Smith, Sarah - The Vanished Child
(I think coffeeandink recced this two Thanksgivings ago. Look! I do remember recs; it just takes me a while to get to them?)
Eighteen years ago, wealthy William Knight was killed and his heir and possible witness to the murder, ten-year-old Richard Knight disappeared. His murder and Richard's disappearance were never solved. Later, for rather complicated reasons, Alexander von Reisden agrees to be introduced as the long-lost Richard and is thrust into the confusing family politics of the Knights.
The beginning of this book reminded me of Dickinson's Sleep and His Brother for some reason; either a) I have read so few mysteries that they all feel alike or b) there is some actual similarity in the feeling of oppressive secrecy and things unsaid. It really could be either. But the claustrophobic nature opens up slightly as Reisden gets more involved with elderly Gilbert Knight, who desperately wants him to be Richard; Gilbert's adopted heir Harry, who stands to inherit a lot if only Richard is finally declared dead; Richard's old doctor Charlie Adair; and Perdita Halley, Harry's fiancee, Charlie's niece, and Gilbert's daughter of the heart.
I generally don't read many mysteries because I tend to be far more interested in character than plot; what I love about this book is how it uses the mystery of Richard's disppearance and William's murder to reveal things about the characters. Reisden's presence unravels everything, even his own sense of identity, and he soon finds himself in much deeper than he expected. I also love the quiet way Perdita begins to grow and realize that maybe there are things about herself that she does not want to give up for marriage, even if Harry wants her to.
Spoilers
I did end up guessing the murderer once Charlie revealed information about Richard being beaten and the fate of the dog. Oh man, the dog. Evil bastard. But the nice thing about the book is that it continues after the big reveal, and the big reveal is far less important than the effect it has on all the people we've grown to care about.
Very good book full of lovely and quiet prose and things not mentioned in the open but explode anyway.
Links:
- rilina's review
- ginny_t's review
Eighteen years ago, wealthy William Knight was killed and his heir and possible witness to the murder, ten-year-old Richard Knight disappeared. His murder and Richard's disappearance were never solved. Later, for rather complicated reasons, Alexander von Reisden agrees to be introduced as the long-lost Richard and is thrust into the confusing family politics of the Knights.
The beginning of this book reminded me of Dickinson's Sleep and His Brother for some reason; either a) I have read so few mysteries that they all feel alike or b) there is some actual similarity in the feeling of oppressive secrecy and things unsaid. It really could be either. But the claustrophobic nature opens up slightly as Reisden gets more involved with elderly Gilbert Knight, who desperately wants him to be Richard; Gilbert's adopted heir Harry, who stands to inherit a lot if only Richard is finally declared dead; Richard's old doctor Charlie Adair; and Perdita Halley, Harry's fiancee, Charlie's niece, and Gilbert's daughter of the heart.
I generally don't read many mysteries because I tend to be far more interested in character than plot; what I love about this book is how it uses the mystery of Richard's disppearance and William's murder to reveal things about the characters. Reisden's presence unravels everything, even his own sense of identity, and he soon finds himself in much deeper than he expected. I also love the quiet way Perdita begins to grow and realize that maybe there are things about herself that she does not want to give up for marriage, even if Harry wants her to.
Spoilers
I did end up guessing the murderer once Charlie revealed information about Richard being beaten and the fate of the dog. Oh man, the dog. Evil bastard. But the nice thing about the book is that it continues after the big reveal, and the big reveal is far less important than the effect it has on all the people we've grown to care about.
Very good book full of lovely and quiet prose and things not mentioned in the open but explode anyway.
Links:
- rilina's review
- ginny_t's review