The Daughters of Red Hill Hall
A Gripping Novel of Family, Secrets and Murder
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4.5 • 12 Ratings
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- £0.99
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- £0.99
Publisher Description
‘The Daughters of Red Hill Hall …[has] all the intrigue, mystery, relationship drama and edge of your seat secret reveals any reader could want.’ – Books and Boardies
When Gemma discovers a pair of ancient duelling pistols encrusted with rubies in the basement of the local museum, she is immediately intrigued…
On a fateful night in 1838 two sisters were found shot in the cellars of Red Hill Hall. And when Gemma begins to delve deeper into their history she begins to realise that the secrets of that night are darker than anyone had ever imagined.
As the shocking events of the past begin to unravel, Gemma’s own life starts to fall apart. Loyalties are tested and suddenly it seems as if history is repeating itself, as Gemma learns that female friendships can be deadly…
Perfect for fans of The Emerald Comb, The Pearl Locket, Rachel Hore and Kate Morton.
What reviewers are saying about Kathleen McGurl’s The Daughters of Red Hill Hall
‘Mystery, danger, intrigue and heart-pounding drama are deliciously interwoven’ – Julie (Goodreads)
‘I devoured The Daughters of Red Hill Hall in two sittings…it showed off the many talents of Kathleen McGurl to perfection.’ – Emma Crowley on Shaz’s Book Blog
‘This book grabbed me from its opening pages’ – Being Anne…
‘a great summer read!’ – A Home in the Country
‘if you like historical mysteries, murder and romance, this is a must read for you.’ – Violet Fields (NetGalley)
‘This is the first of Kathleen McGurl's books that I have read but it certainly won't be the last’ – Karen O’Hare (Goodreads)
‘For fans of Katherine Webb or Kate Riordan’ – Sheila’s Review (Goodreads)
‘McGurl focuses on the relationships and emotional turmoil… As always a spirited read.’ – Cheryl M-M
Reviews
PRAISE FOR KATHLEEN McGURL
‘Mystery, danger, intrigue and heart-pounding drama are deliciously interwoven’ - Julie (Goodreads) on ‘The Daughters of Red Hill Hall’
'There were twists and turns galore that had me gripping my Kindle to within an inch of its life…' - Becca's Books on The Pearl Locket
'An engrossing family saga' - cayocosta72 on The Pearl Locket
'If you want a book that is exciting, fast-paced and impossible to put down, with plenty of twists and turns, then you need to buy this book! I can't wait to read more of Kathleen's novels.' - Emma's Book Reviews on The Emerald Comb
'The Emerald Comb is fantastic.' - Books & Baby
'An edge of your seat read, that is a page turner and griped me from page one.' - Comet Babe's Books on The Emerald Comb
About the author
Kathleen McGurl lives near the sea in Bournemouth, with her husband, sons and cats. She began her writing career creating short stories, then she got side-tracked onto family history research. She has always been fascinated by the past, the ways in which the past can influence the present, and enjoys exploring these links in her novels. You can find out more at her website, http://kathleenmcgurl.com/, or follow her on Twitter @KathMcGurl
Customer Reviews
An Intriguing Book with Parallel Stories In Different Times
I have not read any of Kathleen McGurl’s previous novel’s so I didn’t know what to expect from this book, but the blurb had me intrigued and I was keen to find out more. As I started reading I was drawn into a book telling two parallel stories, generations apart, but with eerily similar paths.
We see Gemma, a museum curator, who discovers to beautiful duelling pistols with a mysterious note attached. As she starts to investigate the history of the pistols and their origin at Red Hill Hall her own life starts to spiral with problems in her relationship and with her best friend.
Meanwhile we start to see the story she is investigating unfold, the story of Red Hill Hall and the sisters who lived there and how they ended up with the duelling pistols. Their story mirrors Gemma’s own story so closely it becomes almost unbearable to read at times wondering if the past is going to truly repeat itself.
I read this book in two sittings, I read it into the early hours one night then didn’t put it down until I had finished the next day. It was so compelling and had that pull of needing to know what was going to happen next. The novel is carefully woven with each chapter switching time so we never get far behind with each storyline.
The characters are carefully developed and fit perfectly into place. Gemma is at times truly frustrating and there were moments I warned to tell her so, but then someone else would tell her she was too soft and I would be glad she was hearing it! My favourite characters were the bad one’s they were so well written, so nasty, so two-faced, and conniving, they were a real pleasure to read and it was actually really interesting to see what they would come up with next.
I’m definitely going to check out Kathleen’s back catalogue and I highly recommend this as an enjoyable and gripping read.
Thank you to Kathleen McGurl and Carina UK for the ARC via NetGalley so that I could review this book; and for Neverland Blog Tours for inviting me onto this tour.