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One Moonlit Night
Accept it, he is dead.
No, it’s not true.
It is. Everyone thinks so except you.
When the family home in London is bombed in the early 1940s, Maddie and her two young daughters take refuge in Norfolk, in the country house where Maddie’s husband Philip spent the summers of his childhood. But Philip is gone, believed to have been killed in action in northern France. Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, Maddie refuses to give up hope that she and Philip will some day be reunited.
Something happened at Knyghton one summer years before. Something unresolved, that involved Philip, his cousin Lyle and a mysterious young woman named Flora. Maddie’s curiosity, which turns to desperation to find out the truth, is shut down at every turn. No one will speak about it, and no one will reassure Maddie that Philip will ever return to Knyghton.
A beautifully rendered novel about loyalty and betrayal, hope and despair, a husband and wife separated by secrets as well as by distance, One Moonlit Night is the extraordinarily powerful new novel from the bestselling author Rachel Hore.
No, it’s not true.
It is. Everyone thinks so except you.
When the family home in London is bombed in the early 1940s, Maddie and her two young daughters take refuge in Norfolk, in the country house where Maddie’s husband Philip spent the summers of his childhood. But Philip is gone, believed to have been killed in action in northern France. Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, Maddie refuses to give up hope that she and Philip will some day be reunited.
Something happened at Knyghton one summer years before. Something unresolved, that involved Philip, his cousin Lyle and a mysterious young woman named Flora. Maddie’s curiosity, which turns to desperation to find out the truth, is shut down at every turn. No one will speak about it, and no one will reassure Maddie that Philip will ever return to Knyghton.
A beautifully rendered novel about loyalty and betrayal, hope and despair, a husband and wife separated by secrets as well as by distance, One Moonlit Night is the extraordinarily powerful new novel from the bestselling author Rachel Hore.
480 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 12, 2022
184 people are currently reading
657 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Hore
38 books748 followersRachel Hore worked in London publishing for many years before moving with her family to Norwich, Norfolk and turning to writing fiction.
Rachel is the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Dream House (2006), The Memory Garden (2007), The Glass Painter's Daughter (2009), which was shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association Novel of the Year 2010, A Place of Secrets (2010), which was a Richard and Judy Bookclub pick, and A Gathering Storm (2011), which was shortlisted for the RNA Historical Novel of the year, 2012. The Silent Tide was published in 2013, A Week in Paris in 2014 and The House on Bellevue Gardens in 2015.
Her new novel, Last Letter Home, will be published on 22nd March 2018.
Rachel is the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Dream House (2006), The Memory Garden (2007), The Glass Painter's Daughter (2009), which was shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association Novel of the Year 2010, A Place of Secrets (2010), which was a Richard and Judy Bookclub pick, and A Gathering Storm (2011), which was shortlisted for the RNA Historical Novel of the year, 2012. The Silent Tide was published in 2013, A Week in Paris in 2014 and The House on Bellevue Gardens in 2015.
Her new novel, Last Letter Home, will be published on 22nd March 2018.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
April 20, 2022
A fantastic read. A real page turner!
Maddie and Philip meet, have a whirlwind romance, marry and have two daughters. Then Philip leaves to fight in the war and Maddie is left alone to bring up the children. When her home is bombed she moves in with a neighbour. A folder is handed to her by one of the rescue men. It belongs to her husband. It contains a photograph album she's never seen and the name of a place, Knygton where Philip spent his Summer holidays. Maddie knows next to nothing about Philip's past and is curious. She tracks the place down and asks if they'll take her and the girls in because it's out in the countryside and they agree.
This was my favourite part of the book. I loved the place. In my minds eye I could see the idyll, the author painted with words, which was Knygton and the village of Monksfield.
There are lots of secrets in the place and these slowly unravel over the course of the novel.
There was one episode which happened very quickly and I didn't think it added much to the story. Also the initial meeting again between Philip and Lyle was jarring and could have been handled better. But these minor woes doesn't warrant dropping a star.
This is my first book by this author and I will definitely be looking out for more.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster UK for an early copy of this book to read and review.
Maddie and Philip meet, have a whirlwind romance, marry and have two daughters. Then Philip leaves to fight in the war and Maddie is left alone to bring up the children. When her home is bombed she moves in with a neighbour. A folder is handed to her by one of the rescue men. It belongs to her husband. It contains a photograph album she's never seen and the name of a place, Knygton where Philip spent his Summer holidays. Maddie knows next to nothing about Philip's past and is curious. She tracks the place down and asks if they'll take her and the girls in because it's out in the countryside and they agree.
This was my favourite part of the book. I loved the place. In my minds eye I could see the idyll, the author painted with words, which was Knygton and the village of Monksfield.
There are lots of secrets in the place and these slowly unravel over the course of the novel.
There was one episode which happened very quickly and I didn't think it added much to the story. Also the initial meeting again between Philip and Lyle was jarring and could have been handled better. But these minor woes doesn't warrant dropping a star.
This is my first book by this author and I will definitely be looking out for more.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster UK for an early copy of this book to read and review.
May 1, 2022
Another great read from Rachel Hore set during the Second World War.
Maddie and her daughters are left homeless during the blitz and they travel to her husband’s childhood home in search of a place to stay.
Great characters and a story that kept me entertained.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster UK for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Maddie and her daughters are left homeless during the blitz and they travel to her husband’s childhood home in search of a place to stay.
Great characters and a story that kept me entertained.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster UK for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 15, 2022
As usual I enjoyed this book but did not think it was her best book. At times I found it a bit slow and wanted the story to move on. However there were lots of twists and turns right up to the end of the novel.
October 15, 2023
A little on the slow side but quite enjoyable, Maddie takes her daughters to live in her husband's ancestral home in Norfolk when he is declared missing in action during World War 2. Ending felt rushed and slightly disappointing and I really wanted her to end up with the cousin.
February 8, 2023
Another good read from Rachel.
November 7, 2022
Maddie and her two young daughters; Sarah and Grace have to leave London when their home is destroyed in a bombing raid. Maddie’s husband Philip is missing, last seen with his squadron somewhere in Northern France.
With just a few items of belongings, Maddie and girls seek refuge at Knyghton, the country house in Norfolk where Philip spent his childhood with his grandmother, aunt and cousin Lyle.
Maddie does not believe that Philip is dead and feels a little closer to him at Knyghton. However, Maddie soon discovers the reasons why Philip didn’t talk about his childhood. His cousin Lyle appears very cold when speaking of Philip and nobody will answer Maddie’s questions about the mysterious girl called Flora.
Flora’s grave is in the local burial ground, and she appears on photographs of Philip and Lyle as boys. Everyone at Knyghton is very tight lipped when she asks questions, so Maddie is determined to find out more.
Meanwhile, the reader also learns about what happens to Philip in France; the slaughter of most of his colleagues, his evasion of capture and the multiple brave French people who risk all to protect an Englishman.
This is a stunning depiction of life during the war, for those left behind in England and also the men who faced the battle fields.
Multi layered, with themes of betrayals and secrets and the all enduring love between a husband and wife separated by war, it’s an absolutely compelling and evocative read.
So much more than just a war time story, this is a novel of hope, long buried secrets and also of strength and courage.
With just a few items of belongings, Maddie and girls seek refuge at Knyghton, the country house in Norfolk where Philip spent his childhood with his grandmother, aunt and cousin Lyle.
Maddie does not believe that Philip is dead and feels a little closer to him at Knyghton. However, Maddie soon discovers the reasons why Philip didn’t talk about his childhood. His cousin Lyle appears very cold when speaking of Philip and nobody will answer Maddie’s questions about the mysterious girl called Flora.
Flora’s grave is in the local burial ground, and she appears on photographs of Philip and Lyle as boys. Everyone at Knyghton is very tight lipped when she asks questions, so Maddie is determined to find out more.
Meanwhile, the reader also learns about what happens to Philip in France; the slaughter of most of his colleagues, his evasion of capture and the multiple brave French people who risk all to protect an Englishman.
This is a stunning depiction of life during the war, for those left behind in England and also the men who faced the battle fields.
Multi layered, with themes of betrayals and secrets and the all enduring love between a husband and wife separated by war, it’s an absolutely compelling and evocative read.
So much more than just a war time story, this is a novel of hope, long buried secrets and also of strength and courage.
April 20, 2024
I’ve not read anything by this author before but I really enjoyed this book. Set in wartime Britain, which is my favourite historical fiction time and based in London, Norfolk and a bit of Europe too. Family secrets come out, people go missing and there was a few ghostly goings on too!
July 18, 2022
I have now read, including this one, seven novels by Rachel Hore and looking back on those earlier reads it seems I enjoy her writing more nowadays. It was back in 2009 I first read one, so I guess we have both matured somewhat since then, both in writing style for her and taste for me. As with many of her novels, ‘One Moonlit Night’ is dual narrative and the author has been inspired by historical facts around which she has created a fictional story.
The novel is set during WWII and Maddie Anderson’s husband Phillip is missing presumed dead after failing to escape Northern France at the time of Operation Dynamo in Dunkirk. There were terrible massacres after this and his disappearance was assumed to have been due to such an event. Phillips narrative is about his personal war experiences in France and Maddie’s along with their daughters back in England. During the Blitz their home in London is bombed and they find themselves homeless, managing to track down relations of her husband’s family is her only option and they are offered a roof over their heads at Knyghton the family home in Norfolk. Surprisingly Maddie knows nothing at all about Phillips past and is keen to learn more about him. However, she discovers that there are so many family secrets which slowly unravel as the novel progresses, with its twists and turns.
