This is the third book in the series. Its such a fascinating and well researched story that I felt I needed to read the first two books to totally enjoy this book but it can be read as a standalone.

The story is set around the early 1700s and highlights the history and life at that time in Scotland. I am particularly drawn to this period in history but this gave me such a great insight and how things have changed. It definitely was a 'mans world' when Lily was put in that position after trying to claim her husband's wage.

A fantastic read that had many twists. Loved it

I am a recent convert to Susanna Kearsley and now I will read everything she writes! So much gorgeous writing and research, love it.

I am a fan of Susanna Kearsley and this follows in the tradition of all her books as being an interesting read, with good storylines and great characters.
This is a historical romance set in 1707 in Scotland. The story is narrated by Adam Williamson, who is investigating Lily's claim to her dead husband's wages. Both characters are well developed and make you want to read to the end.
Without giving too much away the story has a great ending and I would recommend anyone with an interest in Scottish history and romance to pick up this book!

A great new book for any fans of previous Susanna Kearsley books, particularly as companion to The Winter Sea. Sweeping and beautiful with such a great setting and the wonderful characterisation you can always trust in from Kearsley. I haven't read a lot of Scottish historical fiction so this felt new and vibrant in a way that I really enjoyed. It's really cleverly written and the way the action overlaps with her other books is exciting, but I think you could still read this as a stand alone.

This is a great read with the unusual setting of Scotland/Edinburgh in the 1690s and the doomed Darien Expedition and 1707, the Union of the Crowns. Most of the ordinary people suspect that the whole thing has been an English plot, so there's an atmosphere of discontent, it's thought that the 'aristocrats' have sold the country for their own gain. As part of the deal the English government has agreed to pay money to the dependents of those Scots who died in the Darien Venture. Lily Aitcheson has come forward to claim the money that is due to her because of her husband's death, but it's thought that she might not be entitled to it. There has to be an investigation , and it turns up all sorts of surprises. It was so good to read a book about Jacobites which wasn't either the 1715 or 1745 'Rebellions'. This is the third book that I've read by the author, she certainly does her research.
I was sent a digital copy of this book by Simon and Schuster via NetGalley. Thank you.

I thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster UK for providing me an early ARC copy of this novel, which I freely chose to review.
I read so many great comments and recommendations of this novel that I decided to request it, even though I normally avoid starting to read a series in the middle (or the end, as seems to be the case here, because this is the third novel in Susanna Kearsley’s Slain Series: The Winter Sea and the Firebird are books 1 and 2), but as this was described as a ‘prequel’, I thought it should work for me even if I hadn’t read the others, and it would be a good way to get introduced to the author, whom, although very popular, I had never read before. And yes, I was right. It worked for me, beautifully, I might add. But, of course, now I feel very intrigued by the other two books in the trilogy, and by the rest of Kearsley’s novels as well.
Although I will try not to go on and on (I’m known for doing precisely that), for those of you who are in a hurry, I will summarise my opinion straight on. Yes, I loved it. I loved the setting (I love Scotland and stories that take place there as well), the historical period (not one I knew much about, but now I am pretty intrigued by it), the characters (I’ll keep thinking about them for a long time), the quality of the writing (beautifully descriptive, full of detail but never over the top, and packed with scenes that pop out of the page), and a final twist that makes us reconsider (and better understand) what has previously gone on.
Having never read this author’s work before, I cannot comment on how this novel might compare to the others she has written. I checked the reviews to get some sense of what her fans thought, and most seem to love it as well, although others complained that there was far too much historical detail, and also that it differed from most of her other novels, as there wasn’t a dual timeline (there sort of is, but not how most people think of it) or any paranormal elements. I have seen her work recommended to readers who love Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander (I’ve never read it or watched the series, so, again, I can’t comment), and Gabaldon herself recommends it, so, if you like that series and others similar, you know what to expect.
The story is set, as the description explains, in Scotland (mostly Edinburgh and Leith, although other places are mentioned as well) in 1707, but the book moves back and forth between the late XVII century and the action taking place in 1707, as the narrator, Adam, gets involved in an investigation that makes him have to dig into the past of a woman, Lily, who claims to have been married to a sailor who lost his life during the Darien expedition and is seeking compensation. I must confess to knowing nothing about the Darien expedition —a Scottish attempt at setting up a colony in America— before reading this novel, and only a little about the Jacobite revolution and the twists and turns that resulted from the fights between the different claimants to the throne of Scotland, the unification with England, and the important role religion played in those events. The author couldn’t have chosen a most fascinating historical period, and although it can be confusing at times (I’m not sure I always knew exactly who was supporting who), I think she manages quite well to incorporate the historical detail into the story and also to weave real characters into the novel, without shoehorning them into narratives that would have been alien to the real people. I recommend the author’s notes at the end, as she explains her process of creation, how the novel changed in the writing (and she quotes Robert Louis Stevenson, a favourite of mine), and also her method in trying to ensure historical accuracy while at the same time making sure the reading experience is an enjoyable one. I think she made the right choices, at least as far as I’m concerned.
I have visited Edinburgh but I am not a great expert on the place, and I appreciated the feeling of walking through its streets as they must have been at the time, the atmosphere of the place, the way the people behaved and talked, the different social classes, their habits, customs, and expectations, and this worked to make the book come alive for me, and I felt immersed in the place and the period, thanks to her descriptions and the reflections of the character. Some of the themes discussed in the book are: the nature of identity (what makes us who we are), legacy and the importance/weight of family history, self-made people versus those who have inherited their positions/wealth, truth and lies (and the grey area around them), how to judge other people’s characters, loyalty and betrayal, beliefs and convictions and how far we’d go to defend them, different kinds of love, the power of literature and stories to keep us sane and hopeful in dreadful situations, and more.
One of the things that I most enjoyed was the way the story is told. Adam, the narrator, put me in mind of other narrators in other novels (Heart of Darkness, The Great Gatsby), although I eventually decided that, perhaps, he reminds me most of Ishmael in Moby Dick, as he at times is talking in the first person about himself and his actions (when investigating the case), addressing the reader directly, and at other times, mostly when he goes back in time to narrate parts of the story of Lily, he seems to disappear and the story is narrating itself, although we have the odd authorial comment, where he might include something akin to an author’s note, or realise that some of the things he has narrated do not make sense as he has written them and adds a little clarification. The only thing that bothered me for much of the narration was the fact that Lily’s story was being told by another, and a man at that, rather than herself (cherchez la femme once more), but the final twist puts a spin on things and brings a new perspective into what had gone before (and no, of course, I am not going to mention it). It also helped me make sense of some of the events and behaviours narrated, which I had felt seemed out of character.
I don’t want to talk too much about the characters, as I don’t want to risk revealing anything that might affect the enjoyment of readers, but I liked Lily from the beginning (even if the revelations kept making me change my mind about what she might be like and her circumstances), and Adam was an intriguing character from the beginning and he grew more and more on me as the book progressed (and I love him now, for sure). There were many other memorable characters (servants, the family Lily grows up with, in Leith, who become very important for the story), including the historical ones, and from the notes, I understand that readers of the author’s previous novels will recognise many of them from before, so that will be an added appeal. However, let me reassure you that it is not necessary to have read the previous novels to understand or enjoy this one (and yes, I can easily imagine previous followers of the author will enjoy it even more). There are some bad characters, truly horrible ones, and some that are somewhat suspect but we don’t get to know well enough to pass judgement Oh, and don’t let me forget Gilroy, who has many surprises up his sleeve as well. The book is full of characters, and we don’t get to know them all in detail, but the main characters are well-drawn and feel real and true. They had become friends and companions by the end of the story.
I’ve already talked about the beauty of the writing; there is a lot of history and stories told, and there is a degree of telling as pertains to this type of story, the writing is vivid, and although the narration meanders at times, it never dragged for me, and I was always eager to keep reading.
Because I read an ARC copy I am not keen on sharing too many quotes, in case they have changed, and, as usual, I recommend anybody interested to check a sample of the book to see if it suits their taste. To give you a taster, I share a few of the fragments I highlighted (and there were many):

Here, Adam is addressing the reader directly, and explaining his method of narration:
And you are right. She did not tell it to us in that way. She told it haltingly. We asked her questions, and she answered, and from there the story took its shape. Some details I did not learn till long afterwards, but since my purpose is to write things down for you in all their fullness I have woven everything in place as best I can, that you may have the clearest picture.

It is no small thing, hope. Without it, darkness wins. My mother used to set me on my feet again and tell me, ‘Were it not for hope, the heart would break,’ and she was right. Sometimes, when all seems darkness and despair, hope is the only thing that does remain for us to grasp —a tree branch beating at the ice within a child’s hand.
And so we make an opening, and day by day press forward, and we hold that hope.
And therein lies its power.

I have a certain memory of that night, held in the way one holds a seashell gathered on the shore —time dulls its brightness, and wears down its sharper edges, yet we only have to hold it to our ear and we can once more hear the singing of the sea. And so it is with memory.

