TRIGGER WARNING: domestic violence
1900, Alice's elopement with a married man fails and she is taken abroad by her aunt in order to avoid scandal. She goes to Crete and is fascinated by a local dig. Present day, Eloise is recently widowed and travels to Crete to enjoy her freedom. She finds Alice's diary and is astonished to discover a connection...
The Forgotten Palace is a dual timeline novel with strong mythological themes.
Alice and Eloise are both feisty women who have been wronged in the past. The truth of their experiences is gradually revealed over the course of the book and our sympathies are allied with them. Both women find themselves judged by friends, family and society, whilst the men involved are not held responsible for their actions. I would have found it easier to follow the switches between timelines if this had been stated at the start of the chapters.
Greek mythology plays a pivotal role in the plot for both timelines. There are also scattered chapters that offer snippets of the myth from a more personal perspective than the other recounts included in the book. I would have liked Ariadne's story to have been more overt and balanced in line with the other women.
The author has clearly researched the culture, history and geography of Crete to underpin the plot. However, for me it was the emotional elements of the book which worked best as this forged a connection with the characters.
The Forgotten Palace is an interesting and detailed timeslip novel.

A novel that has a multigenerational timeline, archaeology, Crete, England, reincarnation, and a host of other historical ideas. This is a really unusual and entertaining novel set loosely over three different time periods and exploring the legend of the Minotaur and the history of Crete. In the modern day we have recently-widowed Eloise who has come to Crete as a means of escaping troubling events back home where she becomes intrigued by the history of Knossos and the diaries of Alice who was present at the dig uncover ng the site in 1900. Alongside we hear the story of Alice and the troubles she herself suffered back in the Victorian era which brought her to Crete. There is a strange connection between the two women and, in turn, to Ariadne and the true story of the Minotaur.

This book reminded me of The Labyrinth by Kate Mosse. It was well written with a compelling story and well developed characters. An absolutely thrilling read

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read The forgotten palace by Alexandra Walsh for a review. This is one of those books that I thought I would enjoy but became a chore to slog through parts of the book. It is a dual timeline story of Alice and Eloise, and while I did enjoy reading the descriptions of Greece and the Minotaur's labyrinth I wish it had been edited more.

This is the first of this author’s work I’ve read but I’ll certainly be keeping an eye out for future releases now!

Written as a dual timeline, this is a sweeping historical mystery which is expertly woven together. Unlike some other novels in this genre, we are able to build up our knowledge of the main characters over successive chapters, rather than flitting from one story to the other and this works particularly well as the reader gains a real sense of what is happening both in the 1900s and the present day.

The cover is particularly striking and sets the scene of the novel perfectly. The author has clearly extensively researched the history of the Minoans in Crete and the archaeological dig to discover the Palace of Knossos, while the linking chapters detailing elements of Greek mythology and the story of Ariadne and the Minotaur gives this an extra special edge over other works of historical fiction.

Victorian society and values are similarly well portrayed as poor Alice has to suffer the indignity of a disastrous love choice before she is whisked away by her sympathetic aunt on a Grand Tour.

I liked the way in which family secrets were such an integral part of the plot in both timelines and felt this golden thread within the narrative was cleverly done to link the lives of Alice and Eloise beyond their interest in history.

A fascinating and evocative read. Highly recommended.

With thanks to the author, Rachel at Random Resources and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to participate in the tour.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of Alexandra Walsh's novel 'The Forgotten Palace'.

*This novel contains references to partner/domestic abuse and drug use.

Exploring the legend of the Minotaur, Ariadne, and the Labyrinth, Alexandra Walsh brings together two women, separated by one hundred years of history, who share a connection to the story of Ariadne, princess of the Labyrinth.

In 1900 London Alice Webster has caused a scandal by almost running away to America with a married man. Seeking distance and adventure to drive away the painful memory, her aunt invites her on a Grand Tour of Europe where Alice discovers a love of archaeology on a dig site in Crete. In present day London, Eloise is also escaping a scandal having caused a scene at her husbands funeral, walking out after the ceremony in a bright red dress and heading to the airport to catch a flight to Crete to the house her father-in-law left her. Whilst cleaning out the house, Eloise finds the diaries Alice wrote during her time at the nearby archaeological site almost 100 years earlier.

