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The Story Collector
THREE LOST SOULS.A LONG-BURIED SECRET.THE TRUTH THAT COULD SET THEM FREE...-----London, 1915: Tarot reader Katerina is trying to hold her life together amid the wartime chaos. When she opens a bakery that offers divination alongside sweet treats, she is hailed as a beacon of hope. But Katerina is hiding a dark truth that could cost her everything.Germany, 1918: A mute British soldier is taken to a prisoner of war camp where he meets Miriam, a researcher. She is drawn to his gentle manner and secretly vows to help him. But soon she will have to make an impossible will she save the one she loves, or herself?Cornwall, Present Recently widowed Edie is astonished to discover a mysterious box hidden in the wall of her newly renovated cottage. As Edie starts to investigate, she uncovers a secret that has lain hidden for over a century...The Story Collector tells the story of three people, divided by time and circumstance yet bound by a long-held secret.-----PRAISE FOR IRIS COSTELLO'A rich and tender story of fortitude, family and friendship' Ruth Hogan, The Keeper of Lost Things'The perfect winter read' Amanda Prowse, To Love and Be Loved'Simply spellbinding, very addictive, and so beautifully written' Sophie Irwin, A Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting'Richly atmospheric, evocative and moving - a triumph of storytelling' Abbie Greaves, The Ends of the Earth'Full of intrigue and loss, this beautifully written gothic tale makes for a spellbinding read' Rhiannon Ward, The Shadowing'An intriguing story which skilfully entwines the past and present' Heidi Swain, A Christmas Celebration'Absorbing, moving and multi-layered... A book to curl up with' Emma Curtis, Invite Me In'Beautifully written with a story that draws you in' Jane Corry, We All Have Our Secrets
400 pages, Paperback
Published February 29, 2024
56 people are currently reading
837 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 170 reviews
March 11, 2024
I liked the depiction of the antipathy faced by German citizens like Katerina living in England during the First World War. I was less enamoured by the Tarot reading storyline which apparently is a passion of the author but sadly not one of mine. Edie's story of trying to start her life over following a family tragedy was engaging, even though she came across as younger than her stated age and was under the misapprehension that Kings Cross is the station from which you travel to Cornwall (at least in my proof copy). Miriam's story, which is supposed to be a tender romance, had so many elements that were frankly unbelievable that I laughed out loud on occasions. It's a pity because this is the storyline that has interesting elements that are based on historical fact. I wish the author had concentrated more on the story collecting theme of the title - the stories Katerina hears from the women she does readings for, for example - and less on far-fetched coincidences such as that in the final chapters.
February 19, 2024
This story centers around three women and three timelines. There's Edie in the present day, Kitty (or Katerina) in 1915 and Miriam in 1918. All three women are connected but only time will tell how.
Edie is an artist and moves to Cornwall, to a cottage her father inherited. when she undergoes a traumatic event in her life. Kitty runs a bakery and she also reads tarot cards as she has 'the gift'. Baking has been passed down through the family. Miriam is a nurse in a Prisoner of War Camp in Germany and also works with a linguistics professor on an experiment in the camp.
There was an awful lot going on in this book and at times I was overwhelmed. There is also a huge cast of characters and it was hard to keep track of them all at times.
I couldn't take to Kitty, she wasn't appealing at all and Miriam's story was a bit strange. I liked Edie and the descriptions of Cornwall were lovely.
It was a bit long and the ending was a bit implausible at times but when I first started reading, it really drew me in and I needed to keep reading to see what the outcome would be.
Overall it was a good story and the author obviously put in a lot of research and these are the reasons I gave it four stars.
Thanks to Penguin General UK, Viking, and NetGalley for an early copy of this book.
Edie is an artist and moves to Cornwall, to a cottage her father inherited. when she undergoes a traumatic event in her life. Kitty runs a bakery and she also reads tarot cards as she has 'the gift'. Baking has been passed down through the family. Miriam is a nurse in a Prisoner of War Camp in Germany and also works with a linguistics professor on an experiment in the camp.
There was an awful lot going on in this book and at times I was overwhelmed. There is also a huge cast of characters and it was hard to keep track of them all at times.
I couldn't take to Kitty, she wasn't appealing at all and Miriam's story was a bit strange. I liked Edie and the descriptions of Cornwall were lovely.
It was a bit long and the ending was a bit implausible at times but when I first started reading, it really drew me in and I needed to keep reading to see what the outcome would be.
Overall it was a good story and the author obviously put in a lot of research and these are the reasons I gave it four stars.
Thanks to Penguin General UK, Viking, and NetGalley for an early copy of this book.
February 22, 2024
Rating- 5 stars
(E-ARC)
First off, I would like to say a huge thank you to Iris Costello, Penguin General UK and NetGalley for allowing me to have my very first E-ARC. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to give my honest review of this book.
This story follows three women from World War One to the present day where a long intertwined secret ties all of them together. I especially loved the multiple POVS throughout the book which made me become quite invested towards these characters. The characters were so well-developed and at times it made me feel for them with the things they were going through. The story about the mute prisoner and the researcher was my favourite POV throughout the whole book. It was so emotional and heart-breaking that I could not help but shed a few tears during this part. Even months on, I still think about this book to this day.
Historical Fiction is not always the sort of book I go towards on a daily basis but I was so glad to have picked up this book. This book was very historically accurate and you could clearly tell the author had done her research throughout. I loved seeing the suffragettes through Kitty's story. Although Sylvia Pankhurst was added fictional into the story, it was lovely to see the work that she had done to improve the lives of working class women during the First World War. I really devoured this book in two days as I was unable to put it down due to how beautifully written it was. I would 100% reread this book over and over again. It has honestly become one of my favourite books that I have read this year. I will definitely be picking up a physical copy of this book once it is released in February. With one week left until the publication date, I urge you to go and pick up a copy of this book. This book has easily become one of my favourites of all times.
