Reviewed by Fran
1812, England:
Annabelle Lady Marchant has seemingly acquired psychic foresight, but is it a gift or a curse? Foresight is one thing, to fail in predicting the course of imminent murder another, thus the sceptics have seized the day and Annabelle is no longer the belle of London society. Nonetheless, the widow of the deceased, undaunted by gossip, has sought Annabelle's help in setting free a restless spirit within her Cheshire home. Her son, Rufus Earl of Terrance, faced with the dire task of proving himself innocent of having murdered his father, is already en route to Cheshire. So too, is Annabelle.
The manner in which Annabelle and Rufus happen to cross paths sets precedence for friction and future altercation, and he's damned if he'll have the psychic witch under his roof. What is more, the earl, rightly or wrongly, has acquired a rather unsavoury title from amidst his estate workers and estate tenants. Steadfast in standing her ground, Annabelle determines his behaviour as outlandish and crude, and all rather amusing when she and his mother outsmart him. As time passes the sparks between Annabelle and Rufus become less prone to scorching each other's pride and prejudices, and instead fires of the heart burn with equal measure. Even as love takes hold neither is willing to concede defeat in either of their individual quests. Spirits of the dead are all the while revealing hidden truths with unsettling frequency, until the villain is finally unmasked. A beastly Scandal is a delightful tale involving murder, mystery and paranormal elements that are sometimes amusing and often heart-rending.
Annabelle Lady Marchant has seemingly acquired psychic foresight, but is it a gift or a curse? Foresight is one thing, to fail in predicting the course of imminent murder another, thus the sceptics have seized the day and Annabelle is no longer the belle of London society. Nonetheless, the widow of the deceased, undaunted by gossip, has sought Annabelle's help in setting free a restless spirit within her Cheshire home. Her son, Rufus Earl of Terrance, faced with the dire task of proving himself innocent of having murdered his father, is already en route to Cheshire. So too, is Annabelle.
The manner in which Annabelle and Rufus happen to cross paths sets precedence for friction and future altercation, and he's damned if he'll have the psychic witch under his roof. What is more, the earl, rightly or wrongly, has acquired a rather unsavoury title from amidst his estate workers and estate tenants. Steadfast in standing her ground, Annabelle determines his behaviour as outlandish and crude, and all rather amusing when she and his mother outsmart him. As time passes the sparks between Annabelle and Rufus become less prone to scorching each other's pride and prejudices, and instead fires of the heart burn with equal measure. Even as love takes hold neither is willing to concede defeat in either of their individual quests. Spirits of the dead are all the while revealing hidden truths with unsettling frequency, until the villain is finally unmasked. A beastly Scandal is a delightful tale involving murder, mystery and paranormal elements that are sometimes amusing and often heart-rending.
