Secrets and murder - The Daughters Of Red Hill Hall

I found this book from a friend's recommendation. I skimmed it in about three hours. It was fairly obvious what the conclusion would be. The juxtaposition of chapters from early 1800s to fairly well up to date was interesting but I did not think it was ever made full use of. The writing was shallow and superficial. The book will not age well because of this and because of the use of what could be called modern idiom. This language is constantly changing among young people and in a year new vocabulary and constructions will have rendered this obsolete. I found the diary writing of Sarah to not ring true to the times. I have read enough diaries, not fiction, to think that the way her diaries are written is an imposition again of current speech and ideas onto a different era. There is little character development in the book, especially in the sections devoted to a couple of the more minor characters who play only a small part in the story who were more fully described than Rebecca the supposed heroine, who appears flat and uninteresting.

I feel so badly about writing this review. I know authors put so much of themselves into their work.....but this book was so silly. Silly being kind. I can't believe I finished it! The four main women of the book were beyond stupid. I just wanted to slap them all! The characters were so far from real......They lacked common sense. Real people just do not act like they did. Not even a good beach read.

A very enjoyable read! Very interesting way of meshing two different time
Periods. Also, jealousy played an important role for two of the characters
In this book. The question is how far does one go to justify getting the end result they think they deserve?

Angeline

Not only is this novel immediately predictable from the outset, but it reads like a 16 year old's first attempt at a novel. Ridiculously cliched and not worth it even if free. The secret is obvious in the first 50 pages- just don't bother. I truly wish I hadn't.

After reading the reviews, I was very excited to start this book. Before gett very far into the book I was so turned off by one of the main characters that I've quit reading and doubt I will ever try to finish it.

I respect that authors take the time to share their visions with us, but this one just fell short. It was like Ms. McGurl couldn't decide which decade to tell her story in, so she did both. No real connection, just similar stories in different decades. I was disappointed.

Kathleen McGurl 'gets it'. She just 'gets it'. She gets what readers want and need. She understands that for a reader to continue reading, they need to have something that will pull them through the novel with such a ferocity that the very idea of putting down their Kindle is monstrous. This is exactly how I felt while reading The Daughters of Red Hill Hall. I could not bear to look away from this story for even a second. I was completely absorbed, wrapped up and consumed within the twisting, turning, shocking plot, and by the time I turned the final page, I felt like I'd been right there alongside the characters right the way through the novel. Breathless, shaken-up and a little relieved that finally the past could be put to rest, but ultimately satisfied at having read such a fantastic novel. And would you believe that these are the same emotions I've felt after reading McGurl's previous novels too? I've said it before and I'll say it again. Kathleen McGurl writes time-slip like no other author I've come across.

The Daughters of Red Hill Hall begins in the most intriguing of ways, as Kathleen McGurl brings her first character forward, Gemma. Gemma works in the local museum and, after going about her usual business, she comes across a pair of ruby encrusted duelling pistols. Immediately fascinated by her find and desperate to know more, Gemma begins researching the pistols and the story behind them, which takes her all the way back to the 1800s. The revelations Gemma unearths lead her to more questions about a time and event way before her own, and I was just as eager as Gemma to put the pieces of the past together in order to see the final picture. Despite my guessing and wondering, Kathleen McGurl takes me completely by surprise in the most teasing and tantalising of ways. From this point onwards, we slip back and forth through time, between Gemma's own story in the present day, and Rebecca and Sarah's story in the past. The way Kathleen McGurl unwraps the mysteries within her novels is one of my guilty pleasures and I honestly don't think that I will ever tire of it.

As is the norm for McGurl, it's clear that her research when it came to writing her latest novel was spot-on. Her descriptions, the character's language, certain terms and words made this book all the more authentic. It's hard not to feel as if you've stepped back in time right alongside the characters, and are suddenly wandering through the 1830's. How on earth Kathleen McGurl manages to create a dual-timeline which runs so seamlessly side by side is beyond me. She is superbly talented at her craft and only seems to be getting better and better at it. Everything felt so real to me in The Daughters of Red Hill Hall. I had a vision in my mind of Red Hill Hall itself throughout reading, and with the help of Kathleen's visual descriptions, it was crystal clear. It was the ultimate setting for what would turn out to be a dramatic, twisting, gut-clenching story that gripped me tightly and refused to let go.