An emotive story recommended to those readers that enjoy historical romance novels set in this period.
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The novel is set during WWII and Maddie Anderson’s husband Phillip is missing presumed dead after failing to escape Northern France at the time of Operation Dynamo in Dunkirk. There were terrible massacres after this and his disappearance was assumed to have been due to such an event. Phillips narrative is about his personal war experiences in France and Maddie’s along with their daughters back in England. During the Blitz their home in London is bombed and they find themselves homeless, managing to track down relations of her husband’s family is her only option and they are offered a roof over their heads at Knyghton the family home in Norfolk. Surprisingly Maddie knows nothing at all about Phillips past and is keen to learn more about him. However, she discovers that there are so many family secrets which slowly unravel as the novel progresses, with its twists and turns.
An emotive story recommended to those readers that enjoy historical romance novels set in this period.
https://lindyloumacbookreviews.blogsp...
May 4, 2025
One Moonlit Night by Rachel Hore follows the plight of the Anderson family during World War II, the secrets we keep and what happens when we discover the truth.
I’ll get right to the point. I’m a massive Rachel Hore fan. I consumed A Week in Paris and The Memory Garden. I absolutely adore how she cleverly weaves different timelines into her beautifully evocative novels. I was therefore chomping at the bit to start One Moonlit Night.
This story begins in 1970s London and then swiftly jumps back to the same city in March 1941. It’s The Blitz and bombs rain down on the capital. One such device obliterates the Anderson family’s house. Rendered homeless, Maddie and her two young daughters must find somewhere safe to live. Going to her family is impossible. Her father is ill. Her stepmother cares little for the children. Maddie has no other option.
Knyghton – a beautiful house in Norfolk offers sanctuary. Or does it?
For over a year Philip Anderson has been missing in action. Presumed dead by everyone – except Maddie. And it is to his family’s rambling pile in the countryside that ‘three bombed-out waifs’ head. To a place Philip grew up in but has never been back to in years. To a place where something happened that he refused to discuss with his wife.
“Gussie sighed. ‘Philip was such a dear child. I remember so clearly the day he arrived at Knyghton with his mother. Very loyal to her husband, Rose was. Wouldn't stay here with Philip. Simply dropped him at his school and went back to India. That was the year that the last war broke out, 1914.’”
The house holds secrets that Maddie is desperate to uncover as she tries to fit in with a rather absentminded aunt Gussie and her beloved dogs, cousin Lyle whose moods change like the wind and the brusque and loyal household staff who all lend a slightly sinister edge to day-to-day life.
Missing in Action
The story shifts between Norfolk and France as we discover that Philip, although injured, is very much alive and desperately trying to get home to his wife and children. Danger lurks at every turn. Along the country lanes. Behind the hedgerows. In small provincial villages. Who can Philip trust?
The choices we make
One Moonlit Night by Rachel Hore explores complex themes of love, loss, hope and trust in a gentle manner. It offers an insight into human nature, the secrets we keep and the long-term impact they can have. I’d certainly recommend One Moonlit Night by Rachel Hore. It’s a thumbs up from me.
I’ll get right to the point. I’m a massive Rachel Hore fan. I consumed A Week in Paris and The Memory Garden. I absolutely adore how she cleverly weaves different timelines into her beautifully evocative novels. I was therefore chomping at the bit to start One Moonlit Night.
This story begins in 1970s London and then swiftly jumps back to the same city in March 1941. It’s The Blitz and bombs rain down on the capital. One such device obliterates the Anderson family’s house. Rendered homeless, Maddie and her two young daughters must find somewhere safe to live. Going to her family is impossible. Her father is ill. Her stepmother cares little for the children. Maddie has no other option.
Knyghton – a beautiful house in Norfolk offers sanctuary. Or does it?
For over a year Philip Anderson has been missing in action. Presumed dead by everyone – except Maddie. And it is to his family’s rambling pile in the countryside that ‘three bombed-out waifs’ head. To a place Philip grew up in but has never been back to in years. To a place where something happened that he refused to discuss with his wife.
“Gussie sighed. ‘Philip was such a dear child. I remember so clearly the day he arrived at Knyghton with his mother. Very loyal to her husband, Rose was. Wouldn't stay here with Philip. Simply dropped him at his school and went back to India. That was the year that the last war broke out, 1914.’”
The house holds secrets that Maddie is desperate to uncover as she tries to fit in with a rather absentminded aunt Gussie and her beloved dogs, cousin Lyle whose moods change like the wind and the brusque and loyal household staff who all lend a slightly sinister edge to day-to-day life.
Missing in Action
The story shifts between Norfolk and France as we discover that Philip, although injured, is very much alive and desperately trying to get home to his wife and children. Danger lurks at every turn. Along the country lanes. Behind the hedgerows. In small provincial villages. Who can Philip trust?
The choices we make
One Moonlit Night by Rachel Hore explores complex themes of love, loss, hope and trust in a gentle manner. It offers an insight into human nature, the secrets we keep and the long-term impact they can have. I’d certainly recommend One Moonlit Night by Rachel Hore. It’s a thumbs up from me.
May 10, 2022
Book reviews on www.snazzybooks.com
One Moonlit Night is an entertaining and enjoyable read set during WW2, following Maddie and her two young daughters. Forced away from their London home when it is bombed during the blitz, and with Maddie's husband Philip MIA (presumed dead), Maddie moves with her daughters Sarah and Grace to the country estate Philip's family owns in Norfolk. But getting used to such a different setting with a family she doesn't know (and who seem to harbour various secrets), as well as trying to come to terms with the fact that her husband might never come back, means things aren't smooth sailing...
If you enjoy books set in this time period that focus on how war affects those left behind, One Moonlit Night is a great read. We are mostly seeing things through Maddie's eyes but we also have some chapters with her husband Philip. But we join him months ago - so is he still alive now? Rachel Hore keeps the tension as we uncover more of his attempts to return home to England to his family. These sections really highlight the bravery of the resistance in France, as they help British soldiers stuck there, and you're really rooting for Philip to make it home!
There are plenty of important themes addressed in this novel but I don't want to give too much away about the plot. Some parts I could guess were coming and others were a surprise. The characters are convincing and largely likeable - Maddie seems great and I really wanted things to work out for her.
It was lovely to read a novel set largely in Norfolk too, having spent many years in Norwich myself after attending UEA (where Rachel actually taught me in one of my English Literature modules!) before I moved to London.
An atmospheric, touching novel - recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher, Simon & Schuster, for providing a copy of this book on which I chose to write an honest review, and for inviting me onto the blog tour!
One Moonlit Night is an entertaining and enjoyable read set during WW2, following Maddie and her two young daughters. Forced away from their London home when it is bombed during the blitz, and with Maddie's husband Philip MIA (presumed dead), Maddie moves with her daughters Sarah and Grace to the country estate Philip's family owns in Norfolk. But getting used to such a different setting with a family she doesn't know (and who seem to harbour various secrets), as well as trying to come to terms with the fact that her husband might never come back, means things aren't smooth sailing...
If you enjoy books set in this time period that focus on how war affects those left behind, One Moonlit Night is a great read. We are mostly seeing things through Maddie's eyes but we also have some chapters with her husband Philip. But we join him months ago - so is he still alive now? Rachel Hore keeps the tension as we uncover more of his attempts to return home to England to his family. These sections really highlight the bravery of the resistance in France, as they help British soldiers stuck there, and you're really rooting for Philip to make it home!
There are plenty of important themes addressed in this novel but I don't want to give too much away about the plot. Some parts I could guess were coming and others were a surprise. The characters are convincing and largely likeable - Maddie seems great and I really wanted things to work out for her.
It was lovely to read a novel set largely in Norfolk too, having spent many years in Norwich myself after attending UEA (where Rachel actually taught me in one of my English Literature modules!) before I moved to London.
An atmospheric, touching novel - recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher, Simon & Schuster, for providing a copy of this book on which I chose to write an honest review, and for inviting me onto the blog tour!
August 18, 2022
It is 1977 and Grace is waiting to meet someone in a London cafe, and we are tantalised by the mention of an unexpected letter that has sent shockwaves through her family. This is not a dual timeline story, so we won’t find out who Grace was waiting for until the end of the book, though you will probably have worked it out by then.
The action now switches back to 1941, and we learn how Maddie, along with her daughters Grace and Sarah, only just survives when a bomb destroys their house. Her husband Philip is missing in action so, with nowhere else to go, they take refuge in his family home in Norfolk. Maddie knew nothing about Knyghton as Philip had not said much about his childhood.
Although One Moonlit Night is set during WW2, we only see what life was like in an isolated country community, far away from the dangers in the city. The story is told from the point of view of Maddie, along with chapters narrated by Philip telling how he is trying to find a way home. It is a perilous journey and we can only hope he will survive long enough to safely return.
Maddie is an unusual character for the time, a talented artist, who earns her living by illustrating children’s books. The characters are all well drawn and believable, the rural setting used to good effect, and the haunting atmosphere in the old house adds to the mystery surrounding Flora’s death and why nobody wants to talk about her.
