The Lost Orphan by Stacey Halls

A mother’s love knows no bounds…

London, 1754. Six years after leaving her newborn, Clara, at London’s Foundling Hospital, young Bess Bright returns to reclaim the illegitimate daughter she has never really known. Dreading the worst—that Clara has died in care—the last thing she expects to hear is that her daughter has already been reclaimed. Her life is turned upside down as she tries to find out who has taken her little girl—and why.

Less than a mile from Bess’s lodgings in a quiet town house, a wealthy widow barely ventures outside. When her close friend—an ambitious doctor at the Foundling Hospital—persuades her to hire a nursemaid for her young daughter, she is hesitant to welcome someone new into her home and her life. But her past is threatening to catch up with her—and will soon tear her carefully constructed world apart.

Set against the vibrant backdrop of Georgian London, The Lost Orphan explores families and secrets, class and power, and how the pull of motherhood cuts across them all.

Opening line:

"All the babies were wrapped like presents ready to be given."

Bess and Alexandra, two women on different sides of everything from the places they live, the homes, food, clothes and life. Bess is strong, courageous and street smart. Alexandra is beautiful, rich and suffering severe PTSD from childhood. But they both have one thing in common--a baby girl.  One gave birth to Charlotte and one raised her for a few years.

This was an intriguing story that kept me reading and wondering how the story would end. The world building made me gag and feel bad about how some lived. I was also warmed by the home with enough food and nice clothes, but the people were cold and didn't know how to live.

I was happy about the ending, though I wish it wouldn't have ended so quickly. I really wanted to read Lyle's story! He was such a character!

Thanks to netgalley for the read!

A FORGOTTEN MURDER by Jude Deveraux

 A FORGOTTEN MURDER by Jude Deveraux

An English manor home, an unsolved mystery, too many suspects to count… It’s the perfect holiday for romance novelist Sara Medlar.

After solving two murder cases in their hometown of Lachlan, Florida, Sara Medlar, her niece Kate and their friend Jack need a change of scenery. Sara arranges for them to visit an old friend of hers in England. Upon arrival at Oxley Manor, a centuries-old estate that has been converted to a luxury hotel, Kate and Jack quickly realize that Sara is up to something. They learn that Sara has also invited a number of others to join them at Oxley.

When everyone assembles, Sara lets them know why they are there. Decades earlier, two people ran off together from Oxley and haven’t been heard from since—and Sara wants to solve the case. As the people who were there the night the two went missing, the guests find themselves cast in a live mystery-theater event.

In reenacting the events of that night, it becomes clear that everyone has something to hide and no one is safe, especially when the discovery of a body makes it clear that at least one of the people who disappeared was murdered.

Sara, Jack and Kate are once again at the heart of a mysterious case that only they are able to solve. But someone is willing to continue to kill to keep the truth about Oxley Manor buried, and none of the guests are safe.

Opening line:
"Puck didn't expect to find a body."

A fun, intriguing, cold-case murder mystery with so many suspects, all friends who don't seem to like each other and yet can't be without each other. 
Set in an on old English manor, Sara, a novice mystery solver from America finds a mystery to solve. Two women live in the manor and one lives in an out building. All three have an inkling who might have killed Sean, the stable hand, who was suppose to run away with one of the rich woman in a circle of friends far above his station. 
Sara brings the group of friends together and sets them to confess their part of what happened on the night too many mysteries unfolded. 
I don't want to give too much away because it is a fun read that is hard to put down. Every person I thought was the murderer wasn't and the more stories that came to light, the more red herrings I was sure I'd stumble upon. 

There is a rape.

Thanks to netgalley for the early read!

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