The stained glass window in Penrose College is Augustus Penrose's legacy to the university he founded for the education of the daughters of the women who worked in his factory, the Rose Glass Works. Depicting his wife, Eugenie, as the Lady of Shallot, it's a mesmerising portrait that has come to embody the spirit of the school itself. But now, eighty years after it was created, the Lady Window, is due for restoration. The task falls to former alumna Juno McKay, who's restoring it in conjunction with her friend, Christine Webb, an art historian who is researching the window for her thesis. Christine seems to have discovered some new evidence that points to Eugenie's sister, Clare, being the subject for the Lady in the Window. But this is controversial, and before Christine can expound on her idea to Juno, she's found, dead, in the lake. But was she drowned, or was it something more sinister? What other legacies have the Penroses bequeathed to the students at their college?
Carol Goodman continues with her theme of secrets-from-the-past in her third book. Once again, she's created a world that I became completely absorbed in and a mystery that I couldn't figure out. Each time I thought "ah ha, THIS is what happened" the main character thought of it herself and sent the story in another direction by disproving it.
It happens too often that I love someone's debut novel and then end up disappointed in everything that follows, so I'm really glad Goodman isn't falling victim to that trend.
Reading updates
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Started reading
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16 October, 2008:
Finished reading
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16 October, 2008:
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