The historical part of the story is very well researched. The story is told through a dual timeline. The writing is so gripping. A great book

Really enjoyed this - will definitely be recommending and looking forward to the next one by this author!

A modern-day disappearance is combined with myths and a famous historical mystery, knit together in ‘The Last Daughter’ by Nicola Cornick. This is a time-slip story involving true characters in history, a magical stone – the Lovell Lodestar – and the legend of The Mistletoe Bride. The latter is story of sorrow and grief attributed to many English mansions and stately homes in which a bridegroom and his bride, tired of dancing at their wedding, play hide and seek. She disappears and is never found until a skeleton is discovered many years later.
It is eleven years since Caitlin Warren disappeared, presumed dead. Her twin sister Serena still struggles to move on from her loss, a feeling magnified by the lack of evidence and Serena’s worry that the cognitive amnesia she has suffered since that night may obscure the truth. When a skeleton is discovered during an archaeological dig at Minster Lovell, the country house where the sisters’ grandparents lived and where Caitlin disappeared, the memories come flooding back. Told in two timelines – Serena, present day; and Anne FitzHugh in the 15th century. Anne’s mother is from the powerful Neville family, a major power during the Wars of the Roses. Five-year old Anne is to be betrothed to eight-year-old Francis Lovell, best friend of Richard of Gloucester, younger brother to the Yorkist King Edward IV. History combines with myth when Anne is told the ghostly story of The Mistletoe Bride who disappears into a different place, a different time.
Serena returns to Minster Lovell Hall in Oxfordshire in an attempt to confront her hidden memories and to be interviewed by the police. There she encounters old friends and visits her grandfather Dick, now suffering from dementia. How can Serena in the 21st century be connected to Anne FitzHugh and what bearing could this have on Caitlin’s disappearance?
A complex story full of so many twists, mysteries and myths that I occasionally floundered. When I surrendered to the flow of the story and stopped worrying about a few gaps and implausible connections, the pages flew by. I finished it wondering if the story would be stronger with slightly less myth and more of Anne and Francis.
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An intriguing story that switches between the present and the 14th century - at the time of the War of the Roses. Serena Warren is in the States when a message comes to her Aunt, with whom she is staying that she must return as the body of her twin Caitlin has been found during an archeological dig. Serena cannot remember the events that lead to her twin's disappearance 11 years previously, but her Mother is fragile and her Father cannot face the situation so it falls to her to meet with the police back and try to find answers back in her Grandparents' old home in the ruins of Minister Lovelle Hall in Oxfordshire. She is haunted by the fact that she has no recall of that night, but that she was found afterwards and hospitalised. The Police are not satisfied that she knows nothing.
In parallel, we learn of young Anne Fitzhugh who is living with her family in 1400s and is at the mercy of her mother's designs on seeking a favourable marriage for her using her advantage as as a member of the family connected to the King, the Nevilles. Her bethrothed has been placed under her father's care and is Frances Lovell a friend of the King's brother, Richard of Gloucester. Nicola brings alive the feelings of the bright child bride who has been educated like a boy and know her own wishes and the world of 1400s is carefully recreated in this part of the novel with the vivid descriptions.
How the Alzheimer's Disease that her Grandfather suffersers impacts on the family, as he cannot help Serena in her quest to learn about a magical object. But the loss of their home to become a museum has a signifigance. Into the story of Anne is the ancient tale of a bride in early times disappearing with a lodestone into a wintery landscape on her marriage night. Then, there is the tale of Frances Lovell disappearing from the Battle of Stoke Field which is nearby and all add to Serena's understanding of how her sister's body reappeared in a coffin that came from 1400s and hadn't been unsealed.
A skillfully written novel that will keep one engaged to the very last page.

Eleven years ago, Serena’s half sister Caitlin disappeared between the old ruins of Minster Lovell Hall. Unfortunately, Serena can’t remember anything from that night. Then suddenly Caitlin’s body is found during archeological research in strange circumstances. Serena travels back to Minster Lovell determined to uncover the truth. In the fifteenth century, Anne Fitzhugh is betrothed to Francis Lovell, a close friend to Richard of Gloucester. She discovers the existence of an ancient old relic, the Lovell lodestar, which is said to have magical powers.

I was happy to get the chance to read ‘The last daughter‘ as it was my introduction to Nicola Cornick’s work. She is known for her dual timeline novels with an interesting historical perspective and a bit of magical or science fiction elements woven into the story.

