Every time I pick up a book written by Elizabeth Camden, I am enthralled. Her characterization, setting, and storyline are impeccable.

In a Dangerous Legacy, Camden weaves together the competition between America’s Associated Press and England’s Reuters, a forty-year-old lawsuit battle, political intrigue, mental institutions and family splits in a turn-of-the-century world together in a captivating manner. There’s so much going on in this book, it could have become very convoluted, but it never did.

The banter between Sir Colin Beckwith and Lucy Drake is delightful without stumbling across that fine line to annoying. Lucy has a true Champion in her brother as well. Lucy is such a likable character. She’s smart, brave, determined, and generous.

I’m already looking forward to Nick’s story coming in 2018. With another stunning historical fiction book, Camden remains at the top of my must-read author list.

***I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Honestly, Elizabeth Camden's books are just all the ingredients I love. I truly think she is writing for me! She has a masters in history, so her research is unparalleled, she has an easy, accessible writing style, characters and dialogue that leap off the page and a keen sense of time and verisimilitude. But, I think what I find most impressive, is the ease in which she excavates snippets of history not usually explored  onto which she shines the spotlight of her inimitable narrative style.

I also always identify with her heroines ( something that is hard to do in inspirational fiction ---even for an avid reader in the genre like myself).  Her heroines are smart, resourceful career women who balk at limitations and want to make their marks on the world.  Often in men's professions during times when women were to be angels of the hearth, her heroines are always just a few steps ahead of the world--- and the game.   Fiercely independent, they are not easily won, unless they are able to fit the inevitable romance end of the plot into their working world.


Image result for a dangerous fortune camdenThe overarching plot of this multi-layered story revolves around the Drake fortune and put me immediately in mind of the never-ending Jarndyce and Jarndyce case in Dickens' Bleak House.  Siblings Nick and Lucy Drake are at the center of the case trying to find justice for their family and their late father. Beyond any monetary gain or inheritance, the resolution of the case will hopefully mean the end of their torment by a wealthy rich relative, Thomas Drake, who lives as lord of the manor in nearby Saratoga while the Drake siblings are hard workers scraping by in their Greenwich Village apartment.  Court settlements, a lavish necklace and two brothers who fought over the invention of a brilliant valve during the Civil War times brushes Lucy and Nick's world with a burden to their father's memory as well as the social injustice they see around them.  A plumber, Nick wants to use the ease in which he can work this portal to his family's inheritance to equip tenement houses with running water for a fraction of the cost of the high city fees.

Another layer of this surprisingly intricate plot is the journalistic meeting of Reuters Agency, where Lucy continually runs into aristocrat Colin Beckwith, heir to a crumbling 18th Century estate across the Atlantic, while working as a telegraph operator for the Associate Press.  The history of morse code, telegraphy and homing pigeons is flourished here in exciting detail and I loved hearing about Colin and Lucy's world, the interception of Pacific telegraphs as well as reading cameos by Roosevelt and Taft.

An illegal wire tapped to her desk allows Lucy to transmit messages from her scheming uncle's lawyer and when she overhears a plot for murder, she runs to her uneasy ally ( and source of her burgeoning attraction), Colin, who uses his title and manners to expose the nefarious Drakes in Saratoga once and for all.


A Dangerous Legacy was so much more than an historical novel: it was a treatise on the class system, a look at how entitlement to fortune and revenge can strip one of happiness and a compelling study of New York on the brink of greatness.   Nick's work with valves for fresh water in tenement houses opens up a world underground and the labyrinth of the New York sewer system is painted with the same deft ease in which Camden worked with the Boston subway in From This Moment.  Colin Beckwith's experiences as a journalist in the Boer War allow for the study of PTSD and a look into the primitive psychiatric methods such as shock therapy.   A threat to Lucy is a gateway to a close interior look into mental asylums and the cruelty waged on patients sometimes only committed for incorrigibility.


To summarize the many interweaving plots as Colin and Lucy navigate the intricacies of the Drake fortune is difficult  because Camden excels at being so (albeit accessibly) complex. I  had trouble putting this book down during a research trip to Boston over the weekend ( books are companions when one is traveling and dining alone) and found myself blown away ( as per usual )with the seeming ease with which she creates conflicting worlds.   There is a hunting weekend at a grand estate in upstate New York as well as parties and soirees that hang on Colin's coattails as a reminder of his past and the inheritance that binds him as tightly as the Drake fortune does Lucy and her brother.  Manhattan becomes a character a colourful and nuanced as Washington in Beyond all Dreams  and Boston in From This Moment as Camden uses her natural skill to paint a  canvas brought brilliantly to life.



