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The Midwife's Secret
A little girl goes missing from Yew Tree Manor - the same house from which a girl vanished decades before. Does the key to the present lie buried even deeper in the past, in the forgotten history of an innocent midwife accused by a family of shocking betrayal? A gripping, heartwrenching story of love, loyalty and family secrets.
When six-year-old Alice Hilton goes missing in the snow on New Year's Eve 1969 from Yew Tree Manor, suspicion immediately falls on local man Bobby James. James had a grievance against Alice's father, wealthy Richard Hilton, and he is arrested, tried and found guilty for Alice's death. Tragically the child is never found.
Decades later, Willow James, an architect working on a development at Yew Tree Manor, discovers that the land surrounding the house is holding a secret. And when another little girl goes missing from Yew Tree, Willow realizes the key to her disappearance lies in the history of the house, and the two families attached to it. A terrible wrong needs to be made right...and to uncover it, Willow must unravel events from long ago, when in 1919 a court sentenced a midwife to death, for a shocking crime that happened at Yew Tree Manor...
When six-year-old Alice Hilton goes missing in the snow on New Year's Eve 1969 from Yew Tree Manor, suspicion immediately falls on local man Bobby James. James had a grievance against Alice's father, wealthy Richard Hilton, and he is arrested, tried and found guilty for Alice's death. Tragically the child is never found.
Decades later, Willow James, an architect working on a development at Yew Tree Manor, discovers that the land surrounding the house is holding a secret. And when another little girl goes missing from Yew Tree, Willow realizes the key to her disappearance lies in the history of the house, and the two families attached to it. A terrible wrong needs to be made right...and to uncover it, Willow must unravel events from long ago, when in 1919 a court sentenced a midwife to death, for a shocking crime that happened at Yew Tree Manor...
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First published October 28, 2021
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About the author
Emily Gunnis
14 books690 followersHello everyone,
Thank you for checking out my author page. Even writing this is a dream come true for me.
I’ve wanted to be a published author since my mother, Penny Vincenzi, got her first book deal, when she and I would walk and talk about everything plots and stories together.
Fast forward thirty years and I have discovered it is slightly more difficult than she made it look. But still, I got there eventually, because it is in my blood, and also, because I have always existed, slightly, in a world of my own, and reading and writing books allows me to make a living from that. I still remember my eleven-year-old self, a little at odds with the world, sitting on the cold parquet floor of St Lawrence Junior School utterly gripped as Mr Thomas read us all Boy by Roald Dahl.
After graduating in Journalism in 1997 I began writing scripts and had two episodes of BBC Doctors commissioned, but I wasn’t keen on all the endless drafts and input from Script Editors and Producers. So, while I worked as a PA at the BBC and the Daily Mirror newspaper I learned as much as I could about storytelling until it all became fodder for my debut novel, The Girl in the Letter.
I really hope you enjoy it, and my follow-up novel which I am busy researching as we speak. I live in Brighton, Sussex, with my husband Steve, an architect, and my two crazy, beautiful girls, Grace and Eleanor. We read a lot of Julia Donaldson and Roald Dahl, in between walking Merlin our whippet on the beach but when I’ve got a deadline I rely on their tablets rather a lot and feel incredibly guilty most of the time.
If you’d like to get in touch, please do visit me on Twitter @EmilyGunnis and Instagram @emilygunnis.
And if you’re really stuck for something to do, feel free to review my book. I would love to know what you think.
Keep reading!
Love Emily x
Thank you for checking out my author page. Even writing this is a dream come true for me.
I’ve wanted to be a published author since my mother, Penny Vincenzi, got her first book deal, when she and I would walk and talk about everything plots and stories together.
Fast forward thirty years and I have discovered it is slightly more difficult than she made it look. But still, I got there eventually, because it is in my blood, and also, because I have always existed, slightly, in a world of my own, and reading and writing books allows me to make a living from that. I still remember my eleven-year-old self, a little at odds with the world, sitting on the cold parquet floor of St Lawrence Junior School utterly gripped as Mr Thomas read us all Boy by Roald Dahl.
After graduating in Journalism in 1997 I began writing scripts and had two episodes of BBC Doctors commissioned, but I wasn’t keen on all the endless drafts and input from Script Editors and Producers. So, while I worked as a PA at the BBC and the Daily Mirror newspaper I learned as much as I could about storytelling until it all became fodder for my debut novel, The Girl in the Letter.
I really hope you enjoy it, and my follow-up novel which I am busy researching as we speak. I live in Brighton, Sussex, with my husband Steve, an architect, and my two crazy, beautiful girls, Grace and Eleanor. We read a lot of Julia Donaldson and Roald Dahl, in between walking Merlin our whippet on the beach but when I’ve got a deadline I rely on their tablets rather a lot and feel incredibly guilty most of the time.
If you’d like to get in touch, please do visit me on Twitter @EmilyGunnis and Instagram @emilygunnis.
And if you’re really stuck for something to do, feel free to review my book. I would love to know what you think.
Keep reading!
Love Emily x
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 732 reviews
December 28, 2023
My Reviews Can Also Be Found On:
The Storygraph and The Book Review Crew Blog
I loved this author's previous book The Girl in the Letter because of the authenticity of the story, this one not so much. I did like that there were three story threads and they were all in different timelines (1945, 1969 and 2017). As is usual for me I liked the older timelines much more, they were far more interesting and enjoyable. I find myself a little confused by the title because the midwife doesn't really feature in the story much and her secret is revealed within the first few pages. I was looking forward to a book about a woman delivering babies and that doesn't happen at all.
The two different families and their offspring are hard to keep track of as the story isn't told in a linear fashion so you're bouncing back and forth between time periods and houses. There is a family tree at the start of the book so I took a screenshot and kept referring back to it so I could keep everything straight. But with so many people involved and none of the adults had any redeeming qualities it was hard to concentrate on their story arc. I cared little for them or what happened to them.
The plot twist was underwhelming and I had figured out what happened to Alice in the prologue. The premise is a good one and Gunnis is a wonderful writer but the sub-plots were unnecessary. Although entertaining this book was very predictable, and as much as loved the writing I can't give it more than three stars because there were some really outlandish situations happening that had me shaking my head in disbelief.
The Storygraph and The Book Review Crew Blog
I loved this author's previous book The Girl in the Letter because of the authenticity of the story, this one not so much. I did like that there were three story threads and they were all in different timelines (1945, 1969 and 2017). As is usual for me I liked the older timelines much more, they were far more interesting and enjoyable. I find myself a little confused by the title because the midwife doesn't really feature in the story much and her secret is revealed within the first few pages. I was looking forward to a book about a woman delivering babies and that doesn't happen at all.
The two different families and their offspring are hard to keep track of as the story isn't told in a linear fashion so you're bouncing back and forth between time periods and houses. There is a family tree at the start of the book so I took a screenshot and kept referring back to it so I could keep everything straight. But with so many people involved and none of the adults had any redeeming qualities it was hard to concentrate on their story arc. I cared little for them or what happened to them.
The plot twist was underwhelming and I had figured out what happened to Alice in the prologue. The premise is a good one and Gunnis is a wonderful writer but the sub-plots were unnecessary. Although entertaining this book was very predictable, and as much as loved the writing I can't give it more than three stars because there were some really outlandish situations happening that had me shaking my head in disbelief.
March 21, 2022
This was an outstanding novel of secrets injustices a disappearance of a child & a woman accused holds the key. The story is about two families the haves the Wilton’s & the James the have nots.
I had just finished this & again the writing was exquisite it reminded me of Kate Morton novel who I also enjoyed I am not going into a full review but at times it’s heartbreaking & at times happy I hated Leo he was so cold & cruel a lovely emotional read.
The Time lines are 1946 then to the present in 2017 the characters were well written & the prose well thought out I think I will skip books that deal with the privileged & the less fortunate it does not compute with me.