The novels opens in our century when Serena gets a call from the police while on a visit to her aunt Polly in America. The remains of her missing twin sister have been found, close to the place where Caitlin disappeared all those years ago. Minster Lovell Hall is a medieval manor, where her grandparents lived and Serena and her sister spent their holidays. Her grandfather Dick is suffering from dementia and has moved to an elderly home. Their house has been sold and is now a tourist museum. Serena travels to Lovell Hall to see if she can remember anything from that dreadful night.

The historical timeline is told from Anne Fitzhugh whose mother was a Neville, brother to Richard Neville, earl of Warwick and kingmaker. Her parents become involved in the rebellion against Edward IV and Anne is married to Francis Lovell, one of Warwicks wardens. Francis is a close friend to Richard of York, the king’s younger brother. As you can tell, we’re in the middle of the Wars of the Roses so Anne and Francis will be in much trouble.

The whole mystery surrounds around Minster Lovell Hall, Francis’ family home. It is said it contains a so called ‘lodestar’ that can make you fall through time. We learn about the story of the mistletoe bride who disappeared on her wedding night and of course Francis Lovell himself vanishes after the battle of Stoke field.

I did like both perspectives, but I think I enjoyed Anne’s most. It’s set in one of my favorite periods and I believe Francis Lovell is a great main character to depict the events as he was in the midst of it all as Richard’s closest friend and advisor. However, when the story progresses towards the disappearance of the princes in the Tower, I had my doubts about the plot. In one chapter, Anne and Francis are against the princes, proclaiming them as bastards. In the next, they try to protect them together with Elizabeth Woodville. This felt a bit artificial.

I also enjoyed the magical elements and legends surrounding the lodestar. This is a light read and the focus isn’t really on the history but rather on the mystery surrounding all the disappearances and especially Caitlin’s. I’m sure I’ll pick up one of Cornick’s earlier works now.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

Beautifully composed with rich descriptions into which I escaped. I was equally immersed in the modern day as Serena tries to unpick a family mystery which is perfectly balanced with a fabulous enchanting step back in time with Anne as she grows up observing the power struggles within the monarchy. As the two merge together in a mystical conclusion, I’ve been inspired to delve further into the history of that period. I’ll be looking out for more books by Nicola Cornick!

Serena Warren was seventeen when her twin sister disappeared. She has no memory of what happened that day, despite years of therapy. When a body is found years later, Serena returns to the area near Minster Lovell Hall in Oxfordshire, where her sister disappeared and where the body was found.

Serena's story alternates with a time slip back to the fifteenth century, during the Wars of the Roses. Anne is married off as a child to form an alliance, although the marriage won't be consummated for many years. She learns the intrigues of war before she is eleven and shows a high level of intelligence.

How these two stories relate to each other isn't clear for many chapters. It was like reading two good stories about different women in different eras. About a third of the way through, a hint of the connection comes out and the story takes a magical turn. By the end, it all comes together.

I found the story very enjoyable and especially liked reading from Anne's perspective. The writing was excellent and I've been perusing more books by this author as a result.

There were a few things I would have liked to see followed through, like following Caitlin immediately after 'the incident', but overall the major plot points were tied up neatly. A murder mystery, time travel and historical fiction all rolled into one!

Generally I feel reasonably capable of denoting the genre of a book but this one is a little more intriguing as it has several elements fused together. So, we have modern day Serena, returning to Oxfordshire following the discovery of a woman's remains. Eleven years earlier Caitlin, Serena's twin disappeared without a trace and the events leading to this have been lost from Serena's memory due to the trauma suffered.
The setting at the heart of the story is the Tudor home Minster Lovell, which once belonged to the Grandparents of Serena. Once there, we pass back through time six hundred years to see into the lives of Previous house owner Francis Lovell and his wife Anne. This is the historical thread of the narrative and I found this quite interesting as I knew very little about the War of the Roses. I felt the five year old Anne was given the thoughts and dialogue of a much older and learned girl which for me detracted somewhat from plausibility, but setting that to one side I still enjoyed the plot.
The link between both aspects is brought about quite seamlessly and a measure of mythology and portal type elements is also thrown in with the inclusion of a magical lodestone. There is also a suspenseful ending and a rekindling of a long lost love. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publishing house for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

A timeslip novel set in Oxfordshire moving between past and present seamlessly. Serena tries to recover lost memories of the night her sister disappeared while being transported into her ancestors past. An intriguing read with lots of twists.

When her sister's body is found Serena Warren returns to the Oxfordshire area where she and Caitlin spent many happy summers at the home of their grandfather. However, Serena has scant memory of what happened eleven years ago on the night Caitlin disappeared and hopes that by returning to the ruins of Minster Lovell Hall she will awaken the memories she has buried for so long.

