What Can a London Opera Star and an Escaped Dartmoor Prisoner Have in Common? Opera star Maggie Lee escapes her opulent lifestyle when threatened by a powerful politician who aims to ruin her life. She runs off to the wilds of the moors to live in anonymity. All that changes the day she discovers a half-dead man near her house. Escaped convict Oliver Ward is on the run to prove his innocence, … prove his innocence, until he gets hurt and is taken in by Maggie. He discovers some jewels in her possession–the very same jewels that got him convicted. Together they hatch a plan to return the jewels, clearing Oliver’s name and hopefully maintaining Maggie’s anonymity.
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Strong Christian themes but not overbearing. However, stear clear if you are not one for Christian novels. The writing is well done but one wouldn’t like the story if already against this genre.
I always enjoy the flow and characters in this authors novels. I thought the dialogue was engaging. The H had pride and prejudice to overcome in regards to his father. It is hard to let go of preconceived perceptios and beliefs. Michelle Greip, I thought, was able to make vulnerable and true to life characters and depth of story. The guard chasing our H was a crazy one. His fate while overall good I wondered it felt a bit too easy for him after all he had done. Though in regards to the theme of the book I think it fits. The scheme to uncover and capture those in the wrong I enjoyed listening to it unfold. I listened to this in audio form and thought the narrarator was nice.
I have had a good run of reading some truly excellent books lately. This is another title that languished on my NetGalley shelf for FAR too long. If I’d had an more of an inkling at the greatness of of this book, I’d have read it MUCH sooner. As it is, I am sorry it took me so long to read it. This book has it all, a regency timeline(which is a favorite of mine!), great characters, a couple of truly evil villain’s that need stopped, a couple of wonderful surprises at the end and romance that is completely swoonworthy. Basically I can sum up this review by saying I adored this book!!!
I received this book from NetGalley and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.
What a thrill of a read! It was engaging from the start and didn’t stop until the last page. I was sorry for the story to end.
Maggie Lee is an accomplished opera singer hiding out on the moor from fears she should never have to face. Convict Oliver Ward has barely escaped the famed Dartmoor Prison, when Maggie unwittingly rescues him from the dangerous moors, not realizing that he is an escaped prisoner. There is one item that will bind them together in order to solve a mystery and potentially free Oliver.
Maggie is a rescuer in the truest sense – she even rescued her abused and abandoned sheep dog Malcom from the moors. She has become a Good Samaritan to her abused, mute maidservant, Nora. Saving a prisoner half dead on the moor will definitely change her life and lead them both on a chase that neither one of them could truly fathom. Oliver is quite a likeable character except for the fact that he’s a convict, and one has to wonder what he did to earn that title.
Michell Griep has a way of writing that reveals to you the tiniest of clues to gradually build the story. I also appreciated the faith thread that became much stronger towards the end of the novel.
I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher and I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
As I was reading the second chapter of Michelle Griep’s The House at the End of the Moor I made note that it was a study in creating atmosphere. It also demonstrates the power of changing the narrative point of view, taking the reader from witnessing the escape of convict Oliver Ward to being invited in by Maggie’s first person narration of her walk through the moors, her home in Morden Hall, and following her maid to discover Oliver barely alive on the moors.
As Maggie and Oliver soon discover that they were both present on the fateful night of the social event that led to her flight from Bath and his incarceration for stealing the necklace of a political enemy’s wife, they are quickly on the run and plunged into a shared pursuit of justice.
This is a Victorian romance full of adventure that mixes a feeling of refinement with the brutality of their pursuers and contrasts Maggie’s pure faith with the perverted faith of the brutal prison constable. I always enjoy Michelle Griep’s writing, and there is much to appreciate in this stand-alone novel with a heroine who loves Jane Eyre, a storyline with elements reminiscent of the Count of Monte Cristo, and a plot device that brought to mind – in a surprisingly positive way – a story that has haunted me since Junior High English class, The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant.
If you enjoy Historical Romance set in Victorian England with a strong faith element and an abundance of peril and suspense, The House at the End of the Moor is sure to sweep you away. Highly recommended.
This review refers to a temporary digital galley I voluntarily read via NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher. A positive review was not required and all opinions expressed are my own.
House at the End of the Moor is both beautiful literary and genre romantic fiction. Griep uses an effective and intriguing mix of 1st and 3rd person, a weft and warp, that truly weaves a well-crafted story. Both overt and subtle allusions and parallels to Bronte’s Jane Eyre work their way perfectly into the story which is laced with beautiful prose and metaphor. The golden thread of faith gives gentle pulls and pushes that seamlessly work into the story so that at the end not only do the main characters find redemption and restoration, Sebastian himself brings sweet tears to your eyes as God’s grace does its glorious work in him. A book to be purchased in hardcopy and added to your “Keeper” shelf.
I wish I had the words for this novel. Michelle Griep skillfully wove her story, “The House at the End of the Moor”, set in the 1860s, with intrigue, action, close calls, love, forgiveness, mercy, and grace. Her hero starts out in prison shackles ending up a free man, free of his spiritual shackles. The heroine is a strong woman with secrets of her own, finally loosening her bonds as well. The characters grow through their life situations and following the Gospel example. I shall read more by this talented author.
This is an exceptional tale of the pull toward revenge and the fierce need to clear your name like a Monte Cristo storyline. Yet, the mood feels somewhat like Jane Eyre and The Hound of the Baskervilles…with cold, wet, and dreary landscapes and characters of power with evil intentions. Yet, Michelle Griep still spins her tale with strong characters that depend upon their faith, learn to trust those put in their path, strive to right the wrongs of the world around them and, among the twists of story, find a way to a beautiful ending.
