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The Keeper of Songs
A modern day Downton Abbey set at Chatsworth House, England's most famous stately home.
* A missing singer
* A doomed love story
* A family split by secrets & lies
1967: Enigmatic young folk singer Molly Marrison disappears on the cusp of fame.
2002: Silva is working as a housemaid at Chatsworth House when her father suddenly dies, leaving her with one instruction - find Molly.
The only clue is a haunting song, centuries old, that Molly recorded before she vanished. Silva needs the help of song collector, Robbie Nightingale. Silva and Robbie were teenage sweethearts, but they’ve not spoken for decades. If they try to find Molly, what else will they discover? For Molly is not the only girl to have disappeared. Silva’s mother, Sukey, vanished when Silva was a child, leaving her with scars that Robbie once tried but failed to heal.
* A missing singer
* A doomed love story
* A family split by secrets & lies
1967: Enigmatic young folk singer Molly Marrison disappears on the cusp of fame.
2002: Silva is working as a housemaid at Chatsworth House when her father suddenly dies, leaving her with one instruction - find Molly.
The only clue is a haunting song, centuries old, that Molly recorded before she vanished. Silva needs the help of song collector, Robbie Nightingale. Silva and Robbie were teenage sweethearts, but they’ve not spoken for decades. If they try to find Molly, what else will they discover? For Molly is not the only girl to have disappeared. Silva’s mother, Sukey, vanished when Silva was a child, leaving her with scars that Robbie once tried but failed to heal.
470 pages, Paperback
First published June 16, 2021
7 people are currently reading
106 people want to read
About the author
Fiona Mountain
13 books49 followersFiona Mountain grew up in Sheffield and moved to London aged eighteen where she worked in the press office for Radio 1 for ten years, handling the PR for presenters including John Peel, Mark Radlcliffe and Steve Wright and traveling with the Radio 1 Summer Roadshow.
Her first novel, Isabella, tells the haunting love story of Bounty mutineer Fletcher Christian and his cousin, Isabella Curwen. It was short-listed for the Romantic Novel of the Year Award in 2000, the first debut novel to reach the shortlist. It was followed with Pale as the Dead and Bloodline, which combine history with mystery and feature 'ancestor detective', Natasha Blake. Bloodline is the winner of the prestigious Mary Higgins Clark Award.
Fiona's novels have been published in America, Canada, Japan, Thailand, Italy, Germany, Holland and Australia. Though having enjoyed writing the mysteries, Lady of the Butterflies, published in 2009, marks her permanent return to historical fiction.
She lives in a seventeenth century house in the Cotswolds with her husband, Tim, a musician, and their four young children.
Her new book, 'The Keeper of Songs' out in 2021.
Her first novel, Isabella, tells the haunting love story of Bounty mutineer Fletcher Christian and his cousin, Isabella Curwen. It was short-listed for the Romantic Novel of the Year Award in 2000, the first debut novel to reach the shortlist. It was followed with Pale as the Dead and Bloodline, which combine history with mystery and feature 'ancestor detective', Natasha Blake. Bloodline is the winner of the prestigious Mary Higgins Clark Award.
Fiona's novels have been published in America, Canada, Japan, Thailand, Italy, Germany, Holland and Australia. Though having enjoyed writing the mysteries, Lady of the Butterflies, published in 2009, marks her permanent return to historical fiction.
She lives in a seventeenth century house in the Cotswolds with her husband, Tim, a musician, and their four young children.
Her new book, 'The Keeper of Songs' out in 2021.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
October 21, 2021
Silva is a housemaid at Chatsworth. When her dad suddenly dies his wish is for Silva to find someone called Molly. Silva knows nothing at all about Molly but is about to find out.
I first discovered Fiona Mountain by book shopping I Hay on Wye some years ago. I picked up a copy of Bloodline for £1 and it was the best money spent. I then went on to read Pale as the Dead, again another good read.
