The House at the End of the Moor

This nuanced if clunky tale of redemption and grace from Griep (The Noble Guardian), set in 1861 England, thrills with its gothic atmosphere. Opera singer Maggie Dosett, attempting to live an anonymous life, has made a home for herself and two servants in a small house in Lydford, a place where all three can feel safe, after a politician threatened to ruin her reputation, claiming she had broken a contract. That safety only lasts until Oliver Ward, recently escaped from Dartmoor Prison, makes his appearance in dire need of aid. Oliver and Maggie soon learn they are connected upon realizing that the same politician searching for Maggie had framed Oliver for a robbery he didn’t commit. Believing there is a deeper conspiracy than she realized, Maggie works to help Oliver clear his name in order to finally find freedom for herself, and all the while they both try to live by their faith. Griep’s plot is rewardingly intricate, but it has an unfortunate tendency to get bogged down by excessive detail and jarring shifts in tense and voice. Readers who can stick through the bumpy parts will find plenty to enjoy. (Apr.)