It takes a while for the story to get going, but eventually I was hooked and wanted to find out what had happened all those years before. I read quite a few of Rachel Hore’s earlier books and was really impressed by her writing. While One Moonlit Night is not my favourite of her stories, I especially enjoyed reading about Philip’s journey to escape from Nazi-occupied France. Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for a digital copy to review.
The action now switches back to 1941, and we learn how Maddie, along with her daughters Grace and Sarah, only just survives when a bomb destroys their house. Her husband Philip is missing in action so, with nowhere else to go, they take refuge in his family home in Norfolk. Maddie knew nothing about Knyghton as Philip had not said much about his childhood.
Although One Moonlit Night is set during WW2, we only see what life was like in an isolated country community, far away from the dangers in the city. The story is told from the point of view of Maddie, along with chapters narrated by Philip telling how he is trying to find a way home. It is a perilous journey and we can only hope he will survive long enough to safely return.
Maddie is an unusual character for the time, a talented artist, who earns her living by illustrating children’s books. The characters are all well drawn and believable, the rural setting used to good effect, and the haunting atmosphere in the old house adds to the mystery surrounding Flora’s death and why nobody wants to talk about her.
It takes a while for the story to get going, but eventually I was hooked and wanted to find out what had happened all those years before. I read quite a few of Rachel Hore’s earlier books and was really impressed by her writing. While One Moonlit Night is not my favourite of her stories, I especially enjoyed reading about Philip’s journey to escape from Nazi-occupied France. Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for a digital copy to review.
November 6, 2022
I have enjoyed this book , maddie was such a great character who experienced a very awful time during the war with the air raid and bombing if her house in London and knowing that her husband Philip was missing presumed dead in France .
Moving to knyghton was an unexpected move , but she found a home with Philip’s relatives that she never knew about.
The added hint of a ghost story , the mystery of flora and the kidnapping of her younger daughter Grace kept you entertained throughout the book.
I liked the description of Philip’s time in France trying to get back home but at times I felt irritated with him as he cheated on Maddie .
The ending was perfect with Grace and Marguerite meeting , it makes you wonder if that happened later to other children of soldiers that had been in France .
I couldn’t quite give it a five as I felt that Maddie was more emotionally involved than Philip in their marriage and though there was a love story , it wasn’t at its truest form with the betrayal and lies .
However , Rachel Hore has written a truly lovely read with a strong female character who certainly was the best character in the story and very likeable !
Moving to knyghton was an unexpected move , but she found a home with Philip’s relatives that she never knew about.
The added hint of a ghost story , the mystery of flora and the kidnapping of her younger daughter Grace kept you entertained throughout the book.
I liked the description of Philip’s time in France trying to get back home but at times I felt irritated with him as he cheated on Maddie .
The ending was perfect with Grace and Marguerite meeting , it makes you wonder if that happened later to other children of soldiers that had been in France .
I couldn’t quite give it a five as I felt that Maddie was more emotionally involved than Philip in their marriage and though there was a love story , it wasn’t at its truest form with the betrayal and lies .
However , Rachel Hore has written a truly lovely read with a strong female character who certainly was the best character in the story and very likeable !
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 18, 2022
Rachel Hore never disappoints!
February 2, 2024
Beetje slordig vertaald, hier en daar. Erg mooi verhaal.
January 15, 2026
Review to follow.
December 20, 2022
Make it make sense. Olympic edition #2
It started out well. The first half was enjoyable and, overall, the writing style itself was well done and flowed smoothly. However, in the second half, three main problems, the lack of stakes, the lack of believable character motivations, and the lack of impact, lend themselves to a lazily written and emotionless story.
I get what this book was going for. It's not about perfect people, but sympathy and suspension of disbelief can only last so long until characters start acting stupid out of nowhere. By the end of it all, I struggled to see the point or what the story was trying to say.
In the beginning, Maddie was put in an unenviable situation. After her home in London gets bombed, she is left alone with two young daughters to take care of while her husband is off at war and she is forced to relocate (to a place where her husband grew up). There were also flash-back chapters about how Maddie and Phillip met, which felt surprisingly organic and well done.
I had nothing but sympathy for Maddie. She tried her best to fit in her new temporary home, make friends with anyone close by and take care of her daughters. Often times she felt like a burden to others and couldn't stop thinking about her husband, whether or not he is alive and how her life would be without him. These were genuinely touching scenes.
There is a mystery subplot about her husband's past that makes Maddie question how well she even knew him. Sometimes Maddie stumbled on clues or someone would accidentally say something they shouldn't have, it happened at a snail's pace and, from the halfway point onwards, the plot dragged.
There were likable characters like Maddie's two daughters and Gussie. But the rest weren't developed enough to feel like real people. Probably because there were quite a few of them. Some didn't linger long enough or stayed too long in the background to have a strong foothold in the story.
Lyle is supposed to be this important character, he is Phillip's cousin and is involved in the mystery, but he was busy off-page with his farm a lot and barely had any meaningful interactions with anyone. When not standoff-ish or brooding, he was downright bland and boring. Maddie herself was a mixed bag- she was determined and sympathetic whenever she interacted with her daughters, but oftentimes lost her self-awareness and common sense with Lyle. Sometimes she was downright whiny. Characters would enter the story for a chapter or two, disappear, and pop back in to tie some loose ends at the very end. (Like Anna with her children or the rando French woman Sophie).
The plot stretched itself out with slow pacing, many characters, and over-the-top melodramatic events while still managing to be surface-level and boring. There is a vague reference to "running but not able to hide from one's past" and "war is bad". However, these lessons rang hollow as they were built on no strong foundation or believable character arcs.
The themes of loyalty and betrayal were not handled with the complexity, weight, and nuance they deserved. It verged on insulting. The character motives didn't always make sense or have proper build-up. Out of the blue characters confessed their love to another or had physical relations with someone they barely knew because...why not? Or they might claim to love someone and contradict their own internal logic, feelings, or values with their actions because...why not?
The word "love" was thrown around like a hot potato, it meant nothing. Forced physical attraction was tacked on, it meant nothing. Ridiculous out of left-field drama for drama's sake. It honestly ruined the whole story and, all of a sudden, the main characters I was supposed to care about became unlikable.
Then I'd ask myself-what was the point? Why did they do that? While the story kept shrugging it off and asking in return-why not? Either the reasons for character actions hung in the air, or were explained lazily and unconvincingly in a few sentences in order to move on with the next thing. It robbed the scenes of meaning and impact. There was little substance or exploration, nothing deep or profound.
Some "major" events gave an impression of importance and grandeur. But it was all an illusion because plot points were crammed in willy-nilly with little to no preamble and barely left a mark.
Quick we need a make-out scene
Quick, we need a funeral
Quick, we need a kidnapping
Quick, we need a house fire
Quick, we need someone to marry a forgotten side character out of nowhere
Quick, we need to resolve an important overarching financial problem with a deus ex machina, etc.
For example, you could, theoretically, cut out one of the most "significant" plot points of the story and nothing but a few paragraphs of text would be lost in a nearly 500-page book.
The glaring problems piled up along with a rushed and unsatisfying end.
Spoilers below:
It started out well. The first half was enjoyable and, overall, the writing style itself was well done and flowed smoothly. However, in the second half, three main problems, the lack of stakes, the lack of believable character motivations, and the lack of impact, lend themselves to a lazily written and emotionless story.
I get what this book was going for. It's not about perfect people, but sympathy and suspension of disbelief can only last so long until characters start acting stupid out of nowhere. By the end of it all, I struggled to see the point or what the story was trying to say.
In the beginning, Maddie was put in an unenviable situation. After her home in London gets bombed, she is left alone with two young daughters to take care of while her husband is off at war and she is forced to relocate (to a place where her husband grew up). There were also flash-back chapters about how Maddie and Phillip met, which felt surprisingly organic and well done.
I had nothing but sympathy for Maddie. She tried her best to fit in her new temporary home, make friends with anyone close by and take care of her daughters. Often times she felt like a burden to others and couldn't stop thinking about her husband, whether or not he is alive and how her life would be without him. These were genuinely touching scenes.
There is a mystery subplot about her husband's past that makes Maddie question how well she even knew him. Sometimes Maddie stumbled on clues or someone would accidentally say something they shouldn't have, it happened at a snail's pace and, from the halfway point onwards, the plot dragged.
There were likable characters like Maddie's two daughters and Gussie. But the rest weren't developed enough to feel like real people. Probably because there were quite a few of them. Some didn't linger long enough or stayed too long in the background to have a strong foothold in the story.
Lyle is supposed to be this important character, he is Phillip's cousin and is involved in the mystery, but he was busy off-page with his farm a lot and barely had any meaningful interactions with anyone. When not standoff-ish or brooding, he was downright bland and boring. Maddie herself was a mixed bag- she was determined and sympathetic whenever she interacted with her daughters, but oftentimes lost her self-awareness and common sense with Lyle. Sometimes she was downright whiny. Characters would enter the story for a chapter or two, disappear, and pop back in to tie some loose ends at the very end. (Like Anna with her children or the rando French woman Sophie).