There is romance, yes, but also a hefty dose of suspense and an intricate mystery I was not anticipating.   This is the best type of savoury read: relatable and fascinating characters, a peek through the curtain of the past, a dashing hero, a resourceful heroine, a race against time. Twists and turns and second guesses,  dubious villains and beautiful heiresses. In short, a deliciously robust read.


Elizabeth Camden is an inspirational writer; but the religious themes in her book are just that---themes.  She writes with a strict and genuine value system and her realistically fallible characters work between the lines of right and wrong often finding their consciences at odds with the world around them.   She is never preachy and the faith elements are presented as sociocultural concept.   I would recommend her highly to readers from or without a faith background.

Clean drinking water. It’s something that the majority of people in the Western world take for granted but for many on Earth, it is a luxury that remains seemingly out of reach. In A Dangerous Legacy the history of water in the New York tenements comes to life amidst the backdrop of a scintillating mystery and romance.

It’s the turn of the century and an exciting time for global news. With the advent of the telegraph and its wires that span the globe, the world has never been more connected. Keeping people informed is a competitive business and the fledgling AP (Associated Press) news service is battling for survival.  This American answer to the powerful British run Reuters News Agency employs dozens of telegraph operators with a mastery of Morse code and a drive to succeed.  Lucy Drake is a firm believer in the AP and what they do and is one of their most fervent employees, zealously manning her vital telegraph station. That is not her only mission in life however.

Lucy and her brother also spend a great deal of time and energy involved with the business of water. They devote weekends to installing pumps and “an ingenious set of valves” in tenement buildings so that people living on the upper floors can have water delivered directly to their apartments.  It saves women and children from hours of back breaking labor lugging buckets of water up many flights of stairs and raises the standard of living for everyone in the community. Their work is very clandestine however. Their family has been involved in a bitter law suit for forty years over the design of those valves and it is this – both the distribution of water to hard working families and the antagonistic legal battle surrounding it – that is Lucy’s true passion.

Sir Colin Beckwith is a man of conflicting passions as well. He, too, is an avid fan of the news service though in his case it is the AP’s rival, Reuters, that Colin loves. He is passionate about running their New York office and showing those Yanks what great reporting really looks like. But his other love is many thousands of miles away in England and in desperate need of help. Whitefriars, the family estate, employs ninety-one people, many of whom have nowhere else to go. Right now, from leaking roof to flooding cellars, Whitefriars is falling down around the folks who depend on her. Colin is drawn to Lucy from the moment he meets her one exciting evening in New York but Whitefriars needs an heiress and he has every intention of using his good looks, charm and title to land one.

That doesn’t mean he can’t enjoy those moments when he and Lucy clash over whatever latest issue has fanned their rivalry, though. Nor does it mean he can’t appreciate her sparkling eyes and shining dark hair. When he catches her doing some illicit telegraph work, he sees a situation in which a bit of quid pro quo could help them both – and give him the opportunity to appreciate her for just a little bit longer.  The two become entangled in an exciting adventure that leads all the way back to the White House but it is not only the villains who present true danger to them; it’s their own wayward hearts.

Sometimes a hero makes the book and this novel is definitely one of those times. Sir Colin Beckwith is a completely delightful protagonist. I liked that he can both play the haughty aristocrat and make gentle mockery of his own false importance. I loved that he has a great sense of adventure and purpose without making a martyr of himself for his causes. The psychological wounds he suffered during the Boer war not only humanizes him but serves as a nice reminder that PTSD was a disorder long before it was named or acknowledged and shows us the high cost of reporting violent news. I adored his pets (homing pigeons), wanted to try his favorite cookies and pretty much fell in love with him as I read his story.

Camden’s romances tend to contain the very best historical content and that is true here. From the exciting world of the blossoming global news business to the small details of trends in home decorating (creative taxidermy? Ew!) she really brings 1907 New York alive. The history never feels like a lesson but she enmeshes you so perfectly in the setting you’ll feel like you’ve been swept back in time.

Lucy and Colin have a snarkier relationship than I typically like but I appreciated how they trusted each other, helped each other and cared for each other. Their words may be barbed but their actions are always tender and heartfelt. By the end of the story I was convinced they are each other’s perfect partner.

