27 March 2026

Thank you to Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for including me in this blog tour. I always enjoy taking part and discovering new authors and stories.

That Day by the Pool by Giles Fraser centres around an intriguing premise: an old letter discovered inside a library book. Written by a young boy during the Second World War, it’s a desperate plea to be taken home from boarding school—a mystery that immediately draws both Nicole and the reader in.

I really enjoyed the historical thread of the story, particularly the emotional weight behind Peter’s letter and the unsettling glimpse into life at the wartime boarding school. The Lake District setting also adds a wonderfully atmospheric backdrop, and it’s easy to picture the quiet unease that lingers around the old hotel.

Nicole’s determination to uncover the truth gives the novel its momentum, and her personal history adds an extra layer of emotional depth. While there are several strands to her story—from family tragedy to her present-day relationships—these do highlight how the past can shape and influence the present in unexpected ways.

At times, I did find that there were quite a few plot threads and coincidences woven into the narrative, which made the story feel a little busy in places. However, readers who enjoy complex, layered storytelling may appreciate how all the different elements gradually come together.

This is an ambitious novel that blends historical mystery with contemporary drama. While it didn’t fully come together for me in every aspect, I appreciated the emotional core of the story and the intriguing mystery at its heart.