The story of Rebecca and Sarah was a compelling one. What started out as a friendship when the girls were young, quickly began to turn into something much darker and uglier. I absolutely adored how Kathleen McGurl told their story, and with just a hint of menace simmering in the air, I felt like I was steeling myself for the moment when the truth would surface. The themes of jealousy, betrayal and more slipped into this and suddenly gave the novel a whole new direction. Kathleen McGurl handled it fantastically, and I loved where the author took me, unable to see any of the twists and turns that came. I was shocked by how things progressed in this book, although in a completely positive way. There were moments of gasping, of clapping my hand over my mouth, of eyes so wide they could have rolled out of my head. It had it all, and packed a powerful punch to say the least. What really wowed me though, was how fascinating it was to see the similarities between the past and the present slowly begin to reveal themselves. Gemma, who we spend time with in the present day, has her own troubles going on, troubles that were very like those of Rebecca's and Sarah's. I couldn't believe how brilliantly Kathleen weaved these into the novel. It blew my mind and left me reeling. I was taken on such a journey throughout reading this book, one that will surely stay with me for a long time to come. There was death, lies, secrets, and so much evilness, but at the same time, it was all so real and believable, and it all begins from Gemma's discovery of the ruby-encrusted pistols. Honestly, it was amazing, and in my opinion, without a doubt this is Kathleen McGurl's best novel yet (and that's saying something because I utterly adored her first two).

As I sit here and write this, I can't help feeling frustrated at myself for not being able to find the words to express how much I loved this book. I mean, I've had a good go at it, but it still doesn't feel like enough. My only hope is that you'll stumble across this review and pick up a copy for yourself. Already, and I know I'm getting ahead of myself here, I am incredibly looking forward to Kathleen McGurl's next book. Rich in research and descriptions, shocking in terms of events, and compelling in how the stories are told, I don't think that I'll ever tire of this author and the novels that she delivers.

Becca's Books is awarding The Daughters of Red Hill Hall by Kathleen McGurl with five bookish stars. For me as the reader, this had it all. I was enticed from the beginning, and remained in that state throughout the remainder, racing to the end without stopping to breathe. So many secrets and mysteries are packed within the pages of this book, and I immensely enjoyed uncovering them alongside the characters. Compelling, gripping and oh-so-dangerous, this was a novel of jealousy, betrayal, and how far a person will go in order to break another person down. Completely fascinating and told by a wonderful author who is one of my all-time favourites, this has left a lasting impression on me. Huge thanks to the tour host and Kathleen McGurl for providing me with a review copy of The Daughters of Red Hill Hall in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the book and the chance to review it

**Spoilers**

Gemma has her dream job.. she is working in the museum in her home town, and although it can drag at times, especially when she has to sort through dinosaur fossils, there are things that occassionally jump out at her. When she comes across a box that seems to be full of garbage, she finds a hidden treasure at the bottom. The tag on the box has her curiosity peaked, and she asks for permission from her boss to investigate it further, in order to build a exhibit for the museum. With permission granted she dives into an investigation that is going to reverberate much more than she is willing to admit. When her boyfriend dumps her unexpectedly, breaking their engagement, Gemma is shocked and hurt. She has no idea where any of this is coming from, and her best friend has been acting very odd since they got engaged. But that is just the beginning..

Rebecca and Sarah have been raised together since a young age, and when her mother dies, Sarah stays in the house to be Rebecca's companion and friend. While they are not related by blood, they are closer than friends and call each other sisters. In fact, Sarah even begins to call Mr. Winston father. As the girls grow older small cracks in their relationship begin to appear, especially when Charles begins to court Rebecca. They have been reared with the expectation that they should marry when they were older, but only if both were willing to do so. Sarah seems angry with Rebecca for getting the attention of an attractive young man, and seems bent on doing anything that she can to thwart the relationship. Soon afterwards, strange accidents and deaths begin to plague Hill Hall. First, Rebecca's mother tumbles down the stairs and breaks her neck, and then her father begins to suffer from heart issues, and shortly thereafter he dies as well. With her engagement broken off and her fathers will hiding a huge secret, Rebecca is unsure of how her future is going to turn out, that is until Sarah forces a confrontation, one that only one of them is going to walk away from.

Gemma has become so entwined with the history of Hill Hall and the mystery that seems to be hiding within its walls, that she spends her week off going through the archives at Hill Hall. She has to know what is going on, and at the same time, she is pondering the very strange twist that her own life has taken. Her best friend has become deceitful, stealing from Gemma and doing whatever she can to sabotage her life. She knows that it she is going to have to confront Nat, but the thought of it makes her sick to her stomach. After talking to Ben and smoothing things over with him, she knows that she cannot put the confrontation off any longer, especially after discovering the latest twist her "friend" had planned for her...

Kathleen McGurl has created a masterpiece of interwoven history. By combining the stories, you are drawn in to the characters, finding yourself despising some and pitying others. While you have an idea of what is coming next, there are so many twists that you begin to wonder if you are missing something! The end of the book left nothing hanging, and draws it all in neatly. This is a great weekend read!

