Review: The Secret Woman by Victoria Holt

Anna Brett was born abroad in India but was sent to live in England with her spinster aunt, Charlotte, where she would be educated.

Anna’s parents promise that it will be a short stay only but when tragic circumstances occur, Anna finds herself stuck in England indefinitely.

Anna’s Aunt Charlotte is we well known antiques dealer in the busy port town of Langmouth.

There the wealthy Crediton family runs the town. They live in a ‘fake castle’ on the hill and the family is the talk of the town.

When Anna and her aunt visit the castle to purchase some antiques, Anna meets the dashing Captain Redvers “Red” Stretton. Though she is a child, she can’t help but feel a special connection to the Captain.

As the years pass, Anna grows up but has not forgotten the dashing Red. But she begins to hear gossip about him being a notorious philanderer. She tries to put him out of her mind, but then he suddenly calls on her unexpectedly.

Continue reading “Review: The Secret Woman by Victoria Holt”

Review: The Venetian Bargain by Marina Fiorato

When young Feyra wakes up late for her morning doctor ’rounds’ in the Sheikh’s harem she doesn’t realize that her tardiness will have dire consequences.

As a female doctor to the Sheikh’s mother, Feyra is responsible for her health at all costs.

When she arrives in the Sheikh’s mother’s chambers she finds her delirious and raving.

As suddenly as she has taken ill, she is perfectly fine with little recollection of the terrifying delirium that over took her not moments before.

Feyra immediately suspects a poison and quickly deduces which poison.

Sadly there is no antidote for the poison and the Sheikh’s mother dies but not before revealing a tragic secret and a cryptic sinister plot. She tells Feyra that she must travel to Venice, her homeland and stop the bringer of death.

Continue reading “Review: The Venetian Bargain by Marina Fiorato”

Review: Mistress of Mellyn by Victoria Holt

On the storm coastline of Cornwall lies Mount Mellyn, a magnificent old family home. The Mount is home to the TreMellyn family, Connan and his daughter Alvean.

Connan is recently widowed and looking for a governess for Alvean, who seems to go through governess’ at an alarming rate. Martha Leigh has agreed to take the governess post at the house, and she is dreading it.

Having had her season she has not obtained what every Victorian woman dreams of–a husband. So after a couple of unsuccessful seasons her only option is to find a position.

When she arrives at Mount Mellyn the house is imposing, dark, and basically all around creepy! When she meets the lord of the manor, Connan, she is not impressed. He is arrogant and pays little attention to his daughter.

Continue reading “Review: Mistress of Mellyn by Victoria Holt”

Review: The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte by Ruth Hull Chatlien

If you have managed to make it through fifth grade world history, you probably have heard the name Bonaparte at least once.

Most of us associate the Bonaparte name with the infamously small emperor with a big name: Napoleon Bonaparte.

But what of Napoleon’s younger brother? Is his a name one you can recall with certainty? Unlikely.

Jerome Bonaparte was supposed to make a diplomatic marriage according to Napoleon.

But when the ambitious Elizabeth “Betsy ” Patterson puts her mind to something, little can dissuade her.

Betsy was a prominent member of Baltimore society with ambitions and designs of her own. She dreamed that she would marry a man who would whisk her away to Europe and low an behold, Jerome Bonaparte is that man!

Continue reading “Review: The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte by Ruth Hull Chatlien”

Review: Bhalla Strand by Sarah Maine

On the scarcely populated islands of Scotland’s Outer Hebrides islands, lies the deserted remains of a once great house–Bhalla House.

Hetty is grieving the loss of her parents as well as her grandmother and is toying with taking Bhalla House, which she just inherited, and turning it into a hotel.

But before she can make any decisions, she travels to the remote island looking for something, though she doesn’t quite know what. Something right perhaps?

When she arrives things are worse than she imagined. Hetty thought she would find an Edwardian era mansion that needed little more than some updating. What she found was a crumbling ruin that would cost millions to repair.

While tending to the house, contractor and caretaker, James Cameron, stumbled upon human remains under the floorboards of the house. It appears the body came to sinister end, but quite some time ago.

Continue reading “Review: Bhalla Strand by Sarah Maine”