I really enjoyed this book – especially the fact that although I thought I had guessed the ending, I was completely wrong.
Caroline Verlaine, recently widowed, goes to a big old house called Lovat Stacey, which is by the sea. Ostensibly she has gone there to teach music to the young girls who live in the house, but she has a secret, which is that she has also gone there to discover the truth behind the disappearance of her sister, who was last seen working on an archeology dig at the premises.
When she is there, she discovers that the house and the family within have more than a few secrets and tragedies in their past. She finds herself strangely drawn to Napier Stacy, the disgraced son of the family. As Caroline pursues her quest for the truth, she finds that she could be placing herself in danger.
The characters are well drawn, especially Caroline, who is a great heroine – feisty yet vulnerable. The characters of her young charges are also well rounded.
The writing itself is eloquent and flowed beautifully, and was a joy to read.
A real gothic romance, which I thoroughly enjoyed. This is the second book I have read by this author, and having loved both of them, I definitely want to seek out more.