(E-ARC)
First off, I would like to say a huge thank you to Iris Costello, Penguin General UK and NetGalley for allowing me to have my very first E-ARC. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to give my honest review of this book.
This story follows three women from World War One to the present day where a long intertwined secret ties all of them together. I especially loved the multiple POVS throughout the book which made me become quite invested towards these characters. The characters were so well-developed and at times it made me feel for them with the things they were going through. The story about the mute prisoner and the researcher was my favourite POV throughout the whole book. It was so emotional and heart-breaking that I could not help but shed a few tears during this part. Even months on, I still think about this book to this day.
Historical Fiction is not always the sort of book I go towards on a daily basis but I was so glad to have picked up this book. This book was very historically accurate and you could clearly tell the author had done her research throughout. I loved seeing the suffragettes through Kitty's story. Although Sylvia Pankhurst was added fictional into the story, it was lovely to see the work that she had done to improve the lives of working class women during the First World War. I really devoured this book in two days as I was unable to put it down due to how beautifully written it was. I would 100% reread this book over and over again. It has honestly become one of my favourite books that I have read this year. I will definitely be picking up a physical copy of this book once it is released in February. With one week left until the publication date, I urge you to go and pick up a copy of this book. This book has easily become one of my favourites of all times.
May 6, 2024
5 ⭐
Adore historical fiction and knew within the 1st page I was going to love this book.
Loved the multiple POVS and the cliffhangers each one left you on.
Lovely writing style and just a joy to read.
Out of the 3 main characters I loved Kitty and Miriam the best.
Ended well.
Would recommend 💕
Adore historical fiction and knew within the 1st page I was going to love this book.
Loved the multiple POVS and the cliffhangers each one left you on.
Lovely writing style and just a joy to read.
Out of the 3 main characters I loved Kitty and Miriam the best.
Ended well.
Would recommend 💕
August 8, 2024
I absolutely adored this book. I couldn't put it down and was so excited to pick it up whenever I had the chance. The story ripped me to shreds emotionally, but I feel it's what I needed.
I loved all of the characters so much and I always had the impulse to think about what I would have done, said, reacted if I were in a similar position to them. I think each character was very thoughtfully created.
I wanted to reread this book as soon as I was finished it. I would love if any of my friends wanted to borrow so that we can yap about it.
5 stars for sure!
I loved all of the characters so much and I always had the impulse to think about what I would have done, said, reacted if I were in a similar position to them. I think each character was very thoughtfully created.
I wanted to reread this book as soon as I was finished it. I would love if any of my friends wanted to borrow so that we can yap about it.
5 stars for sure!
May 19, 2024
I enjoyed this story, which appeared to be 3 separate stories in 3 different timelines, but which all came together very cleverly at the end.
In London in 1915 Katrina who is a Tarot card reader and a baker struggles in war torn Britain to keep herself and her friends going, whilst trying to aid the poor and promote women’s rights. However she holds a few secrets which threaten to blow her world apart.
In Germany in 1918 a female German researcher in the camps befriends a silent male British soldier – very dangerous for them both.
In Cornwall, in the present day, Edie finds a box in a wall of the house she is renovating.
Well written, and cleverly woven together, I highly recommend this book.
In London in 1915 Katrina who is a Tarot card reader and a baker struggles in war torn Britain to keep herself and her friends going, whilst trying to aid the poor and promote women’s rights. However she holds a few secrets which threaten to blow her world apart.
In Germany in 1918 a female German researcher in the camps befriends a silent male British soldier – very dangerous for them both.
In Cornwall, in the present day, Edie finds a box in a wall of the house she is renovating.
Well written, and cleverly woven together, I highly recommend this book.
February 28, 2024
This book is worthy of five stars and was an absolute joy to read.
If you would like to read my full review please visit my blog at:
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If you would like to read my full review please visit my blog at:
https://leftontheshelfbookblog.blogsp...
July 30, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
February 14, 2024
The premise of this book was super interesting, historical fiction with a bit of eeriness. The Story Collector follows the story of three women:
1. Miriam - linguist in a prisoner of war camp in Germany during WW1
2. Kitty - German baker pretending to be an Englishwomen for her safety in London during WW1
3. Edie - recently widowed painter in Cornwall at present day
The stories of each of these women were fascinating, with the exploration of forbidden love & heartbreak, fear to be oneself and grief.
I loved the way that the stories of these women were written and the mystery surrounding the three and how they eventually link together. I particularly enjoyed Kitty’s POV where you really felt the fear that she did from the xenophobia and hatred she received because she was a German living in London during the war.
However, I did find the addition of tarot card reading and involvement of spirits etc. to be quite unnecessary. It felt like it was purely used to add some creepiness to the present day POV rather than to benefit the plot. I think I would have enjoyed book a lot more if this hadn’t been included.
I also found that most of the other characters didn’t really have much depth or use in the story which makes me question why include them in the first place, like Alexander or even Edie’s sister in law.
There are also a few consistency issues within the story. For example, Edie is just about to confront a character but never got a chance to but later on in the book it states that she did, which was quite confusing. Maybe something that had changed in editing but the reference to it later on in the plot was missed?
I also didn’t enjoy the writing style. I found that small minor tasks were over explained and I’m not the biggest fan of first person present tense.
Overall, I really enjoyed the premise and the mystery surrounding the three women, however felt the execution was quite underwhelming.
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
1. Miriam - linguist in a prisoner of war camp in Germany during WW1
2. Kitty - German baker pretending to be an Englishwomen for her safety in London during WW1
3. Edie - recently widowed painter in Cornwall at present day
The stories of each of these women were fascinating, with the exploration of forbidden love & heartbreak, fear to be oneself and grief.
