Sisters Flora and Isobel lost their home in London during a bombing raid in World War II. They now find themselves and their widowed mother, Julia, homeless and travelling to their mother’s ancestral home, Splint Hall, to begin a new life. Splint Hall is where Julia’s sister, Aunty Bea, and husband, Mr Godfrey, oversee the estate.

As they are chauffeured to the Hall they notice in the distance some very unusual sparkling lights that cannot be explained and are intrigued as to what they could be. On arrival at Aunty Bea’s nothing is as the family expected and it is a far cry from the loving and happy home that Julia has described. Most of the servants have been dismissed, except for the formidable housekeeper and cook, Miss Stewart, and the sinister gardener come chauffeur, Rigby, who carries out suspicious and mysterious activities for his master. Mr Godfrey, who has an elevated sense of importance, rules Splint Hall and the estate, which he has appropriated from his wife, with an iron fist.

Life at the Hall is filled with strict rules and harsh discipline, but it is when the girls are banished to their bedroom one morning and discover a secret door that life becomes more interesting. However, it’s when they come across a local boy who has been accused of stealing food from the Hall’s depleted pantry, that the mystery of Splint Hall begins to unravel, and the secret is revealed.

Katie Cotton’s tale The Secret of Splint Hall is one of mystery and suspense. This is an entertaining story that highlights bravery and being true to oneself.

Reviewed by Cathy d’Apice
Age Guide 9+