The Key In The Lock

A melancholy gothic novel set in two time periods, following the life of one woman. Ivy remembers a tragic fire that happened in the local Manor House and her passion for the son of the owner, whilst she is mourning the loss of her son. There are a number of mysteries and secrets she gradually unravels. This is not a fast moving novel in terms of plot, but the writing is beautifully lyrical and gives a real sense of both periods, particularly how women dealt with the senseless loss of their children during and after the war. Ivy is a well drawn character and I thought having her narrate in the first person was a good choice, particularly in the way she comes to recognise that maybe she saw things in the wrong way as a young woman. The gothic elements are subtle, there are no ghosts and things that go bump in the night, it's more related to the mysterious foreboding house full of secrets.