The Story Keeper - a tale of loss, healing, and family secrets.

In 2010, Fiona Winslow, a fifty-year-old historical architect, has faced a challenging year. Her marriage ended in betrayal, and her cherished Uncle Tad, a renowned author, passed away. Fiona decides to return to Wurimbirra in New South Wales, Australia, the family estate where she grew up, which she bought from Tad's son, Jon. Although the house has long been rumored to be haunted, Fiona does not believe in ghosts. She is ready to start over again, beginning with repairing and restoring the mansion and possibly mending her relationship with her mother who lives nearby. While going through her uncle's papers, she discovers a book by an unknown author. The novel, The Midnight Estate, captivates Fiona with its fictional tale of Silas and Marie. This story, set several decades earlier, follows a woman who escapes her abusive husband. As Fiona delves into this book about family secrets, she begins to suspect there may be hidden secrets in her own family.

I first discovered author Kelly Rimmer through her book The Things We Cannot Say and have enjoyed all her historical fiction novels that followed. The Story Keeper is a unique and well-done parallel narrative through a "book-within-a-book" format. It's a multi-genre story about loss, grief, and family secrets enriched by the Gothic backdrop of Wurimbirra. Rimmer approached the subject of domestic emotional and physical abuse with sensitivity. I enjoyed alternating between the digital version and the audiobook, narrated by Siho Ellsmore. Fiona couldn't put down the mysterious book she was reading, and I felt the same way. 

Many thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA Books for the gifted advance. All opinions are my own. 

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Gothic Mystery | Historical Fiction.

Publication Date: July 21, 2026.

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