I had just finished this & again the writing was exquisite it reminded me of Kate Morton novel who I also enjoyed I am not going into a full review but at times it’s heartbreaking & at times happy I hated Leo he was so cold & cruel a lovely emotional read.
The Time lines are 1946 then to the present in 2017 the characters were well written & the prose well thought out I think I will skip books that deal with the privileged & the less fortunate it does not compute with me.
November 14, 2022
Una novela de trama entretenida, cuyos continuos errores de redacción y corrección me sacaban de la lectura.
En un principio pensé que esos errores podrían deberse a una mala traducción. Tras leer algunas reseñas de lectores de lengua inglesa me di cuenta de que, lo que algunos de ellos le reprochaban a la versión original (mal escrito, nombres que cambiaban, etc), eran las mismas cosas, que había notado yo en la versión en castellano.
Por otro lado, recordé que ya había leído otra novela de esta autora, "La chica de la carta", con la que tuve las mismas sensaciones. Dos novelas distintas, diferentes traductores y los mismos problemas para leerlas. Es posible que se hayan juntado el hambre con las ganas de comer. Un estilo de escritura que deja mucho que desear y dos malas correcciones, la del original inglés y la publicada en castellano. Quede claro, que no devolví el libro porque se me había pasado el plazo de devolución, pero no por falta de ganas.
Dice la sinopsis
La apasionante historia de dos familias y el terrible secreto que las une.
En la Nochevieja de 1969, mientras los Hilton preparan la fiesta de fin de año en su mansión de Yew Tree, su hija pequeña, Alice, desaparece. Las sospechas recaen en Bobby James, un joven granjero que fue la última persona que vio con vida a la pequeña. Bobby defiende que es inocente, pero es castigado de todos modos. El cuerpo de Alice no se localizará nunca.
En la actualidad, Willow James trabaja como arquitecta en un proyecto de remodelación de la zona y descubre que la tierra guarda un secreto. Pronto halla una maraña de injusticias y mentiras y, cuando otra niña de los Hilton desaparece en el mismo lugar, Willow comprende que la única forma de evitar que la historia se repita es rectificar un terrible error del pasado.
Mis impresiones
La trama tiene a su favor que es entretenida. Una novela, que alterna en tres planos temporales, capítulos titulados con el nombre de diversos personajes. Son capítulos cortos y el ritmo es ágil. Genera curiosidad por saber qué le ocurrió a Alice y por ir desgranando los hilos del pasado. En su contra que se vuelve predecible, no en todo, pero casi.
Entre los personajes, unos están mejor definidos que otros sin ser una maravilla ninguno. Me ha chirriado la forma de hablar de Alice o Nell, más propia de adultos que de niñas de seis años. No he comprendido los motivos de Tessa para no declarar en su juicio. No tienen mucho sentido cuando lo que te juegas es una cadena perpetua. Alfie y Bobby son personajes que sí me han gustado.
La prosa deja bastante que desear. Palabras que se repiten hasta tres veces en la misma oración. Expresiones confusas. En más de una ocasión he tenido que releer frases y párrafos para entender su sentido. Otras directamente no tienen ni pies ni cabeza. El siguiente diálogo es solo un ejemplo
"¿Cómo estás?" "Muy bien, me encuentro un poco mal".
A todo esto hay que añadirle una mala corrección ya en origen y otra igualmente deficiente en castellano. Personajes que, en la misma escena, cambian de nombre y hasta de estado civil. El tú y el usted aleatorios en un mismo renglón, etc. Muy lamentable.
Añadir, por último, el tema del título. Nunca entenderé por qué le cambian el título original a un libro. Sin embargo, en esta ocasión, ese cambio ha sido un acierto. "El secreto de la comadrona" no responde a lo que vas a encontrar. Como bien recalcan los lectores en lengua inglesa, no hay tal secreto. El título en castellano está bastante más ajustado.
En conclusión. La trama de la novela no está mal, la prosa y las correcciones no hay por dónde cogerlas. No creo que me vuelva a acercar a la obra de esta autora.
En un principio pensé que esos errores podrían deberse a una mala traducción. Tras leer algunas reseñas de lectores de lengua inglesa me di cuenta de que, lo que algunos de ellos le reprochaban a la versión original (mal escrito, nombres que cambiaban, etc), eran las mismas cosas, que había notado yo en la versión en castellano.
Por otro lado, recordé que ya había leído otra novela de esta autora, "La chica de la carta", con la que tuve las mismas sensaciones. Dos novelas distintas, diferentes traductores y los mismos problemas para leerlas. Es posible que se hayan juntado el hambre con las ganas de comer. Un estilo de escritura que deja mucho que desear y dos malas correcciones, la del original inglés y la publicada en castellano. Quede claro, que no devolví el libro porque se me había pasado el plazo de devolución, pero no por falta de ganas.
Dice la sinopsis
La apasionante historia de dos familias y el terrible secreto que las une.
En la Nochevieja de 1969, mientras los Hilton preparan la fiesta de fin de año en su mansión de Yew Tree, su hija pequeña, Alice, desaparece. Las sospechas recaen en Bobby James, un joven granjero que fue la última persona que vio con vida a la pequeña. Bobby defiende que es inocente, pero es castigado de todos modos. El cuerpo de Alice no se localizará nunca.
En la actualidad, Willow James trabaja como arquitecta en un proyecto de remodelación de la zona y descubre que la tierra guarda un secreto. Pronto halla una maraña de injusticias y mentiras y, cuando otra niña de los Hilton desaparece en el mismo lugar, Willow comprende que la única forma de evitar que la historia se repita es rectificar un terrible error del pasado.
Mis impresiones
La trama tiene a su favor que es entretenida. Una novela, que alterna en tres planos temporales, capítulos titulados con el nombre de diversos personajes. Son capítulos cortos y el ritmo es ágil. Genera curiosidad por saber qué le ocurrió a Alice y por ir desgranando los hilos del pasado. En su contra que se vuelve predecible, no en todo, pero casi.
Entre los personajes, unos están mejor definidos que otros sin ser una maravilla ninguno. Me ha chirriado la forma de hablar de Alice o Nell, más propia de adultos que de niñas de seis años. No he comprendido los motivos de Tessa para no declarar en su juicio. No tienen mucho sentido cuando lo que te juegas es una cadena perpetua. Alfie y Bobby son personajes que sí me han gustado.
La prosa deja bastante que desear. Palabras que se repiten hasta tres veces en la misma oración. Expresiones confusas. En más de una ocasión he tenido que releer frases y párrafos para entender su sentido. Otras directamente no tienen ni pies ni cabeza. El siguiente diálogo es solo un ejemplo
"¿Cómo estás?" "Muy bien, me encuentro un poco mal".
A todo esto hay que añadirle una mala corrección ya en origen y otra igualmente deficiente en castellano. Personajes que, en la misma escena, cambian de nombre y hasta de estado civil. El tú y el usted aleatorios en un mismo renglón, etc. Muy lamentable.
Añadir, por último, el tema del título. Nunca entenderé por qué le cambian el título original a un libro. Sin embargo, en esta ocasión, ese cambio ha sido un acierto. "El secreto de la comadrona" no responde a lo que vas a encontrar. Como bien recalcan los lectores en lengua inglesa, no hay tal secreto. El título en castellano está bastante más ajustado.
En conclusión. La trama de la novela no está mal, la prosa y las correcciones no hay por dónde cogerlas. No creo que me vuelva a acercar a la obra de esta autora.
September 30, 2021
What a great read! This is a story of social injustice, corruption, and ancient crimes. This is my first read by this author and I have to say her writing reminded me a bit of that of Kate Morton and/or Eve Chase.
