I always feel dual timeline stories are a challenge to pull off successfully. Often they really don’t work for me, usually because I find one of the storylines more engaging than the other. Unsurprisingly, as a lover of historical fiction, it’s usually the one set in the past. I think the author managed it here though because the two storylines – one set in the mid-19th century and the other in 2007 – are woven together using a touch of the supernatural so it always feels there’s an underlying resonance between the two. A third storyline set in the mid-1970s involving the unsolved disappearance of a local girl helps tie them together as well. Despite being a supernatural sceptic, I was able to accept that Hollowpark, given its age and location, might hold many secrets. And if you’re going to suspend disbelief anywhere about ghostly apparations and ancient curses then surely Ireland is the place.

I liked the way the author introduced a character to enable her to weave into the story some of Ireland’s troubled history. In particular, the so-called ‘Great Hunger’ whose main cause was the infection of potato crops by blight. It reached its peak in 1847 and because so many people were dependent on potatoes for food and income, it resulted in a death toll of around 1 million. It also sparked a mass exodus with many people leaving Ireland for America among other places. This is also neatly reflected in the book later on.

The combination of history and mystery kept me absorbed in the story and there were a few good reveals which you’d expect from an author who also writes crime novels, although I did have my suspicions about the perpertrator fairly early on. There were a few creepy moments when Grace finds herself alone in the largely uninhabited house and the maze of the book’s title takes on a distinctly sinister aspect at times. Personally I found the relationship that develops between Grace and Patrick, her employer, unconvincing. Having only Grace’s point of view meant the attraction felt one-sided. I also thought it was rather too quickly and conveniently wrapped up.

The Belladonna Maze is a well-crafted story that will appeal to fans of dual timeline stories with a touch of the supernatural. I listened to the audiobook version narrated by the author. She did an excellent job, her Irish accent giving a real feeling of authenticity to the characters and dialogue.

A lovely read very well written.Love the maze idea.I have never read anything by Sinead before will definately be now.

This was a great seasonal read, a bit spooky - very gripping!
I love a dual timeline & it was wonderfully written. I couldn’t wait to find out the mystery of Hollowpark.

If Jane Eyre met Outlander, with a little more darkness.

Unfinished due to time constraints. I enjoyed the language style and dual timeline elements.

At times both an attempt at a Gothic mystery and a sprawling, decade-hopping family drama, The Belladonna Maze has some elements working in its favour - a neat hook, some interesting play with timelines - that unfortunately fall to the wayside when dealing with cliche drama, some underbaked reveals, and a conclusion that feels a touch unearned. However, it's not an unpleasant time, and Crowley shows promise as a novelist.

The story:
Over 30 years ago, a 15-year-old girl went missing after attending a Halloween party at Hollowpark Hall. And more than 150 years ago, another young woman lived there; a woman who loved the house, and the beautiful maze in its grounds. A woman who was forced to leave against her will.

When Grace comes to work as a nanny for the Fitzmahon family, she almost immediately feels that their grand but neglected home in the northwest of Ireland is hiding secrets. There are restless spirits in residence. But Hollowpark Hall is said to protect its own…

My thoughts:
“The Belladonna Maze”, by Sinéad Crowley is a gripping historical mystery set in Ireland, with more than a hint of the gothic!

The story is told across several timelines, all set around Hollowpark Hall — “the big house” of the village of Lisheeha, in County Roscommon. In the 19th century we meet Deirdre Fitzmahon, first as a child in 1825, then following the unhappy events of her marriage, which ends in her early widowhood. When her father passes away, Deidre and her mother are unceremoniously turned out of their home by her cousin (the next male heir) to live in the property’s gatehouse. But Deidre believes in the family legend that Hollowpark protects its own, and is determined she will never leave…

In 2007, Grace is working as a nanny in the winter months, and enjoying the sunshine of Greece in the summer as a holiday rep in charge of the kids’ club. But she is starting to feel the need for a more settled life, and when Patrick and Isla Fitzmahon offer her the job of nanny for their daughter Skye, she takes the chance to move back to her native Ireland. Immediately enchanted by the grand, although somewhat rundown, Hollowpark, she also strongly feels the presence of something more sinister… As she gets to know the household, which also includes Patrick’s mother Delia, and the village of Lisheeha, she learns about the mysterious disappearance of a young girl from the grounds during a party more that 30 years ago. She becomes convinced that the spirit of Catherine Clancy is reaching out to her, begging for the truth of what happened to be discovered…

This book is just my sort of story, with its gothic atmosphere and a puzzling murder mystery at its heart. We can assume that Catherine Clancy was killed, but how and why? And more importantly, by whom? The solution to this mystery is revealed in the final gripping chapters, and I found the answer to be both surprising and satisfying. Overall, this was a well-written, engaging read — definitely one for all historical mystery fans!

