The mystery of Alf is never solved; Gertrude the psychoanalyst is a throwaway character and nothing is made of her profession. Elsa is one dimensional and makes no sense. Max is one of the few sympathetic characters, but the author makes it difficult to figure out what precisely is his handicap. Finally, there is Ruth, living in the 1990s. She has returned to the village of Scarista, where she and her husband are opening a bed-and-breakfast (The Sea House) even as she is pregnant with child. Orphaned too young by her mother's apparent suicide, Ruth has not made her peace with the world yet. Ferguson finds a little "wild" girl named Moira sleeping rough on the island, and takes her into his household, where she becomes a capable and devoted servant. She was in hiding before he found her, trying to escape the fate of those inhabitants whose properties were taken by the English as part of the "clearances" of Scotland. Ferguson finds himself attracted to the local Lord Marstone's daughter, who infuriates Moira by appearing to "throw" herself at him; little does he realise she sees him as an escape from a virtual imprisonment by Lord Marstone – she is the daughter of his former wife's lover.

There's a lot to like in this novel, the author does an especially nice job of showing the beauty of the landscape. The story takes place on South Harris Island, which is one of the Hebrides Islands off the west coast of Scotland. I'm not a traveler but Elizabeth Gifford's descriptions made me want to see the islands myself. While reading I frequently searched the internet for images of the areas that she was describing, the photos were always gorgeous.The holiday home is just 3.5km from the small and vibrant coastal community of Maghery. The main attraction here is the wonderful Maghery Beach which faces out to the Atlantic Ocean and is overlooked by the dramatic Crohy Headland. The wider region around Maghery is an area of outstanding natural beauty with a variety of landscapes including beaches, islands, sea cliffs, caves, arches, hills, and lakes. Outdoor Activities The town is renowned for its wide range of award-winning restaurants and coffee shops. A favourite is ‘JoJo’s’, situated nearby in Tankerton; (you’ll need to book quite a bit in advance) and Blueprint Coffee Shop on the high street. Whitstable has a wonderful working harbour, a selection of brilliant, independent stores and a small castle with stunning grounds. This striking holiday home is located near the end of a narrow winding road that leads to the sea. The surrounding landscape features heather clad hills and numerous small lakes. I really quite enjoyed this book, though I got frustrated with the switching from the past to the present. I found myself more interested in the story of Alexander Ferguson and his complex life than in the modern-day protagonists Ruth and Michael. The holiday home has the advantage of a second living space. This cosy room has 2 comfortable armchairs and a solid fuel stove. It is the perfect spot for reading or just relaxing.

Abbott & Abbott are delighted to offer this superb two bedroom, luxury, seafront garden apartment, in one of Cooden's most prestigious areas. The ocean view study at Sea House makes holiday working a pleasure rather than a chore. With its own balcony, indulge in lingering coffee breaks out in the balmy air. Although I really became involved in the book at the midpoint, I still only give it three stars as I just couldn't accept the sudden resolution to everyone's lives. That, perhaps, is more a defect of me as a reader than of the author, so I suggest my review not put off those willing to make it down the stretch. Sublime [and] profound . . . She takes great care to imbue the house, the sea, the surroundings—everything—with depth and significance . . . exhilarating.”—Sam Jordison, The Guardian, “Booker club” On the first floor, stairs lead to a king size bedroom with a juliet balcony with views to the harbour and sea, Freeview TV, ample storage space and ensuite bathroom with bath and electric shower. Down the hall the twin room (2 single beds) offers bright and airy accommodation with a large ensuite bathroom with walk in shower. Freeview TV and ample storage plus remote controlled windows and blinds to ensure comfortable levels of light and temperature is at your fingertips.

There is Moira, his servant at the parish, who stands for all things Gaelic and local to the piece. The 'piece de resistance' is the stunning bedroom on the second floor where you can feast your eyes on the nearby sea, not just from the window but also from the free-standing bath and super king-size bed. This luxurious room also has a walk-in shower. You may never want to leave! Three bedrooms,1 with a 5ft king,1 with twin 3ft beds, a family bathroom and laundry room. The 3rd bedroom is sea facing with a 6ft super king, en-suite shower room and sliding door to glass balcony. The Sea House" is about the power of past events and forgotten people to influence lives in the present. Located between bedrooms four and five, the family bathroom has a built in Villeroy & Boch bathtub and a shower with body jet and a rainfall shower – it also doubles up as a steam cubicle.

