Set in the Regency period in the times of Napoleon, this is the story of Elinor
Rochdale, a young woman of good birth whose family has fallen on dire times due
to her father’s misdeeds. Deciding she must have employment, she sets off to
accept a governess position. Due to a carriage mix up, she ends up at the home
of Edward (“Ned”) Carlyon, eldest son in a family, wh thinks to marry her off
to his cousin who is dying. It’s a bit complicated but Elinor agrees and gets caught
up in a mystery involving a stolen war document involving spies and Napoleon’s
ongoing war.Ned Carlyon, the mastermind of Elinor’s new circumstances, is cousin to, Eustace Cheviot, the dying man Elinor marries. It seems Eustace, a rather disreputable fellow, has become a part of a plot to steal government papers. The story takes on some unexpected twists with housebreakers, uninvited guests, murder, and an annoying and sometimes charming dog named Bouncer.
Heyer draws us in with her witty banter and slowing
developing plot. The romance is almost nonexistent until the very end and
Elinor thinks Ned a domineering and odious man for most of the story. It’s a tale
of mistaken identities, foreign espionage and unexpected love that will delight
fans of Heyer’s Regency romances.
No comments:
Post a Comment