FADING CRIMSON Author: Jessica H. Davies ISBN:1590882423 12/2003 HISTORICAL Publisher: WINGS ePRESS, INC.
Set in Langley Castle in the late 1800s, FADING CRIMSON is an inspirational historical romance which combines mystery and suspense within a developing love story. Servant and companion Lysette Purcell becomes the prime suspect of a murder upon the death of her employer, Mrs. Langley. At the elderly woman's bedside as she breathes her last, Lysette is entrusted with a partially told secret: the true circumstances of her own birth as well as some background of her mother and her mother's mysterious death. After extracting a promise from Lysette to search for her mother's killer, Mrs. Langley suddenly collapses and dies, taking with her all clues as to who in the family was the most likely culprit. When it's soon discovered Mrs. Langley's death was hastened by poison, all fingers suddenly point to Lysette as the guilty party. In this, her debut book, Ms. Davies weaves a tale much in the tradition of movies such as Gosford Park and Clue, as Lysette sets out to find her mother's murderer as well as prove her own innocence. Although the story was fast-paced and I had no trouble following the plot, I found the relationship between Lysette and the lead detective, Inspector Insly, rather suspect (no pun intended). I understood what Ms. Davies was trying to show with his character's personality makeup, but I detested him so much from the start that it was hard to reconcile him with the changed man he became at the end of story, nor Lysette's willing acceptance to take him at face value, especially after his earlier shows of behavior. Even so, populated with a multitude of characters and suspects, FADING CRIMSON is an entertaining and interesting who-done-it, with an underlying theme of redemption and forgiveness that fans of the inspirational romance genre are sure to appreciate. Nancy Davis |
The owner of Langley Castle is dead. Lysette Percell, an orphaned servant, is accused of the murder. Trusting none except the God who gives her strength and sustains her life, Lysette guards a deadly secret. The snobbish Inspector Insly scorns servants and declares Lysette guilty because she has the best motive--Mrs. Langley left all the estate and a tidy bundle of money to go with it to her. Soon, Lysette's tenderness touches the inspector's prejudiced heart. 
Close Window or Back to Previous Page