This book follows Silva and her time at Chatsworth and her quest to find Molly. The story goes back in time following Molly and what happens to her. Both stories do come together, and I have to say I did quite easily work it all out. This however did not distract from the story.
The story offers wonderful descriptions of life at Chatsworth and the surrounding area of the Peak District. Molly is a folk singer and one of her songs is about two lovers who are murdered. All this again has a connection in the story. The folklore tale of the murders in Winnats Pass has been used to create a fictional tale of a family mystery.
My only little niggle is I felt this book was a bit too long and I felt some of the story especially the end was a little sugary. I still enjoyed the story however and will read more by the author.
I first discovered Fiona Mountain by book shopping I Hay on Wye some years ago. I picked up a copy of Bloodline for £1 and it was the best money spent. I then went on to read Pale as the Dead, again another good read.
This book follows Silva and her time at Chatsworth and her quest to find Molly. The story goes back in time following Molly and what happens to her. Both stories do come together, and I have to say I did quite easily work it all out. This however did not distract from the story.
The story offers wonderful descriptions of life at Chatsworth and the surrounding area of the Peak District. Molly is a folk singer and one of her songs is about two lovers who are murdered. All this again has a connection in the story. The folklore tale of the murders in Winnats Pass has been used to create a fictional tale of a family mystery.
My only little niggle is I felt this book was a bit too long and I felt some of the story especially the end was a little sugary. I still enjoyed the story however and will read more by the author.
July 1, 2021
I was drawn to this book by the idea of a mystery and the setting of Chatsworth House but stayed for the romance and the deep family connections and the idea of love that run throughout the book. That and the love that the author clearly had for the Derbyshire countryside and the people that used to live there.
Silva and Molly led the book as the two POVs that we got throughout the book as their two storylines became more and more intertwined as Silva embarked on the mission her father set her with his dying words. Find Molly, the beautiful and mystical singer who he had known in the 1960s and who had suddenly disappeared in 1967. I adored the two women and really loved how their two stories came together at the end of the book. Silva was just amazing and so resilient and she absolutely deserved the happy ending that she found after everything she went through and I really enjoyed how we got to see glimpses of her at different ages as well. Robbie was a wonderful character too and I really liked how he saw through the facade that Silva put out to the world and how he bought out the best in her. To be honest, all of the characters in this book were wonderfully written and the one thing that stood out to me most was the sense of community that they all had.
The plot was also wonderful. It was full of mystery and love and heartbreak and haunting echoes that ran back centuries to the song that played such a great role in the story, The Runaway Lovers. Something that just added another layer to the brilliant story that Fiona Mountain had created that she set against the backdrop of Derbyshire and Chatsworth House (making me even more desperate to go and visit). As I said earlier I really liked the fact that we had the dual POV and I think that it really helped give a sense of fluidity between the two stories as Silva looked into Molly's past as she is trying to move forward with her life. And the ending was jsut so heartwarming and not quite how I expected it all to go down in a good way. The theme of love was there right until the very end and I just loved that.
This book was so beautifully written and incredibly well informed. You could tell as you read through the book that Fiona Mountian not only knew what she was writing about concerning Molly and her storyline but also the stories in Derbyshire, as well as the fact that she clearly loved what she was writing about. This was book was such a delight to read and I recommend that you all go and check it out now!
I was kindly provided with a copy of the book as part of a blog tour in exchange for an honest review.
Silva and Molly led the book as the two POVs that we got throughout the book as their two storylines became more and more intertwined as Silva embarked on the mission her father set her with his dying words. Find Molly, the beautiful and mystical singer who he had known in the 1960s and who had suddenly disappeared in 1967. I adored the two women and really loved how their two stories came together at the end of the book. Silva was just amazing and so resilient and she absolutely deserved the happy ending that she found after everything she went through and I really enjoyed how we got to see glimpses of her at different ages as well. Robbie was a wonderful character too and I really liked how he saw through the facade that Silva put out to the world and how he bought out the best in her. To be honest, all of the characters in this book were wonderfully written and the one thing that stood out to me most was the sense of community that they all had.
