Skip to main content

In the Lonely Hours by Shannon Morgan Review

 

 



Title 

In The Lonely Hours 

Author 

Shannon Morgan 

Genre 

Fiction, Horror, Paranormal 

Synopsis 

On a small island in a remote corner of northwest Scotland lies Maundrell Castle, owned by its wealthy namesake family for centuries ~ until now. Edwina Nunn is shocked to learn a relative she never heard of has bequeathed the castle and its land to her. What awaits Edie and her teenage daughter, Neve, is even more startling, for the castle is home to a multitude of ghosts. 


Yet there's a strange beauty in the austere architecture and the eerie, bloody waters of Loch na Scathanna, the Lake of Shadows. Beguiled by a frightened ghost who gazes longingly out of the castle's windows, Edie and Neve are drawn to the legends shrouding the island and the mystery of the Maundrell Red- a priceless diamond that disappeared decades before.


Is the gem really cursed, and the cause of the family tragedies that have all occurred on Samhain - Scottish Halloween? As Samhain approaches once more, Edie and Neve race to peel back the dark secrets entwining the living and the dead - a twisted story of bitter cruelty and hidden love - or they will become another Maundrell tragedy trapped in the lonely hours…

Review


Let me start with WOW! The Lonely Hours is an incredible book! I literally could not put this book down. I was hooked as soon as I started reading. The Lonely Hours is extremely well written and set in Scotland. The author intricately weaves the gothic architecture details into the breathtakingly beautiful story. I also love the fact that this book focuses on mother/ daughter relationships, the good, the bad and the extremely ugly. When Edie inherits the castle she is hoping it will lead her to learn who her birth parents are, what she wasn't expecting was the ghosts that were trapped in the castle and on the surrounding property. Edie’s teenage daughter Neve is thrilled about living in a haunted castle and the mystery of finding the missing diamond much to  Edie's dismay. With an incredible cast of characters both good and bad, the story goes back and forth from the present day to the past but is done so in a way that it's interesting and not confusing. One thing I was really happy to see was an autistic character although from the past it was refreshing to see as one of the central characters in the book. When the book first started with Alice and her mother I could not get over the cruelty and malice Alice showed her mother but as the book progressed and Edie and Neve uncovered the horrible truth it made sense. Sometimes you find what you need and not what you want which is beautifully shown through this author's writing style. It also includes information on how families and doctors used inhumane treatments in the not-so-distant past to “cure” autism. I appreciate the special note from the author including the history of autism “ treatments” as this was something I was not aware of before reading this book. The author has also included questions at the end of the book that can be used for book club discussions. ( And yes, this would be a great Autumn read for any book club)

If you are looking for a book that will keep you turning the pages until the end this is a book for you. 


Favorite Characters 

Edie, Neve, Lottie, Mungo


Favorite Quote 

From Neve- 

“ He's not bad looking as old blokes go. A bit like an old Han Solo”


Rating 

Definitely a Five Star Review

Related Post

The Scandalous Hamilton's by Bill Shaffer 


For Review Requests Contact 

readingcorner.jenn@gmail.com


Follow on 

Twitter (X)

Pinterest 

Instagram 

Threads




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Two Truths and a Murder by Colleen Cambridge Book Review

Welcome back to my cozy little blog! As many of you know, I hit a bit of a reading slump for several months but I'm back and making up for lost time.  Title  Two Truths and a Murder  Series A Phyllida Bright Mystery  Author  Colleen Cambridge  Genre  Historical Mystery  Publisher  Kensington  Page Count  261 plus acknowledgments Format Hardcover  Official Synopsis  Agatha Christie’s trusted housekeeper, Phyllida Bright, has become an amateur sleuth in her own right. When a party game leads to murder, she decides to crash the investigation. While her famous employer is happily back home at Mallowan Hall, wrestling with her Belgian detective's dilemma on board the Orient Express, Phyllida is finding her local renown as a sleuth has put her in high demand. A distraught Vera Rollingbroke suspects her husband of infidelity and has invited Phyllida to a dinner party to observe his behavior, particularly in regard to one Genevra ...
Post a Comment
Read more

I Need You To Read This by Jessa Maxwell Review

   Title  I Need You To Read This  Author  Jessa Maxwell  Synopsis  Like thousands before her, Alex Marks escaped to New York City for a fresh start. Now she spends her mornings at the bluebird diner reading the paper over coffee with the regulars, and her days working as a copywriter. Mostly, she keeps to herself, not venturing far outside of her small bubble. But when her childhood hero- Francis Keen, the country's premiere advice columnist - is murdered, Alex's meticulously guarded world cracks. Francis authored the famous advice column Dear Constance, and her words guided Alex through some of her darkest times. When the New York Herald posts an advertisement searching for Francis's replacement, Alex impulsively applies, never expecting to actually get the job. Alex quickly proves herself skilled solving other people's problems, but as soon as she settles in, she begins receiving strange letters. As Alex is drawn into the details surrounding her pre...
Post a Comment
Read more

Frequency by Christopher Krovatin Review

   I'm going to be completely honest here and tell you this was my first time reading a YA Fantasy book ( not usually a genre that I read).  That being said, I can not give you a comparison to other books in this genre. What I will give you is my honest review of this book. I can also tell you based off this book I will be adding YA Fantasy to my list of book genres that I will be reading a lot more of. Title Frequency Author Christopher Krovatin Format Hardcover Publisher Entangled Publishing Page Count 291 About the book Follow the music if you want to live. Eight years ago, Fiona was just a kid. But everything changed the night the Pit Viper came to town. Sure, he rid the quiet, idyllic suburb of Hamm of its darkest problems. But Fiona witnessed something much, much worse when the town drove him away. And now, the Pit Viper is back. Fiona's not just a kid anymore. She can handle the darkness she sees in the Pit Viper, a DJ whose wicked tattoos, quiet anger, and hypnoti...
Post a Comment
Read more