When Ruth and Michael move into the Sea House in the Hebrides they are finally realising their dream of opening a guest house and settling into their new home when the macabre discovery of a skeleton of a baby, legs fused like a mermaid, is found buried under the floor boards and disturbs Ruth’s peace of mind. The ‘piece de resistance’ is the stunning bedroom on the second floor where you can feast your eyes on the nearby sea, not just from the window but also from the free-standing bath and super king-size bed. This luxurious room also has a walk-in shower. You may never want to leave! Comparisons with Sebald's The Rings of Saturn are apt. His East Anglian journey - of the feet, heart and mind - offers a similarly "leaky" version of reality, where facts seep into fiction and the resultant whole is revelatory, generous in its attention to both the foibles of minor players and the themes of history: war, political upheaval, the importance and longevity of art. In both books there is the sense of history's nerve being painfully felt in individual lives.There is one large bedroom on the lower first floor with a cosy snug overlooking the garden; a twin bedroom and a second large bedroom with a super king-size bed and a view of the golf course on the upper first floor. Also on the lower first floor is a gorgeous botanically themed wet room. The Sea House nestles into the rugged coastal landscape and is designed to take full advantage of the wonderful sea views outside. There is a beautifully crafted modern kitchen with an adjacent dining area which enjoys panoramic sea views via a large window and glass patio doors. The dining area opens to the main living room via concertina style wood shutters. A Beautifully Restored Building The Sea House has recently undergone a significant renovation to be your true home-from-home, with all the added luxuries you’d expect. Everything from underfloor heated Amtico flooring, a wood (gas) burning stove fireplace, Loaf furniture throughout, hand-crafted ash doors, complete Grand Designs-style garden makeover to the best of kitchen appliances. The young couple, Ruth and Michael, buy the "sea house", hoping to turn it into a guest house once they have completed renovations. This house was inhabited in the 1860s by a young, newly ordained minister, Alexander Ferguson, so it has a history of sorts. However, during renovations, they make a gruesome discovery: under the floor of the house, someone has buried the bones of a little girl whose legs were fused together - an extremely rare congenital condition called "sirenomelia" and colloquially known as "mermaid syndrome". This discovery awakens in Ruth unhappy memories of her mother, who committed suicide by drowning and who had filled her head with stories about "mermaid people" and "seal people", when she was a little girl. In addition, Ruth doesn't know who her father is, either, so she spends much of her time haunted by these memories. The living room opens out to the wonderful kitchen and dining area via concertina style wood shutter doors

This comedy is lit with the aplomb of true comedy’s calm understanding of moral obliquity . . .There is the genuine weight of obsession in Arrowby’s narrative, but also the mere weight of iteration and ingenuity.”—Martin Greenberg, The New York Times Book Review The Master bedroom suite is situated on the top floor. It has a 6ft super king, dressing area, en-suite shower room and sliding doors that lead onto a private roof terrace with fire. For her tale of interplay between what has happened and what will, author Elisabeth Gifford developed three voices.Freud's present day heroine, Lily, a student of architecture, has travelled to the Suffolk seaside village of Steerborough, to ponder the work of the German architect Klaus Lehmann, who designed and lived in a house there with his wife, Elsa. Leaving behind her rather preoccupied London boyfriend, Lily is armed with a carrier bag full of love letters, written by Klaus to Elsa, during the years of their frequent separations. These letters are, in fact, closely based (sometimes verbatim) on those of the author's grandfather, Ernst Freud. Desi personajele vin din lumi diferite, traiesc pe doua planuri diferite, autoarea reuseste sa le aduca in acelasi loc cu o deosebita maiestrie. Lily Brannan pleaca din agitatia marelui oras in care traia intr-un satuc de la malul marii, Steerborough, sperand sa gaseasca raspunsuri la multele ei intrebari legate de constructiile arhitectului Klaus Lehmann. Aceste raspunsuri aveau sa o ajute la finalizarea proiectului de la facultate. Cel putin asta credea ea. Pe Lehmann il descoperise datorita iubitului ei si va ajunge pe parcurs sa gaseasca raspunsuri nu numai legate de minunile arhitecturale carora acesta le daduse viata, dar si raspunsuri la intrebari pe care nu reusise sa le rosteasca cu voce tare pana atunci. Open plan living-room with kitchen and dining areas. TV, DVD player, CD player and balcony. Electric cooker, fridge, freezer, microwave, washing machine, tumble-drier and dishwasher Entering The Sea House, there is plenty of space for coats and boots to be stored following a day exploring the beautiful beaches of Northumberland, quaint coastal villages, and majestic castles.