The plot was also wonderful. It was full of mystery and love and heartbreak and haunting echoes that ran back centuries to the song that played such a great role in the story, The Runaway Lovers. Something that just added another layer to the brilliant story that Fiona Mountain had created that she set against the backdrop of Derbyshire and Chatsworth House (making me even more desperate to go and visit). As I said earlier I really liked the fact that we had the dual POV and I think that it really helped give a sense of fluidity between the two stories as Silva looked into Molly's past as she is trying to move forward with her life. And the ending was jsut so heartwarming and not quite how I expected it all to go down in a good way. The theme of love was there right until the very end and I just loved that.
This book was so beautifully written and incredibly well informed. You could tell as you read through the book that Fiona Mountian not only knew what she was writing about concerning Molly and her storyline but also the stories in Derbyshire, as well as the fact that she clearly loved what she was writing about. This was book was such a delight to read and I recommend that you all go and check it out now!
I was kindly provided with a copy of the book as part of a blog tour in exchange for an honest review.
July 29, 2021
As soon as I heard about The Keeper of Songs I knew I had to read it. I'd read Fiona Mountain's genealogy novels in the past and enjoyed them and I couldn't resist this new book which appealed for several reasons.
The first is that it's one of my favourite kinds of storylines, the dual timeline kind. In 1967 a young folk singer, Molly Marrison, is about to make it big when she suddenly disappears. In 2002, Silva's father dies and his last words are that she should "find Molly". How are these two strands linked?
Then there's the folk songs themselves, one of which in particular plays a huge part in the story. Silva enlists the help of Robbie, her first love, who she hasn't seen for years.
And the other, probably most compelling, reason for me enjoying this book is the setting of the Peak District and more specifically Chatsworth, a place not a million miles from where I live and one which I have visited many times over the years. Silva works as a housemaid there (which is more about conservation than scrubbing floors). I loved the sense of place, the descriptions of the rooms, gardens, the methods for looking after all the artefacts, and the way that Chatsworth is more than just a stately home, it's a community for everyone who works there. I feel like the author must have done so much research and it really showed. Blue John Stone, which is only found in the caverns of Castleton, also plays a big part and I found it all absolutely fascinating.
This is a really lovely read, tying together local history through folk songs and folklore, with bittersweet love stories that echo down through the generations. As is often the case, I enjoyed the more contemporary story most of all. I think it's because I like the characters to delve into the past and discover long-lost secrets. But I very much enjoyed the book as a whole and thought the author did a wonderful job at bringing it all together and creating a truly enchanting read.
The first is that it's one of my favourite kinds of storylines, the dual timeline kind. In 1967 a young folk singer, Molly Marrison, is about to make it big when she suddenly disappears. In 2002, Silva's father dies and his last words are that she should "find Molly". How are these two strands linked?
Then there's the folk songs themselves, one of which in particular plays a huge part in the story. Silva enlists the help of Robbie, her first love, who she hasn't seen for years.
And the other, probably most compelling, reason for me enjoying this book is the setting of the Peak District and more specifically Chatsworth, a place not a million miles from where I live and one which I have visited many times over the years. Silva works as a housemaid there (which is more about conservation than scrubbing floors). I loved the sense of place, the descriptions of the rooms, gardens, the methods for looking after all the artefacts, and the way that Chatsworth is more than just a stately home, it's a community for everyone who works there. I feel like the author must have done so much research and it really showed. Blue John Stone, which is only found in the caverns of Castleton, also plays a big part and I found it all absolutely fascinating.
This is a really lovely read, tying together local history through folk songs and folklore, with bittersweet love stories that echo down through the generations. As is often the case, I enjoyed the more contemporary story most of all. I think it's because I like the characters to delve into the past and discover long-lost secrets. But I very much enjoyed the book as a whole and thought the author did a wonderful job at bringing it all together and creating a truly enchanting read.
