Book Review: The House of Light and Shadows by Lauren Westwood

I’m excited to be welcoming Lauren Westwood back to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her latest book, The House of Light and Shadows.

An atmospheric and captivating old-house mystery, layered with romance and secrets.

Secrets lurk in the shadows at Rookswood House…

When Kate goes to look after her estranged sister’s children in their creepy old house, she takes a photo of what seems to be a ghost. Frightened yet intrigued, Kate undertakes to uncover the secrets of the house and the two mysterious sisters who lived there over a hundred years before.

But like the illusions of light and shadow in the sisters’ strange and disturbing Victorian post-mortem photography, Kate discovers that all is not what it seems. Someone – or something – has their own plans for Rookswood House – and for Kate.

With a potential developer circling around, her teenage niece in danger from an unseen force, and new love on the horizon, Kate must unravel the secrets and lies of her own and Rookswood’s past before she loses everything she holds dear.

If you like historical mysteries by Eve Chase, Rachel Burton and Harriet Evans, you’ll love Lauren Westwood.

*****

Kate is on track for a promotion. However, news that her estranged sister has had an accident leads Kate to Rookswood House. Whilst looking after her niece and nephew, she soon realises that the old house holds its secrets and she’s in a race against time to discover them. 

Although I have previously had the pleasure of interviewing Lauren Westwood (click here to read), The House of Light and Shadows is the first time I’ve had the opportunity to read one of her novels. The plot for this book sounded so intriguing, I was delighted to be invited onto the blog tour to celebrate its recent release. 

This is listed as book four in the Secrets and Love series but it can be read as a standalone. I will be adding the first three books to my reading list though. 

I am going to try and talk about this book as much as I can without giving away spoilers. 

This book…wow. That’s the word I would use to describe it. Told from the point of view of Kate and Adaline, this book pretty much throws you into the action and doesn’t let go until the end. The pacing is perfect. The tension and suspense is built well and the mystery surrounding this old house and the “weird sisters” had me pretty much reading this novel in one sitting.

Having an older sister myself, I believe that the sibling relationships explored are ones that are relatable. Sure, a lot of sisters are not estranged but the complexities of these kinds of relationships are showcased well. 

There is certainly a lot going on underneath the surface when it comes to Kate, Emma, Adeline and Camille. 

The supporting characters are a varied bunch and all add additional layers to the narrative. Charlie, Matthew, Izzy, Max – it’s unclear who Kate, and by extension the reader, can trust and the path to knowing who is friend or foe is definitely a rollercoaster. I wanted to know what would become of these characters but also didn’t want to say goodbye to them. 

Themes such as family betrayal, loyalty and love are displayed and are approached well. 

This book has history and romance with a big serving of paranormal thrown in – a mixture I adored. 

The House of Light and Shadows is a spooky tale mixed with love, heartbreak and misunderstandings. It reminds us that family remains one of the most important things in life. 

I loved this novel and can’t wait to see what comes next. 

About Lauren Westwood–

Lauren Westwood is an author of emotional women’s fiction and intelligent romance novels.

Say hello to Lauren via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Click here to sign up to her newsletter. 

The House of Light and Shadows is book four in the Secrets and Love series and was released by Boldwood Books on 18th January 2025. Click to buy on Amazon and Waterstones.

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Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.