Sandy M’s review of Falling for Frederick by Cheryl Bolen
Romantic Suspense published by Montlake 8 Jan 13
This is a book I picked up, not intending to review it. But when I began reading the first few pages, just to get a feel for Cheryl Bolen’s writing because I’ve not read her before, I couldn’t stop. Mystery, historical and present day; murder; and a romance that seems unlikely but grows nonetheless. The only reason this book does not get a higher grade is the way a few too many things go unanswered by the end. But if you’re into history and mysteries, you will definitely enjoy this one.
Antonia is a doctoral student researching secret Catholic families in England after the abolishment of Catholicism. Finding Siddley’s curator murdered in his office, Antonia is the primary suspect. It’s Frederick Percy, earl of Siddley Hall, who believes in her innocence and agrees to work with her to prove it. And also help her find the Percy monstrance, an historical artifact that has been lost for centuries. There’s immediate attraction between them, but they keep their distance, Frederick not wanting to yet marry – despite his fiance all but picked out for him – and Antonia an American who’s out of his league. If they find the monstrance, it should exonerate Antonia and they’ll go their separate ways.
Thus begins the journey to a number of castles over the English countryside as they try to rebuild Antonia’s notes that were lost when her computer was stolen. Keeping her from the murderer is also foremost in Frederick’s mind, once kidnapping attempts and other equally frightening events begin to happen to Antonia. Amid all the hypothesizing and hunting, the attraction between them grows more and more, leading to a few kisses along the way.
Now comes the point where questions begin to rise for the reader. Who’s the murderer? You think you know, then you don’t. Once that is revealed, there’s too many things left unsaid. Frederick and Antonia stay a step ahead of the killer until the end, discover the whereabouts of the monstrance, but once the culprit is taken into custody, there’s nothing more about the artifact, what happens to it, whether Frederick keeps it or not, and a whole host of other things. Then there’s the relationship between these two. I expected them to finally express their feelings for one another and move on in love. Nothing even close happens. There’s not even enough information given for the reader to create their own epilogue after the last word is read. Very frustrating. In fact, all of this had me furiously typing in the author’s web site address to find out if there’s another book featuring Frederick and Antonia. There’s not. 🙁
So with all of that, it’s just too much for a higher grade. Ms. Bolen does keep the suspense high, along with the historical aspects of the story, which I enjoyed quite a bit, even though the romance takes a backseat to it. It’s interesting and the author does a terrific job of interweaving that history without becoming boring. I also like the modern-day earl getting involved where most nobility wouldn’t. If you’re in the mood for an all-consuming romance, don’t read this book at that time. Wait until you’re in an historical mood and you’ll have one grand time.
Grade: B-
Summary:
Her second day doing doctoral research in the basement archives of Siddley Hall, England’s grandest Tudor home, American Antonia Townley finds the hall’s curator with a knife plunged into his chest. Police suspect Antonia of being the killer because of two insignificant—to her—reasons, the first being the pesky matter of her fingerprints on the murder weapon. Then there is the unfortunate email she had sent to her sister saying she would kill for the curator’s job.Hunky bachelor Frederick Percy, Lord Rockford of Siddley Hall, learns that the curator was on the trail of the Percy family monstrance, the most valuable monstrance in England before Henry VIII’s Dissolution. It had been believed the family melted the gold and redistributed the monstrance’s jewels after the Dissolution. Frederick becomes convinced the curator’s death is tied to the priceless artifact and finding it before the killer does can free Antonia from suspicion of murder—and just might save her life. For protecting the beautiful Antonia against the menacing forces working against her has become rather an obsession for Frederick.
As Frederick and Antonia crisscross England seeking information on the Percy Monstrance, someone is stalking her every move. She hopes to God Frederick’s not behind these threats because she’s pretty sure she’s falling in love with him.
No excerpt available.
