Cover Image: Twilight at Moorington Cross

Twilight at Moorington Cross

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Member Reviews

Amelia Pembroke is such a sweet lady. Her father tricks her into a marriage that turns out as bad as her life has been to this point. Her husband is a solicitor for Pembroke and Huxley. She has a tendency to fall asleep, but not for long, Narcolepsy. Her husband sent her to Cluett Mesmeric Hospital and she has been there two years.

Mr. Ewan Hawkins is an apprentice solicitor from Pembroke and Huxley. He has been called out to rewrite Mr. Cluett's will. While there Mr. Cluett is murdered, Mrs. Pembroke asks him to stay. Now that the new will is in play and she will need help, now that they had found him dead.

This is a complex mystery, of course, you could probably say the same for most mysteries. But this was really great. It kept you on your toes and you felt anxious. The author has done an excellent job keeping all the particulars straight. It is easy to read, entertaining, and inventive. The characters are kind and just as baffled as Mrs. Pembroke. The twists and turns in this novel are surprising.

I received this ARC from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed it.

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This is my first time reading this author and during the first few chapters I was thinking I had made a mistake picking this up. It felt a bit silly to me. However, once the mystery commenced, it was a complete shift and I found myself fully immersed in the story. The mystery was engaging with lots of "Aha!" moments and the romance was sweet and earnest. This gothic Regency mystery was a delightful surprise.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for access to this arc.

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Twilight at Moorington Cross was quite an adventure! Beginning with Amelia and her strange ailment of sleeping at random times against her will. She has been treated for the past two years a Moorington Cross for this ailment,with no real success. She meets with Ewen Hawkins, the solicitor for the hospital, who tells her of the will in place for Mr Cluett, who runs the hospital. When he dies she is required to marry one of two suitors he has chosen for her within thirty days. She hasn't met either of the gentlemen. Then suddenly he is found dead in his bedroom unexpectedly. As she gets to know both gentlemen, she is beginning to have deeper feelings for Mr Hawkins instead, which means she will lose the entire inheritance to a hospital in France. An unusual and strange man is discovered to be living in a cottage behind the hospital, Henry, and they have no idea why he is there, they only know he is a very volatile individual that cannot be left without supervision. Soon, they discover not only who he is, but who Mr Cluett was. Lots of twists and turns near the end of the story, but a good read to keep you interested!

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Twilight at Moorington Cross is a wonderful Gothic Regency romance. It hits every target. Do you like a Gothic mystery? You will actually find multiple instances of it in this story. Do you find yourself flipping pages as you wonder just “who dunnit?” Do you love a slow burn romance with somewhat star crossed lovers? Ewan and Amelia will completely warm your heart.

I am more of a romance or fantasy fan, rather than a mystery person — but I have thoroughly enjoyed every one of Abigail Wilson’s books — and any book she releases is on my automatic TBR list.

I was able to get an advance copy of this one on net galley and I highly recommend it on every level.

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This book was slow to start with but soon started enjoying the storyline, well written with a few twists and turns along the way and a romance between the unlikely

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This started a bit slow and choppy for me but found myself getting into the story halfway through. The writing is good and both plot and storyline were interesting and fun. Some suspense, romance, and a couple twists and turns made this an overall good read for me!

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This book missed the mark completely for me. It is so very different from this author’s other novels. The plot was bizarre and the characters were eccentric and hard to connect with as a reader. While it did offer a mysterious element that all Abigail Wilson’s books do, I wasn’t invested in the outcome. The pacing was slow, there wasn’t much going on in the plot for most of the book, and the hospital setting was oddly distracting. I simply did not understand Amelia’s character motivation at all. The fact that she was willing to entertain marriage to two horrible options because of some ill conceived notion of taking care of her friends was baffling to me. They both had other arrangements that could have been made and financial means to receive care in another capacity, so it was just irritating that she placed herself in the impossible situation. Like, just say no and walk away. I actually liked Ewan. His personality and sense of humor was engaging. The fact that the guinea pig helped crack the case wide open was a bit of an eye roll moment. There was so much smashed into the ending that I wished had been sprinkled throughout the story. It was a lot to process and I felt that the story up to that point had been a lot of repeat plot points. The ending delivered the twists and turns that I have come to expect from Abigail Wilson’s writing, however it was not enough to alter my opinion of the previous 96% of the book. This one simply didn’t click for me, however I will anxiously await the next book!

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This book was a very good mystery with a sweet love storyline. Would definitely recommend. I loved the suspense and it had some twists. Very good overall.

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I’ve loved all of Abigail Wilson’s previous books so I was really look forward to reading this one! I didn’t end up liking it as much as her previous books but it was still a better than average read.

Amelia had a terrible first marriage and is now in mesmeric healing (read, hypnosis) to try to cure her of a sleeping disorder. She ends up meeting solicitor Ewan Hawkins when she’s the beneficiary in Dr. Cluett’s will. And after Dr. Cluett is found dead, Amelia and Ewan work together to find out who did it, and they happen to fall in love as they get closer and learn more about each other.

