With murderers, smugglers, and spies on the loose, nothing–and no one–at Croft Towers is what they claim. Can one woman even trust what she knows about herself in this Gothic Regency romance?When Sybil Delafield’s coach to Croft Towers was robbed by highwaymen, she should have realized that her new position as companion to old Mrs. Chalcroft would be no ordinary job. Upon Sybil’s arrival, Mrs. … Upon Sybil’s arrival, Mrs. Chalcroft sneaks into her room in the dark of night, imploring her to relay messages to town that are to stay hidden from the rest of the family. Who exactly is she working for and what do the messages contain?
When fellow passengers of the robbed coach are later murdered, Sybil’s hunt for the truth takes on a new urgency. The only person she can rely on is Mr. Sinclair, Mrs. Chalcroft’s godson, but under all his charms he too leads a double life. Sybil must decide if he is the one honest voice she can trust, or if he is simply using her for his own advances.
Croft Towers holds more than its share of secrets . . . and Sybil is determined to uncover them all.
Praise for In the Shadow of Croft Towers
“In the Shadow of Croft Towers is everything I love in a novel: a classic gothic feel, a regency setting, a mysterious hero . . . and secrets abounding ” –Dawn Crandall, award-winning author of the Everstone Chronicles series
“Enough jaw-dropping plot twists to give readers whiplash.” —Hope by the Book, Bookmarked review
“Shades of Gothic romance in a portrait of Regency England . . . if Jane Austen ever met Jane Eyre, it would be at Croft Towers ” –Kristy Cambron, author of Castle on the Rise
“Blending the unputdownable Regency flair of Georgette Heyer with the intricate plotting of Julie Klassen, Wilson not only places herself competently amidst beloved authors but carves out a unique place of her own.” –Rachel McMillan, author of the Van Buren and DeLuca Mysteries
“Beautifully written, suspenseful, and satisfyingly romantic.” –Jennifer Beckstrand, author of Home on Huckleberry Hill
This sweet Regency romance is a standalone novel. Book length: approximately 90,000 words. Includes a reading group guide.
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Abigail Wilson is a new author to me. I love English historical novels, so I decided to listen to In the Shadow of Croft Towers, and I was delightfully surprised! The narrator did a great job bringing the characters to life. The characters were well written, and the plot was unpredictable and engaging. Those who enjoy reading Joanna Politano or Julie Klassen will be delighted with this well-crafted Regency romantic mystery!
What a fantastic debut novel! Abigail Wilson is a gifted writer who is able to transport the reader back into Regency England, full of pomp and circumstance but also filled with mystery, intrigue, and dark shadows in the midst of an intelligence war against France. Though the writing is in the first person narrative from Sybil, the story flows smoothly and the writing is easy to understand. The plot is detailed and well-crafted and has delicious twists and turns as everyone has a secret and an ulterior motive for being at the Croft Towers. And since it’s written from Sybil’s perspective, the reader can never be sure who the villain is until the end. If you enjoy historical mystery/suspense, you will absolutely love this book.
Sybil is a kind-hearted soul, though somewhat lost in the world since she’s an orphan and her greatest wish is to find her parentage. This desire drives her to Croft Towers to be an aging woman’s companion, where she meets an interesting and diverse set of people who turns her world upside down and sideways. She’s also spirited, determined, and resourceful. Curtis (or Mr. Sinclair, as he’s addressed mostly) is a gallant gentleman, thoughtful and tender, yet shrouded in mystery, especially given how he and Sybil meet. The entire story clicks into place one piece at a time as Sybil unravels the threads of secrecy tangled up in the Croft Towers.
I can’t wait for her next book!
I was given a copy of the book from Thomas Nelson via Celebrate Lit Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.
What do an orphan, a highwayman and a Lady have in common? I think it would be secrets – a great deal of them! This was a most entertaining book that certainly kept me guessing the whole time. So many secrets and with no answers forthcoming, I really was finding it difficult to trust anything the characters were saying. With unexplained deaths, letters to unknown people, soldiers for the crown and even French spies, the author has done a masterful job of making sure you read the whole book in one sitting.
I received this ebook through CelebrateLit. All impressions and opinions are my own.
In the shadow of Croft towers
More than one mystery in the book. Sybil comes to the Croft towers to be an companion to Mrs. Chalcroft but she is also looking for answers. Who Sybil really is keeps you guessing to the very end. There is also an murder mystery and the murderer was definitely an surprise. Many other mysteries too.
Sybil was determined to do anything Mrs. Chalcroft ask her to. Even if there was danger. Then there is Mr. Sinclair who is living an double life. Him and Sybil gets in a lot of unplanned situations which made the book even more enjoyable.
The book kept me interested from start to finish. I really enjoyed the author writing. If you like suspense, mysteries and historical you will definitely love this book.
