With murderers, smugglers, and spies on the loose, nothing—and no one—at Croft Towers is what they claim. Can one woman even trust what she knows about herself in this Gothic Regency romance?
When Sybil Delafield’s coach to Croft Towers was robbed by highwaymen, she should have realized that her new position as companion to old Mrs. Chalcroft would be no ordinary job. Upon Sybil’s arrival, Mrs. Chalcroft sneaks into her room in the dark of night, imploring her to relay messages to town that are to stay hidden from the rest of the family. Who exactly is she working for and what do the messages contain?
When fellow passengers of the robbed coach are later murdered, Sybil’s hunt for the truth takes on a new urgency. The only person she can rely on is Mr. Sinclair, Mrs. Chalcroft’s godson, but under all his charms he too leads a double life. Sybil must decide if he is the one honest voice she can trust, or if he is simply using her for his own advances.
Croft Towers holds more than its share of secrets . . . and Sybil is determined to uncover them all.
Abigail Wilson combines her passion for Regency England with intrigue and adventure to pen historical mysteries with a heart. A Registered Nurse, chai tea addict, and mother of two crazy kids, Abigail fills her spare time hiking the National Parks, attending her daughter’s gymnastic meets, and curling up with a great book. In 2017, Abigail won WisRWA’s Fab Five contest and in 2016, ACFW’s First Impressions contest as well as placing as a 2017 finalist in the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense. She is a cum laude graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and currently lives in Dripping Springs, Texas, with her husband and children.
My Impressions:
For a debut novel, In The Shadow of Croft Towers by Abigail Wilson is pretty impressive. I found this Gothic-Regency romance to be very well-written and highly entertaining. There are plenty of mysterious doings — secret letters, highwaymen, murders — to keep a reader engaged, while a very plucky main character and a swoony hero satisfy all the romantic longings. I loved the first person account by Sybil Delafield, especially as she interjects her dry humor onto her account. The setting is perfect to accompany the suspense — moors and a mouldering old house. And the cast of characters cannot be trusted to reveal their true motives — I loved trying to figure out their secrets too.
A quick read, if you enjoy historical romance with a good dose of mystery, this one is for you. I can’t wait to read Wilson’s other books!
Highly Recommended.
Audience: adults.
(Thanks to Thomas Nelson for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
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