Hemligheten i Helmersbruk

by Eva Frantz, Elin Sandström (Illustrator)

Det är i början av december 1975. Flora Winter och hennes mamma Linn har kommit till den lilla kuststaden Helmersbruk där de hyr en portvaktsstuga som ligger intill en förfallen herrgård. Julen nalkas, men den kommer nog inte att bli något vidare. Pappa är ju inte längre med, mamma har fullt upp med sitt jobb och dessutom glömde hon pyntet hemma.

Medan mamma jobbar vid skrivmaskinen bekantar sig Flora med omgivningen. Hon lär känna den snälle med allvarlige farbror Fridolf som bor på ägorna. En mystisk pojke dyker upp och försvinner innan Flora hinner ställa sina frågor. En snövit ekorre verkar vilja Flora något. Allt verkar kretsa kring själva herrgården, som kanske ändå inte är så öde som alla tror …

I tjugofyra kapitel – ett för varje dag fram till julafton – tar sig Flora närmare sanningen om von Hiems herrgård. Samtidigt upptäcker hon någonting viktigt om sig själv.

Adventsboken Hemligheten i Helmersbruk är en blandning av Maria Gripes mystik, Enid Blytons mysterieväv och Eva Frantz egen signatur: en spökhistoria som griper läsare i alla åldrar.

Genres: Christmas, Middle Grade, Mystery, Fiction, Childrens, Historical, Ghosts

200 pages, Hardcover

First published October 8, 2021

Reviews

[Melissa Stordahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a delightful story! The Secret of Helmersbruck Manor was originally written in Finnish for middle grade readers, but it was immensely enjoyable for this adult. It's one of those stories that reminds you why you fell in love with reading as a child.

Twelve-year-old Flora and her mother go to stay in the seaside village of Helmersbruck for Christmas. Flora discovers that the house where they are staying is part of a beautiful estate, including a mysterious fairytale manor that has not allowed anyone to enter for years. Strange occurrences and voices inspire her to solve the mystery of the estate and save it from developers.

I absolutely loved this book. It's filled with elements a young reader would love: a mysterious mansion with a library and turrets, a hedge labyrinth nobody has solved, rumors of a hidden treasure, friendly ghosts, and Christmas dreams come true. Highly recommended!

Thank you so much to Pushkin and NetGalley for this book to review!

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of, The Secret of Helmersbruck Manor, by Eva Frantz, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Twelve year old Flora is spending Christmas in a haunted house, with her mother, and all sorts of characters. I really liked the illustrations in this book, and the Christmas mystery, an enjoyable read.

[Marta Demianiuk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bardzo przyjemna historia. Podobało mi się odkrywanie tajemnicy dworu, elementy magii, historia z przeszłości.

Starałam się czytać rozdział dziennie niczym książkowy kalendarz adwentowy, ale ostatecznie odpuściłam, bo zaczęła mnie irytować taka lektura.

[Niina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruukin salaisuus on tarinaltaan paras joulukalenterikirja, jonka olen lukenut (paras kuvitus puolestaan on Lumisiskossa). Jännittävä ja maaginen tarina eräästä suvusta ja heidän kartanostaan. Tulee hiukan mieleen Agnes-sarja, Domowik ja Karkkitehtaan kummitus. Suosittelen etenkin 9-12-vuotiaille, ääneen luettuna nuoremmillekin. Aikuinenkin viihtyy hyvin tämän kanssa.

Flora matkaa äitinsä kanssa joulukuuksi pieneen kylään. He ovat vuokranneen ränsistyneen kartanon portinvartijan tuvan,jotta äitisaa kirjoittaa rauhassa uusimman kirjansa. Isä on kuollut vuoden aikana sairastettuaan pitkään, eikä joulussa tunnu olevan samaa tunnelmaa kuin ennen.

Floran seikkaillessa kartanon mailla, hän löytää paitsi hukattuja asioita, myös kuulee outoja kuiskuttelevia ääniä ja näkee valkoisen oravan. Hän saa kuulla kartanoon liittyvistä mysteereistä ja päättää ratkaistane, sillä jos hän ei nyt toimi, on kartano vaarassa joutua puretuksi hotellin tieltä.

[Kirjoihin kadonnut || Johanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Todella hyvä ja lumoava tarina. Sopivasti yliluonnollinen olematta kuitenkaan pelottava ja kartanon mysteeri koukutti niin lukijan kuin kuuntelijatkin. Voi lukea joulukalenterikirjana, muttei ole niin jouluinen etteikö voisi lukea muutenkin.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

I admit it, it was the cover of this novel that sucked me in. And it has been a pretty good read to start my festive season off. But sadly, for me, it lacked a little something to make it get past the 3 stars mark.

