This dual timeline story follows the lives of two women connected to an imposing house in two centuries, in Tudor England and in the present century. In the Tudor story thread, you see the effect of society on women who were regarded as a commodity. Ambitious men plotted to increase riches and influence, at others' expense. In this case, the Duke of Norfolk, an important member of Queen Elizabeth's court, is secretly plotting to advance what he sees as the best for the country and for him. To him, Anne's family is no more than a source of income and he rides roughshod over her wishes. This leaves Anne with a burning sense of anger a need for revenge. Clever and resourceful, she hides her intelligence behind others' assumptions of her capability as a women.

In the present day, Sarah finds herself summoned back to her godmother's house in remote Norfolk. It is an ordeal for her to return there and you find out why slowly as the story evolves. In her childhood, she lost her sibling, a link she shares with the Elizabethan Anne. Sarah has felt guilt related to this loss ever since and been estranged from her parents. She senses ghostly presences in the house and becomes fascinated with researching the past. What she finds out has a profound effect on her and gives her insight into many matters.

I found this novel to be engrossing as the similarity between the two women became evident. There are fascinating period details in the Tudor period and your view of the house helps you to visualise how it ends up centuries later. There are some interesting threads which link the stories, particularly around grief and loss. The Tudor period emerges as a dangerous and deadly time for many, with a strict class system and within the rich and landed, an arrogant tone.

In short: tudor intrigue and present day sleuthing

Have you ever had an incident that was so impactful that it defined your entire life from that moment on? For Anne Howard, Countess of Arundel, it was the death of her younger brother, George. She vows vengeance against those who were behind his untimely demise. In the present day, Sarah must return to her godmother’s home, which holds a lot of memories, mostly painful. It is in the halls of this ancient house that Sarah meets Anne through a book of poetry. Can these two women find peace or will the truths bring even more disasters? Clare Marchant tells the stories of these two women, the tragedies and the poetry that unite them, in her latest novel, “The Shadow on the Bridge.”

I would like to thank Boldwood Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this novel. I liked the cover and when I read the description, it caught my eye. I have had Clare Marchant on my blog for a guest post, but I have yet to read her novels, so I decided to take a chance. I was not familiar with the story of Anne Howard, Countess of Arundel, so I was excited to read her story.

We begin with Anne Howard, born Anne Darce, and her family at Barnhamcross Hall. She takes care of her young brother George, who is supposed to become the 5th Baron Greystoke. However, tragedy strikes when George falls from his rocking horse. It seems like a tragic accident, but Anne soon discovers that it was done deliberately. While Anne is married to Philip Howard, she secretly plans revenge against her father-in-law, the Duke of Norfolk. Anne Howard is known for her poetry, so she uses her skills with a quill to uncover a plot a bit closer to home.

Sarah, in the modern day, is a woman full of remorse and guilt. She has accepted to visit her godmother Cordelia at her home of Barnhamcross Hall, which holds many secrets and sorrows. Sarah knows what it means to lose a loved one as she lost her sister, Emily. Her parents blamed her, and they are no longer in her life. Cordelia is dying, and she wants to leave her home to Sarah. Sarah agrees to stay and help with organizing the estate, and while doing so, she finds a book of poetry from the past. It is through the story of Anne and George that Sarah finds the strength to confront her past.

This was a delightful read full of discovery, suspense, and healing. It was very well-balanced and gave a new perspective to the Howard family. It was such a gripping read that I want a sequel with the same characters because I became attached to them. I am looking forward to reading more novels by Clare Marchant. If you want a fun dual timeline escape that explores a lesser-known Tudor woman, I highly recommend you read, “The Shadow on the Bridge” by Clare Marchant.

Sarah has been summoned back to her godmother Cordelia's house in Norfolk. It is a former convent that was turned into a house known as Barnhamcross Hall. It is a place that gave Sarah the best times of her childhood, but also the absolute worst experience of her life, the one that she never got over. Cordelia is very unwell, and she has decided to leave the house and all the contents to Sarah, but she wants to start going through the contents before she passes. As for Sarah, she doesn't want this inheritance. There are too many bad memories associated with the house.

