The Black Swan by Philippa Carr - This is the sixteenth in Carr's Daughters of England series, and is set in Victorian England. It focuses on Lucie Lansdon, the daughter of a respected politician. Her beloved father is murdered near the beginning of the story, and as the key witness, Lucie is able to identify the assassin, leading to his execution for the crime. She is haunted by her grief and by the worry that she may have condemned an innocent man, but another blow is yet to come. The rising young politician that she is planning to marry is kidnapped while on a diplomatic mission in Africa and she later receives word that he has been killed. In the meantime, her childhood companion (sort of a sister - the relationship is complicated and is the subject of the previous book in the series) Belinda, comes back from Australia, and convinces Lucie to go with her to visit Belinda's father in France. Lucie develops a fast friendship with a brother and sister and eventually returns to England with them and winds up marrying the brother. There is danger lurking around every corner for her, it seems, and her happiness and her very life are threatened.
In keeping with the Gothic romance style of this series, there are suggestions of haunting and questions raised about Lucie's mental stability; and there are sinister men with questionable motives in mysterious and ancient castles. It also struck me as I was reading this one that the standard advice given to young ladies facing great grief and tragedy throughout this series has been "you need to get right away from it"; the family and friends always seem to believe that removing from the scene of any horrible event and "putting it right out of your mind" is the cure-all for getting over the death of loved ones or the trauma of witnessing or being a part of something tragic.
By the same author: The Changeling; The Witch From the Sea; The Lion Triumphant; The Miracle at St Bruno's.
In keeping with the Gothic romance style of this series, there are suggestions of haunting and questions raised about Lucie's mental stability; and there are sinister men with questionable motives in mysterious and ancient castles. It also struck me as I was reading this one that the standard advice given to young ladies facing great grief and tragedy throughout this series has been "you need to get right away from it"; the family and friends always seem to believe that removing from the scene of any horrible event and "putting it right out of your mind" is the cure-all for getting over the death of loved ones or the trauma of witnessing or being a part of something tragic.
By the same author: The Changeling; The Witch From the Sea; The Lion Triumphant; The Miracle at St Bruno's.
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