Review: The Lost Heir by Jane Cable
Today, I'm delighted to share my review for The Lost Heir, an intriguing dual-timeline family mystery by Jane Cable.
I love a fabulous dual-timeline story based on old family secrets, and The Lost Heir did not disappoint.
In 2020, at the beginning of lockdown during the COVID pandemic, we meet Carla, a teacher in rural Cornwall. She is disillusioned with her job, and the restrictions give her the chance to reevaluate her life – both regarding her work as well as her relationship with her on/off boyfriend, Kitto, a local fisherman.
On one of her exercise walks in the remote countryside she meets Mani, an American of Greek-Cornish heritage, in Cornwall for work and to trace his family roots. They start chatting, socially distanced, of course, and realise they get on well. Over Zoom sessions, they share each other's cooking and begin to chat. Slowly, Carla starts to fall for the handsome American, but the dark shadows of his aura worry her.
Carla has psychic tendencies, inherited from her grandmother. She can see aura, energies – and orbs, as it turns out to be. She's intrigued and scared at the same time about what she may uncover if she gets to know Mani better. The constant (unalloyed) visits from Kitty grate at her nerves, and when it transpires that he's been visiting other ex-girlfriends, she's raging. Carla takes the lockdown rules seriously, as she doesn't want to endanger her parents on whose farm she lives in an annex.
Back in the early 1800s, we meet Franny, sole heiress to her father's titles and lands, and her companion – and secret lover – Harriet. Franny is a simple girl, with what we would now consider learning difficulties, although she can sketch beautifully. Franny's world is straightforward, and she doesn't do imaginary things.
When Franny is raped by a cousin (a scene we don't see), she doesn't realise what happened to her, but her family arrange for her and Harriet to stay in a secluded cottage, under false names, until the baby is born. The child was to be given away for adoption, but when Franny sees her daughter, Eliza, she is smitten and refuses.
A solution is found, but will their secret be uncovered?
The Lost Heir is a clever family mystery set in beautiful, rugged Cornwall. The author sets the scene perfectly, and we can well imagine the countryside, the sea, and Franny's fabulous home – which has become a ruin by Carla's time. I loved the description of the woods, the coastline, and the manor, and I felt myself taken on a delightful journey to Cornwall.
I didn't warm to Carla, perhaps because she was overly careful and also indecisive. She came across as a weak character, which, in my view, didn't change much through the book. I found her budding romance with Mani slow at times (possibly due to the realistic depiction of the pandemic rules). For me, she was the weakest part of the novel.
We discover Mani's story through Carla's eyes only, and perhaps that's a limitation to the modern-day plot. I liked him. He was direct, but not imposing, and his own experiences are revealed through the plot.
I thoroughly enjoyed the historical part. Franny is a wonderful character: naive, kind, determined, utterly guileless. She loves Harriet who has to work out clever excuses for them to hide their relationship, and to deal with the birth and aftermath. Then there's Franny's illegitimate half-brother William, a ’free trader’ (smuggler) and cordwainer. Their father ensures he lives in a nice cottage on their estate with his wife, Mary, and their children. I liked William a lot. His struggle between his lust for adventure and his responsibility towards his family is real, and we get a great sense of his dilemma.
The Lost Heir is a wonderful family mystery in a gorgeous setting, sweeping and intriguing. Fans of dual-timeline novels and historical mysteries will love it.
Blurb:
Cornwall, 2020
At the beginning of lockdown, teacher Carla Burgess needs to make some changes to her life. She no longer loves her job, and it’s certainly time to kick her on-off boyfriend into touch. But then, while walking on the cliffs she meets, Mani Dolcoath, a gorgeous American with a dark aura.
Mani is researching his family history, and slowly their lives and their heritage begin to entwine. The discovery of a locked Georgian tea caddy in the barn on her parents’ farm intrigues Carla, but then she starts to see orbs, something that hasn’t happened since her grandmother died. They terrify her and she’ll do anything to outrun them, but will she lose Mani’s friendship in the process?
Cornwall, 1810
Harriet Lemon’s position as companion to Lady Frances Basset (Franny) perfectly conceals the fact they are lovers. But when Franny is raped and falls pregnant their lives are destined to change forever.
The one person who may be able to help them is Franny’s childhood friend, William Burgess, a notorious smuggler. But he has secrets of his own he needs to protect. Will his loyalties be divided, or will he come through?
International Buy Link: https://getbook.at/LostHeir
About the Author:
Jane Cable
Jane Cable writes romance with a twist and its roots firmly in the past, more often than not inspired by a tiny slice of history and a beautiful British setting.
After independently publishing her award-winning debut, The Cheesemaker’s House, Jane was signed by Sapere Books. Her first two novels for them are contemporary romances looking back to World War 2; Another You inspired by a tragic D-Day exercise at Studland Bay in Dorset and Endless Skies by the brave Polish bomber crews who flew from a Lincolnshire airbase.
Jane lives in Cornwall and her current series, Cornish Echoes, are dual timeline adventure romances set in the great houses of the Poldark era and today. She also writes as Eva Glyn.
Connect with Jane:
Twitter: @JaneCable
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JaneCableAuthor
Website & newsletter sign up: http://www.janecable.com
The Lost Heir is currently on blog tour with Rachel's Random Resources. Make sure to check out all the other fabulous tour stops.
