The Lady of Bolton
Hill opens with a bang and never stops moving. I lost quite a bit of sleep
staying up late to read “just one more chapter.” This was the fourth novel of
Elizabeth Camden’s I have read, and I can’t decide which one is my favorite.
Set in the 1800s, all her stories feature strong female protagonists who
struggle with real-life issues. Impeccably researched, the books’ topics range
from child labor and the opium trade (The
Lady of Bolton Hill) to the early days of finding a cure for TB (With Every Breath).
It is 1879, and American journalist Clara Endicott is in
London writing articles to shed light on the plight of London’s poor. When she
is jailed for refusing to name one of her sources, she begins to question her
career. Receiving a last minute reprieve before her trial, she returns home to
Baltimore where she finds herself on opposite sides of an issue with her
childhood sweetheart, Daniel Tremain. Bitter over the death of his father,
Daniel is waging a one-man war against the person he holds responsible. While
trying to help Daniel see his need for God’s grace, Clara is swept into a
miasma of intrigue and subterfuge eventually putting her life in danger.
Author Elizabeth Camden’s realistic dialogue and vivid
descriptions draw the reader into the era. The message of salvation and
forgiveness are woven throughout the story without being preachy or clichéd. A
stand-alone book, The Lady of Bolton Hill
features a minor, yet fascinating anti-hero who shows up in a later book as
the male protagonist. The story and its characters stayed with me long after I
turned the last page.
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A freelance writer for over twelve years, Linda
Matchett also writes historical fiction. She is currently seeking a publisher
for her series about war correspondent Ruth Brown. Visit her at www.LindaShentonMatchett.com