April 23, 2022
I felt that at least the first two thirds of this book was cobbled together around describing and including the treasures of Chatsworth House. The plot for me was weak and the main protagonist annoying for most of the time.
I gave it 2 Stars because it got much better towards the end, even though there was still a bit of bringing Chatsworth into it just for the sake of it.
I was really irritated by the changing date for the 11th Duke and Duchess Wedding Anniversary, I don’t think the excuse of not wanting to tackle the Foot and Mouth disaster because of the COVID Pandemic was good enough.
I loved the idea of people collecting songs and I think much more could have been made of this although, this too gets much better towards the end.
I love Chatsworth, it is why I bought the book but in the end, I feel that the story it’s self didn’t need the Estate except as a backdrop rather than a main character. The story really was very good but it was blighted by forcing Chatsworth history into it when it wasn’t needed or necessary.
I gave it 2 Stars because it got much better towards the end, even though there was still a bit of bringing Chatsworth into it just for the sake of it.
I was really irritated by the changing date for the 11th Duke and Duchess Wedding Anniversary, I don’t think the excuse of not wanting to tackle the Foot and Mouth disaster because of the COVID Pandemic was good enough.
I loved the idea of people collecting songs and I think much more could have been made of this although, this too gets much better towards the end.
I love Chatsworth, it is why I bought the book but in the end, I feel that the story it’s self didn’t need the Estate except as a backdrop rather than a main character. The story really was very good but it was blighted by forcing Chatsworth history into it when it wasn’t needed or necessary.
July 12, 2021
This is a beautiful tale of romance, history and music. So beautifully written. The characters are all lovable and I think this story will be in my heart for a long time.
The story is told in two POVs, Molly and Silva. I adored both characters and how the two stories come together.
The plot was beautifully executed and you can see how much research has gone into this work. The stunning backdrop of Chatsworth House is portrayed so realistically and the author acknowledges and thanks each who helped her with the research in the acknowledgement.
I enjoyed this story emensly and also feel that the past has the power to shape our future. This definitely made me think about my generation of family. I definitely recommend this book.
I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The story is told in two POVs, Molly and Silva. I adored both characters and how the two stories come together.
The plot was beautifully executed and you can see how much research has gone into this work. The stunning backdrop of Chatsworth House is portrayed so realistically and the author acknowledges and thanks each who helped her with the research in the acknowledgement.
I enjoyed this story emensly and also feel that the past has the power to shape our future. This definitely made me think about my generation of family. I definitely recommend this book.
I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
January 29, 2024
This novel was worth the read however there were several things within the story that I didn’t enjoy.
The first issue I had was Silva who was set up to be a strong female character however several times within the story she is wishy washy on Robbie and expected him to read her mind and was upset when he didn’t. And Robbie, don’t get me started. Such a puppy dog, following her around begging for her attention all the time.
The overall story plot line was good. I loved how the author linked three timelines together to create an intricate mystery with a twist I didn’t see coming but loved. I enjoyed the mystery around Molly and the way her character was portrayed.
I also liked the stories behind the music and the story around Chatsworth. The interweaving between the presents link to the past both in places and characters was very good.
The first issue I had was Silva who was set up to be a strong female character however several times within the story she is wishy washy on Robbie and expected him to read her mind and was upset when he didn’t. And Robbie, don’t get me started. Such a puppy dog, following her around begging for her attention all the time.
The overall story plot line was good. I loved how the author linked three timelines together to create an intricate mystery with a twist I didn’t see coming but loved. I enjoyed the mystery around Molly and the way her character was portrayed.
I also liked the stories behind the music and the story around Chatsworth. The interweaving between the presents link to the past both in places and characters was very good.
May 28, 2022
Downton Abbey meets Sharyn McCrumb in swinging 1960s Britain.
