The Winter Folly - Lulu Taylor (2014)

Delilah Young has fallen in love with John Stirling, she is his second wife. He encourages her to quit her job in London and come live permanently in Dorset. Delilah, not being used to so much free time, starts to wander around the Stirling property and runs into John's father, who has dementia, calling her by another name. When she stumbles upon a picture of his mother Alex, Delilah starts to investigate but what she finds will affect her current life with her husband. Back in 1965, Alex Crewe marries Laurence, the man that her father had chosen for her. She ends up moving to London in the barracks where Laurence works. She tries so hard to make the marriage work but she is always alone. One day she runs into her childhood friend Nicky Stirling. They start meeting at his London apartment and she soon realises she has fallen in love with him. This story goes back and forth from the present day to 1965, anchored by both women living in the same house. It's another great read from Lulu Taylor, she offers up a great mystery involving the past and present for two women married into the same family, with plenty of atmosphere provided by the old house setting. (CG)

Lulu Taylor's The Winter Folly is centred around an imposing house that has seen many secrets. The summary says: "In this house there are many secrets... It is 1965 and young Alexandra Crewe obediently marrys the man her father has selected for her. But very soon both she and her husband Laurence realise that their marriage is a disaster. When real love finds Alexandra, plucking her out of her unhappy existence, she is powerless to resist. Her home becomes Fort Stirling, a beautiful Dorset castle, but Alexandra fears that there will be a price to pay for this wonderful new life. When tragedy strikes, it seems that her punishment has come, and there is only one way she can atone for her sins . . . In the present day, Delilah Young is the second wife of John Stirling and the new chatelaine of Fort Stirling. The house seems to be a sad one and Delilah hopes to fill it with life and happiness. But when she attempts to heal the heartbreak in John's life, it seems that the forces of the past might be too strong for her. Why does John have such a hatred for the old folly on the hill, and what happened to his mother when she vanished from his life? As Delilah searches for the truth, she realises that perhaps some secrets are better left buried . . ." The Winter Folly is out in January 2014.

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