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1855, 2016: Two women. One house. Centuries of secrets.
1855, 2016: Two women. One house. Centuries of secrets.
1855
Violet Hargreaves is the lonely daughter of a widowed industrialist, and an aspiring Pre-Raphaelite painter. One day, the naïve eighteen-year-old meets the mysterious and handsome Edwin on the beach. He promises her a world beyond the small coastal village she’s trapped in. But after she ignores warnings about Edwin, a chain of terrible events begins to unfold for Violet…
2016
For thriller-writer Ella Daniels, the house on the cliff, where she’s moved with her young family, is the perfect place to overcome writer’s block. But there’s a strange atmosphere that settles once they move in – and Ella’s intrigued when she hears stories of brutal murders in the house next door more than 150 years ago. When Ella uncovers a portrait of a beautiful young girl named Violet Hargreaves, who went missing at the same time as the horrific crimes, she becomes determined to find out what happened. And in trying to lay Violet’s ghost to rest, Ella must face ghosts of her own…
Visit Sussex over two time periods
One house and two women live there in two very diferent time periods.
For one, it is a house of new beginnings – a house on a cliff, perfect for writing. With a husband at work, Ella Daniels is keen to settle into this new (and unnamed Sussex village). She explores the house and the village and finds out that the locals have a few stories to tell about the house’s history. The village and house sound lovely, as does the view of the beach and the cliffs. Inspiring for artists and writers alike…
1855
Violet is a keen artist but this was not a time where women were encouraged to paint or to do anything better than men. One day she meets the mysterious Edwin on the beach. He says he is a man who knows and understands the world of painters, good art and so much more. She becomes his muse but gradually her world becomes his and a dangerous obsession begins. This world is immersive to see and Violet’s journey is fascinating as she navigates the wishes of her family, society’s expectations and her own desires in the world of art…..a man’s world in every way.
Sussex is the setting although the location of the beach and house is vague (or fictional) You can tell you’re somewhere close to Brighton and on a beach which is lovely and very good to wander with these characters!
Destination/location: Sussex Author/guide: Kerry Barrett Departure Time: 1855, 2016
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