In 2002, when Silva Brightmore’s father John passes away unexpectedly in his fifties, she gets pulled into solving the mystery posed by his last words for her: “Find Molly.” Silva’s mum had abandoned their family years beforehand, and after finding a record album sleeve with a photo of a beautiful raven-haired folksinger, Molly Marrison, Silva begins wondering if her dad had had a romance with this young woman as well.
Silva works as a housemaid (or more accurately put, conservation assistant) at Chatsworth House, the stately home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire in the Peak District. Beautiful views of this idyllic setting fill the novel’s pages. As she searches for where Molly might be, Silva sorts through her feelings for an old boyfriend from her teenage years, Robbie Nightingale, a traveling song-collector who returns to support her in her grief.
The story wanders back periodically to the watershed year of 1967, a time of experimentation with free love and drugs, when folk music spoke directly to young people’s souls. Fiona Mountain places readers in the moment as Molly casts a spell over her audience with her passionate interpretation of an old ballad involving runaway lovers and a terrible murder. While stirring up nostalgia for this long-ago time, the author adds a good dose of realism, since women in particular were both romanticized and stigmatized for their personal choices in the late ‘60s.
One aspect of the mystery feels predictable (though not to Silva), but working out the “why” is just as interesting as the “what.” The story exhibits the author’s deep affection for Chatsworth and the villages within the picturesque estate setting. With the skill of an eloquent balladeer, she makes you think about how aspects of family and regional history turn into local legends and songs, and what truths can be gleaned from them.
First published at Reading the Past.
In 2002, when Silva Brightmore’s father John passes away unexpectedly in his fifties, she gets pulled into solving the mystery posed by his last words for her: “Find Molly.” Silva’s mum had abandoned their family years beforehand, and after finding a record album sleeve with a photo of a beautiful raven-haired folksinger, Molly Marrison, Silva begins wondering if her dad had had a romance with this young woman as well.
Silva works as a housemaid (or more accurately put, conservation assistant) at Chatsworth House, the stately home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire in the Peak District. Beautiful views of this idyllic setting fill the novel’s pages. As she searches for where Molly might be, Silva sorts through her feelings for an old boyfriend from her teenage years, Robbie Nightingale, a traveling song-collector who returns to support her in her grief.
The story wanders back periodically to the watershed year of 1967, a time of experimentation with free love and drugs, when folk music spoke directly to young people’s souls. Fiona Mountain places readers in the moment as Molly casts a spell over her audience with her passionate interpretation of an old ballad involving runaway lovers and a terrible murder. While stirring up nostalgia for this long-ago time, the author adds a good dose of realism, since women in particular were both romanticized and stigmatized for their personal choices in the late ‘60s.
One aspect of the mystery feels predictable (though not to Silva), but working out the “why” is just as interesting as the “what.” The story exhibits the author’s deep affection for Chatsworth and the villages within the picturesque estate setting. With the skill of an eloquent balladeer, she makes you think about how aspects of family and regional history turn into local legends and songs, and what truths can be gleaned from them.
First published at Reading the Past.
September 14, 2021
Epic, Moving, Fantastic, Heartwarming, Heartbreaking.
It’s about love and trusting oneself and also trying to understand the past to move onwards and heal the future.
While in the background to it all lies Chatsworth, the stunning manor.
A beautiful story about love, loss, forgiveness, fear and healing.
It’s also about mistakes made in the past which have repercussions in the future and how the past doesn’t define you it helps shapes who you are and you can learn from it to be better and open to new things.
I loved this book and will urge you to read this tour de force and if you love folksy music with a hint of superstition and old romance this is one for you.
It’s about love and trusting oneself and also trying to understand the past to move onwards and heal the future.
While in the background to it all lies Chatsworth, the stunning manor.
A beautiful story about love, loss, forgiveness, fear and healing.
