By Kelly Bridgewater
1956: In the quiet village of Wilbeth Green, the smoldering ruins
of Rosemont Abbey set the residents' tongues wagging, and everyone is quick to
accuse troublemaker Paul Everly of being the arsonist. Paul has vanished
without a trace, leaving only his twin sister, Louisa, certain of his
innocence. Fueling her conviction is an inexplicable connection--she felt her
twin's death an hour before the abbey went up in flames.
Knowing no one will believe her, Louisa embarks on her own investigation,
challenging the skepticism of her neighbors and the disdain of her aunt and
uncle. Even Inspector Malcolm Sinclair, once Paul's closest friend, is torn
between his duty and a lingering loyalty to Paul and warns Louisa to abandon
her pursuit. But Louisa is determined to solve a murder no one else believes
was committed, even if it means unraveling secrets that could shake Wilbeth
Green to its core.
Award-winning author Naomi Stephens presents a gripping whodunnit--reminiscent
of the beloved Agatha Christie tales--of love and redemption set in a quaint
British village.
My
Thoughts:
The
Burning of Rosemont Abbey by Naomi Stephens crafts a
world of historical mystery during the 1950's. While I really wanted to like
this story, I had a hard time enjoying it. The plot does not move forward at
all. The characters were really never in danger. While the mystery had the
potential to be a bigger, mysterious idea, it did not turn out that way. A
number of cozy mysteries have the heroine trying to solve the mystery. This
time the concept was no different. But I honestly did not care what happened to
her. Yes, it is her twin brother that is being thrown on the chopping block,
but it felt weird. The setting and time period of the novel had nothing unique
about it that made me believe I was in 1950. I honestly kept thinking I was in
the Victorian era. Her aunt and uncle were in charge of her. Her money. Her
dating life. When I think of 1950's, I think of sock hops, school dances,
beginning of rock and roll, and classic cars. A couple of times, Stephens did
mention musicians, but music was such a HUGE part of the 1950's world, but it
did not affect the heroine at all. Why did she not hang out with her friends at
the local malt shop and talk over the clues of the case with a trusted friend
there. She did some sleuthing, but not enough for my taste. Overall, The Burning of Rosemont Abbey by Naomi
Stephens was dated in 1956, but I had a really hard time buying. The plot was
not that interesting, and I wanted more from the main heroine. Not a book that
I could recommend.
I received a complimentary copy of The Burning
of Rosemont Abbey by Naomi Stephens from Bethany House Publishers, but the
opinions stated are all my own.
My
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
Purchase The Burning of Rosemont Abbey
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