"A Name Unknown" by Roseanna M. White

A Name Unknown (July 4, 2017) by Roseanna M. White.*

She is a former street urchin; he is friends with the king. She is a professional thief with a large family-of-sorts. He is a solitary, mostly antisocial sort (due to self-consciousness of his stutter) who spends much of his time click-clacking away at a typewriter. Rosemary Gresham leaves the familiarity of London in 1914 to become a librarian to Peter Holstein in southwest Cornwall. The thing is, she knows nothing about being a librarian and to her family, it is comical that she should have to play at one. But Mr. V has sent Rosemary to become just that. For her and her family, it’s a substantial amount of money, but she is supposed to find hard evidence that Peter is against the Crown because of his German surname and lineage. How can she do that when the evidence points to his goodness? How can she do that when she realizes she cares for him?

            In this first book in White’s Shadows Over England series, this inspirational, historical fiction novel is as charming as a picturesque cottage on a clear, sunny day, but with a sheen of suspicion lurking around the bend by those who would cast aspersions on Peter. It is crafty and witty, and I very much enjoyed the story. The characters are well-developed and each distinct, including the supporting characters. I appreciated that Peter, for all the usual good-looking attributes we get so used to reading about in stories, has something which he is obviously self-conscious about, though he doesn’t let that stall his faith. I look forward to continuing this series and getting to know better Rosemary’s family. After all, surely Mr. V has more in store for them …

            Extra: My favorite passage is heralded on p. 152 when Peter is recalling words of his father. “All a man has is his name, son. The reputation we make with it. Whether it brings a smile or a frown, love or fear to those who hear it. All a man has is his name – that’s who he is before the Almighty.”

* Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are expressly my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”