The tale follows Flora, a young girl who lives with her mother, and they are facing the first Christmas without Flora's dad there. As a way to escape from their normal lives for a while, Flora's mum decides that it would do them both good to take a month-long break in December, so they travel to Helmersbruk Manor. Staying in the grounds of the old, abandoned manor house, Flora falls in love with the place. But her curiosity for Helmersbruk seems to go far deeper than a child's normal interest. Flora feels an affinity for the place, and so she decides to try and solve the mystery of what happened to the family, and how the manor can be saved.

As a Christmas read, this was okay. The setting obviously had Christmas vibes, as there is snow and the appearance of little porcelain Christmas figures. I did feel that the story took a while to really get going, and the mystery wasn't really that deep, or complicated. I'm not sure what the age range for the prospective readers should be - the illustrations are only at the beginning of each chapter, so it is not an illustrated children's book. But the depth of the story seemed to fall a little short for older children to enjoy. The ghostly element of the tale wasn't creepy or scary at all. Personally, I would have liked there to be more tension and jeopardy within the story.

It's not a story which would stay with me for very long. If you are looking for quite a simple, easy, cosy read, then this may be up your street.

[Gateway_to_Wonderland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruukin salaisuus on niin sanottu joulukalenterikirja: Siinä on 24 lukua ja tarina sijoittuu joulunaikaan. Tämä tuli luettua kyllä vasta uudesta vuodesta eteenpäin, mutta eipä tuo haittaa 😅

Itse päätarina sijoittui vuoteen 1975, mutta siinä käytiin usein myös vuoden 1925 tapahtumia läpi. Kirjassa 12-vuotias Flora yrittää selvittää Helmerinkylän kartanon salaisuutta. Siksi toisaalta on hassua, että kirjan nimi on Ruukin salaisuus, sillä tarinaan kyllä liittyy ruukki, mutta varsinainen kohde on kartano ja sen tilukset.

Tämä oli tähän mennessä paras joulukalenterikirja. Tarina eteni mukavasti ja piti otteessaan. Muutenkin tarina oli hyvin kirjoitettu ja jokaisen kappaleen alussa oli hieno kokosivunkuva, joka alusti kyseistä kappaletta. Muutenkin kirjassa oli hieno tunnelma.

[Helena Paciorek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bardzo ciekawa i tajemnicza, wspaniały klimat, jednakże rozwiązanie całej tajemnicy chyba mogłoby być bardziej spektakularne i angażujące

[Yvonne · Rating 3 out of 5]

En stemningsfuld fortælling om at finde sine rødder.

Flora og hendes mor har lejet en hytte nær herregården Helmersværk. Floras far er død kort forinden og turen skal give mor og datter lidt tid sammen for at genfinde sig selv og hinanden. 

Mens moderen begraver sig i sine skriverier udforsker Flora Helmersværk. Langsomt optrævler hun hemmeligheden bag den forladte bolig, det mystiske hvide egern og en kærlighedshistorie fra fortiden. 

Stemningen i bogen er lidt dyster, men der er også håb i mørket. Flora og hendes mor møder nye muligheder i Helmersværk og nye venskaber blomstre frem.

Bogen foregår i december og har 24 kapitler, men ellers der er ikke meget jul i bogen. 

Bogen er illustreret af Elin Stadstrom som har en dyster stil, som jeg ikke rigtig bryder mig om.

Alt i alt en middel læseoplevelse. 

[Johanna Häggblom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jag högläste denna bok för mina barn och vi tyckte mycket om berättelsen! Dock tyckte jag att de många frågorna som huvudpersonen ställde sig då och då saktade upp läsandet och störde helhetsintrycket.

[Eija Miettunen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ihana satu! Rakastin tällaisia kirjoja nuorena, ja nytkin oli ihanaa lukea kirja. Mietin minkäikäisille tämän voisi lukea adventtikirjana, liian nuoret näkisivät sitten kummitusunia tai haluaisivat tietää kaikelle luonnollisia selityksiä. Mutta ehdottomasti tämä olisi mukava koko perheen lukutuokiokirja vaikka juuri joulun alla. Kuvitus on aika jäyhää, ei todellakaan disneyprinsessasöpöilyä.