So, this book sounds awesome right? A unique setting of a mesmeric hospital, the Regency gothic feel you expect now from an Abigail Wilson book, and interesting mystery with some good twists and turns. The reveal was a bit anticlimactic but that’s because I was starting to guess the whodunit. What keeps me from giving this a glowing review is that I get in a romance novel, there’s always going to be some angst between the two characters. But it seemed so redundant here and it almost got to the point of being frustrating.

All in all, I still found it enjoyed, just not one of my favorite Abigail Wilson books. 3.5 stars rounded up.

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I get so excited whenever this author comes out with a new book! Her books are cozy, Regency, romantic/murder mystery stories. Nothing is graphic or creepy but I enjoy the element of mystery and trying to solve the clues while also enjoying a sweet Regency romance.
The story line was different than the author’s previous books. Both Mr. Hawkins and Amelia Pembroke had physical disabilities which actually drew them closer to each other. Also, the story centers around mesmerism which is basically hypnotism. This must have been a thing back then that I wasn’t aware of but it was still interesting.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book from beginning to end.

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

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I do love a good gothic romantic mystery. This was full of twists and turns and kept me turning the pages. Who doesn’t love creaky hallways, hidden passages and throw in romance for the perfect book. I enjoyed this book! This author is becoming a favorite.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

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Amelia Pembroke struggles with narcolepsy. She currently lives at a Cluett's Mesmeric Hospital, hoping to get help with her condition. She gets the opportunity to inherit a large amount of money and the estate, but in order to do so, she has to pick one of two men to marry. Sounds great already, right! Mix in a little mystery, forbidden romance, and hidden passages, and you have a thrilling book.

The characters were distinct and fun. Wilson's writing was engaging and really drags you into the story. I also really loved the mystery going on behind everything. There is something gothic about the story that felt slightly ominous, but so good! A really enjoyable read.

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‘Twilight at Moorington Cross’ was a rather silly and convoluted book. Given the premise I knew it would be a lighter read and while at times I found myself caught up in the mysteries within, I would also find myself regularly skimming through pages of soppy and cringeworthy romance.

The setting is unusual, but for me led to the book’s downfall rather than enhancing it. Young widow Amelia Pembroke has been a patient at Cluett’s Mesmeric Hospital for two years after her cruel husband had her admitted for her ‘sleeping spells.’ A favorite of Dr. Cluett, she is nonetheless surprised not only by his murder, but the fact that she is the sole beneficiary of his will. The catch? He stipulated that within thirty days of his death, she must marry one of two young gentlemen named in his will — one rather stiff and boring fellow, the other a rake — or forfeit the entire inheritance for herself and whichever man she would choose, and close the hospital doors. An added complication introduced early on and quite obvious in how it would turn out is her instant attraction to the young solicitor helping her through this process, Ewan Hawkins.

And here’s where things started going south. Although there was some intrigue contained in solving the murder and figuring out why the terms of Cluett’s will were so unorthodox, the bulk of the novel went like this: Amelia is determined to take one for the team and marry one of the two men. Repeatedly she forces herself to be courted by the staid Lymington or the leering cad Montague, while Ewan tries weakly to convince her she must pick one of these men (with his guidance, for some reason) as they both fight their obvious feelings for each other. Over and over.

I’ll sum up. Ewan: “You must pick one of these men, and I will spend daily, intimate one-on-one time with you helping you choose between them while you and I fall into some sort of love.” Amelia: “I cannot fight my feelings for you. Lymington’s pretty ok but boring. (I love Ewan!) I have to marry one of the two, and Montague is a hottie. (I love Ewan!) No, I must do my duty and save everyone and marry one of the two men. Perhaps Ewan and I can go on a long, romantic walk around the estate while we gaze at each other and bond over our sad life stories and discuss which of the other two men I must marry — that seems a wise plan.”

Secondary characters, especially Mrs. Fitzroy, did add some enjoyment, and the setting was indeed quite gothic and atmospheric, but one looming question I had was: why were there so few patients in this large, rambling estate-turned-hospital? That felt odd. Only three long time patients? And while admittedly it fulfilled the gothic description, all of the (rather convenient) twists and turns during the rushed and confusing ending felt too contrived and neatly wrapped up for me to feel invested in the outcome.

I’ve been pretty harsh and I’m sorry to have to be the bad guy, but it’s my honest feedback. I’ll leave out my feelings on the silly pun contained in the closing paragraphs. No, I won’t. “You have mesmerized me,” says one character to the other. Mesmerize … Mesmeric Hospital … *facepalm*.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

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When Amelia Pembroke is made heir to Moorington Cross she must marry one of two highly unsuitable men within the month or they will all lose everything. The situation is only made more complicated by the fact that the previous owner of Moorington Cross (and possibly the one before him too) was murdered. Only Amelia, with the help of her dashing young solicitor, can solve the murder. He’ll help her choose a husband too, for better or for worse…

The unusual manor house hospital setting, allowing for a large character cast living together under one roof, gave a varied depth to the narrative. Each character had a different background, a different present situation, different goals for their future, and a different role to play in the slowly unravelling mystery of the novel. Mrs Fitzroy was a particularly intriguing character as it was implied right from the start that she had something to hide. However, her secret wasn’t quite what you are first led to believe.

