This is the first novel I’ve read by this author and it won’t be the last.
The opening gripped my attention until I solved the murder at the end. I admit, I didn’t have it figured out until about 3/4s of the way through, but perhaps it was just my “author-mind” working through the list of suspects and secondary characters.
The characters were likeable and intriguing, though at moments Elizabeth Cantrell’s reasons for withholding information from Adrian Torrington is thin at best. However, being a mother myself and knowing what extents one goes to in protecting their children, I really couldn’t fault her for holding back at times. A large cast of secondary characters provides a variety of suspects who each have their own secrets to guard.
The story is thick with intrigue, turns and exposed the infancy of modern crime solving techniques we have today. Adventure, spies, murder, and a marriage of convenience make this regency romance a must-read for 2020.
I received an ecopy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Elizabeth Cantrell is on her way to begin a new life with her infant son when a highway robbery and the resulting carriage crash upend her carefully laid plans. Lord Torrington, a spy for the crown, is sent to rob the carriage and intercept a letter that could turn the tide of the war with France. No letter is found, but when Torrington is discovered alone with the unconscious Miss Cantrell, a hasty marriage seems the only way to preserve his cover and her reputation.

Murder, kidnapping, secret codes, and spies fill the pages of Abigail Wilson’s latest novel. Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey is an absorbing step back in time to the intrigues and drawing room machinations of Regency England. Readers will quickly find that there’s more to Lord Torrington than his rakish reputation would suggest, and Elizabeth is more than equal to mystery that threatens not only her own life but that of her son.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

We are all stuck inside right now with nowhere to go. So why not venture somewhere rad while being stuck? If yes do it with this book. Do it now.

Lord Adrian Torrington is a wealthy land owner by day and a spy by night. Out on a mission, he believes he's robbed the wrong carriage and sent it crashing down the ravine. Inside he finds Elizabeth and her infant son. When he hears another coach approaching, he must protect his identity as a spy and proposes marriage to Elizabeth. Elizabeth is trying to support her young son after being abandoned by the child's father. When Adrian proposes a marriage of convenience, she sees no better alternative and agrees. His only stipulation is that she must pretend to be madly in love with him. Can she fool everyone by pretending or will she truly fall for the handsome lord.

This was the first book I've read by Ms. Wilson and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The murder mystery was top notch and I didn't see the final piece of the puzzle coming together until it was actually revealed. The author was masterful in how she teased out details of both Elizabeth's past as well as Adrian's first marriage. His daughters, Julianna and Phoebe added much to the story.

•°o•:*:•.Suspicion, Intrigue & Romance.•:*:• o°•
This is my first time reading Abigail Wilson’s writing and I am already a huge fan! Her writing captivates and I suspected EVERYONE as this mystery unfolded. The story moved along at a delightful pace and I could not wait to turn each (electronic) page (smile) set in 1815 Southeastern England. Lord Torrington is not what he seems to the young, unwed Elizabeth. Elizabeth is not who he set out to rob.
“Think of our marriage as a rather pleasant masquerade.” “My name is Adrian, by the way. You’d best start calling me that.” He raised his chin. “Since we are madly in love and to be married tomorrow.”
“Mrs. Baxter, some tea if you would.” The door cracked open and Mrs. Baxter shuffled in with a silver platter filled with tea and cakes.
“Some things in life are not chiseled into perfect lines and boxes, Elizabeth. They are far come complex, messier, glorious versions of the original. You have to look hard to see what’s hidden.”

I highly recommend this book for those who enjoy a combined mystery / romance, clean read in a historical setting. 5 stars

I received an eCopy from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest review with no further compensation or expectation.

This is the first book I have read by this author and all I can say is WOW! I must seek out more of her work. The mixture of romance and mystery is perfect.and I loved the characters!
Many thanks to Thomas Nelson Fiction and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Wow.....I loved everything about this book. This is an excellent sweet and clean Regency mystery/romance. With everything that’s going on in our country right now because of the virus, it was great to become absorbed in a book that grabbed my imagination and attention. Intriguing and suspenseful, the plot was paced perfectly with unexpected twists coming at just the right times during the story. The descriptions of Middlecrest made it easy to visualize the manor and the grounds. The details and dialogue fit the time period very well.

