Book Recommendation: Secrets of a Lady (Daughter of the Game)

[dangermousie]

I don't often post about books here because I have my RL friends to discuss my various bookish obsessions with. But now and again, I read a book which I simply must push on others, which I want everyone to read because I enjoyed it so much.



Latest in the list? Secrets of a Lady (it's a reprint, previously it was known as Daughter of the Game) by Tracy Grant.

I don't read a lot of fiction - I get my fiction from Bollywood, dramas or what not, but when it comes to books I prefer non-fiction most of the time. And it's been a while since I've fallen in love with a novel. But I did fall for SoaL, a complete impulse buy of last night, result of random browsing at B&N.

SoaL is part period novel, part mystery, set in London of 1819. Charles and Melanie Fraser appear to have a perfect life: upper-class but progressive, intelligent and well-travelled, they lead a charmed life. A former career diplomat, Charles is a rising opposition politician and his wife Melanie is an exquisite social hostess, a helping wife, and a mother of two. Even more surprisingly, the Frasers appear to genuinely love each other and love their children.

And then one night, their son Colin is kidnapped and their perfect facade is torn down. In trying to meet the kidnapper's demands, they must locate an heirloom ring they do not posess or else lose their child. And in that search, all the secrets, lies, ghosts and fabrications that their marriage is actually built on will come crashing on their heads and they must figure out whether there is anything real between them and in their lives at all.

I love this book!

* It's a period novel done right: the Frasers might be fairly modern for 1819 but they still don't read as present-day people in period costume.

* The plot is twisty and complicated (and I did not guess things unless the author wanted me to. There is one revelation which I figured out on page 10 and the author confirmed it on page 12 and she clearly intended the reader to figure it out before that confirmation).

* All too often when characters are supposed to be intelligent, they don't come across as so because it takes some skill to write intelligent people. But both Melanie and Charles come across as smart.

* I really love the protagonists. Melanie definitely gets my admiration to a degree verging on fangirlishness. She is a woman who must recover her son who might be suffering who knows what, all the while knowing that when the search is over her husband will most likely never want to see her again, in the best case scenario, and she can still carry on. And Charles has been added to my list of literary crushes. Really reserved + really messed up = my favorite combo. I do think both of them need years of therapy but oh well, being British, I guess brandy or tea will have to do.

* Love story! In a marriage! Yes.

* OK, this is going to sound bizarre, but were you one of those people who watched 'Spy Kids' and wished the whole movie was about the super-cool rival spy parents and not the kids? Then the book is for you.

Comments

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

OK, you've totally sold me on this! I'm going to see if I can find it at Borders this lunchtime :D (And I've been SO good about not buying books lately, but ... hey!)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I suggest you check it out first to see if it appeals. I remember I loved "Freedom and Necessity" which you didn't care for at all, and am not sure if this is the same sort of thing.

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

Hee! I just ordered them from amazon (used) and if I don't like them, there's always the table in our laundry room. (I guess there's a book that she wrote later, but which is set earlier?)

And oh, the pressure of making book recs, I know it well! But don't worry, I know it's always caveat emptor - this just sounded quite appealing to me, as I love Georgette Heyer, and it sounds sort of like a charming mix of Heyer and a mystery!

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yes, there is a later-earlier book. I might check it out and see if it's any good, though prequels are never really my thing.

I love Heyer and this does remind me of her a tiny bit.

[angerfish.livejournal.com]

I'm intrigued.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

My job here is done :)

[vierran45.livejournal.com]

Just requested it through Bookmooch :). It does sound intriguing.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Hope you find it fun...book recs are always tricky ;)

[ladysaotome.livejournal.com]

I was interested already & then you had to throw in the Spy Kids comment. Now I've definitely got to read it! Thanks for the rec!

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Hope you like!

[octavia-b.livejournal.com]

I read this book about a year ago, and while I didn't love it, I certainly enjoyed it. When I read it, it was still called Daughter of the Game. Any idea why the title was changed? It seems an odd thing to do when the book isn't all that old.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

No idea why it was changed...people at amazon seem to be as puzzled as I am

[katranna.livejournal.com]

Oooooh. I may want.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

No idea if it's your thing (we have pretty different tastes in books) but might be fun to flip through in a book store

[animeshon.livejournal.com]

sounds pretty good. I shall have to keep an eye out for it :D

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yay!

[ex-beautyof.livejournal.com]

Sold me as well. Thank you for the recommendation :D

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Hope you like! It was delightful the whole way through