Mist of Midnight by Sandra Byrd - REVIEWED

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing

About the Book: In the first of a brand-new series set in Victorian England, a young woman returns home from India after the death of her family to discover her identity and inheritance are challenged by the man who holds her future in his hands.

Rebecca Ravenshaw, daughter of missionaries, spent most of her life in India. Following the death of her family in the Indian Mutiny, Rebecca returns to claim her family estate in Hampshire, England. Upon her return, people are surprised to see her...and highly suspicious. Less than a year earlier, an imposter had arrived with an Indian servant and assumed not only Rebecca's name, but her home and incomes. 

That pretender died within months of her arrival; the servant fled to London as the young woman was hastily buried at midnight. The locals believe that perhaps she, Rebecca, is the real imposter. Her home and her father's investments reverted to a distant relative, the darkly charming Captain Luke Whitfield, who quickly took over. Against her best intentions, Rebecca begins to fall in love with Luke, but she is forced to question his motives—does he love her or does he just want Headbourne House? If Luke is simply after the property, as everyone suspects, will she suffer a similar fate as the first “Rebecca”? 

A captivating Gothic love story set against a backdrop of intrigue and danger, Mist of Midnight will leave you breathless.

My Thoughts:

“Doona be afraid to ask Him the hard questions.  He oft poses them Himself.”  (p. 87)

Mist of Midnight is the debut of Daughters of Hampshire series.  Sandra Byrd has taken the Victorian-Gothic novel to an epic level of intrigue!  The entire premise begins with a stolen identity (the 19^th century has its own set of woes when it comes to identity theft!), then takes on a hint of romance that then becomes suspect .This novel is truly smoke and mirrors much of the time! Byrd casts doubt in every direction, then adds some unexplainable occurrences that keep the reader a bit tense thinking that death lies just around the corner for some unexpecting  character.  I can honestly say that Mist of Midnight is quite the thrill ride – all within the context of high society England.

To add another layer of intrigue and spiritual depth, Byrd incorporates historically accurate depictions of the mission work being done in India by wealthy English citizens.  It is fascinating, and, at times, convicting, to realize the sacrifice people make to ensure that the gospel reached the Indian people. Byrd keeps it honest though.  The missionaries faced their own trials, and sometimes those trials left them with doubts about God’s love and mercy in their lives.  This is a very multi-layered novel that readers will find intriguing on many levels.

I want to encourage readers everywhere to pick up a copy of Mist of Midnight.  You will definitely burn through some midnight oil trying to figure out who can be believed in this story!  Enjoy!

About the Author:

Sandra Byrd is a noted author of historical fiction, including the first book in her Tudor series, To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn. She lives near Seattle, Washington. Visit SandraByrd.com.