This novel will tug at your heart and gives the reader an almost gothic vibe with the old priest's hole, a hidden room beneath the stairs. The Sussex setting lends itself well to the historical aspect of the book.
It is the story of two families: the 'haves', the Hiltons, and the 'have-nots', the James. The families live on adjoining properties and the James's have suffered at the hands of the powerful Hilton family for decades. Social inequality is the overriding theme in my opinion. It shows how the rich and powerful can manipulate those with less - to their detriment.
This is not a crime novel as such, but there are many crimes to be found within its pages. The callous Leo Hilton was a truly despicable character.
"The Midwife's Secret" was a memorable novel that spoke of grave losses and family skeletons/secrets. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Recommended!
This novel will tug at your heart and gives the reader an almost gothic vibe with the old priest's hole, a hidden room beneath the stairs. The Sussex setting lends itself well to the historical aspect of the book.
It is the story of two families: the 'haves', the Hiltons, and the 'have-nots', the James. The families live on adjoining properties and the James's have suffered at the hands of the powerful Hilton family for decades. Social inequality is the overriding theme in my opinion. It shows how the rich and powerful can manipulate those with less - to their detriment.
This is not a crime novel as such, but there are many crimes to be found within its pages. The callous Leo Hilton was a truly despicable character.
"The Midwife's Secret" was a memorable novel that spoke of grave losses and family skeletons/secrets. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Recommended!
November 11, 2021
3.5 Stars
One Liner: Too many things maybe.
Yew Tree Manor has seen a lot of tragedy and hides many secrets. No one knows what happened to Alice, the seven-year-old girl who vanished one evening in 1969.
It’s 2017, and the Manor is all set to be demolished to develop a new series of buildings. However, history repeats when Sienna, the six-year-old of Leo Hilton, disappears the same way. Leo is Alice’s elder brother and the current owner of Yew Tree Manor.
Willow James is the architect overseeing the project. She’s the daughter of Bobby James, the last person to see Alice alive, the boy who grew up into a broken man in a detention center. Willow knows there are secrets around her and intends to dig out the truth, come what may.
The task isn’t easy, of course. The story began sometime in 1945 and much before that. Willow’s great-grandmother was a midwife and lived in the Vicarage on the grounds of Yew Tree Manor. She was wronged and declared guilty for a crime she didn’t commit, and things have never been good for long ever since.
Can Willow put an end to the pain and justice for her family?
Confused by the blurb I wrote? The story pretty much moves on similar lines. It was a little easier because I copied the chart provided on the book's first page and referred to it.
The story moves in three timelines with different characters as the focal points. All of it is the limited third person, and some sudden shifts were confusing. Not the ones between the chapters but the shift between immediate past and present in the same chapter.
The beginning is slow but picks up pace as more information is revealed. The twists were transparent enough to see most of the time. I’m not sure if this would be classified as a mystery as such.
What I Like:
• The track dealing with Tessa (the midwife) and how much hatred women like her had to face.
• Bella was an effective character, and Nell was cute as a child.
• Sienna was endearing despite having a limited role in the book.
What Could Have Been Better:
• With so many characters in focus, I couldn’t feel for any of them. Tess and Bella were the strongest. Willow’s arc didn’t feel effective enough. There wasn’t enough of her to feel a connection.
• Charlie felt more like a prop than Willow’s boyfriend. He goes in and out of the story, and I feel bad for him.
• There were too many themes in the book, and none of them got full justice. The midwife’s secret isn’t even a secret, as it was revealed during the initial pages. I was expecting another bigger secret that would turn things upside down in the present, but that didn’t happen.
• I love happy endings. Still, this one felt a little too neat and convenient.
To sum up, The Midwife’s Secret was underwhelming, which could be due to many topics it tries to handle at once. The effort is commendable. I liked the portions related to the title.
Thank you, NetGalley, Mobius Books, and Headline Review, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
#TheMidwifesSecret #NetGalley
One Liner: Too many things maybe.
Yew Tree Manor has seen a lot of tragedy and hides many secrets. No one knows what happened to Alice, the seven-year-old girl who vanished one evening in 1969.
It’s 2017, and the Manor is all set to be demolished to develop a new series of buildings. However, history repeats when Sienna, the six-year-old of Leo Hilton, disappears the same way. Leo is Alice’s elder brother and the current owner of Yew Tree Manor.
Willow James is the architect overseeing the project. She’s the daughter of Bobby James, the last person to see Alice alive, the boy who grew up into a broken man in a detention center. Willow knows there are secrets around her and intends to dig out the truth, come what may.
The task isn’t easy, of course. The story began sometime in 1945 and much before that. Willow’s great-grandmother was a midwife and lived in the Vicarage on the grounds of Yew Tree Manor. She was wronged and declared guilty for a crime she didn’t commit, and things have never been good for long ever since.
Can Willow put an end to the pain and justice for her family?
Confused by the blurb I wrote? The story pretty much moves on similar lines. It was a little easier because I copied the chart provided on the book's first page and referred to it.
The story moves in three timelines with different characters as the focal points. All of it is the limited third person, and some sudden shifts were confusing. Not the ones between the chapters but the shift between immediate past and present in the same chapter.
The beginning is slow but picks up pace as more information is revealed. The twists were transparent enough to see most of the time. I’m not sure if this would be classified as a mystery as such.
What I Like:
• The track dealing with Tessa (the midwife) and how much hatred women like her had to face.
• Bella was an effective character, and Nell was cute as a child.
• Sienna was endearing despite having a limited role in the book.
What Could Have Been Better:
• With so many characters in focus, I couldn’t feel for any of them. Tess and Bella were the strongest. Willow’s arc didn’t feel effective enough. There wasn’t enough of her to feel a connection.
• Charlie felt more like a prop than Willow’s boyfriend. He goes in and out of the story, and I feel bad for him.
• There were too many themes in the book, and none of them got full justice. The midwife’s secret isn’t even a secret, as it was revealed during the initial pages. I was expecting another bigger secret that would turn things upside down in the present, but that didn’t happen.
• I love happy endings. Still, this one felt a little too neat and convenient.
To sum up, The Midwife’s Secret was underwhelming, which could be due to many topics it tries to handle at once. The effort is commendable. I liked the portions related to the title.
Thank you, NetGalley, Mobius Books, and Headline Review, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
#TheMidwifesSecret #NetGalley
December 3, 2021
Absorbing, mysterious, and moving!
The Midwife’s Secret transports you to Sussex, England between 1946 and 2017, and immerses you into the ongoing, complex, multi-generational relationships between the wealthy, entitled Hilton family and the poor, victimized James family complete with all the powerful emotions, despicable tales, long-buried secrets, and unimaginable tragedy that has tied them together for the past seventy years.
The prose is eloquent and expressive. The characters are vulnerable, conflicted, and hardworking. And the plot is an enthralling, emotional saga filled with life, loss, familial drama, survival, betrayal, corruption, social injustice, tragedy, inequality, manipulation, and heartbreak.
Overall, The Midwife’s Secret is a heart-tugging, clever, haunting tale by Gunnis that reminds us that the choices we make often have far-reaching consequences, and skeletons often find their way to the surface no matter how well they’re buried.
Thank you to Mobius Books US for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Midwife’s Secret transports you to Sussex, England between 1946 and 2017, and immerses you into the ongoing, complex, multi-generational relationships between the wealthy, entitled Hilton family and the poor, victimized James family complete with all the powerful emotions, despicable tales, long-buried secrets, and unimaginable tragedy that has tied them together for the past seventy years.
The prose is eloquent and expressive. The characters are vulnerable, conflicted, and hardworking. And the plot is an enthralling, emotional saga filled with life, loss, familial drama, survival, betrayal, corruption, social injustice, tragedy, inequality, manipulation, and heartbreak.
