Hardback: 467 pages
Genre: Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Historical Fiction,
Publisher: Simon and Schuster 2025
Source: Tywyn Public Library
First Sentences: For a third night Nancy lay sleepless for hours, anxious thoughts chasing around in her head. Heavy rain battered the window and rattled through the downpipes, while the wind tossed the branches of the trees, made the landing ight flicker and the curtains shiver.
Review Quote: 'I loved it. I was completely immersed in the story and the setting. So clever and interesting and beautifully written' ELIZABETH BUCHAN
My Opinion:
It was back in 2009 I first read one of Rachel Hore's novels and I have enjoyed them more and more over the years. As with many of her novels, 'The Secrets of Dragonfly Lodge’ is dual narrative, this one set in 1940's/1950's and 2010-2013. The author was originally inspired by the experiences of her mother and aunt whilst studying Zoology at Imperial College, London in the 1940's when they both obtained PHD's and worked as scientists. Much of the detail of their lives during this period that they shared with Rachel formed the basis of the story, although of course the narrative and characters are all fictional.
The novel is a fascinating read as through the main characters we learn of the difficulties that female scientists have encountered over the years. Stef Lansdown is a journalist whose latest project is to write a book about women in science. By chance whilst visiting her mother in Norfolk, where she has recently moved, she meets Dr Nancy Foster who gave up her career as a scientist in the 1950's. Initially she is far from keen to be part of Stef's research because of the secrets in her past. Eventually Stef wins the older woman over and the story that she learns from her is engaging.
Once again Rachel Hore has written a captivating story which I recommended to those readers that enjoy novels with plenty of secrets to be uncovered.
My reviews of other novels by Rachel Hore: The Memory Garden A Week in Paris
A Beautiful Spy The Love Child. One Moonlit Night. The Hidden Years
Précis Courtesy of Goodreads:
Nancy Foster has harboured a devastating secret that shattered her professional and personal life. On meeting her, journalist Stef Lansdown realizes that she has the power to restore Nancy’s reputation and to heal the wounds, if only Nancy will trust her. But someone else wants to get to the bottom of the story first, someone who doesn’t want it to be told.
Set in the beautiful environs of the Norfolk Broads in 2010, and in London in the '40s and ‘50s, when life for career-driven women was so different, The Secrets of Dragonfly Lodge is Sunday Times multi-million copy bestselling author Rachel Hore’s utterly compelling new novel, interweaving the past and the present.
Author Profile:
Rachel Hore is the author of fourteen bestselling novels,
Full time writing only came after a career editing fiction at HarperCollins in London. She lives in Norfolk with her husband and they have three grown up sons.
A full and interesting Profile can be found on the Amazon Author Page and even more on her Official Website
Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:
Amazon Author Page Goodreads - Author Profile Twitter - Rachel Hore