[Hilena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Välskriven, spännande och varm kapitel-ungdomsbok som passar perfekt som läsning fram till julafton!

[Charlotte (Bogrejser) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sød og fin med et hyggeligt og spændende plot ✨

[Bibliotekarien läser · Rating 5 out of 5]

En underbar historia om en mystisk herrgård och en familj med många hemligheter.
Dessutom ett stort plus för den härliga uppläsningen på Mumin-dialekt ... ;)

Perfekt julläsning i 24 kapitel.

[Kristin Samuelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

En riktigt mysig julbok. 🥰

[Miz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely Christmas mystery. Would definitely recommend reading each chapter through advent, it makes the anticipation more delicious. Very satisfying ending.

[Deidra · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 4th grade self rates this 5 ⭐️! This book reminded me why I began to love reading at a young age.

The Finnish author writes an imaginative and engaging story. Each chapter is meant to be read on each day of Advent.

This book would make a great gift for a child, or a child at heart!

[Gullis lästips · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adventsboken Hemligheten I Helmersbruk är en blandning av Maria Gripes mystik, Enid Blytons mysterieväv och en spökhistoria som griper läsare i alla åldrar.

Hemligheten i Helmersbruk är en kapitelbok med 24 kapitel som är till för att läsas i december med ett kapitel för varje dag fram till jul. Dock är det svårt att hålla sig från att sträckläsa boken då varje kapitel avslutas med en spännande cliffhanger.

Det ��r en gripande och lite vemodig berättelse med mycket känslor och en massa mystik.

”Det är i början av december 1975. Flora Winter och hennes mamma Linn har kommit till den lilla kuststaden Helmers Bruk där de hyr en portvaktsstuga som ligger intill en förfallen herrgård. Julen nalkas, men den kommer nog inte att bli något vidare. Pappa är ju inte längre med, mamma har fullt upp med sitt jobb och dessutom glömde hon pyntet hemma. Medan mamma jobbar vid skrivmaskinen bekantar sig Flora med omgivningen. Hon lär känna den snälle med allvarlige farbror Fridolf som bor på ägorna. En mystisk pojke dyker upp och försvinner innan Flora hinner ställa sina frågor.

Men så börjar mystiska saker hända: föremål dyker upp ur tomma intet, Flora hör viskningar i skuggorna, en mystisk pojke dyker upp och försvinner innan Flora hinner ställa sina frågor och så får hon syn på en snövit ekorre som verkar vilja Flora något, en ekorre som ingen annan kan se. Allt verkar handla om Herrgården som kanske ändå inte är så öde som alla tror …”

Det tar tyvärr några kapitel innan man kommer in i berättelsen, men väl där vill man inte sluta läsa. Alla kapitel börjar med en ganska mörk med fint illustrerad bild som återspeglar handling i kapitlen som är ganska långa. Jag förstår varför bilderna går i dessa dova färger, på så sätt sätter det den rätta mystiska och lite spöklika stämningen i boken. Som jag anser kan läsas året om.

Hemligheten i Helmersbruk är en en spökhistoria vid jul!

Här ka ni ta del av den fullständiga bokrecensionen: https://www.gullislastips.se/2021/11/...

