The Secret of Splint Hall
Written by: Katie Cotton @katiacotton
Published by: Anderson Press @AndersenPress
Published on: 3rd March 2022
ISBN: 9781 83913 196 7 Price: £7.99
First line: Mum said the War was over, but Isobel thought it was not.
Genre: Mystery, adventure, war.
Age: 9+
What’s it all about? Two young sisters, Isobel and Flora, are taken by their mother to live at their mother’s ancestral home, Splint Hall, after the ending of the Second World War in Europe. The family are equally welcomed and unwelcomed by various members of the family already living there. As the girls explore their surroundings and get to know the family, staff and locals, mystery piles upon mystery including why the strangley named house got its name and what is that strange ghostly smoke that appears near the house?!
Why should I read it? Every now and again a story comes along that makes me loose contact with the real world. This is one of those books! It is without a doubt the best book I have read this year. I love stories that are written from the point of view of the child, and their thoughts are displayed on the page wondering what it is adults are talking about. This is done in such a beautiful way. It reminds me of ‘The boy in the striped pyjamas’ or ‘Gothic story’. The way the story slow unfurls like the leaves of an artichoke, is astounding and I was so surprised with how the tale turned in the middle of the book from an interesting story of girls in the war (like Tom Palmer books) to one of a different genre (no spoilers here!). The characters are well developed and the psychology behind their actions intriguing and individual. It would be amazing to discuss these in a book group.
Kinkajousreadtoo 
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