“The Daughters of Foxcote Manor” by Eve Chase

Title: The Daughters of Foxcote Manor    
Author: Eve Chase 
Publisher: Penguin
Year: 2020
Genre(s): historical fiction, contemporary 
Part of a Series: No

Why I read it: Once Upon a Book Club pick

Summary: Sylvie is learning that when it rains, it pours. As she navigates through several family emergencies, she realizes she needs to finally confront her past. It leads her to a property once called Foxcote Manor, where in 1971, Rita arrives with Mrs. Harrington and her children for the summer after a family tragedy. But another one may loom when a baby is found in the woods and an dangerous visitor arrives. The events of that summer reverberate and affect Sylvie’s present and future.

Rating: 

Review: While I enjoyed this book, I think I would’ve enjoyed it more if the summary had been more accurate. The summary was written to make it seem like the discovery of a dead body was part of the inciting action of the story.

Because of that, I thought the dead body would be found sooner than it was and so I got really confused as I read the story, wondering when it would enter the story. It was really the climax of one plot and it ruined any tension that might’ve been built up if I didn’t expect it to be sooner.

Again, not Chase’s fault but just something I felt the need to mention. Now let’s move on.

Honestly, I don’t think Chase needed the tease of the dead body. She does start of the story with a fictional article about the body found by Foxcote but it was not a tease she needed. Chase did an excellent job creating tension without that hanging over the story. There was the tension in Rita, who wanted to do right by the family she worked for but unsure how to do it when put in an impossible position by her employer. And then the arrival of a baby as well as Mrs. Harrington’s affair partner created even more tension that would’ve made finding the dead body more dramatic and really let things explode.

And I also don’t think the character needed to die anyway. But enough about that.

For the most part, our main characters were pretty relatable and I enjoyed following their journeys. Rita and Sylvie especially where the ones I liked the most. Their struggles and dilemmas really were the backbone of both stories and grounded the plots.

The secondary characters were interesting though frustrating, especially Mrs. Harrington and Don. I wanted to slap both of them multiple times, which is a compliment to Chase for writing them that way. They felt real, even if they were annoying.

I figured out a few of the big reveals early on but I think that’s more a credit to Chase’s writing than a complaint. You might as well but I don’t think it will ruin your experience of the book. As I said, it didn’t for me.

All the plots blended well together and didn’t feel too forced or unbelievable in their connections. I enjoyed the story in the present time as much as the one in 1971 and I again have to give Chase her credit. She has crafted an amazing story about family and love that will touch you.

Bottom line: A good story with compelling characters that doesn’t necessarily need the threat of a death to create tension.

Sex: Allusions but nothing too graphic

Moonlight Musing

How far would you go to protect your family?