Book Review: Shadows of Swanford Abbey by Julie Klassen

Shadows of Swanford Abbey. Julie Klassen. Bethany House (2021). 416 pages. Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Christian Fiction.

First Lines: "March 1820. Worcestershire, England. Miss Rebecca Lane quaked at the thought of returning to Swanford after more than a year's absence, even though her heart had never really left."

Summary: After receiving a concerning letter from her brother's housekeeper, Rebecca Lane is returning to her childhood home.  She has been traveling for over a year as a lady's companion to Lady Fitzhoward.  The Lady has asked to accompany her as she prefers to keep traveling. Rebecca's brother, John, is obsessed with getting his manuscript published and begs Rebecca to help him.  In order to do so, she must spend a few nights at Swanford Abbey Hotel. The Abbey has been rumored to be haunted and the idea frightens Rebecca.  

She reluctantly agrees to help her brother.  A famous author is staying at the Abbey and John believes if he can just get his manuscript into his hands, he will agree to publish it.  During her stay at the Abbey, Rebecca begins to notice strange things and is especially bothered by a figure in a black hooded cloak she sees gliding through the hallway.  On top of the strange things, she encounters Sir Frederick, currently a magistrate, previously a man who broke her heart.  When the author is found dead, Sir Frederick begins to question everyone at the hotel.  As much as he wants to believe Rebecca's story, things don't add up.  Will Rebecca have the courage to tell him the truth?

My thoughts:  Julie Klassen creates well drawn, deep characters in the span of a few pages.  She is a fan of Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, the Brontes, Elizabeth Gaskell and Agatha Christie.  You can feel the influence of each in this story.

The reader is plunged right into the action with Rebecca, but we learn more and more about her as the layers are peeled back.  She was raised in the vicarage at Swanford, but left after her parents died.  Her brother, John, seemed unable to make a living, so she took a job as a lady's companion.  Rebecca is not one to complain, she enjoys her job, even though Lady Fitzhoward can be particular. She is deeply concerned about her brother and the bad choices he is making.  She is a woman who puts the needs of others before her own.  Sir Frederick's family were her neighbors when she was growing up and she was always fond of him.  When he married the beautiful Marina, Rebecca was heartbroken.  

Sir Frederick's past is slowly revealed as well.  The reader knows from the beginning that his wife died.  But the circumstances of her death come to us slowly.  There are rumors surrounding her death and Rebecca does her best not to believe them.  Sir Frederick is an honorable man.  He is staying at the hotel with his brother, Thomas, who is always looking for some fun and harasses Frederick regularly about not being more fun.  Thomas likes to flirt with pretty woman, play billiards and enjoy a cocktail.  He doesn't care whether those things are seen as improper or not.  However, Sir Frederick knows that he can count on his brother when he really needs him.  I enjoyed the relationship these two had. 

Several of the supporting characters were well drawn as well.  Lady Fitzhoward, the housekeeper Rose, Rebecca's brother John, some of the maids, the author and his bodyguard were all characters that had stories.  This really made the book come alive. 

As can be expected, the story has a gothic feel to it.  Rumors of haunting and hooded figures seen gliding in the hallways, as well as the setting of the Abbey all added to this atmosphere.  The mystery was complex.  There were plenty of suspects, but none of them seemed to really have opportunity to commit the murder.  It was fun to watch the pieces fit together.  There were lots of secrets that needed to be exposed and these all added to the character development as well.

The story was atmospheric, suspenseful and full of great characters.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Quotes:

"It was a beautiful spencer of patterned pink satin with a gathered waist, short, ruffled peplum, and bow at the back with long ends trimmed in pleating.  The spencer was topped by a matching cape-like collar with a high ruffled neck."

"Rebecca teased, 'Were you an actress too?'  The older woman arched a sly brow.  'Who among us is not?'"