About the Book
Croft Towers holds more than its share of secrets . . . and Sybil is determined to uncover them all.
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.
With murderers, smugglers, and spies on the loose, nothing—and no one—in Regency England is what they claim. Can Sybil even trust what she knows about herself?
Excerpt
The man shoved the pistol into his jacket. “Don’t toy with me, miss. I haven’t the patience or the time. Hand it over or I shall be forced to look myself.”
A screech jarred me from his piercing glare. My riding companion tried to jerk away from the man clenching her arm, but it was no use. The robbers would have their bidding. My heartbeat echoed the fear in her voice. I watched in stunned silence as the woman thrust her hands into the folds of her skirt and passed her jeweled necklace to the man.
A wrinkle formed across my captor’s forehead, raindrops pooling in a line. After observing the spectacle for a moment, he turned his icy blue eyes back on me. “Well?”
I thought I might be sick. I reached to tuck a wet hair behind my ear, but his iron fingers wrapped my wrist in a flash. “I’m tired of waiting.”
He spun around, jamming me against him, his head just over my shoulder. He smelled of nature, like the boys in town who’d spent the day playing in the fields. His voice came out in a whisper. “I’d rather you empty your own pocket.”
“I—”
His hand pressed against my mouth. “Now.”
I nodded, my arm aching from his grip. I squeezed my eyes shut for a split second. Keep your wits about you, Sybil. The man with the steel fingers was serious—deadly serious.
I wriggled my free hand through the slit of my damp gown, grasping the letter from Mrs. Smith and holding it out, satisfied the man would be disappointed. But he didn’t release me.
“Is this all?”
I nodded again and noticed a small triangular-shaped scar on his wrist just inside the cuff of his sleeve. Strange. The mark had an almost uniform quality to it.
He shoved me back and ripped open the letter. A few seconds later he met my gaze over the limp paper, his eyes softening. Just when I thought he was going to address me, he called out to his friends over his shoulder. “I daresay it’s time to move on.”
He refolded the note and slipped it into his jacket pocket. “Thank you, ladies, for a most invigorating time; however, I’m afraid we must bid you all good day.” He bowed, then walked away and mounted what was more of a beast than a horse.
He motioned ahead to his friends before guiding his mount back by the group of us shivering beneath the tree. “I, uh, do apologize for any inconvenience we may have caused.”
I probably imagined it, but he seemed to direct the statement to me. Heat flashed through my body. My mouth popped open, all kinds of horrid words tangled in a ball on my tongue, but none came out. Was he still smiling beneath that rag?
He met my obvious fury with a wink, then spurred his horse to a gallop, disappearing into the driving rain.Taken from “In the Shadow of Croft Towers” by Abigail Wilson
Copyright © 2019 by Abigail Wilson
Used by permission of http://www.thomasnelson.com/
Review
I’m so excited to have found another author writing historical romances with Gothic overtones! I absolutely adore the delicious sense of uncertainty they evoke, and if this novel is anything to go by, Abigail Wilson will be on my “must read” list in the future.
This story had some of the best ingredients for a Gothic romance—a grand old home; a heroine who is an outsider, brought into a family situation fraught with subtle tension; a hero who is dangerously intriguing (but also possibly just plain dangerous); and a whole passel of secrets that might end up weaving a web to ensnare Sybil if she isn’t careful. Add in some highwaymen, a potential spy or two, a couple of mysterious murders, and a group of over-zealous and possibly misguided dragoons, and you have action aplenty as well!
The first-person narrative read effortlessly and was sprinkled with brief but effective descriptions that engaged all the senses, and I couldn’t help but feel an extra zap of energy every time the hero showed up on the page. The plot twisted and turned, keeping both Sybil and me on our toes, and even saved a few surprises right up until the end—although I have to say I wasn’t totally convinced by one of those surprises. I’m not sure I can even say why without reading the whole story again, and even if I could it would be a major spoiler, but it’s probably enough to simply conclude by saying this story definitely satisfied on the whole.
I have the feeling that Abigail Wilson will just get better with each book she writes, and I can’t wait to read her next offering.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.
About the Author
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 ACFW’s First Impressions contest as well as placing as a 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.
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Thanks for the lovely review, Katie! I have this book in my TBR pile (on my Kindle), and I’m looking forward to reading it.