The Secrets of Dragonfly Lodge
Hore returns to her usual dual-narrative, time slip structure for her 14th novel, which takes place on the modern Norfolk Broads and in 1940s/50s London. The protagonist, Stef, is researching material for a book about women scientists in the post-war era when Stef’s mother, who lives in Norfolk, introduces her to Dr Nancy Foster, a naturalist and teacher. Initially, Nancy is a reluctant interviewee but reconsiders after a key incident. This allows Stef to gain Nancy’s trust, and the action then switches nicely between the two time periods.
Hore’s descriptions of the Norfolk Broads are especially immersive. The premise is interesting, seldom covered in book club fiction: the role of women in science and the struggles they faced, and I was eager to find out more about these women. Hore undertook much research for this novel, but several times it falls prey to too much, telling us this research and packing the story with information that, whilst interesting, slows the story down. Nancy’s backstory kept me reading, but the narrative style combined with too much detail prevented me from forming a closer emotional attachment with her. I wanted to get more into her head. In addition, some of Stef’s motivations seemed surprising, given she was a champion of women and their tenacity.
The romance element to the story is predictable and formulaic, but very typical for this genre and will no doubt please Hore’s legion of fans. The pace picks up well at the denouement of this novel, but overall this felt like an unbalanced reading experience in want of a tighter edit.
