Clara Chapman is
becoming anxious. Not only was she left at the altar by her fiance,
who stole her family fortune, but the aunt she’s living with is
dying and then she’ll have no place to go unless her one time maid
gets her a job in the hat factory.
Ben Lane, her
finace, is wrongfully imprisoned. He didn’t steal the money. He was
grabbed on the way to the church and thrown into prison without a
trial. He still loves and misses Clara, but he doubts he will ever be
able to clear his name and claim her.
On Christmas Eve the
ex-lovers receive invitations to Bleakly Manor. If they can stay
through the 12 days of Christmas, Clara will receive 500 pounds,
which she dearly needs, and Ben will receive his freedom. The catch
is that only one person, the one left at the end of the 12 days, will
receive the prize.
In addition to Clara
and Ben, several other eccentric individuals have received
invitations. They all want the prize, and some are willing to do
anything to get it.
This is a lovely
story. The 1800s Christmas traditions are showcased. Readers familiar with Bleak House will find much to remind them
of Dickens, particularly the zany characters, and for Agatha Christie
fans, the plot has aspects of Ten Little Indians.
The main characters,
Ben and Clara, are delightful lovers. They want to be together, but
the hurt keeps them from trusting. It’s a clean romance. No one
jumps into bed, but you can feel the tension between Ben and Clara.
If you love cozy
mysteries, this is a good one. Although the theme is Christmas, you
don’t have to wait. The story is good at any time of year.
I received this book
from Net Galley for this review.
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