A Heritage of Shadows

By Madeleine Brent

Book Overview

It is 1890 and Hannah McLeod, an 18 year-old English girl, is living in Paris, where she works at a small restaurant. Only her neighbour, Toby Kent, a struggling artist, knows the strange and horrifying secret that makes her afraid to return to England. Then one night, rescuing a stranger, Andrew Doyle, from attach by Montmartre apaches, Hannah unwittingly becomes entangled in circumstances that force her to flee from France to England and take up the mysterious offer she had received to become French tutor in the household of a Mr. Sebastian Ryder. But why should Mr. Ryder want to employ her? Does he know something about her of which she is unaware? Are there still more secrets in her past? A Heritage of Shadows is the haunting story of a girl, ignorant of her true identity and convinced that she is forever denied love on account of her shameful past, who is plunged into a world of nightmarish intrigue. As the tale unfolds, carrying her from England to Mexico and back again to Paris, Hannah finds herself caught up in a vicious struggle between two men of great wealth and power - a struggle which threatens her life - before the final discovery of where her happiness lies. Madeleine Brent, the bestselling author, has once again written a story packed with drama and suspense. It vividly recreates the atmosphere of the 1890s, exposing the darker and more sinister elements that lurked below that outwardly respectable era.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0285641654
• ISBN13: 9780285641655
• Release Date: July 2012
• Publisher: Souvenir Press
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.1" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

EXCELLENT STORY TELLING!

This was a very suspenseful and adventurous story set during the turn of the last century that never bores you for even a second. The heroine suffers a very harsh tragedy through her teens and then is able to escape her circumstances and start anew, free although poor. Her positive attitude keeps the reader positive as you nervously follow her adventures and friendships through England, France and Mexico. With Brent's stories you never know what's going to happen next. I mean not a clue! There are no sex scenes in this or any of her other novels I read, but there is always a strong yet subtle sexual element in the heroine's character. In this particular story, the heroine's sexual experience is very important yet is revealed slowly and indirectly. There is no vulgarity in any of the writer's words yet the harshness is amply conveyed. Brent is one of the most skilled romance novelists I have ever read.

An excellent story. . .

as are all tales of Madeleine Brent. The story is presented in increments, slowly revealing secrets of the past in proper doses to be acceptable to the reader. Parts of the story are distasteful in the extreme, but some of the characters are beautiful and inspiring.If you are fortunate enough to find this book, you'll get to meet Hannah McLeod, the Butterfly Girl, as well as her artist friend, Toby Kent, and many other interesting characters, both good and bad.

Like most Madeline Brent books, this one is very good

This book is very good. It has a strong heroine and an entertaing plot, however it is not Madeline Brent's best work. If you like "A Heritage of Shadows" give "The Long Masquerade" a try. She's one of my favorite writers