I read this book over the course of several lunch breaks and each time I had to put in down I found my thoughts were drawn back to the island of Crete. I thought the authors depiction and handling of themes of domestic violence involving the main character were delicately handled and added some darkness and drive to the narrative.

I was curious about this book as I briefly studied Arthur Evans and his work in Knossos in University, the story describes the lives of three remarkable women who, in their own way, broke the mould. Alice Webster finds herself travelling in 1900s Europe, landing eventually in Crete at the time of Evans' archaeological dig on the Minoan city of Knossos. In another time 100 yrs ahead, Elaine inherits a home in Crete and escapes here after the sudden death of her husband. Intertwined in these lives comes the ancient story of the Minotaur and the Labyrinth.
This is a very beautifully written book, the characters leap from the page and we become invested in their lives. A word of warning, there is domestic abuse discussed with one character, but I thought it was handled by the author with great sensitivity. I cannot recommend The Forgotten Palace enough. Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for an ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishing house and the author for the opportunity to read a comolimentary copy fo this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

This was a wonderul story, it felt so different from other dual timeline stories that I have read. This story takes places over different centuries, and deals wth the Minotaur's labyrinth in Crete, which was always one of my favourite mythological stories. This story follows two lovely women, Alice in 1900s London and Eloise in present day London. As I read this book, I kept wondering how the author would bring the two stories together, but she did so wonderfully. The little slips back in time were perfect and the story had a wonderful ending. I will definitely read more book by this author.

I thoroughly enjoyed Alexandra Walsh’s Marquess House series, so was really looking forward to The Forgotten Palace, and I was not disappointed!

The mainly dual narrative focuses on two women living very different lives.

In the present day, Eloise is widowed after the unexpected death of her husband and heads to the Greek island of Crete to reevaluate her life and recover. The house left to her by her father-in-law is full of historical artefacts and documents, and while she is clearing out the property, Eloise becomes increasingly drawn into Quinn’s unfinished research.

Alice Webster also escaped to Crete. In 1900, having caused a scandal, she heads to Europe to save her reputation and heal her broken heart. Once in Crete, she becomes involved in the archaeological dig at Knossos. Eloise reads her diaries and finds startling connections between herself and Alice that could lead to even greater revelations.

This is such an engaging story. I really enjoyed both of the main timelines and the dip into Greek mythology. Interwoven with the main timelines are glimpses of the real Ariadne and her life in Crete which serves as the basis for the Minotaur myths.

The sections with Alice travelling through Europe and the depiction of the archaeological dig were particularly evocative. Alice is a capable and intelligent young woman who is hampered by the conventions of Victorian society. Once in Crete, she is able to apply her talents with a measure of freedom and discover her true self and true love.

Alice is incredibly privileged and, at the beginning of the book, very naive and self-indulgent. Distance from her family allows her to reflect on her mistakes and the hurt that she has caused. She is lucky that she is given time and opportunity to redeem herself. I warmed to her more as the story developed and she matures.

Eloise is a stronger woman than Alice. Her story is gradually revealed as she establishes her life in Crete and grieves for her marriage. Like Alice, she has to reestablish some of her relationships and forge new ones. The differences between them show how the world has changed for women in the century that has passed. But there are still significant parallels.

The secrets of Sfragida House are all gradually revealed as the historical objects link the minotaur myths and Ariadne to Eloise via Alice. I loved the exploration of the connectedness of women across time and the concept of labyrinths, both literal and metaphorical.

This was a great read – compelling characters, evocative settings, and plenty of secrets to be discovered.

I am such a fan of Alexandra’s books - she writes such engaging stories. This time around she offers another dual time story but with a difference - the lives of two women are linked by their experiences and dreams of the Minotaur’s labyrinth at Knossos however, a century divides them. As always Alexandra undertakes impeccable research, with the author’s note at the end so interesting in explaining what is real and fiction throughout the tale.

The Forgotten Palace is a vivid and engaging tale of love and betrayal. For fans of mythology, the mystery of the labyrinth provides a fascinating backdrop to the unfolding story. Filled with history, mystery and strong female leads on a journey to discover their own voice. If historical fiction and mythology are your thing then this book is sure to please with Alexandra’s tell tale offerings of fact and fiction, myth and reality, historical and contemporary.

