Review: The Last Daughter

The Last Daughter by Nicola Cornick
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Serena Warren's twin Caitlin disappeared over a decade ago, without a trace. Her loss, and Serena's associated amnesia, have cast a long shadow over Serena's family. Now the Police have found Caitlin's body, but there is a mystery to be solved about how and when she died. Serena returns to the family's former home near the ruins of Minster Lovell Hall in Oxfordshire to find out more about her sister's body and gradually starts to recall the events of that fateful night.

Back in the fifteenth century Anne Neville is betrothed to Francis Lovell, just a few years older than herself, in an attempt by Lord Warwick, Anne's maternal uncle, to create an alliance. Caught up in the Wars of the Roses and the machinations of Lord Warwick and Anne's father, Anne and Francis are initially pawns but as they grow older Francis becomes more involved, although his loyalty is to King's brother, Richard Gloucester.

Told in alternate voices by Serena and Anne we see how their lives are entwined through Minster Lovell Hall and a mysterious lodestone with magical powers. Treason, treachery, greed, lust, and loyalty run through the stories as they build to unravelling the truth behind Caitlin's death and the disappearance of Francis Lovell.

I was under a misapprehension about the time-slippery twist (Barbara Erskine's words) and so I spent the majority of the book expecting something which never really happened 'on screen'. Also, I felt that it bore too many similarities to Nicola Cornick's previous book The Forgotten Sister, indeed the protagonist of that book also features in this book as one of Serena's best friends. It was also similar to another book I read recently The Queen’s Spy, although The Last Daughter did a much better job of engaging me with Anne and Serena.

I have never really got to grips with the factions in the War of the Roses, too many of them seem to have the same names, although at least watching the TV series The White Princess helped me get the characters straight once we reached Henry Tudor LOL.

I did enjoy this book. However, I suspect that I may find the books a bit same-same if I read a third book by Nicola Cornick which features alternate timelines.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.


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