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Reviewed by Delene Vrey for Readers' Favorite
Secrets of Castle Rowley by Matilda Lockwood tells of Annabel Barlow, who is married off by her mother to a tenant at Castle Rowley. Annabel is happy to be married but only wants to be able to read her books. When the baron discovers that Richard has been stealing from him, he is quickly thrown into the castle dungeon. While Richard is locked up, Annabel learns of the many people who have gone missing from the castle grounds, including Richard’s second wife, Lady Phillipa. Soon, Annabel makes friends with husband and wife Charlie and Lise, and they set out to find a treasure that Lady Phillipa hid somewhere in the castle. As they locate the clues Lady Phillipa left, they draw closer to solving the riddles and the mystery of the missing people. Annabel is a clever and resourceful young woman who does not waver in helping her friends in need. She helps young Frederick reconnect with his brother and become a young man who would make a fine baron. As they uncover the mysteries of the castle, Annabel has to keep herself and her friends safe from the cruel Baron Rowley.
In Secrets of Castle Rowley by Matilda Lockwood, applying one genre to this wonderfully lengthy book is difficult as the author covers many aspects. Romance, adventure, mystery, and gothic elements surround the baron and the castle. Having the narrative told from a non-aristocratic point of view is refreshing. The characters have much more freedom than their aristocratic betters but also many more hardships. The author successfully weaves a picture of a full and colorful life and the struggles the lower working class faces as they are at the mercy of the baron and his men. The complexities of life as a tenant farmer and the plight of women are clearly depicted. Further themes explored are those of honesty, honor, and the difficulty of romance in a time when marriage was viewed as an agreement that suited both parties but seldom was a love match. This is a very good book and it feels as if you get more than one story as there are so many different subplots that color the background of the main plot.