I very much liked the idea of the different stories included in one. The jumps in time are well done and it made the story more interesting. I really liked the idea of learning about the ancient time this way and it is a bit different than the retellings which are so popular now. The characters are well developed and not one-dimensional, that‘s why the story captured a lot.
I recommend this book highly.

I’m torn on this book if I’m honest. I struggled a bit to keep up with who was who and how they fitted into the dual timeline. That said I did enjoy it

An enjoyable story that was engaging in both storylines. The historical research and details were very well done by the author, Alexandra Walsh, and she will be an author I will read again.

A well written and researched dual timeline novel with the added touch of the Greek mythology. I enjoyed this book but did find it a little hard going at times but I can see this being a good holiday read. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the advance review copy.

This book was a gem of a find! A dual narrative set predominantly in Crete, we follow Alice in 1900 as she joins an archaeological dig and Eloise in the modern day, both seeking refuge on the Greek Island after experiencing a significant trauma.

Interwoven in the main story, is a retelling of the myth of the Minotaur. I cannot even begin to explain just how much I loved this aspect - with Walsh providing an interesting theory about the origins of the well-known myth.

Trigger warning: domestic violence is discussed within this book. It is hard-hitting and brutal, but respectfully done (and not there just for the sake of it).

I found Walsh to have a particular talent for bringing life to her characters - the main women are immensely likeable but it's the side characters who, even if only mentioned briefly, capture your heart.

I'd highly recommend (this is perfect if you're holidaying in Crete!)

3.5 Stars
One Liner: Got some good aspects but still a mixed read

1900, London
Alice Webster made a huge mistake. Her family is furious but also wants the best for her. When Aunt Agatha plans a Grand Tour, Alice joins her. They go from London to Paris to Crete, and Alice finds herself fascinated by the archeological digs at Knossos. Soon, her life is entwined with the past and others from the present.
Present Day, London
Eloise De’Ath is supposed to be a grieving widow, but only she knows the truth about her husband. She escapes to a house in Crete, inherited from her history-loving father-in-law, Quinn. Eloise begins to heal with the help of friends and discovers treasures in his study. She also finds Alice's diaries and feels like her life is linked with women from the past.
What connects Ariadne, Alice, and Eloise?
The story comes in the limited third-person POV of Alice and Eloise with a sprinkling of random diary snippets.

What I Like:
There’s no denying the research that went into the book. The author’s note at the end is probably more interesting and explains what’s real and fiction.
The beginning is solid for both tracks. The setting, especially Crete, is just how it needed to be, neither extensive nor vague. Aunt Agatha’s kids add good bits of humor to the plot. The side characters are well-established and handle their roles with great success.
The book deals with domestic abuse and shows how even women with successful careers make mistakes and prefer to ignore abuse as they don’t want to acknowledge that they are victims. It shows how the need to be a ‘strong and efficient female’ overrides personal security and can lead to life-threatening situations. I like this observation.
There are quite a few references to theology, especially Madam Blavatsky. As someone who grew up with bedtime stories about the Theosophical Society, this appealed to me in many ways. Also, the core concepts of life, birth, death, and reincarnation in theology are attributed to Hinduism and Buddhism as they should be.
Another aspect I like is the observation about how even scholars are not without biases shaped by their culture and upbringing. During a discussion between two characters, one of them (a woman, unsurprisingly) points out how even a world-famous archeologist re-constructs older civilizations based on their knowledge of their culture. So, it’s not surprising that goddesses and priestesses with independent positions get pushed back and limited to their roles next to male Gods and kings.

What Could Have Been Better for Me:
I’m not sure why this is advertised as a time-slip novel. It’s just a dual timeline book with a few bits and pieces of diary entries to make the plot seem intriguing. The connection between the timelines doesn’t make the impact it should. Furthermore, the personal lives of the characters take more space than the actual connection between them.
There are several characters in the book. So many that I stopped noting down their names after a point. With as many characters in each timeline, tracking them got a little too much.
I love history and mythology, but when I read fiction, I want a story that doesn’t rely on me remembering everything I read about Greek mythology, nor do I want a crash course on it. I don’t mind the story leaning on these aspects. I just don’t want so much of it in the book that it reads like a chapter from a textbook. Some readers will enjoy it.
In dual timeline books, I’m prepared to like one track more than the other. Usually, it’s the historical track that fares better. Here, I wasn’t particularly fond of Alice (what she did was plain stupid for someone who claims to be logical and a scholar). Moreover, by trying to suppress information for a big reveal, Alice’s character ended up shallower and bratty. What little sympathy she had got diluted because of this. Eloise’s track was marginally better, though I couldn’t sympathize with her either.
The writing is clunky and heavy in many places. This can be edited (maybe they did edit for the final copy; mine is an ARC). On the plus side, it’s easy to speed-read and not miss anything.

