Friday, 16 October 2026

Book Review: Millie's Escape by Marcia Clayton

 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/

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