4.4
-
7,989 ratings
An investigation into a girl’s disappearance uncovers a mystery dating back to World War II in a haunting novel of suspense by the bestselling author of The Venice Sketchbook and The Paris Assignment.
London: 1968. Liz Houghton is languishing as an obituary writer at a London newspaper when a young girl’s disappearance captivates the city. If Liz can break the story, it’s her way into the newsroom. She already has a scoop: her best friend, Marisa, is a police officer assigned to the case.
Liz follows Marisa to Dorset, where they make another disturbing discovery. Over two decades earlier, three girls disappeared while evacuating from London. One was found murdered in the woods near a train line. The other two were never seen again.
As Liz digs deeper, she finds herself drawn to the village of Tydeham, which was requisitioned by the military during the war and left in ruins. After all these years, what could possibly link the missing girls to this abandoned village? And why does a place Liz has never seen before seem so strangely familiar?
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ISBN-10
1662504225
ISBN-13
978-1662504228
Print length
379 pages
Language
English
Publisher
Lake Union Publishing
Publication date
August 05, 2024
Dimensions
5.5 x 1 x 8.5 inches
Item weight
13.6 ounces
ASIN :
B0CM7H31QH
File size :
6333 KB
Text-to-speech :
Enabled
Screen reader :
Supported
Enhanced typesetting :
Enabled
X-Ray :
Enabled
Word wise :
Enabled
“Bowen is adept at writing mysteries filled with intriguing clues, satisfying solutions, expertly captured historical settings, and a little romance. A must-add to popular mystery collections.” ―Library Journal (starred review)
“The Rose Arbor is a lovely story that reminds us of how life isn’t perfect, but not all missteps lead to tragedy…There’s an underlying intelligence about this tale that is inspiring in its execution and charming in its delivery. It is nearly impossible to open the book without becoming totally immersed in Liz’s life and story.” ―Bookreporter
“The Rose Arbor is a complex and intriguing mystery that dares the reader to unravel the clues before the protagonist, London reporter Liz Houghton, with plenty of intrigue for any seasoned mystery reader, and smart, exquisite prose for those who luxuriate in the beauty of the written word. Take it on your vacation, but be prepared for late nights.” ―Robert Dugoni, New York Times and internationally bestselling author of the Tracy Crosswhite series and A Killing on the Hill
About the Author
Rhys Bowen is the New York Times bestselling author of more than sixty novels, including The Paris Assignment, Where the Sky Begins, The Venice Sketchbook, Above the Bay of Angels, The Victory Garden, The Tuscan Child, and In Farleigh Field, the winner of the Left Coast Crime Award for Best Historical Mystery Novel and the Agatha Award for Best Historical Novel. Bowen’s work has won sixteen honors to date, including multiple Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity Awards. Her books have been translated into many languages, and she has fans around the world, including more than seventy thousand Facebook followers. A transplanted Brit, Bowen divides her time between California and Arizona. For more information, visit rhysbowen.com.
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Rhys Bowen
Rhys Bowen is the New York Times bestselling author of two historical mystery series as well as several internationally bestselling historical novels, two of which were nominated for Edgar Award
Rhys was born in Bath, England and educated at London University but now divides her time between California and Arizona. Her books have been nominated for every major mystery award and she has won twenty of them to date, including five Agathas.
She currently writes two historical mystery series, each very different in tone. The Molly Murphy mysteries feature an Irish immigrant woman in turn-of-the-century New York City. These books are multi-layered, complex stories with a strong sense of time and place and have won many awards including Agatha and Anthony. There are 19 books so far in this series plus three Kindle stories, Rhys’s daughter, Clare Broyles, now cowrites the series with her
Then there is Lady Georgie, She's 35th in line to the throne of England, but she's flat broke and struggling to survive in the Great Depression. These books are lighter and funnier than Molly's adventures. They poke gentle fun at the British class system--about which Rhys knows a lot, having married into an upper class family rather like Georgie's.
As a child Rhys spent time with relatives in Wales. Those childhood experiences colored her first mystery series, about Constable Evans in the mountains of Snowdonia.
Her books have been translated into over 30 languages
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Customer reviews
4.4 out of 5
7,989 global ratings
Kindle Customer
5
Couldn't put it down
Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2024
Verified Purchase
It is 1968 and a young reporter, her detective roommate and a missing little girl are the beginnings of a story that began over twenty years ago. Four missing little girls, three from during the war in 1943 and one now that brings back memories of failure to a veteran policeman. The intricate weaving of past and present and the motives and lies uncovered will keep you intrigued till the last page. This is one I will read again because the unraveling of secrets and plot deserves it.
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Cathy Akers Jordan
5
Compelling Historical Mystery
Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2024
Verified Purchase
Rhys Bowen's latest standalone mystery spans time and space with story elements set in 1943 Tyneham (a village in Dorset) and 1968 London. Reporter Liz Houghton struggles to solve the mystery of a missing child in 1968 that might be connected to missing children who disappeared in 1943. Led by information from her policewoman roommate, Liz begins exploring Dorset for clues about Little Lucy that lead her to suspect the missing child might be held in the ruins of Tyneham, a village requisitioned and destroyed by the Army in 1943. What unfolds are parallel tales of villagers displaced from homes their families had lived in for generations, children displaced by the war, and displaced children lost in the wartime shuffle from city to country. During her investigation, Liz meets the son of the displaced Lord of the village manor and together they explore surprising yet believable clues that tie Liz to Tyneham.
The Tyneham-during-the-War part of this story really intrigued me. I've heard of noble families whose manor houses were requisitioned but I'd never really thought about ordinary people displaced by the war or how terrifying relocation must've been for children being sent away from the Blitz. They were put on a train by their parents and traveled without supervision. Many simply wore a name tag for identification, like Paddington Bear. At each stop, some children were claimed by local families and given shelter. Those who weren't taken in stayed on the train until the next stop. Imagine being a child in that situation, wondering who would take you in, what life with those strangers might be like, and not knowing if you'd ever see your parents again. Then there are the children who disappeared along the way. What happened to them? Bowen does a masterful job contrasting three disappearances.
Like Bowen's other books, the complex characters are realistic and interesting as they deal with unexpected challenges in their lives. The story is complete but leaves the reader hoping it’s the beginning of a new series so one can see what happens to the characters after the resolution of the mystery. The 1968 setting is interesting because from a 2024 perspective, it is a historical mystery. Even if the reader can't remember 1968, the descriptions of fashions and society leave the reader wanting to spend more time in 1968 England with those characters. It would be fun to watch Liz live through women's liberation the other huge cultural changes that were just starting in 1968. One can only hope that THIS will be the standalone that becomes the first in a new series.
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14 people found this helpful
Ann K.
5
intriguing Read
Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2024
Verified Purchase
I liked the war history with the descriptions about the impacts on and feelings of the folks affected by the war. People from all walks of life had their lives changed by government actions as well as from bombings and fears of attacks. The complexity of life during war times was well described as well as how love and need for love drives behaviors. The core love story was a feel-good part of the book. I really enjoyed the story.
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