Abigail Wilson returns with the unexpected triumph of Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey. It starts off with the same slow pace as Shadows of Croft Towers, which I thought would mean I would not like it. However, that pace picks up, and the story becomes intriguing. Elizabeth especially becomes a character worth cheering for, as does her unexpected romance with Lord Torrington, otherwise known as Adrian.
Abigail does a great job of turning some familiar tropes in new directions or adding locale- or plot-specific threads to them. That is, I've seen marriages of convenience many times. I've even seen heroines married to "criminal" types or heroes falling for women of, shall we say, questionable reputation. However, I had never seen a marriage of convenience enacted in less than twenty-four hours, and to protect espionage, no less. I have seen single mothers and babies out of wedlock, but never in Elizabeth's exact situation and never two or three times over for the same hero (or not, as the case may be). These and other surprises kept my pages turning, so again, bravo.
Elizabeth and Adrian's romance was also off the beaten path for me, partly because of the murder mystery but also because of the romantic moments contained within it. Again, I have seen couples work on mysteries before, but most authors clearly separate romantic threads from suspenseful ones, unless there is a romantic element built in, such as a past love story, a historic home, a key "romantic" object like a locket, and so on. Abigail Wilson, by contrast, lets romance and suspense work in the same scene several times. Those little scenes, like when Adrian and Elizabeth snitch plum tarts or he teaches her billiards, were among my favorites.
I enjoyed all the secondary characters, even those who seemed not to have a big enough role in the story (I'll get to that). Juliana and Phoebe were intriguing, and I appreciated their relationships with Elizabeth, although at their ages I disagreed with Adrian pushing them to think of her as a mother. Elizabeth's conversation with Juliana about 75% through was one of the best moments for the girls, highlighting Elizabeth's heart for others and Juliana's unexpectedly sympathetic nature. I also enjoyed the servants, as they gave realistic portraits of what it might be like to be "downstairs" during a murder mystery. Even Giles, as the murder victim, had his part to play, and it was set up to lend a surprising amount of intrigue.
The spiritual threads are some of the most subtle I've encountered, and I like subtle, so that's saying something. I would have liked a little more spirituality; at times, I felt Masquerade could've been a clean secular romance and no one would've been the wiser. However, I do think Elizabeth and Adrian have learned and grown spiritually from their past sins, and that they have become stronger and more compassionate people. Again, I wish God got more credit, but I can also appreciate the subtlety.
There were some threads I wanted to see more of, such as Adrian's history and relationship with Ewan Hawkins, as well as with Phoebe and Juliana. Once again, Abigail fell (slightly) into the trap of complicated familial and near-familial relations that could take away from the story. Additionally, I felt the espionage thread was rather weak. Not only did we never know the name of the French spy or how and why people were involved with him, American readers will likely not be clear on the ramifications of said spying. Perhaps if Abigail had placed something in an author's note? Perhaps if she had included a family tree, or a bit more family history (because I knew I was missing some Croft Towers details but unwilling to get mired in that book again).
Overall, Abigail's writing continues to improve, and to surprise me. Her latest book for 2021 is on my TBR list, and features a character named Charity, one of my favorite names. :) It also appears to be part of a new series, so I'm eager to see what Abigail does next. In the meantime, Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey is a solid read.
Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey: A Regency Romance
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Customer reviews
This Regency novel was a heartfelt and equally engaging read.
Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2020
I'm excited to be a part of the MASQUERADE AT MIDDLECREST ABBEY blog tour with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours from May 26th - June 5th, 2020!I received an ARC of this book from Thomas Nelson via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! In no way does this affect my rating or review.All included quotes have been taken from an ARC and may not match the finished publication.Content Warning: Murder, Death by poisoning, Injury by gunshot wound"Here was the rake Brook had warned me about, the one who could sway any woman’s heart. And I had gone off and married him."Elizabeth Cantrell hasn’t had an easy lot in life. After losing both of her parents, having a child out of wedlock, and having a brother confined in prison, doesn’t place her in the best sights of society.Lord Torrington, highborn of Middlecrest Abbey has long had a reputation of his own. Charming, handsome, and somewhat of a womanizer, it’s completely unexpected when the longtime widow asks for Elizabeth to marry him. The two after crossed paths after he impersonates a highwayman to rob a carriage which happens to be the wrong one. Secretly working for the Crown as a spy against the French, Adrian’s current position puts him at risk of exposure. When the two wind up together at an inn, he proposes a preposterous scheme of marriage to secure his cover, and Elizabeth’s reputation. Little does he know that Elizabeth’s son is his very own nephew."I had discovered years ago that in many cases, life should not be so easily labeled."Arriving to Middlecrest Abbey shortly after their quick nuptials, the two must work to convince Adrian’s family that their marriage is based out of love, even though it was made upon a non-romantic contract between the two. Elizabeth learns that Adrian’s daughter is soon to be wed, and they arrive at the height of the celebration before the big event. Awkward and out-of-place, Elizabeth struggles to settle into her new life with her son.Despite her efforts in procuring normalcy, an accidental death leads to the grisly discovery of a murder. It becomes clear that the murder was well-orchestrated, and someone is now hunting Elizabeth’s new family. Eager to hunt down important intelligence that will keep the country from going to war, Elizabeth and Adrian work together to find clues to the mysterious events. The more time they spend together, the more they both wrestle with their developing feelings.Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey is a story about opening oneself up to trusting others, and healing from past hurts. While the murder mystery remains at the center of the story, the warm undertones of processing feelings of harbored forgiveness are the true purpose of this story. Eloquently-written, with real and very relatable characters, this Regency novel was a heartfelt and equally engaging read.Vulgarity: None.Sexual content: Kissing only.Violence: Moderate.My Rating: ★★★★
Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2020
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