Book Review: The Clockmakers Wife by Daisy Wood

The Clockmaker’s Wife


by Daisy Wood
Publication Date July 8, 2021
Published by HarperCollins UK
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Genres: 20th Century, Action & Adventure, Fiction, General, Historical, Political, Romance, Urban & Street Lit, World War II
Pages: 400
Format: ARC

The world is at war. And time is running out...
London, 1940. Britain is gripped by the terror of the Blitz, forcing Nell Spelman to flee the capital with her young daughter – leaving behind her husband, Arthur, the clockmaker who keeps Big Ben chiming.
When Arthur disappears, Nell is desperate to find him. But her search will lead her into far darker places than she ever imagined...
New York, Present Day. When Ellie discovers a beautiful watch that had once belonged to a grandmother she never knew, she becomes determined to find out what happened to her. But as she pieces together the fragments of her grandmother’s life, she begins to wonder if the past is better left forgotten...
A powerful and unforgettable tale of fierce love, impossible choices and a moment that changes the world forever, perfect for fans of Fiona Valpy and Suzanne Kelman.
Readers love Daisy Wood:
'A ticking time-bomb of intrigue, wrapped around stark but rich descriptions of the Blitz. An unforgettable wartime debut.' Mandy Robotham, internationally bestselling author of The Berlin Girl
‘I couldn’t put it down. My favourite kind of historical fiction.’ Reviewer
‘Wonderful.’ Reviewer
‘Brilliantly captures the essence of 1940s England. Highly recommended!’ Reviewer
Set between WWII and today, and America and England, I totally loved this outstandingly amazing book. Five stars!’ Reviewer
‘Daisy Wood skillfully navigates between two timelines, and her descriptions of the war are really masterful.’ Reviewer
‘The perfect blend of historical fiction and espionage.’ Reviewer
‘Beautifully written... I highly recommend this treasure!’ Reviewer

My Review:

This is a fascinating story, covering dual timelines, with Nell in 1940, and her granddaughter, Ellie in 2021. This story is about courage and persistence with amazing details covering life in London during World War II. 

Nell is still a newlywed, with a small baby daughter named Alice. Her husband, Arthur, is is a clockmaker and his job is to tend to the intricate timepiece that towers over Parliament, better known as Big Ben.  When the air raids become worse, and they lose their home to German bombs, Nell decides to take Alice home to the country to live with her mother and father in Oxfordshire.  But, when she gets a disturbing phone call from her husband, Arthur, she rushes back to London to find out he’s been arrested. 

Meanwhile in, Westchester County 2021, Ellie discovers some interesting artifacts in her mother’s purse and decides it’s time to meet her English relatives, and see if she can find out how about the unusual circumstances of her grandmother’s untimely death.

This is a gripping historical novel, and although the actual events that led to Nell’s death are fiction, all the details of life during the war in London are accurate, and the vivid details of life in London during the war, are liberally sprinkled into the story.  

The characters are realistic and have a depth of personality, especially Nell, Alice, and Ellie.  The evacuees in Oxfordshire are portrayed wonderfully as amateur spies and explorers.  The pacing of this book is excellent, and I can easily call this book a real page-turner.  

I highly recommend this book to anyone, but especially anyone interesting in historical fiction.  

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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