Hardly any stories are perfect and a few quibbles kept this excellent tale from being a DIK. I struggled with the character of Lucy, who often displays unnatural extremes in her behaviors. Her early obsession with the case and shift in attitude towards the end is just one example where her personality underwent too much of a change for me to find her character arc believable. It felt very deus ex machina, as though the heroine served the plot rather than the other way around. My other cavil is that Ms. Camden typically sticks to light reference of God and benign theology in her novels and that is an absolutely wonderful way to weave faith into the story without losing the focus on the romance. This time I found the theology woven into the tale a tad disturbing. Her references to talent being a gift from God and the ability to build things making it seem that God was smiling on you made it seem as though blue-collar labor was holy work. The underlying attitude in the book seemed to be that wealth lead to corruption and manual work to good morals. This made me uncomfortable from a spiritual and personal aspect. I don’t think any kind of work is holier than any other or brings us any closer to God. That is the purpose of good works, filled with charity and compassion. Fortunately, while the message is clear, it is also fairly scarce and in no way takes over the story.

None of those quibbles keep me from wholeheartedly recommending A Dangerous Legacy, which is an absolutely terrific, not to be missed Inspirational romance. Fans of Ms. Camden will be delighted with the story and new readers will, I’m sure, be inspired to seek out her backlist.

A Dangerous Legacy
by Elizabeth Camden
Bethany House 
Bethany House Publishers
Christian
Pub Date 03 Oct 2017  
I am reviewing a copy of A Dangerous Legacy through Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley:
This book transports us back to the early twentieth century, where we meet Lucy Drake who has a talent for reading Morse Codes which makes her an asset to the American news agencies where she works as a telegrapher. It does not take long for the arrival of Sir Colin Beckwith a rival British Newspaper agent from Reuters to cause her very livelihood to be put at jeopardy.
Despite the rivalry an alliance is soon formed between Lucy Drake and Colin Beckwith, an alliance that may help turn the tides of a legal battle from years prior. 
Could the alliance lead to something more?
Find out in A Dangerous Legacy.
Five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!

About the Book
From the first time they met, the attraction between Lucy Drake- a telegrapher for the American-owned AP news agency- and Sir Colin Beckwith- director of the British-owned Reuters news agency- was undeniable. Besides their professions and attraction, however, Lucy and Colin share an unusual connection- both are wrangling with long-standing family battles that have proven to consume their lives. Lucy and her brother have been fighting a 40-year legal battle with their extended family to regain part of their inheritance from a business deal gone bad pre-Civil War, and Colin is seeking to marry an American heiress who can subsidize his family’s centuries-old estate in England from ruin. Since Lucy is not wealthy and his situation is dire, Colin immediately dissuades any type of romance from forming between them. Interestingly, both also have secrets that the other discovers, and in an attempt to find a truce, they agree to help each other so that their secrets remain so. As a friendship forms, Colin becomes more deeply involved with the legal battle Lucy is pursuing and uses his influence to launch covert information-gathering visits with her extended family. Together, their efforts not only draw them closer strengthening the romantic tension building between them, but they also uncover a political scandal that is greater than either of them could have imagined. Danger escalates as they work with local officials to neutralize the threat. When the scandal is finally resolved, Lucy and Colin reluctantly return to their routine lives and part ways. It is only when both of them face the entrapments of their family legacies and understand the freedom of making their own choices that Lucy and Colin begin to forge a new future.
 
My Thoughts
A Dangerous Legacy was quite refreshing as Camden offers a twist on the familiar tale of forlorn love. Lucy’s battle with her family provides enough suspense and danger to not only draw the reader into the crime plot, but also amplifies the desperate and futile romantic hopes of a relationship forming between her and Colin. Lucy’s (and eventually Colin’s) realization that they do not have to be controlled by past circumstances provides a good reflection opportunity for the reader, as well. The sweet conclusion to their relationship will delight readers!
 
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. However, this review reflects an honest view of my own thoughts and opinions regarding this book.

Colin deserves better…

This is the first book in the series.  According to the note at the end, in 2018 there will be another book surrounding Lucy’s brother, Nick.  He’s a prominent character in this book.

Lucy works for the AP news service and enjoys listening to the stories come across in Morse code and transcribing them for the world to read.  She runs across a story about Colin and decides to try and help him out.  When he discovers she has an illegal wire, he wants to know why.

Both Colin and Lucy are chained by their circumstances.  Colin has an estate, a sister and ninety tenants to consider, making him seek out an heiress to save his family home.  Lucy and her brother have been in a lawsuit with their uncle for years.  Their uncle is a ruthless man, and anyone who has contact with Lucy or her brother seems to feel his wrath.

I liked most of this book, really I did.  I loved the quirky interactions using carrier pigeons, how Lucy was dedicated to her cause, and how Colin was willing to get details about Lucy’s lawsuit to help her out.  But at a certain point, Lucy did a few things that aggravated me.  I can’t get into specifics since I don’t give spoilers, but the last 25% of the book was a letdown.  I didn’t like Lucy’s character and her decisions had me wishing Colin had a better option.