The plot stretched itself out with slow pacing, many characters, and over-the-top melodramatic events while still managing to be surface-level and boring. There is a vague reference to "running but not able to hide from one's past" and "war is bad". However, these lessons rang hollow as they were built on no strong foundation or believable character arcs.
The themes of loyalty and betrayal were not handled with the complexity, weight, and nuance they deserved. It verged on insulting. The character motives didn't always make sense or have proper build-up. Out of the blue characters confessed their love to another or had physical relations with someone they barely knew because...why not? Or they might claim to love someone and contradict their own internal logic, feelings, or values with their actions because...why not?
The word "love" was thrown around like a hot potato, it meant nothing. Forced physical attraction was tacked on, it meant nothing. Ridiculous out of left-field drama for drama's sake. It honestly ruined the whole story and, all of a sudden, the main characters I was supposed to care about became unlikable.
Then I'd ask myself-what was the point? Why did they do that? While the story kept shrugging it off and asking in return-why not? Either the reasons for character actions hung in the air, or were explained lazily and unconvincingly in a few sentences in order to move on with the next thing. It robbed the scenes of meaning and impact. There was little substance or exploration, nothing deep or profound.
Some "major" events gave an impression of importance and grandeur. But it was all an illusion because plot points were crammed in willy-nilly with little to no preamble and barely left a mark.
Quick we need a make-out scene
Quick, we need a funeral
Quick, we need a kidnapping
Quick, we need a house fire
Quick, we need someone to marry a forgotten side character out of nowhere
Quick, we need to resolve an important overarching financial problem with a deus ex machina, etc.
For example, you could, theoretically, cut out one of the most "significant" plot points of the story and nothing but a few paragraphs of text would be lost in a nearly 500-page book.
The glaring problems piled up along with a rushed and unsatisfying end.
Spoilers below:
February 26, 2024
Rachel Hore neemt de lezer mee op een indringende reis door de turbulente tijden van de Tweede Wereldoorlog in haar meeslepende roman "De geheimen van Flora." De verhaallijn weeft op meesterlijke wijze de impact van de oorlog en persoonlijke geheimen door elkaar, waardoor een aangrijpend en complex verhaal ontstaat.
De hoofdpersoon, Maddie, wordt gedwongen haar huis te verlaten vanwege de Duitse luchtaanvallen op Londen. Haar toevluchtsoord wordt het prachtige landhuis in Norfolk, doordrenkt met de zomers van haar man Philip's jeugd. De vermissing van Philip op de slagvelden van Noord-Frankrijk werpt een schaduw over het landgoed, en Hore weet op meesterlijke wijze de angst en onzekerheid van Maddie te schilderen terwijl ze vasthoudt aan de hoop op zijn terugkeer.
De plot neemt een intrigerende wending wanneer Maddie ontdekt dat Philip een zomer uit zijn jeugd altijd in stilte heeft begraven. De vragen rondom deze mysterieuze zomer, met zijn neef Lyle en de raadselachtige Flora, voegen een gelaagdheid toe aan het verhaal. Hore onthult deze geheimen met precisie, waardoor de lezer zichzelf verliest in een web van emoties en onverwachte wendingen.
De emotionele gelaagdheid van Maddie's personage, dat geconfronteerd wordt met verlies, angst en onzekerheid, wordt op meeslepende wijze beschreven. Hore weet de beklemmende sfeer van oorlogstijd en de impact op gezinnen levensecht neer te zetten, waardoor je als lezer wordt meegesleept in Maddie's hartverscheurende reis.
De toevoeging van het mysterieuze verleden, belichaamd door de zomer van Philip's jeugd en de raadselachtige Flora, voegt een intrigerende dimensie toe aan het plot. Hore onthult langzaam geheimen, waardoor je als lezer geboeid blijft en meer wilt weten over de personages en hun connecties.
Het karakterontwikkelingsproces van Maddie is meeslepend. Terwijl ze de dagen zonder haar man doorstaat, worstelt ze met wanhoop en zoekt ze naar kracht om een goede moeder te zijn voor haar dochters. Hore slaagt erin om de diepgaande emotionele strijd van Maddie authentiek over te brengen, waardoor de lezer een sterke emotionele band met het personage ontwikkelt.
"De geheimen van Flora" biedt niet alleen een intrigerende blik op de impact van oorlog op persoonlijke relaties, maar ook op de kracht van hoop en veerkracht. Rachel Hore's schrijfstijl is zowel boeiend als beeldend, waardoor de lezer zich volledig onderdompelt in het verleden van Maddie en de geheimen die het belicht. Een aangrijpende en meeslepende leeservaring voor liefhebbers van historische romans, vol emotie en onthullingen.
3*
De hoofdpersoon, Maddie, wordt gedwongen haar huis te verlaten vanwege de Duitse luchtaanvallen op Londen. Haar toevluchtsoord wordt het prachtige landhuis in Norfolk, doordrenkt met de zomers van haar man Philip's jeugd. De vermissing van Philip op de slagvelden van Noord-Frankrijk werpt een schaduw over het landgoed, en Hore weet op meesterlijke wijze de angst en onzekerheid van Maddie te schilderen terwijl ze vasthoudt aan de hoop op zijn terugkeer.
De plot neemt een intrigerende wending wanneer Maddie ontdekt dat Philip een zomer uit zijn jeugd altijd in stilte heeft begraven. De vragen rondom deze mysterieuze zomer, met zijn neef Lyle en de raadselachtige Flora, voegen een gelaagdheid toe aan het verhaal. Hore onthult deze geheimen met precisie, waardoor de lezer zichzelf verliest in een web van emoties en onverwachte wendingen.
De emotionele gelaagdheid van Maddie's personage, dat geconfronteerd wordt met verlies, angst en onzekerheid, wordt op meeslepende wijze beschreven. Hore weet de beklemmende sfeer van oorlogstijd en de impact op gezinnen levensecht neer te zetten, waardoor je als lezer wordt meegesleept in Maddie's hartverscheurende reis.
De toevoeging van het mysterieuze verleden, belichaamd door de zomer van Philip's jeugd en de raadselachtige Flora, voegt een intrigerende dimensie toe aan het plot. Hore onthult langzaam geheimen, waardoor je als lezer geboeid blijft en meer wilt weten over de personages en hun connecties.
Het karakterontwikkelingsproces van Maddie is meeslepend. Terwijl ze de dagen zonder haar man doorstaat, worstelt ze met wanhoop en zoekt ze naar kracht om een goede moeder te zijn voor haar dochters. Hore slaagt erin om de diepgaande emotionele strijd van Maddie authentiek over te brengen, waardoor de lezer een sterke emotionele band met het personage ontwikkelt.
"De geheimen van Flora" biedt niet alleen een intrigerende blik op de impact van oorlog op persoonlijke relaties, maar ook op de kracht van hoop en veerkracht. Rachel Hore's schrijfstijl is zowel boeiend als beeldend, waardoor de lezer zich volledig onderdompelt in het verleden van Maddie en de geheimen die het belicht. Een aangrijpende en meeslepende leeservaring voor liefhebbers van historische romans, vol emotie en onthullingen.
3*
December 3, 2023
Ik vond dit een mooi verhaal, en mooi afgerond ook. Er was echter 1 gebeurtenis in t boek die ik echt totaal niet in het boek vond passen verder. Doet niets af aan mijn beoordeling, ik hou van de boeken van Rachel Hore.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 15, 2022
I’ve long been a fan of Rachel Hore when I stumbled across one of her earlier books, The Memory Garden many years ago in my local library and since then I have read everything she has written. I enjoy all her books but the last few I found to be just OK but with this new book, One Moonlit Night, I definitely feel the author is back to the form of her earlier books and from the moment I picked it up I couldn’t leave it out of my hands. I had other books I should have been reading before this one but this story, its setting and its characters just called to me and I kept reading until I reluctantly turned the last page. It’s an absorbing and beautiful, atmospheric read full of tension and mystery and reminded me why I love historical fiction so much. Fans of Judith Lennox and Kate Morton will love this book as it has plenty of family secrets and an enigma at its centre. I felt like I had travelled back in time deep into the English countryside during the war years with the family home Knyghton at the centre of the story where there is an air of tension, unease and suspense. What are the people who reside there hiding? Will the house give up what it has concealed for so many years?
A brief prologue set in 1977 introduces us to Grace who is waiting in a teashop for someone. She has a sister Sarah and a letter had recently arrived that had shocked the family back into the past. We do not hear more from the timeline set in 1977 until the very end and to be honest I completely forgot it had even been mentioned simply because I became totally captured by the story that followed set during the war years. That’s not to take away from the importance of the meeting that Grace is waiting to happen. It is crucial to the plot and helps things come full circle but at the end I was jolted back to that time period and I would have loved just a little bit more even a few pages as it felt just too quick. But really that’s a very minor issue in the overall scheme of things considering I really enjoyed and embraced this book from beginning to end.
London, 1941 and Maddie Anderson awakes to find herself and her two daughters Sarah and Grace in unfamiliar surroundings. Then it all comes rushing back to her, the night before they had barely escaped with their lives when a bomb destroyed their family home.They are left with nothing except some bare essentials and a package rescued from the rubble. The package belongs to her husband Philip who has been missing in action, presumed dead, since his unit was slaughtered in cold blood.The package contains a photograph album of Knygthon, Philips family home, the house in Norfolk where he lived with his Great Aunt Gussie when his parents were living in India. Maddie knows nothing about the time Philip spent there and a mysterious figure in the background of one of the photos catches her eye.
