Lady Emily and Colin are attending a large masquerade
with their friend, Cécile, when they meet the traveling
heiress Estella Lamar. Since Cécile was friends with
Estella, she immediately recognizes that the lady is an
impostor.
The woman runs away. When she is later discovered dead,
the mystery of Estella Lamar proves too big of a draw for
Emily. They discover that the dead woman was an actress
hired by a stranger to play the part.
Since Miss Lamar is French, their search takes them to
Paris. Every where they go, no one has seen the heiress
in years. The staff maintains her homes as if she would
appear at any moment. All her instructions are sent by
mail. Even her financial adviser finds nothing strange
in her behavior.
Each chapter alternates between Emily and Colin's search
with the story of Estella and her unique childhood. As
they search, there will more bodies discovered . The
final discovery will surprise the reader.
Ms. Alexander has always written novels which intrigue
and entice the reader with the lives of her characters.
This book is a departure from the norm in that the deaths
aren't the main focus of the story. Instead the reader
is introduced to a character who is both sympathetic and
a little repellent. The heiress was a strange child with
few friends and her only real interest was reading about
other lands.
Despite the odd twist to the story, I really enjoyed this
one. Ms. Alexander's Lady Emily mysteries are
always
something to look forward to. Her descriptions of the
masquerade and other historical events make the reader
feel like they are present. It's a glimpse into a world
that few will ever enter.
The next Lady Emily mystery can't come soon enough
for
this reader and I'm sure others feel the same way.
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