In the historical storyline, we meet Anne, a young orphan whose stepfather now has control of her destiny. He is Duke of Norfolk, cousin to Queen Elizabeth, and he wants the land and money that are due to become the property of Anne's younger brother, George, when he comes of age. The Duke is a man who is used to getting what he wants, no matter what it takes and no matter who is in the way

What the Duke has underestimated is Anne's determination to get revenge for his role in her young brother's death. Anne is now married to his son and is expected in London. She is called to the court of Queen of Elizabeth. Anne realises that the Duke is involved in a conspiracy and decides that this is her opportunity for revenge. Soon she is passing information to the Queen's spymaster using coded messages in poetry. Will it be enough, or will the duke discover what she is up to?

Both Anne and Sarah are impacted by the events that happened in their childhood and which shape the women that they are now. Both feel guilty, rightly or wrongly.

In the modern storyline, we see Sarah as she works through the many items in the house. She also finds a book of poetry in a hiding place. It soon becomes clear that it is more than just a book of poetry, and Sarah needs to try to work out exactly what is going on. We also flashback to her last visit to the house in 2005. As we got closer to the big reveal about what actually happened back in 2005, I got more and more tense and almost didn't want to find out what the terrible event was, but then I needed to keep reading. You can't say I wasn't invested!

A couple of days ago I did a Top Ten Tuesday post about books where houses were almost characters. This book could be on that list with not one but two houses with cold spots, secret passages and hiding places, a ghostly apparition or two, plus centuries worth of items to be sorted through in one of the houses.

This was a good read. It's funny that I haven't read a Tudor book for years, and now I have read two in the space of six weeks or so. I do think that some of the characters could have been more nuances. If someone was bad, they were all bad. As usual, I found the historical storyline more interesting than the modern one, although I did enjoy Sarah's gradual understanding that while what happened in the past will always shape who she is, she can move forward and not let it restrain her from finding joy and love.

I have previously read and enjoyed Clare Marchant's novel, The Secrets of Saffron Hall. I have missed a couple but I will try to get hold of those soon. I will also be looking forward to whatever comes next.

Our read on a theme book club theme this month is Spy. This book will be a good selection for that! I wasn't sure what I was going to choose but so far I am up to 3 books with that theme! Turns out this is an easy theme for me!

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews, and the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge when I host here. I have also shared this with British Isles Friday hosted at Joy's Book Blog. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy.

I'm reviewing this via NetGalley, as part of a tour with Rachel's Random Resources.

I really enjoyed the last book that I read by this author, so I was looking forward to this. This is a historical novel with a split narrative. In the present day, we follow Sarah, who goes to Barnhamcross Hall to visit her godmother, Cordelia. In the 1500s, we follow Anne, who becomes the Countess of Arundel.

Sarah's return to Barnhamcross Hall brings back memories from her childhood, some of which are very painful. Exploring the beautiful Tudor house, she discovers a mysterious parcel which sparks her interest.

This story swept me away, as Barnhamcross Hall came to life in my mind. I found it easy to engage with both parts of the narrative, connecting with both Sarah and Anne. I was excited to see how the two characters’ lives may be linked. This was a beautifully written book, and it helped me to escape for a while.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books, and to the author, for the opportunity to read and review this.

Thank you to @rachelsrandomresources for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I read Clare’s previous book so was very excited to get a copy of this one to review. And what a book it was! Another dual timeline (well, actually 3 timelines) set in the 1500’s and today, seamlessly blended into one fabulous read.

Sarah hates the old house her godmother lives in, it holds painful memories from her childhood and she has no intention of ever seeing it again - until she is summoned to visit. When she arrives, she is given a task that is going to take weeks and means she won’t be leaving in a couple of days as she’d hoped. When she finds the notebook, things start getting intriguing.

I loved the way the 3 timelines intertwined and led to their conclusion, and there were times I didn’t think there was going to be a conclusion to some of them, but as they unfolded I was page turning as quickly as I could to find out what happened. I hope there is more from Clare soon, will definitely be adding to my must read author list!

Sarah’s childhood memories – a particularly traumatic event, gradually revealed – make her reluctant to return to Barnhamcross Hall in rural Norfolk. And it won’t be a brief visit – her godmother’s health is failing, and she needs her help in sorting out and cataloguing the house’s contents. The house itself has a rich past – a pre-Tudor convent converted into a family home – but the news that her godmother plans to leave it to her after her death, bypassing other family members, certainly isn’t something she’s happy to hear.

