A country house mystery... A family drama... A romantic comedy...
REBECCA meets COLD COMFORT FARM in Linda Gillard's complex novel, HOUSE OF SILENCE (selected for Amazon UK's "Top Ten Best of 2011" in the Indie Author category.)

SYNOPSIS

"My friends describe me as frighteningly sensible, not at all the sort of woman who would fall for an actor. And his home. And his family."

Orphaned by drink, drugs and rock n' roll, Gwen Rowland is invited to spend Christmas at her boyfriend Alfie's family home, Creake Hall - a ramshackle Tudor manor in Norfolk. Soon after she arrives, Gwen senses something isn't quite right. Alfie acts strangely toward his family and is reluctant to talk about the past. His mother, a celebrated children's author, keeps to her room, living in a twilight world, unable to distinguish between past and present, fact and fiction.

When Gwen discovers fragments of forgotten family letters sewn into an old patchwork quilt, she starts to piece together the jigsaw of the past and realises there's more to the family history than she's been told. It seems there are things people don't want her to know.

And one of those people is Alfie...

I had this book on my wishlist for a very long time.. and since I recently read a book by L.Gillard which I quite liked, I thought I give it a go.
First of all, I liked the other book better. Here there were so many secrets and dramas, it felt a bit overloaded.The characters were likable, understandable but I am not sure that such a "happy ending" would have been possible after all these dark secrets.
Nonetheless I enjoyed reading it and it won't be my last book by this author!

Offering now as a RAY

Ray order so far:

Ray order so far (due to shipping preferences):
1. estelle1806 (IRL/int)
2. penelopewanders (CH/EU)
3. icila (F/int)
4. valpete (US/int)
5. earthcarolanne (UK/UK)
6. Femke85 (S/int)

Off to Ireland - enjoy!

Received today - thank you kiki66!

I enjoyed this read, but did not warm so much to the main female character. The mystery was fun to follow and I have to admit I got it wrong trying to solve it as I was reading the story!
All in all a pleasant book, not the worst, nor the best.

It will travel to Switzerland next.

On its way to penelopewanders...

Please let us know when you release it again...

This arrived in Switzerland today, where it will join the other rings and rays which have rolled in recently. I am working my way through the pile, but do have work-related reading as well... I greatly enjoyed the other books by this author which I've read (and were made available by LyzzyBee if I recall correctly). Thanks for sending and thanks for making this available. Thanks too for all the nice cards and bookmarks!

This is the third I've read by this author so far, and I have to say I'm quite the fan. I savor her writing, her characters are quirky and somehow very human, and often, like here, the plots are sinuous and fairly unpredictable. So far certain themes have recurred, such as the affinity with textile in some form, and gardens... An author I will continue to keep an eye out for. I was lucky to discover her thanks to a bookcrossing spiral of sorts. I should have the next address, just have to confirm it hasn't changed in the meantime. Thanks so very much for making this available.

This travelled from the Swiss Alps to the center of France by car, and now journeys further west by post. Thanks so very much for making this available.

The author, in response to my review on Goodreads will be sending me two more of her books which I have promised to share on bookcrossing - so if those of you in this ring enjoy her writing, give me a heads up and I'll add you to the list (once they've arrived, I've read them and get ready to send them on their way!)
Meanwhile, enjoy, Icila!

Merci penelopewanders, the book was waiting for me with Hubby when I came back from the sea-shore, first day without thunder !
I'm in for the other books, hurray to you !

It rains and rains and rains, perfect alibi to read and read and read .
I liked the plot a lot and the writing too. Nice smooth and white paper.

In the mail to valpete in California. Enjoy !

Thanks, it arrived today. I'll get to it ASAP.

I enjoyed reading this book. It moved along nicely, kept me wondering what was next. The story of Gwen, a lonely girl, invited to spend Christmas at the family of her boyfriend. Secrets abound and many twists and turns kept me intrigued.

Next week, I'll be in Scotland and so will post this book to the new reader while I'm on vacation.

Thank you. Arrived today. Got to finish my book club book first and it's over 600 pages. I'm only at 25 and it's not going well.

I enjoyed the plot, the characters and the dialogue, all vital for a successful novel. I really like Linda Gillard's books. There is something a little different about them.

Sending on in the bookring.

This book arrived in the mail today. Thanks Kiki66 for making it available as a bookray and earthcaroleanne for sending it my way :)

One of the best things about bookcrossing, is that it has given me the opportunity to read books that I would never have thought about picking myself. Honestly, the cover and title of this book would never have appealed to me if i would see it laying around in a bookstore, so I’m glad this book came to me as a bookray. Great lesson in never judging a book by its cover, because I absolutely loved this book. I think I finished it in less than 2 days, just because I was so fascinated by the story. I’m really happy I got to read it and excited that I had signed up for a bookray with another book by this author. I really liked her style, adding a bit of humour to some very dark topics.

Gwen meets her boyfriend’s - Artie - family in their estate during christmas holidays. Artie is an actor, but he’s mostly known through his mother, who is an children’s books author and who based a book series on Artie. Artie is very closed about his personal life and it takes Gwen some effort to get invited to the christmas party. When she arrives there, she quickly realises this is not an ordinary family. While she herself is an only (and orphaned) child from a dysfunctional family that is characterised by addiction problems, Artie’s family is filled with secrets, lies and mysteries that slowly reveal throughout the book.

I got this book as a bookray, but since I’m last on the list, I think I get to keep it (Kiki66, send me a PM if I’m wrong). Since I’m also on the Holiday Gift Giving thread and this book is set around christmas time, I will pick someone from that list to send the book to.

Sending this book off to Latvia as a Holiday Gift Giving package.
As usual, I recycled my son’s drawings to make packaging.

Book from my Holiday Gift Giving wishlist http://www.bookcrossing.com/forum/10/554970

Thank you Femke85 for sending it to me. I'm big fan of family stories, so this book will be now on top in my TBR booklist.

Thank you for labels and postcard.