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Reviewed by Cecelia Hopkins for Readers' Favorite
The Secret Behind Sycamore Hills by Luis Ammerman is the story of gentle Ophelia who struggles to keep house for the miserly Lord Fortney. When his handsome nephew Charles Witherford comes to visit, Ophelia cannot help falling in love. Lord Fortney opposes the match, but Ophelia views his objections as pointless malingering and elopes. Unfortunately, on her arrival at Branwood, Ophelia notices that the staff members appear hostile. She is shocked to learn that Charles has been married before. From that point onward, Charles’s temper worsens, and the various accounts he gives of his first wife’s demise are contradictory. Can Ophelia survive to escape her abusive husband?
The Secret Behind Sycamore Hills by Luis Ammerman began like a historical romance and then cleverly unfolded into a chilling domestic thriller. I liked the character of Ophelia, and my sympathy for her led me to expect the happy marriage and fairytale ending that she so desired. I admired the way the narrative was written to display the heroine’s determination and strength when her blissful married life did not appear. The narrative skillfully set Lord Fortney up as a cantankerous old man, so that it was satisfying to see Ophelia defy his wishes and hastily leave his employment. I liked the sting-in-the-tail sensation created when the plot unfolded to prove that his warnings were correct! The gothic motifs of stormy weather, windswept hills, hidden rooms, and soulful diaries were also effectively utilized. The book is an effective page-turner and marital crime story.
