"Mist of Midnight"

(Daughters of Hampshire #1)

a Novel 

by Sandra Byrd

Description

In the first of a brand-new series set in Victorian England, a young woman returns home from India after the death of her family to discover her identity and inheritance are challenged by the man who holds her future in his hands.

Rebecca Ravenshaw, daughter of missionaries, spent most of her life in India. Following the death of her family in the Indian Mutiny, Rebecca returns to claim her family estate in Hampshire, England. Upon her return, people are surprised to see her…and highly suspicious. Less than a year earlier, an imposter had arrived with an Indian servant and assumed not only Rebecca’s name, but her home and incomes. That pretender died within months of her arrival; the servant fled to London as the young woman was hastily buried at midnight. The locals believe that perhaps she, Rebecca, is the real imposter. Her home and her father’s investments reverted to a distant relative, the darkly charming Captain Luke Whitfield, who quickly took over. Against her best intentions, Rebecca begins to fall in love with Luke, but she is forced to question his motives—does he love her or does he just want Headbourne House? If Luke is simply after the property, as everyone suspects, will she suffer a similar fate as the first “Rebecca?"

This book can be purchased at the following locations:

http://www.amazon.com/

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/

http://www.christianbook.com/

http://www.deepershopping.com/

Biography

After earning her first rejection at the age of thirteen, bestselling author Sandra Byrd has now published more than forty books. 

Sandra's new series, Daughters of Hampshire, historically sound Gothic romances, launched in 2015 with Book One: Mist of Midnight. That book earned a coveted Editor's Choice from the Historical Novel Society. Her book, The One Year Home and Garden Devotions, will publish October 1, 2015.

Check out her adult fiction debut, Let Them Eat Cake, which was a Christy Award finalist, as was her first historical novel, To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn. To Die For was also named by Library Journal as a Best Books Pick for 2011 and The Secret Keeper: A Novel of Kateryn Parr, was named a Library Journal Best Books Pick for 2012. 

Sandra has published dozens of books for tweens and teens, including the best-selling, The One Year Be-Tween You and God, Devotions For Girls. 

She is passionate about helping new writers develop their talent and their work toward traditional or self-publication. As such, she has mentored and coached hundreds of new writers and continues to coach dozens to success each year via novelcoaching.com 

Please visit www.sandrabyrd.com to learn more or to invite Sandra to your book club via Skype.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sandrabyrdwrites

My Thoughts ~

Mist of Midnight is steeped in mystery and intrigue. Rebecca discovers that she has lost everything dear to her. She is not only left impoverished, but fearful. Who can she trust? Her distant cousin, Captain Luke has taken over Rebecca's property, and a strange imposter has stolen her identity. 

Her family's manor house is depicted as dark and mysterious, with wings closed off and doors locked. The characters in this story are secretive, unfriendly and mysterious. Alone and still in mourning for her family, Rebecca's life is at the mercy of her host, Captain Luke who demonstrates a romantic interest in her while it appears that he is quite flirtatious with other women in his life. 

Possible murder is implicated in the death of her imposter, and mysterious activities on the grounds at the manor sharpen Rebecca's wariness. Descriptive and penned with depth and creativity as well as mystique, this novel captured my attention to the end. I highly recommend this well-told Gothic mystery romance!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Wynn-Wynn Media in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review.