"The Secret of Pembrooke Park" by Julie Klassen

The Secret of Pembrooke Park (Dec. 2, 2014) by Julie Klassen.*

Compared to her beautiful sister, Louisa, Abigail Foster feels homely. Her season has come and gone without any prospects for a husband, not even from the one man she thought might marry her, and with her dowry severely lacking, she expects she’ll be a spinster. On top of that, her father is facing financial ruin, and Abigail feels responsible. Of the sisters, Abigail is the level-headed, business-minded one, and she influenced her father to post a large amount of money (bond of guarantee) to invest in her uncle’s new bank. The banks failed because her uncle’s partners made unwise loans. In the search for more affordable lodgings – much to the distress of her mother and sister – an offer too good to be true arises at the invitation to reside at Pembrooke Park for a pittance rent. (Is it so inexpensive because of its clouded history that no one will speak of?) Abigail and her father go early, though her father is away a lot and leaves Abigail to oversee the freshening and fixing of the estate. This gives her the opportunity to befriend the handsome local curate, William Chapman, and his family, including his father, Mac, former and unofficially current steward of Pembrooke Park, and Leah, his lovely but shy sister.

            William is very taken with Abigail, and she with him, though she worries that he’ll look right past her once her mother and sister arrive and he meets Louisa. Things are also going bump in the night: dust is disturbed, the creak of footsteps are heard, and there is someone suspicious in a hooded cloak. There’s also the strange coincidence of a long-lost relative arriving at Pembrooke Park. Why is he there? Is he after the supposed room of treasure hidden at the estate? She suspects he is, and her drive to find the hidden room is only fueled by the anonymous letters she receives from someone who knows Pembrooke Park all too well, including where the secret room lies …

            This historical Christian fiction novel isn’t just the story of a budding romance in London in 1817, but also a tale of mystery and a dash of danger. “The Secret of Pembrooke Park” was my first novel by Julie Klassen, and I wasn’t disappointed. She’s created characters that are easy to know in that you’d either want to know them or definitely wouldn’t. For example, I’d love for the Chapman family to be my neighbors; they’re kind, honest and caring, plus they have a great sense of humor and faith, and I’d definitely not want to know Clive Pembrooke. The story is well-written and the plot moves right along. Keeping the mystery of the novel by doling out pieces of interest here and there in an organized plot prevented the novel from being a turbulent mess of mish-mashed information. Strong story. Good read!

* 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.”