“Hollowpark Hall protects its own.” So the FitzMahon family saying went back in the 1800s. And in 2007, as Hollowpark Hall is being renovated by the current generation of FitzMahons, it’s still said that “If you looked after the house, it would protect you.” Amidst such atmosphere, Sinéad Crowley’s The Belladonna Maze presents a dual timeline saga of secrets, ghostly sightings, and the mystery of a missing girl centred around an enigmatic old house in west Ireland.
When 29-year-old Grace comes to work as a nanny for little Skye FitzMahon in Hollowpark Hall in 2007, she’s hoping to find a place to call home after years of seasonal work in Greece. She also hopes she won’t fall for Skye’s father. But shortly after arriving, other matters prey on Grace’s mind when she sees a strange woman in a window, and hears a voice calling for her to “find me”, “help me” and “protect the house.”
The novel’s second engaging timeline plays out in the past, from the tragic story of a Fitzmahon woman who lived in Hollowpark Hall in 1825, through to the story of a teenage girl who vanished from the grounds during a Halloween party in 1973.
Cleverly plotted and laced with menace, connections between the past and present rise to a thrilling crescendo you’re unlikely to see coming. As a result, this compulsive mystery packs the punch of atmosphere and unexpected twists.
From bestselling crime novelist and renowned Irish TV journalist Sinéad Crowley, gripping dual timelines entwine in this heart-stopping story of old secrets and forbidden passion.
An old house can hold many secrets. Hollowpark in the west of Ireland certainly does. At the heart of the gardens is an intricate maze, named after a deadly poison, Belladonna. If you know the way through, it's magical, a hiding place and playground like no other. If you don't, it's a place of fear and sinister riddles, where a young girl once went missing and was never seen again.
Grace comes to Hollowpark as a nanny for young Skye FitzMahon. Soon the mysterious past of Hollowpark has seduced her. Who is the woman she sometimes glimpses in an upstairs window? Or the apparition who keeps showing up unexpectedly, pleading, 'Find me'. And how can she fight her growing attraction to Skye's father?
Spine-tinglingly magnificent! Hugely atmospheric and completely engrossing, it pulls you in and holds you captive until the very last word. Utterly unputdownable! -- Steph Broadribb
Beautifully written, and deftly plotted... So compelling that the pages almost turned themselves. A terrific novel -- Liz Nugent
Compelling, clever and deeply romantic, the plot has more twists and turns than the maze itself... A welcome return to fiction by one of Ireland's most accomplished crime writers... A joy to read -- Jane Casey
Prepare to lose yourself in The Belladonna Maze, a sweeping saga that embraces mystery, history and romance. If you're still missing Maeve Binchy, this one's for you -- Erin Kelly
Atmospheric, creepy, utterly engrossing and as twisty-turny as the maze itself -- Tammy Cohen
Very engaging... The writing is fluent and accessible, the authorial voice perceptive and intuitive - Irish Examiner
Told across dual timelines, the tale of dark passions is hauntingly atmospheric - Woman's Own
The story is clever and involving, the characters are plausible and empathetic, the pacing is just-so and the prose is crisp and unfussy - everything you'd want, really, in a thriller - Irish Independent
Sinead Crowley is back with another gripping page turner - Daily Mail
Vibrant and lyrical, The Belladonna Maze is a great piece of escapist fiction for those who enjoy a haunted house, some romance and a story that keeps you guessing until the end - Sunday Business Post
Spine-tingling... An atmospheric blend of history, mystery and ghostly chills - perfect if you love gothic family sagas - CultureFly
With just the right balance between realism and romantic, The Belladonna Maze is an atmospheric book full of all you'd want from a suspenseful mystery: vivid characters, a sumptuous setting and an expertly crafted thread of malevolence - Irish Times
With a narrative that moves smoothly between 2007 and the middle of the 19th century, The Belladonna Maze is both a delicious ghost story and a gripping whodunnit - Irish Times
Gothic horror meets modern romance - Historical Novels Review