Overall, The Midwife’s Secret is a heart-tugging, clever, haunting tale by Gunnis that reminds us that the choices we make often have far-reaching consequences, and skeletons often find their way to the surface no matter how well they’re buried.
Thank you to Mobius Books US for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 20, 2022
Maybe it’s an age thing but books that jump around in many different time lines frustrate me and this one jumps all over the place in no particular order – 1945 / 2017 / 1969 / 1946 / 1970… and letters dated 1959.
The story is about two feuding families that begins with a lie that stood for years and years when it could have been resolved by one servant girl who knew the truth and could have spoken out but didn’t because she was afraid to lose her job even as the midwife faced life in prison. (Note: This is the 1940’s not the 1840’s so this aspect did not ring true).
(Doctor attends woman giving birth and botches it up badly, sends servant girl to get the midwife, midwife comes but it’s too late to save mother and child, the doctor has butchered the poor woman. The doctor says the midwife is the one that botched the delivery causing mother and child to die – servant girl does not speak up, midwife doesn’t say much either so now the husband and his family and the midwife’s family will be forever at war).
The plot is contrived in order to allow for the story to be called “The Midwife’s Secret”. The reader knows the secret from the beginning.
I can’t even say I liked any of the people.
The story is about two feuding families that begins with a lie that stood for years and years when it could have been resolved by one servant girl who knew the truth and could have spoken out but didn’t because she was afraid to lose her job even as the midwife faced life in prison. (Note: This is the 1940’s not the 1840’s so this aspect did not ring true).
(Doctor attends woman giving birth and botches it up badly, sends servant girl to get the midwife, midwife comes but it’s too late to save mother and child, the doctor has butchered the poor woman. The doctor says the midwife is the one that botched the delivery causing mother and child to die – servant girl does not speak up, midwife doesn’t say much either so now the husband and his family and the midwife’s family will be forever at war).
The plot is contrived in order to allow for the story to be called “The Midwife’s Secret”. The reader knows the secret from the beginning.
I can’t even say I liked any of the people.
December 15, 2021
This book had me from the first page. 2 families with a complicated past - 2 missing girls and 1 crazy ride. It took me some time to figure out where each of the characters belonged (the family tree helped) but overall an amazing book!
April 30, 2024
Pues me ha gustado bastante, es como un dramón o mas bien un culebrón entre estas 2 familias, relacionadas a través de una propiedad al principio y luego sanguíneamente, que la verdad ha sido bastante entretenido.
El núcleo central de la trama son 2 misteriosas desapariciones de niñas pequeñas en fechas señaladas.
La trama abarca bastante tiempo e incluye a varias generaciones de las 2 familias.
Los capítulos se van centrando en los distintos personajes de las distintas generaciones o épocas, con lo cual se agradece el árbol genealógico que aparece al principio, para saber quien es quien.
Valoración: 7.75/10
Sinopsis: La apasionante historia de dos familias y el terrible secreto que las une. En la Nochevieja de 1969, mientras los Hilton preparan la fiesta de fin de año en su mansión de Yew Tree, su hija pequeña, Alice, desaparece. Las sospechas recaen en Bobby James, un joven granjero que fue la última persona que vio con vida a la pequeña. Bobby defiende que es inocente, pero es castigado de todos modos. El cuerpo de Alice no se localizará nunca.
En la actualidad, Willow James trabaja como arquitecta en un proyecto de remodelación de la zona y descubre que la tierra guarda un secreto. Pronto halla una maraña de injusticias y mentiras y, cuando otra niña de los Hilton desaparece en el mismo lugar, Willow comprende que la única forma de evitar que la historia se repita es rectificar un terrible error del pasado. Durante décadas, el destino de las familias Hilton y James ha estado entrelazado en las tierras de Yew Tree. Todo comenzó con el secreto de una comadrona, condenada en 1919 por un espeluznante crimen…
# 11. Una flor en la portada. Reto Portadas 2024.
El núcleo central de la trama son 2 misteriosas desapariciones de niñas pequeñas en fechas señaladas.
La trama abarca bastante tiempo e incluye a varias generaciones de las 2 familias.
Los capítulos se van centrando en los distintos personajes de las distintas generaciones o épocas, con lo cual se agradece el árbol genealógico que aparece al principio, para saber quien es quien.
Valoración: 7.75/10
Sinopsis: La apasionante historia de dos familias y el terrible secreto que las une. En la Nochevieja de 1969, mientras los Hilton preparan la fiesta de fin de año en su mansión de Yew Tree, su hija pequeña, Alice, desaparece. Las sospechas recaen en Bobby James, un joven granjero que fue la última persona que vio con vida a la pequeña. Bobby defiende que es inocente, pero es castigado de todos modos. El cuerpo de Alice no se localizará nunca.
En la actualidad, Willow James trabaja como arquitecta en un proyecto de remodelación de la zona y descubre que la tierra guarda un secreto. Pronto halla una maraña de injusticias y mentiras y, cuando otra niña de los Hilton desaparece en el mismo lugar, Willow comprende que la única forma de evitar que la historia se repita es rectificar un terrible error del pasado. Durante décadas, el destino de las familias Hilton y James ha estado entrelazado en las tierras de Yew Tree. Todo comenzó con el secreto de una comadrona, condenada en 1919 por un espeluznante crimen…
# 11. Una flor en la portada. Reto Portadas 2024.
January 31, 2023
The Midwife’s Secret is a story that jumps across three time periods: 1946, 1969 & 2017.
In 1946, midwife Tessa James is blamed for the death of the wife and baby daughter of her landlord Wilfred Hilton & has no way of defending herself against the “esteemed” doctor who was actually to blame. Wilfred’s granddaughter Alice goes missing one winter’s night in 1969 and Tessa’s great grandson Bobby is suspected. And, in 2017 history seems to be repeating itself, when another young girl Sienna goes missing. Does local boy/man Bobby James have something to do with one or both of these disappearances? He has no way to defend himself against the rich, powerful Hilton family.
The James and Hilton families seem to be bound together in so many ways. While in the first few chapters I had to keep referring back to the family tree included to get the characters straight in my mind, I was quickly absorbed in the plot and able to remember who was who across the different generations of the two families. Just as well really as the family tree is intentionally misleading in at least one respect as you’ll quickly figure out if you read this book.
In 1946, midwife Tessa James is blamed for the death of the wife and baby daughter of her landlord Wilfred Hilton & has no way of defending herself against the “esteemed” doctor who was actually to blame. Wilfred’s granddaughter Alice goes missing one winter’s night in 1969 and Tessa’s great grandson Bobby is suspected. And, in 2017 history seems to be repeating itself, when another young girl Sienna goes missing. Does local boy/man Bobby James have something to do with one or both of these disappearances? He has no way to defend himself against the rich, powerful Hilton family.
The James and Hilton families seem to be bound together in so many ways. While in the first few chapters I had to keep referring back to the family tree included to get the characters straight in my mind, I was quickly absorbed in the plot and able to remember who was who across the different generations of the two families. Just as well really as the family tree is intentionally misleading in at least one respect as you’ll quickly figure out if you read this book.
May 28, 2022
Dreadful. I don’t know how this book is so highly rated. It was poorly written and the story was confusing and extremely predictable. Too many characters jumping back and forth in time- at one point the author even used the wrong name so she was clearly confused too!!
October 28, 2023
Hiltonų šeimą vis dar slegia šešiametės Alisos dingimas. Nors prabėgo daug metų po šio įvyko, tačiau atsigauti nėra taip paprasta.. Paskutinis mergaitę gyvą matė Bobis Džeimsas. Taip jis tampa pagrindiniu įrariamuoju ir nuo tos dienos Hiltonai dar labiau nemėgsta visos Džeimsų šeimynos. O tam jie ruri begalę priežasčių..
