On a sultry summer’s day in 1980, five friends stumble upon an abandoned lakeside cottage hidden deep in the English countryside. For Kat and her friends, it offers an escape; a chance to drop out for a while, with lazy summer days by the lake and intimate winter evenings around the fire. But as the seasons change, tensions begin to rise and when an unexpected visitor appears at their door, nothing will be the same again.
The Shadow Year by Hannah Richell is a compelling mystery and family drama that alternates between two timelines, much like her other works. The novel revolves around a group of friends who, in the 1980s, decide to live an idyllic and isolated life in a remote lakeside cottage. However, their dream quickly unravels as secrets, betrayals, and tensions surface, leading to a tragic event that haunts them all.
In the present day, Lila, a grieving woman reeling from a personal loss, unexpectedly inherits the same cottage. As she retreats there to escape her grief, she begins to unravel the mystery of what happened to the previous occupants decades earlier. The more she uncovers, the more the past intertwines with her own life, revealing haunting secrets and chilling connections.
Richell's writing is atmospheric and layered with suspense, creating a sense of tension and unease as the novel moves between the past and present. The secluded cottage and its surroundings play a central role in shaping the novel’s dark, moody tone.
Published on by eBooks
Categories: Fiction Thriller / Mystery