I know I’ve been reading this one for a few weeks, but over the weekend I finished The Animals at Lockwood Manor by Jane Healey. It was a great book, I’ve just struggled to make time to read over the last few weeks. I received a copy of the book to review via NetGalley, read on to find out more about it.

The Animals at Lockwood Manor by Jane Healey

A terrible secret lies buried at the heart of this house.

August 1939.

As the world goes to war, Hetty Cartwright arrives at Lockwood Manor, to take up her new post for the duration of the war, as safekeeper of the Natural History Museum’s most treasured animal collection, recently evacuated from London.

Yet life at the Manor proves challenging for Hetty, who faces the near constant task of protecting her charges from the irascible Lord Lockwood and resentful servants. It seems that every inhabitant has something to hide, not least Lucy, Lord Lockwood’s beautiful yet haunted daughter.

But when some of the animals start to go missing, Hetty begins to suspect that someone, or something, is stalking her through the darkened corridors of the house . . .

Amongst the rumours of ghosts and curses, what else is Lockwood Manor hiding?

 

I wanted to read this book because it was about a museum collection and I used to work in museums. I loved looking after historical collections and enjoyed reading about Hetty and her stuffed animals. The book is part historical novel and part mystery. Almost as soon as Hetty arrives at Lockwood Manor she notices strange things happening to her animals.

At first I thought it was something to do with the recently deceased Lady Lockwood, it was only towards the end that the story unravelled and you find out what, or rather who, was behind all the strange activity.

I have to admit that I was a bit surprised with the ending of the book. It seemed to take a bit of a twist to where I thought it was going, but it was a very clever plot and the clues were well placed throughout the story.

The book is published by Mac Macmillan in March 2020, available from all good bookshops, (Amazon affiliate link).