Next up is the book about Nick, Lucy’s brother.  I really liked his character, and I’m hoping it will be better.  I love Camden’s books, but not this one.

*I received a copy of this book from Bethany House through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Associated Press telegrapher Lucy Drake loves her job at the very heart of the American news industry.  During her free-time, however, Lucy and her brother spend most of their waking hours and hard-earned salaries on a court case involving a contentious and complicated family feud.  When Sir Colin Beckwith arrives to manage the Reuters-- the AP's rival news agency-- Lucy can't help but enjoy his company, and eventually finds a way for him to gather vital information for her court case.  

On the hunt for an American heiress to help save his family's home and tenets, Colin uses his British title to rub elbows with America's gilded elite.  Though enchanted by Lucy's tenacity and gumption, Colin cannot afford to fall in love with a fortune-less woman.  Will their deepening friendship and undeniable attraction to one another lead them to follow their hearts, or will Colin and Lucy continue to sacrifice their own desires for family obligations and money?  

Elizabeth Camden takes readers on a compelling journey in A Dangerous Legacy.  As a devoted fan of Camden's work,  I had been somewhat disappointed in her last two novel attempts, but am more than happy to assert that this latest work may be one of my new favorites.  Both Lucy and Colin were believable and flawed, but still likable as protagonists-- which had been my primary complaint in To the Farthest Shores and From this Moment.  I truly enjoyed their individual journeys to let go of past expectations and disappointments in an attempt to finally embrace the lives they'd been given.  I have always loved America's gilded age, and the depictions of unabashed fortune-hunting European aristocrats, the fast-paced world of the burgeoning news industry, and even the field of mental health were fascinating.  With her typical talent, Camden brings a lovely story to a beautifully satisfying conclusion that leaves the reader ready for yet another journey into the past. 

 I received a free copy from the publisher.  No review, positive or otherwise, was required—all opinions are my own.

Thank you to Bethany House and NetGalley for providing me with a free review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This book right away piqued my interest because the characters work for the AP and Reuters. It’s interesting how these companies rivaled each other, yet they shared the same building and news wires. The competition in the business transfers over to friendly competition between the characters.

I love historical fiction, so I found this novel interesting. I have not read many novels set during Teddy Roosevelt’s presidency. I liked how Camden wove those ideas throughout the novel. It is what helped push the plot along. Her style was enjoyable – I liked getting a glimpse into both characters minds.

The problem I had with the novel was how it seemed like there were a million things happening at once. One idea would be presented, then the novel would change direction, and it would never make it back to the original idea. I think had there been a little less action, it would’ve helped make the plot more tightly woven. With that said, the one aspect of the plot does directly influence the other, so there is connection.

Overall, if you like historical fiction and want to read about a time in history that isn’t written about as much as other times, try this book out. There’s a little bit of everything inside: romance, mystery, action, and sibling struggles.

I really enjoyed this! It was well-written and plotted, overall a great book. Would definitely recommend.

I have read all of Elizabeth Camden's books and love her writing style, she has a way of capturing my attention right from the beginning and drawing me in. This book is filled with suspense and I loved this historical novel. A book about relationships and trust and making your dream on your own. What a great book.

A Dangerous Legacy was another spectacular historical romance from Elizabeth Camden. I loved 'Until the Dawn' and didn't think it could be topped. But then came 'From This Moment' (and Romulus). Now, after reading 'A Dangerous Legacy'... oh my!... Camden has outdone herself!

I was instantly sucked into this story and the characters lives and sent back in time to 1903 in New York City. There was mystery, intrigue, danger, twists and turns, but also charming and humorous moments, as well. The banter between Lucy and Colin was so much fun.

One thing I absolutely love about Camden's books are the interesting and often little known historical facts. This book is full of them! I felt like I learned a lot of things I didn't know before. I loved getting an inside look at the early days of the AP and Reuters. I didn't know any of the history of either news agency, so that was fascinating.

'A Dangerous Legacy' is one of the best historical romances I've read this year! I highly recommend it! And I'm so excited there's going to be a sequel!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.

