The Manor House (by Gilly Macmillan)
I love the cover of this book. It provides the perfect visual intrigue for what may be occurring behind that closed gate, as though only certain people are privileged enough to be included. I’m always game for a story about an elegant mansion, its arrogant residents, and a murder to be solved. The Manor House by Gilly Macmillan seriously exceeded my expectations.
The novel opens with Nicole and Tom, a young couple who recently won the lottery and have built a magnificent Glass Barn home in the English countryside outfitted with state-of-the-art technology. Nicole and Tom have known each other since childhood and are true soulmates. Nicole returns home one morning from an outing to find Tom dead in their swimming pool. The loss of Tom is tragic and overwhelming. Thankfully, Nicole can lean on her neighbors, Sasha and Olly, and their housekeeper, Kitty. Sasha teaches yoga, and Olly is writing his first novel. Patrick, Tom’s childhood best friend, comes to spend time and grieve with Nicole. Patrick is a shady character, and Nicole is uncertain of his trustworthiness and motives for visiting with her. Detectives Hal and Jen are dedicated to finding out what happened to Tom. Everyone has their own opinion, whether it was an accident or murder.
The Manor House was a great suspenseful mystery thriller. I loved how the story was told from each character's perspective. (I can imagine that would be a challenge to write.) This story-telling style was fascinating and entertaining. It also gave my brain a work-out trying to figure out what happened to Tom. Other mysteries were introduced as the story progressed, adding layers to the characters’ pasts and secrets they held close. I was repeatedly shocked by the directions the characters took. I didn’t see anything coming that happened, and it made for a wonderful reading experience! Furthermore, I loved how the story kept going; Gilly thoroughly covered each character and what happened to them as the book closed. I appreciate finishing the book with a feeling of satisfaction.
I borrowed the audiobook from my local library with the Hoopla app. I highly recommend the audiobook as it has a full cast of narrators: Ethan Reid, Nathalie Buscombe, Clare Corbett, Fenella Woogler, Josh Dylan, Ben Allen, and Sian Thomas.
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