This is such a great novel. The characters are well developed and realistic. They pulled on my heartstrings. The writing was very descriptive.

Hollowpark Hall has been the home of the Fitzmahon family for centuries and the myth goes that the hall will stand as long as there is a Fitzmahon living there. You look after Hollowpark Hall and it will look after you.

Grace comes to stay at Hollowpark as a nanny and quickly falls in love with the place. The family are in the process of renovating the Hall to open to the public as a hotel and Grace is fascinated as she learns its history until she starts seeing the ghost of two women, Deirdre Fitzmahon who lived at the house decades before and Catherine Clancy who went missing after attending a Halloween party at Hollowpark 30 years before.

What secrets is the Hall keeping about these two women and what lengths will people go to keep those secrets.

A good read

An excellent read from Sinéad Crowley. Mysterious and well written it tells a great story full of intrigue and history.

I love Dual timeline reads and am thrilled to read this book, it kept me captivated and locked in. It is well put together and the author put a lot of heart into this book, A recommended read.

This hooked me from the start, a great story filled with suspense and then wow the biggest twist which as an avid reader I am impressed with! Would definitely recommend this!

I really enjoyed this book which had a supernatural vibe to it. Set in two timelines mid .1800’s and modern day 2007. The story is set in the north west of Ireland and I loved the gothic feel about this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book with it's gothic vibes. Add in a Nanny with travelling feet, a creepy house with sprawling gardens and a maze, an unsolved missing girl case from years ago, and I was firmly on board to get to the bottom of The Belladonna Maze.

There are two timelines - 2007 and 1840 - both revolve around the house and it's mysteries - and both kept me entertained.

I enjoyed the pace, it meandered a bit, but that only added to the atmosphere of the book, and it helped keep up the suspense element. Fab setting, interesting characters and a mystery that held my attention, a book well worth spending a few hair raising hours with.

This was my first time reading a book from the author but I am delighted to say I thoroughly enjoyed the story and I look forward to reading more books from the writer in the future!

This novel held me in its grip from the very beginning. It is full of twists and turns, very unexpected in places. The lasting image I have is of an innocent young girl, running through a maze of deadly poison, oblivious as to what lies ahead. It was a very atmospheric read, with subtle spooky vibes that I appreciated. The story arc is built upon layers of secrets that are slowly revealed, which kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. Am original novel that is very well executed. I will look out for more titles by this author.

When Grace accepts a nannying job at Hollowpark, she’s looking forward to settling down after spending her summers in Greece. But who is the strange lady she keeps seeing in the window? How does she link to the girl who’s been missing for over 30 years?

The Belladonna Maze is a great read, with a little bit of everything - mystery, intrigue, romance, historical - and death to keep the interest! It is a slow starter, taking a while for anything to really happen, and for the story to gel, but once it does, it’s a page turner. Sinead Crowley has come up with a cracking storyline which kept me involved to the end. My only slight criticism was that belladonna didn’t really make much of an impact on the story, given the title! That aside, a great story and an enjoyable read.

Seemed to be a slow beginning and a bit too 'jumpy' between dates, the maze was difficult to decide why Belladonna was important. When the story finally focused on Diedre and Hollowparks future things became a bit more obvious and gradually a picture emerges that not all is as it seems. Hallow'een is the crucial turning point and from then on the story seems to take off, no undue surprises at the end but happy for some?

I really enjoyed Belladonna maze. It was written well and the character development was great.
It had some twists in there that I didn't see coming (and a few I did)
It felt like a breath of fresh air and I enjoyed the different time periods to give context to the story as a whole
I recommend the book

Wow gripping page turned characters full on great plot easy to read fast pace great characters you will them love it

At the heart of this story is the Belladonna Maze and the Hollowpark estate in western Ireland. The story is a dual timeline, moving between Grace in recent years and the past inhabitants of the house. It’s a ghost story with a mystery element that the house seems to task Grace with solving. I really enjoyed the history timelines and found them mesmerising and fascinating. However, for some reason I’m not sure of, I just didn’t quite empathise with Grace and found her a little too cheesy at times in the middle of the book, especially with the love story side of her story. Nevertheless, the latter part of the story with Grace solving the mystery totally absorbed my attention and had me turning the pages. Overall, an enjoyable ghost mystery story.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an E-arc in exchange for a review.