The Secrets of Summerhayes by Merryn Allingham

The Secrets of Summerhayes by Merryn Allingham

1944, England. A chance meeting with a soldier unravels a long-buried family mystery...

England is in the devastating grip of World War Two, and Bethany Merston's life changes in an instant when bombs screech down over London. Heartbroken, she leaves the shattered ruins of her home behind. In the Sussex countryside, she takes a job as companion to elderly Alice Summer, mistress of the crumbling and over-grown Summerhayes House.

Its once-pristine grounds are now home to a regiment of soldiers preparing for an invasion across the channel. But Bethany's wartime experiences mean she can find beauty in broken things, and she is captured by the estate's magic. When she meets handsome, blue-eyed Lieutenant Jos Kerrigan in the gardens one morning, it is clear he has also been captivated by Summerhayes. As their friendship grows, Bethany realises that it's not just the house she's falling for...

But something is stirring beneath the surface at Summerhayes... When Bethany discovers that Alice is receiving anonymous letters that have opened up old family wounds, she is determined to find out who is responsible. Convinced that Summerhayes itself holds the key to the mystery, Bethany and Jos explore the grand house together.

The answers lie in a long-forgotten painting in the dusty attic, unravelling the mysteries of the Summer family. And as the truth about Alice's past comes to light, it has the power to change Bethany's future.

Will Bethany and Jos's blossoming love survive the war, or will the secrets of Summerhayes tear them apart?

Previously published as The Secret of Summerhayes.

A totally heartbreaking and gripping wartime family saga, fans of Tracy Rees, Kate Morton and Elizabeth Jane Howard will have their hearts stolen by The Secrets of Summerhayes.

Previously published as The Secret of Summerhayes.

What readers are saying about the Summerhayes House series:

'Right from page one I was hooked... I LOVED IT ' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

'I absolutely loved this... Definitely a five-star read for me.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

'A real page-turner... A book I totally disappeared into for an evening and long into the night, totally losing any sense of time.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

'Everything I hoped it would be and so much more... Excellent.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

'Beautiful book. I was completely immersed in the story... Made me feel I was there in the midst of it all.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Merryn Allingham was born into an army family and spent her childhood on the move. Unsurprisingly, it gave her itchy feet and in her twenties she escaped from an unloved secretarial career to work as cabin crew and see the world. The arrival of marriage, children and cats meant a more settled life in the south of England where she's lived ever since. It also gave her the opportunity to go back to 'school' and eventually teach at university.

Merryn has always loved books that bring the past to life, so when she began writing herself the novels had to be historical. She finds the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries fascinating eras to research and her first book, The Crystal Cage, had as its background the London of 1851. The Daisy's War trilogy followed, set in India and London during the 1930s and 40s.

Her latest novels explore two pivotal moments in the history of Britain. The Buttonmaker's Daughter is set in Sussex in the summer of 1914 as the First World War looms ever nearer and its sequel, The Secret of Summerhayes, forty years later in the summer of 1944 when D Day led to eventual victory in the Second World War. Along with the history, of course, there is plenty of mystery and romance to keep readers intrigued.
If you would like to keep in touch with Merryn, sign up for her newsletter at www.merrynallingham.com