Devil of Gilding

Knight’s enticing debut explores the evil disguises of an outwardly pleasant governess. Set in Regency England, the novel opens with the death of James Blake’s wife, Leah, shortly after she gave birth to a son. James, the lord of the manor of Gilding, becomes a recluse on his large, secluded estate for years afterward. James’s life revolves around his son, Toby, and his own younger brother, Clemit. But when Toby turns eight, James decides he must hire a governess to further Toby’s education and offers the position to Adelaide Everglade, his late wife’s cousin. Clemit warns against this, believing he remembers a side to Adelaide that no one recognizes. Adelaide accepts the position, secretly planning to step into Leah’s role as wife and mother. But she quickly discovers that her plans to move up in society through marriage to James will be impossible as long as Toby is around—so she contrives a plot to have him kidnapped. After Toby goes missing, Adelaide works to cover up her involvement in the crime, and devoutly Protestant James leans on his faith and his brother for comfort as they try to find his son. While the foreshadowing is heavy-handed from the start, Knight’s enthralling plot will appeal to Christian readers interested in a story with very clear moral stakes. (BookLife)