By linking the story to events long past we move cleverly back to the time when Minster Lovell Hall was the home of Francis Lovell and his wife Anne Fitzhugh, both characters from history who were caught up in the momentous years of the Wars of the Roses when, in the aftermath of Bosworth, the Yorkists sympathisers were hunted and punished by the new king, Henry VII.

There's a wonderful sense of atmosphere throughout the novel which brings to life both the upset and sorrow in the present day as Serena confronts her hidden memories about the disappearance of Caitlin, whilst, with a strong sense of time and place, the last few years of the Plantagenets starts to come vividly to life. By cleverly combining myth, legend, folklore and documented history an intriguing story of what might have happened to the young princes in the tower starts to emerge. I especially enjoyed the inclusion of The Mistletoe Bride into the story which combines a touch of the supernatural with the intriguing sense of history.

The Last Daughter is a fascinating timeslip novel by a talented author who continues to shine in this genre and whose clever stories never fail to entertain.

I love books that teach me about a part of history I don’t know much about, blending fact and fiction, and ensuring compelling drama throughout. This book definitely does that.

I usually struggle with historical novels with dual narratives as I usually find I am much more invested in one narrative than the other. This actually wasn’t the case in this story and I loved following Serena and Anne’s physical and emotional journeys. I liked the fact that, despite the time difference of almost 600 years, I was able to draw parallels between their characters and their stories.

This is a book that fuses myth with history in quite a major way and in that regard it is very different and original when compared to anything I have ever read before. After reading, I can see the appeal of this sort of book and would definitely be interested in checking out these sorts of books in the future.

The best part of the story for me was the mysteries that exist on both sides of the narrative. This kept me gripped and interested in the story throughout. I would recommend this author to fans of Victoria Hislop and Stacey Halls.

25th July 2010, the day that Serena's twin sister Caitlin vanishes, and Serena cannot remember the details leading up to her disappearance..
In the late 15th century, Anne Lovell, wife of Francis Lovell who is the right hand man of Richard 111, relates the story of her marriage.
The two events are expertly woven together to form a compelling story full of mystery, history, mysticism and a touch of romance.
I loved the characters and the storylines and the way that they fitted together perfectly like a jigsaw.
Some timeslip novels I have read focussed too much on the paranormal and horror for my taste , whilst Nicola has faced the darker side of the unknown but chosen to focus on the benefits of magic. The historical aspects were brought vividly to life without being too intense.
I recommend this compelling novel. One of my top ten for 2020.

A dual timeline novel set in Oxfordshire following the lives of Anne Lovell during the War of the Roses historical period and Serena, in current times, drawn to the area when her twin sister's body is discovered. The two stories are linked believably, and the supernatural element is well written.

The historical element brings this tumultuous period of English history to vibrant life. The intrigue, mysteries and politics are dramatised fascinatingly. Serena tries to discover what happened to her sister as she researches her family history. Her memories return as she connects with the place and its past.

This is an absorbing story, both timelines draw the reader into their worlds, and the connections between the two are perfectly woven.

I received a copy of this book from HQ via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

Ever since her sister disappeared eleven years ago. Serena Warren has been running from a ghost, haunted by what she can't remember that night. When Caitlin's body is discovered, Serena returns to her grandfathers house, nestled by the ruins of Minster Lovell Hall in Oxfordshire, determined to uncover the truth. But in returning to the place of her childhood summers. Serena stands poised on the brink of a startling discovery - one that will tie her family to a centuries old secret.

Set during the War of the Roses and the present day, this is an emotional but heart-warming read. Serena has no memory of the night her twin sister, Caitlin went missing. But eleven years later, her twin sisters body has been discovered.

This is a beautifully written and well researched book. There's a fine mix of mystical artifacts and old legends. The story has a dual timeline where we follow Anne, the wife of Francis Lovell, and the present day, where we follow Serena's story. The characters are well developed and likeable, the pace is steady. This is my first read by the author but it won't be my last.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #HQ and the author #NicolaCornick for my ARC of #TheLast
daughter in exchange for an honest review.

Serena Warren's twin Caitlin disappeared over a decade ago, without a trace. Her loss, and Serena's associated amnesia, have cast a long shadow over Serena's family. Now the Police have found Caitlin's body, but there is a mystery to be solved about how and when she died. Serena returns to the family's former home near the ruins of Minster Lovell Hall in Oxfordshire to find out more about her sister's body and gradually starts to recall the events of that fateful night.

Back in the fifteenth century Anne Neville is betrothed to Francis Lovell, just a few years older than herself, in an attempt by Lord Warwick, Anne's maternal uncle, to create an alliance. Caught up in the Wars of the Roses and the machinations of Lord Warwick and Anne's father, Anne and Francis are initially pawns but as they grow older Francis becomes more involved, although his loyalty is to King's brother, Richard Gloucester.

