Amazing world building! I loved every second of the writing style and how detailed everything was. I felt like I was in the story the whole way

This book was very well written. Good mix of characters. Great plot that’s been very well thought and played out.

The Hanged Man follows the story of a group of British friends, who all share a love of France. They decide to pool their money together and buy themselves an old French farmhouse, wanting to turn it in to their own holiday home. They find themselves intrigued and drawn in by the old farmhouse's history, and soon the story takes a drastic turn. When one of the group has an unfortunate accident and ends up dead, the majority of the group wish to sell the farmhouse and leave its troubling history behind. But then a strong willed member of the party starts trying to find answers as to what exactly caused the untimely death of their dear friend.

This story unravels through a dual timeline of past and present residents of the farmhouse. This added so much depth and context to an already fascinating story.
A definite must read.!

With myriad characters and told from multiple points of view, this dual time-line novel features a present day accidental death as well as a historical narrative that takes place over the course of the two world wars.

The historical parts of this story were interesting and served as a grim reminder of some dark days in France’s tragic past. The setting of South-Western France was idyllic and the author’s love of the area has shown through her writing.

The characters for the most part I found to be one-dimensional. Hébrard was the only one who the reader comes to know in any depth. I found it interesting to learn that the author has written textbooks in the past – this because I found the narrative style quite dry and textbook-like.

I did learn more about the German Occupation of France in WWII, so the read was worthy on that front. Also, I finished reading this book on Remembrance/Armistice Day, so a WWII novel was perfect timing.

All in all, I would recommend this novel to those who are more into history than characterization and don’t mind a slow-paced, rather dry read.

The dream of many would be to own their little holiday home somewhere. This is what these friends did. Castignac in the South West of France was their personal idyll - their hopes of renovating, decorating and enjoying their own place.
When one of their number was inexplicably killed - falling off a decrepit staircase in an abandoned farmhouse building it dampened the spirits of all. Almost unanimously they decided to sell but with this hanging over their heads they knew the sale will not happen quickly.

Tessa however was not keen to sell. She felt that the farmhouse had untold secrets and she set about trying to uncover them. This was without the support of the others who felt that it was better to keep past histories closed. The stories going back in flashbacks to WWII, the Resistance, the boys of the village who fought in the war, and the one who was the deserter are all retold in this story bringing back the tragedy of young deaths to the fore.

There is a lot of history that is retold in this story, the significance of the orchid which resembles a Hanged Man was for me not really relevant and Tessa was at times too intrusive and almost bullying in pursuit of news.


The storyline however delving into both Wars and the reminiscences and memories of a generation past are very well told.

This book felt like someones real life story and i felt apart of it, my father fought in France in the second world war and had many stories to tell and many he wouldn't.. I have been to Carcassonne twice and can appreciate the countryside described and nearby mountains, its like stepping back in time to tell the tale of 4 generations was so interesting i was riveted to this book i loved it so many emotions were reached, i was sad to reach the end although it was a happy ending

A group of English friends purchase an old farmhouse in France as a holiday home. Prior to the purchase, Castignac had been in the Lordat family for over 400 years, although the house the group purchase only dates to 1860. In the grounds is an old abandoned building, the former farmhouse with a pigeon loft tower. Two of the friends, Tessa and Ian, are drawn to it more than the others, and the discovery of an orchid growing near the building, the flowers of which resemble a hanged man, adds a sinister touch and gives credence to a past tragedy.

When Ian dies in the abandoned building, the group consider selling Castignac. Tessa is reluctant to sell and her obsession with finding out what happened to Ian threatens to alienate her from the rest of the group. Her doggedness, however, uncovers the past of the Lordat family, with secrets reaching back through two world wars.

From the description of the house and gardens, the attraction of the property is apparent. An idyllic summertime haven, selling would be a wrench no matter whether the property had been owned for centuries or just a short time.

At times, I didn't like Tessa. Her determination to find out what happened to Ian showed a lack of sensitivity towards his grieving family and her pursuit of Jacques Lordat, the old farmer and previous owner of Castignac, for his story, bordered on harassment. Nevertheless, I could understand her motivation. A strong natural connection to the place meant she didn't want to let it go without a fight and by finding out what caused Ian's death could convince the others not to sell.

The mention of World War I and II drew me to this novel and it was those sections that appealed to me more than the present day ones; they were more emotionally engaging. Events that occurred during the German Occupation had far reaching consequences, amongst them ostracism, shame and the lifetime pain of a tragic decision.

The book's classification as a mystery and thriller led me to expect a different type of story. It falls short of being a thriller, but could have gone down that path quite easily; all the right elements were there. Instead, the story develops at a gentle pace, smoothly switching between the present and the past, with tantalising revelations to keep the mystery alive until the significance of the 'hanged man' is finally uncovered.

The Hanged Man is a well-told story. While it wasn't the thriller I'd anticipated, I enjoyed it and hope to read more from this author.

What an interesting book. I love dual time novels and this one set in France was a nice addition to my reading list.

The story covers a group of friends who purchased a house in France to share. Sadly in the beginning of the book one of the friends, Ian dies. This is of course distressing to the others and they decide that they no longer want their holiday home, all but one that is. Tessa a young Brit is intrigued by the mystery and the history of the house and farm. The novel takes the reader back to the horrible days of WWI and WWII and into the lives of the people who lived and loved there.

The book has a bit of mystery and a bit of history woven in a wonderful novel that was perfect reading to pass the time. If you like descriptions of the beautiful French countryside, history of the WW’s and a bit of mystery, this novel is a good pick to try.

Thanks to Netgalley, The Book Guild and the author for the chance to read and review this book. I will look for others from this author.