The reader views this story from the viewpoint of Elizabeth. Her character sets the tone for this book. She’s strong, compassionate, courageous, and somewhat fearless when it comes to protecting those she loves. She’s a woman who has made and acknowledged her mistakes and is desperately trying to provide the best life possible for her young son, Isaac. Adrian (Lord Torrington) has also made his mistakes, but is now an honorable man determined to protect his family and serve his country. Elizabeth and Adrian make quite a team as they seek to not only protect their family from a murderer and also do their best to serve England. I’m hoping there’s at lease one more book with these characters. I’ll be looking for more books by Abigail Wilson.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I’ve been on an Abigail Wilson binge and have loved every minute of it.

This book is about Elizabeth, she was one of the minor characters in “In The Shadow of Croft Towers.” In that book she was a bit prickly but she has matured and grown a lot in this book. I really liked her and was rooting for her.

Elizabeth is a single mom who’s carriage gets attacked by a highwayman. Just so happens that she recognizes the highwayman as none other than Lord Torrington who also happens to be the elder brother of her son’s father.
Through some circumstances, they wind up married and head to his home, Middlecrest Abbey, where one of his daughters is getting married in a few days.

Like the two previous books, there are spies, a murder and lots of secrets and mysteries, however, nothing gruesome or creepy. This author has a way of making these stories feel like a Regency mystery as opposed to a murder mystery, which I appreciate.

I think the other thing that I realized that I really like about this author’s books, is that even though there are lots of secrets, the hero and heroine work together, talk and are honest with each other...they might hold some things back, but I just enjoy the fact that in this instance, Elizabeth and Lord Torrington, shared their thoughts and communicated with each other frequently. You get to see their growing attraction, respect and love bloom.

All in all, another great story!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book was fantastic! I loved every minute of this mysterious regency romance! Not only was the plot intriguing, but the characters were so well developed and everything worked together perfectly to create a page turning story! Abigail Wilson has become one of my auto buy authors as she continues to provide outstanding novels each and every time! I was totally captivated by the mystery elements in this story and as eager as Elizabeth and Adrian to solve it! The romance in this story was perfectly balanced with the mystery. It was organically woven into this story so that you were equally satisfied with both no matter which element was being addressed in a particular chapter. Adrian is perfectly flawed and I loved him! He was an absolute perfect hero with charm, humor, and a fierce protectiveness that made him all the more endearing! Elizabeth was intelligent and witty although she had a more reserved nature, she was always very blunt with Adrian and seemed to be most herself when he was around. Their personalities just clicked wh they were together and it was absolutely enjoyable! The conclusion of this book was action packed, full of danger, and definitely left me satisfied! This book is going on my top reads of the year list! Absolutely loved it!

A regency novel w/ suspense and romance. Pour yourself a hot cup of tea and curl up in your favourite reading spot and give yourself the gift of a wonderful story. Five stars!

Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey is a breathtaking read that sweeps you away in time to another place. A place where time stands still and life was simple and easy.

This is my third Abigail Wilson novel to read and although this is not one my faves, it definitely had the mystery to it. There is a killer loose and Elizabeth and Adrian are your Sherlock and Holmes of the regency era. They are also keeping up a masquerade between them both. Each has secrets from their past and are reluctant to share them. In this novel, we only hear from Elizabeth's perspective. Many times I wondered what Adrian was really thinking. My favorite is the mystery of who killed their friend? I was shocked when it was revealed, those were the last people I had suspected. And yes, there is multiple people involved in the murder!! 3.5 stars
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I struggled with this book from the get-go; I just had a hard time believing that Elizabeth would agree so easily to marry her former lover's brother and that he would never have any inkling of his brother's connection to her. I felt like the mystery and the resolution, while interesting, were a little convoluted. I also found the romance to be just okay. While Elizabeth and Adrian worked well together in their investigation, I just didn't FEEL the emotion between them. While it didn't work for me, readers who like clean Regency stories with a mystery might find it worthwhile.
I read an ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

I have always been a sucker for old British things, books about large households, aristocrats and Victorian times. Tv shows like Upstairs Downstairs or Downton Abbey were my favorites. I was surprised that this book both had elements of it and yet, was a strong story on its own, featuring a request for closure but also a powerful reflection about what life is worthy of. Abigail Wilson has this skill to describe feelings in such a deep way they hit close to home. And projects this story in front of you, as if you were witnessing it from a magic mirror. I truly enjoyed this book.

Thank you to Net Galley for such an amazing time, by allowing me to read this little treasure.

Perfect for a rainy afternoon, A little romance and suspense. Sweet! Thank you publisher and netgalley for this arc in exchange of an honest review.

