ReneTalbot arrives
at her family's Virginia Estate for the annual reunion. This is year
is special for Rene. The family is giving the Smithsonian a pamphlet
printed by a Talbot ancestor in 1685. The pamphlet was used to guide
Huguenots out of France during the persecution by Louis XIV.
A second thread of
the story is the story of Catherine, Rene's ancestor who lived during
the time the pamphlet was printed.
The third part of
the story is a murder mystery. When they were children, Rene and her
three cousins stumbled on a murder in the woods adjoining the family
estate. When they told the adults, no one believed them, and when
they went back to show their parents, the body it had mysteriously
disappeared. This experience has hung over the cousins and is still
causing them anguish although they are now adults.
This is an enjoyable
book. Rene and Catherine are likable characters. The romance is
subtle, but gives a nice background to the story. Rene becomes
involved with the security guard hired to protect the pamphlet.
Catherine has her own romantic trials. She has loved Pierre Talbot
since she was a child, but now she wonders if she can trust him.
The two stories are
joined together well, but I always find that I care more about one
story than the other in this situation and feel the other intrudes.
Still, it fleshes out the story of the pamphlet.
My biggest problem
with the book is that not all the threads are resolved. I'm sure the
authors did this in hopes of selling the next book. However, when you
get to the end and a major thread is left dangling, it feels a bit
like cheating.
I reviewed this book
for Net Galley.
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