1924. Lord and Lady Kearsley's glittering Summer Ball is in full swing when their betrothed daughter Xanthe slips out of the Orangery and into the maze for a secret encounter. By the next morning, the grand house will be in ashes and two bodies removed, but no one will ever know what happened that night in Winterthorne.

2024. Juliet Stewart discovers she has inherited a cottage in the cliff-top village of Winterthorne from a relative she never knew existed. Stumbling upon the ruins of Kearsley Castle, she learns about the fire that destroyed the family. Puzzled by the disturbing gifts appearing on her doorstep, Juliet realises that someone doesn't want her in Winterthorne. But as she becomes drawn deeper into Xanthe's story, she discovers that danger lies not only in uncovering the past, but in the present too.

Absolutely loved this story! Wonderful well-written characters, brilliant history, and exquisite prose. Pick this gem up if you enjoy dual-timeline historical fiction. 5⭐

I received an advanced complimentary digital copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed this time slip novel. The plot was really well written and held me gripped. I do wish there had been more about Jude and what happened next but that’s the sign of. a good book that you don’t want to leave. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me access to an early copy of this book

When Jude is left a cottage near the sea to buy her great aunt, who she didn't know, she has to go and see it. After all she is about to become homeless in London
The cottage is great and the locals seem friendly., especially Nick and his mum, Liz.
But all is not as it seems. Jude gets mysterious gifts left on her doorstep. Then she starts getting visions of a woman in 1924. Who is she? What is she trying to say to Jude?
Great characters and plot

Thank you NetGalley and Headline for this eCopy to review

From the moment I stepped into the eerie ruins of Kearsley Castle, I knew The Moonlit Maze was going to be an unforgettable journey. Zoë Marriott masterfully blends historical mystery, gothic suspense, and quiet supernatural intrigue, crafting a novel that lingers long after the final page.

The story unfolds across two timelines:

1924 – At Lord and Lady Kearsley’s grand Summer Ball, their daughter Xanthe sneaks into the maze for a secret meeting. By morning, the house is in ashes, two bodies are removed, and the truth of that night is buried forever.

2024 – Juliet Stewart, struggling to make ends meet, unexpectedly inherits a cottage in the cliff-top village of Winterthorne from a relative she never knew. As she explores the ruins of Kearsley Castle, she becomes entangled in the mystery of the fire that destroyed the family. But when disturbing gifts appear on her doorstep, Juliet realizes someone doesn’t want her uncovering the past.

As Juliet delves deeper into Xanthe’s story, she discovers that danger lurks not only in history but in the present as well.

Marriott’s prose is atmospheric and immersive, weaving a tale that is both emotionally gripping and subtly eerie. The dual timeline structure is executed beautifully, allowing the past and present to intertwine in unexpected ways.

The novel’s themes of grief, control, and resilience add depth to the mystery, making Juliet and Xanthe’s journeys equally compelling. The supernatural elements are intriguing rather than overt, adding a quiet unease that enhances the gothic tone.

If you love timeslip mysteries with gothic undertones, The Moonlit Maze is a must-read. Marriott delivers a haunting, beautifully crafted novel that keeps you guessing until the very end.

Engaging and ethereal, this dual-time novel takes the reader on a journey across time bound by love and secrets. In 1924, a young woman leaves a Summer ball to meet her lover, an encounter that ends in tragedy. In 2024, another young woman receives a timely, if unexpected, legacy that leads her on an emotional and perilous adventure. Lyrically written, it connects the two women in an ethereal way, culminating in a dramatic and mystical conclusion. I like the two female protagonists and their emotional connection, the web of secrets, the hint of menace, and the love that holds it all together. It's an engaging and emotive read.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

A dual timeline story. Two women reach out to each other to unveil the truth of a long hidden secret. An exciting read with twists and turns that keep you gripped. Beautifully written .

The Moonlit Maze was my first read by Zoe Marriott and what a great read it was.

In 1924 Lady Xanthe is attending her parent;s summer ball and sneaks out to meet her lover, Tom the son of the head gardener, and then tragedy strikes, her family home is burnt and two bodies are removed. The tragedy and secrets from that night will bleed through the years and through time itself.