In the 1500s, Anne Howard thought of Barnhamcross as her home – although, after the death of her young brother and her subsequent forced marriage, she was required to move to London and into the turbulent world of the Elizabethan court. Driven by a quest for vengeance for her brother’s death, she becomes embroiled in espionage with a plan to bring about the downfall of her father-in-law Thomas Howard – exploring the house’s secret passages, passing on information through a pre-arranged code in the poetry she writes at the Queen’s behest.

While tackling the reorganisation of the library, Sarah discovers Anne’s hidden notebook, and begins to unravel her history – and the author’s narrative moves smoothly between the two timelines, as we discover the common elements between both women’s stories. There’s great sadness in both their lives – and a misplaced sense of guilt that has left Sarah unable to move on, and that has driven Anne down that dangerous path to ensure her brother’s death is avenged, however far-reaching the consequences.

The historical setting is quite wonderfully drawn, capturing Anne’s challenges as a naive newcomer to court circles, helped by her rather frowned-upon friendship with her long-suffering lady’s maid. I was particularly struck by the detail – the unfamiliar and uncomfortable clothing, the conventions that needed to be learned, the restrictions imposed on her to make wider friendships more difficult. And the characters really are so very well drawn – Thomas Howard himself really is evil personified, and you can feel the chill every time he makes an appearance.

But I also very much enjoyed the present day story – the house’s eccentricities (and it’s very much another character in the story) and the way that Sarah’s early-life experiences were slowly allowed to unfold. There are certainly edge-of-the-seat moments, very well written – and a few hints of the supernatural, but it’s really more about shadows and memories, and I particularly liked the way it was handled. And both stories were compelling and intriguing – nicely balanced throughout, with none of those uncomfortable wrenches from story to story.

This was a well written – and impeccably researched – dual-time story that I very much enjoyed. Both the women are strong, well defined and sympathetic, and their issues – separated only by history – most certainly entirely engaged me throughout and kept the pages turning. It’s very different from her last book – but I really couldn’t recommend the author’s writing more highly. I’m just looking forward to seeing what she does next…

With her godmother’s health failing Sarah returns to Barnhamcross Hall in Norfolk where she spent part of her childhood. However, Sarah’s memories of the house are not happy ones and as we flit between the present day and 2004 we start to understand the sadness which she has carried within her for so long. Connnected by ancient memories we also learn the story of Anne Howard who also lived at Barnhamcross Hall in the 1500s and whose marriage, into the Howard family, is filled with sadness, intrigue and revenge.

There is a good sense of history and the author has obviously taken the time and care to make everything feel authentic especially as Anne Howard’s intriguing story is not a well known one. The dual time aspect is imaginatively done, with seamless transitions which bring both past and present to life. I enjoyed Sarah’s modern day story, her sadness is palpable, as is her need to put the trauma of the past behind her. Anne’s story is particularly intriguing especially her uneasy relationship with her father-in-law, and her need to seek vengeance for the death of her younger brother. Throughout it all, the house, with its mysterious shadows, very quickly, becomes another character in the story, especially as it gives up its secrets slowly.

The Shadow on the Bridge is a fascinating glimpse into the complex lives of two strong young women whose voices are very clearly heard throughout the whole of this intriguing dual time story.

The Shadow on the Bridge may be my favorite Clare Marchant book to date.

In present day Sarah travels to Norfolk at the request of her dying godmother, Cordelia, to Barnhamcross Hall her godmother’s large Tudor manor house. Sarah is reluctant to stay at the house, the site of a childhood trauma that haunts her to the present day. Cordelia informs Sarah that she is leaving Barnhamcross to her in her will and asks that she assists by clearing out the house. Sarah starts to clear out the manor house and comes across a book of poems that may date back to the Tudor period, the poems seem to tell the story of murder, betrayal and revenge.

In 1569 Anne Dacre watches as her eight year old brother dies in a horrible accident, only to find out that it was not an accident but deliberate murder. Anne vows revenge on the murderer, her step-father and subsequent fatherin-law the Duke of Norfolk. Anne is married off to the Duke’s eldest son to keep the Dacre fortune in the family. The Duke takes Anne to London where she discovers that he is plotting to free Queen Mary of Scots and place her on the English throne, with himself as her husband and co-ruler of course. Anne sees her chance to get revenge on her father-in-law for the murder of her brother. With the assistance of Lord and Lady Walsingham and her maid Kate, Anne is determined to destroy the Duke by any means necessary.

