About the Book
Book: In the Shadow of Croft Towers
Author: Abigail Wilson
Genre: Historical fiction, romantic suspense
Release Date: January 15, 2019
From debut author Abigail Wilson comes a mysterious Regency tale of secrets and spies, love and treachery.
Orphaned Sybil Delafield jumps at the opportunity for a position at the mysterious Croft Towers. She believes she was hired to act as companion to a dying woman, but a highway robbery and a hostile welcome from the Chalcroft family cause her to wonder if she was actually hired to help someone spy for France.
An unsolved murder adds intrigue to this already secretive family, and Sybil recognizes Mrs. Chalcroft’s handsome grandson as one of the infamous highwaymen who robbed her. Sybil must determine if this man’s charming smile and earnest eyes speak the truth or if he is simply using her like others in the house. Everyone seems to have something to hide, and Sybil must decide who to trust while also coming to terms with the truth about her own past.
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My Perspective
This debut novel from Abigail Wilson has a little something for everyone. Romance? Yes. Mystery? Yes. Beautiful setting? Yes. With twists and turns to keep a reader guessing, this book is hard to put down for long stretches of time. Wilson writes wonderfully, so much so that I did not think it was her first novel. She charms you as if she’s written Regency novels for years.
The characters were well created, although Sybil was my favorite. Even though I found her a bit naive at times, overall she was strong and willing to do what was right. And there are some good kisses – oh my! Don’t worry, it’s still a clean read 🙂
Romance, historic and mystery readers will enjoy this lovely debut novel from Wilson. I look forward to what she has to bring to the reading world in the future! I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
About the Author
Abigail Wilson combines her passion for Regency England with intrigue and adventure to pen historical mysteries with a heart. A Registered Nurse, chai tea addict, and mother of two crazy kids, Abigail fills her spare time hiking the National Parks, attending her daughter’s gymnastic meets, and curling up with a great book. In 2017, Abigail won WisRWA’s Fab Five contest and ACFW’s First Impressions contest as well as placing as a finalist in the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense. She is a cum laude graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and currently lives in Dripping Springs, Texas, with her husband and children. Connect with Abigail at www.acwilsonbooks.com
Excerpt from the Book
1813
THE ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE
I often wonder what my life would have been like if I had never learned the truth. I wouldn’t have set off as I did for Croft Towers. I never would have met him.
It’s strange what I remember about the day I left London. The mail coach was late; the weather wretched. The clock had struck midnight long before two strangers and I ducked beneath the postmaster’s outstretched umbrella to board the Royal Mail and rumble across the North Downs.
That difficult journey east marked the beginning of an unseasonably cold autumn. Frigid rain pelted the coach windows. The undercarriage squealed beneath the seats as a metallic scent wound its way between the drafty boards. I gripped the windowsill, wondering if the coachman intended to hit every bump in the road.
“Far to go, miss?”
The woman’s voice startled me. Dressed head to toe in red
satin, she’d endured the last few darkened hours with a handful of smelling salts and a tongue hot for complaints, but she hadn’t spoken to me until now. Not until the first hint of rain-soaked daylight peeked over the horizon.
I lowered my gaze and fiddled with my bonnet ribbons. “Yes, ma’am . . . well, not too much farther, I hope.”
Taken from “In the Shadow of Croft Towers” by Abigail Wilson. Copyright © 2018 by Abigail Wilson. Used by permission of http://www.thomasnelson.com/.
Blog Stops
Just the Write Escape, December 20
Faery Tales Are Real, December 20
The Avid Reader, December 20
Reflections From My Bookshelves, December 21
seasons of opportunities, December 21
Mary Hake, December 22
Carpe Diem, December 22
Inklings and notions, December 23
Blogging With Carol, December 23
A Baker’s Perspective, December 23
Stories By Gina, December 24
Remembrancy, December 24
Madeline Clark, December 25
The Christian Fiction Girl, December 25
For the Love of Literature, December 26
Blossoms and Blessings, December 26
Janices book reviews, December 26
Back Porch Reads, December 27
Book by Book, December 27
Daysong Reflections, December 28
All-of-a-kind Mom, December 28
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 28
Godly Book Reviews, December 29
Locks, Hooks and Books, December 29
Bigreadersite, December 29
Inspiration Clothesline, December 30
A Rup Life, December 30
Bibliophile Reviews, December 30
A Reader’s Brain, December 31
Texas Book-aholic, December 31
Just Your Average reviews, January 1
Bookworld Reviews, January 1
Pause for Tales, January 1
Reading Is My SuperPower, January 2
Simple Harvest Reads, January 2
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Abigail is giving away a grand prize of one finished copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d777/in-the-shadow-of-croft-towers-celebration-tour-giveaway
Sounds like a good read.
Wow! This book seems to have it all – romance, suspense, mystery! It’s a book that fills all my wants in a book. After reading baout the book and the excerpt, I placed this book on my TBR list. I would love to have the opportunity to read it sooner than later.
Thank you for your review on ” In the Shadow of Croft Towers” by Abigail Wilson and for being part of the book tour.
This seems to be my kind of book. I enjoy meeting new authors. Thanks for your review.
Challenges last for a limited period of time.
Thank you for sharing. Merry Christmas ??