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

October 12, 2023 by Pushkin Children's Book

Flora Winter and her mother, Linn, rent a cottage in the Swedish countryside for winter break in 1975. Ms. Winter is a writer, and since Flora's father has passed away, some quiet time to work in the country seems like a good change of pace. They are on the von Hiems estate, where the manor has been abandoned since a tragedy in 1925. Fridolf, who has rented the property to them, lives in the Washhouse. Flora is fascinated by the manor, and daydreams about living there as she investigates the property. There is even a garden labyrinth, and Flora asks if she would be able to clean the flower beds around the house as a project. She does here odd voices that seem to call to her, catches glimpses of shadowy figures, and befriends a local boy, Egon, who seems to come and go very quickly. After Fridolf slips on the snow and has to go into the hospital, Flora becomes more interested than ever in the history of the estate. She pokes around in the attic and finds a hatbox with a hat that fits her perfectly, and once again hears whispers. She finds out that the von Hiems family ran a local glassworks factory, and also that people in the town are interested in tearing the manor down in order to boost the areas appeal as a summer destination. We get to see some of the family history unfold in 1925, although Flora does not. Rigmor (called Riggy) was the gardener's daughter and nanny of the von Hiems' youngest child, and fell in love with the oldest son, Robby. He was supposed to marry the daughter of the rival Marton family. This is the same family trying to tear down the estate in 1975. Robby and Riggy continue their romance, and when Riggy is expecting, they know this will be quite the scandal. Flora, who doesn't know this, is researching the house at the local library, and runs into other girls who live in the town. There are rumors of a treasure hidden in the manor, and Flora, who has fallen in love with the place, is determined to find it. When information surfaces linking her family to the von Hiems, will this help Flora and her mother be able to give up their life in the city and settles in the country?
Strengths: In the 1970s, there must have been an inordinate amount of long abandoned houses, because I remember reading books that were very similar to this one. Curry's Poor Tom's Ghost, Arthur's A Candle in Her Room, McKillip's The House on Parchment Street, Snyder's The Ghosts of Stone Hollow-- there seemed to be a lot of books where there were ghosts, some time travel, family secrets, and general light creepiness. Helmersbruk Manor would have been right at home with these other tales, so I love the fact that it was set in 1975. Since this was written recently (and translated from the Swedish), it's not surprising that Flora's father had died, but this does give her a lot of opportunity to investigate the estate while her mother is writing. We get a lot of family history and some intrigue, as well as some ghostly time travel. There's also a bit of Christmas involved, both in the setting of the book and in the timing of the historical tragedy. I was drawn right into the book, and, like Flora, really wanted to investigate the manor!
Weaknesses: This was fairly slow paced, and I'm not sure how middle school students are going to feel about the Riggy/Robby romance, and the resultant baby. My readers are most interested in murderous ghosts, and the ghosts in this book are all pretty tame.
What I really think: This is a slightly eerie, atmospheric ghost story that will make fans of Chalfoun's The Treasure of Maria Mamoun, Bowman's Where the Lost Ones Go, or Burch's Finch House.

[Lady Clementina ffinch-ffarowmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a review copy of this book from Pushkin Press via Edelweiss for which my thanks.

While Eva Frantz is an established writer of crime novels, I discovered her work only through her writing for children when I read The Mystery of Raspberry Hill last year which while meant for younger readers has darker shades and heavy themes being set in a sanatorium and with a heroine who isn’t sure how long she has to live (and quite morbid as a result). Having very much liked the book, I was keen to read another of her offerings for young persons, The Secret of Helmersbruk Manor, also a mystery, but this time with a Christmassy background and feel. Like Raspberry Hill, this too has supernatural elements, but while this book has grief and loss among its themes, there isn’t that feeling of the ominous as in Raspberry Hill.

In The Secret of Helmersbruk Manor, twelve-year-old Flora Winter or ‘Flick’ as her mother calls her travels to the seaside town of Helmersbruk with her mother—a nice place for a holiday, no doubt, but it’s the middle of winter. There they are to be tenants of the Gatekeeper’s cottage at Helmersbruk manor while the only other resident, an old man called Fridolf lives in the Washhouse. The manor itself is empty and locked up. Flora has only recently lost her father and the grief is still strong (‘Most of all, she missed dad. It was like a blister that refused to heal. She could forget about the pain briefly but as soon as she moved, it would blaze again’.). Her mother, an author, is also heartbroken but now able to get back to writing, she escapes into her work, sometimes even forgetting Flora and things like getting meals on the table.

At Helmersbruk, Flora has her homework with her but is broadly free to explore. She roams around the grounds and the garden, taking up some gardening in the process (there are flowers that bloom even in the cold) but most of all she is curious about the manor itself into which there seems no way. Or is there? Some strange things start to occur as Flora spots a white squirrel, hears whispering voices, and even dreams of herself floating into the manor. She meets and befriends a young boy who seems to live close by but who never stops by long enough for her to learn too much. Amidst these explorations and adventures, small little Christmassy things also begin to be found by her, a shepherd, an angel—different parts of a nativity scene. But what are all these strange things leading up to and does she ever manage to enter Helmersbruk manor?

Intermittently are also chapters following another story—written in the form of letters to a loved one and connected with Helmersbruk’s past. As these chapters unfold, we start to pick up hints as to Flora’s present-day adventures.

The Secret of Helmersbruk Manor was a really fun story which I thoroughly enjoyed reading. It had a wonderful combination of mystery, Christmas and the supernatural which made it a perfect read for this time of the year. The mystery was nicely done and had plenty of surprises since I wasn’t able to entirely guess how things would piece together nor pick up on some of the crucial links until they were spelled out. I very much liked how things shaped up at the end.