Maddie has no one to turn to as her father had remarried and he himself is unwell so bravely she makes the decision to leave London and travel to Knygthon hoping there will be a welcome for her and the girls. In doing so, she hopes she will feel closer to Philip and it will help her accept what has befallen him. Throughout the book, Maddie never wavered in her belief that because nothing had yet been officially been confirmed about Philip that he may still be out there somewhere and unable to communicate his whereabouts. Others may have given up and attempted to move on with their lives but she couldn’t let any small glimmer of hope go until she had true evidence in front of her. She is strong in the face of adversity and the many challenges and unexplained things that she encounters and the love for both her husband and her children radiates from every page.
There was a varied cast of characters that lived at Knyghton and the surrounding village of Monkton and although Maddie knows full well the affects of war it’s like when the trio arrive at the manor house that the war seems to be on the outskirts. Yes, there is the farm where the Land Girls work and Philips cousin Lyle is struggling to keep it going and the war does affect them in that sense also. But Knyghton, as in the house itself, embraces Maddie and the girls and offers protection where they can try and forgot about being bombed out and try and establish a new life for themselves. But the inhabitants are all dealing with their own issues, worries, troubles and insecurities and Maddie doesn’t feel like she has received the welcome she would have liked.
Why do the residents of Monksfield hold something against Great Aunt Gussie and her family? Why is Sarah shunned by the pupils at her new school and why does Maddie feel an unusual presence as she wanders the rooms of the house where paintings of past ancestors stare down at her? Cook Mrs Flegg and her husband Mr Flegg seem amiable enough but what are they not saying or who are they protecting? And what of Christine, the woman Maddie employs to take care of Grace whilst she works on her illustrations for a children’s book? There was something distinctly off about her. Just what do the walls of Knygthon know? Are they ready to reveal what seems to be haunting/following the inhabitants of the manor house? Can Maddie get to the bottom of the atmosphere, unease and things left unsaid that seem to echo from every corner and everyone?
Knyghton becomes a lifeline for Maddie and the girls but there is something unusual that Maddie feels when she enters certain rooms and when she is working on her illustrations something seems to take over her. She finds herself drawing a picture of a young girl she has never met. Here there was a slight supernatural element that entered the book as well as Maddie seeing thing’s and usually I would find this laughable and so unrealistic but here it works so well and fitted in perfectly with the overall tone and mood of the book. It worked well and only added a heightened sense of unrest and of Maddie needing to find out just what went on at the house which has led to Lyle being so aloof and argumentative and Gussie becoming a person almost cut off from the real world and retreating into a small cocoon with just her and her beloved dogs. It was as if the heart of Knygthon had been lost and was filled with empty ghosts.
Maddie becomes determined to ask the questions that linger in the air and she treads where others wish she wouldn’t and I was with her every step of the way as I desperately wanted to know what had happened in the past to make everyone so closed off. Lyle was a moody man with the weight of the world on his shoulders. I found him to be abrupt with Maddie and it was as if he was going through some mental torment of his own. I thought Maddie tiptoed around him in fear of upsetting him further but surely there would come a point when he would have to open up the further Maddie approached the truth. As for Gussie, in her old age, she seemed so innocent and away with the fairies but deep down you just knew she was fully aware of what was going on and what had occurred in the past. She was lost in a world of memories and Maddie needed to find the key to unlock them.
One Moonlit Night is an excellent read and the author was an expert at creating strong voices for her characters. The descriptive writing helped build a clear image of Knygthon and the surrounding landscape which adds to your overall reading enjoyment. Maddie is a character who I have deep admiration for because she never gives up hope that Philip may return to her but at the same time the bravery and courage she has in establishing a new and life for both herself and her daughters is admirable and deserves due respect. When Maddie had no choice but to leave London, she couldn’t even begin to realise the journey she would be taken on but in doing so it brought her closer to Philip and she came to know more about her husband and his family. There were so many things he kept secret from her and maybe this was for the best because Maddie reawakened Knyghton from its slumber and she had characters questioning themselves and revealing things which should not have been kept under wraps. This is a fantastic story with a realistic plot and just the right amount of twists and turns to keep you guessing. I love when a surprise is revealed at the last minute which in turn helps tie all the strands of the story come together so satisfyingly and this occurred here. I have no hesitation in recommending this book. It’s gripping and I could think of nothing better than an afternoon spent in the sunshine becoming lost in the world of Knyghton.
A brief prologue set in 1977 introduces us to Grace who is waiting in a teashop for someone. She has a sister Sarah and a letter had recently arrived that had shocked the family back into the past. We do not hear more from the timeline set in 1977 until the very end and to be honest I completely forgot it had even been mentioned simply because I became totally captured by the story that followed set during the war years. That’s not to take away from the importance of the meeting that Grace is waiting to happen. It is crucial to the plot and helps things come full circle but at the end I was jolted back to that time period and I would have loved just a little bit more even a few pages as it felt just too quick. But really that’s a very minor issue in the overall scheme of things considering I really enjoyed and embraced this book from beginning to end.
London, 1941 and Maddie Anderson awakes to find herself and her two daughters Sarah and Grace in unfamiliar surroundings. Then it all comes rushing back to her, the night before they had barely escaped with their lives when a bomb destroyed their family home.They are left with nothing except some bare essentials and a package rescued from the rubble. The package belongs to her husband Philip who has been missing in action, presumed dead, since his unit was slaughtered in cold blood.The package contains a photograph album of Knygthon, Philips family home, the house in Norfolk where he lived with his Great Aunt Gussie when his parents were living in India. Maddie knows nothing about the time Philip spent there and a mysterious figure in the background of one of the photos catches her eye.
Maddie has no one to turn to as her father had remarried and he himself is unwell so bravely she makes the decision to leave London and travel to Knygthon hoping there will be a welcome for her and the girls. In doing so, she hopes she will feel closer to Philip and it will help her accept what has befallen him. Throughout the book, Maddie never wavered in her belief that because nothing had yet been officially been confirmed about Philip that he may still be out there somewhere and unable to communicate his whereabouts. Others may have given up and attempted to move on with their lives but she couldn’t let any small glimmer of hope go until she had true evidence in front of her. She is strong in the face of adversity and the many challenges and unexplained things that she encounters and the love for both her husband and her children radiates from every page.
There was a varied cast of characters that lived at Knyghton and the surrounding village of Monkton and although Maddie knows full well the affects of war it’s like when the trio arrive at the manor house that the war seems to be on the outskirts. Yes, there is the farm where the Land Girls work and Philips cousin Lyle is struggling to keep it going and the war does affect them in that sense also. But Knyghton, as in the house itself, embraces Maddie and the girls and offers protection where they can try and forgot about being bombed out and try and establish a new life for themselves. But the inhabitants are all dealing with their own issues, worries, troubles and insecurities and Maddie doesn’t feel like she has received the welcome she would have liked.
Why do the residents of Monksfield hold something against Great Aunt Gussie and her family? Why is Sarah shunned by the pupils at her new school and why does Maddie feel an unusual presence as she wanders the rooms of the house where paintings of past ancestors stare down at her? Cook Mrs Flegg and her husband Mr Flegg seem amiable enough but what are they not saying or who are they protecting? And what of Christine, the woman Maddie employs to take care of Grace whilst she works on her illustrations for a children’s book? There was something distinctly off about her. Just what do the walls of Knygthon know? Are they ready to reveal what seems to be haunting/following the inhabitants of the manor house? Can Maddie get to the bottom of the atmosphere, unease and things left unsaid that seem to echo from every corner and everyone?
Knyghton becomes a lifeline for Maddie and the girls but there is something unusual that Maddie feels when she enters certain rooms and when she is working on her illustrations something seems to take over her. She finds herself drawing a picture of a young girl she has never met. Here there was a slight supernatural element that entered the book as well as Maddie seeing thing’s and usually I would find this laughable and so unrealistic but here it works so well and fitted in perfectly with the overall tone and mood of the book. It worked well and only added a heightened sense of unrest and of Maddie needing to find out just what went on at the house which has led to Lyle being so aloof and argumentative and Gussie becoming a person almost cut off from the real world and retreating into a small cocoon with just her and her beloved dogs. It was as if the heart of Knygthon had been lost and was filled with empty ghosts.
Maddie becomes determined to ask the questions that linger in the air and she treads where others wish she wouldn’t and I was with her every step of the way as I desperately wanted to know what had happened in the past to make everyone so closed off. Lyle was a moody man with the weight of the world on his shoulders. I found him to be abrupt with Maddie and it was as if he was going through some mental torment of his own. I thought Maddie tiptoed around him in fear of upsetting him further but surely there would come a point when he would have to open up the further Maddie approached the truth. As for Gussie, in her old age, she seemed so innocent and away with the fairies but deep down you just knew she was fully aware of what was going on and what had occurred in the past. She was lost in a world of memories and Maddie needed to find the key to unlock them.
