The Story

Alice is a young woman in 1930s England who unexpectedly inherits her great-aunt's old house, Woodside. The place is a mess, and the nearby village is full of quiet, watchful people. As Alice starts cleaning, she finds clues—old letters, peculiar sketches, and odd artifacts—that suggest her aunt's life was far from ordinary. The local gossip calls her aunt eccentric, mentioning she kept 'quite wild animals,' but no one will say exactly what that means. Alice's journey to restore the house becomes a quest to understand this enigmatic relative and the life she led in isolation.

Why You Should Read It

This book quietly pulls you in. It’s not a fast-paced thriller, but the slow unraveling of family history feels real and satisfying. Beatrice Curtis Brown writes about place and memory so well you can almost smell the damp earth and hear the floorboards creak. Alice is a relatable character—curious, stubborn, and a bit out of her depth—and her discoveries make you think about how we judge people we don't fully know. It's a cozy, thoughtful read that stays with you.

Final Verdict

Perfect for anyone who loves character-driven stories with a light dusting of mystery. If you enjoy authors like Dodie Smith or Elizabeth Goudge, where the setting is a character itself and secrets are revealed gently, you'll feel right at home here. It’s a quiet book for a rainy afternoon, best enjoyed with a cup of tea.