I loved the way that the stories of these women were written and the mystery surrounding the three and how they eventually link together. I particularly enjoyed Kitty’s POV where you really felt the fear that she did from the xenophobia and hatred she received because she was a German living in London during the war.
However, I did find the addition of tarot card reading and involvement of spirits etc. to be quite unnecessary. It felt like it was purely used to add some creepiness to the present day POV rather than to benefit the plot. I think I would have enjoyed book a lot more if this hadn’t been included.
I also found that most of the other characters didn’t really have much depth or use in the story which makes me question why include them in the first place, like Alexander or even Edie’s sister in law.
There are also a few consistency issues within the story. For example, Edie is just about to confront a character but never got a chance to but later on in the book it states that she did, which was quite confusing. Maybe something that had changed in editing but the reference to it later on in the plot was missed?
I also didn’t enjoy the writing style. I found that small minor tasks were over explained and I’m not the biggest fan of first person present tense.
Overall, I really enjoyed the premise and the mystery surrounding the three women, however felt the execution was quite underwhelming.
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 26, 2024
Thank you to Viking, Penguin General UK and NetGalley for my advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Historical fiction is a genre that I return to time and time again, and I really loved the sound of #TheStoryCollector when I spotted it on #NetGalley. The story revolves around three women – Edie, Kitty and Miriam – on their own timelines. Told between the cobbled streets of wartime London, a German WWI camp and the cliffs of Cornwall, England, this book beautifully weaves – and unravels – the stories of these three protagonists who are bound by a long-held secret as the First World War erupts.
For me, this novel felt a tiny bit up and down, here and there. The plot itself is certainly gripping, but there’s a lot going on, as you’d expect from a triple-narrative book. Edie is an artist who has recently moved to a little Cornish cottage that her family inherited. She discovers a tarot deck which, admittedly, is what initially kept me reading! Then, we have Kitty, a German baker and tarot-reader who is forced to conceal her name and identity, among other factors. Finally, there’s Miriam, a nurse in a Prisoner of War camp in Germany.
A strong point of ‘The Story Collector’ is that the characters are beautifully well-developed and you become really invested in their stories. It feels real, hauntingly so. The three strands are equally balanced, too, I thought. Often I’ll take to one part of a multi-narrative more easily than others, but I felt quite invested in each of them. However, I think there’s something funny going on with the pacing as the complexities of the intertwining backgrounds move forwards. The middle part felt gripping but slow at the same time.
Overall, ‘The Story Collector’ moves to a satisfying and compelling ending. It isn’t often that novels with three narratives achieve this, but Costello played it out wonderfully. I truly enjoyed this one!
Historical fiction is a genre that I return to time and time again, and I really loved the sound of #TheStoryCollector when I spotted it on #NetGalley. The story revolves around three women – Edie, Kitty and Miriam – on their own timelines. Told between the cobbled streets of wartime London, a German WWI camp and the cliffs of Cornwall, England, this book beautifully weaves – and unravels – the stories of these three protagonists who are bound by a long-held secret as the First World War erupts.
For me, this novel felt a tiny bit up and down, here and there. The plot itself is certainly gripping, but there’s a lot going on, as you’d expect from a triple-narrative book. Edie is an artist who has recently moved to a little Cornish cottage that her family inherited. She discovers a tarot deck which, admittedly, is what initially kept me reading! Then, we have Kitty, a German baker and tarot-reader who is forced to conceal her name and identity, among other factors. Finally, there’s Miriam, a nurse in a Prisoner of War camp in Germany.
A strong point of ‘The Story Collector’ is that the characters are beautifully well-developed and you become really invested in their stories. It feels real, hauntingly so. The three strands are equally balanced, too, I thought. Often I’ll take to one part of a multi-narrative more easily than others, but I felt quite invested in each of them. However, I think there’s something funny going on with the pacing as the complexities of the intertwining backgrounds move forwards. The middle part felt gripping but slow at the same time.
Overall, ‘The Story Collector’ moves to a satisfying and compelling ending. It isn’t often that novels with three narratives achieve this, but Costello played it out wonderfully. I truly enjoyed this one!
April 24, 2024
I am fast becoming a fan of historical fiction with a twist or two and The Story Collector by Iris Costello definitely delivers. It has a bit of everything from romance to family drama, secrets to mystery and of course, that underlying history based upon real events. A perfect historical novel is one that has you itching to look up the events that it is based upon and I really appreciated Iris's research efforts in bringing an entertaining and emotive story to the pages of this book.
This is the first of Iris's books that I've read and certainly won't be the last. I found her writing style very easy to enjoy and become immersed in. The way that she wrote the chapters (a little cliff hanger at the end of lots of them) whilst diving the book up into three periods of time and three perspectives, was great. The unravelling of the secrets was well-paced and as the stories came undone the knitting together of the three main characters tightened and everything ended brilliantly.
This is the first of Iris's books that I've read and certainly won't be the last. I found her writing style very easy to enjoy and become immersed in. The way that she wrote the chapters (a little cliff hanger at the end of lots of them) whilst diving the book up into three periods of time and three perspectives, was great. The unravelling of the secrets was well-paced and as the stories came undone the knitting together of the three main characters tightened and everything ended brilliantly.
March 1, 2024
The three stories are fascinating pictures of three strong women. Different settings but with similar themes of love, loss and refunding hope. I was really captured by Kat’s story- how she fought for her own voice amongst the fear was really inspiring. She’d lost so much but had continued to fight for what she believed in. I would have liked to have more of her in her later years to see how she’d changed, if at all.
The stories of the lost voices was so interesting- capturing not on the different dialects but the men’s stories, hopes and dreams in such a desperate situation. I think it’s so important to hear the voices of the past - to share that history and learn from it.
