Book Review
Basic Details:
Book Title: Millie's Escape
Subtitle: Hartford Manor
Book 4
Author:
Marcia Clayton
Genre: Historical Fiction
Part of a series? Yes
Order in series: 4
Best read after earlier
books in series? Yes, but can be read as stand-alone
Available: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/199384311-millie-s-escape
Overall
score:
I
scored this book 5/5
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Short
Summary of the book:
In
this book, we follow 15-year-old Millie and her 5-year-old brother Jonathan as
they escape the clutches of the vengeful Lady Grantley following the death of
their mother and Lord Grantley from typhoid fever.
Will
they escape and find their relatives in Hartford, or will Lady Grantley get her
wish and see Millie and her brother hanging from the gallows for her husband’s
infidelity?
What
I liked about the book:
It
is well-written and follows some old familiar characters from the author’s
previous books.
What
I didn’t like about the book:
I
liked the book in its entirety.
My
favourite bits in the book:
When
strangers are willing to help and support Millie and her brother.
My
least favourite bits in the book:
When
strangers try to betray Millie and her brother.
Any
further books in the series? Any more planned by this author?
This
is the 4th in the series, and there are more after this book.
What
books could this be compared to and why?
This
is a book of historical fiction.
Recommendation:
In
summary, I would recommend this book for the following readers:
|
Children |
No |
|
Young
Adult |
Yes |
|
Adult |
Yes |
If
you like historical fiction, this book may
be the book for you.
I
look forward to reading more books by this author.
Book
Description by Author:
1885
North Devon, England
It
is winter in the small Devon village of Brampford Speke, and a typhoid epidemic
has claimed many victims. Millie, aged fifteen, is doing her best to nurse her
mother and grandmother as well as look after Jonathan, her five-year-old
brother. One morning, Millie is horrified to find that her mother, Rosemary,
has passed away during the night and is terrified the same fate may befall her
granny, Emily.
When
Emily's neighbours inform her that Sir Edgar Grantley has also perished from
the deadly disease, the old woman is distraught, for the kindly gentleman has
been their benefactor for many years, much to the disgust of his wife,
Lilliana. Emily is well aware that Sir Edgar’s generosity has long been a bone
of contention between him and his spouse, and she is certain Lady Grantley will
evict them from their cottage at the first opportunity.
As
she racks her brain for a solution, Emily remembers her father came from
Hartford, a seaside village in North Devon and had relatives there. Desperate
and too weak to travel, she insists Millie and Jonathan leave home and make
their way to Hartford before the embittered woman can cause trouble for them.
There, she tells them, they must throw themselves on the mercy of their family
and hope they will offer them a home.
With
Emily promising to follow them as soon as possible, the two youngsters
reluctantly set off on their fifty-mile journey on foot and in the harshest of
weather conditions. Emily warns them to be cautious, for she suspects Lady
Grantley may well pursue them to seek revenge for a situation that has existed
between the two families for many years.
About
the Author:
Marcia
Clayton writes historical fiction with a sprinkling of romance and mystery in a
heartwarming family saga that spans the Regency period through Victorian times.
As
a child, Marcia often had to amuse herself as her siblings were several years
older than her, and her arrival was something of a shock to her middle-aged
parents. Her favourite pastimes were writing stories and reading, and she
adored the Enid Blyton books, particularly The Famous Five and The Adventure
Series. These books established her love of literature, which has remained with
her to this day.
A
farmer’s daughter, Marcia, was born in North Devon and is proud to be a Devon
Maid. Over the years, she has been employed in various occupations, primarily
to work around raising her three sons, Stuart, Paul, and David. She has worked
in banking and nursing and, for many years, was the School Transport Manager
for the local authority. Now retired, Marcia spends a lot of her time writing
historical fiction but also enjoys gardening, researching her family history,
and walking in the lovely Devon countryside with Bryan, her husband of
fifty-three years.
Marcia
has written seven books in the historical family saga, The Hartford Manor
Series. You can also read her free short story, Amelia, a spin-off tale from
the first book, The Mazzard Tree. Amelia, a little orphan girl of 4, is
abandoned in Victorian London with her brothers, Joseph and Matthew. To find
out what happens to her, download the story here:
https://marciaclayton.co.uk/amelia-fr...
In
addition to writing books, Marcia writes blogs about a variety of subjects and
a monthly newsletter, which she shares with her readers. If you would like to
join Marcia’s mailing list, please subscribe to her website, The Devon Maid
Book Corner: https://marciaclayton.co.uk/