Nors nuo šio paslaptingo dingimo prabėgo penkiasdešimt metų, tačiau įvykiai ima tragiškai kartotis.. Alisos broliui Leo beviešint Kukmedžių dvare dingsta jo dukra Siana.. Ir vėl Bobis pastebėtas besisukiojantis aplink jų namus. Aiškinantis du paslaptingus dingimus, praeitis atveda prie pribuvėjos Tesos Džeims.
Jau buvau pasiilgusi geros šeimyninės dramos. Joje kaip ir galite nuspėti netrūko paslapčių, intrigų bei šeimyninių peripetijų. Tad skaityti man buvo tikrai įdomu, o ir skaitymas neprailgo. Patiko ir tai, kaip autorė į visą šį pasakojimą įterpė ir Tesos Džeims istoriją. Skaitydama pykau dėl neteisybės, kurią teko patirti šiai moteriai.
Tai nėra pirmoji mano perskaityra Emily Gunnis knyga, tad puikiai žinojau ko galima iš šios autorės tikėtis. Tad ko tikėjausi, tą ir gavau.
Ši knyga nebuvo iš tų nepamirštamų istorijų, tačiau šiuo metu ji buvo tai, ko man norėjosi. Jeigu ir Jūs ieškote įtraukiančios kupinos paslapčių istorijos su detektyviniu prieskoniu, rekomenduoju šią Gunnis knygą. Manau, jog kūrinio atomazga nustebins ir Jus.
Nors nuo šio paslaptingo dingimo prabėgo penkiasdešimt metų, tačiau įvykiai ima tragiškai kartotis.. Alisos broliui Leo beviešint Kukmedžių dvare dingsta jo dukra Siana.. Ir vėl Bobis pastebėtas besisukiojantis aplink jų namus. Aiškinantis du paslaptingus dingimus, praeitis atveda prie pribuvėjos Tesos Džeims.
Jau buvau pasiilgusi geros šeimyninės dramos. Joje kaip ir galite nuspėti netrūko paslapčių, intrigų bei šeimyninių peripetijų. Tad skaityti man buvo tikrai įdomu, o ir skaitymas neprailgo. Patiko ir tai, kaip autorė į visą šį pasakojimą įterpė ir Tesos Džeims istoriją. Skaitydama pykau dėl neteisybės, kurią teko patirti šiai moteriai.
Tai nėra pirmoji mano perskaityra Emily Gunnis knyga, tad puikiai žinojau ko galima iš šios autorės tikėtis. Tad ko tikėjausi, tą ir gavau.
Ši knyga nebuvo iš tų nepamirštamų istorijų, tačiau šiuo metu ji buvo tai, ko man norėjosi. Jeigu ir Jūs ieškote įtraukiančios kupinos paslapčių istorijos su detektyviniu prieskoniu, rekomenduoju šią Gunnis knygą. Manau, jog kūrinio atomazga nustebins ir Jus.
December 19, 2021
Thank you, NetGalley, Emily Gunnis, and Mobius Books for the opportunity to read this book!
The Midwife’s Secret by Emily Gunnis ended up surprising me. It is a complex story that jumps between three time periods. In 1946, Tessa James is called to a woman in labor. There are complications and the local doctor is out to get her, but she won’t see a woman suffer. When she arrives, she is too late. The blame for Evelyn Hilton’s death falls on her and she is imprisoned. In 1969, Evelyn Hilton’s grandaughter, Alice goes missing. Suspicion falls onto a local boy named Bobby James though no one can prove it. In 2017, Sienna the daughter of Helen and Leo Hilton goes missing. History seems to repeat itself. Or perhaps there are dark secrets that bind the James and Hilton families.
Let me start by saying that I am extremely grateful for the family tree map at the beginning of the book. The beginning throws many characters at you from different time periods and it does take some time to work out how they are all related. But, once everything falls into place it becomes a beautifully tragic family history.
Tessa James’ story is heartbreaking because she could have saved herself, but as a midwife, she choose to take her patient’s secrets to the grave. In history, midwives have been the ultimate ally for women in their time of need, when they are most vulnerable. Tessa’s story, while fictional, provides a little insight into how women’s health is viewed by men.
I did enjoy the Hilton-James history. While I did predict some of the outcomes, it is layered and complex all the same. Lordy, I could not stand Vanessa. She just goes along destroying lives instead of opening her eyes. But I loved Willow and Nell and watching their history unfold. This is definitely a book for those who like mystery, family dramas, and historical fiction. I rate it 4 out of 5 stars.
The Midwife’s Secret by Emily Gunnis ended up surprising me. It is a complex story that jumps between three time periods. In 1946, Tessa James is called to a woman in labor. There are complications and the local doctor is out to get her, but she won’t see a woman suffer. When she arrives, she is too late. The blame for Evelyn Hilton’s death falls on her and she is imprisoned. In 1969, Evelyn Hilton’s grandaughter, Alice goes missing. Suspicion falls onto a local boy named Bobby James though no one can prove it. In 2017, Sienna the daughter of Helen and Leo Hilton goes missing. History seems to repeat itself. Or perhaps there are dark secrets that bind the James and Hilton families.
Let me start by saying that I am extremely grateful for the family tree map at the beginning of the book. The beginning throws many characters at you from different time periods and it does take some time to work out how they are all related. But, once everything falls into place it becomes a beautifully tragic family history.
Tessa James’ story is heartbreaking because she could have saved herself, but as a midwife, she choose to take her patient’s secrets to the grave. In history, midwives have been the ultimate ally for women in their time of need, when they are most vulnerable. Tessa’s story, while fictional, provides a little insight into how women’s health is viewed by men.
I did enjoy the Hilton-James history. While I did predict some of the outcomes, it is layered and complex all the same. Lordy, I could not stand Vanessa. She just goes along destroying lives instead of opening her eyes. But I loved Willow and Nell and watching their history unfold. This is definitely a book for those who like mystery, family dramas, and historical fiction. I rate it 4 out of 5 stars.
February 4, 2022
3.5 ⭐️ This was a hard one to start. So many characters and places, I kept getting confused about who I was reading about. I also feel like the title wasn’t really appropriate for what the book was actually about, and that honestly, the whole midwife part of the book was a very little part of it. I still liked it, just a little disappointed.
April 18, 2023
Perskaičiau jau trečią Emily Gunnis knyga.
Mano įvertinimas būtų toks jog knyga visai patiko, įtraukė, greitai skaitėsi. Tačiau nepaliko įsimintino įspūdžio.
Mano įvertinimas būtų toks jog knyga visai patiko, įtraukė, greitai skaitėsi. Tačiau nepaliko įsimintino įspūdžio.
April 22, 2023
Santykius, ryšius, pasitikėjimą ir net gyvenimus labai lengvai gali sugriauti paslaptys. Taip nutiko ir šios knygos veikėjams. Hiltonų ir Džeimsų šeimų konfliktas tęsiasi ne vieną dešimtmetį, o nauji įvykiai atveria senas žaizdas.
Prieš penkiasdešimt metų dingo šešiametė mergaitė Alisa. Deja ji taip niekad ir nebuvo rasta. Po daugybės metų Alisos brolis Leo nusprendžia nugriauti Kukmedžio dvarą. Tačiau scenrarijus kartojasi. Kraustynių išvakarėse dingsta Leo dukra, o paskutinę ją galėjo matyti būtent Džeimsų šeimos narys. Bobas Džeimsas buvo įtariamasis Alisos dingimo byloje.
Aiškinantis dviejų mergaičių dingimą, dvi šeimos priverstos atsigręžti į nesantaikos pradžią ir Tesos Džeims istoriją. Nutylėta istorija apie miestelio pribuvėją daug svarbesnė nei būtų galima pagalvoti.