September 15, 2023
Thanks to the author in advantage, NetGalley and penguin general UK for the access to this ARC. "The Story Collector" by Iris Costello is such a well written and beautiful created story. I liked the three stories and characters POVs Is a book I enjoyed lots and I will recommend to other people. I think is the perfect book for bookclubs and create a good discusión in between readers. Was well written, beautiful atmosphere.
January 8, 2024
A really absorbing story with a interesting cast of characters. The characters really grow on you as the details, similarities and story complexities develop.
The time range of the story, from pre first World War Germany to present day UK, allows the write to create a story with depth and imaginative interest.
The conclusion is very satisfying, pulling the strands together beautifully.
Well worth reading.
The time range of the story, from pre first World War Germany to present day UK, allows the write to create a story with depth and imaginative interest.
The conclusion is very satisfying, pulling the strands together beautifully.
Well worth reading.
February 13, 2024
Moving, fascinating, compelling: three POVs, three historical moments, three women. Well plotted and compelling, I loved this story
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
January 23, 2025
This book exceeded my expectations, it is absolutely amazing, I couldn't put it down! The mystery kept me curious, and the end had me in tears. Beautifully written!
January 3, 2024
I must have struck gold when I chose this book to be my first ever eARC, because it truly blew me away. I am rating this an easy 4.75 - it was heart-breaking, ghostly and raw.
I do enjoy historical fiction, but sometimes for me there's a blurred line between boring and interesting - this was 100% interesting, engaging and page-turning. I am *obsessed* with Costello's style of writing. She brings each time period to life, with enough description to perfectly set the scene and transport you to another time, but not too much to make the reader lose interest. Especially considering that 2 POVs within this book are set during The Great War, which for me personally, have the potential to be too politically dense and challenging to follow. Yet, those were the POVs that I enjoyed reading the most, so that say's it all really.
Costello also knows how to leave you hanging - the AMOUNT of POVs that ended with me gasping, and having to physically restrain myself from flicking through the other chapters just to continue where the POV left off.. . And, this book made me cry *actual tears*. I mean....
"So I vowed to find it again, dedicating my life to collecting voices, like butterflies in a net, in the hope that I would one day hear hers again" ... have you ever heard something to beautiful and heart-breaking in all your life?!
In particular, one of the love stories during the past POV had my complete and utter attention, and was literally clawing at my heartstrings page by page. And whilst I did guess perhaps the 'major' plot revelation, it literally didn't bother me at all as it was exactly how I was hoping the story would go.
SO, when this book is published in February, I implore you all to pick it up as it's one of the most phenomenal reads that I've had in a while. Thank you so much to NetGalley for granting me access to an e-copy!
I do enjoy historical fiction, but sometimes for me there's a blurred line between boring and interesting - this was 100% interesting, engaging and page-turning. I am *obsessed* with Costello's style of writing. She brings each time period to life, with enough description to perfectly set the scene and transport you to another time, but not too much to make the reader lose interest. Especially considering that 2 POVs within this book are set during The Great War, which for me personally, have the potential to be too politically dense and challenging to follow. Yet, those were the POVs that I enjoyed reading the most, so that say's it all really.
Costello also knows how to leave you hanging - the AMOUNT of POVs that ended with me gasping, and having to physically restrain myself from flicking through the other chapters just to continue where the POV left off.. . And, this book made me cry *actual tears*. I mean....
"So I vowed to find it again, dedicating my life to collecting voices, like butterflies in a net, in the hope that I would one day hear hers again" ... have you ever heard something to beautiful and heart-breaking in all your life?!
In particular, one of the love stories during the past POV had my complete and utter attention, and was literally clawing at my heartstrings page by page. And whilst I did guess perhaps the 'major' plot revelation, it literally didn't bother me at all as it was exactly how I was hoping the story would go.
SO, when this book is published in February, I implore you all to pick it up as it's one of the most phenomenal reads that I've had in a while. Thank you so much to NetGalley for granting me access to an e-copy!
March 26, 2025
While some of the story could have been further developed, I thought this was a very heartfelt narrative about the impacts we have on people. The backdrop of WW1 added great social commentary and emotion to the story.
January 20, 2024
4.5 stars rounded up. A beautiful tale connecting three women’s stories and a secret - two of their journey’s explore their experiences during the First World War and the last one is in a village in Cornwall set in present day. I found all three journeys very interesting.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and could hardly put it down. A beautiful story with a nod to a history which I look forward to researching. (The acknowledgments offer a great source of material that I will be looking into).
This book is well told - you really feel like you are there experiencing it all with the characters and I was very invested in concluding their journeys.
If I was to pick fault slightly it would be to say there is a couple of instances when I was taken slightly out of the story by the narrative not quite flowing as well as the rest of the book - characters sometimes moved from one place to another without adequate explanation. But this didn’t take away from the story.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and could hardly put it down. A beautiful story with a nod to a history which I look forward to researching. (The acknowledgments offer a great source of material that I will be looking into).
This book is well told - you really feel like you are there experiencing it all with the characters and I was very invested in concluding their journeys.
If I was to pick fault slightly it would be to say there is a couple of instances when I was taken slightly out of the story by the narrative not quite flowing as well as the rest of the book - characters sometimes moved from one place to another without adequate explanation. But this didn’t take away from the story.
November 20, 2023
Netgalley reader -
The Story Teller is not the usual sort of book I would typically read, but let me tell you.. I LOVED IT! From the first few pages I was sucked into the story and didn't want to stop reading. The writing is wonderful and the twist in the story was brilliant. I didn't give it a five star as the chapters change with the characters and you do have to pay that extra but of attention when the story hops from character to character! Overall, I loved this!
