Julie Klassen: The Secret of Pembrooke Park

The Secret of Pembrooke Park by Julie Klassen
Published by Baker Books on November 25, 2014
Genres: Fiction / Christian / Historical, Fiction / Christian / Romance / General, Fiction / Romance / Historical / Regency
Pages: 462
Format: eBook
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Abigail Foster is the practical daughter. She fears she will end up a spinster, especially as she has little dowry, and the one man she thought might marry her seems to have fallen for her younger, prettier sister.

Facing financial ruin, Abigail and her father search for more affordable lodgings, until a strange solicitor arrives with an astounding offer: the use of a distant manor house abandoned for eighteen years. The Fosters journey to imposing Pembrooke Park and are startled to find it entombed as it was abruptly left: tea cups encrusted with dry tea, moth-eaten clothes in wardrobes, a doll's house left mid-play...

The handsome local curate welcomes them, but though he and his family seem acquainted with the manor's past, the only information they offer is a stern warning: Beware trespassers drawn by rumors that Pembrooke Park contains a secret room filled with treasure.

This catches Abigail's attention. Hoping to restore her family's finances--and her dowry--Abigail looks for this supposed treasure. But eerie sounds at night and footprints in the dust reveal she isn't the only one secretly searching the house.

Then Abigail begins receiving anonymous letters, containing clues about the hidden room and startling discoveries about the past.

As old friends and new foes come calling at Pembrooke Park, secrets come to light. Will Abigail find the treasure and love she seeks...or very real danger?

Julie Klassen is by far the most prolific current inspirational Regency romance writer and arguably the best.  The few titles of hers that I have picked up have entertained, and its clear she is a fan of Jane Eyre and Jane Austen (as her bio professes).  I have found her work to be fairly gothic in tone, and The Secret of Pembrooke Park is no exception.

There is the matter of the first person narrative switch in the prologue and epilogue which made my eyebrow raise upon diving in, but since it reverts to the traditional it was quickly forgotten as I rolled along with the intrepid and practical heroine towards an uncertain future.

Pembrooke guards its secrets fairly well.  Klassen gives lots of clues on how to unravel the mystery throughout, so I can’t say I was super surprised by the climax or resolution, but was deeply engaged and found it nigh on impossible to set it down to sleep or, upon waking, make breakfast or go about my Saturday chores.  Her understanding of pacing for mystery hints at something I suspect of a lot of Reg Rom writers…they are, like Heyer, also mystery fans or writers.

Heroine Abby is mature, seeming much more wordly than her 23 years, and prepared to pay penance for recommending a bad investment to her father.  Forced to find a new family home, Pembrooke comes offered on terms the desperate family can’t afford to turn down.  But needless to say, you get what you pay for.

Disappointed in love, and with her sister staying behind in Town with their mama to make her debut, it falls upon Abby and her father to set up house.  That no one has touched Pembrooke in 18 years, and things appear as if the family left mid cuppa, this is a daunting task.  When her father has to hasten back to London, Abby is left to move into the house alone (with servants her only solace).

She quickly makes friends with the curate who seems instantly smitten.  She also finds his siblings boon companions to ease her loneliness, and even help dampen the fear she is being watched.  Abby spends much of her time trying to unravel the many mysteries of Pembrooke Park, including why someone is sending her strange letters and why its sounds as if someone is walking the halls at night.

The pace is surprisingly fast for a 400+ pager, with lots of action, characters and a couple of love interests.  I remember Klassen to be skilled at keeping you guessing who the heroine will end up with, so I won’t spoil it for you, but will say that the heroes on offer are interesting, handsome, and intelligent.  In other words, no rakes, cads or sexy bad boys here.

The book contains a bit of proselytizing, you know being inspirational lit and all,  but its fairly skillfully done and seems appropriate for the era (although I did catch one or two whiffs that felt a bit modern).  The heroine herself goes through a believable conversion of sorts, from part time believer into someone who embraces her Christianity with cautious, yet open arms.

The romance (romances, really) come with some fair drama as rivals for affection show up almost around every corner, and yet are also built with enough substance to feel real and again true to the times.  There are a couple of scenes that skirt the sensibility of the era, and felt a bit more mass market than traditional Reg Rom, but since no one actually ripped bodices or unsnapped their unmentionables, its still safely in the land of the clean.  However, if you are looking for something religiously (no pun intended) adherent to 19th century standards of propriety, you will probably be put off.

All in all, this was a great book for the Fall, with its moody, gothic tone and hints of haunts that are more mortal than paranormal.

 5 out of 6 Secret rooms, family secrets and gothic plotting make this a suspenseful, page turner