I received an advanced copy of the book from the publisher through Celebrate Lit. I was not required to write an positive review. This is my own opinion.
In the Shadow of Croft Towers is an intense book from page 1 until the end. And, it’s so intricately layered. So much so that I would uncover what I thought was an answer or two only to realize that I still had no idea what was going on (in a good way). This story definitely kept me guessing right up until the very end, which made reading this book a serious page-turner. I kept turning even after I should have been in bed for the night because I just had to find out what happened next!
One of my favorite topics in this book is the notion of trusting your instincts. There is a moment when Sybil, the 22-year old narrator of this story, has an opportunity for one of her very first intimate moments with a handsome, genteel man. She has never kissed a man before, and like all girls is very excited by the prospect. By all rights, this character is the perfect first-kiss material. He is kind and generous to Sybil. He seems to really like her even though she is below his station. But something holds her back. Instead of her heart beating rapidly in anticipation, her heart is “beating a rhythm of retreat.” Not understanding why her body’s alarm system is firing like crazy, Sybil asks herself, “What [is] wrong with me?” As a woman who has been in those situations before — those moments when the center of your chest screams out, “Stop!” — I wanted to respond to Sybil, “Nothing! Nothing is wrong with you. Listen to that Voice!!!” I firmly believe that there is a voice inside all of us. If we are Jesus-believing people that Voice is the Holy Spirit. As a middle-aged woman, I know how to understand that very special Voice now, but as a 22-year old, like Sybil, I wasn’t so good at listening. If I could go back to my 22-year old self today I would tell her to ignore the world and stay strong to whatever the Holy Spirit was telling her. Life would have been a lot easier if I had listened to Him more often. As far as the novel goes, there are definite edge-of-your-seat moments where I was praying Sybil would stay strong and heed the Voice of the One within. You will just have to read the book to find out if she does!
I also really appreciate the discussion on love. Everyone knows that people need love, but this book takes it one step further. Without authentic, selfless love in a person’s life, he/she is liable to go mad. This is illustrated through a number of characters in this highly-engaging story. Now, this seems a bit over dramatic, but it’s kind of true. People without love become lonely and desperate. Lonely and desperate people can make some not-so-good choices. When people feel like they have nothing to lose they sometimes are capable of doing things, thinking things, and making choices that verge on the dark side. And, they are likely to sell their soul to the first person who gives them an ounce of attention. This idea really made me stop and think, and question my level of love. Do I give love enough, or do I tend to be self focused? I value that this novel held a mirror up to me and forced me to really consider how well I’m loving my loved ones.
In the Shadow of Croft Towers is a really engaging read. It’s a book I couldn’t put down! If you are looking for a book that has it all — secrets, ghosts, mystery, murder, spies, and romance — then this is definitely the book for you. I highly recommend it!
I received a review copy of this novel in paperback form from the author via Celebrate Lit. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
In the Shadow of Croft Towers is a debut novel by Abigail Wilson that takes readers back to 1813. Sybil Delafield is twenty-two years old and has accepted a position as companion to Mrs. Chalcroft at Croft Towers. Sybil is traveling by Royal Mail coach along with Mrs. Plume and her lady’s maid, Thompkins. Along the way, the coach is stopped by armed highwayman who go through everyone’s belonging. One of the men even takes Sybil’s recommendation letter to Mrs. Chalcroft. Upon arriving at Chalcroft Towers, Sybil is met by Mrs. Chalcroft’s various relatives who are less than welcoming. She is surprised to recognize Mrs. Chalcroft’s godson, Curtis Sinclair as one of the highwaymen who attacked the mail coach. Instead of outing Sinclair, Sybil decides to keep his secret and it is just the first of many. It seems that everyone in Croft Towers has something to hide including Sybil and one person is willing to kill to keep their skeletons under wraps.
In the Shadow of Croft Towers is a dark, mysterious novel. Sybil is an orphan who has been attending a London seminary courtesy of an anonymous benefactor. Unfortunately, the funding recently stopped. Sybil was lucky to get the position as Mrs. Chalcroft’s companion with the aid of her teacher, Mrs. Smith who is also a friend of Mrs. Chalcroft. Sybil recently received a letter and bracelet that gives her hope that she will find information about her parents at Croft Towers. Secrets abound at Croft Towers as Sybil soon discovers. Mrs. Chalcroft sends Sybil off on mysterious missions with letters, Sinclair disappears for hours and sometimes days, soldiers are scouring the countryside for the highwayman and spies for the French, Mrs. Chalcroft’s nieces and nephews each have their own agenda, and there is a hidden room in the overgrown garden. In the Shadow of Croft Towers is nicely written with gentle pacing. There are a variety of characters in the story. I would have liked the author to have taken the time to develop the characters further (more 2D than 3D). There are twists and turns that will have you quickly turning the pages to find out what happens next. In the Shadow of Croft Towers is a dark Regency story that contains mysteries, spies, murders, and romance.
