"For fans of Kate Morton and Beatriz Williams, a highly atmospheric and suspenseful historical novel, set in the 1890s about a Scottish heiress who unexpectedly encounters her childhood friend in North America, five years after he disappeared from her family's estate the night of a double murder. Nineteen-year-old Evelyn Ballantyre has rarely strayed from her family's estate in the Scottish Borderlands, save for the occasional trip to Edinburgh, where her father, a respected magistrate, conducts his business--and affairs of another kind. Evelyn has always done her duty as a daughter, hiding her boredom and resentment behind good manners--so when an innocent friendship with a servant is misinterpreted by her father as an illicit union, Evelyn is appalled. Yet the consequence is a welcome one: she is to accompany her father on a trip to North America, where they'll visit New York City, the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago, and conclude with a fishing expedition on the Nipigon River in Canada. Now is her chance to escape her cloistered life, see the world, and reconnect with her father. Once they're on the Nipigon, however, Evelyn is shocked to discover that their guide is James Douglas, the former stable hand and her one-time friend who disappeared from the estate after the shootings of a poacher and a gamekeeper. Many had assumed that James had been responsible, but Evelyn never could believe it. Now, in the wilds of a new world, far from the constraints of polite society, the truth about that day, James, and her father will be revealed ... to stunning consequences"--
A poacher is killed on a Scottish estate and James Douglas is accused of the murder. He flees to Canada where he works as a guide. Five years later Evelyn Ballentyre is accused of becoming too close with their stable hand and her father Charles takes her with him to the Canadian wilderness. Once there, they discover that their guide is none other than James Douglas who used to work on their estate. The story moves between past and present as we learn more about the poacher’s death.
I was intrigued by this book once I noticed it’s set in Canada because I haven’t read many books set in there. Throw in some Scotland and what’s not to like?
The middle part was a bit slow going but once things started to happen, it does pick up. But the end felt a bit rushed like trying to cram up all the happenings in the end.
Evelyn was ok but I didn’t really connect with her. Her friend Clementina was just silly but I did like James. I would have liked to learn more about how he worked his way to Canada. I didn’t buy all the situations that Evelyn had as a woman living in the 1800’s.
I liked the murder mystery and thought it wrapped up good in the end. We learn more about Charles as the mystery is revealed.
In the end, it was an okay and quick read but I felt like it could have been so much more.