Told in alternate voices by Serena and Anne we see how their lives are entwined through Minster Lovell Hall and a mysterious lodestone with magical powers. Treason, treachery, greed, lust, and loyalty run through the stories as they build to unravelling the truth behind Caitlin's death and the disappearance of Francis Lovell.

I was under a misapprehension about the time-slippery twist (Barbara Erskine's words) and so I spent the majority of the book expecting something which never really happened 'on screen'. Also, I felt that it bore too many similarities to Nicola Cornick's previous book The Forgotten Sister, indeed the protagonist of that book also features in this book as one of Serena's best friends. It was also similar to another book I read recently The Queen’s Spy, although The Last Daughter did a much better job of engaging me with Anne and Serena.

I have never really got to grips with the factions in the War of the Roses, too many of them seem to have the same names, although at least watching the TV series The White Princess helped me get the characters straight once we reached Henry Tudor LOL.

I did enjoy this book. However, I suspect that I may find the books a bit same-same if I read a third book by Nicola Cornick which features alternate timelines.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #HQ for allowing me to read #TheLastDaughter by #NicolaCornick
Serena's twin sister Caitlin disappeared 11 years ago, and since then Serena has suffered from Amnesia.
Now her body has been found and Serena returns to Minster Lovell Hall in Oxfordshire to be near her family, and follow the investigation but when Serena starts remembering she realises that something very strange is happening and she is in danger.
Spanning centuries this book will intrigue and delight you. A wonderful read.

This dual timeline novel completely reminded me of one of my favourite historical novelists, Barbara Erskine. Like Erskine, Cornick effortlessly slips between two time periods to build a narrative that seamlessly connects over time.

Moving from present day to Tudor England, readers learn of the mystery surrounding Minster Hall in Oxfordshire. Despite it being an ancient tale, Serena remains haunted by this location after the disappearance of her sister. However, when Caitlin’s body is discovered with questioning burial circumstances, Serena returns to Minster Hall as the police investigation is reopened. At the same time, we meet Anne who, in sixteenth century England is witness to civil uprisings against the King as families joust for power. It’s an intriguing storyline in both periods.

However, what lessened my enjoyment of the story was the vast number of characters in the historical narrative. I felt like Cornick threw characters at the reader, not fully establishing them before moving on with the story. Consequently, I was left reeling from trying to keep a track of the individuals and where their loyalties were with the King. It would have been really helpful if a character list or family tree had been provided so I could refer back to this. Instead, I found it difficult to sustain interest in this part of the narrative, especially as my interest was piqued with Serena’s story.

I like the way that the writer has combined historical fact with the supernatural. It definitely gives you an advantage if you have knowledge of this period because I think it assists with understanding how the throne was being challenged. However, I was excited by the prospect of the magic behind the legend of Minster Hall. I could not foresee how the story would unfold and was interested to witness how the mystery behind Serena’s sister disappearance would be solved.

Although I did not find this a five-star hit, it has certainly broadened my interest in this period of history. The Princes in the Tower were something I knew nothing about and have been tempted to research further after reading. Furthermore, it was quite delightful to see that Cornick has written a further novel featuring some of the supporting characters and this is a novel I hope to pick up in future.

Clearly the writer has done a lot of research into bringing the past narrative alive. It was well written, even if I struggled to concentrate on the characters. I do like a historical read and Cornick is definitely a writer I hope to read more of later on.

With thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a fantastic read from start to finish. It is historical fiction with magical realism mixed in which is the perfect combination for me in a book as a lover of history and fantasy books. To then throw in the famous mystery from the 15th century of The Princes in the Tower…lets just say I was in my element!

It is a dual timeline with you being cast back into the time period set around The War of The Roses where you follow Anne, wife of Francis Lovell. Anne’s mother is from the renowned Neville family and the Earl of Warwick also known as the Kingmaker, is her uncle. In the present day you follow Serena who is trying to discover what happened to her sister who went missing when they were both teenagers. I was instantly immersed in both storylines and I loved how their stories eventually link together at the end in very strange circumstances.

The writing is perfection; gripping, clever, imaginative and it is very clear that the author carried out a lot of research into the historical elements to this story. Bringing in old folk tales and legends to the factual events ravelled together to make it one of the most gripping books I have read so far this year. I really didn’t want the story to end.

Thank you @hqstories for letting me be part of the blog tour for this spellbinding tale. I will definitely be checking out more of the authors previous books as soon as possible!