The Story Teller is not the usual sort of book I would typically read, but let me tell you.. I LOVED IT! From the first few pages I was sucked into the story and didn't want to stop reading. The writing is wonderful and the twist in the story was brilliant. I didn't give it a five star as the chapters change with the characters and you do have to pay that extra but of attention when the story hops from character to character! Overall, I loved this!
October 3, 2024
The Story Collector cleverly weaves together the story of three women - Kitty, in London in the First World War, Miriam in a German prisoner of war camp at the same time, and Edie in present day Cornwall. I don’t want to say much about the storyline so as not to give any spoilers, but I enjoyed how it was drawn together at the end and how each of the women had an influence. Kitty, I was particularly fond of.
The story had a lovely flow. There were parts I found a little odd, for example, what happened to Edie’s husband and how that fitted into the story felt a little unnecessary. I think I would have also liked a bit more about the spiritual side of things. But overall, I was engaged and I enjoyed it.
The story had a lovely flow. There were parts I found a little odd, for example, what happened to Edie’s husband and how that fitted into the story felt a little unnecessary. I think I would have also liked a bit more about the spiritual side of things. But overall, I was engaged and I enjoyed it.
February 18, 2024
The Story Collector by Iris Costello tells the interconnected stories of three different women, Katerina, Miriam and Edie. Edie's story is set in the current day where she has relocated to Cornwall following the recent tragic death of her husband. While there she finds an old box containing a deck of tarot cards and a strange wax cylinder. These items are linked to Katerina, the daughter of a German immigrant who was living in London's East End and running the family bakery when world war 1 broke out, and Miriam a young German student who worked at a German prisoner of war camp as part of a linguistics study. Over the course of the book the stories of each of these women unfolds and we gradually see how they are linked together in unexpected ways.
Overall this was a pleasant read, though I found that I was much more interested in Katerina's story than those of the other women, though I did not really see what the tarot reading aspect really added to the story as a whole. On reading the author's notes at the end of the book I see that she was loosely inspired by a real person, but for me her experiences as an immigrant were much more compelling. I also thought the ending of a book was something of a let down, not in how the stories of the three women were linked but because of another character whose actions just strained credulity beyond breaking point, but I cannot say more without spoiling the ending of the book.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher ,all opinions are my own.
Overall this was a pleasant read, though I found that I was much more interested in Katerina's story than those of the other women, though I did not really see what the tarot reading aspect really added to the story as a whole. On reading the author's notes at the end of the book I see that she was loosely inspired by a real person, but for me her experiences as an immigrant were much more compelling. I also thought the ending of a book was something of a let down, not in how the stories of the three women were linked but because of another character whose actions just strained credulity beyond breaking point, but I cannot say more without spoiling the ending of the book.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher ,all opinions are my own.
February 29, 2024
The Story Collector’ is a historical fiction book, which spans generations, involving long buried secrets slowly being uncovered.
The book has three immersive timelines - Katerina, a tarot reading, German native who has learnt to hide her true identity so she can more peacefully get by in the east end of London during WW1, Miriam, a German women who is interviewing English prisoners of war for linguistic studies, and Edie, a recently widowed, present day, English women, who moves back to her families coastal home and starts uncovering secrets that somehow might just tie them all together.
The three timelines each had their own intrigues and heartaches, but my favourite chapters were Katerina’s. I really enjoyed her use of tarot, and the exploration into what it was like for the women who lived in London during that time period, with the fight for women’s rights heating up, alongside the struggles of the war.
It really isn’t obvious how the stories will intertwine until the end, which I enjoyed - it kept me guessing quite a bit, and helped to keep me engaged as the story progressed.
I found the story overall to be quite enjoyable - I was never majorly moved one way or the other, but I still had a good reading experience and would recommend it.
Thank you to the publishers, and Netgalley, for the copy to review.
The book has three immersive timelines - Katerina, a tarot reading, German native who has learnt to hide her true identity so she can more peacefully get by in the east end of London during WW1, Miriam, a German women who is interviewing English prisoners of war for linguistic studies, and Edie, a recently widowed, present day, English women, who moves back to her families coastal home and starts uncovering secrets that somehow might just tie them all together.
The three timelines each had their own intrigues and heartaches, but my favourite chapters were Katerina’s. I really enjoyed her use of tarot, and the exploration into what it was like for the women who lived in London during that time period, with the fight for women’s rights heating up, alongside the struggles of the war.
It really isn’t obvious how the stories will intertwine until the end, which I enjoyed - it kept me guessing quite a bit, and helped to keep me engaged as the story progressed.
I found the story overall to be quite enjoyable - I was never majorly moved one way or the other, but I still had a good reading experience and would recommend it.
Thank you to the publishers, and Netgalley, for the copy to review.
April 3, 2024
Whilst the story was compelling and many of the characters well rounded, I found there to be too much exposition and repeated use of phraseology in the prose which brought me out of the story. I wonder if there had been one or two less themes and mysteries to unravel, the solid stories at the heart of the book may have been given more room to breathe, and the conversations been more believable.
October 1, 2023
The story is shared between three main characters, and set in three different places. It starts out in the present day with Edie. Recently widowed and a freelance illustrator/artist she has moved to Cornwall to live in her great grandmothers cottage. The cottage belongs to her father, but he says that Edie should live there as it now stands empty and it’s a place for her to try to rebuild her life. She’s been commissioned to illustrate a set of tarot cards and she hopes Cornwall will give her some inspiration for the commission.
In the following chapters we meet up with Katerina. A German bakery owner living and working in the East end of London. But when war breaks out, Katerina finds that her German background is leaving her in a vulnerable position. Animosity towards the German community around London is increasing as the war continues.
We then move on to Danholm prisoner of war camp in Germany, where Miriam works both as a nurse, helping to take care of sick and injured British captured military personnel, and also as an assistant to a German Professor who is carrying out linguistic research and is using the prisoners as part of this project.
