English INTRIGUE
THE PAST AND PRESENT COME TOGETHER IN A GRAND TALE OF LOST LOVE AND BETRAYAL
Ilove a novel with a grand English manor house in a starring role. Cloudesley lies deep in the Chiltern Hills and in the 1950s it has peacocks roaming the grounds and a domineering wealthy owner, Charles Oberon, who is obsessed with collecting beautiful things. His latest acquisition is his lovely second wife Lillian and he’s not treating her very well. In fact, marriage to him is torture but poor Lillian is trapped by duty and loyalty.
When Charles hires a talented artist, the charming Jack Fincher, to paint a mural over an entire room of his house, it is the ultimate conceit. He is showing off his wealth and power to all those around him. But as Jack daubs on the walls, he also falls madly in love with Lillian.
We know the illicit romance doesn’t end happily because the story moves between the 1950s and the present day when Lillian is an old woman who has lived with Charles until his death, the house is dilapidated and neglected, and she is growing ill and confused.
Maggie comes home from Australia to care for her. She is Charles’ granddaughter and has her own set of troubles that she has been running away from. But now she has to help Lillian, save crumbling Cloudesley, sort her own love life…and find out what lies in the mysterious locked West Wing she has never been allowed to stray into.
The whole thing is teeming with atmosphere and intrigue, glamour, passion, doomed romance, sadness and regret. This is one of those stories that draws you right in – it’s a light read with a heart of darkness.
Novels with dual timelines can often be jarring, but this one moves seamlessly back and forth over the span of 60 years. I’ll admit to finding the historical strand far more compelling – perhaps because the young Lillian has more depth and complexity than Maggie – still I’m recommending The Peacock Summer as an interesting winter read from start to finish.