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The House at the End of the Moor by Michelle Griep - Oliver Ward has been suffering for months in the terrible conditions at Dartmoor Prison, and when he finally gets a chance to escape, he takes it. He's determined to clear his name and somehow prove that he was wrongfully convicted. But he was already in weakened condition, injured, and then grazed by a constable's bullet during his flight.
Maggie Lee is determined to live as quietly and anonymously as possible in an out-of-the-way home on the moors. She and her maid discover an unconscious and injured man near the house and manage to get him inside to tend his wounds. When a surly constable shows up at her door, she evades his questions and says nothing about the injured man. She isn't sure why her instinct is to protect a man who is almost certainly an escaped convict, but she follows it nonetheless.
As Oliver is recovering, he and Maggie discover that they are connected - Maggie is in possession of the jewels that Oliver was accused of stealing, although she has no idea the gems are real. She had abandoned her opera career and fled after threats to herself and her father, and it turns out that Oliver was one of the guests in attendance at her final performance after which she escaped her cruel manager. Realizing that returning the jewels is the only way to prove Oliver's innocence the two of them decide to return to London together and figure out a way to achieve that and see the evil nobleman who accused Oliver brought to justice.
They are relentlessly pursued by the cruel and vindictive constable who not only wants to capture Oliver, but collect on the reward offered to return Maggie to her manager. Constable Barrow and the manager join forces to capture the two escapees, and their cruelty seems to know no bounds.
Once in London, Oliver and Maggie must come up with a plan to return the jewels and entrap the true criminals, while staying one step ahead of their pursuers. They will need to learn to trust each other, forgive, and understand justice and mercy.
There are three narratives woven together to tell the story. When Oliver is the viewpoint character, the narrative is in the third person, but when Maggie is the viewpoint character, she tells her own story. Not only is it in first person, it's in present tense, which I think is very unusual for a historical setting novel. I think it adds to the immediacy of the conflicts and dilemmas she finds herself in. Interspersed are some sections where Barrow is the viewpoint character. These are also in third person.
From the very first page, I was drawn into the story and couldn't stop turning pages! The backgrounds of Oliver and Maggie are intriguing and teased out a little at a time, and the suspense in their race for justice adds a sense of urgency to their relationship. Constable Barrow and the manager are evil and dangerous villains, but it turns out even Barrow has a past that has shaped him.
Maggie Lee is determined to live as quietly and anonymously as possible in an out-of-the-way home on the moors. She and her maid discover an unconscious and injured man near the house and manage to get him inside to tend his wounds. When a surly constable shows up at her door, she evades his questions and says nothing about the injured man. She isn't sure why her instinct is to protect a man who is almost certainly an escaped convict, but she follows it nonetheless.
As Oliver is recovering, he and Maggie discover that they are connected - Maggie is in possession of the jewels that Oliver was accused of stealing, although she has no idea the gems are real. She had abandoned her opera career and fled after threats to herself and her father, and it turns out that Oliver was one of the guests in attendance at her final performance after which she escaped her cruel manager. Realizing that returning the jewels is the only way to prove Oliver's innocence the two of them decide to return to London together and figure out a way to achieve that and see the evil nobleman who accused Oliver brought to justice.
They are relentlessly pursued by the cruel and vindictive constable who not only wants to capture Oliver, but collect on the reward offered to return Maggie to her manager. Constable Barrow and the manager join forces to capture the two escapees, and their cruelty seems to know no bounds.
Once in London, Oliver and Maggie must come up with a plan to return the jewels and entrap the true criminals, while staying one step ahead of their pursuers. They will need to learn to trust each other, forgive, and understand justice and mercy.
There are three narratives woven together to tell the story. When Oliver is the viewpoint character, the narrative is in the third person, but when Maggie is the viewpoint character, she tells her own story. Not only is it in first person, it's in present tense, which I think is very unusual for a historical setting novel. I think it adds to the immediacy of the conflicts and dilemmas she finds herself in. Interspersed are some sections where Barrow is the viewpoint character. These are also in third person.
From the very first page, I was drawn into the story and couldn't stop turning pages! The backgrounds of Oliver and Maggie are intriguing and teased out a little at a time, and the suspense in their race for justice adds a sense of urgency to their relationship. Constable Barrow and the manager are evil and dangerous villains, but it turns out even Barrow has a past that has shaped him.
From the Publisher:
What Can a London Opera Star and an Escaped Dartmoor Prisoner Have in Common?
Opera star Maggie Lee escapes her opulent lifestyle when threatened by a powerful politician who aims to ruin her life. She runs off to the wilds of the moors to live in anonymity. All that changes the day she discovers a half-dead man near her house. Escaped convict Oliver Ward is on the run to prove his innocence, until he gets hurt and is taken in by Maggie. He discovers some jewels in her possession--the very same jewels that got him convicted. Together they hatch a plan to return the jewels, clearing Oliver's name and hopefully maintaining Maggie's anonymity.
By the same author: The Noble Guardian, Ladies of Intrigue, The Captured Bride, The Innkeeper's Daughter, The Captive Heart
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
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