I read Iris Costello’s first book The Secrets of Rochester Place around this time last year, and was struck at the many similarities between that book and this. A different war, a completely different story but the themes of racism, prejudice and discrimination are apparent in both books, as well as a hint of the supernatural running through. I have to say though, I found this book even more absorbing and intricately plotted. This book also touched on the disparities between the establishment and the privileged and the poor. At one point it told of the officers in the prisoner of war camp receiving Fortnum and Mason food hampers, while their fellow foot soldiers were half starved and working each day doing 12 hours hard labour.
This is a wonderful book, with an excellent plot that has many mysteries, twists and turns and yet so poignant. Sylvia Pankhurst has a small part in the book, and this lead me to look up her work and life story on Wikipedia which is fascinating and ties in very much with the story. The other question I needed an answer to, as I had no idea, was why there were so many German immigrants in London prior to the outbreak of WW1 and again found this interesting.
It’s a marvellous book, which has given me so much to think about and find out about. Better than any history lesson, that’s for sure. I highly recommend this book.
In the following chapters we meet up with Katerina. A German bakery owner living and working in the East end of London. But when war breaks out, Katerina finds that her German background is leaving her in a vulnerable position. Animosity towards the German community around London is increasing as the war continues.
We then move on to Danholm prisoner of war camp in Germany, where Miriam works both as a nurse, helping to take care of sick and injured British captured military personnel, and also as an assistant to a German Professor who is carrying out linguistic research and is using the prisoners as part of this project.
I read Iris Costello’s first book The Secrets of Rochester Place around this time last year, and was struck at the many similarities between that book and this. A different war, a completely different story but the themes of racism, prejudice and discrimination are apparent in both books, as well as a hint of the supernatural running through. I have to say though, I found this book even more absorbing and intricately plotted. This book also touched on the disparities between the establishment and the privileged and the poor. At one point it told of the officers in the prisoner of war camp receiving Fortnum and Mason food hampers, while their fellow foot soldiers were half starved and working each day doing 12 hours hard labour.
This is a wonderful book, with an excellent plot that has many mysteries, twists and turns and yet so poignant. Sylvia Pankhurst has a small part in the book, and this lead me to look up her work and life story on Wikipedia which is fascinating and ties in very much with the story. The other question I needed an answer to, as I had no idea, was why there were so many German immigrants in London prior to the outbreak of WW1 and again found this interesting.
It’s a marvellous book, which has given me so much to think about and find out about. Better than any history lesson, that’s for sure. I highly recommend this book.
November 29, 2023
The Story Collector tells the stories of three women: Katerina, a German living in the East End of London, running a bakery in 1915, Miriam, a nurse and researcher who is working in a prisoner of war camp in Germany in 1918 and grief stricken Edie who has left London to live in Cornwall, in the present day. There are links which connect the three women. A mysterious box is found with items which will help to reveal the mystery.
This is absorbing and well written. The pace is good and the story compelling. Although being so multi-stranded it can be slightly confusing. I found I had to check exactly what had happened in the last part of some chapters of the stories; since there can be quite a gap between each women’s update, but it’s easy enough to flick back and forth to check.
I had a question about one of the settings, which the author was kind enough to answer. I wondered if the staff accommodation blocks would really have been so close and accessible to the prisoners’ huts? It is seems so dangerous, especially for unarmed women. I was very surprised there was no perimeter fence, or separate area. Apparently “it varied from camp to camp. Most POW huts would have been separated by perimeter fencing and some, like the camp in The Story Collector, were guarded and locked.” (In case anyone else wondered the same!)
An incongruity in one storyline was that a character in 1919 planned to travel back from London to Cornwall each weekend. This was obviously not the era of fast intercity trains. The fastest train would have taken around seven hours from London to Penzance in 1906, so this seemed a rather jarring modern day proposition.
It’s clear from the bibliography that Iris Costello has read and researched the different settings during the First World War, and explored attitudes to Germans in this country during the war and the treatment of British prisoners of war in Germany. There are sources of information to read about the real life linguistic project, upon which Miriam’s story is based.
I felt there were some weak points in the resolution of the story; one of the women’s behaviour does not really seem to fit with what we know of her character and the intense romance and bond she had formed with another. A contemporary character’s actions seem far fetched in his reaction to long ago historical events. However, overall I felt the separate strands of the stories were deftly woven together, resulting in a fairly satisfying read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read in advance copy.
29/11/23
3 1/2 ⭐️
This is absorbing and well written. The pace is good and the story compelling. Although being so multi-stranded it can be slightly confusing. I found I had to check exactly what had happened in the last part of some chapters of the stories; since there can be quite a gap between each women’s update, but it’s easy enough to flick back and forth to check.
I had a question about one of the settings, which the author was kind enough to answer. I wondered if the staff accommodation blocks would really have been so close and accessible to the prisoners’ huts? It is seems so dangerous, especially for unarmed women. I was very surprised there was no perimeter fence, or separate area. Apparently “it varied from camp to camp. Most POW huts would have been separated by perimeter fencing and some, like the camp in The Story Collector, were guarded and locked.” (In case anyone else wondered the same!)
An incongruity in one storyline was that a character in 1919 planned to travel back from London to Cornwall each weekend. This was obviously not the era of fast intercity trains. The fastest train would have taken around seven hours from London to Penzance in 1906, so this seemed a rather jarring modern day proposition.
It’s clear from the bibliography that Iris Costello has read and researched the different settings during the First World War, and explored attitudes to Germans in this country during the war and the treatment of British prisoners of war in Germany. There are sources of information to read about the real life linguistic project, upon which Miriam’s story is based.
