A continuation from her first novel (The Butterflies of Meadow Hill Manor), The Secret of Meadow Hill Manor by Stefanie Parks carries on Amethyst’s story as she continues healing from her sister’s death at her aunt’s countryside home. With her best friend Gillian and a collection of magical butterflies by her side, Amethyst finally feels like she belongs. But when her parents insist she leave the manor and return to London, she is determined to find a way to stay. Turning to the butterflies for help, she uncovers a mystery surrounding missing butterflies, family secrets, and powerful magic.

Although technically a sequel, readers are fully able to jump into and enjoy The Secret of Meadow Hill Manor without reading the first book. It functions well as a standalone book with fantastic world-building, backstory and character set-up.

Amethyst is a very well written and balanced main character; intelligent yet naive, feisty yet empathetic, and brave yet sensitive. She’s incredibly easy to root for. While the plot mainly focuses on her desire to stay at the manor and find the missing butterflies, Parks subtly but effectively displays throughout that this is also a story of grief and loss as Amethyst, and other characters, are still dealing with her sister’s death.

Amethyst’s connection with the butterflies is a particular highlight of the novel, served by the beautiful descriptions and characterisations of the majestic animals. Parks has a strong talent for making the reader feel like they’re in the manor with the Amethyst and the butterflies, which means the book is hard to put down when you start.

Also helping with this is the pacing which is slow enough to build the world but speedy enough to keep readers engaged. The mystery itself is interesting, with twists and turns along the way. However, the main villain, Cora, falls a little short. Alluded to throughout, she appears briefly and then is gone again with an ominous last line. While this may be hinting at a follow on book, it would have been beneficial to see a bit more from her as it felt slightly disappointing as a climax to the novel to have no confrontation with her. Because the other characters were developed so well, Cora’s left something to be desired. Other than that, the story wraps up well and gives a satisfying ending while leaving the door open for more escapades for Amethyst.

Captivating and beautifully written, despite being aimed at young adults, the book is definitely enjoyable for adults. Filled with magic, friendship, and adventure, The Secret of Meadow Hill Manor is the perfect Sunday afternoon read.

4/5 stars

The Secret of Meadow Hill Manor (and The Butterflies of Meadow Hill Manor) is available now to buy from The Book Guild as well as other major booksellers.