A small party of Brits buys a house in France and discovers the rich history of the place. This well written story is set in attractive surroundings and moves at a pleasant pace between the first half of the 20th century and modern day. The characters are well rounded. An enjoyable read.

Thank you Netgalley and The Book Guild for the ARC.

What a thrilling and compelling story! The pacing was well-plotted, and the jumps back in time, normally a trope I really dislike outside of sci-fi, helped flesh out this story and make it immersive.

I received this from Netgalley.com for a review.

"Castignac, a beautiful farmhouse in the South-West of France. The shocking death of Ian taints the happy memories of the house. Tessa, senses secrets and endeavors to find out more."

I was rather disappointed with this one, it took a while for the plotline to come together and I felt the character's backstories were over explained.

2 stars

I found the book, The Hanged Man by Andree Rushton, to be an interesting read. As the story unfolds, readers are taken as far back as WWI and up to the present. As a fan of historical fiction, I enjoyed this one! I received an eARC of The Hanged Man from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Mmm... well, I'm not sure what the devastating secret was at all. There is indeed a hanged man, but not a 'devastating' secret. This storyline behind this book is interesting - a combination of modern and early C20th history interwoven with overlapping characters and locations. However I found it a clunky read, a little naively written and there were a few annoying inconsistencies - one character does not like flying so drives... and then the next time flies.... and a staircase needs a repair so they wait over a year to climb it and I was screaming to myself 'just use a ladder!' For me personally I felt this could have been written a lot more succinctly, the narrative could have flowed easier and the book should be billed as a gentle stroll through history and French fields... not as a story with thriller / mystery overtones giving a false sense of expectations.

A really lovely book.

Six people share the purchace of an old farmhouse in France.

When one of the owners is found dead at the foot of a partly ruined pigeon loft his curious friends wonder what caused him to climb the structure.

Gradually the farmhouse reveals it's fascinating secrets.

Flipping between WW1, WW2 and the present day.

A beautifully written book which also teaches a lot about orchids.

Thank you to NetGalley & Publisher for a copy to review. This book flips between the present day and generations from the past. Both narratives take place in the same small French village. Present day is told from the perspective of Tessa, a young Brit and her group of friends who have purchased a holiday home, Castignac. In the past, the narrative comes mostly from the family who originally Castignac. The story very briefly covers both World Wars, although events that happen to the characters appear to be driving events for the novel. The only character I really didn't understand was Tessa. I did not like how she was written; and it seemed as though the other characters from her part of the story, her 'friends' didn't much like her either. It was difficult to believe that they were actual friends. It was mostly this that made me give my 3 star rating. I would have loved if this was written as saga starting from when the main house at Castignac was built and moved forward from there. Overall, everything about this left me wanting more, although not in a good way - I wanted more because it feels like something was missing.

Thank You NetGalley & Publisher for this ARC.
Summary......

A beautiful farmhouse in the South-West of France, is a shared holiday home for a group of Brits. The shocking death of Ian, one of the group’s members, taints the happy memories of the house and the group decides to try and sell it on. However, another member, Tessa, senses secrets and endeavors to find out more…

The present-day story is interwoven with chapters about the past, and the life story of the Castignac farmer is revealed through flashbacks to the First World War. The hidden history of this farmhouse is brought further into question when Tessa unveils a drawing of a wild orchid, called the ‘Hanged Man’ in French.

There’s one person that holds all the answers, but they’re hiding a secret of their own. Can Tessa discover what really happened at the farmhouse and in doing so, free it of its demons?

This was a very well written book. The plot was amazing.
It was a remarkable read.
I felt like I really could feel being there with Ms. Rushton's.
Great Book over all
A perfect Summer Read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Matador for the arc of The Hanged Man written by Andree Rushton.❤️

This follows in which a bunch of British people whom are a group a friends who in which were in love with France so they decide to buy themselves an old French Farmhouse for what they call their holiday home as such, some of the group know quite a bit of French so they are fluent with it whereas others aren't but seem to be intrigued and drawn into the history of the farmhouse and history itself. One of the friends has an unforgettable and unfortunate accident in which dies in France. So they decide to sell the farmhouse but one of their friends aren't keen to do so and hopes the others changes their minds, she is also very strong willed to find out more about the former residents who used to live their before and the history and how it may be connected to what happened to their friend...

This is told through past and present residents of the house I really enjoyed this was a different type of read for me but was really enjoyable, I rate this 4 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐ and would recommend to anyone

⭐⭐⭐⭐

what a brilliant book full of twists and turns. Loved that it took you back in time so you could watch the story unfold

A quick, easy read, and quite enjoyable.
However, some of the modern characters are a little one-dimensional - you don't really get to know them before the author plunges into the storyline. I found the historical sections more effective and interesting than the modern ones.
Good to take on holiday, but not a book that will stay with you for long.

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4 and 1 / 2 stars

Several people from England group together to purchase a farmhouse in France. Some of them are married and some not. When Ian, one of the owners falls to his death in an abandoned home on the same property, his curious friends wonder what he was doing in the attic of the old, ruined property.

The reader then flashes back to WWI and WWII, respectively. We meet the people who lived in the old home and some soldiers who also shared the space. They were colorful and engaged personalities. Ms. Rushton does a remarkable job in bringing her characters to life. The reader is in the farmhouse observing the people in person. We learn the individuals' fascinating stories and how they affect the persons living there now. I also really liked the sense of history that was infused in the book.

To put it mildly, I loved the book. It was refreshing, very well written and well plotted. Ms. Rushton's characters were true to life and I could just imagine their lives. I became lost in the novel and didn't really want to tear myself away to cook and sleep.

I want to thank NetGalley and The Book Guild for forwarding to me a copy of this most wonderful book for me to read, enjoy and review.