Echo Hall is a story that spans across generations and is centred around the lives of three women, Ruth, Elsie and rachel and their connection to Echo Hall.

With the back drop of three wars, WW1, WW2 and the Gulf war this is at times a real tearjerker of a story that has a bit of everything, love, tragedy, friendship, betrayal and even a touch of the paranormal.

Echo Hall has secrets, there maybe as many secrets as there are bedrooms it seems and when Ruth discovers some old diaries and journals in one of the locked rooms, rooms that her husband had told her were completely empty, she starts to uncover the history of the house and its previous occupants. Does history have to keep repeating itself for the Flint family or will unlocking the secrets of the past change destiny?

It is hard to believe that this is a debut novel, the weaving together of all the storylines is done masterfully and the settings are all detailed enough to be able to see the places and characters come to life across the pages. There is a distinct gothic feel to the book and I really loved the touch of the paranormal mixed with historical, it added another layer to an already multi layered tale. The whole plot is easy to follow and the switches of eras and women were seamless. Be prepared to shed a tear or two, I know I certainly did!

A great book that makes time travel a reality!

Echo Hall was published on 30 Nov 2017 so I am very late in discovering this book but I am glad that I did.

https://debbiesbookreviews.wordpress.com/2019/07/10/echo-hall-by-virginia-moffat... ( )

Echo Hall is exactly my kind of read. It has multiple timelines, mysteries and secrets, and family dramas at its core. The hall itself is the constant throughout it all, looming over its residents, the scene of many troubles for the Flint family.

There are three different timeframes all of which are set around times of war: the Gulf War, World War II and the First World War. It is Ruth Flint, newly married to Adam, who goes with him to the hall and meets his grandfather, Jack. She finds herself attempting to put to rest the ghosts of years gone by.

What I particularly liked about this book were the little markers throughout the sections, threads that pull each one together and events that seem to echo through each age. The plotting is sublime. Virginia Moffatt creates such intrigue, not by revealing shocking twists but by dropping subtle hints at strategic points. I just loved spotting those details that run through the generations. The tagline refers to history repeating itself and that is definitely a major theme in the novel.

I also really enjoyed the way the story is constructed, working backwards with Ruth's story in the 1990s, then going back to the 1930s/40s focusing on two members of Adam's family in alternate viewpoints, then an epistolary section starting in 1911, then full circle back to the 1990s. I like a non-linear story where I have to work a bit harder putting all the pieces together.

I thought it was a fabulous and brooding read. It drew me right into the lives of the Flints and the corridors of Echo Hall. ( )