I have read several of Nicola Cornick’s time slip novels over the last few years and enjoyed some much more than others, but I think her new one, The Last Daughter, is her best so far. It probably helped that the historical storyline is set during one of my favourite periods of history, the Wars of the Roses, but the modern day narrative interested me too, which isn’t always the case!

Beginning in the present day, we meet Serena Warren, a young woman who is still struggling to come to terms with the disappearance of her twin sister, Caitlin, eleven years earlier – an event so traumatic, she has blocked out all memory of it. Serena is staying with an aunt in California when she receives the news she has been dreading: Caitlin’s body has been found during an archaeological dig close to their grandparents’ old home in Oxfordshire, which stands near the ruins of Minster Lovell Hall. Determined to uncover the truth, Serena returns to England and finds that once she is back in the place where Caitlin vanished all those years ago, she begins to regain her memories.

In the fifteenth century, our narrator is Anne FitzHugh, a niece of the powerful Earl of Warwick. Anne is only five years old when a marriage is arranged for her with eight-year-old Francis Lovell, a ward of Edward IV. Her new husband grows up to become a close friend and supporter of Edward’s younger brother, Richard, Duke of Gloucester (the future Richard III), and he and Anne are drawn into all the conflict and intrigue surrounding Richard’s rise to the throne – including the mystery surrounding the fate of Richard’s two nephews, the Princes in the Tower.

These two narratives are linked in a very intriguing way; I can’t say too much as it would risk spoiling the story, but it involves both a ghost story based on the famous legend of the Mistletoe Bride and the theft of a mysterious relic known as the Lovell Lodestar. Although, as with all time slip novels, there are some elements of the supernatural here, I thought everything felt reasonably convincing in the context of the story and all the different threads of the plot tie together perfectly in the end.

I liked both protagonists, Serena and Anne (and I would love to have Serena’s job, researching and arranging ‘bespoke historical tours’). Serena’s story is probably the more complex; not only is she investigating her sister’s disappearance, she is also trying to uncover the secrets of her family history with the help of her grandfather, who is suffering from dementia. I was surprised to see Lizzie Kingdom, a character from Nicola Cornick’s previous book, make an appearance as an old friend of Serena’s, and I was wary of this at first as the book featuring Lizzie, The Forgotten Sister, is my least favourite novel by Cornick. However, Lizzie fits into this particular story very well and as both books are set in Oxfordshire, it’s believable enough that she and Serena could have known each other.

I also enjoyed reading about Anne and Francis Lovell, who are usually just minor characters in the background of Richard III’s story. Their marriage is portrayed as a loving one, despite it being arranged for them as children, but not without its challenges and its ups and downs. The solution to the mystery of the Princes in the Tower is fascinating and certainly not one I’ve come across before, although I can’t say any more about it than that!

I’m looking forward to Nicola Cornick’s next book and hoping it will be as interesting and entertaining as this one!

Dual time line historical fiction? Count me in! And this is a top notch example of historical fiction at its best.

The story is written from two narrators, Serena in the present and Anne in the 15th century, in the time leading up to the wars of the roses.

Serena is on holiday in America staying with her auntie. She receives the phone call she has been both expecting and dreading for the past 11 years. The body of her twin sister, Caitlin, has been found. Serena rushes back to England and Minster Lovell, where her grandparents used to live and where her sister disappeared. The same place where her sister’s body has been found during an archeological dig, buried in a casket in the cemetery. The thing is, the body appears to have been buried hundreds of years ago but how can that be possible?

The historical storyline begins in 1465 and 5 year old Anne is promised to marry 8 year old Francis, the King’s ward.
They marry and grow up together and their lives become entangled with the King and his two sons, later known as the Princes in the Tower. When King Edward IV dies suddenly, his young son Edward should be crowned king but instead his uncle, Richard III, takes the throne and locks young Edward and his brother Richard in the tower.

I found the whole premise of the story fascinating and cleverly written and was totally immersed in both storylines which were equally as gripping. The story just kept getting better the more I read. I was eager to find out what part the lodestone, a relic said to be magical, had played in the disappearance of Caitlin. And to find out more about Serena’s grandfather who has had a secretive childhood which he never speaks about. He has dementia now and when Serena visits him to tell him the news he gets distressed and says he should have protected her as the lodestone was to blame for Caitlin disappearing. Could this just be the ramblings of an old man losing his mind or is there some truth in what he said?

Clearly a lot of research has gone into this book as factual history is seamlessly weaved together with fiction. I feel I have learned a lot about this very interesting period in history from the book and will be reading more from Nicola.

Thank you to the publishers HQ and NetGalley for an advance copy of the book to review.