Šiame romane ypač paliestos tokios temos kaip motinystė ir socialinė nelygybė. 1945 metais moterys labiau linkdavo gimdymams rinktis pribuvėją nei gydytoją. Tačiau, kas turėjo nutikti vieną žiemos naktį, kad pribuvėjai būtų paskirta mirties bausmė.
Romanas skaitėsi lengvai. Keli laikai, tam kad geriau atsiskleistų istorija. Tačiau šiek tiek pritrūko nuoseklumo. Vietomis daugiau išsiplėsta mažiau reikšminguose aprašymuose. Lengva ir gal kiek nuspėjama istorija, bet tuo pačiu jaudinanti.
Prieš penkiasdešimt metų dingo šešiametė mergaitė Alisa. Deja ji taip niekad ir nebuvo rasta. Po daugybės metų Alisos brolis Leo nusprendžia nugriauti Kukmedžio dvarą. Tačiau scenrarijus kartojasi. Kraustynių išvakarėse dingsta Leo dukra, o paskutinę ją galėjo matyti būtent Džeimsų šeimos narys. Bobas Džeimsas buvo įtariamasis Alisos dingimo byloje.
Aiškinantis dviejų mergaičių dingimą, dvi šeimos priverstos atsigręžti į nesantaikos pradžią ir Tesos Džeims istoriją. Nutylėta istorija apie miestelio pribuvėją daug svarbesnė nei būtų galima pagalvoti.
Šiame romane ypač paliestos tokios temos kaip motinystė ir socialinė nelygybė. 1945 metais moterys labiau linkdavo gimdymams rinktis pribuvėją nei gydytoją. Tačiau, kas turėjo nutikti vieną žiemos naktį, kad pribuvėjai būtų paskirta mirties bausmė.
Romanas skaitėsi lengvai. Keli laikai, tam kad geriau atsiskleistų istorija. Tačiau šiek tiek pritrūko nuoseklumo. Vietomis daugiau išsiplėsta mažiau reikšminguose aprašymuose. Lengva ir gal kiek nuspėjama istorija, bet tuo pačiu jaudinanti.
June 27, 2024
Kai reikia susidurti su gyvybės atėjimu į šį pasaulį, patiriama šiek tiek magijos. Taigi, pribuvėjos profesija visuomet buvo šiek tiek mistinė, šiek tiek paslaptinga ir dažnai raganiška. Rašytoja pasirinko panagrinėti tradicinės medicinos ir pribuvėjų santykį praeito amžiaus pradžioje.
Šis romas - tai šeimos saga. Pasakojime net trys kartos iš dviejų šeimų vienaip ar kitaip susipainioję. Kukmedžių dvaras ir Vikariatas slepia didelius praeities skaudulius ir neteisybę. Na, o viskas prasideda, kai įvyksta nelaimė: gimdydama miršta Evelina Hilton iš Kukmedžių dvaro. Pribuvėjos Tesos Džeims gyvenimas sugriūna. Vėliau, dvarą paženklina devynmetės Alisos dingimas. Dabartiniais laikais vėl susikerta Hiltonų ir Džeimsų šeimų keliai, kai norima dvarą ir Vikariatą sulyginti su žeme.
Jausminga istorija, kuri labai įtraukė. Buvo įdomu skaityti, liūdėjau kartu su veikėjais ir džiaugiausi kartu. Nors ir tradicinės medicinos atstovai buvo pavaizduoti kaip ne visai sąžiningi, buvo įdomu pažvelgį į šį istorinį aspektą. Vis dėl to, labai logiška, kad daug metų pribuvėjos buvo pagrindiniai asmenys, kurie priimdavo gimdymus, žinojo technikas ir viską darė intuityviai. Na, o tradicinės medicinos atstovai juk nelabai turėjo iš ko mokytis, nes pribuvėjos nebuvo pripažintos. Bet romanas ir dar apie kitus sudėtingus šeimų santykius.
Rekomenduoju tiems, kurie mėgsta šeimos istorijas, kur viskas pinasi, kur kažkas nutylima. Dramos ir paslapčių čia užtektinai. Ir viskas pagardinta istorinio romano prieskoniais.
Šis romas - tai šeimos saga. Pasakojime net trys kartos iš dviejų šeimų vienaip ar kitaip susipainioję. Kukmedžių dvaras ir Vikariatas slepia didelius praeities skaudulius ir neteisybę. Na, o viskas prasideda, kai įvyksta nelaimė: gimdydama miršta Evelina Hilton iš Kukmedžių dvaro. Pribuvėjos Tesos Džeims gyvenimas sugriūna. Vėliau, dvarą paženklina devynmetės Alisos dingimas. Dabartiniais laikais vėl susikerta Hiltonų ir Džeimsų šeimų keliai, kai norima dvarą ir Vikariatą sulyginti su žeme.
Jausminga istorija, kuri labai įtraukė. Buvo įdomu skaityti, liūdėjau kartu su veikėjais ir džiaugiausi kartu. Nors ir tradicinės medicinos atstovai buvo pavaizduoti kaip ne visai sąžiningi, buvo įdomu pažvelgį į šį istorinį aspektą. Vis dėl to, labai logiška, kad daug metų pribuvėjos buvo pagrindiniai asmenys, kurie priimdavo gimdymus, žinojo technikas ir viską darė intuityviai. Na, o tradicinės medicinos atstovai juk nelabai turėjo iš ko mokytis, nes pribuvėjos nebuvo pripažintos. Bet romanas ir dar apie kitus sudėtingus šeimų santykius.
Rekomenduoju tiems, kurie mėgsta šeimos istorijas, kur viskas pinasi, kur kažkas nutylima. Dramos ir paslapčių čia užtektinai. Ir viskas pagardinta istorinio romano prieskoniais.
May 31, 2022
På nyårsafton 1969 försvinner den lilla flickan Alice Hilton medan hennes föräldrar förbereder en stor nyårsfest. Bobby James, pojken nästgårds, är den som såg flickan sist och han blir genast misstänkt. Han nekar förgäves och Alice förblir försvunnen. Nästan 50 år senare präglas fortfarande familjerna Hilton och James av händelsen.
Det här är en bokcirkel-bok som jag förmodligen hade missat annars. Jag måste erkänna att jag hade svårt att sluta lyssna (lyssnade klart på 2 dagar)! Det underlättade nog att jag inte drog ut på det för det är många personer att hålla reda på och dessutom tre tidslinjer vi hoppar mellan. Den första utspelar sig 1945, då en barnmorska anklagas för att ha vållat en kvinnas och hennes nyfödda dotters död. Sedan har vi 1969, då Alice försvinner. Slutligen befinner vi oss i nutid (2017). Känns som om det blev lite för mycket med tre tidslinjer; två brukar vara tillräckligt att hålla reda på. Åtminstone när det gäller att hålla koll på alla personer inom två släktätter också.
Förutom det så var boken både spännande och intressant. En långvarig släktfejd, där den ena familjen alltid verkar ha ett överläge gentemot den andra, familjehemligheter och svek, hemliga rum och gamla löften. När man som läsare får historien i små bitar är det svårt att sluta läsa, eftersom man vill veta hur det ligger till! Det här var det första jag läste av Emily Gunnis, men jag fick mersmak!
Det här är en bokcirkel-bok som jag förmodligen hade missat annars. Jag måste erkänna att jag hade svårt att sluta lyssna (lyssnade klart på 2 dagar)! Det underlättade nog att jag inte drog ut på det för det är många personer att hålla reda på och dessutom tre tidslinjer vi hoppar mellan. Den första utspelar sig 1945, då en barnmorska anklagas för att ha vållat en kvinnas och hennes nyfödda dotters död. Sedan har vi 1969, då Alice försvinner. Slutligen befinner vi oss i nutid (2017). Känns som om det blev lite för mycket med tre tidslinjer; två brukar vara tillräckligt att hålla reda på. Åtminstone när det gäller att hålla koll på alla personer inom två släktätter också.
