When a mysterious countess arrives late in life to live at a large, deserted house on the edge of a sleepy Hampshire village, the local tongues start wagging. No one is more intrigued than Cecily Chadwick, idling away the long, hot summer of 1911 with nothing much to do. Cecily is fascinated by the exotic elderly lady and, as she gets to know her, is riveted by her tales of expatriate life on the continent, and of whom she once knew. But the countess is troubled: by her memories, her name, and by anonymous threats to reveal a ruinous secret... It is, she has decided, up to her close friend, a successful novelist who has come to stay for the summer, to put the record straight. For aspiring writer Cecily, the novelist's presence only adds to the intrigue and pull of the house. But it is the countess's grandson, Jack, his unanswered questions about his grandmother's past and his desire to know the truth, that draw Cecily further into the tangled web of the countess's life, and the place known as Temple Hill.
My Musings
I was really looking forward to the second book by the author of The Last Summer and wasn't disappointed. Memory of Lost Senses is complex and thought provoking with a myriad of strong characters and twists and turns to digest. It is not a book to glugged down in one sitting but more to be savoured.
It is a story of The Countess, Cora, her life, loves family and friends at the turn of the century.The description of the settings from British countryside to Paris and Rome are the perfect backdrop for the unfolding drama in the lives of the main characters. Thought provoking and thoughtful. It speaks of how scars from childhood can colour all aspects of our future and how well meaning friends can have far reaching effects. It is a tale of broken people, survival and kindred spirits. Curl up and enjoy!
If you like this you may like
Books
The Last Summer by Judith Kinghorn
The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton
The Light Behind the Window by Lucinda Riley
Tv
Downton Abbey
Brideshead Revisited
Films
Atonement
Wings of a Dove
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