In the year 1913, a four year-old girl is found on the docks of an Australian port with no clue of her identity. Her only possession is a small white suitcase that contains a few personal effects, including a book of fairy tales. Taken in by the harbormaster and his wife, the girl, whom they call Nell, is raised as their own. On the night of her twenty-first birthday, Nell is told of her mysterious arrival to Australia, shattering her sense of self that she's had her entire life.
With little to go on, Nell travels to England to trace her story and find her true identity. Her search takes her to the wild Cornish coast, the imposing Blackhurst Manor, and to the heart of the doomed Mountrachet family. However, it is Nell's granddaughter Cassandra, who takes up the search after Nell's death, that finally puts the pieces of the puzzle together. At Cliff Cottage, on the grounds of Blackhurst Manor, Cassandra is able to find the forgotten garden, and solve the mystery surrounding the beautiful book of fairy tales and its mysterious writer, the Authoress.
This novel left me spellbound. The book skips between telling different characters' story, which fits right in with the flow of the book. Her characters are vivid and unforgettable. And the mystery in the heart of the book is sad yet beautiful. This novel is a wonderful read. Pick it up today!
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