Thank you for the ARC! Sadly unable to read as this was downloaded onto an old device I no longer have access to and the book has since been archived.

EXCERPT: The woman drew nearer. His pulse quickened as she came to a halt outside the shop just a few feet from the car, slapping on the brake of the pram with her foot. She paused to take a final puff of her roll-up, then ground it out with the toe of her platform shoe on the pavement, just below the shop window. He heard the jangle of the entrance bell as the door closed behind her.
This was even better than he'd anticipated. But time was of the essence.
Quickly, he got out of the car and strode towards the shop, his heart thudding. The pram was battered, the hood worn with age; a cigarette burn on the cover. His eyes narrowed as he scanned around anxiously, ensuring no one had seen him, then leaned in to inspect the sleeping infant, unhooking the lip of the brown canvas apron. He caught his breath. Reaching in with trembling hands, he seized his chance.

ABOUT 'THE SECRETS OF MILL HOUSE': A missing child. A broken community. A horrifying secret.

When a baby is kidnapped in broad daylight with no witnesses, an otherwise sleepy suburb is rocked to the core and ten-year-old Flora Lanyon is left terrified.

Decades later, Flora takes a job as a live-in carer for elderly couple, Agnes and Abraham, moving into the decrepit watermill where they live. As strange and inexplicable occurrences start to happen, Flora grows increasingly suspicious.

What dark secrets are hiding in the house? Is Flora safe there? And can she unearth the truth before the past catches up with the present?

MY THOUGHTS: The Secrets of Mill House by Anne Wyn Clark is a mystery/family drama which embraces the topics of child abduction, and child, sexual and elder abuse. There are no vivid descriptions of the abuse.

Anne Wyn Clark mysteries are slow-burn and The Secrets of Mill House is no exception. The timeline is dual, moving backwards and forwards between the past and the present until, at the denouement, the timelines collide. There are one or two surprises in the plotline, and a few places where I could easily see what was going to happen, but I was kept interested throughout.

The true strength of this novel, however, lies in the characters. The men at Mill House, Abraham and Hector are, each in their own way, creepy. Agnes is a sweetie but confused a lot of the time. Flora is quite a difficult character to read. I don't know if I liked her or not. I was disappointed in her at one point in the story and I am sure she knew more than she was letting on about one event that occurred. I did admire her doggedness and determination.

The ending is bittersweet and I felt was quite fitting. All the loose ends are tied up nicely. I found this to be an enjoyable, but not particularly memorable read.

⭐⭐⭐.7

#TheSecretsofMillHouse #NetGalley

MEET THE AUTHOR: E.A. Clark also writes under the name Anne Wyn Clark

E.A. Clark lives in the Midlands with her husband and son, plus a rather temperamental cat, a rabbit and a chinchilla. She has three (now grown-up) children and five grandchildren. She is particularly partial to Italian food, decent red wine (or any coloured wine come to that …) and cake – and has been known to over-indulge in each on occasions.
She has a penchant for visiting old graveyards and speculating on the demise of those entombed beneath. Whilst she has written short stories and poetry for many years, a lifelong fascination with all things paranormal has culminated in her first novel for adults, Lay Me to Rest. The setting is inspired by her love of Wales, owing to her father’s Celtic roots.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Avon Books UK via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of The Secrets of Mill House by Anne Wy Clark for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon Books for another twisty thriller of a read from Anne.
Well written and it kept me guessing until the end - I now need some sleep!
Highly recommend

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Really good twisty thrill ride! This kept me guessing and was so well written. I couldn't put it down and finished it within two nights.

I was transported to the atmospheric land of this thrilling tale. It is a hauntingly realistic plot that gave me chilling goosebumps. The twists take you on a ride that you will never forget!