The final solving of the mystery was partially expected even though the actual murderer was a complete shock to me. I particularly enjoyed how the answers were revealed gradually across the last few chapters rather than being revealed in a rush at the end as is often the case when a mystery is involved.

Overall this was an enjoyable and laidback read.

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This book looked really interesting, so I wanted to try it out. However I am not sure what I think about the book. Twilight at Moorington Cross is the first book that I have read written by Abigail Wilson. It is a gothic mystery romance with an intriguing plot, but I didn’t like it as much as I had hoped.
Amelia Pembroke is a widow sent away because of her unnatural sleeping spells. However her life changes when she is made the heir of Cluett’s Mesmeric Hospital, however in order to receive her inheritance she has to choose between two men who did not seem to fit her at all but if she did not choose one of the two men, she would lose everything. Just as Ameilia learns of her inheritance and meets the men she is to marry, Dr. Cluett is found dead. Now Amelia must choose a man to marry, however there is more to Dr. Cluett’s death. Amelia will need the help of socielatier Mr. Hawkins to help solve the mystery.
I liked Amelia as a character and I felt bad for her. But I didn’t feel like I connected with her as much. She had been hurt before so she was weary of people but she was learning to trust Mr. Hawkins. She was very protective of those she loved and it was sweet to read about her interacting with the other patients. IT was interesting to read about Amelia as sht ried to choose between the two men chosen for her, she wanted to marry for love if she had to marry at all. I liked reading about her relationship with Mr. Hawkins.
Mr. Hawkins was a bit of a mysertsy as everything was from Amelia’s perspective and you don’t really know a lot about him. However he was a kind man who wanted to help Ameila but who was also trying to find his place in life. I liked him and getting to know him more.
Amelia and Mr. Hawkins had to work together to find out the truth behind dr. Cluett’s death and figure out what Dr. Clueet’s will meant. I was intrigued by the plot and I did want to read more but it was not as interesting as I had hoped. It felt like there was so much going on, and I did not understand the purpose of the mesmeric treatments.
Twilight at Morrington Cross was a good book, but it wasn’t quite my cup of tea. If you like gothic mystery romances, then this may be for you. It is clean, however there is a murder involved in this book.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.

I posted my review on Goodreads, Bookbub, and Barnes and Nobles

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TWILIGHT AT MOORINGTON CROSS by ABIGAIL WILSON is a mysterious Gothic romance novel that takes place in 1810 at the rather eerie mesmeric hospital run by Dr Cluett. With the death of Dr Cluett so soon after him announcing a change in his will, some horrible secrets emerge and there are some strange occurrences.
Amelia Pembroke, after her unhappy marriage, and with a serious sleeping disorder, is to be Dr Cluett’s beneficiary, with the stipulation that she marry one of two bachelors chosen by Dr Cluett. Who can she trust now that her benefactot is dead, and how can she look after her two dear friends who have been having the same mesmeric treatment? Also can she trust the solicitor, Mr Hawkins, seeing that Mr Pembroke was a solicitor in the same firm?
Twilight at Moorington Cross is an exciting read, with suspense, intrigue, murder, mystery and romance.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Thomas Nelson. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

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4.5 Stars! This was an interesting book that I couldn’t put down. Mystery, suspense, everyone’s a suspect, narcolepsy, surprises and twists and turns, a small amount of romance/falling in love, mesmerism, secrets and solving a murder - What’s not to love?! HEA ending. Everything was a mystery to me and I didn’t see it coming the way it did. If you love mystery with a dash of falling in love, this would be a great book to read.
*I received this book at no charge & I voluntarily left this review.*

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Abigail Wilson is a new to me author and I really enjoyed her writing. She definitely knows how to create a great story with a little romance, a little mystery, a dollop of suspense and a little intrigue to top it all off. I highly recommend this interesting story!! I’ll definitely be looking for more of this authors books.

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Twilight at Moorington Cross by Abigail Wilson is an amazing historical fiction that truly has it all: mystery, suspense, history, an excellent character cast, and a dash of romance to add to an amazing Gothic narrative. I loved it!

I have read every one of Ms. Wilson’s novels so far, and I have loved every single one of them. Her ability to craft a stunning narrative, know exactly just how to balance historical detail with appropriate pacing, and the always impressive complex cast of characters…all the while adding a touch of romance and mystery is always a winning combination.

This book is set in the 1810s and has all the elements that I love. I loved Amelia, Ewan (Mr. Hawkins), and the rest of the characters. I loved the twists/turns and I loooooooooved the ending!!!!!

Perfect in every way! I cannot recommend this enough.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Thomas Nelson for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

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

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.

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A lovely romantic mystery with wonderful twists and turns that will keep you turning the page.

The practice of mesmerism was not something I had ever heard of before, it was an interesting revelation in medicine for me.

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