One Moonlit Night is an excellent read and the author was an expert at creating strong voices for her characters. The descriptive writing helped build a clear image of Knygthon and the surrounding landscape which adds to your overall reading enjoyment. Maddie is a character who I have deep admiration for because she never gives up hope that Philip may return to her but at the same time the bravery and courage she has in establishing a new and life for both herself and her daughters is admirable and deserves due respect. When Maddie had no choice but to leave London, she couldn’t even begin to realise the journey she would be taken on but in doing so it brought her closer to Philip and she came to know more about her husband and his family. There were so many things he kept secret from her and maybe this was for the best because Maddie reawakened Knyghton from its slumber and she had characters questioning themselves and revealing things which should not have been kept under wraps. This is a fantastic story with a realistic plot and just the right amount of twists and turns to keep you guessing. I love when a surprise is revealed at the last minute which in turn helps tie all the strands of the story come together so satisfyingly and this occurred here. I have no hesitation in recommending this book. It’s gripping and I could think of nothing better than an afternoon spent in the sunshine becoming lost in the world of Knyghton.
November 28, 2023
Prachtig …ik heb echt genoten
January 21, 2023
Fine enough during most of the book but the ending was very rushed.
The subplot with Christine Sutton was absolutely useless, just padding.
The subplot with Christine Sutton was absolutely useless, just padding.
May 30, 2023
Loved this book so much!
April 17, 2024
Londen, Engeland
Maddie leerde Philip in het museum in Londen kennen. Een jaar later zijn ze getrouwd en samen hebben ze twee dochtertjes. Ze werkt als illustrator van kinderboeken, hij zit in de thee industrie en is vrijwillig piloot. Ze heeft haar man voor het laatst gezien in 1939 – toen Engeland officieel in oorlog was met Duitsland. Hij werd ingekwartierd in Noord Frankrijk en is sindsdien vermist. Hun jongste dochtertje is te jong om hem te kunnen herinneren en Maddie leeft op hoop dat hij nog leeft en zijn weg naar huis terugvindt.
Tijdens een bombardement werd hun huis volledig verwoest en Maddie en haar dochtertjes krijgen onderdak bij één van de buren maar ze weet dat ze er niet lang kunnen blijven. Enkel haar handtas, een pop en een grote bruine envelop konden gered worden van tussen het puin. De inhoud van de envelop is Maddie niet gekend, ze ontdekt een oud familiealbum van haar man. Ze herkent hem op enkele foto’s en vindt een foto van het statig landhuis Knyghton waar hij is opgegroeid samen met zijn neef en groottante. Haar oog valt ook op een blond meisje die op enkele foto’s staat maar ze weet niet wie dit is. Het verbaast haar dat haar man dit album nooit eerder aan haar heeft getoond en ze eigenlijk bitter weinig over zijn jeugdjaren weet.
Norfolk, Engeland
Maddie besluit om Philips groottante Gussie aan te schrijven want ze zoekt onderdak voor haar en haar dochtertjes en het landhuis Knyghton lijkt haar een veilige haven op het platteland van Norfolk. Eenmaal daar aangekomen treft haar geen hartelijke ontvangst en voelt ze er een ijzige sfeer hangen maar ze probeert er toch het beste van te maken. In de hal hangt een prachtig schilderij – het is het portret van hun grootmoeder die een haas op haar schoot heeft. Eerder zag ze al een tegel met een haas aan de voordeur en Maddie wil graag de betekenis ervan weten.
Ze merkt algauw dat de bejaarde oudtante Gussie een beetje afwezig lijkt. Ze is de oudste ongetrouwde dochter des huizes die na de dood van haar moeder vooral in haar eigen wereldje leeft. Maddie ontmoet ook Kyle, Philips neef, hij is de rechtmatige erfgenaam van het landgoed die zijn groottante onderdak biedt. Hij is best knap maar wat terughoudend en vreemd. ’s Nachts hoort Maddie vaak kreten uit zijn slaapkamer maar ze durft er hem niet over aan te spreken.
Maddie wordt nog meer nieuwsgierig als ze op een dag wandelt door de privé begraafplaats en aan de zijkant een graf ontdekt waarop de naam Flora staat. Ze vraagt bij Gussie en de oude bediendes van het huis na over het graf maar krijgt maar weinig informatie. Uiteindelijk toont ze Kyle het oude fotoalbum in de hoop dat hij haar vertelt over de jeugdjaren die hij samen met Philip heeft doorgebracht. Ze voelt dat hij ergens vast zit in het verleden en wil weten hoe dat komt. Hoe komt het dat haar man en zijn neef uit elkaar zijn gegroeid? Heeft het meisje op de foto er iets mee te maken en wie was zij? Waarom heeft Kyle vreselijke nachtmerries? Knyghton en haar bewoners gaan gebukt onder groot verdriet en willen het verleden en haar geheimen het liefst bedekt laten maar Maddie denkt daar anders over en gaat dit uitzoeken.
Duinkerke, Noord - Frankrijk.
Philip wordt als reservist al vrij meteen aan het begin van de oorlog ingezet en naar Noord- Frankrijk gebracht waar zwaar gevochten wordt. Hij is de enige overlevende van zijn bataljon. Hij was de Duitsers te slim af en speelde dood zodat hij niet meer kon geëxecuteerd worden. Hij werd gered en verzorgd door een Frans gezin en heel moeizaam kan hij uiteindelijk aan valse papieren komen. Hij neemt de trein richting Marseille om via Spanje thuis te raken. Hij beleeft een helse tocht vol onzekerheden en angst om te sterven en vraagt God of hij Maddie en zijn kinderen ooit terug zal zien.
De Britse Rachel Hore is geboren in 1960 en werkte bijna twintig jaar als redacteur bij een Engelse uitgeverij. Ze verhuisde met haar gezin naar het platteland van Norfolk, waar ze zich fulltime op het schrijven richt. Ze schrijft bijzonder mooie verhalen, hedendaagse fictie en historische romans. Ik ben al jaren fan van haar boeken. 'Het geheim van Flora' is haar nieuwste historische roman en heeft ze bijzonder knap opgebouwd. De verschillende verhaallijnen komen afzonderlijk aan bod maar lopen chronologisch niet gelijk wat het extra boeiend maakt te lezen. Ze creëert interessante personages, gebruikt beeldende taal, weeft met gemak fictie en historische gebeurtenissen aan elkaar en voegt daar nog wat mysterie, romantiek enkele verrassende gebeurtenissen en onvoorziene wendingen aan toe. Het geheim van Flora is beslist een aanradertje voor wie houdt van historische romans.
Maddie leerde Philip in het museum in Londen kennen. Een jaar later zijn ze getrouwd en samen hebben ze twee dochtertjes. Ze werkt als illustrator van kinderboeken, hij zit in de thee industrie en is vrijwillig piloot. Ze heeft haar man voor het laatst gezien in 1939 – toen Engeland officieel in oorlog was met Duitsland. Hij werd ingekwartierd in Noord Frankrijk en is sindsdien vermist. Hun jongste dochtertje is te jong om hem te kunnen herinneren en Maddie leeft op hoop dat hij nog leeft en zijn weg naar huis terugvindt.
Tijdens een bombardement werd hun huis volledig verwoest en Maddie en haar dochtertjes krijgen onderdak bij één van de buren maar ze weet dat ze er niet lang kunnen blijven. Enkel haar handtas, een pop en een grote bruine envelop konden gered worden van tussen het puin. De inhoud van de envelop is Maddie niet gekend, ze ontdekt een oud familiealbum van haar man. Ze herkent hem op enkele foto’s en vindt een foto van het statig landhuis Knyghton waar hij is opgegroeid samen met zijn neef en groottante. Haar oog valt ook op een blond meisje die op enkele foto’s staat maar ze weet niet wie dit is. Het verbaast haar dat haar man dit album nooit eerder aan haar heeft getoond en ze eigenlijk bitter weinig over zijn jeugdjaren weet.
Norfolk, Engeland
Maddie besluit om Philips groottante Gussie aan te schrijven want ze zoekt onderdak voor haar en haar dochtertjes en het landhuis Knyghton lijkt haar een veilige haven op het platteland van Norfolk. Eenmaal daar aangekomen treft haar geen hartelijke ontvangst en voelt ze er een ijzige sfeer hangen maar ze probeert er toch het beste van te maken. In de hal hangt een prachtig schilderij – het is het portret van hun grootmoeder die een haas op haar schoot heeft. Eerder zag ze al een tegel met een haas aan de voordeur en Maddie wil graag de betekenis ervan weten.
Ze merkt algauw dat de bejaarde oudtante Gussie een beetje afwezig lijkt. Ze is de oudste ongetrouwde dochter des huizes die na de dood van haar moeder vooral in haar eigen wereldje leeft. Maddie ontmoet ook Kyle, Philips neef, hij is de rechtmatige erfgenaam van het landgoed die zijn groottante onderdak biedt. Hij is best knap maar wat terughoudend en vreemd. ’s Nachts hoort Maddie vaak kreten uit zijn slaapkamer maar ze durft er hem niet over aan te spreken.