Between the two story lines, Sarah and Anne discover the means to forgive themselves for tragedies that were not of their making, but which consumed their lives. Tudor history with a touch of the supernatural made this a very enjoyable read.

Thanks to Netgalley, Boldwood books and the author for the chance to read and review this ARC.

This is another brilliant multi timeline story from Clare. Full of drama, history and superbly described characters I got lost in Anne’s world completely.

Both Sarah and Anne are grieving - the loss of someone close has taken its toll in both of them and the links between these strong women are emotional. Their tragedies entwined in more ways than one.
I loved Anne’s story - her strength and loyalty are unquestionable and to survive in such a male dominated world is admirable. I was rooting for her from the very beginning and at times had my heart in my mouth as she bravely looks to set things right.

To hear Sarah’s story over the two timelines cleverly gave us an emotional insight into her life

This has an interesting cast of characters that carry the story along a nice pace and create depth to the story. Great plot and I found myself filling an afternoon reading this in one sitting as I found it so enjoyable. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest , unbiased review. 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Another absolutely brilliant book from Clare Marchant. Covering dual timelines with Sarah and Anne two strong main characters this is intriguing, full of mystery and totally absorbing. In 1571 during the reign of Elizabeth 1 Anne finds herself being presented at court after the very manipulative Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk, becomes her guardian and marries her off to his eldest son Philip. She blames him for the death of her brother George and when she finds out he has his own secrets she sees a way to make him pay. In 2025 Sarah reluctantly agrees to visit her Godmother at her large Tudor house in Norfolk where her memories of her last summer in 2004 haunt her. The house holds many secrets and ghosts and when Sarah finds a mysterious book of poetry she becomes determined to transcribe it and find out who the author is. Will her visit and the book of poetry help her to reconcile herself with the events of that summer and lay the ghosts to rest? This is atmospheric and gripping with characters that have depth and believability. I loved the historical references and how it flowed. I’d highly recommend reading Clare’s books if you like historical fiction that has dual timelines and strong characters. Thanks to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the ARC

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this dual timeline story.

Both Anne in the past and Sarah in the present have lost a sibling and in the present Sarah finds a book that was written by Anne, she learns what happened to her brother as well as what Anne’s life was like back in 1571. She is also still trying to get over the loss of her sister.

The story has you turning the pages as you follow the lives of Anne and Sarah and what happens in their lives.

The story was well written.

I highly recommend this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this eCopy to review

"The Shadow on the Bridge" by Clare Marchant is a hauntingly beautiful historical novel that seamlessly blends the past and present. This dual-timeline story captivated me from the very first page and left me utterly spellbound.

The novel follows Sarah in the present day and Anne Howard in 1571. Sarah, struggling with the loss of her sibling, is summoned by her godmother to a remote Norfolk estate. The estate is shrouded in mystery, with a bridge said to be haunted by the ghost of a little boy. As Sarah delves into the estate's history, she uncovers a hidden chamber containing a mysterious book of poems that connects her to Anne's story.

In the 16th century, Anne Howard, the newly-made Countess of Arundel, is grappling with the loss of her brother and the manipulative control of her father-in-law, Thomas Howard. Anne suspects Thomas of being involved in her brother's death and is determined to uncover the truth. Her journey is fraught with danger and intrigue, as she navigates the treacherous waters of the Tudor court.

Clare Marchant's writing is evocative and atmospheric, transporting the reader to both the eerie Norfolk estate and the bustling Tudor court. The characters are richly drawn, and their struggles and triumphs are deeply moving. The novel's central theme of loss and the quest for justice is beautifully explored, making it a poignant and thought-provoking read.

The suspenseful plot kept me on the edge of my seat, and the seamless transitions between the two timelines added to the novel's allure. Marchant's meticulous research and attention to detail bring the historical setting to life, while the modern-day storyline is equally compelling.

