Elena Collins

Lady of the Loch by Elena Collins is the story of women, told in a dual timeline. Twins Zoe and Leah Drummond and Agnes Fitzgerald. The book starts in 1307 in Scotland and we learn about Agnes, where she is living, and what she does. She works in the kitchen of a castle. The Kildrummy castle in Aberdeenshire is besieged by the English and the King of Scotland's son is disemboweled and a friend of hers has his throat cut. Agnes and another girl Effie, that also works in the kitchen, escape the castle and head to Ravenscraig Castle where they seek refuge.

Zoe Drummond has a successful job that she does from anywhere, plus she is very social. Whereas her twin sister Leah is more of an introvert and feels that she fails at everything that she tries to do. When Leah starts looking for a job, she comes across a position as a caretaker in a castle, Ravenscraig she is so excited. One caveat, she has to be part of a couple so she enlists her sister as the other half of the couple. Zoe agrees but only for a 3-month trial

Alternating chapters continue the story of Agnes and Effie, Agnes meets a soldier, Cam, whose mother also works at the castle and they form a relationship and eventually are handfast. This is with all the fighting that is going on between Robert de Brus, who is King of Scotland, and Longshanks, then the proclaimed King. This fighting culminates in the Battle of Bannockburn. A lot of lives were lost on both sides, including Agnes' husband Cam. His body was thrown into the Loch. Agnes is the ghost in the modern time, forever wandering looking for Cam.

When Zoe and Leah learn the story of the two lovers, they want to do the right thing by Agnes. They have both seen her wandering the castle. Zoe meets and becomes lover to Daniel, the owner of the castle and Leah enters into a relationship with Christie, the man who is remodeling the castle for Daniel.

Ghostly sightings, cold rooms, and other ghostly manifestations lead Zoe, Leah, Daniel, and Christie to the tower in an unused wing of the castle. There they find that someone had been walled in and left to die, starving alone. Such a horrible thing to do but we are dealing with medieval times and that is what they did to people that they either feared or that they wanted out of the way.

I am part Scottish and love this kind of story, mixing the past with the present. The cover of this book is beautiful, the research impeccable, and a solid storyline. You will love the ending! If you love historical fiction, give this book a try, you will not be disappointed.

I give the book 5 stars!… (altro)