Maddie wordt nog meer nieuwsgierig als ze op een dag wandelt door de privé begraafplaats en aan de zijkant een graf ontdekt waarop de naam Flora staat. Ze vraagt bij Gussie en de oude bediendes van het huis na over het graf maar krijgt maar weinig informatie. Uiteindelijk toont ze Kyle het oude fotoalbum in de hoop dat hij haar vertelt over de jeugdjaren die hij samen met Philip heeft doorgebracht. Ze voelt dat hij ergens vast zit in het verleden en wil weten hoe dat komt. Hoe komt het dat haar man en zijn neef uit elkaar zijn gegroeid? Heeft het meisje op de foto er iets mee te maken en wie was zij? Waarom heeft Kyle vreselijke nachtmerries? Knyghton en haar bewoners gaan gebukt onder groot verdriet en willen het verleden en haar geheimen het liefst bedekt laten maar Maddie denkt daar anders over en gaat dit uitzoeken.
Duinkerke, Noord - Frankrijk.
Philip wordt als reservist al vrij meteen aan het begin van de oorlog ingezet en naar Noord- Frankrijk gebracht waar zwaar gevochten wordt. Hij is de enige overlevende van zijn bataljon. Hij was de Duitsers te slim af en speelde dood zodat hij niet meer kon geëxecuteerd worden. Hij werd gered en verzorgd door een Frans gezin en heel moeizaam kan hij uiteindelijk aan valse papieren komen. Hij neemt de trein richting Marseille om via Spanje thuis te raken. Hij beleeft een helse tocht vol onzekerheden en angst om te sterven en vraagt God of hij Maddie en zijn kinderen ooit terug zal zien.
De Britse Rachel Hore is geboren in 1960 en werkte bijna twintig jaar als redacteur bij een Engelse uitgeverij. Ze verhuisde met haar gezin naar het platteland van Norfolk, waar ze zich fulltime op het schrijven richt. Ze schrijft bijzonder mooie verhalen, hedendaagse fictie en historische romans. Ik ben al jaren fan van haar boeken. 'Het geheim van Flora' is haar nieuwste historische roman en heeft ze bijzonder knap opgebouwd. De verschillende verhaallijnen komen afzonderlijk aan bod maar lopen chronologisch niet gelijk wat het extra boeiend maakt te lezen. Ze creëert interessante personages, gebruikt beeldende taal, weeft met gemak fictie en historische gebeurtenissen aan elkaar en voegt daar nog wat mysterie, romantiek enkele verrassende gebeurtenissen en onvoorziene wendingen aan toe. Het geheim van Flora is beslist een aanradertje voor wie houdt van historische romans.
April 17, 2022
One Moonlit Night by Rachel Hore is a book set in wartime Britain and France. The protagonist is Maddie, a young woman who falls in love with Philip, a Lieutenant in the army. The book describes the course of their relationship, particularly the very tense period in which Philip is missing, presumed dead, leaving Maddie alone with their two young daughters. When their house is bombed Maddie retreats to Phillip's ancestral home of Knyghton in Norfolk, to live with his aunt Gussie and cousin Lyle whom she has never met. What follows is a roller coaster read about many things including love, loyalty and temptation, friendship and betrayal, isolation, hope and uncertainty, and family secrets and lies. I do not want to give any spoilers but suffice to say there is a good mix of happiness and (plenty of) drama. This is the first book by Rachel Hore that I have read but after reading this I would be keen to try more of her books. I enjoyed the story. I found it a very easy read, a good book for those times when you just want to read something undemanding. I enjoyed the descriptions of Knyghton and its inhabitants. The characters were really interesting- I liked the Fleggs and Gussie and I was intrigued by Flora and her role in the family's outcomes. I liked Maddie's independence and that she fought to keep her career as well as mucking in with the domestic jobs and keeping the family together. It drew on the loneliness of parenthood and being a 'stranger'. It was interesting to read Phillip's story interspersed with Maddie's and it helped to build the tension. I quite liked the way the relationships evolved on the whole, but I felt that, for me, there were parts that seemed rushed. At 470 pages it isn't a short novel, but I felt that there could have been more development around the ending, especially the way things turned out for Lyle and for the family in the future. I also felt that Philip and Maddie's courtship at the beginning seemed a little rushed. A good test of a book for me is if I am thinking about it when I am not reading it and after I have finished it, and one Moonlit Night passes the test! I would recommend it to people who like reading about wartime, family secrets, and a bit of love and lust. 4 stars. Content warning for injury, shooting, kidnap, adultery, animal harm. Many thanks to Simon and Schuster via Netgalley for kindly gifting me an ecopy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 15, 2022
Life can turn on a sixpence and that’s what happens to Maddie and her two small daughters in the Blitz. ‘One Moonlit Night’ by Rachel Hore doesn’t start with a glimpse of the main character’s ordinary life before the change happens. It starts with a shock… a family made homeless by a bomb.
Alone in the midst of chaos, her husband Philip has been missing for ten months since the British army’s retreat from Dunkirk, Maddie takes Sarah and Alice to Knyghton in Norfolk to stay with Philip’s elderly Aunt Gussie. Maddie is caught in limbo, unable to grieve for Philip, unable to make decisions, not accepting his probable death, while living in an isolated country house – where Philip spent his childhood – which is the focus of long-held rumour and superstition in the nearby village.
Trying to make a living as a book illustrator, Maddie is seldom without a pencil and paper. But when she draws the face of an unfamiliar young girl, enigmatic, mysterious, she doesn’t know where her inspiration came from. Instinctively she keeps her drawing secret, not wanting to upset the fragile atmosphere at Knyghton. A secret is being kept, by Aunt Gussie, Philip’s cousin Lyle who runs the Knyghton farm, by family retainers, the Fleggs, and Maddie is sure it surrounds this mysterious young woman.
Bookended by a Prologue and Epilogue both set in 1977, Hore tells the stories of Maddie and Philip during World War Two with a flashback to their meeting in 1934. Many of the book’s themes are established in this pre-war section. Wild animals, painted by Maddie, but shot by Philip; children raised while parents are absent; the sharing of some secrets and the keeping of others. It is a complex, emotional story as Maddie, who flees to Knyghton seeking sanctuary instead finds unexplained silences, whispers and rumours she fears are aimed at Philip. Meanwhile Philip, having survived a massacre of British troops by the German army, attempts to find a way home. Philip’s sections are tense, forlorn and at times hopeless, a vivid portrayal of soldiers fleeing through Occupied and Vichy France.
This is a slow-burning story which rewards the reader’s perseverance as tension in the final third picks up and Maddie finally finds some answers. It’s a book which rewards further reading as layers of information, missed on first reading, become significant.
Read more of my book reviews at http://www.sandradanby.com/book-revie...
Alone in the midst of chaos, her husband Philip has been missing for ten months since the British army’s retreat from Dunkirk, Maddie takes Sarah and Alice to Knyghton in Norfolk to stay with Philip’s elderly Aunt Gussie. Maddie is caught in limbo, unable to grieve for Philip, unable to make decisions, not accepting his probable death, while living in an isolated country house – where Philip spent his childhood – which is the focus of long-held rumour and superstition in the nearby village.
Trying to make a living as a book illustrator, Maddie is seldom without a pencil and paper. But when she draws the face of an unfamiliar young girl, enigmatic, mysterious, she doesn’t know where her inspiration came from. Instinctively she keeps her drawing secret, not wanting to upset the fragile atmosphere at Knyghton. A secret is being kept, by Aunt Gussie, Philip’s cousin Lyle who runs the Knyghton farm, by family retainers, the Fleggs, and Maddie is sure it surrounds this mysterious young woman.
Bookended by a Prologue and Epilogue both set in 1977, Hore tells the stories of Maddie and Philip during World War Two with a flashback to their meeting in 1934. Many of the book’s themes are established in this pre-war section. Wild animals, painted by Maddie, but shot by Philip; children raised while parents are absent; the sharing of some secrets and the keeping of others. It is a complex, emotional story as Maddie, who flees to Knyghton seeking sanctuary instead finds unexplained silences, whispers and rumours she fears are aimed at Philip. Meanwhile Philip, having survived a massacre of British troops by the German army, attempts to find a way home. Philip’s sections are tense, forlorn and at times hopeless, a vivid portrayal of soldiers fleeing through Occupied and Vichy France.
This is a slow-burning story which rewards the reader’s perseverance as tension in the final third picks up and Maddie finally finds some answers. It’s a book which rewards further reading as layers of information, missed on first reading, become significant.
Read more of my book reviews at http://www.sandradanby.com/book-revie...
May 16, 2022
Rachel Hore has been a go-to author of mine for some years, and One Moonlit Night was a completely engrossing saga about a family during the Second World War. There are secrets and betrayals that exist, burdening the family members as tragedies divide them.
I loved the fact that Maddie continued to work as a children’s illustrator after she married and had children, modern beyond her time and with a supportive husband who did not want to prevent her from her art. When she left London, to move to her husband Philip’s family home, it felt poignant given the news reports we’ve had in recent weeks of mothers and children fleeing from their homes with what they were able to salvage, Maddie and her daughters leaving with the few items salvaged from the rubble where their house had stood.
Knyghton as a location sounded idyllic, and I loved the almost spooky atmosphere to the setting, which is almost expected in a property that has been there for hundreds of years. At first Maddie and the children were reluctantly welcomed by family that Philip had never introduced them to, but as they settled in, it was easy to warm to the other characters based at the house, Philip’s Aunt Gussie and her adorable dogs, Philip’s cousin Lyle and the Fleggs, the irritable housekeeper and her laidback husband. As the story progressed we met additional characters and I really liked Anna, the Polish widow who was living in the Rectory with her children as a refugee, unable to return to Poland or find out information about her family members.
