Time's Tyranny - Reviews
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“A compelling art mystery, a community of women friends living through difficult times, a hidden family history, and a romance that encounters unforeseen obstacles - all delivered with the strong characterisation and engaging storytelling that has always made the author such a personal favourite. Time’s Tyranny is a deliciously convoluted mystery with the most unexpected twists and turns and a final resolution I found both ingenious and fascinating... The book's ending is perfectly judged - satisfying and uplifting - but I'll admit I was pleased to learn the author has plans to make The Wyngrave Women a trilogy. There are definitely some threads in the original story, Time’s Prisoner, that I'd be delighted to see explored further. But Time’s Tyranny was a book I really loved - and one I'd very much recommend to others."
ANNE WILLIAMS, Being Anne book blog
"Linda Gillard knows how to write a story that keeps you wanting to turn the pages, characters who become friends, and she knows how to write about sex in a way that’s actually erotic, not cringe-worthy. She has also had the courage to write about what it was really like in lockdown – the fear, the loneliness, and the partitioning of families, the terrible choices - which the Wyngrave women have to go through just as we did. Add to that, a haunted historic house, a ruined castle and an arsonist at large and you have a wonderful plot. I loved it and can't wait for Book 3!"
KATHLEEN JONES, author of A Passionate Sisterhood: The Sisters, Wives and Daughters of the Lake Poets
Another beautifully written and captivating story from Linda Gillard. I have been a fan of Linda's writing for many years and have thoroughly enjoyed all of her books. Her latest, TIME’S TYRANNY, was no exception.
In whatever form it takes, love is always at the heart of Linda’s work. In this sequel to TIME’S PRISONER, we continue to witness the deep friendship of a close circle of women, bound together for varying reasons and now locked down during Covid. We also follow the romantic love between Jane and Jesper, which is still relatively new when the book begins, though temporarily thwarted by their required separation.
Jane is an easy character to empathise with, and Jesper a flawed yet lovable hero. Their multi-layered relationship forms the heart of the novel, but love permeates so many other aspects of the book, too – from the friendship between the women to the burgeoning relationship between Bella and the enigmatic Merlin.
The book begins as the first Covid lockdown is ending, which Linda handles with compassion. Whilst it reminds us of the challenges we faced at the time, the pandemic doesn't overwhelm the narrative.
Houses are always "characters" in Linda's books, and here two fascinating old buildings take centre stage. One serves as the focal point for an art mystery involving an intriguing old painting, and this underpins the story arc. I particularly loved the art history aspect, and the twist at the end brought the novel to a perfect conclusion.
Linda’s dialogue is always spot-on, with each character having a distinct voice that drives the narrative through what they say and how they say it.
The ending is satisfying, yet I'm glad there is to be a third book. I can't wait to hear more about the life Jane and Jesper are building together and discover what happened to many of the peripheral characters. A joy to read and I thoroughly recommend it.
SARA DOWNING, author of I Let You Fall, winner of the RNA Fantasy Romantic Novel Award