Förutom det så var boken både spännande och intressant. En långvarig släktfejd, där den ena familjen alltid verkar ha ett överläge gentemot den andra, familjehemligheter och svek, hemliga rum och gamla löften. När man som läsare får historien i små bitar är det svårt att sluta läsa, eftersom man vill veta hur det ligger till! Det här var det första jag läste av Emily Gunnis, men jag fick mersmak!
March 11, 2022
This was my first book by Emily Gunnis and I was so impressed!
Tessa James is a beloved and respected midwife with over 30 years of experience. She is not well-regarded by the town doctor, or the prominent menfolk, due to her procedures of easing women's pain during birth. When a birth goes wrong at the Hilton estate, Yew Tree Manor, and she's called out to assist, the young mother-to-be's death sets in motion a series of events that will affect each household for generations to come.
In 1969, 6-yr old Alice Hilton goes missing on New Years' Eve from her family's estate, Yew Tree Manor. Suspicion immediately falls on the neighbor boy, Bobby James, who was the last to see Alice alive.
Fast forward 30 years and another little girl goes missing from Yew Tree Manor, with the disappearance having striking similarities to the one from decades prior.
Present Day, Willow James is working with Leo Hilton on a large architectural project that will have ramifications for the entire community. When another little girl goes missing from Yew Tree Manor, Willow must dig through the past to clear her families' name, fine the little girl and prevent an innocent man from going to jail.
I loved the suspense of this story. It was perfectly detailed to the point you felt entrenched in the timeline. There are multiple timelines happening, which was a bit confusing at first, however, it was so engrossing, I don't feel it detracted from the overall story.
Character development was OK. I would've liked a little more info on why the relationship between Willow and her father was estranged or why she had no idea who her aunt was. Other than that, I thought this was really well-done and would recommend it to others.
Tessa James is a beloved and respected midwife with over 30 years of experience. She is not well-regarded by the town doctor, or the prominent menfolk, due to her procedures of easing women's pain during birth. When a birth goes wrong at the Hilton estate, Yew Tree Manor, and she's called out to assist, the young mother-to-be's death sets in motion a series of events that will affect each household for generations to come.
In 1969, 6-yr old Alice Hilton goes missing on New Years' Eve from her family's estate, Yew Tree Manor. Suspicion immediately falls on the neighbor boy, Bobby James, who was the last to see Alice alive.
Fast forward 30 years and another little girl goes missing from Yew Tree Manor, with the disappearance having striking similarities to the one from decades prior.
Present Day, Willow James is working with Leo Hilton on a large architectural project that will have ramifications for the entire community. When another little girl goes missing from Yew Tree Manor, Willow must dig through the past to clear her families' name, fine the little girl and prevent an innocent man from going to jail.
I loved the suspense of this story. It was perfectly detailed to the point you felt entrenched in the timeline. There are multiple timelines happening, which was a bit confusing at first, however, it was so engrossing, I don't feel it detracted from the overall story.
Character development was OK. I would've liked a little more info on why the relationship between Willow and her father was estranged or why she had no idea who her aunt was. Other than that, I thought this was really well-done and would recommend it to others.
June 4, 2022
O carte foarte foarte buna, printre cele mai bune carti pe care le-am citit anul acesta! Nu am putut sa o las din mana. O scriitura extraordinara, multe detalii, personaje interesante iar subiectul este atat de controversat si atat de actual, încât te absoarbe si te fascinează.
Emilly Gunnis se afla de ceva timp printre scriitorii mei preferati, poveștile ei complicate cu multe piese care se aseaza abia la final, ma fac sa o așez in top.
Acest roman este senzațional, nu-l ratati!
Emilly Gunnis se afla de ceva timp printre scriitorii mei preferati, poveștile ei complicate cu multe piese care se aseaza abia la final, ma fac sa o așez in top.
Acest roman este senzațional, nu-l ratati!
January 24, 2023
Libro que me ha encantado. Mezclamos 3 épocas diferentes, en las que dos niñas desaparecen, pero que vamos viéndolo todo desde diferentes tes puntos de vista, y no se resuelve todo hasta el final.
Todo muy intrigante y lo cierra de una manera lógica
Todo muy intrigante y lo cierra de una manera lógica
February 15, 2023
I honestly cannot tell you want happened in this book I don’t remember anything really. It was super boring and the mystery wasn’t really a mystery at all. Had to drag myself through this one. The whole “Midwife’s Secret” wasn’t a secret at all, sooo yeah.
January 19, 2023
Great story with a lovely ending.
October 28, 2021
This was a pure joy to read.
The characters are amazing, all very different and some we meet 50 years ago whilst the others reside in the current timeline of this historical, thrilling, family drama mystery.
At first it can seem daunting with lots of characters and the to-ing and fro-ing between the past and present but the family tree helps. Not only do we understand who is who, we can unravel the complexities of what happened when by looking at birth and death dates.
It is an extraordinary tale of history repeating itself and many of the men in this story are really easy to dislike. The majority are self serving, self protecting, controlling bullies. In many ways the males represent evil and the females good. Good does triumph over evil but there is loss and tragedy and a grave miscarriage of justice along the way which makes this a sad and heartbreaking tale.
The way in which the two families through the ages are connected is well written and cleverly done. The haves and the have-nots, the privileged and the workers and an inheritance that causes no end of trouble because it mixes up the two sides.
The epilogue almost made me cry.
The Midwife's Secret is definitely worth a read, so thanks to Emily Gunnis and the mighty Pigeonhole for bringing an author I have never read before to my attention. And my attention was certainly grabbed because in my opinion this book deserves every one of the 5 stars I have given it.
The characters are amazing, all very different and some we meet 50 years ago whilst the others reside in the current timeline of this historical, thrilling, family drama mystery.
At first it can seem daunting with lots of characters and the to-ing and fro-ing between the past and present but the family tree helps. Not only do we understand who is who, we can unravel the complexities of what happened when by looking at birth and death dates.
It is an extraordinary tale of history repeating itself and many of the men in this story are really easy to dislike. The majority are self serving, self protecting, controlling bullies. In many ways the males represent evil and the females good. Good does triumph over evil but there is loss and tragedy and a grave miscarriage of justice along the way which makes this a sad and heartbreaking tale.
The way in which the two families through the ages are connected is well written and cleverly done. The haves and the have-nots, the privileged and the workers and an inheritance that causes no end of trouble because it mixes up the two sides.
The epilogue almost made me cry.
The Midwife's Secret is definitely worth a read, so thanks to Emily Gunnis and the mighty Pigeonhole for bringing an author I have never read before to my attention. And my attention was certainly grabbed because in my opinion this book deserves every one of the 5 stars I have given it.
November 22, 2021
In this story of social injustice, corruption, and various crimes the reader meets the James family and the Hiltons. It is an extraordinary tale and the author has really done herself proud with some excellent characterisation. Those people that stand out for me are the despicable Leo Hilton, Vanessa Hilton and architect, Willow James. The story spans three different timelines - 1945, 1969 and 2017. In 1945, a midwife accused of a tragedy she is not responsible for tears her family apart; in 1969, Alice Hilton mysteriously goes missing; in 2017, Willow James is determined to uncover the truth about the past. A pacy, intriguing and satisfying read that gives the reader food for thought.
I read The Midwife's Secret in staves with other Pigeonholers as part of a group. A special thank you to Headline, Emily Gunnis, NetGalley and The Pigeonhole for a complimentary copy of this novel at my request. This review is my unbiased opinion.
I read The Midwife's Secret in staves with other Pigeonholers as part of a group. A special thank you to Headline, Emily Gunnis, NetGalley and The Pigeonhole for a complimentary copy of this novel at my request. This review is my unbiased opinion.