Mystery, danger, intrigue and heart-pounding drama are deliciously interwoven in Kathleen McGurl‘s gripping new novel, The Daughters of Red Hill Hall.

When Gemma left university with a history degree, she had ended up lurching from one dead-end job to the next – until she got a job working at a museum in her home town of Bridhampton. For the first time in her professional life, Gemma feels fulfilled and content. Her boss, Roger, is a thoroughly decent guy, and although she would rather spend her days cataloging something more fascinating than boring old fossils, Gemma wouldn’t change her job for the world. But just when she had given up all hope of ever unearthing something thrilling and exciting, Gemma is stunned when she stumbles upon a pair of ancient duelling pistols encrusted with rubies and a mysterious note claiming that these pistols were used during the infamous shooting at Red Hill Hall in the 19th century…

Gemma is immediately intrigued by this unexpected find and vows to uncover the secrets behind that fateful night when two girls, Sarah and Rebecca, had been shot in cold blood at Red Hill Hall. As she begins to delve deeper into the scandalous events of that night, Gemma is floored by the shocking revelations she uncovers and the dark secrets that had claimed the life of two young girls all those years ago.

As the past and present begin to intertwine, Gemma’s own life begins to unravel. Gemma had been best friends with Nat since their school days, and despite the fact that they were chalk and cheese, their friendship had endured and deepened over the years. However, Nat has started acting strangely recently. Why is Nat behaving this way? What is she not telling her best friend? And what secrets is Nat keeping from Gemma?

As Gemma begins to get closer to the truth behind the Red Hill Hall shooting, the past begins to mirror the present and Gemma begins to question whether the people she’s been closest to her entire life really do have her best interest at heart. Will Gemma ever find the happiness she has been searching for all her life? Or will she forever be haunted by old ghosts and their malevolent influence?

Kathleen McGurl is a wonderful storyteller who captures her readers’ attention from the very first page and keeps them enthralled and entertained with her beguiling blend of nail-biting tension, hair raising twists and turns and captivating pathos. A first class dual narrative tale that will go down a treat with fans of Barbara Erskine and Susanna Kearsley, The Daughters of Red Hill Hall is guaranteed to keep you turning the pages late into the night and up way past your bedtime!

Wonderfully gripping, highly evocative and absolutely impossible to put down, The Daughters of Red Hill Hall is a chilling Gothic thriller that is too good to miss!

This review was first published at M's Bookshelf -[...]
With a stunningly gorgeous and intriguing cover (and blurb) like that, I knew I just had to read The Daughters of Red Hill Hall.
To say that the author, Kathleen McGurl, gave her story some unexpected twists and turns would be a massive understatement. Just when I thought I had the characters and the story-line figured out, she threw one curve ball after the other. Loved it.So I'm definitely not claiming I knew what was coming, but I did feel uneasy with both S. and N. from the start. I did not trust them and the amount of trust both R. and G. put into their friendships was at times even frustrating. The levels of betrayal were so horrible I actually felt physically uncomfortable and closed the book a few times to take a deep breath and remind myself that it was fictional, after all.
The story alternates between past and present and I enjoyed piecing the puzzle together (although maybe it would have been ok. to have some details of the past revealed at a later moment in the story, along with Gemma's research. Because now we always discovered the next "puzzle piece" right before she did thanks to the alternating chapters).
I truly enjoyed reading The Daughters of Red Hill Hall and felt invested in its characters from the start. A surprising and captivating read.

McGurl certainly does love to combine history, genealogy, the past and the present in her stories.
In The Daughters of Red Hill Hall the reader follows two stories. Gemma and Nat in the present, and Sarah and Rebecca in the past. The four of them have a lot in common. It’s almost like a repetition of history.
Rebecca and Sarah have been close friends for many years. They have grown up together in the same house and are like sisters. Rebecca is the daughter of the house and Sarah merely the daughter of a servant. Rebecca’s father treats them both as equals, which causes feelings of jealousy and envy. Sarah has built up a lifetime of anger against her ‘sister’ and anyone who doesn’t fit into her plans. She will literally do anything to get what she wants. The two of them become rivals, and their animosity towards each other ends in disaster.
Meanwhile in the present, best friends Gemma and Nat have a similar unequal relationship, or at least one of them thinks so. Jealousy leads to rash decisions and betrayal.
A old case with two duelling pistols connects the four women like a cold withered hand reaching from the past to grab the present to pull two more into the dark curse of Red Hill Hall. Question is whether it will end with another disaster.
There is a legal inconsistency, but that is actually pointed out by Charles towards the end and sheds a light on how powerless women were in that era in regards to having no voice and no rights. McCurl focuses on the relationships and emotional turmoil, and allows for a flexible interpretation of the era she writes in. As always a spirited read.
*I received a copy of this book via Netgalley.*