Flora is a likeable character and nicely done, a young girl struggling with grief as well as not really belonging to the world that she’s growing up in, in the sense of the typical struggles at school to fit in socially and a strand of unhappiness related to that. She’s a sensible and good-hearted girl, more mature in many ways than her years but not flawless—falling into misunderstandings and jumping into conclusions at times (incidentally, we end up doing this too in the story with Frantz managing to successfully misdirect us on some points).

The supernatural elements here are nicely done as well—and within my handling capacity, this being a book for younger readers. Dreamy scenes and whispering voices are part of these but there’s also more which is fun to discover while reading.

Family, loss and grief, friendships and fitting in, Christmas, fate, present and past links are some of themes explored in this Christmas mystery full of secrets and surprises and very readable as a result!

4.5 stars

[Srivalli (Semi-Hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.7 Stars

One Liner: A nice story for kids

December 1975

Flora Winter and her mother travel to a small seaside town, Helmersbruk, to spend the month of Christmas away from the city. Twelve-year-old Flora is in two minds about this move. Her mother is determined to make the most of this time to write and earn some living to support them.

Soon, Flora falls in love with their temporary residence and explores the grounds. The massive Helmersbruk Manor has been abandoned for decades and catches Flora's attention. She also hears whispers, sees strange animals, and meets a shy boy some years her senior.

When Flora realizes a mystery surrounding the Manor, she is determined to dig deeper. But does the house want her to solve it?

The story comes in Flora’s third-person POV.

My Thoughts:

After loving The Raspberry Hill by the author, I was excited about this. Originally, this book was published first in the author’s native native language Finnish. The translations are in the reverse order. (The books are standalone)

This one blends many genres like mystery, paranormal, family drama, etc. It is almost historical in terms of timeline though not quite. However, the vibes are very much historical.

The description of the setting – the manor, the extensive lands, the gatekeeper’s cottage, the labyrinth, the orangery, etc., is easy to visualize. The black and white pencil sketches by Elin Sandström (one at the beginning of each chapter) enhance the visual appeal.

The darkness of the place and the grief in the story align well. Flora and her mother are grieving the death of Flora’s father. The manor is grieving the loss of laughter within its walls. Fridolf is grieving the loss of his family.

That said, there are a few light moments to bring some smiles. Flora is an enthusiastic and curious girl. Her inner monologues can be fun at times. Of course, she also likes to make up stories.

However, the mystery and the paranormal elements are not strong enough. They may work for young readers, though I cannot be sure. I wouldn’t have minded a little more spookiness to the atmosphere. The reveals and twists are a bit too convenient, which dilutes the intensity. Still, kids may enjoy it for what it is. There is a treasure hunt to keep them hooked.

Apart from grief, the book explores bullying, class differences, family secrets, and guilt. These are pretty much surface-level, and some don’t get a resolution.

The past is presented in the form of a letter. This letter has a grayish tinge to differentiate it from the rest of the contents. However, you can see the color change only on the computer (PDF on the desktop/ laptop). The print version should be much better than Kindle if you want to notice these details.

The prologue is balanced by an epilogue and both come in the POV of the manor. We get a nice HEA, so everything ends well!

To summarize, The Secret of Helmersbruck Manor is a cozy paranormal mystery for middle graders. Give it a try if you like old houses and strange events, and a protag is determined to solve the mystery.

Thank you, NetGalley and Pushkin Press (Pushkin’s Children’s Books), for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

#NetGalley #TheSecretofHelmersbruckManor

***

This is the second book with a house that speaks and a recipe for potato pancakes. Is the universe trying to tell me something? *ha…ha…ha…*

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's two from two with this author and her rich, creepy dramas for young readers. This isn't as historical a setting as her first, https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..., but still takes a girl heroine to a strange, large building and puts her in a spooky situation. Here, Flora and her writer mother have decamped to a seaside village for December, so that the mother is without distraction in her writing – it also means Flora can leave some bullies behind, bullies who like to be derogatory about her looks and hygiene, and use the fact the husband/father died of an illness as a weapon. They fetch up in the gatekeeper's lodge to a huge mansion, where they should only have the one neighbour – a private old chap from a different cottage on the estate. But I say 'should' – several spectral entities are witnessing Flora's arrival with interest, carrying ideas that someone has returned, and holding worries that Flora will try and make off with a treasure…

Slowly, Flora will find some things, and spot some people, and have in her mind recipes and facts and abilities she shouldn't really have, and by then she'll be caught. As is the reader – this engages from the off and never lets go, in contrast to the author's debut that was more of a slow build. So well-crafted is this it's actually annoying that the authorial voice gets too many exclamation marks, but if the editor pushing the punctuation to emphasise the spookiness is the biggest fault here, then so be it.