A Dangerous Legacy was my first book by Elizabeth Camden.  The Drake siblings are fighting a legal battle against estranged relatives, and epitomizes a David vs. Goliath story.  One of the siblings, Lucy Drake,  makes the acquaintance of Sir Colin Beckwith who becomes an unlikely ally in their fight and a friend.  Colin Beckwith runs Reuters news agency while Lucy Drake is a telegraph operator for the rival, Associated Press (AP).  Get ready for an engrossing read with twists and turns in this first Empire State novel!  My only criticism is that Camden could have done a better job explaining the historical significance of the Panama Canal debate and how Roosevelt's choice of route devastated businessmen who had invested in the wrong route.  With this increased depth, it would have strengthened the motives behind the assassination plot.  This review is rather vague in order to prevent spoilers.  I will definitely be reading the next book in the series and will pick up others by Elizabeth Camden.

A Dangerous Legacy by Elizabeth Camden is a unique historical novel that takes place during the early twentieth century. One thing I really enjoy about Camden's novels is her ability to bring the technology we use every day to the forefront of my imagination in a fictionalized story. I'm always drawn into the trouble the characters find themselves in while learning something about the great inventions that have made life easier for modern day life. 

Camden does a great job at writing the story. She is clear and concise in her descriptions and her writing. I have no problem picturing the scene and the setting. Camden does a really job at bringing New York City to life. She also does a great job at bringing the elaborate mansions to life when Camden travels out of New York to spy on Uncle Thomas. 

I really enjoyed the plot in this story. I enjoyed seeing how the telegraphers worked and how the plumbing began in the early twentieth century. One of my favorite things for a historical writer to do is to tell me a little bit about history without overwhelming me. Sarah Sun din and Camden are my favorite two writers who do this. I enjoy the twists and turns that Camden has created in the mystery to keep Lucy and Nick on their toes as they struggle against their uncle and seek justice. 

I really enjoyed spending time with Lucy, who is a smart woman who doesn't mind working for a living. Never once does she go out of her way to try to blackmail her uncle for her own selfish reasons. She wants him to allow the plumbing valve to be distributed for the masses at a reasonable cost. I admire her ability to negotiate and keep a level head throughout the novel. As for Camden, he wasn't one of my favorite hero's. He is a nice guy who appears to be just wanting a rich American heiress to keep his English home afloat, but by the end of the novel, he changes, and I respect him for that. 

The romance doesn't dictate the story, but it does take up a good majority of the plot. Not too much. Not too little. Camden keeps it at an even keel. Just the way fans of historical romances like it. 

I really LOVE the cover for this novel. The publishing company did a great job. The skyline of New York City in the background with the soft blush colors really captured my attention. 

Overall, A Dangerous Legacy by Elizabeth Camden is a refreshing tale on the importance of the telegraph machine and plumbing for American history. The characters were wonderful to spend time with, and the plot was a great way to spend a couple of days. I anxiously await what historical invention Camden will be crafting a story around next. 

I received a complimentary copy of A Dangerous Legacy by Elizabeth Camden from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.

I've read all of Elizabeth Camden's books, and while I have enjoyed all of them, this one is my favorite. It was fascinating. The plot was so interesting, with twists and turns and historical tidbits that made me want to learn more (like the completion of the AP's Pacific Cable and the controversy over whether to build a canal through Panama or through Nicaragua); there was a fair bit of action and it kept me guessing about how things would play out. I loved the banter between Lucy and Colin; they made me laugh so many times. It's fast-paced and entirely gripping. I highly recommend this one.

Camden's A Dangerous Legacy was a riveting read; there's plenty of intrigue, suspense, action and romance to keep you turning the pages. Lucy and Nick Drake are descendents of the inventors of a water valve that helps transport water to higher stories of a building. Their uncle has been commandeering all of the profits leaving them in a highly contested lawsuit for the last ten years.

Lucy's career at the Associated Press translating the Morse code messages brings her into contact with Sir Colin Beckwith, who works at the competitor, Reuters. Initially they butt heads but circumstances bring them together and feelings develop.

Overall a quick read that is hard to put down. I am excited to see that a sequel is in the works for next year continuing with the Drake family. 

Thank you Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley for this eARC.

Every Elizabeth Camden novel -- and I've read them all -- is the exact same experience for me: a brilliant, unique premise hooks me in, historical details keep me interested, then a wild plot twist skews the story into another tangent that, more often than not, completely overshadows the original plot of the book and leaves me scratching my head. Fortunately, this was one of the "not's." While A DANGEROUS LEGACY still veered in a completely different direction than I'd been led to expect by the back cover, it stayed far more cohesive than other Camden novels I've read. The banter between hero and heroine was delightful, although their romance blossomed a bit too rapidly for my taste. I also felt the energy of the story peaked a bit too soon, which caused the ending to drag, but overall the many complex threads of this story wrapped up nicely, with an epilogue that offers a tantalizing glimpse of what the forthcoming sequel may hold in store.