A nice story with romance and a host of secrets! It has a gothic feel to it and reminds me of the old Phyllis Whitney and Mary Stewart books. I enjoyed it!
It is not a very good start as Sybil is robbed on the way to her destination. I would be thinking about this time if I made the right decision to leave home. Arriving finally at Croft Towers, Sybil was intimidated by the size of the place . She has been hired to be a companion for to a woman who is in poor health. Sybil will soon question just what she is really there for when she is asked to deliver mysterious secret letters from her employer to someone who hides secret for profit.
I would to explore Croft Towers with all the hidden rooms and spacious land that surrounds it. I loved the relationship between Sybil and Mrs. Chalcroft. The elderly lady is set in her ways but has a fondness for Sybil. Some members in the house seem to not like Sybil and it jealousy or mistrust is involved. There is an array of twists in the story and at times I wasn’t sure who could be trusted.
The story is a journey for Sybil as she finds herself with two gentleman wanting her attention. One is very arrogant and not respectful of women. I wanted him to disappear somewhere in the woods and slowly fade away from the story. The other gentleman is somewhat a mystery and Sybil will have to decide if she can trust either one. There is a few surprises in the book that will find Sybil wondering about her past. The book is good but at times I did find myself thinking there were too many characters to keep up with. It did take a while to find out what was really going on with the mysterious letters and the reason Sybil was involved in it. Overall for a first book, the author has written a good story that keeps readers entertained.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
You think you know the outcome, but do you really? What a wonderfully fascinating mystery.
Sybil is kindhearted, brave-ish, literate, clumsy, and loving. I found this novel to read like a gothic romance. Sybil can’t stop doing naively stupid things – just like many gothic protagonists. My stress levels remained a bit high as I read the story. I laughed at myself often as I berated Sybil for her choices because that is what is expected from this sort of novel. A few aspects of the story didn’t make much sense to me, hence the four-star rating.
Another winner from Abigail Wilson! I love how she combines mystery and suspense with the historical regency setting. This one didn’t give me quite as many goosebumps as “The Vanishing at Loxby Hall”….but maybe that’s because I wasn’t reading it by candlelight at midnight with a storm howling around the house this time. Lol. Still, it definitely gave me those pleasant shivers of growing suspense and mystery, and the final reveal took me TOTALLY by surprise.
I believe this one was her debut, and I can see that her writing skill improved a bit by time she got to “The Vanishing”, but she was certainly a skillful writer already when she released her first novel. It’s always interesting to me to see how a writers’ work matures and develops over time though.
I definitely plan to read more from this author!
This had a great hook and held me to the very end. The story had vivid imagery. So many great hooks at the end of each chapter. There were no good spots to hit pause on reading. Great job in adding mystery, and intrigue. Who to trust, what is the truth? So many moments that I thought “Brilliant!” I enjoyed the dialogue. I’m glad this is a series. I will definitley try this auhtor again. This was my fist book with Abigail Wilson.
Enjoyed the read, relaxing.
Loved the story. Some surprises.
I really enjoyed this book!! Highly recommend
Really kept my interest. I didn’t get the bad guy figured out until the story spelled it out!
Definitely in the style of Georgette Heyer with just some kisses being as steamy as it gets. Kept me up late when I wanted to find out who was doing what and to whom, and I was so surprised by who it was. Well done!
I was shocked to discover that this is Abigail Wilson‘s first book. It was an excellent read. At a time when I have a multitude of books on my currently reading list, this was one that I simply could not put down. The characters were interesting, the storyline was intriguing and mysterious, the Romance was enchanting yet clean. I will definitely be looking to read all of Ms. Wilson’s books in the future.
The narration was also superb in the audible version of this book.
This is a stunning debut novel by Abigail Wilson. It has all the elements of a good gothic romance.
Sybil Delafield is an orphan but has been gifted with a good education by an anonymous donor. She is summoned to Croft Towers by Mrs Chalcroft to be a companion. She is eager to find a connection to her past at the old estate, but finds herself embroiled in the politics of the times. Who can she trust?
While written in first person, it is easy to get lost in these pages. The prose flows poetically. The plot is a first class mystery. The story unfolds smoothly and the clues kept me guessing. I was a bit disappointed that there wasn’t a stronger faith thread but it did pit good versus evil.
I look forward to more from Ms. Wilson.
*I purchased this book. All opinions are my own.*
OH!MY!WORD! Ms. Wilson’s debut novel is PHENOMENAL! Secrets, spies and romance make for a tantalizing adventure!
I won a copy of this book in a giveaway. All views expressed are my honest opinion.