The Lost Heir
Cornish Echoes Dual-Timeline Mysteries
Jane Cable
I love a fabulous dual-timeline story based on old family secrets, and The Lost Heir did not disappoint.
In 2020, at the beginning of lockdown during the COVID pandemic, we meet Carla, a teacher in rural Cornwall. She is disillusioned with her job, and the restrictions give her the chance to reevaluate her life – both regarding her work as well as her relationship with her on/off boyfriend, Kitto, a local fisherman.
On one of her exercise walks in the remote countryside she meets Mani, an American of Greek-Cornish heritage, in Cornwall for work and to trace his family roots. They start chatting, socially distanced, of course, and realise they get on well. Over Zoom sessions, they share each other's cooking and begin to chat. Slowly, Carla starts to fall for the handsome American, but the dark shadows of his aura worry her.
 |
| Leat Tehidy Woods (c) Jane Cable |
Carla has psychic tendencies, inherited from her grandmother. She can see aura, energies – and orbs, as it turns out to be. She's intrigued and scared at the same time about what she may uncover if she gets to know Mani better. The constant (unalloyed) visits from Kitty grate at her nerves, and when it transpires that he's been visiting other ex-girlfriends, she's raging. Carla takes the lockdown rules seriously, as she doesn't want to endanger her parents on whose farm she lives in an annex.
Back in the early 1800s, we meet Franny, sole heiress to her father's titles and lands, and her companion – and secret lover – Harriet. Franny is a simple girl, with what we would now consider learning difficulties, although she can sketch beautifully. Franny's world is straightforward, and she doesn't do imaginary things.
When Franny is raped by a cousin (a scene we don't see), she doesn't realise what happened to her, but her family arrange for her and Harriet to stay in a secluded cottage, under false names, until the baby is born. The child was to be given away for adoption, but when Franny sees her daughter, Eliza, she is smitten and refuses.
A solution is found, but will their secret be uncovered?
 |
| Bassett Cove (c) Jane Cable |
The Lost Heir is a clever family mystery set in beautiful, rugged Cornwall. The author sets the scene perfectly, and we can well imagine the countryside, the sea, and Franny's fabulous home – which has become a ruin by Carla's time. I loved the description of the woods, the coastline, and the manor, and I felt myself taken on a delightful journey to Cornwall.
 |
| Drawing of Tehidy Manor |
I didn't warm to Carla, perhaps because she was overly careful and also indecisive. She came across as a weak character, which, in my view, didn't change much through the book. I found her budding romance with Mani slow at times (possibly due to the realistic depiction of the pandemic rules). For me, she was the weakest part of the novel.
We discover Mani's story through Carla's eyes only, and perhaps that's a limitation to the modern-day plot. I liked him. He was direct, but not imposing, and his own experiences are revealed through the plot.
I thoroughly enjoyed the historical part. Franny is a wonderful character: naive, kind, determined, utterly guileless. She loves Harriet who has to work out clever excuses for them to hide their relationship, and to deal with the birth and aftermath. Then there's Franny's illegitimate half-brother William, a ’free trader’ (smuggler) and cordwainer. Their father ensures he lives in a nice cottage on their estate with his wife, Mary, and their children. I liked William a lot. His struggle between his lust for adventure and his responsibility towards his family is real, and we get a great sense of his dilemma.
 |
| Portreath Harbour (c) Jane Cable |
The Lost Heir is a wonderful family mystery in a gorgeous setting, sweeping and intriguing. Fans of dual-timeline novels and historical mysteries will love it.
~~~
Blurb:
Cornwall, 2020At the beginning of lockdown, teacher Carla Burgess needs to make some changes to her life. She no longer loves her job, and it’s certainly time to kick her on-off boyfriend into touch. But then, while walking on the cliffs she meets, Mani Dolcoath, a gorgeous American with a dark aura.
Mani is researching his family history, and slowly their lives and their heritage begin to entwine. The discovery of a locked Georgian tea caddy in the barn on her parents’ farm intrigues Carla, but then she starts to see orbs, something that hasn’t happened since her grandmother died. They terrify her and she’ll do anything to outrun them, but will she lose Mani’s friendship in the process?
Cornwall, 1810
Harriet Lemon’s position as companion to Lady Frances Basset (Franny) perfectly conceals the fact they are lovers. But when Franny is raped and falls pregnant their lives are destined to change forever.
The one person who may be able to help them is Franny’s childhood friend, William Burgess, a notorious smuggler. But he has secrets of his own he needs to protect. Will his loyalties be divided, or will he come through?
International Buy Link: https://getbook.at/LostHeir
~~~
About the Author:
Jane Cable
Jane Cable writes romance with a twist and its roots firmly in the past, more often than not inspired by a tiny slice of history and a beautiful British setting.
After independently publishing her award-winning debut, The Cheesemaker’s House, Jane was signed by Sapere Books. Her first two novels for them are contemporary romances looking back to World War 2; Another You inspired by a tragic D-Day exercise at Studland Bay in Dorset and Endless Skies by the brave Polish bomber crews who flew from a Lincolnshire airbase.
Jane lives in Cornwall and her current series, Cornish Echoes, are dual timeline adventure romances set in the great houses of the Poldark era and today. She also writes as Eva Glyn.
Connect with Jane:
Twitter: @JaneCable
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JaneCableAuthor
Website & newsletter sign up: http://www.janecable.com
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