Media Type: Print Book (ARC)
Title: Suspicion
Author: Alexandra Monir
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: Hardcover; 368
Release Date: December 9, 2014
Source: NetGalley
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Content Screening: Mild Violence
HDB Rating: 3 Keys to My Heart
Recommended to: Readers who enjoy gothic mysteries set against lavish backdrops.
“There’s something hidden in the Maze.” Seventeen-year-old Imogen has never forgotten the last words her father said to her seven years ago, before the blazing fire that consumed him, her mother, and the gardens of her family’s English country manor.
Haunted by her parents’ deaths, Imogen moves to New York City with her new guardians. But when a letter arrives with the news of her cousin’s untimely death, revealing that Imogen is now the only heir left to run the estate, she returns to England and warily accepts her role as duchess.
All is not as it seems at Rockford, and Imogen quickly learns that dark secrets lurk behind the mansion’s aristocratic exterior, hinting that the spate of deaths in her family were no accident. And at the center of the mystery is Imogen herself–and Sebastian, the childhood friend she has secretly loved for years. Just what has Imogen walked into?
Combining a fresh twist on the classic REBECCA with a spine-tingling mystery and powerful romance, SUSPICION is an action-packed thrill ride.
Before anything else, can we please all take a moment to exclaim in delight over this cover? I can’t pinpoint exactly what prompts it, but this cover makes my Fantasy loving heart all aflutter. I won’t even attempt to deny that my choice to read this was a serious case of cover lust. In fact, I only skimmed the synopsis for this before I started. Honestly? I think that was the perfect way to go. Everything that came next was a surprise.
All my love goes to Alexandra Monir for bringing to life a world of wealth and opulence. The beginning of this story grabbed my hand, and led me into Imogen Rockford’s life. A life filled with sprawling mansions, elegant libraries, and enough hidden secrets to keep me wanting to read on. I loved the disconnect between Imogen and Rockford Manor. Monir artfully keeps our heroine away from everything until she’s older, which makes for a much more in depth look into the secrets her family hides. I felt like, despite the fact that this is set in current times, it was almost an older tale of sorts. The kind that lies hidden until someone is ready to uncover it.
In fact, Imogen is a rather likable character overall. I never found her pompous, or overbearing, despite her family’s wealth. Imogen is the exact opposite of all that. She sees the people around her for what they are. Simply, people. As she navigated the ins and outs of the British peerage, I couldn’t help but be amused. Imogen’s view of the whole thing was candid and enjoyable. It made for a nice balance between her observations of her wealth, and the unfortunate circumstances surrounding the way she obtained it.
Where the story fell apart, in my opinion, was near the ending. Up to that point, you would have gotten nothing but love from me if you asked how I was enjoying the book. Imogen and Sebastion were stellar characters, the world they inhabited was lavish, and the history they were uncovering intriguing. The problems started when the twist near the end of the book hit. It wasn’t what I was expecting, to be sure, but moreover it left so many things untouched. I can’t really explain what I was hoping for without spoilers, but I can say that I genuinely hope that there are more of these books. I absolutely must know more about the Rockford family.
FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion.
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