2024, Jude Stewart is barely eeking out an existence. She lives on her flatmates couch and works two jobs to try to make ends meet. Her flatmate informs her that she is moving her boyfriend in and Jude will need to find a new place to live, still grieiving the death of her mother, Jude does not know how she will survive, then she receives an extraordinary letter, a great-aunt that she has never heard of has died and left her a pension and a cottage. The cottage is in the village of Winterthorne overlooks the ruins of a great house. There is a mystery here, what happened to the house and it’s inhabitants? Why is Jude so drawn to the ruins and the story of the family that lived there?

This was a great timeslip novel that kept me guessing until the end, both Xanthe and Jude were sympathetic characters and I enjoyed the mystery and descrptions of Winterthorne and the supporting characters of both timelines.

Thanks to Netagalley, Headline publishers and the author for the chance to read and review this ARC.

Told over dual timelines, The Moonlit Maze is a wonderful and atmospheric tale full of twists and turns.

I really enjoyed the book
1924. Lord and Lady Kearsley's glittering Summer Ball is in full swing when their betrothed daughter Xanthe slips out of the Orangery and into the maze for a secret encounter. By the next morning, the grand house will be in ashes and two bodies removed, but no one will ever know what happened that night in Winterthorne.

2024. Juliet Stewart discovers she has inherited a cottage in the cliff-top village of Winterthorne from a relative she never knew existed. Stumbling upon the ruins of Kearsley Castle, she learns about the fire that destroyed the family. Puzzled by the disturbing gifts appearing on her doorstep, Juliet realises that someone doesn't want her in Winterthorne. But as she becomes drawn deeper into Xanthe's story, she discovers that danger lies not only in uncovering the past, but in the present too...

A clever timeslip novel with great characters.

I discovered fairly recently that timeslip novels really appeal to me, but I read one or two duds so I was a bit apprehensive when starting this one. I needn't have worried: it delivers on all fronts. The timeslip is believable, the characters in both timelines are engaging, and the ending pulls everything together in a fantastic way.

I think I did slightly prefer the modern day characters but mainly because a lot of the 1924 ones were deeply unpleasant. Both Jude (Juliet) and Xanthe were brilliant heroines, and the way everything came together at the end was very satisfying. I'd have liked an epilogue with a bit more about Jude's life after the events of the novel, but that's a minor gripe and it could have spoiled the impact. I guess I just didn't want to let her go!

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read and I definitely recommend it. 4.5 stars

I had an advance copy so thank you very much to the publishers and Netgalley, it is much appreciated. My review is unbiased and all opinions are my own.

The story is told over dual timelines. We meet Lady Xanthe Kearsley in 1924 at her home, where there is a glittering Summer Ball happening. Xanthe slips away and is never seen again. In 2024, Juliet (Jude) Stewart inherits a cottage from her Great Aunt, Anne Erskine that she didn't know about. Jude decides she will move to the cottage at a small village called Winterthorne. What happens next is a delightful story where we learn about their lives told in their voices. It was a story of betrayal, where secrets and lies are uncovered. It was well written, entertaining, emotional, full of twists and turns, which came to a dramatic ending.

This book was an atmospheric, twisty ride! The eerie setting and mysterious plot kept me hooked from the start. I loved how the layers of the story slowly unraveled—each chapter pulling me deeper into the maze (literally and figuratively). The characters were compelling, and the suspense was well-paced.

An incredible book, beautifully written and captivating, with a fascinating speculative element of the story devoted to the possibilities of time periods co-existing, crossing over through parallels and being influential in reverse; we know the past influences the future, but could the present day change the past?

I loved it! The character development was exemplary and the immersive writing kept me reading on and on. I would have loved more at the end - maybe a novella sequel about what Jude learns from the book she discovered? Fabulous!

