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The author's book, a gripping foray into the nineteenth-century life of English lords and ladies, reads like a Downton Abbey prequel. The story is gripping, and only a few pages in, readers might feel ready to curl up for the evening, doing nothing else but trying to figure out what happens to Mr. Hargreaves, Lady Benedict, Lady Coverdale, and most importantly, mysterious Matthew. This is because the character development is superb.
The main characters find life rather pleasurably disrupted by an injured stranger with amnesia appearing at their doorstep. They admittedly enjoy trying to solve the mystery of "MS," whom they arbitrarily name Matthew. As the man slowly remembers his past, his story is told from those looking for him to those who found him, and his own memories add pieces to the puzzles, one after another. The author skillfully and meticulously untangles the web.
The story is original and extremely well-written. The characters maintain a formal tone, while the author slips in surprising sprinklings of humor, such as "...he grabbed the collar of the huge dog... seeing his visitor draw his feet back nervously. He did not reassure him that the dog was completely harmless." And again, "Julia was surprised that people as old as her Aunt Rosalie and Lord Hargreaves seemed to be making sheep's eyes at each other." The balance of formality and humor makes this novel exquisite. If good writing, humor, excellent character development, and mystery aren't inviting enough, historical fiction is also on the menu. The author paints a vivid portrait of English history circa the 1830s. Although this is the sequel to Grahame’s Regency novel The Yellow Diamond, it stands alone just fine. Still, it will undoubtedly whet readers’ appetites for more from this talented author.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review