The Secrets of Hartwood Hall

In 1852, Margaret Lennox, the 29-year-old narrator of British author Lumsden’s captivating debut, is left destitute when her clergyman husband dies after three years of marriage. Soon afterward, Mrs. Lennox leaves London for isolated Hartwood Hall in the west of England to assume the position of governess to 10-year-old Louis, the son of widowed Mrs. Eversham. Mrs. Eversham, who warns Mrs. Lennox never to go into the abandoned east wing or to let Louis out of her sight, has something to hide; she mysteriously disappears for days at a time and is distrusted by the local villagers. Meanwhile, Mrs. Lennox, who has a secret that makes her a potential blackmail target, thinks she hears or sees elusive figures at night in the hallway. She dares to enter the forbidden wing, where she makes a surprising discovery about the Evershams. The death of a servant and the arrival of an unexpected visitor force various secrets into the open with dire consequences. Assured prose propels this well-crafted tale of family, friendship, and the cost of personal freedom. Fans of the great Victorian novels, in particular Jane Eyre, will have fun. Agent: Karolina Sutton, Curtis Brown (U.K.). (Feb.)