It’s also about mistakes made in the past which have repercussions in the future and how the past doesn’t define you it helps shapes who you are and you can learn from it to be better and open to new things.
I loved this book and will urge you to read this tour de force and if you love folksy music with a hint of superstition and old romance this is one for you.
July 14, 2021
The Keeper of Songs - Fiona Mountain
Such a beautifully told tale of family history, music and love, woven together with the perfect setting of Chatsworth House. My favourite aspect was the feeling of togetherness and community, which I felt was elegantly expressed through the characters in the book. I really felt like the author had so much passion for this story and put a lot of wisdom into writing it. Overall it was a lovely read with very likeable characters, and I would highly recommend it!
Such a beautifully told tale of family history, music and love, woven together with the perfect setting of Chatsworth House. My favourite aspect was the feeling of togetherness and community, which I felt was elegantly expressed through the characters in the book. I really felt like the author had so much passion for this story and put a lot of wisdom into writing it. Overall it was a lovely read with very likeable characters, and I would highly recommend it!
July 31, 2023
3.5 I read the author’s genealogical mysteries years ago and always hoped she’d write more. I found this book while doing a search for her online. Part mystery/history/romance, I enjoyed it to a point. I figured out the mystery part almost immediately though that didn’t detract from the book. But it could have used a tighter hand with editing (from the standpoint both of length and copyediting/proofreading—too many typos and too many misplaced or unnecessary commas). The main character could be annoying at times as well, but overall a pleasant enough read.
December 7, 2023
Very good, really enjoyed, the mystery isn't a thrilling, grabbing plot twist but I loved reading it and trying to find out what happened. Found most of the characters loveable and sweet, the main chatacter I didn't love at times but I won't spoil anything.
It was mostly about the romance tbh which I enjoyed
Gonna look into her other books now too😁
It was mostly about the romance tbh which I enjoyed
Gonna look into her other books now too😁
December 31, 2024
Final read of 2024. I enjoyed this. I read it due to the #52bookclub prompt to read a book with an instrument on the cover. It was enjoyable enough but in my opinion, far too long. It was an interesting concept but could have been at least 100 pages shorter. The music references were enjoyable, as were the sections set at the historical house. In the end a little too neatly tied together. 3.5 🌟
September 5, 2021
A totally absorbing books interweaving the stories of two women, Silva and Molly, in 3 different time periods set in and around Chatsworth House with an old folk tale & song. I loved the detail of life in the house and almost felt I was there.
January 5, 2023
A stunning book. Reminded me somewhat of The Crow Road; relatable characters, anough of an intriguing plot to string me along, and a setting I'm now desperate to re-visit.
I was lucky enough to buy this book at Chatsworth House, now I can't wait to return.
I was lucky enough to buy this book at Chatsworth House, now I can't wait to return.
July 20, 2023
A fabulous story! You’ll chuckle, cry, be transported to another time, learn and generally adore every page!
July 31, 2023
Thoroughly captivating, thoroughly enjoyable brings Chatsworth to life through folk music, can't recommend enough.
December 15, 2023
very long and slow but so beautiful
March 13, 2024
Gentle well researched and enjoyable
February 24, 2023
The Keeper of Songs is not the usual type of book I would pick up but set in Chatsworth House and full of folk songs and love I couldn't resist reading it in February as part of the Oxfam Reading Challenge and .. I loved it!
The descriptions of Chatsworth and the surrounding areas were wonderful and vivid, the characters were developed and believable .. I couldn't put it down! I did figure out what was happening very early on but it didn't take away any of the enjoyment of the book and yeah, it's good to read things you wouldn't sometimes because you find treasures like this ..
The descriptions of Chatsworth and the surrounding areas were wonderful and vivid, the characters were developed and believable .. I couldn't put it down! I did figure out what was happening very early on but it didn't take away any of the enjoyment of the book and yeah, it's good to read things you wouldn't sometimes because you find treasures like this ..
November 11, 2024
A beautifully written book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews