Once upon a time I used to read a lot of Tudor books. A lot. There were books telling straight history like Phillipa Gregory, there were books where a member of the court was investigating various plots and murders, great books like Legacy by Susan Kay and you know, some that weren't so great. The end result was by the mid to late 2000's I was all Tudored out, had Tudor fatigue, or however you want to phrase it.
If I am to pick up a Tudor book these days, there has to be something about it. For example, I read Clare Marchant's The Secrets of Saffron Hall a few years ago because I couldn't resist the cover. I read Wolf Hall just because. So what was it that I couldn't resist when I was offered this book, The House of Echoes? Well, there were a couple of things actually. It looked like a book where a house would play a key role in the story, I do love purple and the purple dress on the cover called to me, and the main reason was that I have read a couple of Alexandra Walsh's books before and really enjoyed them.
Anne Brandon is the daughter of Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk which makes her step daughter to Princess Mary, duchess, former queen of France and sister to the notorious King Henry VIII. As such, it is expected that Anne will make a brilliant match from among the noblest families in England. There is no room for marrying for love, particularly seeing as her parents are financially burdened by the huge fines they received from the king for marrying for love without his permission.
When Anne meets a young man named Randall Hanworth, they fall in love, and Anne hopes against hope that maybe she can convince her father that they should be married, but he has another suitor in mind, Edward Grey, Baron of Powis. However the union is not a happy one, mainly because Anne has trouble conceiving.
Anne is a member of the highest echelons of society, and as such she sees what is happening at the Court of Henry VIII, and this book opens in the 1520s, when he was married to Catherine of Aragon and carries right through all of his marriages. Whilst we do hear the stories, for the most part this book talks about what the effects are for Anne and others like her. The author rather cleverly makes Anne Brandon friends with Anne Boleyn, as they served in the same foreign court before returning to England, which gives us access to what some of Anne Boleyn's thoughts might have been during the tumultuous time between when Henry VIII started courting her and her death.
One thing that I haven't seen much before though, is talking about what the effect is of all of the scandals at court. For example, if it is okay for Henry VIII to put aside his wife as she has not produced a male heir and for him to openly parade his mistresses then surely it is okay for all the other noblemen in his court to do the same. So much for chivalry.
We don't often see many of the women from the Tudor world in history, unless they are the big names ones like Anne Boleyn and the other wives of Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth, and occasionally others. For the most part these women are mere footnotes in history. What Alexandra Walsh has done is to find a story about a really fascinating woman and share it with us. Anne is a Brandon and so there are traits there that mean that she is someone who knows how to fight for what she wants, for survival and for revenge. There are things that we cannot know, so obviously it is fictionalised, but the genuine historical facts are there.
In the modern day, the story focusses on Caroline Harvey, grand daughter of the world famous science fiction author Dexter Blake. And by world-famous, I am talking epic levels of fandom for both the books and movies, the type of fandom where every word is studied to understand what the subtle messages might be that are hidden in the stories. Obsessive fandom. Dexter has just died, and Caroline is getting ready for the launch of his final book in The Ether Heracles. Luckily, he had finished the final book in the series before he died. Caroline was also the sole beneficiary of his will, including a house and land in Pembrokeshire.
When a developer approaches to buy some of her land, at the same time questioning her ownership of it, Caroline begins researching the house's history, and finds that there is some kind of link to Anne Brandon, and so she goes down the rabbit hole of research to try and piece together the story. And when people start to threaten to reveal the many secrets that she has, she needs to do what she can to protect herself and her family.
She is surprised when her ex boyfriend, Gideon, shows up after many years, and this complicates matters, as Gideon is her true love, the one who got away, the one who she is keeping the most secrets from!
It is clear from the dramatis personnae at the beginning of the book that this story is going to cover a lot of ground. There are the characters from the modern day, plus the characters from the books and movies of the Ether Heracles and finally all the Tudor characters with their common names like Anne, Mary and Henry. For the most part, the author manages to keep all the storylines under control and yet still echoing each other. I don't think it will surprise anyone that I enjoyed the historical aspects of this novel the most, and I did guess most of the twists in the modern story although there was one that surprised me a bit.
Cleverly intertwined through the narrative of both stories is the story of Tristan and Isolde, medieval doomed star-crossed lovers, which was a lovely touch as well.
So far this author has given us books set in an archaelogical dig in Crete in the Victorian era, another that tells the story of the women who were married to the men who hatched The Gunpowder Plot and now this novel set in Tudor times. I can't wait to see where she takes us next.
I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews, Bookish Book Reading Challenge hosted at Bloggin' Bout Books and the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge which I host. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy.
Rating 4/5
About the bookThe House of Echoes
‘The Brandon blood is dark with lies and treachery and as it flows through my heart, my vow is this: they will all pay.’
Hampton Court Palace 1530s
Anne Brandon has always understood the power of a king’s patronage and, though the court of Henry VIII is a dangerous place for women, as the daughter of the king’s best friend, Anne feels safer than most. But Anne’s husband Lord Powis is tiring of her childlessness and when Henry VIII begins plotting to rid himself of a queen in his quest for an heir, suddenly Anne’s life is in danger. And as whispers of the name of her friend Anne Boleyn get ever louder, there is peril in every loose word, every forbidden conversation.
Pembrokshire Present Day
Caroline Harvey has spent years helping her grandfather, the reclusive bestselling novelist Dexter Blake, hide from his legions of fans in his home on the Pembrokshire coast. After his death, the vultures begin to circle Dexter’s fortune. When Caroline’s ownership of the house she has inherited is called into question, her research into its history reveals it was once owned by Anne Brandon who had sought refuge there. Intrigued, Caroline is determined to discover why Anne fled the court of Henry VIII.
Two women divided by centuries but joined by secrets and courage. And when a twist in their histories threatens them both with the same fate – losing the man they love – their revenge will be the same too. Because there’s no one mightier than a woman underestimated or more powerful than the need to save those they love.
Bestseller Alexandra Walsh is back with a compelling, captivating insight into the Tudor court through the eyes of a woman who had only her guile to keep her alive. Perfect for all fans of Barbara Erskine, Philippa Gregory, Anne O’Brien and Elena Collins.
Purchase Link -
https://mybook.to/HouseOfEchoes
About the Author Alexandra Walsh is the bestselling author of dual timeline historical mysteries, previously published by Sapere. Her books range from the fifteenth century to the Victorian era and are inspired by the hidden voices of women that have been lost over the centuries. Formerly a journalist, writing for national newspapers, magazines and TV, her first book for Boldwood will be published in Spring 2023.
Social Media Links – Facebook: @themarquesshousetrilogy
Twitter: @purplemermaid25
Instagram: @purplemermaid25
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Bookbub profile: @acwalsh69
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