The Wandering Heart
Author:
Genres: Literature & Fiction, Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Book Type: Paperback
Author:
Genres: Literature & Fiction, Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Book Type: Paperback
Cherise E. (CherryDuck) reviewed That anxious torture may I never feel, which, doubtful, watches o'er a wandering heart. - Mary Tighe on + 150 more book reviews
I fear that most people will read the title of this book, look at its cover art and think this is some sort of historical romance, when in fact it is not, its a brilliant work historical fiction with more than one engaging mystery, one of which revolves around a tragic romance.
Lizzie Manning is a historian and a professor living in Boston, Massachusetts. She is contacted by the Hatton family in Britain to study and document their ancestor, Francis Hatton, and the journal he wrote and the artifacts he collected during his sea voyage with Captain James Cook.
Invited to stay and research the documents and artifacts in the family home, Hedgemont, Lizzie soon discovers this family has a history deep in tradition and tragedy, dating back to the thirteenth century and the Crusades. As she uncovers more about Francis, she discovers more about his familys tragic past and the women who seem to be affected by that past, fatally. Immersed in the rich detail and history of the family, Lizzie makes several discoveries and unlocks mysteries that have plagued the family and remained unsolved for centuries.
All the mysteries involved with the Hatton family seem to center around one tragic event at the time of the Crusades, and the missing heart that was never recovered from the event. The line between what was and what is becomes blurred as the past starts affecting Lizzie more personally than she ever thought possible when history begins to repeat itself.
It took a little while for the story to fully take off and take shape, but once it did, I was as engrossed in the Hatton family history as Lizzie was. The story is powerful in its details and the tragedies of the past make a great impact on the reader. Both the historical and fictitious stories are fascinating and with each discovery made by Lizzie, I felt like I was watching her put the pieces of a puzzle together. The characters of the story enhanced the journey and each role was played an important part to fitting all the pieces of the puzzle together at the end.
I stated at the beginning of this review that I feared people would think this book a romance and overlook it, or simply not pick it up. The truth is there is enough romance involved to entertain the romance reader, but there is so much more going on in this story that I feel this is a book that fans of most genres will enjoy. Mystery, romance, historical fiction, or just great fiction fans in general would enjoy this tale, immensely, I think. This book looks to be the first in a trilogy featuring Lizzie and her supporting cast, and I look forward to the next adventure and mystery with much enthusiasm.
Cherise Everhard, June 2009
Lizzie Manning is a historian and a professor living in Boston, Massachusetts. She is contacted by the Hatton family in Britain to study and document their ancestor, Francis Hatton, and the journal he wrote and the artifacts he collected during his sea voyage with Captain James Cook.
Invited to stay and research the documents and artifacts in the family home, Hedgemont, Lizzie soon discovers this family has a history deep in tradition and tragedy, dating back to the thirteenth century and the Crusades. As she uncovers more about Francis, she discovers more about his familys tragic past and the women who seem to be affected by that past, fatally. Immersed in the rich detail and history of the family, Lizzie makes several discoveries and unlocks mysteries that have plagued the family and remained unsolved for centuries.
All the mysteries involved with the Hatton family seem to center around one tragic event at the time of the Crusades, and the missing heart that was never recovered from the event. The line between what was and what is becomes blurred as the past starts affecting Lizzie more personally than she ever thought possible when history begins to repeat itself.
It took a little while for the story to fully take off and take shape, but once it did, I was as engrossed in the Hatton family history as Lizzie was. The story is powerful in its details and the tragedies of the past make a great impact on the reader. Both the historical and fictitious stories are fascinating and with each discovery made by Lizzie, I felt like I was watching her put the pieces of a puzzle together. The characters of the story enhanced the journey and each role was played an important part to fitting all the pieces of the puzzle together at the end.
I stated at the beginning of this review that I feared people would think this book a romance and overlook it, or simply not pick it up. The truth is there is enough romance involved to entertain the romance reader, but there is so much more going on in this story that I feel this is a book that fans of most genres will enjoy. Mystery, romance, historical fiction, or just great fiction fans in general would enjoy this tale, immensely, I think. This book looks to be the first in a trilogy featuring Lizzie and her supporting cast, and I look forward to the next adventure and mystery with much enthusiasm.
Cherise Everhard, June 2009
