Silent on the Moor

I just finished Silent on the Moor by Deanna Raybourn. This is the third in the Lady Julia Grey series. It's a historical mystery, taking place in the Victorian era of Great Britain. This particular book takes place in Yorkshire, 6 miles from where the Brontes lived. Lady Julia has decided to accompany her sister, Portia, to the home that Nicholas Brisbane has bought. Nicholas and Julia have been falling in love through out the series. Julia is going to the home uninvited to clarify their relationship.

The house is an old house on the Yorkshire moor. The home was owned by the Allenby family for centuries. When the latest heir died, the family was left bankrupt and had to sell off much of the furniture and their belongings. Lady Allenby and her two daughters, Ailith and Hilda, still live in the house, while Nicholas is having a home built for them. Nicholas grew up on the estate as a half-breed gypsy and knew the family when he was a child. There is something very mysterious about what has happened here and Julia needs to figure it out.

The book follows the Brontes in having a brooding hero, much mystery, interesting weather, etc. We see many of Julia's eccentric family again. We meet gypsies again. And the servants and town people are fun to meet. The characters, in general, are very interesting and people that you enjoy spending time with. It's a long book but reads very fast.

Once again, the question of whether a historical protagonist rings true is an issue. Julia is not conventional but we have seen her become less conventional as the books progress.

I enjoyed this book and will be looking forward to the next.