Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

Preview

£0.00 for first 30 days

Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

The Secrets of Saffron Hall

By: Clare Marchant
Narrated by: Hattie Ladbury
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £12.99

Buy Now for £12.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Summary

Two women. Five centuries apart.
One life-changing secret about to be unearthed…

1538
New bride Eleanor impresses her husband by growing saffron, a spice more valuable than gold. His reputation in Henry VIII’s court soars – but fame and fortune come at a price, for the king’s favour will not last forever…

2019
When Amber discovers an ancient book in her grandfather’s home at Saffron Hall, the contents reveal a dark secret from the past. As she investigates, so unravels a forgotten tragic story and a truth that lies much closer to home than she could have imagined…

An enchanting historical novel about love and hope in dangerous times, perfect for fans of Lucinda Riley and Kathryn Hughes.

‘Emotional and intense, this is a page-turning story of secrets that echo through time’ Rachel Hore, author of The Love Child

‘A rich and vivid historical story, this is one of those rare books that is totally engrossing. I loved it’ Nicola Cornick, author of The Forgotten Sister

‘The past and present is skilfully entwined in this captivating and emotional debut’ Heidi Swain, author of The Secret Seaside Escape

‘Emotive, immersive and compelling, a beautiful story that captures the heart’ Liz Fenwick, author of The Path to the Sea

‘This pulled me in and didn’t let me go: a page-turner with such historical depth and tender touch that it enchanted my heart. I adored it.’ Laura Jane Williams, author of Our Stop

‘Intriguing and fascinating, a real insight into a turbulent time in England’s history’ Kathleen McGurl, author of The Secret of the Chateau

‘An intensely gripping, emotional read, that kept me turning the pages until the early hours of the morning. An atmospheric story sure to please all fans of timeslip novels!’ Christina Courtenay, author of Echoes of the Runes

‘A beautifully written story which pulls you in and whisks you away to another time.’ Rosie Hendry, author of the East End Angels series

©2020 Clare Marchant (P)2020 HarperCollins Publishers Limited
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Listeners also enjoyed...

The Mapmaker's Daughter cover art
The Lady of the Loch cover art
The Emerald Comb cover art
The Forgotten Palace cover art
The Secrets of Hawthorn Place cover art
The Wind Chime cover art
The Dream Weavers cover art
Secrets of the Mist cover art
The Herbalist's Secret cover art
Dark Whispers cover art
The Lost Diary cover art
The Witch's Tree cover art
The Echo of Old Books cover art
The Midnight House cover art
Echoes of the Runes cover art
The Lost Bookshop cover art

What listeners say about The Secrets of Saffron Hall

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    30
  • 4 Stars
    4
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    28
  • 4 Stars
    4
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    29
  • 4 Stars
    3
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

exciting

had to finish the book could not put it down the past and the now is there a follow on to this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

loved it. couldn't wait to finish!

the story was great, loved the dual timeline and the reason the two characters were similar.

narrator was fabulous. eloquent and sincere.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant

By far the best audiobook I’ve had in ages. There were no boring parts. I got through it way to quickly.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Very good read

I really enjoyed this book, and found it to be addictive listening. It’s a very sound dual timeline story, connecting two women who share a tragedy that many women have suffered.

I have a few things I didn’t like so much about it, though overall I did very much enjoy it. Being an author and historian myself I understand what a mammoth task it is to write like this. However, the author used the English slang terms “sat, stood” etc instead of “sitting, standing” in both the modern and historical timeline. If used in dialogue in the modern timeline it would work, but used all throughout the book in descriptive and historical passages, it grates.

There are a few instances of modern words being used in the historical timeline that are not great for historical context. Such as saying that a villager has bronchitis - a word no one in 1538 would have known. The character of Joan, best friend to the historical heroine Eleanor, was never filled out in the slightest bit. It left her much like an empty character, just a name to use to make the story work. In the final chapter Joan shows a tiny bit of life but we were never shown the bond between Eleanor and Joan, only told of it. The best friend to the 2019 heroine was more fleshed out.

Since the book is set in 2019, and I read it in November 2020, I did want to shout at the 2019 Amber to brace herself. She thinks she’s over the worst of it - and she probably is - but she’s also about to step into a global pandemic.

Although these small imperfections were a bit annoying at times, I did really enjoy this book, and I will be growing saffron next year. A solid four stars!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Very good book, pls persevere past the slow start

Excellently written, historic with characters that really existed, interesting story with a mystery to be solved. Very talented narrator. Treat yourself to this audiobook. :)

Silke Singleton

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Beautifully read, wonderful historical fiction

Beautiful. Read wonderfully. I loved the linked stories of Eleanor and Amber both who struggled with loss 500 years apart.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!