Interspersed with Maddie’s story are chapters featuring Philip in a timeline roughly a year before Maddie leaves London, following the incident which left him missing in action but believed dead. As he recovers from his injuries, helped by many people risking their own lives to help him, he is forced to head south to make his way out of France to find his way home. There was plenty of tension surrounding him and the risks involved with all of his actions, to the point that I found myself willing him to make it home, and it felt like the perfect foil for the secrets and mysteries that Maddie was dealing with.
I found the book entrancing, it pulled me into the story and I was so invested in the characters that I could not put it down. One Moonlit Night is a beautiful story of secrets, loyalty, betrayals, but most of all, hope and love.
I loved the fact that Maddie continued to work as a children’s illustrator after she married and had children, modern beyond her time and with a supportive husband who did not want to prevent her from her art. When she left London, to move to her husband Philip’s family home, it felt poignant given the news reports we’ve had in recent weeks of mothers and children fleeing from their homes with what they were able to salvage, Maddie and her daughters leaving with the few items salvaged from the rubble where their house had stood.
Knyghton as a location sounded idyllic, and I loved the almost spooky atmosphere to the setting, which is almost expected in a property that has been there for hundreds of years. At first Maddie and the children were reluctantly welcomed by family that Philip had never introduced them to, but as they settled in, it was easy to warm to the other characters based at the house, Philip’s Aunt Gussie and her adorable dogs, Philip’s cousin Lyle and the Fleggs, the irritable housekeeper and her laidback husband. As the story progressed we met additional characters and I really liked Anna, the Polish widow who was living in the Rectory with her children as a refugee, unable to return to Poland or find out information about her family members.
Interspersed with Maddie’s story are chapters featuring Philip in a timeline roughly a year before Maddie leaves London, following the incident which left him missing in action but believed dead. As he recovers from his injuries, helped by many people risking their own lives to help him, he is forced to head south to make his way out of France to find his way home. There was plenty of tension surrounding him and the risks involved with all of his actions, to the point that I found myself willing him to make it home, and it felt like the perfect foil for the secrets and mysteries that Maddie was dealing with.
I found the book entrancing, it pulled me into the story and I was so invested in the characters that I could not put it down. One Moonlit Night is a beautiful story of secrets, loyalty, betrayals, but most of all, hope and love.
June 30, 2022
This is really two stories in one and makes for a gripping World War 2 read. Maddie and her young daughters, Sarah and Grace are bombed out of their home in London and must find somewhere to live. Maddie’s husband, Philip is missing in action and everyone apart from Maddie, believes that he is dead.
She knows little about Philip’s family background as he has been quite reticent at revealing too much so when she finds a photo album with pictures of his home in Norfolk she decides to take her girls there.
At first it is very difficult- there is a mad aunt, a surly but handsomely brooding cousin and a resentful housekeeper so Maddie finds things very difficult.
However she feels closer to her husband and begins to learn more about his early life and a dark secret which haunts the whole family.
Meanwhile it becomes apparent that Philip is still alive in France but will he make it back to Maddie in one piece as he tries to evade the Nazis in his endeavours to get home?
I liked both of the stories and it was compelling to read about the different struggles the two main characters were forced to endure due to their wartime situation.
Both Philip and Maddie as well as the other characters were well drawn and the mystery in Philip’s background was gradually revealed and thus held my interest.
My only minor complaint was that the last part of the book which obviously includes the denouement did seem to happen rather quickly- I think I would have liked to have read a little more about events and characters in this section of the novel. However this is a small niggle and did not detract from my enjoyment.
I’m definitely looking forward to reading more books by Rachel Hore and would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for my arc.
She knows little about Philip’s family background as he has been quite reticent at revealing too much so when she finds a photo album with pictures of his home in Norfolk she decides to take her girls there.
At first it is very difficult- there is a mad aunt, a surly but handsomely brooding cousin and a resentful housekeeper so Maddie finds things very difficult.
However she feels closer to her husband and begins to learn more about his early life and a dark secret which haunts the whole family.
Meanwhile it becomes apparent that Philip is still alive in France but will he make it back to Maddie in one piece as he tries to evade the Nazis in his endeavours to get home?
I liked both of the stories and it was compelling to read about the different struggles the two main characters were forced to endure due to their wartime situation.
Both Philip and Maddie as well as the other characters were well drawn and the mystery in Philip’s background was gradually revealed and thus held my interest.
My only minor complaint was that the last part of the book which obviously includes the denouement did seem to happen rather quickly- I think I would have liked to have read a little more about events and characters in this section of the novel. However this is a small niggle and did not detract from my enjoyment.
I’m definitely looking forward to reading more books by Rachel Hore and would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for my arc.
October 17, 2022
I honestly don’t read enough historical fiction. I’m not entirely sure why and I can’t off hand remember the last one I read. One Moonlit Night was my first Rachel Hore read I believe even though I do own at least one more of her books, but it won’t be the last. I have a taste for historical fiction now and I’m itching for more.
One Moonlit Night is set during the Second World War where we meet Maddie and Philip – who meet and are instantly transfixed with each other. Like most wartime love stories their whirlwind love story turns into marriage and two children – before Philip is thrust into war.
During this time they are living in London but originally they met in Norwich. When the family home is ruined by the bombs Maddie decides to head to Knyghton – the family home of her husband who is presumed dead at this point. I loved how little aspects of his family home gave Maddie comfort even though she was consistently trying to piece the puzzle of his home life together. So much mystery?
There’s a lot of back and forth setting the story, letting us get to know Maddie and Philip and subsequently when Philip is at war we have his chapters and that of a hopeful Maddie who against all odds is hoping her husband comes back to her.
There’s so many layers to this story lots of entwined mystery which meant I was turning the pages with baited breath and eager for more. So many things happen that are somewhat unexpected yet keep you turning the pages. Wartime may well be full of sadness, but this story had so much hope and mystery.
An atmospheric story full of family secrets, wartime and lost love…I really enjoyed being in Maddie & Philip’s world and I look forward to discovering more from Rachel Hore. If anyone has any recommendations of what to read next do let me know?.
One Moonlit Night is set during the Second World War where we meet Maddie and Philip – who meet and are instantly transfixed with each other. Like most wartime love stories their whirlwind love story turns into marriage and two children – before Philip is thrust into war.
During this time they are living in London but originally they met in Norwich. When the family home is ruined by the bombs Maddie decides to head to Knyghton – the family home of her husband who is presumed dead at this point. I loved how little aspects of his family home gave Maddie comfort even though she was consistently trying to piece the puzzle of his home life together. So much mystery?
There’s a lot of back and forth setting the story, letting us get to know Maddie and Philip and subsequently when Philip is at war we have his chapters and that of a hopeful Maddie who against all odds is hoping her husband comes back to her.
There’s so many layers to this story lots of entwined mystery which meant I was turning the pages with baited breath and eager for more. So many things happen that are somewhat unexpected yet keep you turning the pages. Wartime may well be full of sadness, but this story had so much hope and mystery.
An atmospheric story full of family secrets, wartime and lost love…I really enjoyed being in Maddie & Philip’s world and I look forward to discovering more from Rachel Hore. If anyone has any recommendations of what to read next do let me know?.
May 26, 2022
Having enjoyed A Beautiful Spy, it now gives me great pleasure in telling you how good and compelling One Moonlit Night is. It is an eloquently written book, set in the second world war, that has a whirlwind romance to get caught up in before war breaks out and the lovers, now man and wife - Maddie and Phillip are then separated because he has to fight. They built up a family with two daughters, whom he has no choice but to leave behind, as they then seek refuge. It is like that ultimate emotional romance that plays out as glee that two lovers are together in such a romantic fashion, and scenic areas are painted in the minds eye throughout, which all turns to sorrow and into page-turner.
As the war rages on there is tides of emotion as Phillip may or may not be alive. Everyone except from Maddie thinks he is dead. You really feel for Maddie in this situation. It also turns out that she didn't really know her husband as well as she perhaps thought as there are so many secrets to be uncovered about events that happened years ago that he never talked about. The complex mystery about the man whom she married starts when a folder belonging to Phillip is handed to her and realises there are certain things that she had no idea about. It means she has to go to Knyghton, in Norfolk, a place where Phillip spent summer-times in. As well as meeting members of his family and the Land Girls, there is also a photograpgh, that poses many questions and further deepens the mystery of secrets that swirls round and compounds in the book, along with love, loyalty and betrayal. There is much intrigue to be sought and many questions to be answered right up until a well thought out ending.
As the war rages on there is tides of emotion as Phillip may or may not be alive. Everyone except from Maddie thinks he is dead. You really feel for Maddie in this situation. It also turns out that she didn't really know her husband as well as she perhaps thought as there are so many secrets to be uncovered about events that happened years ago that he never talked about. The complex mystery about the man whom she married starts when a folder belonging to Phillip is handed to her and realises there are certain things that she had no idea about. It means she has to go to Knyghton, in Norfolk, a place where Phillip spent summer-times in. As well as meeting members of his family and the Land Girls, there is also a photograpgh, that poses many questions and further deepens the mystery of secrets that swirls round and compounds in the book, along with love, loyalty and betrayal. There is much intrigue to be sought and many questions to be answered right up until a well thought out ending.
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