Ultimately this isn't too much about the chills, anyway – it's a girl-learning-of-her-destiny story of much distinction. The piece is warmly old-and-yet-new, too, with nods to The Secret Garden as well as many a ghost story; Flora's 'skill' (for want of a better word) is the opposite to Let the Right One In, and stories such as those. So in the finish this is going to be satisfying to many an age bracket, which always makes me thankful. The older readers will see the many nods to classic fictions of their past, and anyone younger will have a highly dramatic and spooky advent drama, intelligently delivering its haunting plot. Either way, be prepared for it to stick around for days. A strong four stars.

[Matti Karjalainen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eva Frantzin "Ruukin salaisuus" (S&S, 2021) muistuttaa jonkin verran aikaisemmin lukemiani kirjailijan lastenromaaneja Osasto 23 ja Yön kuningatar, eli tässäkin nuori päähenkilö ratkoo mysteerejä ja joutuu tekemisiin erilaisten maagisten ja yliluonnollisten ilmiöiden kanssa historiallisessa miljöössä.

Vuoteen 1975 sijoittuvassa tarinassa - melko poikkeuksellista modernissa lastenromaanissa, muuten - tavataan vähän ulkopuoliseksi itsensä tunteva Flora-tyttö, jonka isä on kuollut hieman aikaisemmin. Nyt olisi tarkoitus viettää joulua Helmerinkylässä, jonka kartanon mailta kirjailijaäiti on vuokrannut mökin.

Melko pian käy ilmi, että jotain salaperäistä kartanomiljööseen kuitenkin kätkeytyy. Flora kuulee outoa kuiskuttelua, tapaa vanhahtavasti pukeutuneen Egon-pojan ja saa huomata ettei vanha rakennus päästä sisälleen ketä tahansa. Eriskummallinen valkoinen oravakin loikkii pihamaalla. Purku-uhan alla oleva kartano alkaa hiljalleen paljastaa huimia salaisuuksiaan, joista kätketty aarre on vain yksi...

Lopputulos on ihan kiehtova mysteeri, joka kyllä vaatii lukijaltaan jonkin verran niin pituutensa kuin yleisen haastavuutensa vuoksi. Lukuja "Ruukin salaisuudessa" on yhteensä kaksikymmentäneljä, eli sitä voi halutessaan käyttää kirjallisena joulukalenterina. Lieneeköhän tämä nyt jonkinlainen jouluinen perinne S&S-kustantamolta, kun viime vuonna ilmestyi Karin Erlendssonin samalla alanimekkeellä varustettu Yöjuna - Tarina, jossa on 24 lukua?

Elin Sandströmin kuvitus on oikein näyttävää ja kirja on muutenkin visuaalisesti kaunis. Sivujen värillä on väliä, 1920-luvulle sijoittuvat muistelot on painettu muusta tekstistä poiketen rusehtavalle paperille.

[Joey Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Pushkin Press and Netgalley for the book to read and review.

Flora moves to a small haunted town for the winter, she is instantly drawn in by the manor on her grounds and finds a mystery to solve and the manor to save from being demolished. From the very start I was hooked and I loved the whole thing. Such an incredibly well written book, so haunting and gripping. So many mysteries throughout, I loved reading this story.

What an absolutely fantastic read, its so creepy and eerie the vibe the whole time is intense, you feel that people are watching her constantly, you can hear them but don’t know who they are. The town is an almost absondoned haunted town and it’s stuck in the past to when it was all last heavily lived in, she’s the first one to come disturb it, to wake it up.

I really liked Flora as a protagonist she’s so interesting and so curious, I love how she daydreams but they aren’t really daydreams at all. She’s seeing the past of someone else’s life there. I really liked how she grew throughout and gained her courage and how determined she was to get inside the manor, to save the manor.

I loved the snippets of the past the story of Rigmor as you read through, It added to the whole story, knowing something that Flora didn’t enhanced the stories mystery. Egon was also interesting but creepy, he just appears and disappears all the time, you knew there was something with him but putting the pieces together I never twigged on at all. I loved learning more of the history of the people and the building, the land surrounding. This story kept ramping up the eeriness and I loved it.

What an incredible mystery, so many twists and turns through the story and though a few things were obvious most of it wasn’t at all. I loved solving everything with Flora and seeing how she fought to save the manor. A very well throughout story with some deep heartfelt scenes towards the end in particular.

