New York Times bestselling author Barbara Wood delivers a gripping story of family secrets, madness, and suspense in nineteenth-century England.
After her mother's death in 1857, Leyla's only links with her heritage and family are a letter and her last name—Pemberton. Resolved to seek out her past, she travels from London to the brooding countryside mansion of Pemberton Hurst. Leyla longs to find a loving family, but more important, she needs to uncover the truth of her past. But the Pembertons seem strangely reluctant to discuss family history, and the house feels smothered by the weight of untold secrets. Increasingly torn between the safety of life with her sophisticated fiancé in London and a new, dangerous love, Leyla is no longer sure where to turn and whom to trust. Then terror strikes. A murderer roams the corridors of Pemberton Hurst, and Leyla is suddenly thrown into a maelstrom of deceit, madness, and horror. With her life in jeopardy, Leyla must uncover the truth of her past before it destroys her.
"Intriguing." —Sunday Express
"A master storyteller. She never fails to leave the reader enthralled." —Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey, author of A Woman of Independent Means
“An accomplished storyteller.” —John Jakes, New York Times bestselling author
“Wood shows herself a wizard at juggling action and romance, maintaining the momentum and sparkle of both.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Wood makes her fiction come alive with authentic detailing and highly memorable characters.” —Booklist
“Barbara Wood is an entertainer.” —Washington Post Book World
After her mother's death in 1857, Leyla's only links with her heritage and family are a letter and her last name—Pemberton. Resolved to seek out her past, she travels from London to the brooding countryside mansion of Pemberton Hurst. Leyla longs to find a loving family, but more important, she needs to uncover the truth of her past. But the Pembertons seem strangely reluctant to discuss family history, and the house feels smothered by the weight of untold secrets. Increasingly torn between the safety of life with her sophisticated fiancé in London and a new, dangerous love, Leyla is no longer sure where to turn and whom to trust. Then terror strikes. A murderer roams the corridors of Pemberton Hurst, and Leyla is suddenly thrown into a maelstrom of deceit, madness, and horror. With her life in jeopardy, Leyla must uncover the truth of her past before it destroys her.
"Intriguing." —Sunday Express
"A master storyteller. She never fails to leave the reader enthralled." —Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey, author of A Woman of Independent Means
“An accomplished storyteller.” —John Jakes, New York Times bestselling author
“Wood shows herself a wizard at juggling action and romance, maintaining the momentum and sparkle of both.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Wood makes her fiction come alive with authentic detailing and highly memorable characters.” —Booklist
“Barbara Wood is an entertainer.” —Washington Post Book World
