SuspicionAuthor: Alexandra Monir
Publisher: Delacorte Press, 368 pages
Expected Publication Date: December 9, 2014
*ARC received by publisher via NetGalley
From Goodreads:
Mysterious. Magnificent. Creepy. Welcome to Rockford Manor.
"There's something hidden in the Maze." Seventeen-year-old Imogen has never forgotten the last words her father said to her seven years ago, before the blazing fire that consumed him, her mother, and the gardens of her family's English country manor.
Haunted by her parents' deaths, Imogen moves to New York City with her new guardians. But when a letter arrives with the news of her cousin's untimely death, revealing that Imogen is now the only heir left to run the estate, she returns to England and warily accepts her role as duchess.
All is not as it seems at Rockford, and Imogen quickly learns that dark secrets lurk behind the mansion's aristocratic exterior, hinting that the spate of deaths in her family were no accident. And at the center of the mystery is Imogen herself--and Sebastian, the childhood friend she has secretly loved for years. Just what has Imogen walked into?
Combining a fresh twist on the classic REBECCA with a spine-tingling mystery and powerful romance, SUSPICION is an action-packed thrill ride.
Review:
I enjoyed the Downtown Abbey meets Princess Diaries aspect of this book, with Imogen being the American girl who has to learn about being a Duchess and deal with having servants. I liked the mystery of the maze and what happened to the family members. I liked that it was a standalone. But the paranormal part of the book didn't work for me because it didn't make sense in this normal world and then not much was even done with it. So I'm not sure what the point was. I also didn't feel like I got to know the love interest in the book and what I did learn I didn't like. He was a pretty weak character.
Finally, the big reveal was not believable. At all. I can't say more without spoiling it, but that tainted the whole book.
There were parts of the book I did like, but given that it's a mystery, the fact that the whodunit part of it (along with all that entailed) wasn't believable made this just an ok read for me.
Posted by: Pam
I have this book to read. I've been putting it off. Ughh. I hate that the reveal wasn't big, that usually ruins a book for me.
ReplyDeleteOh no. :( I have this book and was really excited about getting to it soon. The cover is so pretty!! I hate when a paranormal or fantasy element is thrown in with really no purpose. Just write a contemporary then. Why does it have to be paranormal??
ReplyDeleteSo sorry that there were aspects of the book that you didn't enjoy, Pam. The summary and cover make the book really intriguing, and it's been on my wishlist for a while now! Still, I'm curious of the mystery itself and how it unfolds, so I'll still probably check this one out. Lovely review either way!
ReplyDeleteAimee @ Deadly Darlings
That is a gorgeous cover! I am always initially draw to retellings of REBECCA, because I love that book so much, but they rarely work for me. This one I've held off reading, and this review makes that sound like a good decision. Honestly, a lot of my problem with these retellings is the male love interest in YA form. It worked in the original story, but usually he ends up sounding pretty jerkish, or at least I never understood why he stuck with such an awful girlfriend previously to this amazing heroine. I'm not sure exactly what happens here, but the weak love interest is definitely conceding. In any case, I think I'll skip this. Thanks for the review!
ReplyDeleteWell I'll be skipping this one. No time for an ok read, I have my hands full with all of your recs ;)
ReplyDeleteBummer! I've been really looking forward to this one. I'm all about believability for the most part. I'll still give it a go, but we'll see.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea this was a standalone, there seriously aren't enough of those in YA. But the fact that the big reveal isn't believable will really bug me. But it has made me curious, so I am sure I will get to this eventually.
ReplyDelete