Disinheritance

The Chaplain's Legacy, Book 1

By: Mary Kingswood

Narrated by: Joanna Stephens

One man with a secret. A family torn apart by the consequences.

Walter Atherton, Viscount Birtwell, has drifted through his charmed life without a care in the world. As the eldest son and heir to an earl, he has never had to make his way in the world. His days are filled with pleasure, and to set the seal on it, he will shortly be married to a vastly wealthy heiress. His future is set fair for happiness. But the brutal murder of the family chaplain reveals a dreadful secret, and Walter finds his whole future upended. What on earth is he to do now?

Miss Winifred Strong fell in love with Walter years ago - how could she resist his careless charm? But the daughter of a mere baronet is no fitting wife for a future earl. When the disaster strikes and Walter is suddenly cast down in society’s eyes, Winnie allows herself just a sliver of hope. Surely now her old friend will turn to her for comfort… and love? Or must she remain a spinster forever? But a trip to London brings her an unexpected way out of her dilemma — if she has the courage to take it.

This is a complete story with a happy ever after. A traditional Regency romance, drawing room rather than bedroom. Book 1 of a 6 book series.

©2024 Mary Kingswood (P)2024 Mary Kingswood

Mystery plus romance!

You can’t go wrong with Mary Kingswood. Her excellent writing is crisp and clean, and her stories are lively and unique. They usually have an intertwined mystery that adds a fun layer. Her earlier series’ are particular standouts. In this new series we are treated with a visit from past characters. The narrator is very good at capturing the mood, the scene, the upbeat charm of the characters. She’s outstanding. However, two complaints about her still stand. She sometimes drops her voice to a whisper. She has improved a bit in this book, so maybe feedback from reviewers has helped. The other issue is one of the women usually has an ear-twinging squeak. I was so relieved it wasn’t assigned to the main character as it was in a previous book. Now I’m off to buy the next one.

Mystery, murder and unrequited love.

I loved this story. I started this book several times and stoped since it was a new series. So glad I got back to it. I loved Michael Edgerton and Pettigrew showing up in the story. The narrator does such an excellent job giving a distinct voice to each of the characters.