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A review by fiction_aficionado
Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey by Abigail Wilson
3.0
There’s no doubt that Abigail Wilson knows how to create atmosphere with her words, particularly the kind of Gothic atmosphere that seems to pair so well with a Regency setting. Unfortunately, I felt as though this story didn’t have the substance to do her words justice. Notwithstanding the dramatic opening and the fact that there’s a murderer to find, there wasn’t anything mysterious or sinister about any of the characters, particularly the hero, Torrington. I had my suspicions about who the culprit was early on, and although the overall picture turned out to be bigger than I originally guessed, there was a kind of inevitability about it that sucked the marrow out of the story.
As mentioned, Wilson makes good use of descriptive writing, however the dialogue, and even the narrative at times, was too on the nose for me, particularly for a novel that’s trying to create an air of mystery and suspense. There were also times when the phrasing pulled me out of the novel, for example obvious Americanisms such as “I hadn’t even considered what all she might apprise me of,” and oddly enough, obvious Heyerisms, such as the exclamation “’Pon rep!” It felt a bit…affected to me—jarring rather than authentic—but maybe that’s just me?
The other thing that was disappointing for me was the lack of any chemistry between the hero and heroine, which made it difficult to become invested in them as a couple. Readers who are looking for atmospheric writing and a bit of mystery will get the most enjoyment out of this novel.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.
As mentioned, Wilson makes good use of descriptive writing, however the dialogue, and even the narrative at times, was too on the nose for me, particularly for a novel that’s trying to create an air of mystery and suspense. There were also times when the phrasing pulled me out of the novel, for example obvious Americanisms such as “I hadn’t even considered what all she might apprise me of,” and oddly enough, obvious Heyerisms, such as the exclamation “’Pon rep!” It felt a bit…affected to me—jarring rather than authentic—but maybe that’s just me?
The other thing that was disappointing for me was the lack of any chemistry between the hero and heroine, which made it difficult to become invested in them as a couple. Readers who are looking for atmospheric writing and a bit of mystery will get the most enjoyment out of this novel.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.