Yorkshire, England 1917: When cousins Frances and Elsie take
pictures, at the bottom of the garden, they have no idea that the photographs
will take on a life of their own. Their
determination to make their parents believe in fairies turns in to a national
fascination, with Arthur Conan Doyle falling under the spell of the
photographs. In a time of war, people truly want to believe in something.
Ireland, 2017: Olivia Kavanagh inherits her grandfather’s
quirky bookshop. Discovering a manuscript and a copy of a 1917 fairy photograph,
she reaches back one hundred years to find out the truth surrounding the
Cottingley story. How could so many people be fooled by two young girls, with
no photographic expertise? Why would an Internationally acclaimed author place
his stamp of approval on such controversial documents? Could there be any truth
in the girls claims?
Spanning one hundred years, The Cottingley Secret is a story of dreams, hopes and how a little
white lie can turn into something much, much bigger…
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Francis Griffiths |
The innocence of the two 18C girls is one that rarely exists
today, except in the very young or extremely sheltered: the belief in complete
goodness, in dreams coming true, in fairies, unicorns and magic. It is almost unbelievable
that the photographs were not revealed as hoaxes until the 1980s. Such is the
power of trust surrounding photographic ‘evidence’. The days of ‘fake-news’ are
not a by-product of the internet and social media. Untruths have always
existed: from whispered gossip to inherited stories; the beginning of the printing
press and pamphlets; to radio and television. However, the origins of the fake
fairy photographs were innocent. There was no agenda, just a desire to raise
spirits and inspire hope in a time of despair. This is a warm and endearing novel. It oozes old-fashioned
charm and has a magical air. A perfect feel-good, fire-side read.
*I received a copy of this title, from the publishers, in return for an honest review
The Cottingley Secret is published by Harper Collins and is available in TBP and ebook format. Available in all good bookshops or via amazon link below:
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