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Zoe Marriott and Headline for an ARC of this book.

this book is so magical. i was swept into the world of both our timelines. and i was invested in both just as much which is the true telling of a brilliant book where there is more than one timelines, the fact you are invested so much in both.
from the cover of this book i was instantly in. it has a magic about it, a feeling, like a maze pulling you in.
we are told of a young woman in 1924 who is shouldering the weight of her families expectations and restrictions. she has expectations her family are making her face. and she isnt ready. not for this, not for him. but there is someone. but this someone is not someone she is allowed to choose.
then the night of a summer ball Xanthe plans a secret meeting in the gardens. but that night is also the ending of it all. because there is a fire that destroys all and bodies are bought out the wreckage. but that is where the case of that night leaves us.
then in the present we are with a lost and lonely young woman Juliet. shes not knowing how to continue with how hard this all is. then she receives a letter telling of an inheritance she never knew about from someone she never knew about. so what else can she do but go. she knows she has to. she knows she wants to. and so here she finds herself. but here is where she feels a pull to the woman of Winterthorne estate and what happened to her.
but are and how are both connected?
is this a young woman yearning for connection. or is there something more going on here then she gave credit to?
this book was exactly what i hoped it would be and perhaps more. because the sprinkling of Zoe's magical touch elevated it to a whole new level. there were touches of all sorts threaded through it. there was a romance. a mystery and a dual timeline. there was connections and mysteries around said connections. and we are figuring it out whilst loving the story we are being told.

I absolutely loved reading this timeslip novel, it's my favourite genre. The way the story wove around Juliet and Xanthe, 100 years apart, was exquisite and I really hope the author writes more of these well written stories

I'm beginning to think that timeslip novels are just not for me. In concept, it's cool, but for some reason, there's always something that leaves me not-quite-satisfied.

What's there not to love about this story? There's modern-day Juliet (Jude) Stewart inheriting a cottage in a cozy British village giving her enough money to turn her life around and a chance to catch her breath. There's young Lady Xanthe Kearsley in the 1920s torn between her betrothal to horrid cousin Jonathan (who will inherit all her father's possessions due to entailment) and wanting to live her life on her own terms.

Two separate, entrancing stories, connected by space (Winterthorne) and somehow bleeding through time. I should have loved it, but...

In Elaine Chiew's The Light Between Us, I felt I couldn't quite grasp how the two protagonists were connected by time travelling letters with a fancy mathematical theory, so I quite appreciated the simplicity of this connection through time - and even the lack of any solid explanation. There's a mystical quality to how Jude keeps dreaming of Xanthe, and how Xanthe catches glimpses of Jude at odd times.

There's enough in both timelines to keep me going - rooting for Jude as she tries to figure out her future and being angry on Xanthe's behalf because she's stuck in a society with little options. And Jonathan is a manipulative abuser being enabled by Xanthe's parents - there, I said it. You want to believe that Xanthe will overcome, that Jude will somehow find a way back in time to help her...

One little thing that really bothered me was the strange love triangle between Jude and the two men in Winterthorne, where for a moment it was like Jude HAD to fall in love with one or other of them because a woman cannot just be friends with a man!!! Marriott resolves this as part of the plot, but it was just very annoying while it was happening.

The ending itself - and its revelations - felt satisfying to me. Like yes I'm glad it resolved that way.

I want to say I loved this story. And yet... like I said, maybe I'm not configured to really enjoy timeslip stories, the same way time travel and multiverses give me a headache (looking at you, Avengers: Endgame).

Note: I received a digital ARC of this book from Headline via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A beautifully crafted duel timeline novel which are unlike most books in this genre as Jude the heroine in the current day actually experiences what is happening to Xanthe the heroine in 1924.
It enthrals you from the vert first page. I was unable to put it down and read it in one day.
Cannot recommend it enough.

The prose was beautifully written, not a word out of place, and skilfully crafted – even the rips in the veil between the two time periods, which is something very few writers carry off.
However the story itself was not for me. I do enjoy timeslip novels, especially those with echoes between the narratives, but these were too closely bound together for my liking. So much so that spotting them one after another jerked me out of what was happening on the page. To say more would mean including spoilers and as I am sure many people will enjoy this book, I’ll leave it at that.

This was a gripping, engrossing read. It’s a dual timeline novel where the modern day character relives through dreams events that happened in her village 100 years previously. The focus of her dreams was a woman caught in an intractable situation where she was being forced to marry a person she hated and sought to escape her prospects to find a meaningful life. The modern day character was struggling to come to terms with a string of tragedies but in coming to this village finds healing and wholeness. While there is some speculative science the two tales are woven together in an excellent storyline. The book emphasises the power of love as the driving force behind a satisfying life, something we could all remember.

This was a truly wonderful read full of twists and turns. A brilliant dual timeline story full of twists and turns. Full of emotion which clearly came from the heart of the author. A real page turner which you will feel difficult to put down.