Clean language/scene novel appropriate for teens and above. A few blows from a mean spirited character but not overly graphic.
I enjoyed it
The action never lets up in this captivating and satisfying story. Vivid characters (both good and evil) and constant plot tangles make this book a compelling read!
Written from a different perspective. Good book.
Excellent story line with some twists and turns. Loved the historical background along with character development!!!
Great read!
I had been anticipating this book since I first learned about it and it was well worth the wait! The opening of Michelle Griep’s book was so suspenseful that I had raced through the first five chapters before I knew it. Here is the opening line. “Death prowled the cellblock like a dark animal seeking prey- especially the weakest.” Doesn’t it sound like a horrible place to be for an unjustly condemned man?
Duplicity, betrayal, suspicion, the relentless pursuit of a brutish jailer, and a maniacal man made this book hard to put down. I had to set a timer because I could see losing myself in this book and being late to work. If you like The Count of Monte Cristo or Les Miserables, or Amazing Grace then this is a book you will thoroughly enjoy.
Here are some quotes that I feel help describe the main characters, Oliver Ward and Maggie Lee.
“He is proud- pleased even- to cast aside where he’s from… to shun the family God placed him in because of its prosperity.”
“You’ve made a difference in the lives of so many. The downtrodden. The forgotten. It’s a noble thing you do in Parliament, fighting on behalf of those who have no voice.”… “Did you never stop to think that maybe– just maybe– you yourself left justice behind to focus on the violation of it instead?”
He [Oliver War] grinned, admiring her wit. Admiring even more the gentle soul that he sometimes glimpsed beneath her guarded exterior.”
“She was a fierce beauty, all confidence and strength.”
Well done, interesting, good commentary on how God is and how He is not. Small part of the book. Really enjoyed this book.
Great read!!
A well-written story that drew me in from the beginning. Falsely accused, Oliver Ward escapes from Dartmoor prison, but in the process is wounded. Margaret “Daisy” Lee, an opera star with problems of her own, finds him and nursing him back to health. Together they seek justice and avoid recapture by a nasty bad man. The theme is what true justice really implies for the Christian–and how to deal with providences that seem to help the bad guy. 4 1/2 stars, I took off a little for the villain’s unrealistic character change near the end.
Michelle Griep is one of my go-to authors for beautiful writing, solid storytelling, and strong, multifaceted characters. Victorian enthusiasts will appreciate her attention to historic detail and stylistic homage to Dickens and Charlotte Brontë.
I think this may be Michelle Griep’s best book yet. I cannot recommend it enough. With characters who come alive, suspense that left me gasping for breath, and a love story to melt the coldest heart, I found myself swept away on a quest for redemption. Full of twists and turns, The House at the End of the Moor grabbed me by the hand and pulled me along with Oliver Ward and Maggie Lee on their riveting journey to find justice in a world seemingly filled with everything but.
An opera singer in hiding and a wrongly convicted jewel thief collide on the moors when she finds him half-dead and nurses him back to health. When the necklace Oliver is meant to have stolen are found in Maggie’s possession, together they embark on a journey to clear his name and fix some wrongs in her life too. All the while they must stay just one step ahead of the brutish officer who is intent on returning Oliver to prison.
I was right there in this book for the first half or so. There were some narrow escapes and Oliver in a dress was pretty funny. I had my ups and downs with the characters. And then by the second half, things began to get a bit repetitive. It felt like it took longer than it should have for things and relationships to move forward. The plan to catch the real bad guys always felt flimsy at best. And the ending was a little strange.
I liked Maggie well enough, but I didn’t really care for Oliver. He was violent and usually seemed to chalk it up to the victim deserving it. I didn’t agree with him most of the time. I really liked Cassius, though, though I won’t say who he was exactly, so I don’t spoil anything. I even liked Nora, for all she was in the story. And then there was Barrow, the officer trying to return Oliver to prison. And I’m sure we’re supposed to dislike him, but the violence and wholly inappropriate behavior, alongside a self-righteous attitude was a bit too much for me. Even the pay-off for him, which I began to suspect and frankly would have been really disappointed if the build-up led to nothing, didn’t satisfy me.
This book is rife with coincidences. Besides the fact that Oliver happens to end up in the house of the woman who ended up with the necklace he was accused of stealing, he was at her last performance before she went into hiding. They both want to bring down the same man. And then near the end of the book, there’s this huge, out-of-nowhere coincidence that I do not understand why it was even written into the story.
I also don’t understand the perspective and tense choices the author made for this book. From Maggie’s POV, it’s 1st-person and present tense. For the other POVs (Oliver’s & Barrow’s are the only ones I can remember), it’s 3rd-person and past tense. At times, changing from one to the other left me feeling a bit disoriented. I have never understood the decision to do something like this.
There was an interesting focus on father-child relationships that I liked. I appreciated the atmosphere presented especially while on the moor. Once the story moved to the city, I missed the moor. The Christianity in this book was a bit muddled. Besides Barrow and his warped sense of God, I’m not sure where Oliver ended up at the end. It almost seemed like his redemption came from the love of the woman, the fact that she was willing to marry him, not from God.
Overall, I did enjoy the book to a degree, but was kinda glad when it was over. I was excited to read this book, because I’d read a Christmas novella by the author last December and really liked it. I’m not giving up on Michelle Griep yet and have my eye on a few of her other books. I would recommend this book for fans of Christian romance, especially the historical variety, and judging from other reviews, I’m in the minority again anyway. So if you like this kind of book, please read those other reviews too!
Thank you to Netgalley and Barbour Publishing, Inc. for providing me a copy of this book to review.