Hidden treasure and betrayal mingle with unexpected love within the walls of Avonthorpe Hall.
After studying art under Miss Drake, a renowned painter, Phoebe Radcliff is certain she can finally move beyond the childish mistake that’s kept her away from home. She is thrilled when Miss Drake employs her to complete a complicated ballroom renovation.
Everything changes, however, the moment Miss Drake is murdered. With her last breath she imparts the location of a clue to Phoebe. Can the biggest secret of Avonthorpe Hall be true—the rumored treasure real? Phoebe is tasked to finish her work in the ballroom by Miss Drake’s infuriatingly regimented yet all-too-handsome nephew, Lt. Graham Burke. Determined to fulfill the promise she made to her beloved teacher to find the treasure, Phoebe also works to uncover the truth about Miss Drake’s death—and she must do so before Lt. Burke leases the house.
But dark shadows line the gilded halls of Avonthorpe, and soon enough Phoebe realizes she’s not the only person who knows about the clues. What’s worse, she needs Lt. Burke’s help to stay ahead of whoever is hard on her heels. If only she weren’t so attracted to him.
Caught up in a deadly race for answers, Phoebe must find a way to breach the shroud of lies that surrounds every last resident in the house and, more importantly, face a past she’s been running away from for far too long.
My Review:
published in 2022
Atmospheric. Mysterious. Oozes vintage Gothic charm aka classic Victoria Holt and Phyllis A. Whitney. Gave me all the bookish shivers and thrills I love. And it’s set in the Regency era which just thrills me that much more!
Beautifully written, Wilson has a knack for blending humour, banter and mystery in such an appealing way. I was on tenterhooks the whole read, soaking up the ambience, happy (and sometimes anxious) to go where the story took me.
We have an independent heroine with a traumatic past she’s trying to escape and an enigmatic hero who is brusque and brooding and oh so intriguing. Especially since he has a completely different side and peeling back those reserved layers to get a glimpse at the real man inside was so fulfilling!
Murder. Hidden treasure. Obscure clues. Secrets and betrayal. Encroaching danger. What a backdrop for a Regency romance! Enthralling right to the very last word!
I listened to the audible edition of ‘Within these Gilded Halls’ narrated by Laura Kirman who has become the voice I associate with Abigail Wilson’s novels. Her measured delivery, the way she draws out the suspense, teases the romance and somehow manages to create the atmospheric mood at the heart of the story is spectacular.
GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:
This giveaway is for a print or ebook copy. Winner’s choice.
US – available in print or ebook — winner’s choice
Canada – available in print or ebook or audible (if available) — winner’s choice
International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.
If you would like a chance to win a copy of Within These Gilded Halls, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday March 1 2025
Kav's Best Reads 