It’s always fun to read an old book by an author who became famous later. Evidently Joanna Bourne didn’t write any books between 1983 and 2008 so it’s fun to see how her writing developed.
Her Ladyship’s Companion by Joanna Bourne
(1983, Regency) 4/28/13
Grade: 3.5
French teacher Melissa Rivenwood leaves her school in London to take a job as a companion in remote northern England. She finds an intriguing cast of characters – her imperious employer, Lady Dorothy, the 7 year old earl, Robbie, and his mysterious uncle, Giles. There are also several other relatives who are also living in the house. Everything seems well at first, until mysterious accidents start to threaten Robbie. Who can she trust?
This was a fairly by-the-numbers gothic, but it was well written enough to keep me turning the pages. All of the characters were straight out of gothic central casting. Especially in the first half, it was hard to keep track of everyone. But despite all this, the story and characters were interesting. I enjoy a good gothic, even if the story is predictable. It was worth reading despite the problems.
Gothics are out of fashion, but they’re fun to read occasionally.
Karen Wheless
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