Ashton Hall by Lauren Belfer: Book Review
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Ashton Hall by Lauren Belfer is a historical mystery set in a centuries-old English manor near Cambridge, where the discovery of a hidden room opens the door to a mystery reaching back hundreds of years.
This was my first Lauren Belfer novel, and between the stately English setting, a secret from the past, and the historical research woven into the story, it had many of the elements I love in a book.
Although the story takes place in the present day, the mystery at its center reaches back to Tudor England and gives the novel a strong historical-fiction feel.
My Take: Ashton Hall hooked me almost immediately. Give me an old English manor, a centuries-old mystery, and hidden history waiting to be uncovered, and I’m probably going to keep turning the pages. I especially enjoyed how the past remained such a strong presence even though the novel is set in modern-day England. My Verdict? Read. This was my first Lauren Belfer novel, and it definitely made me interested in reading more.
What Ashton Hall Is About
Hannah Larson travels to England with her young son, Nicky, to stay at Ashton Hall, a historic manor near Cambridge. When Nicky makes an unexpected discovery inside the house, it raises questions about a woman who lived there centuries earlier.
As Hannah and others begin researching the woman’s identity and what happened to her, the investigation leads deep into the religious and social upheaval of Tudor England. At the same time, Hannah is dealing with complications in her own present-day life.
The result is a story that combines a modern family drama with a historical mystery hidden inside the walls of an old English house.
Ashton Hall – What I Liked
The Setting
The book had me almost from the opening scene, when Hannah and her son arrive at a stately home near Cambridge and stand on a stone bridge spanning what was once a moat. I immediately felt as though I were standing there myself, probably because I’ve stood in similar places many times while visiting stately homes and castles throughout Europe.
An old English house with centuries of history and secrets hidden inside is exactly the kind of setting that draws me into a story.
The Historical Mystery
Central to the plot is the discovery of a secret from the past. Although the book is set entirely in present-day England, I could easily imagine myself in the historical scenes the characters were researching.
I especially enjoyed learning more about how historians gather evidence and piece together the lives of people who lived centuries ago. That process is immensely interesting to me, particularly when it’s wrapped inside a mystery.
I also liked the way parts of the story were told. Without giving away any spoilers, Lauren Belfer uses the historical discoveries to gradually reveal what happened at Ashton Hall centuries earlier, and I thought that worked particularly well.
Tudor England
I also enjoyed learning more about the complicated religious situation in 16th-century England. England’s official religion changed dramatically depending on who occupied the throne, and Ashton Hall gives us a glimpse of what those changes could mean for ordinary people living through them.
It’s one of those aspects of history that I was already familiar with, but seeing it through the lives of the people in the story made it feel much more immediate.
The Characters
I felt a connection with the characters almost immediately, especially Hannah and her young son, Nicky. The dialogue also kept the story moving quickly and helped make the present-day part of the novel as interesting to me as the historical mystery.
Something New
And finally, despite all the historical fiction I’ve read, Ashton Hall taught me a term I’d never encountered before: anchoress.
I won’t explain how it fits into the story because I don’t want to spoil anything, but an anchoress was a woman who withdrew from ordinary life into an enclosed space devoted to religious contemplation and prayer.
Needless to say, once I encountered that in the book, I wanted to know more.
Ashton Hall – What I Didn’t Like
I honestly can’t think of a single thing I disliked about Ashton Hall. If anything, I would have happily spent more time inside this story. I wasn’t quite ready to leave Ashton Hall when the book ended.
Ashton Hall by Lauren Belfer – Read, ReRead, or Reconsider?
And now, for my 3 Rs of book reviews. Should you Read, Re-read, or Reconsider the book Ashton Hall by Lauren Belfer?
A Definite Read!
Ashton Hall gave me an atmospheric English setting, an intriguing historical mystery, characters I cared about, and quite a bit of history to investigate along the way. That’s a combination that works extremely well for me.F
Is Ashton Hall Worth Reading?
Ashton Hall was my introduction to Lauren Belfer, and it turned out to be an excellent one. I especially enjoyed the unusual combination of a completely present-day story with a mystery rooted deeply in Tudor England.
If you enjoy old houses, buried family secrets, historical research, and mysteries that make you want to investigate the real history behind them, this one is well worth a look.
What To Read Next
- The Murders at Fleat House by Lucinda Riley – Another atmospheric English mystery centered around an old institution filled with secrets.
- The Last Daughter of York by Nicola Cornick – A particularly good choice if the connection between present-day England and mysteries buried in England’s past was what you enjoyed most.
- The London House by Katherine Reay – For another story involving an English house, family secrets, and an investigation into the past.
- Explore Mystery & Thriller – Browse more mysteries, thrillers, authors, and reading recommendations on Looks Like Books.
- Explore Historical Fiction – For more novels where secrets and events from the past shape the present.