Overall, "The Shadow on the Bridge" is a masterful blend of history, mystery, and emotion. It's a book that will stay with you long after you've turned the last page. I highly recommend it to fans of historical fiction and anyone who loves a gripping, atmospheric read

Thankyou to NetGalley, the publishers and the author, for the opportunity to read an advanced readers copy of The Shadow On The Bridge in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
I came across this author quite by accident and have to admit, I am really glad I did.
Set in the present as well as 1571, this dual timeline keeps you hanging by your nails as you slowly discover what really happened to the only brother of Anne Howard through a mysterious book found in the present by Sarah, who is herself still trying to overcome her own loss.
This book was beautifully written with a well thought out storyline and well developed characters.
I would definitely recommend this book

I wasn't sure about this one as both timelines drove me mad the way they were presented. I think for me this book could have worked better if some parts of the older storyline were shorter excerpts included with the present one. I don't think it weighted to what was given in this story, I feel distracted going back and forth from one timeline to the other. However, I kept reading and I ended up enjoying it enough. The end felt a bit rushed to me, though.

I thought this was another really good book by this author. The story is told with dual timelines. Both stories were interesting and good. The women characters are strong. There’s a bit of a mystery to solve with hints of ghostly shadows. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

This was a dual-timeline story. The first timeline took place in present day. where Sarah’s summoned by her godmother to remote Norfolk. She has designated that the house should go to Sarah when she passes, but Sarah has bad memories from there and wants no part of it. When she was young, her sister drowned in the river there, and Sarah has never gotten over it. The other timeline takes place in 1571, where Anne Howard lives in that same home in Norfolk. Her little brother dies a tragic death, and her stepfather marries her off to his eldest son, so he can have control of her fortune. Knowing that her stepfather caused his death, Anne vows to avenge George's death, if it is the last thing she does.

I have only read one other book by this author, and I had really enjoyed that one, so I was excited to read this one as well. Although this one was good, it wasn't as good as the previous book I read. I enjoyed the 1571 timeline a lot more than I did the present day timeline. Sarah just felt one-dimensional to me. I did really get invested in Anne's story, however, and was interested to see how it would play out. Overall, this is a solid 4 out of 5.

Firstly thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

I absolutely loved Clare’s previous book The House of the Witch and so was looking forward to reading this one . I really enjoyed it - the dual timeline the similarities between the characters both in Tudor times and recent times were really engaging . Love everything Tudor so this did keep me interested throughout the short chapters and Clare’s writing is so easy to digest . Another great read 4 ⭐️

I would like to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me the privilege of reading this book.

This book was something different. This is a story within a story. I want to start by saying I did enjoy this book. It's an okay book, and I know what I say following seems like a lot of criticism but truthfully it's not. If this book is picked up as an intriguing book to read and not for the other author comparisons you will 100% enjoy this. However if you pick up this book for the comparison to both Phillipa Gregory and Alison Weirs writing, the only thing you will mostly enjoy is the one story within and the bringing to light of a lost historical figure. That is why I give this the rating I do because it is nice to have a real historical figure brought back to life (more at the end of the book could have been said about her but it's fine) so because can find out more.

However because I requested this book based on the comparison to well known historical writers this is where it pales. There are many mildly slight historical inaccurate wordings in the one half of this book, they can be overlooked but it is noticable. Most of the parts of Anne are loosely accurate I've checked, the building itself not so, which was sorely disappointing. This would be right in-between both other mentioned authors, slightly more historically accurate than Phillipa Gregorys books can be, only slightly, and less fully historically immersive as Alison Weir can be with hers. The downfall though is the writing. The writings on both characters seems a little disjointed and in regards to Sarah seems rushed in her relationships but really miniscule in towards what she actually has to do in the same time period. I get the purpose of the whole story, the other secret story and the poems however it would have been so much more fascinating for more (despite the building being fictitious) references to items she could have found all over (actually feeling like she accomplished some part of that aspect) instead of a brief overview of two rooms and really just two discoveries. It would have really helped to tie the two worlds in more.

Overall this was a good book and I really appreciate the opportunity to be able to have read it and I know many will enjoy it. Thank you so very much again for the privilege it's been!

The theme of this book is the guilt one might feel if a sibling dies and maybe you could have prevented it. Set in two timelines, both Anne and Sarah lose a younger sibling, one to murder and one to negligence. Anne's story of how she helps expose the Duke of Norfolk's treachery is fascinating, and the suspense of her daring makes for entertaining reading. I enjoyed Sarah and Cordelia's relationship and Sarah's solving of the long ago mystery. The way the two storylines intersected was really well done. Lovers of historical fiction will relish this book. Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood books for the opportunity to read and review this book.