gelangweilt haben. Und das schlimmste war das Ende....
July 30, 2015
What a beautiful book!!! It had me in tears by the end of it! Highly recommended!!!
April 8, 2017
Oh what a wonderful book! LOVED this beautifully written, poignant story. Every character so vivid and alive, the secrets brooding like Black Rabbit Hall. Loved it!
February 6, 2023
Audiobook narrated by Nathalie Buscombe, Katie Scarfe, and Cassandra Campbell 12 hrs 7minutes
Once again, I am smashing that TBR! Eve Chase's 2015 debut novel is a Gothic mystery dual narrative surrounding a Cornish home that has kept many secrets between its walls. In the past, readers are transported back to 1969 and the four Alton children( Amber, Toby, Barney, and Kitty) who enjoy a wonderful family life until the tragic death of their mother. The family events are told to us through the eyes of the eldest daughter, Amber.
In the present timeline, we meet the schoolteacher, Lorna, and her fiancée, Jon is looking for the perfect place to hold their wedding events. Lorna finds herself drawn to the estate Pencraw Hall, better known as Black Rabbit Hall and soon begins spending more and more time there.
I enjoyed this audiobook very much. The narrators were fantastic and kept me immersed in both narratives. I could certainly see this as a tv mini-series. I only knocked off a star because I could tell early on how these two timelines would intersect.
Goodreads Review Published 06/02/23
Once again, I am smashing that TBR! Eve Chase's 2015 debut novel is a Gothic mystery dual narrative surrounding a Cornish home that has kept many secrets between its walls. In the past, readers are transported back to 1969 and the four Alton children( Amber, Toby, Barney, and Kitty) who enjoy a wonderful family life until the tragic death of their mother. The family events are told to us through the eyes of the eldest daughter, Amber.
In the present timeline, we meet the schoolteacher, Lorna, and her fiancée, Jon is looking for the perfect place to hold their wedding events. Lorna finds herself drawn to the estate Pencraw Hall, better known as Black Rabbit Hall and soon begins spending more and more time there.
I enjoyed this audiobook very much. The narrators were fantastic and kept me immersed in both narratives. I could certainly see this as a tv mini-series. I only knocked off a star because I could tell early on how these two timelines would intersect.
Goodreads Review Published 06/02/23
November 9, 2015
SPOILERS/SPOILERS/SPOILERS/SPOILERS!!
21/9 - I really enjoy this kind of story, where the mystery and the connection between the past and present is slowly revealed as the plot goes back and forth. I loved this as much as Kate Morton's books. The mystery was very skilfully revealed. I had originally picked Amber as Lorna's mother, but when it was revealed that Lorna's birth certificate had Peggy's name on it, the book successfully tricked me into believing what I was being told. I had no inkling that the birth certificate was faked until Caroline admitted the truth. From the description on the back of the book I was expecting a more substantial supernatural theme, or even actual supernatural goings on. Clocks that never tell the correct time and some physiological weirdness going on with Lorna, weren't quite the extent of what I was imagining. The last 50 pages was real heart pounding stuff, literally my heart was racing with a mixture of fear and anticipation at what Amber would find as she searched for Barney. A great debut book. I look forward to seeing what else Chase will write.
21/9 - I really enjoy this kind of story, where the mystery and the connection between the past and present is slowly revealed as the plot goes back and forth. I loved this as much as Kate Morton's books. The mystery was very skilfully revealed. I had originally picked Amber as Lorna's mother, but when it was revealed that Lorna's birth certificate had Peggy's name on it, the book successfully tricked me into believing what I was being told. I had no inkling that the birth certificate was faked until Caroline admitted the truth. From the description on the back of the book I was expecting a more substantial supernatural theme, or even actual supernatural goings on. Clocks that never tell the correct time and some physiological weirdness going on with Lorna, weren't quite the extent of what I was imagining. The last 50 pages was real heart pounding stuff, literally my heart was racing with a mixture of fear and anticipation at what Amber would find as she searched for Barney. A great debut book. I look forward to seeing what else Chase will write.
May 15, 2018
Closer to 4.5 stars.
I know it's been said in reviews so many times but I'll just chime right in..... while reading this book I could definitely feel shades of Kate Morton. There was a very similar tone and reliance on atmosphere to propel the story. Although I do wish there had been a bit more character building. That is always what I find lacking in Morton's writing too. I wish I could find an author that could or would incorporate both into a story.
I will definitely put Eve Chase on my watch list and anticipate her new novels.
5*(4.5)/3.85
I know it's been said in reviews so many times but I'll just chime right in..... while reading this book I could definitely feel shades of Kate Morton. There was a very similar tone and reliance on atmosphere to propel the story. Although I do wish there had been a bit more character building. That is always what I find lacking in Morton's writing too. I wish I could find an author that could or would incorporate both into a story.
I will definitely put Eve Chase on my watch list and anticipate her new novels.
5*(4.5)/3.85
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