October 16, 2021
Not much of a secret here despite what’s promised in the title. Everything about this plot was painfully obvious from the first chapter. The wording used was in some cases very odd for the timeframes in the book. Not much research done I guess.
Just didn’t work out for me as a whole. At least it was a fast, if unfulfilling, read.
My copy was provided by NetGalley for review
Just didn’t work out for me as a whole. At least it was a fast, if unfulfilling, read.
My copy was provided by NetGalley for review
April 15, 2024
Emily Gunnis, autorka genialnego thrillera „Zaginione dziecko” powróciła z kolejną nietuzinkową powieścią. Bardzo dobrze wspominam swoje pierwsze spotkanie z twórczością autorki, dlatego bez większego zastanowienia sięgnęłam po „Tajemnicę położnej”, czując, że tym razem również się nie zawiodę.
Rok 1945. Yew Tree Manor, rodzinna posiadłość Hamiltonów. Pewnej nocy do ciężarnej pani Hamilton zostaje wezwana położna Tessa James. Niestety, kobieta i jej nowo narodzona córeczka umierają, a Tessa zostaje uznana za winną spowodowania ich śmierci.
Rok 1969. Rodzina Hiltonów z Yew Tree Manor przygotowuje się do Sylwestra. Niestety, plany, by wyprawić przyjęcie, schodzą na dalszy plan, w momencie kiedy znika ich córka. Pierwsze podejrzenia padają na Bobby Jamesa, który jako ostatni widział małą Alice. Niestety, dziewczynka nie zostaje odnaleziona.
Rok 2017. Architekt Willi James podczas prac nad modernizacją Yew Tree odkrywa, że ziemie posiadłości skrywają sekret. Postanawia zagłębić historie tego miejsca, odkrywając przy tym sieć powiązań i niesprawiedliwości.
„Tajemnica położnej” to wielowątkowa, pełna zaskakujących zwrotów akcji historia, która wciągnęła mnie od pierwszych stron. Autorka umiejętnie balansuje pomiędzy teraźniejszością a przeszłością, snując intrygującą opowieść. Emily Gunnis zabiera nas w niezwykle emocjonującą podróż pełną tajemnic i sekretów. Liczne zwroty akcji podsycają naszą ciekawość, a stopniowo wzrastające napięcie sprawia, że nie sposób oderwać się od lektury. Na uwagę zasługuje również kreacja bohaterów. Wyrazista charakterystyka postaci sprawia, że czytelnik, śledząc kolejne wydarzenia, utożsamia się z nimi. Emily Gunnis swoim niesamowitym talentem pisarskim potrafi sprawić, że emocje, które targają bohaterami, czytelnik odczuwa na własnej skórze.
„Tajemnica położnej” to sprawnie napisana powieść obyczajowa z elementami thrillera, w której autorka porusza ważne tematy społeczne. Idealnie oddaje w niej klimat dawnych lat i w bardzo obrazowy sposób przedstawia różnice pomiędzy klasami społecznymi. Misternie utkana fabuła sprawia, że historia z każdą kolejną stroną wciąga coraz bardziej, a powoli odkrywane tajemnice sprawiają, że ciężko oderwać się od lektury i, co najważniejsze, nie sposób przewidzieć zakończenia.
Emily Gunnis stworzyła bardzo emocjonującą i poruszającą opowieść o miłości, poświęceniu i sile rodziny, ukazując nam, jak wielka jest miłość rodzica do dziecka. „Tajemnica położnej” to książka, która w pełni spełniła moje oczekiwania, dostarczając mi wielu emocji podczas lektury. Napisana przepięknym językiem, wzrusza i skłania do refleksji, więc nie pozostaje mi nic innego, jak tylko zachęcić Was do lektury.
Rok 1945. Yew Tree Manor, rodzinna posiadłość Hamiltonów. Pewnej nocy do ciężarnej pani Hamilton zostaje wezwana położna Tessa James. Niestety, kobieta i jej nowo narodzona córeczka umierają, a Tessa zostaje uznana za winną spowodowania ich śmierci.
Rok 1969. Rodzina Hiltonów z Yew Tree Manor przygotowuje się do Sylwestra. Niestety, plany, by wyprawić przyjęcie, schodzą na dalszy plan, w momencie kiedy znika ich córka. Pierwsze podejrzenia padają na Bobby Jamesa, który jako ostatni widział małą Alice. Niestety, dziewczynka nie zostaje odnaleziona.
Rok 2017. Architekt Willi James podczas prac nad modernizacją Yew Tree odkrywa, że ziemie posiadłości skrywają sekret. Postanawia zagłębić historie tego miejsca, odkrywając przy tym sieć powiązań i niesprawiedliwości.
„Tajemnica położnej” to wielowątkowa, pełna zaskakujących zwrotów akcji historia, która wciągnęła mnie od pierwszych stron. Autorka umiejętnie balansuje pomiędzy teraźniejszością a przeszłością, snując intrygującą opowieść. Emily Gunnis zabiera nas w niezwykle emocjonującą podróż pełną tajemnic i sekretów. Liczne zwroty akcji podsycają naszą ciekawość, a stopniowo wzrastające napięcie sprawia, że nie sposób oderwać się od lektury. Na uwagę zasługuje również kreacja bohaterów. Wyrazista charakterystyka postaci sprawia, że czytelnik, śledząc kolejne wydarzenia, utożsamia się z nimi. Emily Gunnis swoim niesamowitym talentem pisarskim potrafi sprawić, że emocje, które targają bohaterami, czytelnik odczuwa na własnej skórze.
„Tajemnica położnej” to sprawnie napisana powieść obyczajowa z elementami thrillera, w której autorka porusza ważne tematy społeczne. Idealnie oddaje w niej klimat dawnych lat i w bardzo obrazowy sposób przedstawia różnice pomiędzy klasami społecznymi. Misternie utkana fabuła sprawia, że historia z każdą kolejną stroną wciąga coraz bardziej, a powoli odkrywane tajemnice sprawiają, że ciężko oderwać się od lektury i, co najważniejsze, nie sposób przewidzieć zakończenia.
Emily Gunnis stworzyła bardzo emocjonującą i poruszającą opowieść o miłości, poświęceniu i sile rodziny, ukazując nam, jak wielka jest miłość rodzica do dziecka. „Tajemnica położnej” to książka, która w pełni spełniła moje oczekiwania, dostarczając mi wielu emocji podczas lektury. Napisana przepięknym językiem, wzrusza i skłania do refleksji, więc nie pozostaje mi nic innego, jak tylko zachęcić Was do lektury.
November 13, 2022
4,5 estrellas
Me ha encantado, mucho más allá de mis expectativas.
Dos familias unidas por una red de engaños y traiciones que se remontan a una falsa acusación. No se puede decir más sin desvelar la trama…
La verdad es que ahora en frío le podría poner algunos peros, aunque la he disfrutado tanto que no me muevo de esa puntuación.
La verdad es que llevo dos tiros a ciegas con la editorial Lira y dos aciertos plenos, a ver si siguen así…
Os la recomiendo.
Me ha encantado, mucho más allá de mis expectativas.
Dos familias unidas por una red de engaños y traiciones que se remontan a una falsa acusación. No se puede decir más sin desvelar la trama…
La verdad es que ahora en frío le podría poner algunos peros, aunque la he disfrutado tanto que no me muevo de esa puntuación.
La verdad es que llevo dos tiros a ciegas con la editorial Lira y dos aciertos plenos, a ver si siguen así…
Os la recomiendo.
August 27, 2025
Rounded up, 3.5 ⭐️
I liked the story and how it was told. Some parts kept me on edge and guessing which I enjoyed. A lot of characters to keep straight but that’s also part of the twists!
I liked the story and how it was told. Some parts kept me on edge and guessing which I enjoyed. A lot of characters to keep straight but that’s also part of the twists!
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