I felt there were some weak points in the resolution of the story; one of the women’s behaviour does not really seem to fit with what we know of her character and the intense romance and bond she had formed with another. A contemporary character’s actions seem far fetched in his reaction to long ago historical events. However, overall I felt the separate strands of the stories were deftly woven together, resulting in a fairly satisfying read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read in advance copy.
29/11/23
3 1/2 ⭐️
February 26, 2024
Iris Costello has written a very powerful story set over three timelines and from different POVs.
London 1915
Katerina Drechsler is living in the "Little Germany" area of London, her father had left his native Germany to set up a once thriving bakery but when the Lusitania was torpedoed by the German navy England became a very dangerous place for Germans. For her safety and with the help of her friend, Gillian, Katerina moved area, became Kitty Dexter, and proceeded to set up a bakery to feed the poor and needy, the suffragette movement was in it's infancy, how long could Kitty hide in plain site, what if it was discovered that her beloved brother Otto was fighting for the German army, could her beloved Tarot cards give her an answer ?
Germany 1918
Miriam Zeigler, a university student, had to leave her studies to help the German war effort, she was to become a nurse at the Danholm POW camp. A request from her old professor had Miriam assisting with his research, he had a passion for languages and dialects and having so many English prisoners in one place, each with their own accents was too good a chance to miss, he would capture their voices for his study. Miriam didn't like the raucous prisoners with their lewd comments but she was drawn to the mute prisoner who was the butt of their jokes, little did she know.........
Cornwall present day.
Edie was happily living as an artist, East End born and bred until that fateful day that her beloved husband, David, was taken from her, she needed peace and quiet to recover and where better than at her father's cottage in the small village of Hatton. With the help of her neighbour, Alexander, Edie managed to rebuild her life, the items that Edie found hidden in a hole in the wall of the cottage were to link together all the stories and the lives of the people.
I would give this book 4.5 rounded up, I did find it a bit confusing sometimes because there was such a large cast, I found myself having to look back to remind me who they were, having said that, I really enjoyed the book, well written and well researched.
Thank you to Net Gallery for this ARC, my review is entirely voluntary.
London 1915
Katerina Drechsler is living in the "Little Germany" area of London, her father had left his native Germany to set up a once thriving bakery but when the Lusitania was torpedoed by the German navy England became a very dangerous place for Germans. For her safety and with the help of her friend, Gillian, Katerina moved area, became Kitty Dexter, and proceeded to set up a bakery to feed the poor and needy, the suffragette movement was in it's infancy, how long could Kitty hide in plain site, what if it was discovered that her beloved brother Otto was fighting for the German army, could her beloved Tarot cards give her an answer ?
Germany 1918
Miriam Zeigler, a university student, had to leave her studies to help the German war effort, she was to become a nurse at the Danholm POW camp. A request from her old professor had Miriam assisting with his research, he had a passion for languages and dialects and having so many English prisoners in one place, each with their own accents was too good a chance to miss, he would capture their voices for his study. Miriam didn't like the raucous prisoners with their lewd comments but she was drawn to the mute prisoner who was the butt of their jokes, little did she know.........
Cornwall present day.
Edie was happily living as an artist, East End born and bred until that fateful day that her beloved husband, David, was taken from her, she needed peace and quiet to recover and where better than at her father's cottage in the small village of Hatton. With the help of her neighbour, Alexander, Edie managed to rebuild her life, the items that Edie found hidden in a hole in the wall of the cottage were to link together all the stories and the lives of the people.
I would give this book 4.5 rounded up, I did find it a bit confusing sometimes because there was such a large cast, I found myself having to look back to remind me who they were, having said that, I really enjoyed the book, well written and well researched.
Thank you to Net Gallery for this ARC, my review is entirely voluntary.
August 2, 2024
This is one of those stories where you know there’s a link between the three different narrations and timelines but can’t work it all out. So much intrigue! And, when it finally clicks you think to yourself ‘why didn’t I see that!’
Katerina, Miriam and Edie are perfect leads and easy to identify with.
Katerina, shunned for being different when younger, reinvents herself to survive. The bakery and cost price restaurant during WW1 does more than help the women and children. It doesn’t take long before it falls apart and she has to escape the East End. This narration is very traumatic at times. She is inspiring!
Miriam is working in a Prisoner of War camp in Germany assisting a language experiment. There are a few tense scenes in this narration. Another strong woman who has to get out of a situation to save her life.
Edie, with the world knocked out from under her is trying to find solid ground and how to move forward. There’s a lot of mystery in this narration with a Gothic vibe. I loved the atmosphere of mystery and suspense. In fact, each narration ends leaving us in suspense! What happens next? I needed to know 🙂
The women across the three different timelines grapple with societal expectations, oppression, and despite the lack of control over their lives, find a way through with the support of those around them (even if that breaks the ‘rules’).
At one point, I glanced at how long I had left to read on my Kindle and was really surprised at how far into the story I was, so absorbed with what was happening for each of the characters. And I must admit, disappointed that I would be finished quicker than I thought …
I loved the plot and how it all ties together. So inventive and creative. I also enjoyed how the tarot and paranormal activity are threaded through The Story Collector. Actually, I loved everything about this story! including the mix of emotions it provoked in me.
If you enjoy an historical mystery that involves a lot of heart, this one is for you. Highly recommended.
https://www.jerasjamboree.co.uk/book-...
Katerina, Miriam and Edie are perfect leads and easy to identify with.
Katerina, shunned for being different when younger, reinvents herself to survive. The bakery and cost price restaurant during WW1 does more than help the women and children. It doesn’t take long before it falls apart and she has to escape the East End. This narration is very traumatic at times. She is inspiring!
Miriam is working in a Prisoner of War camp in Germany assisting a language experiment. There are a few tense scenes in this narration. Another strong woman who has to get out of a situation to save her life.
