Product Description

Abandoned as a baby, Stephen had nearly given up hope of ever finding his family. This epic adventure follows his change in fortunes as he receives an unexpected letter from a strange source and sets off on an unforgettable journey. From a drab room in London, where the rain comfirms the greyness of his life, Stephen travels to a Cornish Valley; remote, exquisitely beautiful and heavy with secrets. (20041201)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #243160 in Books
• Published on: 2005-07-14
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 464 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Aimed at both children and adults, this book is a celebration of the English countryside, a suspenseful mystery and an ecological adventure all rolled into one. Never hurried, but rarely dull, the story unfolds in short, considered chapters and depicts the hidden world it’s magical Cornish location with considerable skill.

In many ways, The Valley of Secrets is a life’s work for author Charmian Hussey. Her debut novel began life as a modest, locally-published volume. Inspired by the childhood fantasies of her son, now in his thirties, Hussey’s book was seized upon by book collectors and began to change hands for four-figure sums. This new, mainstream edition brings her story to a wider audience and, importantly, it deserves attention.

It is the story of a teenage boy called Stephen Lansbury who, after living his whole life in care homes in London, is informed by a crusty old solicitor (who could have been lifted from a Dickens novel) that he is the sole beneficiary of his uncle’s estate. Stephen inherits a large country house in Cornwall, Lansbury Hall, and sets off at once to take up residence there. Apparently unoccupied, the dusty pile sits amidst a vast expanse of overgrown gardens and hidden valleys. Protected by high walls and shrouded in mystery, the house and its secretive owners are almost a legend amongst the locals and they are duly agog when this young man arrives to make his home there.

But not all is as it seems. Stephen’s uncle was an Amazonian explorer, and when Stephen discovers and reads the journal of his relative’s last voyage overseas, it becomes clear that he brought something back with him… which may still survive.

This is a defiantly old-fashioned story, which revels in its environmental messages and glories in its sumptuous descriptions of the local flora and fauna. It’s a fascinating book and is certain to be enjoyed by many. (Age 10 and over) --John McLay

the Sunday Telegraph
'Totally absorbing. I loved it.'

Review
'Breathtaking . . . from the the beauty of Cornwall to the depths of the Amazon basin bringing many surprises along the way.' (Family Interest Magazine )

'Totally absorbing. I loved it.' (the Sunday Telegraph )

'Conjures up the hidden magic of nature . . . As well as movingly exploring loneliness, foreignness and friendship, the novel is a paean to the powers of storytelling . . . This well-researched, beautifully illustrated book glistens with original and delightful details.' (Time Out, London )

Customer Reviews

Un-put-able-down
This book is beautifully produced and has a classical feel to it. The enticing illustrations, that wet your appetite for the story but reveal nothing of the plot, nudge the reader's imagination gently along. Not that Charmian Hussey's genre actually needs propping up. The pace rises and falls with perfection - unnoticeably as one's so immersed in the tale. "A great read for children from nine to ninety" is quoted on the cover, and I would thoroughly endorse this as the story is truly layered to accomadate one's maturity. It isn't often a book makes me laugh out loud, or shed a tear, or contemplate the morals of civilisation; but The Valley of Secrets made me do all three! The listings of further information at the end of the book makes it all the more unusual and adds credability to the novel's content.

The young hero is thrust into an unexpected world that places all sorts of demands on him as he discovers his, and his ancestors' journey. An overlap of settings: Cornwall and The Amazon, both wild in their way and completed with local characters, come to life as we travel a path of emotional highs and lows.

A cross between The Emerald Forest and Alice in Wonderland, with a large portion of Charmian Hussey. Whatever she writes next, I'll be there.

the valley of secrets
I have read this book with my three children, we all thought it was fantastic, we were so keen to find out what would happen next all four of us sat up night after night, this book is so good it became a big part of our lives when we were reading it!!!
We cant wait for the next one.

A hugely enjoyable read
I have very much enjoyed reading The Valley of Secrets. It’s one of the best books I’ve read for ages and, as claimed on the back of the book, just as suitable for adults as for children. I enjoyed it because it’s not only very well written with beautiful and unusual illustrations, but it is also quite unlike any other book - no witches or wizards or dragons or elves, but an interesting, real and gripping story and I thoroughly recommend it. I think it would make a terrific film.