This book is a slow burn with back-to-back twists making for a scalding ending. The novel explores the importance of gathering multiple perspectives to make an informed judgment. The reader has to evaluate his truth vs. her truth vs. The Truth. A provocative, mysterious, and challenging read.
Publisher's description:
1945: War widow Peggy is grateful to have inherited Orchard House from her husband's Aunt Maude; she looks forward to making a fresh start in rural Cambridgeshire with her young son. The moment she sets eyes on the rambling property, however, doubt sets in. From the bricked up cellar to the scent of violets and rotting fruit, the place seems shrouded in dark mysteries. When Peggy discovers Maude's teenage diary gathering dust she begins to read, searching for answers. 1876: Orphaned Maude is forced to leave London, and her adored brother, Frank, to live with a stranger. Everyone-especially Frank-tells her not to trust Miss Greenaway, the enigmatic owner of Orchard House, but Maude can't help warming to her new guardian. Encouraged by Miss Greenaway to speak her mind, follow her curiosity, and form her own opinions, Maude finds herself discovering who she is for the first time, and learning to love her new home in the orchard. But when Frank comes for an unexpected visit, the delicate balance of Maude's life is thrown into disarray. Complicating matters more, Maude witnesses an adult world full of interactions she cannot quite understand with implications beyond her grasp. Her efforts to regain control and right the future as she sees fit result in a violent tragedy, the repercussions of which will haunt Orchard House for the rest of Maude's life-and beyond.