Edie, with the world knocked out from under her is trying to find solid ground and how to move forward. There’s a lot of mystery in this narration with a Gothic vibe. I loved the atmosphere of mystery and suspense. In fact, each narration ends leaving us in suspense! What happens next? I needed to know 🙂
The women across the three different timelines grapple with societal expectations, oppression, and despite the lack of control over their lives, find a way through with the support of those around them (even if that breaks the ‘rules’).
At one point, I glanced at how long I had left to read on my Kindle and was really surprised at how far into the story I was, so absorbed with what was happening for each of the characters. And I must admit, disappointed that I would be finished quicker than I thought …
I loved the plot and how it all ties together. So inventive and creative. I also enjoyed how the tarot and paranormal activity are threaded through The Story Collector. Actually, I loved everything about this story! including the mix of emotions it provoked in me.
If you enjoy an historical mystery that involves a lot of heart, this one is for you. Highly recommended.
https://www.jerasjamboree.co.uk/book-...
February 15, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin General UK/Viking for an eARC of "The Story Collector" in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.
I read The Secrets of Rochester Place last year and loved its cleverly interwoven tale of dual timelines and mysterious family connections so when I saw The Story Collector was being released with a similar set up I knew I wanted to read it.
This time the historical timeline is the beginning and end of World War One, set in London with Katerina/Kitty in 1915 and Germany with Miriam in 1918. Our present day is set in Cornwall and sees Edie trying to start life again after the death of her husband David and in the process of renovating her cottage discovers a mysterious box that connects the story in some way to our 1915 and 1918 stories.
Long held secrets provide plenty of mystery, drama and trauma for all our characters and as a reader sees us swept along in a rich, warm and tender tale that is truly evocative and beautifully written.
I did find it took me a little while to feel connected to the 1918 storyline and for a major part of the book I was struggling to see the need for this extra part of the story, however as things started to come together I came to appreciate the story and characters more. I think I also struggled a little with it because I wanted more from the Edie storyline in the beginning, however by the tale's close I feel that that author did a lovely job in balancing the stories and giving them their due care and attention, leaving me feeling extremely satisfied with how it all comes together.
This was another thoroughly enjoyable read by Iris Costello and sits well alongside Rochester Place as a heart warming historical fiction/romance that I highly recommend to readers of the genre.
The Story Collector is released on February 29th 2024.
I read The Secrets of Rochester Place last year and loved its cleverly interwoven tale of dual timelines and mysterious family connections so when I saw The Story Collector was being released with a similar set up I knew I wanted to read it.
This time the historical timeline is the beginning and end of World War One, set in London with Katerina/Kitty in 1915 and Germany with Miriam in 1918. Our present day is set in Cornwall and sees Edie trying to start life again after the death of her husband David and in the process of renovating her cottage discovers a mysterious box that connects the story in some way to our 1915 and 1918 stories.
Long held secrets provide plenty of mystery, drama and trauma for all our characters and as a reader sees us swept along in a rich, warm and tender tale that is truly evocative and beautifully written.
I did find it took me a little while to feel connected to the 1918 storyline and for a major part of the book I was struggling to see the need for this extra part of the story, however as things started to come together I came to appreciate the story and characters more. I think I also struggled a little with it because I wanted more from the Edie storyline in the beginning, however by the tale's close I feel that that author did a lovely job in balancing the stories and giving them their due care and attention, leaving me feeling extremely satisfied with how it all comes together.
This was another thoroughly enjoyable read by Iris Costello and sits well alongside Rochester Place as a heart warming historical fiction/romance that I highly recommend to readers of the genre.
The Story Collector is released on February 29th 2024.
November 12, 2023
I received this book as a ARC and I based off the synopsis I was very excited to read it, even as I started the story I was still excited about being able to read this book as I like mysteries and it is a type of book that I typically enjoy. It was originally put down as a romance book but there is nothing in the book that I would class as a romance book.
It is a story of three different time lines and how people's lives can intertwine together with them even expecting it. I know that in the synopsis it does say that it's the story of three women but as you start reading the book you realise that actually it's the story of time and how it effects those in it instead.
First part is set in London during WW1 however it's not just her story but also the story of everyone in London from all various social statuses who have different needs and what the war was like for those left behind while the men fought in the trenches. The second part, is in the prison camps from the perspective of Germans (especially those to sympathies with the Allies prisoners) and how every decision you made during the war despite it's side had a consequence. Then the third part, was from present time and how the decisions and lives of both those in the trenches and those left behind shapes the world as we know it today.
The reason why I gave it three starts instead of four or five is that despite the synopsis and how much I liked the story overall the world building was the main focus and sometimes even pushed the main story aside to the point that it was hard to read and hard to understand. I wish that some parts of the story would have been cut, not because they were irrelevant to the times but rather because they took away from the overall story overwhelmingly and you found yourself wondering how it relates but you were left feeling like it didn't.
It is a story of three different time lines and how people's lives can intertwine together with them even expecting it. I know that in the synopsis it does say that it's the story of three women but as you start reading the book you realise that actually it's the story of time and how it effects those in it instead.
First part is set in London during WW1 however it's not just her story but also the story of everyone in London from all various social statuses who have different needs and what the war was like for those left behind while the men fought in the trenches. The second part, is in the prison camps from the perspective of Germans (especially those to sympathies with the Allies prisoners) and how every decision you made during the war despite it's side had a consequence. Then the third part, was from present time and how the decisions and lives of both those in the trenches and those left behind shapes the world as we know it today.
The reason why I gave it three starts instead of four or five is that despite the synopsis and how much I liked the story overall the world building was the main focus and sometimes even pushed the main story aside to the point that it was hard to read and hard to understand. I wish that some parts of the story would have been cut, not because they were irrelevant to the times but rather because they took away from the overall story overwhelmingly and you found yourself wondering how it relates but you were left feeling like it didn't.
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