"Then, I always thought the Thorncrofts had more money than sense. Ever since that young woman perished all those years ago they have never seemed quite right since."
 |
Ravenslea by Pamela M. Parry Trafford Publishing
book review by Susan J. Illis
Leighton Thorncroft cannot forgive his impetuous, passionate sister for disgracing the family by bearing an out-of-wedlock child, until she plunges off the side of a cliff near Ravenslea, the family estate. Left with an infant nephew, Leighton employs a young Irishwoman, Bridget O'Grady, who has secrets of her own. Despite their mutual mistrust, the two fall in love, but can their relationship survive the truth Bridget has been hiding? Forty years later, Marcia Thorncroft dies under mysterious circumstances. It was no secret that her husband, Jonathon, had become less entranced by her than by their twins' tutor, Elizabeth. But would he really murder his own wife? Catherine Ellison is disturbed by her feelings for her friend's romantic interest, James Thorncroft, but when he offers her a position cataloging Ravenslea's book collection, she cannot refuse. Her curiosity concerning the death of Deanna Thorncroft, coupled with her distrust of James's sister-in-law, endangers her position in the household.
Tracing three generations of Thorncroft heirs who fall in love with women they hire and overcome intrigue to achieve their happy ending, Ravenslea is an entrancing mix of gothic romance and family saga. Written in the tradition of Victoria Holt and Phyllis Whitney, the novel contains the essential blend of an English setting, family secrets, and a curious young woman who cannot rest until she discovers what the brooding heir is hiding. Despite some predictable elements, Ravenslea is a satisfying distraction, reflecting the changing roles of women from the 1830s to the 1900s, as the female employees evolve from nanny to more professional status—and once they wed, wield the greatest power of all.