The ending... I haven’t mentioned that there is a love story at the heart of the book (aren’t I forgetful!), and yes, the ending more than lives up to my expectations. As I’ve already mentioned the twist in the tale, I won’t talk about it again, and no, in my case I didn’t see it coming (some people did), although there were details and things that gave me pause, I think it works beautifully.
They were not included in my ARC copy, but from the author’s note, I guess that there were plans to include a family tree/list of characters, and also a map or several of the different settings mentioned in the story. I don’t know if they appear in the final version, but I am sure they would enhance the reading experience if they do.
In sum, my first experience with one of Susanna Kearsley’s novels couldn’t have been better. I loved the story, the setting, the characters, the writing style, and learned a lot about the historical period. So, I recommend it to anybody keen on historical fiction, particularly Scottish historical fiction, to anybody looking for a great story, full of unforgettable characters, adventures, and perhaps, eager to discover an author new to them.

Susanna Kearsley brings history to life once more in her newest story based in Edinburgh just after the fateful Darien expedition. Her characters leap from the page and straight into your consciousness - you care about the outcome and pray that everything will work out in the end. This is the sort of novel you rush to read, enjoy every word and hate to finish. Another masterpiece!

Every book Susanna Kearsley writes is good. A wonderful story and very enjoyable with rich details and engaging characters. This author is a master at what she does!

A beautiful cover! This was an enjoyable read. The book evokes a strong feeling of history so that you feel immersed in the times and places where the book is set. The author is clearly knowledgeable about the history, lives and times of the people of Scotland during this period - it is meticulously researched, and apparently features real characters from this time, which adds to the already authentic feel of the book.

I always enjoy Kearsleys books, she does her due diligence regarding researching the subject really well. I did not realise there was more than one book and am sorry not to have read these first, however the story can stand alone and the characters are so well drawn it doesn't matter. Set in the Jacobean period, one is brought into the times, the hardship and cruelty which abounded then and how difficult life in Highland Scotland could be for those who followed Charlie. If you like historical/timeslip novels, you will be swept up in this very entertaining book. I thak Netgalley, the publishers and the author for an ARC of The Vanished Days.

Susanna Kearsley has written a very complex book set in a very complicated time in Scottish history. All sorts of things have been going on at home and abroad and they are woven through this tale. Not only is there a king in exile but there are ongoing religious tensions in addition to class tensions. Scotland have also failed in establishing a colony in Central America and the relatives of those who died there have been invited to claim compensation. The writer is investigating one of these claims and there seems to be a lot of work for the relatively small amount involved.

I cannot say much more without the possibility of giving too much away. The era is described evocatively and there are plenty of interesting characters, including a really nasty ""baddy. Keep your wits about you while reading this novel, but worth the effort.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this book.

it's alright. nothing i haven't read before. it took me a while to get into it because i was not attached to the characters at all. the writing was mediocre. the story itself was not anything special. quite unremarkable actually, so i don't have anything much to say.

I didnt realise that this was the third book in the series so I would have liked to have read the other teo also, but I was still able to enjoy the book. It was so well written and researched and I was immersed into the picturesque imagery and the tensions of the era. I thought all the characters were so well developed and probably even more than I appreciated over the previous books. An enjoyable read.but it would have been more enjoyable had I read the previous books.

The Vanished Days is incredibly well-researched historical fiction centred around the Jacobite risings in Scotland in the late 17th and early 18th century. A period of history I knew little about, I was apprehensive that I would find it difficult to keep up with -- but the opposite was true. By capturing an ever-changing story which centres the ephemerality of human life in turbulent times, it becomes compelling, immersive and thoroughly enjoyable. I had not read any of Susanna Kearsley's work before -- and I was not aware that this was part of a series until I finished the book -- but neither of these hinder the reading experience and I am definitely inspired now to pursue more of her writing.

The first couple of thirds of the book are, admittedly, rather slow -- but the beautifully well-written and detailed descriptions of the landscapes and political tensions made it an enjoyably slow read, soaked in the (often necessarily uncomfortable) imagery of the past.
Despite being made aware throughout the whole book that the narrator knows something you don't (a trope which I often find irritating and leaving me frustratedly waiting for the reveal), the last third remains full of twists that I truly did not see coming -- the final big twist did however feel a little forced and the following ending somewhat saccharine.

