*Editorial Book Review*
The Woman in the Painting
by Amanda Roberts
The ring is the key to Hannah’s future, but first she must unlock its past.
1645: A widow of nearly two years, Catherine is content with a quiet life looking after her young daughter, until she catches the eye of a wealthy Royalist. He gives her a unique, engraved ring as a talisman for good luck, but these are turbulent times. As she is drawn into a secret relationship she finds herself pitted against his family and her own father, caught in a deadly battle of wills driven by the ambitions of men, from which no-one can emerge victorious.
2019: When Hannah finds the ring buried in her garden, she is fascinated and intrigued. Who had owned it and how had they lost it? Focused on peeling back the layers of history, Hannah doesn’t realise that a web of deceit is tightening around her. Then a series of events threaten her security and warn her that she may not be the only one interested in the ring.
The Woman in the Painting is a novel about human relationships, a heart-breaking tale of love and loss, perfect for fans of Lucinda Riley and Barbara Erskine.
‘There’s something I want you to have.’
He held out a small velvet pouch. She backed away from him, her hands held in front of her as if to push him away if he came any closer, and shook her head. ‘Sir, you must know, I cannot ...’
‘You must take it ... please,’ his voice had a supplicating quality that was quite at odds with his usual air of total confidence. ‘It’s difficult to explain, but I feel there is a darkness gathering around you. This is a talisman. Please, I want you to have it and keep it with you always.’
Catherine was at a loss for words upon receiving Thomas' declaration and gift of a beautiful ring. He was far above her station and if someone from the village had seen them talking it would cause gossip and speculation.
After the death of her husband, Catherine endeavoured to live a quiet life with her daughter. With the money she earned, she managed to sustain the lifestyle she had with her husband for her and her young daughter.
Her father had become a shadow in her life after her mother's death, as he began to prioritise The King's Head over everything else. He had started showing up at her house drunk and uninvited, demanding food. Tilly was terrified of him, but Catherine did not know how to dissuade her father without him flying into a fit of rage.
‘Miss Hannah is in the middle of a mystery and she needs your help.’
Hannah had to start anew and rebuild her life somewhere else following a six-year relationship that went south. The village of Islip had a charming little cottage with a beautiful riverbank that she fell completely in love with – she knew this was the house for her. What she really wanted was a small landing to moor her boat. As the builder started working, Hannah spotted something shiny in the dirt. What she found was a ring. A ring that hurt her whenever she touched it. Hannah felt driven to learn more about the ring. Unbeknownst to her, the ring has a dark secret and there are those who will stop at nothing to own it.
With its captivating narrative and poetic language, The Woman in the Painting by Amanda Roberts immersed me in a world of art, war, love, betrayal, murder, and ultimately, peace and acceptance.
The meticulous attention to historical detail made the book a delight to read. I felt like I was transported back in time to the 17th Century, where I gained a genuine appreciation for what it was like to live in Islip, Oxfordshire during that period. Despite the undercurrent of concern about the war between the King and his Parliament, the village remains mostly peaceful and the villagers carry on with their normal routines.
Roberts depicts a hierarchy in the village as one would anticipate. Two groups exist: the privileged and those who toil for them. Yet, there was also a frenzied premonition in this novel that something awful was on the horizon. What would happen if the common man dared to question the order of things? During the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, a political movement emerged that was dedicated to popular sovereignty, among other things, they became known as the Levellers which is something that Roberts also touches upon. Roberts’ dedication to researching this era is evident in the enchanting prose and fascinating narrative.
Two time periods and two perspectives are used to tell one cohesive story in The Woman in the Painting. In 1645, we follow Catherine's story, and in 2019, we follow Hannah's. The dual timeline was executed well, and both women's stories equally intrigued me.
Catherine was a character that I really came to care about. She loves her daughter very much but feels obligated to feed her father, despite her growing fear of him, because he has no one left to look after him after his wife dies. Catherine's character is used by Roberts to examine domestic abuse and society's perception of it during the 17th Century - despite it being a Christian society, there wasn't much Christian love to be found. Catherine's situation was extremely sad and it made me reflect on how it affected her daughter, Tilly. I saw many parallels between Catherine and modern-day survivors of domestic violence. It added another level of complexity since it was Catherine’s father who was causing so much distress and fear. Despite her efforts to be strong for her daughter, Catherine cannot hide the violence from Tilly, whose tears for her mother's safety moved me. I thought Catherine’s character came across with a strong sense of realism.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Hannah. She's a remarkable individual who has undergone great suffering and relocated to Oxford to start anew. The story opens with her beginning to renovate her garden. A strange and rather painful connection is felt by her after discovering a buried yet beautiful ring in her garden. Hannah embarks on a journey of discovery to unravel the history of the ring with the assistance of Matt, from Denton's Collectables. I thought the depiction of Hannah was wonderful. She has a warm personality and outlook similar to Catherine's. Like Catherine, Hannah’s life isn't what she thought it would be, but she's trying to stay positive while forging a new path. The discovery of the ring turns Hannah’s life upside down, much like it did when Catherine owned it. I thought the two main protagonists were very similar in the telling even though they lived centuries apart. The two women certainly complemented each other and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about them both.
In this story, there are multiple antagonists. While Catherine's alcoholic father is an obvious example, others in Hannah's life are less apparent. The two women live in fear because some people are determined to intimidate and even cause them harm. Although the antagonists were vile, they significantly contributed to the progression of the story.
The Woman in the Painting by Amanda Roberts is a book I thoroughly enjoyed from beginning to end. This is one of those books I know I'll read over and over again.
I Highly Recommend.
Review by Mary Anne Yarde
The Coffee Pot Book Club
Amanda Roberts has worked as an Editor in business-to-business magazines for over 30 years, specialising in out-of-home coffee, vending and foodservice/catering, including Editor of the global gastronomy title: ‘Revue internationale de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs’. She currently freelances, editing UK-based healthcare titles – HEFMA Pulse, Hospital Food + Service and Hospital Caterer.
She is a member of the Society of Authors, the Historical Novel Society and West Oxfordshire Writers. She also volunteers for Tea Books (part of Age UK) to run a book club/reading group for elderly people in the community.
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