To summarize, The Forgotten Palace has some good points to ponder and presents a tale of two women divided by more than a century. However, it also gets heavy-handed and tiring at times.
Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
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Review rounded up to 4 stars on Amazon.

The Forgotten Palace was a fascinating read set mainly around the island of Crete and the excavations at Knossos. I was intrigued with how cleverly the author could combine fiction and mythology with fictional characters and real-life characters. The story did take a bit of time to development and the earlier parts of the book were filled with historical and mythological facts and tidbits. It did not hinder the story at all - in fact, it added some color and perspective.

Both storylines dealt with strong women who both had a bit of history they needed to escape from. Our 1900 heroine, Alice Webster, desperately needs to get away from an impending scandal with her taking center stage. When her aunt offers her the opportunity to travel to Europe and a chance encounter on route to Paris leads them to a few newly excavated sites in Crete, Alice finds herself in the throes and echoes of the past.

Our present day heroine, Eloise De'Ath is a modern day woman who knows how to keep her head held high and her secrets buried deep. After the passing of her husband, she lefts for Crete to a house her father in law, Quinn left her in his will. Sfragida House. While sorting through Quinn's paperwork, she discovers that Quinn was busy studying the 1900's excavations at Knossos and especially the Minotaur's Labyrinth.

And this is where it became really interesting! Facts, fiction, mythology and mystery all started blending together in perfect harmony. This tale of love, lost and betrayal and the strong women who could rise above their adversaries, forms the background to a brilliant read that we will easily recommend.

My Review: I enjoyed this dual time line story which follows Eloise and Alice. Eloise moves to Crete in order to grieve and process the loss of her husband. There's a travel culture and sophistication within the pages and a beauty in the authors description of the time lines, characters and scenery. There are strong bonds and the aunt / niece dynamic is lovely. I loved that the Akashic Records and Theosophy movement were mentioned. An engaging read for those who like historical fiction.

As a huge fan of Walsh’s Marquess House Saga, I jumped at the chance to read her newest book, especially after learning that it features the Greek myth of Ariadne and the Minotaur.

The one thing that really jumps out at me whenever I read anything that Walsh writes is the amount of research she must have done because she weaves it so seamlessly into her stories. Dual-timelines can be tough to navigate and The Forgotten Palace does it wonderfully well. There is a lot of detail and I found myself sometimes lost in the descriptions but I love being immersed in the story and really getting to know the characters.

Both Eloise and Alice start the story off at a point in their life when they feel like they’re starting over and unsure of what the future brings. Even though they are separated by so much time, they are mysteriously connected to each other. I love the haunting use of dreams and also the beautiful setting that is the backdrop to the entire story – Crete, and Sfragida House, are almost a character on their own.

While I initially thought that the story was mainly about two women – Eloise in the present day and Alice in 1900 – it really involves three stories because Ariadne’s story is just as important to the overall narrative. The three stories are intertwined together and there’s a different look at the myth of the Minotaur that I enjoyed. I also really liked learning more about the real-life excavation at Knossos in Crete that Alice’s timeline featured.

Readers who enjoy historical fiction with a twist, dual-timelines, complex characters, and the unravelling of secrets should definitely give The Forgotten Palace a try!

*** Thank you to the blog tour organiser, Rachel's Random Resources, and the publisher, Boldwood Books, for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

I really enjoyed this dual timeline novel set in Crete. In 1900 Alice joins her aunt and entourage for a European Grand Tour and ends up in Crete, joining the excavation at Knossos. In present day, Eloise's husband has died and she is not exactly struck with grief. She escapes to Sfragida House in Crete, a gift from her father-in-law, and the place Alice stayed more than a century ago. Interwoven between both women's stories the author gives a detailed, research-laden description of the myth of the Minotaur and Ariadne. I enjoyed both women's timelines but especially the ancient history.