I loved the illustrations at the beginning of every chapter, they shared a preview to what was to come, they were really beautifully done but also a little creepy by knowing what was coming a little. Such a great addition to the book.

[Sara Wise · Rating 5 out of 5]

** “Maybe this was just how it was in old places? Maybe events of the past had a sort of … echo, even though the people who had lived there were long gone?” **

Eva Frantz delivers a story for youth and adults alike with just enough spooky to be satisfying in “The Secret of Helmersbruk Manor: A Christmas Mystery.”

Flora Winter and her author mom Linn decide to take a monthlong break from life in the city and stay in the remote town of Helmersbruk while grieving the loss of their father and husband. They find themself staying in part of the mostly abandoned von Hiems Manor, a place that “chooses who it allows in.”

As Flora quickly is hit by mysterious voices, a playing music box that she can’t ever find, pale faces and an odd white squirrel, she is determined to solve the mysteries of the manor — is there really a hidden treasure, why do plants seem to grow in the middle of winter, and who is the mysterious Gonny she meets even though no one but the caretaker lives on the property?

Frantz does a great job of creating a plot of intrigue and mystery, filled with unexpected twists. She also develops two interesting sets of characters, the von Hiems who used to live at the manor and those now surrounding Flora. She also includes some great themes, like having faith and trust in one’s self; finding courage to overcome your fears; fighting for what you want to protect; and staying true to your identity.

Lovely illustrations by Elin Sandstrom add to the charm of “The Secret of Helmersbruk Manor: A Christmas Mystery,” with is due out Sept. 24.

For those with younger readers, there are a couple occurrences of very mild swear words and a slightly mature story line at one point.

Five stars out of five.

Pushkin Children’s Books provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

[Andreea-Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for a cosy and charming read that is perfect for autumn and winter nights look no further.
“The Secret of Helmersbruk Manor” is an enchanting middle grade mystery set around a fascinating abandoned manor.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Published on 24th September 2024

Review:

The story draws you in and you immediately start to empathise with Flora, our protagonist.
Flora recently lost her father and her once friend found another group of friends, leaving our Flora feeling abandoned and alone.

Her mother takes her to the seaside in winter because they both need a reset, and they both rent The Gatekeeper’s Cottage near Helmersbruck Manor.

Odd things start happening from the moment she arrives at the cottage and everything she experiences over the next days creates this spooky, intriguing, and mysterious atmosphere.
She starts seeing shapes into the night, hearing voices, feeling like the manor wants to communicate with her, she hears a music box playing inside the abandoned manor, mysterious figurines are left for her in random places, a white squirrel seems to be looking at her and follows her, etc.
All of this creates an eerie and at the same time cosy atmosphere. Flora feels a connection to the manor and does not get spooked.

However, the story is not only about the manor and the mystery, but also about Flora and how she deals with the grief of losing her father and the aftermath of her terrible experiences at school.

The art inside the book is gorgeous and a great addition to the story. I felt really involved and captivated at the same time.

This book brought forth a childlike sense of wonder in me and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Beautiful, atmospheric, and meaningful, a perfect read to cosy up with on a cold night.

Thank you NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the free copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Baba od polskiego · Rating 4 out of 5]

Czytaliście kiedyś książkowy kalendarz adwentowy? Jest nim opowieść w 24 rozdziałach, do czytania — a jakże! - na głos przez całą rodzinę: “Tajemnica dworu Helmersbruk” Evy Frantz (tłum. Agata Teperek, ilustracje Elin Sandström). Teoretycznie można czytać jeden rozdział dziennie, ale trudno się powstrzymać, bo każdy z nich kończy się cliffhangerem, a ja jestem niecierpliwa. Akcja powieści toczy się w grudniu 1975 roku, Flora Winter wraz z mamą Linn przybywa do nadmorskiego Helmersbruk, nic się nie dzieje, aura świąt jest już nie do odratowania, bo ojciec dziewczyny zmarł po długiej chorobie i nikt nie ma teraz sił, by skakać przy ubieraniu choinek i szaleć ze światełkami. Flora włóczy się po okolicy i zaczyna widzieć i słyszeć rzeczy, które wydają się niemożliwe. Nagle giną figurki z szopki umieszczonej w parku, ludzie pojawiają się i znikają, słychać stukot kopyt i tylko Flora widzi śnieżnobiałą wiewiórkę. W okolicy jest opuszczony dwór rodziny von Hiems, który… jednak nie jest opuszczony, a Flora stanie się jego obrończynią, bo inni już zacierają ręce, by go zburzyć i postawić tam hotel.