It definitely feels like a book written for those who enjoy epistolary novels without, in itself, being an epistolary novel. Although in many ways quite different, I 'd thoroughly recommend it to anyone who enjoyed Sara Collins's 'The Confessions of Frannie Langton' --- the similarity between the covers is the reason I picked this up and, I believe, there remains an interesting parallel between the two books.

In summary: A compelling and sensitive story of history, politics and human struggle captured within some absolutely wonderful writing -- but missing something in the structure perhaps

Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for the free e-book in exchange for my honest review :)

A sequel to The Winter sea and the third in a series which I wasn't aware of when I started this. I did still enjoy it although you would get so much more out of it having read the others. There is quite a lot of complicated history in this book about Scotland and the union with England, the Jacobite rebellion and similar. I found I should have listened a bit more closely at school as much of this was new to me and I struggled to follow it at times. Having said that, a quick google made things easier.

I did enjoy this but it was harder work than I would have liked.

An interesting book set during the time when Scotland became part of the Union.

Lily, a young girl who lost her mother when she was 3 lived with her grandmother who worked for the Graemes. Her father remarries and Lily joins them, sadly her father is hung after an alceration which resulted with a man dying. Lily ends up in service with the Bells .sadly Mr Bell has other ideas and tries to rape her, Lily escapes and fortunately finds Barbara who takes her in.

Love, turmoil, family challenges over a 10 year period .

A really interesting read, although I kind of lost the plot a couple of chapters before the end!,

A timeslip novel with a framing story set in 1707 in a Scotland newly unified with England, and with frequent detailed flashbacks to the 1680s and 90s, as it depicts the life Lilias Aitcheson from childhood to early womanhood. Possibly because I am new to this novelist, the concept of a timeslip between historical periods was new to me, and I found the structure fascinating. Lilias appears in the 1707 story, attempting to prove she was married to a man from an old family so she can claim a widows' pension. The 1707 protagonist, army Sergeant Guy Williamson, is tasked with investigating her claim. This gives initial impetus to the story, but then a vast range of complicated plot twists follow. There are some good descriptions and the way the two plotlines progress in tandem is interesting, researchers in 1707 driving forward the progression of Lilias' earlier story. However I did not feel the social hierarchies of the period were fully enough respected; would a Lieutenant feel a Sergeant was sufficiently his equal to invite him to come and stay at his house in his absence? I am certain he would not, in any army of the period (unless of course both had risen from the ranks, but that is not stated.)
And I admit I was confused by the vast array of complexities and twists. If every story has a 'character budget' I think this one is a well over budget. The young Lillias does seem to have a great talent for being adopted by large and complicated families. The last twist of all is a genuine surprise but looking back over the book I did feel the author had not quite been fully honest with her readers.
However, this is a fluent and confidently written book which will certainly please the fans of this author's particular brand of convoluted docudrama. She says in an afterword that she originally planned to write an adventure novel about the Darien Expedition - in passing 'The Vanished Days' hints at the reasons for its failure; the lack of common ground between highlanders and lowlanders, Kings' men and Jacobites. - and those divisions in Scots society, along with England's opposition, have so frequently stifled Scotland's efforts at independent enterprises. I hope she has not forgotten about that Darien novel. I would love to read it.

I really enjoyed The Vanished Days by Susanna Kearsley. It took a little while to be immersed in the world of the novel but once I settled into the story I was pretty much hooked. Richly detailed and very moving, I felt that I had learned an awful lot about that world.

Not gonna lie...I wanted to read this book as soon as I saw a "Spellbinding" quote by Diana Gabaldon on the cover, me being a mahoosive Outlander fan. I was very excited to read it. I'm not sure how Susannah Kearsley has gone under my radar so far but I'm really looking forward to reading the rest of her books. The Vanished Days drew me in straight away with its Outlander vibes but I feel that saying that somehow takes away from Kearsley's writing, which I feel, was excellent. The book was very well researched and gave me new points of reference to research certain points of Scottish history for myself. The Darien Scheme, for example, and the buildings and architecture of old Edinburgh.

It's set in the late 1600/early 1700s in and around Edinburgh. The main storyline revolves around Adam, who has been commissioned to investigate Lily's claim to The Commission of the Equivalent, whereby she has applied for money from the government as her husband died in duty. Adam's job is to prove whether or not this marriage was valid or not, or if she was even married. There is a dual storyline which goes back into Lily's past, and the chapters switch between past and present. I should also point out that this is the third book of The Scottish Series but is a prequel. I had no idea of this when I read it, but didn't feel that this affected my understanding at all.

Brilliant. As a Diana galbandon fan I truly enjoyed this. Thankyou for giving me the chance to read in advance