Abigail Wilson has a gift for writing smart Regency fiction. I loved her first two novels and found they were a perfect blend of romance and mystery. This latest offering may not have been my favorite, but I still consider Wilson to be a master of the genre.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The spy / mystery stuff was all a bit over the top for me, but when you strip all that away you have a great marriage of convenience story with lots of great moments. I loved how charming Lord Torrington was and the chemistry between the lead characters. Lots of little humor and witty banter made this a fun read, even if I still think the author could have left the spy bits out. That part felt a bit cheesy and under researched.

On the opening pages of Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey, Abigail Wilson will introduce you to Elizabeth Cantrell and her son. They are traveling to accept a new housekeeping position, when their carriage is suddenly forced off the road. When Elizabeth finds herself in a compromising position, she realizes she must marry the highjacker!

Elizabeth soon learns that her attacker is actually Lord Torrington, in disguise, the older brother of her young son's father. Adrian Torrington has been secretly working for years, as a spy for the English government. As Elizabeth travels to her new home, Middlecrest Abbey, she knows her life has become very complicated!

When Elizabeth is introduced to a houseful of new people, the only person she knows is her new daughter's fiance, Giles. When Giles ends up dead the next day, Adrian and Elizabeth realize they have another mystery on their hands to solve. As Elizabeth walks around the halls of Middlecrest Abbey, she does not know whom she can trust. This tale gets very complicated by the time you reach the final page!

Marrying Adrian Radcliff, a man she barely knows, to protect his identity as a British spy and provide a better life for her son seems right to Elizabeth Cantrell at the time; but circumstances arise that put her, her son, and others in danger leading her to doubt the wisdom of her decision. Dealing with a “masquerade” marriage, a complicated past, betrayal, secrets, French spies, murder, threatening notes, missing items, wayward gunshots, duplicitous behavior, and cryptic codes, Elizabeth and Adrian must (in the author’s words) “link the slew of seemingly unrelated events and finally uncover the truth” as their romantic relationship grows, and they learn to trust their hearts and each other.
Mystery, danger, suspense, intrigue, and romance make this easy-to-read story a page-turner with an entertaining plot that flows at a fitting pace. A bit of humor sprinkled here and there intermittently relieves the tension. Crisp descriptive language and figurative imagery add to the enjoyment of this read. I especially like the imagery in this quote: “The drum of fear pounded its way through every inch of my body.” Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey is the first book I have read from Ms. Wilson. Although some of the characters are present in her first two books, this one works fine as a stand-alone. My enjoyment of this book compels me to go back and read those first two books and leaves me looking forward to her future works. I highly recommend this book.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via netgalley but am under no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Review excerpted from my blog post over at FanSciHist (https://fanscihist.wordpress.com/2020/02/28/masquerade-at-middlecrest-abbey-by-abigail-wilson/)

My Rating: 3 stars

Library recommendation: Not recommended for public library Romance collections.

Warning: Hereafter, you chance spoilers. I will try never to reveal major plot points, but to review any book, you must reveal some parts of the story.


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Number of titles I have read by this author: 1

Love story speed: Medium burn

Relationship dynamics: The Gentleman Spy (H) / The Unwed Mother (h)

Sexual content: None. Kissing only.

Triggers: Absentee parenting.

Grammar/Editing: This ARC had a fair amount of run-together paragraphs.

Review: This novel set a slow pace in a fairly generic “southeast England” Regency setting. In addition to being a Regency novel, it also includes a mystery. Beware, however, that the mystery has so many twists and turns that you may not believe it is solved, even when it is.

The central characters of this novel are Adrian and Elizabeth and it is told exclusively from Elizabeth’s point of view. There was very little tension between them in their relationship, and the only clues the reader gets to anything actually changing between them are actual questions Elizabeth asks herself about whether or not changes are afoot. Essentially, I had no emotional investment in this book or its main characters. I also found Elizabeth to be an absentee mother – she almost seemed to care more for her son’s blanket than she did for him. The supporting characters are well-enough developed, but mostly serve to actually tell the reader when Adrian’s feelings shift, or to tell the reader things the main characters have missed. Adrian’s three children are interesting enough, but I also wasn’t invested in any of them. Further, The villains are a bit thin and, to be honest, it could have been any of the characters and I wouldn’t have been shocked or otherwise affected.

Dictionary Version: Meh. Exclamation, informal. “Used to show that you are not interested in someone or something or do not care about him, her, or it.” (Cambridge Dictionary)



Full disclosure: I received a free advance review copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.