Friday, November 3, 2023

Book Review – The Herbalist’s Secret by Annabelle Marx

 Book Review


The Herbalist's Secret

Annabelle Marx


Book Description:

Two small lifeless bodies lay on the sand, arms carefully placed by their sides. On the other side of the loch stands an imposing house. It's almost as if it gives a silent howl of distress, echoing over the hills, making the birds turn their gaze down to the beach where the two bodies lie, awaiting discovery.

1889:
 Kitty Gray dreams of attending university and becoming a doctor, but when she is married off to Charles Maclean, one of Glasgow's richest and most eligible bachelors, her aspiration suddenly slips far from reach.

Exiled to her new remote home in the Scottish Highlands, with its gargoyles, gothic arches and turrets, Kitty seeks solace in creating a restorative herb garden. Combining her medical knowledge and new-found fascination with herbalism, Kitty spends her days absorbed in a world of herbs and their healing properties until a devastating tragedy strikes...

2003
: Caitlin Black arrives at Ardbray House determined to restore the crumbling mansion and Kitty's walled garden to their former glory, enlisting the help of long-time housekeeper Greer Mackenzie. But as Caitlin delves deeper into the history of this once magnificent home, she uncovers a past haunted by misfortune and grief. And beneath the blood-red roses that climb beside the bay window of the drawing room, a human skull is about to be unearthed.

The truth that has held Ardbray House captive for so long is surfacing, and with it, the heart-breaking secret of the herbalist who once lived there.


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My Five-Star Review:

1889 - Kitty’s dreams do not come true after her marriage. Eventually, sent to Ardbray House in the Scottish Highlands, Kitty begins to find her true passion through growing and working with herbs.

2003 – Caitlin Black wants to buy Ardbray House to turn it into a spa – a refuge from society. Greer, the caretaker of the house for decades, is not sure about Caitlin’s ideas for the place. Greer has been protecting the house and caring for the spirits that haunt it since Kitty’s death.

The Herbalist’s Secret is an interesting story that draws you in and keeps you interested. I will definitely look for more books in the future by author Annabelle Marx.

 


About the Author:

Annabelle Marx has worked in marketing and event production as well as running her own food business, winning two Great Taste awards. She’s an alumna of the Faber Academy and in the process of completing an MA in Creative Writing at Bath Spa University. Annabelle finds inspiration in the places she spends time in, most often the Highlands of Scotland. Her debut novel, The Herbalist’s Secret is published on 27th October 2023.

Connect with Annabelle, she’d love to hear from you: Website: www.annabellemarx.com


 

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