To opowieść grozy dla młodych czytelników, która pod pozorem historii o duchach, mówi wiele o tych, którzy jeszcze żyją. W opowieści przeszłość (na zdobionych, pożółkłych stronach) i teraźniejszość przeplatają się ze sobą, nie ma tu bożonarodzeniowej aury, a Flora jest smutną bohaterką, mimo to właśnie ta historia z dreszczykiem wydaje mi się odpowiednią propozycją dla czytelników powyżej jedenastego roku życia, bo daje więcej nadziei niż opowieści o pachnącym piernikami domu i Mikołaju przynoszącym prezenty. Oczywiście można ją czytać przez cały rok, nie tylko w grudniu.

[Heather Noyes-Fredette · Rating 3 out of 5]

12-year-old Flora Winter and her mother head off for a month holiday over Christmas for her mother to finish writing her book. They’re headed to Helmersbruk to stay in a small cottage on a larger estate. The instant Flora touches down on the property she feels a pull to the Manor and begins to experience some unusual events. Flora has recently lost her dad and is still very much grieving the loss of his presence. What she finds at Helmersbruk Manor will fill her heart and complete her story in ways she never imagined. Filled with a cast of characters that come alive on the page, this story brings the past to the present in a way that will keep readers wanting to know more. It’s an ode to the preservation of treasured family heirlooms and stories as well as a reminder that’s it’s ok to still hold on tight to something you love, even if it’s gone.

What a great children’s fiction adventure to take your kids on. It’s the perfect blend for this fall season- Ghosts AND Christmas… what could be better?? This mystery is filled with heart and I can’t wait to share it with my own kids.

For reader reference it is not at all scary, there are concepts of death, bullying, and illegitimacy.

Although it seems that Flora’s story is all tied up with a bow, I’m hoping this isn’t the last of her and the Manor’s story 🤞🏻. In the mean time we will be buying Eva Frantz’s other children’s fiction mysteries to read as a family!

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you to @netgalley and @pushkin_press for this #advancedreaderscopy - pub date is 9/24/24.

#2024bookchallenge84of75
#netgalley
#thesecretofhelmersbrukmanor

[𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐲 ✮˙⊹ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could talk about this book for literal hours, no joke. I was expecting a spooky little gothic mystery, but ABSOLUTELY NOT. It was a tragic love story, with family melancholy. I was not ready.
Flora, my baby. I feel like there could have been some expansion on her experiences with the 'horsey girls' which might have added to her character a little bit. She's still a great character, with a very whimsical personality. I could definitely imagine her as some ghostly fairy somewhere.
RICHARD AND RIGMOR. My babies. They deserved so much better, and the fact that Riggy had to go days without knowing what had happened to the von Heims is just awful. They were honestly such a gorgeous couple, and the yearning was peak. All the foreshadowing with Flora finding certain places at the manor, and then the true meaning behind each of them being revealed in the letters made everything click so perfectly.
Speaking of the letters, WHAT. THE. HELL. They were so sad, and the fact that Flora's dad probably never got to read them destroyed me. Or did he? I can't remember. He never knew who his father was, who HE was.
Fridolf is my little baby. No one can say otherwise. I just realised I've called pretty much every character I've talked about my baby. Who cares? Anyway, his grumpiness is so funny, but underneath it all, is obviously the grief. And he got left all alone, no clue what was going on with his family? That was definitely not funny.
To summarise, I loved this book and have already re-read it. Thank you for reading!

[Simona · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I've got this book from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review*

What a lovely book this was! To be completely honest, I didn't have high expectations, but was surprised in a best possible way.
I loved how we jumped into a mystery right from the begining of the book. The atmosphere was create perfectly for it, the soft gothicy feeling was just what this book needed.
Our MC Flora was a typical 12 year old girl: adventurous, brave and curious. She didn't try to be above her head and didn't act like a grown up, and it was refreshing to see. In some way she reminded me of Neil Gaimans Coraline, and that caracter is one of my favourites.
What I did not expect to find, but I'm glad it is touched upon is grief. I think it was handeled in this book perfectly.
I loved that this book delivered what it was promising - paranormal aspect. It definetly delivered.
Of course there were some plot holes, the middle of the book felt a little boring and the ending a little bit too rushed, but it didn't take much from my enjoyment.

In conclusion - solid children paranormal mystery. Definitely recommend.